New Landcare Facilitator Position Advertised
Posted on 24 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
Landcare Facilitator Position for the Mount Alexander Region
Connecting Country has commenced advertising for the new Landcare Facilitator position. The position will be based at Connecting Country’s Office in Castlemaine and is a 12 Month 0.6FTE position, with the possibility of extension. More information about the proposed facilitator’s role can be found here. Applications close on the 16 January 2012.
Steering Committee for the Landcare Facilitator
Connecting Country is also seeking people who are interested in participating on a voluntary basis on a Steering Committee which is being established to provide guidance for the Landcare Facilitator. For more information click here.
Connecting Country’s Yellow Box Woodland Project: The First Two Years
Posted on 22 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country has produced a report on its achievements for the first two years of funding for the Yellow Box Woodland project. It can be downloaded here.
The report describes the Connecting Country Project and gives a summary of achievements in the three project areas: On-Ground Works, the Monitoring Program and Community Engagement. It covers the period from October 2009 to September 2011.
Funding for the Yellow Box Woodland project has been extended for another year. Landowners and groups who are interested in undertaking on-ground works on their properties are invited to submit an expression of interest. The education program for 2012 will be launched in January, and there will be increased opportunities for the community to become involved in monitoring of nest-boxes, birds and vegetation during the year ahead.
8-9 March 2012 – National Soils Forum in Bendigo
Posted on 19 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is hosting the 2012 National Soils Forum in Bendigo. The forum will bring together key landholders, local farmers, scientists and policy makers to discuss how we secure the productive and environmental values of our soils in North Central Victoria.
Date
Thursday 8 and Friday 9 March 2012
Times
Thursday 10am – 5.30pm, Field trips and trade exhibitions
Thursday from 7pm, Civic reception/Gala dinner
Friday 8.30am – 5.30pm, Forum and trade exhibitions
Venue
Quality Resort All Seasons, McIvor Road, Bendigo
Keynote speakers include Dr Julian Cribb, journalist, editor, science communicator and author of The Coming Famine and Dr. Peter Carberry, Deputy Director for the CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship program.
The forum will include field trips and trade exhibits, and cover climate change, contemporary farming systems, and economic circumstances that place pressure on the land.
The forum is delivered under the North Central CMA’s Farming for Sustainable Soils project – initiative supported by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program.
For further information and registration including details of field trips, contact the North Central CMA on 03 5448 7124 or email info@nccma.vic.gov.au RSVP by February 9, 2012.
December issue of Groundcover
Posted on 19 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
The December issue of the North Central CMA publication Groundcover is now available and can be downloaded here. ‘Groundcover’ aims to keep people up to date with Landcare activities in the North Central region of Victoria. The December issue includes a short article on Connecting Country’s eucalyptus identification workshops.
Four Australian Government Grants
Posted on 16 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
There are currently four opportunities for funding through the Australian Government:
- Biochar Capacity Building Program will support research, on-ground testing and demonstration of biochar to provide additional options for land managers to contribute to reducing Australia’s carbon pollution. Applications close on 3 Feb 2012. Click here to find out more.
- Action on the Ground is designed to assist the on-farm trial and demonstration of practices and technologies to reduce agricultural sector greenhouse gas emissions and/or increase carbon stored in soil. Applications close on 8 Feb 2012. Click here to find out more.
- Caring for Our Country 2012/2013 Business Plan. Click here to find out more.
- The Federal Govt. has just advertised the Biodiversity Fund. Under the first round of the Biodiversity Fund in 2011-12, over $30 million will be allocated to activities to help farmers and land managers store carbon, enhance biodiversity and increase resilience across the Australian landscape. Click here to find out more.
Update on Communities for Nature Grants Program
Posted on 15 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
The Communities for Nature grants program has an additional option for users submitting online applications.
Applications may be submitted in two ways:
Complete the online application form (preferred method) at the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) website. Please note you will need to download the supporting information form, complete it, and attach it to your online application
or
Complete the word version application form and supporting information form and email them to grantapplications@dpcd.vic.gov.au. Attach all documents to one email, zipping the files if required.
Applicants should visit this website for the most up to date information (including the word version application form) or call the Grants Information Line on 1300 366 356. There is also information about these grants here on the Connecting Country site.
Please note that applications close on 19 December 2011.
Maurie Dynon recognised as Guildford Globe’s Person of the Year
Posted on 15 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
Guildford Landcare stalwart and Connecting Country Committee of Management member, Maurie Dynon, has been named The Guildford Globe’s ‘Person of the Year’.
In recognising Maurie’s contribution The Globe notes that ‘if it wasn’t for Maurie’s efforts as head of the Guildford/Upper Loddon Landcare Group, Guildford may well have ended up underwater on any number of occasions. Maurie has spear-headed project after project since 1995, revegetating, restoring and reinvigorating most of the wildlife corridors that constitute the Guildford, Newstead, Vaughan and surrounding areas.’
To see the complete Guildford Globe article click here.
Want to Develop a Whole Farm Plan?
Posted on 10 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
DPI’s FarmPlan21 team are holding a FREE accredited training course (six four-hour sessions) for interested landholders.
Topics covered include SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats); Soils and Land Classing; Weed Identification and Management; Biodiversity; Development of Action Plans; Review Whole Farm Plan; and Computerised Mapping.
Date: 8 February to 14 March 2012
Venue: Maldon Community Centre, Francis Street, Maldon
RSVP: 11 January 2012
A light supper will be provided.
Visit this site for an expression of interest form.
For further information, please contact Kevin Moschetti, Project Officer – Whole Farm Planning, FarmPlan21; telephone: 03 5430 4804, mobile: 0409 351 286 or email: kevin.moschetti@dpi.vic.gov.au
Presentations available from 25 Years of Landcare Conference
Posted on 9 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
Presentations from the Growing sustainable communities – 25 years of Landcare 1986-2011 conference are now available.
At this conference on 15 November 2011, more than 350 Landcarers, supporters and agency staff joined together at the MCG to mark Landcare’s first 25 years in Victoria and explore issues and opportunities for the future.
The Victorian Landcare gateway will provide a thorough evaluation of the conference online shortly. Presentations delivered at the conference can be accessed here.
New Landcare Position at Connecting Country
Posted on 9 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country is pleased to announce that it is one of 60 organisations in Victoria that have been successful in their bid to host one of the new Landcare Facilitator positions. The new local facilitator will be part-time and will work with landcare groups in the Mount Alexander Shire.
Connecting Country is excited by this development. It will enable the work that the organisation is already doing with landcare groups to be strengthened and extended. Further details on the role of the new facilitator in supporting local landcare groups will be posted here soon.
For more information on these new positions see the media release from the Minister for Environment and Climate Change.
Photographing our Bushlands
Posted on 6 December, 2011 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country and Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests have produced a good quality colourful A2 poster containing 63 photos highlighting the beauty of our local bushlands. Member of Connecting Country and/or FOBIF can buy it for $15 from Connecting Country at The Hub 14/233b Barker St (entry through glass door on Templeton St— Please bring exact money). The poster is also available at Stonemans Bookroom and the Castlemaine Tourist Information Centre in the Market Building. Click here to see a larger version of the poster.
Alison Pouliot and the International Year of the Forests
Posted on 29 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
Over many years, well-known photographer and fungi expert Alison Pouliot has taken superb images of our local bushlands. On her website she notes that her photos concentrate on the design, diversity and connectedness of living things and that her background in research ecology has provided her with the ideal framework to seek and understand the subjects of her photography. Alison spends about half of each year in Europe and from there she has sent us a series of photos to celebrate the International Year of the Forests.
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Recently Alison wrote reflectively on the importance of connecting with forests across the globe. The following is an extract from her essay which was originally published in the Castlemaine Independent:
When I first set foot in the local forest here in the European Jura a decade ago, I didn’t hear my footfall. There was no familiar crack of dried leaves and sticks of the Australian bush’s tangled understorey. There was no warning call from pardalotes or treecreepers alerting all to my intrusion. And there was no shrill incessant ringing of cicadas above a chorus of buzzing insects.
The full essay can be downloaded here.
Apart from photographing the local environment, Alison regularly conducts her own workshops on fungi. Click here for information on her 2012 Autumn Fungi Workshops.
Two New Local Environmental Positions
Posted on 28 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
Barkers Creek Cleanup Project Officer
The Barkers Creek Landcare Network is seeking a suitably qualified NRM project officer to undertake extension work as part of the Victorian Blackberry and Gorse Taskforce projects. This part-time position will involve visiting landholders along Barkers Creek north of Castlemaine and assisting them to develop woody weeds management plans.
Closing date for applications is 30 November, 2011.
Click here for full details.
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Natural Environment Officer
The Mount Alexander Shire has invited applications for the position of Natural Environmental Officer. The successful applicant will support programs and processes related to environmental, habitat and land conservation and biodiversity sustainability, provide a source of advice on natural resource matters to the community and other parts of Council, and assist in the development of key environmental strategies and plans.
Click here for a position description.
Exploring a mystery
Posted on 28 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
On Sunday November 20 a group of 26 people were conducted on a tour of mysterious rock patterns in the vicinity of Mount Alexander. The tour was organised by some local landowners.
The patterns are in the form of a long line ascending a hill slope, and culminate in a carefully constructed semi circular shape resembling that of a serpent. They are based on the natural rock formations of the mountain, filled out with rock additions. They were ‘discovered’ in the early 1990s, but older residents of the area have noted that they have ‘always’ been there. Click here to read more on the FOBIF website.
Calling All Twitchers – 3 & 4 December
Posted on 26 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
For more than a decade, the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club has been participating in the Annual Bird Day (also known as the BOCA Challenge Bird Count). On this day coordinated by Bird Observation and Conservation Australia, groups are encouraged to record as many bird species as possible, and their abundance, in areas across the whole of Australia. As well as being a fun day, it also records important information on the long-term changes in bird diversity across the landscape.
Chris Morris, organiser for the Castlemaine area bird surveys, highlights that there are competition rules to follow:
* All observations must be made within 40 km of the central point (in this case, central Castlemaine)
* For a bird to be recorded, it must either be (a) seen by at least 2 members of the team, or (b) heard calling by 3 members of the team.
* All observations must be made within a single day (which can be either on the Sat 3 Dec or Sun 4 Dec 2011).
* Each team must have at least one experienced birdwatcher.
Every year, Chris Morris organises a number of teams (with at least 3 people each) to survey different parts of the Castlemaine area. If you are interested in joining one of the existing teams, or perhaps forming a team yourself, please contact Chris Morris on either 0418-996-289 or cjs.morris@bigpond.com.
To see last year’s results from the Castlemaine area, click here.
Funding for Environmental Flood Recovery Works
Posted on 25 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has received funding from the Australian Government for a Natural Disaster Environmental Recovery program to support the community to undertake environmental flood recovery works.
This funding has been provided for projects that:
- Repair damage from the recent floods to previous environmental protection works such as revegetation or fencing,
- Protect or enhance environmental benefits from the floods such as natural regeneration.
The funding guidelines for the Natural Disaster Environmental Recovery program are now available and can be accessed on their website. A PDF version of the guidelines is also available and can be downloaded here.
As well as the goals and activities outlined in the funding guidelines, there are additional areas of support for partner stakeholders which are outlined below. (Goals 1 and 2 can be found in the funding guidelines document.)
Goal 3: To address threats to the ecological resilience of priority Ramsar wetlands.
Activities to achieve goal
- Revegetation, restoration and enhancement of native vegetation
- Construction of wildlife corridors that create connectivity between isolated patches
- Construction or repair of fences that will protect significant native vegetation that has responded positively to flood events
- Control of weeds that have been spread by the floods
- Control of pest animals that pose an increased threat to native vegetation because of the floods
Goal 4: To reduce the impact of pest plants and animals in particular Weeds of National Significance on high quality vegetation.
Activities to achieve goal
- Weed control efforts that focus on areas of native regeneration in an effort to improve success of native regeneration. Target species; Willow; Blackberry; Gorse; Bridal Creeper; Tamarix.
- Pest animal control that focuses on areas of natural regeneration in an effort to improve success of native revegetation.
For further information, contact Pheobe Smith at North Central CMA (phone: 5440 1811; mobile: 0419 177 620; email: phoebe.smith@nccma.vic.gov.au)
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Connecting Country is still accepting funding applications from landholders and groups to undertake Yellow Box Woodland projects in the Mt Alexander region. For more information and/or to download an application form click here.
Parks Victoria Photo Competition
Posted on 19 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
Parks Victoria is encouraging anyone who has taken a winning photo while out and about in Victoria’s parks to enter its photo competition on Facebook. Great prizes on offer include the Anaconda Grand Prize of a $2,000 voucher, and four category prizes of two nights’ accommodation in Wilderness Retreats in a park. The categories include Scenery, People, Best Animal or Plant, and Best Comment.
The competition is open until 19 December. You can enter as many times as you like. To enter the competition click here.
19 November – Shane Howard Gig Still Happening
Posted on 18 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
Despite the recent fire at the Elphinstone Hotel, the Shane Howard gig will still take place this Saturday night rain, hail or shine. The evening will be an information session, recruitment drive, and fundraiser for the Elphinstone Landcare Group. Gold coin entry.
The evening will start at 5pm. Click here for more details.
Contact Beth on 0431 219 980 if you need more information.
Local groups Recognised in Kookaburra Awards
Posted on 17 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
Two dedicated local groups – the Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee and the Chewton Domain Society – were recently recognised for their outstanding contributions at the 2011 Parks Victoria Kookaburra Awards ceremony.
Parks Victoria’s Kookaburra Awards recognise and honour individuals and groups who have made an outstanding contribution to Victoria’s parks. Both groups received a certificate of recognition for their work in the Castlemaine area.
Local Parks Victoria Ranger Team Leader Noel Muller said the work of these two community groups makes a real difference to the local parks and the community. Connecting Country congratulates both of these groups for their amazing efforts.
Representatives of the Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee (Tony Kane and Ian Grenda) and Chewton Domain Society (John Ellis) with Parks Victoria Ranger Team Lead Noel Muller (top left) at the 2011 Parks Victoria Kookaburra Awards.
Second Eucalypt ID Workshop
Posted on 17 November, 2011 by Connecting Country
Marie Jones, president of Connecting Country, wrote the following report on the second Eucalypt ID workshop in Castlemaine:
The second Eucalypt ID Workshop proved a challenge to those who were there – from some who knew very little about our local trees to those who had a good understanding already. The organisers were also challenged when the power at the Botanic Gardens Tea Rooms wasn’t on at first, and then half way through the presentation went off completely! Ever enterprising though, we all managed exceptionally well – a walk through the native section of the gardens put the theory to practice and then we had a lively session looking at samples of different eucalypts for identification using the key provided. Thanks to Michael Luke and Greg Guy for an informative and entertaining workshop.
The last two Eucalypt ID Workshops will take place on November 26 in Newstead and November 27 in Sutton Grange. Both are booked out. Connecting Country is currently planning its 2012 educational program and details will be announced as soon as available.
Greg Guy explaining an ID marker.
The group at work on their samples.