• SUMMARY OF UCLN ACTIVITIES FOR 2016
• AVAILABLE GRANTS
• STAY SAFE THIS SUMMER

WISHING ALL LANDCARERS AND FRIENDS A SAFE AND HAPPY XMAS!

 

 

 

 

Somehow it is almost Christmas and another year has past.A big thank you to all those Landcarers for looking after our Environment. As Anthropologist Margaret Mead said many years ago – “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

 

 UCLN ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2016

The Upper Campase Landcare Network has had a busy year. Some of our main achievements have been:

• Two Field Days which engaged indigenous elders, highly regarded ecologists, and landcare “heroes” to explain concepts of connectivity and biolinks, and to speak about restoring and repairing Landscapes. Examples of Landcare success projects were shown.

• Two ‘cluster groups’ formed within the Network, meaning landcare groups are joining forces to work across  boundaries on biolink projects. The two projects are: The Coliban Corridor and the Cobaw Connections. These projects will help develop the capacity of the Landcare groups to work strategically and collaboratively across these priority areas which were identified in the UCLN Strategic Plan.

• Two Action Plans produced by Dr Sophie Bickford, which further explore ways of restoring connectivity in these two areas to achieve greater ecological outcomes and improve habitat for threatened species and ecological communities.

• A New Partnership formed with Kyneton Secondary College Students and UCLN. The students have been working with The Kyneton River and Land Management Committee to plant threatened species along the Campaspe River. They have also been installing nest boxes and remote cameras to monitor phascogales and gliders at the Bald Hill Reserve.

 

• Three successful Workshops – Rabbit Busters,Weed Busters and Soil Health. These workshops, all attended by over thirty people, helped landowners gain a better understanding of ways of dealing with rabbit and weed problems.Participants to the Soil Health Workshop learnt how to evaluate the condition of their soil and improve it.

• A new group – The Friends Of Trentham Creeks and Reserves, has joined the Network, and with the help of the Network has recently received a Victorian Government Riparian Grant to begin restoring Trent Creek,a tributary of the Coliban. Students from Trentham Primary School will be involved in the project.

• Water Watch Program begun at Trentham Primary School

• 16 Articles in the Media regarding UCLN and member group activities.

• UCLN Gorse Task Force grant implemented. This project targeted gorse on seven private properties and achieved approximately eight hectares of control. The project focused on private land areas with an emphasis on controlling resprouting gorse burnt in the Black Hill fire. The Langley Landcare members also carried out an assessment using a weed prioritization formula that identified gorse as a high priority following fire. The  project aimed to control gorse,encourage native vegetation growth and protect grazing production.

• Submissions made by UCLN to Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) and Hepburn Shire Biodiversity Strategy.The Environment Minister asked VEAC to investigate the values of forests in the central west of Victoria, including the Wombat Forest. The purpose of the investigation is to : (a) identify and evaluate the condition, natural and cultural values and the current uses of public land in the specified area; and (b) make recommendations for the balanced use and appropriate management arrangements to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural values.UCLN advocated for  protecting the important biodiversity values in the Wombat Forest, including the many threatened species, before they are lost to us.We also had input into the Hepburn Shire Biodiversity Strategy,which is being done by Deakin University.

 

 

AVAILABLE GRANTS:

Citizen Science Grants
Citizen Science Grants is an element of the Inspiring Australia – Science Engagement Programme. It provides grants on a competitive basis to support community participation in scientific research projects that have a national impact. Closes on 17 February 2017. Read more

Norman Wettenhall Small Environmental Grant Scheme
The Small Environmental Grant Scheme provides support for groups or individuals undertaking biodiversity conservation projects in Australia. Projects of up to $10,000 based on monitoring, recording and sharing data, delivering community education, providing community capacity building (training), research and science, or landscape restoration and education. Grant round opens 20 December.  Read more

 

STAY SAFE THIS SUMMER -NEW VIC EMERGENCY APP LAUNCHED.

 

 

• UCLN WORKSHOPS -SOIL HEALTH,WEED BUSTERS
• LANDCARE 30TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS AT NEWHAM AND PARLIAMENT HOUSE
• VISIT TO BALD HILL RESERVE BY KYNETON SECONDARY COLLEGE STUDENTS
• FRIENDS OF TRENTHAM CREEKS AND RESERVES JOINS UCLN
• UCLN AT KYNETON SHOW
• NEWS AND EVENTS
• GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

 

What a busy couple of months it has been, with so many events ranging from wildflower walks to rabbit buster workshops to 30th Landcare birthday celebrations. The last of the UCLN workshops for the year are happening in December, so come along if you are interested in Soil Health or the latest on how to deal with weeds.

 

 

UCLN Workshops – Soil Heath and Weed Busters in November

 

Anyone interested in learning how to get a better understanding of the health of their soil will benefit from attending a free Soil Health Workshop being run by the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network, Department of Agriculture and Langley Landcare  in Edgecombe on December 13^th. The workshop will teach participants how to evaluate the condition of their soil and use good practice  management techniques to improve its health.

Langley Landcare member Rob Pearse said “After nine years on the property I have learnt about soil health and how critical it is – not only for my olives but for the health of my grazing animals. This workshop is a fantastic opportunity for small or large landowners to learn how to improve the health of their soil.”

Attendees will be asked to bring in a soil sample from their properties and will be taught how to identify possible soil health issues using nine simple visual tests. They will also learn how to use a Soil Health Score Card to provide information on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of their soil. Understanding soil types, applying the appropriate management practices and monitoring soil quality are all important steps towards protecting and improving soil health.

 

 

There will be a 45 minute presentation on soil science then participants will get their hands dirty on the beautiful olive farm at Edgecombe where the workshop is being held. A free lunch will be provided.

 The ancient Greek philosopher Xenophon said around 400 B.C  – “To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of their soil.”

RSVP’s are essential to Martin Hamilton 54304802 or martin.hamilton@ecodev.vic.gov.au by 8^th Dec

 

 

 

With all the rain over winter and the weather finally starting to warm up the weeds are out in full force. If you want to know effective ways to address them then why not come along to the Weed Busters workshop at Bald Hill Reserve on December 3 and learn from experts. The information is suitable for large and small landowners.

The Upper Campaspe Landcare Network, in conjunction with The Friends of Bald Hill Reserve, Department of Agriculture and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council, is hosting the workshop from 10 am at the reserve. A delicious free lunch will be provided.

 

Opening the well-attended event was newly elected Macedon Ranges Shire Councillor Natasha Gayfer who said the special event marked an important anniversary, and it was an occasion to say “a big thank you to everyone who has been involved in landcare over the past three decades.”

Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s environment coordinator, Michelle Wyatt, outlined some of the important work being carried out in the environmental field, and answered a range of questions.

The day  shared landcare success stories, a presentation from Mount Rothwell Conservation Centre about saving Victorian animals from the brink of extinction, and a visit to the Mount William Stone Axe Quarry with a Wurundjeri elder .

The presentations outlined the importance of collaboration and working together. As Tim Bloomfield said “A landowner working on their own can make a difference, as part of a community working together landowners can make a difference in the landscape.”

I recently attended another 30th anniversary for Landcare in Victoria at Queens Hall, Parliament House Melbourne. It was attended by over 200 people. Alice Knight OAM was announced as the winner of the 2016 Joan Kirner Award, and 10 Landcare Executive Committee Service Awards were awarded to 10 Community Landcarers.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Energy, the Environment and Climate Change, Anthony Carbines presented the awards. Most attendees were community Landcarers who have been involved in the Landcare movement for decades. Go to  LandcareAwards

Congratulations to all Victorian Landcarers for 30 years of achievements and on ground activities.

 

 

Visit to Bald Hill Reserve by Kyneton Secondary College Students.

 

Environmental science students from Kyneton Secondary College undertook detective work at Bald Hill Reserve to research a project investigating the flora and fauna of the reserve. They also helped install nest boxes and remote cameras which will monitor arboreal mammals, such as the threatened phascogale.

Their project was part of a new collaboration between the Friends of Bald Hill, the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network, Macedon Ranges Shire Council and the Environmental Science Program at the school.

 

Year seven and eight Kyneton Secondary College students also helped out the Campaspe River and Land Management Group recently planting 400 trees along the Campaspe River. The trees were purchased with funding from The One Tree Per Child grant.

“Community comes from the word communion, to share a common task together. And it is in the sharing of that task that people do bigger than they knew they were capable of. Then there is something to celebrate.” Mathew Fox

 

 

Friends Of Trentham Creeks and Reserves joins UCLN

 

I would like to welcome the Friends of Trentham Creeks and Reserves to the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network. The group  has been very active in dealing with weeds, revegetating native species and building walking tracks close to the Trentham township. They have recently joined our Network.

They were successful in the latest riparian grant applications and will be busy working on restoring the vegetation along Trent Creek. The area has two species listed as ‘rare’ in Victoria –  the  Brooker gum –Euccalyptus brookeriana , and the Floodplain Fireweed -Senecio campylocarpus, and riparian forest (EVC18) listed as vulnerable in the Central Highlands Bioregion.  Trentham Primary School children and the Trentham Historical Society will be involved in the project, which is the site of a historic swimming pool.

 

 

UCLN at Kyneton Show.

UCLN was at Kyneton show recently, alongside the MRSC and NCCMA marques. There was a lot if interest in our display with many requests from people on how to get involved and be part of the Landcare Community. Thank you to everyone who helped out on the day, especially Brendan Smith from the Network and Tylden Landcare who worked very hard giving away plants and answering endless questions about what are the best plants to plant where.

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to President of Bald Hill Reserve Carolyn Robb for the lovely new website www.friendsofbaldhillreserve.com.au 

 

 

 

 

 

Events

 

 

 

Spotlight night at Bald Hill Reserve

MRSC and the Friends of Bald Hill Reserve are hosting a special night spotlight walk to search for animals such as possums, owls and gliders. Saturday 10 December Bald Hill Reserve 9pm start Good shoes and a torch are a must

Book now →

 

 

 

 

 

 

Landcare in Focus

Here is the November edition of Landcare in Focus, in this issue you’ll hear from topic experts and researchers, Landcarers and groups, and farmers and government initiatives in articles that touch on grazing management for improved productivity and profitability, soil resource management, and variable rainfall response.

LandCareInFocus

 

 

Junior Landcare November Issue

If you are interested in Junior Landcare news you can view the issue here   JuniorLandcare

 

 

 

 

 

Grant Opportunities.

If your group is thinking about funding opportunities you may want to look at some of these grants. Dont forget to ask me for help if you need it in applications.

 

 

New Junior Landcare grants opening in 2017

A new Junior Landcare grants program was launched recently at the ResourceSmart Schools Awards in Melbourne.  Applications will open in February 2017 for the Momentum Energy Junior Landcare Grants, which will fund 200 projects in Victoria.

Grants worth $1,000 will be on offer for projects that will help young people play an active role in ensuring the safe future of their environment. All Victorian schools, childcare centres, and youth groups are eligible to apply. More info here:  JuniorGrants

 

The Australian Government’s Department of Social Services is inviting volunteer-based community groups and networks to apply for the 2016 Volunteer Grants funding.

Bjarne K Dahl Trust

The Dahl Trust focuses on the conservation of eucalyptus trees and education of the public in areas of conservation, propagation, cultural and historical significance. Grants are capped at $15,000.

T: 03 8648 6510
E: enquiries@dahltrust.org.au
W: www.dahltrust.org.au/grants/

 

Fifteen Trees

This company was set up to help businesses create a smaller foot print when it comes to their vehicles and carbon production. Landcare groups can benefit through gaining plants to plant in their areas. Landholders need to be a member of an environmental community group (such as Landcare) to receive trees. Trees may be planted on private or public land. On-going opportunity.

T: 0400 040 659
E: filippa@15trees.com.au
W: www.15trees.com.au

 

Norman Wettenhall Foundation

These grants focus primarily on the enhancement and protection of flora and fauna in rural Victoria. Landscape Restoration Project support and facilitate the vision-building process. Landscape Restoration Fellowships make a significant difference to the capacity of a person to achieve the goals of significant landscape restoration projects. Various obligations are requested under these grant schemes. For project ideas go to ‘Grants awarded’ on their website. Small Environmental Grants Scheme: $5,000 and $10,000

T: 03 5472 1316 or 0431 219 980
E: beth@nwf.org.au
W: www.nwf.org.au

 

R E Ross Trust

The Trust will consider applications for  protection and preservation of Australian flora and fauna. Grants can be sought for up to $30,000 for up to three years. Your organisation must have an ABN ,operates within Victoria and be incorporated. On going.

T: 03 9690 6255
E: information@rosstrust.org.au
W: www.rosstrust.org.au

 

 

 

 

• Coliban Connections Field Day
• Kyneton Secondary College and Latrobe Uni Students work with UCLN Landcare Groups
• Serrated Tussock Information, funding and brochures
• National Landcare Conference
• Phascogales and Langley Landcare
• Rabbit Buster Workshop
• News, Events and Information.

Welcome to our spring ENews for the UCLN. What a wonderful wet spring, however I am sure most of us are ready for some warmer drier weather. I hope you can attend some of the fantastic  events on offer to the Landcare and broader community.

The National Landcare Conference was held recently in Melbourne. I was inspired by a range of different speakers and will use some of these ideas to help our Network continue to grow and support the important work you are all doing.

 

Coliban Connections Field Day

 

 

UCLN’s second Field Day  was held in July, with expert grassland and wetland ecologists, Damien Cook and Paul Foreman visiting the Coliban River, Kangaroo Creek and the Little Coliban River.

President of Malmsbury Landcare John Walter said the field day gave participants a chance to learn from experts the values inherent within the environment, and how a community working together can help restore degraded sites.

Brendan Smith, the president of Tylden Landcare, guided participants through a successful re-vegetation project along the little Coliban River.

“In 2004 the Little Coliban River was a silent ooze through the crack willows.

“There was no light coming in, no noise coming out. Now these elements have changed, and it’s alive with the sound of birdlife and full of animals like swamp wallabies with some trees more than eight metres high.”

Despite cold and rainy weather the field day was well  was attended by about 55 people.

There were many positive comments from participants about the speakers, variety of sites and general organisation. For media go to Rivers the Lifeblood

 

Kyneton Secondary College and Latrobe Uni Students work with our Landcare Groups.

 

 

 

 

“Growing and nurturing the Landcare community is a priority if we are to nurture our Land.” said Liddy Neville, from the Bellarine Landcare group, one of the speakers at the recent National Landcare Conference in Melbourne .

One way the UCLN is growing the Landcare Community is by developing a partnership with students and teachers at the Kyneton Secondary College.We are also working with  students from Latrobe Uni to undertake some  valuable GIS mapping. So far the students have visited Malmsbury and Newham Landcare projects to commence mapping their projects in a way that is compatible with the NCCMA, and which will eventually be loaded onto the UCLN website. This partnership will continue over the next year with more groups being mapped in conjunction with the students.

Thanks to the Campaspe River and Land Management Group (CR&LMG), students from the Kyneton Secondary College Sustainability Group and Year 9/10 Environmental Science class recently spent time repopulating the  Campaspe  River with 580 native trees.

This important project involves several community groups coming together to protect our waterways and native vegetation in the Kyneton area.

Mark Ridgeway, Principal of KSC said “Striving for environmental sustainability is an important part of our school vision and one of our school’s core values. We strongly value community participation and providing opportunities for our students to learn how to be global citizens and engage with community projects.”

Peter Harding from the CR&LMG group said  “We are appreciative of the immense effort the students of Kyneton secondary College contributed to further the cause of rehabilitating the Campaspe River. The CR&LMG is a small community group and by partnering with the Secondary College we can do better together.”

For media on this event go to Campaspe Planting

SERRATED TUSSOCK INFORMATION, FUNDING AND BROCHURES

The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) are keen to provide  information/brochures to groups in isolated areas of serrated tussock. They would like to mail/post out some information sheets on identification and management controls, and see if your group needs any help managing the weed.

There is currently a Landcare Field Day Assistance Grant program that aims to help groups host a serrated tussock related field day. It offers Landcare groups the opportunity to receive a one off grant of up to $500 to sponsor the convening of serrated tussock focused field days.

The grant is available to any landcare group that is incorporated and insured , and will be useful in raising the awareness to landowners and managers about the threat posed by this noxious weed. To further support the field day, the VSTWP will provide extension material on serrated tussock identification and management.

The guidelines and application form are on the website below and can be submitted to Executive Officer: Doug.May@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Tussock grants

Please let Ivan Cater  (ivancarter@gmail.com) know if your group  needs serrated tussock identification and management brochures.

 

NATIONAL LANDCARE CONFERENCE

 

 

“Landcare plays an important role managing our environment, actively engaging communities to improve the health of our land and water systems.”

  Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio

The 2016 National Landcare Conference was called Collaborative Communities – Landcare In Action.

Environment Minister Ms D’Ambrosio  announced the new Victorian Landcare website, a revamped and improved home for Victoria’s Landcare network to improve the communication tools available to Landcarers. I am pleased to say that a picture of one of our groups, The Friends Of Bald Hill, was picked to be on the home page.

The new website should be easier to use and provide simple tools to engage, access and share information between Landcare groups across Victoria. To view the new website  visit www.landcarevic.org.au

 

Some quotes I thought worth repeating from the conference:

“… Land is best managed at a landscape level.”

“…People working in the landscape cooperating together are much more effective.”

“…PEOPLE WILL LEAD – OUR LEADERS NEED TO FOLLOW.”

“…The change will come from individuals working at the local level.”

“…We need to tell our politicians what we are doing”

“…The youth of Landcare are really important.”

 

 “… We need to get the young people engaged, and capture the enthusiasm of youth.”

 ” …Thinking globally but acting locally has always been one of Landcares strengths.”

 “… We need to reconnect people with nature.”

 ” …Human health and happiness is linked to the health of our environment.”

 ” …Landcare is about collaborative communities.”

 ” …Supporting Landcare is an investment in Australia’s future.”

 ” …We need to put the community at the centre of our decision making.”

The assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Luke Hartsyker MP said “the hidden strength of Landcare is your ability to effectively link volunteers, farmers, land managers and many other stakeholders groups to the knowledge that will define the future of effective natural resource management across the natural environment, our farms and communities.”

The Andrews Labor Government  this year provided $18 million of new funding over four years to the Victorian Landcare Program, taking the total investment to almost $40 million. For more information on the conference go to www.landcarevic.org.au

 

Phascogales and Langley Landcare

 

 

Langley Landcare is working on placing covenants on areas of conservation significance. This helps animals such as the vulnerable phascogale move from Black Hill Reserve down to the Campaspe River.

Some of the Langley Landcare plantings that were lost in the Jan 2015 fires are successfully regrowing. The group is doing ongoing maintenance, weed control and replanting dead and damaged trees along the Jim Poulter creek, which forms part of the biolink between Black Hill Reserve and the Campaspe River.

President Graham Connell said “Langley Landcare works closely with the NCCMA to fence off important parts of the River and advice on planting riparian areas. We want to protect and enhance remnant vegetation with private landowners in conjunction with the NCCMA, Connecting Country and the UCLN. We want to help educate private landowners on the environmental values of their properties and how they fit into the bigger picture.”

 

 

 

 

Funded by a gorse task force grant obtained by the UCLN, Brendan Smith from Tylden Landcare  is working with Langley Landcare to eradicate gorse. “This is having a community benefit due to the fact it is reducing fuel loads caused by gorse infestation.” said Graham.

Graham has organised to have the phascogale he found preserved for educational purposes after receiving the necessary permits from DELWP. All the valuable work groups such as Langley are doing will help vulnerable, rare and threatened species such as the phascogale to survive.

 

 

 

Rabbit Buster Workshop

 

UCLN and Malmsbury and District Landcare have been working together to prepare the first of three workshops to be held this year, the Rabbit Buster Workshop.

Whether your property is small or large, there will be expert free advice from the Department of Agriculture on how to control them. And a free lunch!

 

 

 

 

Events and Newsletters

LATEST VICTORIAN LANDCARE MAGAZINE

Issue 67 of the Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management magazine celebrates the 30^th anniversary of Landcare and looks towards the future.

Stories in this issue include:

• Reflections of a young Landcare leader:
• Stories from a number of long-running groups regarding their achievements and resilience
• Reflections from respected landcarers, Lyn Coulston, Peter Forster and Alice Knight
• Rob Youl explores the development of Landcare – from local community action to international movement
• FTLA looks to the future: over 75 FTLA members discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead for the next 30 years of Landcare

Read it here:   Issue 67 Landcare Mag

 

 

 

The NCCMA Landcare team have asked UCLN to extend an invitation to you all to attend  the ‘30^th Anniversary of Landcare Celebration event’ on Saturday October 15 2016 in St Arnaud.

Please find the  event details and RSVP information on the invite by clicking here – 30th Event.

 

 

 

Threatened species: we do have time to turn it around if there is political will.

And finally a very interesting article on threatened species by Margaret Blakers in the Guardian. Threatened species: we do have time to turn it around if there is political will. Guardian-Threatened Species

 

 

I was asked to include this in our Newsletter for those who may wish to control feral animals on their properties.