The Bugle - 17 February 06
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories
- Premier rewards Reef guardians
- Forum to discuss inland climate change
- Fitzroy facts live on the web
- Land managers agree to be more sustainable
Government updates
- Consultants appointed to assess Reef activities
- Public comment period on Wild Rivers extended
- Search on for primary industry achievers
Natural resources news
Wetlands news
Reef news
Due to the regional communication officers' workshop in Townsville, there will be no edition of The Bugle next week. But fear not, The Bugle will return with bells and whistles on Friday 3 March.
Premier rewards Reef guardians
Five schools in the Burnett Mary region will be presented with an award from the Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management in recognition of their achievements in 2005 as "Reef Guardians".
Premier Peter Beattie will present the representatives of Wartburg, Gympie East, Wondai and Woongarra State Schools and St Mary's College (Maryborough) with awards at Mon Repos Conservation Park on Sunday 19 February.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's Reef Guardian Schools program encourages schools to protect and conserve the Great Barrier Reef.
The BMRG was the first NRM group in the nation to formalise a partnership with GBRMPA to support educating students, teachers and members of our community to be environmentally active and work together as committed "Reef Guardians".
For more information, contact BMRG executive officer Deborah Scott on 4132 8333.
Forum to discuss inland climate change
The 2006 Inland Climate Change forum brings together presenters with a keen interest and expert knowledge in climate.
Participants will hear the latest information on how to prepare for climate change.
Topics include observations and predictions; world perspectives on climate; historical trends and projections for Queensland and the Burnett; soils, agriculture and farm management; adapting farm management to climate change; and much more.
The forum is presented by the Burnett Mary Regional Group and is on on Friday 10 March at Brian Pastures Research Station, Gayndah.
Register by Friday 3 March and get more information by contacting Lee Dorahy on 4165 5406.
Fitzroy facts live on the web
Fitzroy Basin Association has just completed a new series of fact sheets that summarises its eight regional investment programs.
You can check them out on the FBA's web site.
Printed fact sheets are also available. Email Mittsy Voiles or phone her on 4999 2821 for more information.
Land managers agree to be more sustainable
Cane, grazing and urban land managers in the Mackay Whitsunday region are working towards a more sustainable landscape.
Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group executive officer Ray Allan said more than 130 land managers (over 300 individual projects) had signed agreements over the last few months as part of the Sustainable Landscape Program.
"MWNRM group is putting its money where its mouth is, encouraging the uptake of most sustainable practices by providing over $900,000 to land managers," he said.
"The activities are helping land managers to tackle many of the issues identified by the recently released report on water quality."
This round of the Sustainable Landscape Program was provided by the Natural Heritage Trust through Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group. The program is being delivered through the region's three integrated catchment management groups. For further information please contact your local group:
For Whitsunday Shire email Christine Peterson or phone her on 4945 0267 or 0408 187 944.
For Mackay City and Mirani Shire email Jane Eales or phone her on 4955 8674 or 0419 778 402.
For Sarina Shire and Broadsound Shire email Saskia von Fahland or phone 4956 1388.
Consultants appointed to assess Reef activities
Lloyd Consulting with Mary Maher & Associates has been appointed to assess how regional NRM groups' currently funded activities will contribute to the Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.
The evaluation will consist of a desktop analysis of Reef-relevant activities funded under regional investment strategies including also investments through Coastal Catchments Initiative. This initial analysis will be followed by interviews, focus groups and discussions in the regions.
A steering committee with representatives from the Australian and Queensland Governments, the Reef Plan Secretariat, regional NRM groups and the Coastal Catchments Initiative will oversee the project, which the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water's Learning and Evaluation Unit will manage. The report will be finalised by the end of May.
This evaluation is one of six JSC-funded reviews to be undertaken in 2005-06. Two are already complete - the Review of Science and Information Needs/Gaps and the development of the Protocol for Changing Management Action and Resource Condition Targets.
For more information, contact Suzanne Hoverman on 3239 3884.
Public comment period on Wild Rivers extended
The Queensland Government has announced an extension of time for submissions on the draft Wild Rivers code.
Natural Resources, Mines and Water Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the date for submissions would be extended until 24 April to allow time for more extensive consultation with rural industry and local government.
"All submissions will be taken into account before any decision is made on the Wild Rivers code," Mr Palaszczuk said.
Since late December 2005, the State Government has consulted a range of stakeholders to gain feedback on the draft code.
The code will be used by relevant State Government agencies and local governments to assess applications for future development within a declared Wild River area.
The draft code and further information is available from the department's Wild Rivers web site.
Search on for primary industry achievers
Primary Industries week is less than two months away and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries is on the lookout for people in the sector who have made a significant contribution.
Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin is urging people to nominate those who deserve acknowledgement for their work in rural industries for the annual Primary Industries Week Achievement Awards.
Primary Industries Week runs from 25 March to 1 April and highlights the food, products, innovations and lifestyle offered by Queensland's primary industries.
The categories for the 2006 award are:
• Primary Industries Young Achiever Award
• Primary Industries Innovation Award
• Sustainable Primary Production Award
• Service to Primary Industries Award
• Most Outstanding Contribution to Primary Industries Award
Nominations close Friday 3 March and winners will be announced on Thursday 23 March. For more information, contact Jill Thorburn on 3837 4747 or visit the web site.
QFF to showcase sustainable farming
The Queensland Farmers Federation is holding its first Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture conference at the Hyatt Regency Coolum from 19-21 March.
Forty-eight speakers will address growers, industry, government and community representatives on the future of sustainable farming in Queensland.
The conference is a culmination of a two-year project supported by the Environmental Protection Agency's Sustainable Industries Division.
Primary producers get a 40% registration discount.
The conference brochure is available from the event coordinator, Michelle Lorenzo, on 5562 0164.
Losing Ground forum examines soil loss
The Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (SEQ) will host a one-day erosion and sediment management forum on Wednesday 29 March at the Ramada Pelican Waters on the Sunshine Coast.
The forum has been brought to the SEQ region by popular request and is based on the three-day Down to Earth conference held in Cairns last September.
Download the forum flyer, email Danielle Bolton or phone her on 0407 026 819 for more information.
Wetlands resources available on the web
If you are interested in wetlands, here are some resources you might like to check out:
- Queensland Wetlands Program
- Ministerial media statement on wetlands
- Wetland Link - currently specific to NSW coast but relevant to wetland managers generally.
Water quality report released
A new report provides a better understanding of how land use can affect water quality in the Mackay Whitsunday region.
The report, developed by the Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group in conjunction with Natural Resources Mines and Water and the Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, highlights water quality and ecosystem issues in the region.
The report identifies the water quality issues for each land use and will support regional and local target-setting for water quality.
Ken Rohde from Natural Resources Mines and Water said a key finding was the differences in the concentrations of pollutants generated by land uses in the region.
"Grazing, cane farming, natural forest and urban areas all varied considerably in the amount of sediment, nutrients and herbicides discharged into the waterways," he said.
"Marine sampling was a part of the project and showed that in a moderate flood event the larger rivers contribute nutrients and herbicides to the inshore areas of the Great Barrier Reef."
For further information, contact Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group's Will Higham on 4953 5285.
We welcome your input and feedback on this newsletter. If you have any contributions, comments or suggestions please contact Shona Strachan or Paul Rees.
To view past issues of The Bugle visit the regional NRM web site.
Last updated 03 April 2006