The Bugle - 22 July 2005
In news this week
Regional body stories
- Looking inward and outward for NRM solutions in Burnett Mary
- NRM engagement in a sea of change
- Escapee mother to millions of problems
- Growers work together for farm management systems
- Brigalow Belt reptiles move into recovery
Government updates
- SPRA is now NRMA but not NoRMA
- Aussie stats free on the net
- Economic incentives, find out what methods work
- Down to earth conference
- National Landcare Program – community support component
- Community asked to save and protect water resources
- Breaking the income drought
- Environmental challenge steps into the eighth round
- LGAQ to hold workshop on its new NRM guidelines
Natural resources news
Looking inward and outward for NRM solutions in Burnett Mary
A fascinating new report on horticultural producers has been released by one of the Agricultural State-level Investment Projects funded by the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality.
The new report, 'Horticulture industry capacity building and scoping of natural resource management (NRM) issues in the dry tropics' was produced after conducting field trips and interviews with producers. Its use will include guiding activities for engaging horticulture growers in identifying environmental risks and trialing better practices and monitoring tools for reducing off-farm impacts.
The report identifies what is important to horticulture growers now and what is likely to become important over the next five years. The interview process has helped the authors to understand what motivates and drives changes in producers. The report identifies where they get information about improvements and what are the barriers to change.
The Burnett catchment was chosen as the focus for this report as it contains a diverse and rapidly expanding horticulture sector with intensive vegetable, tree crop and greenhouse systems. The Burnett is also an important catchment in the Queensland Government's 'Reef Plan'.
DPI&F project officers John Bagshaw Terry Campbell and Peter Hockings say "The aim was to identify the knowledge, attitudes and aspirations of growers about NRM issues. The results of this study have strongly influenced the remainder of our project direction, with the aim of developing the 'want' and capacity of horticultural producers to improve their practices toward better environmental outcomes".
To read the report visit the DPI&F website.
NRM engagement in a sea of change
Lack of formal training was the key barrier stopping practioners engaging with the community, a CSIRO report has found.
The Natural resource management engagement practice in the South East Queensland Western Catchments report is available via the web.
This report details the first of three phases of research relating to improving community engagement for NRM.
These research phases are: (i) understanding current engagement practice; (ii) developing a typology of engagement and matching engagement tools; and (iii) trial of engagement tools in practice with engagement practitioners.
The first phase of research was based on interviews with 41 engagement practitioners from 29 institutions, observation of engagement processes, and a desk-top review of current engagement strategies.
Findings include a lack of formal training in engagement by practioners and majority of tools they use are top-down, reactionary processes.
There are examples of innovation in engagement, such as the SEQ Western Catchment Group's sector liaison officers who are an engagement team combining local context with sector specialisation.
The report also makes some specific recommendations to improve engagement, including greater training in community engagement theory to complement and enhance engagement practice and increasing the target audience through the use of alternative engagement tools.
The report was prepared by CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems unit and you can read the report by visiting the DPI&F website.
Escapee mother to millions of problems
A partnership between Chinchilla Shire Council, Chinchilla District Landcare Group and the Condamine Alliance has been formed to eradicate mother-of-millions from priority areas in the Chinchilla shire within three years and control it in other areas. Condamine Alliance has committed $30,000 to help fund the program.
Council hopes the cooperative approach will provide a blueprint for control of other noxious weeds and pests in the shire. Mother of millions has spread rapidly along tributaries of the Condamine in Chinchilla Shire.
Mother-of-millions (Bryophyllum species) are escaped ornamental plants from Madagascar. As the name suggests one plant can produce masses of plantlets, that form on the leaf edges. This makes these plants hard to eradicate and follow up controls are essential.
A study for Chinchilla Shire estimated losses at $2.5 million a year, increasing to $13.6 million within five years. Land managers have asked for help to control mother-of-millions and the shire crew will work with them to ensure infestations are controlled on shire, crown and private land.
Mother-of-millions is best treated using a combination of control methods including mechanical, fire and chemical treatment. There has been extensive research into possible biological controls by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines. This research takes many years and no suitable biological control has been released.
Generally stock will not eat this poisonous plant, however if stock are under stress or in unusual conditions they are more likely to eat strange plants and have been known to die after eating this plant.
Growers work together for farm management systems
The Queensland Murray-Darling Committee, Growcom and Cotton Australia are embarking on a unique project that aims to assist farmers of mixed enterprises in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin to meet their environmental objectives.
This partnership project will link the on-farm requirements of Queensland Farmers' Federation (QFF) member organisations, like Cotton Australia and Growcom, with the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee's (QMDC) sub-catchment planning process.
QFF encourages its members to implement farm management systems (FMS) as a management tool and an environmental assessment process.
"It's the perfect match," says QMDC's Regional Land Management Coordinator, Bob Walker. "Sub-catchment planning, or the process whereby groups of neighbouring farmers work together, will bring together all the relevant components of the FMS into one plan for the area."
A group of apple and stone fruit growers in the Glen Aplin area are the first group to be a part of the project and it is intended that cotton and grape growers in the St George area will also be involved.
Contact QMDC on 4637 6270.
Brigalow Belt reptiles move into recovery
Public workshops will be held across the Queensland Brigalow Belt region to gain community feedback into the draft Brigalow Belt Reptile Recovery Plan.
Sixteen state and federally listed reptile species have been included in the draft recovery plan, which is being developed by WWF–Australia, in partnership with the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee (QMDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency.
"These species are of high conservation concern and to date, little work has been done to protect reptiles in the Brigalow Belt," said Lyn Pullen, QMDC's Regional Vegetation and Biodiversity Coordinator.
The plan will contain species profiles, mapping, assessments of habitat critical to the survival of the species, threatening processes, current management approaches and future management actions.
This multi-species and multi-region plan, which will operate over the course of five years, will be formally recognised under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The July and August workshops will be in Goondiwindi, Dalby, Roma, Emerald, Townsville and Biloela.
For more information and to RSVP, email Rebecca Richardson on 3839 2677.
SPRA is now NRMA but not NoRMA
On 18 June, Strategic Policy and Regional Arrangements became Natural Resources Management Arrangements (NRMA) due to an internal restructuring of the Department of Natural Resources and Mines.
While the well known 'NRMA' abbreviation is an open invitation for humour after a recent advertising campaign involving footballers saying " NoRMA", we are serious about supporting regional arrangements.
The key resources behind SPRA will remain in place. NRMA General Manager Olwyn Crimp will focus on regional arrangements as the Strategic Policy unit has now joined a new section within the department.
Natural Resources Management Arrangements is helping build healthy regions, providing support for the regional management of Queensland's natural resources. NRMA helps coordinate the activities of the three levels of government, industry, community groups and land managers.
We hope to use the well known NRMA abbreviation to our advantage, generate increased awareness about what the Natural Resources Management Arrangements group does, continuing to build on our already strong image within the NRM community as SPRA and prior to that as the Taskforce.
NRMA has five teams overseen by its General Manager:
- Community Engagement and Capacity Support - promoting healthy regions by involving communities and improving their skills
- Learning and Evaluation - monitoring, evaluation and reporting progress on regional NRM
- Performance and Program Management - managing regional NRM funding programs
- Regional Arrangements Improvement - reform promoting healthy regions through better regional NRM
- Strategic Support - providing secretariat services to committees, providing admin support to SPRA and providing communications services for regional NRM
For more information please email Carl Glen or phone 3224 7792.
Aussie stats free on the net
The general public can now access most Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publications and tables free online from 1 July thanks to a recent Australian Government initiative.
The internet download of publications and tables, covering most aspects of the Australian economy and society and been made free on the ABS website.
Economic incentives, find out what methods work
The agricultural state-level investment program (AG SIP) for resource economic support for accelerated land use change, invites you to a workshop on identifying production the environment trade-offs at the farm level, on 28 October.
The workshop, being held in Rockhampton, hopes to showcase to NRM groups the range of economic tools that can be used; provide a mechanism for case studies in Queensland to be assembled; and provide a forum for agricultural and resource economists in Queensland.
The workshop will report on a number of case studies of economic analysis from work in Queensland and elsewhere. A summary of the case studies will be presented at the workshop, and then collated into a publication for use by NRM groups and other stakeholders.
If you are interested in attending please email Sue Woodfield or phone her on 4930 6828.
For more information please visit the Central Queensland University website.
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Down to earth conference
The Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, and the International Erosion Control Association, is hosting a conference aimed at fostering robust discussion about current issues and solutions associated with erosion and sediment management, on the 6-8 September at the Cairns conference centre.
The conference will discuss best practice erosion management in a range of industries such as development, construction, building, agriculture and mining sectors. The conference will support local and state government, environmental professionals and industry to achieve best practice environmental management.
For more information visit the EIANZSEQ website.
National Landcare Program – community support component
The NLP Community Support will fund larger scale, strategic on-ground activities that allow participation by Landcare and industry groups.
The priority for funding through NLP Community Support investment is on-ground activities that support:
- the national Landcare movement
- industry, community and local government engagement in NRM with particular emphasis on participation and contribution to regional planning
- adoption of sustainable and innovative practices of primary producers
- skills and knowledge through sharing of information on sustainable practices
Applicants should refer to the guidelines, which can be downloaded at the DAFF website or find out more by emailing Tony McKew or Wilfred D'Rozario.
Community asked to save and protect water resources
The Australian Government, through its $2 billion Water Fund, will make $200 million of funds available over the next five years for Community Water Grants of up to $50,000 to save and protect water resources through on-ground works.
Community Water Grants will fund projects that are community-orientated and have public benefits, involve practical on-ground works to save or protect water resources and comply with relevant planning, health and environmental regulations and guidelines.
Demonstration projects can be found on the Department of Environment & Heritage website. These provide examples of projects and organisations the Community Water Grants program will support.
For more information visit the Department of Environment & Heritage website or phone them on 1800 780 730
Breaking the income drought
Through the Australian Government's drought assistance package, Envirofund will provide a special drought recovery round.
Register on the Envirofund website to receive the guidelines and application when they become available latter this month.
For more information, visit the Natural Heritage Trust website or call Kirstyn Wilcox on 1800 303 863 or email Wilfred D'Rozario.
Environmental challenge steps into the eighth round
The Australian Government Envirofund is the local action component of the Australian Government's $3 billion Natural Heritage Trust.
Community groups and individuals can apply for grants of up to $30,000 to carry out on-ground and other actions to target local problems. Grants of up to $50,000 will be considered where the magnitude, complexity or public benefit of the project is such that additional funding would be beneficial.
Guidelines will soon be available from the Envirofund website or call Kirstyn Wilcox on 1800 303 863 or email Wilfred D'Rozario.
LGAQ to hold workshop on its new NRM guidelines
A guideline titled 'Integrating Natural Resource Management into Local Government Corporate, Strategic and Operational Plans' has recently been developed by the Local Government Association of Queensland.
The guideline was launched at the 2005 LGAQ Environment and NRM Conference recently held in Gladstone and will be sent to stakeholders across Queensland, including councils and regional NRM bodies.
The LGAQ NRM Team will also present a half-day workshop on the guideline in August and September to those councils that have expressed interest.
The guideline and associated workshop will help councils integrate NRM priorities into their corporate plan.
All regional NRM bodies have been invited to partner with the LGAQ to present the workshop within their regions.
For further information please contact Malcolm Petrie, NRM Project Coordinator on 3000 2202.
Generation Y are now the future of Landcare
Peter Sheahan, a well known motivational speaker and generation Y expert will speak about the 'now' generation at this year's Queensland Landcare Conference being held in Barcaldine 4—7 August.
Landcare conference coordinator, Kerri Woodcock said "A major issue currently facing regional and rural communities is the difficulty in attracting and retaining young people in these areas, Peter's workshop will empower delegates with the information they need to work and communicate effectively with Generation Y".
Peter runs his own business which focuses on developing the potential of tomorrow's business leaders. Since its foundation Peter Sheahan has worked with over 100 000 of the 'now' generation (those born between 1978 – 1994).
Peter is a member of the 'now' generation and has an impressive list of achievements against his name. Peter is a best selling author and in 2003 was named the MBN NSW Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He runs his own business with clients such as the Commonwealth Bank, Panasonic and Woolworths and won the National Emerging Business of the Year award.
For information about program and registration are available by calling conference hosts the Desert Uplands Committee on 4651 2160, emailing Kerri Woodcock, or visiting the Desert Uplands website.
Polluting babies even before their born
Recent research in the United States of America found an average of 200 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. This included dangerous pesticides banned in the US more than 30 years ago.
Besides the pesticides, chemicals from two widely used household products - Teflon and Scotchgard - were found in every baby tested.
Tim Kropp, the senior toxicologist for the project said "What's most startling is that we have such a wide range of compounds in us the moment we are born."
To find out more about this study visit the Fairfax digital website.
We welcome your input and feedback on this newsletter. If you have any contributions, comments or suggestions please contact Carl Glen or Paul Rees.
The Bugle is a weekly newsletter published by Strategic Policy and Regional Arrangements, Natural Resources and Mines, highlighting regional natural resource management activities around Queensland.
Last updated 21 January 2009