The Bugle - 13 April
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories- Groups fly NRM flag at sustainable farming conference
- South American studies to help fight Queensland weed
- Great results for Queensland Murray-Darling natural resources
- Forum focuses on the Burnett Mary coast
- Singing the praises of outback heroes
- Burdekin Dry Tropics shares incentives ideas
- Beechmont earmarked for Natural Heritage Trust funding
- Get a job - in south-west Queensland!
Government updates
- State Cabinet endorses regional NRM groups
- SIP product list satisfies thirst for information
- Great new resource available for community waterway monitoring groups
- Soil symposium promotes productivity
Natural resources news
- LGAQ works with Aboriginal community governments on NRM
- Australian forest products face UK ban
- Seagrasses dying around the world
- Save wetlands to cut bird flu risk: UN
Welcome to the Easter edition of The Bugle. The Easter Bunny has brought you a bumper edition, so read on...
Groups fly NRM flag at sustainable farming conference
Queensland's natural resource management bodies demonstrated their unity and willingness to partner industry and agencies with a big turnout for the recent Queensland Farmers Federation conference and tradeshow.
The Condamine Alliance, SEQ Catchments and the Burnett-Mary Regional Group were principal sponsors of the Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture Conference and Tradeshow.
The Regional Groups Collective (RGC), representing Queensland's 12 regional NRM groups, also supported the event.
Tess McGlone from Queensland Water and Land Carers, Samantha Morris from the Queensland Landcare Foundation, and Tony Gietzel, the Queensland State Landcare Coordinator, represented Landcare at the conference.
Addressing the conference dinner, RGC chairman Gordon French said regional groups took different forms and had different operating procedures but they shared a passion for the protection of Queensland's natural assets.
"This is reflected by their staff, who are leaders in the extension of the key messages and methods of NRM," he said.
Alliance chairman Dick Browne and CEO Phil McCullough joined Mr French, RGC CEO Andrew Drysdale, SEQ Catchments CEO Simon Warner, BMRG chairman Harry Bonanno and BMRG director Margaret Thompson, Queensland Murray Darling Committee chairman Peter Blundell, and staff members at the event, attended by 150 industry leaders, primary producers, and policy makers.
Mr McCullough welcomed the QFF's focus on farm management systems as a means of identifying and managing environmental risks associated with rural enterprises. "We are looking at ways to align
our NRM targets more closely with industry FMS programs to achieve better results on a catchment scale," he said.
The Alliance has just signed off on a project led by QFF member Growcom to co-fund an officer to work with growers in the Condamine River catchment on two main NRM issues: water quality leaving the farm and water-use efficiency.
The Alliance has partnered, or is partnering, other QFF members such as Cotton Australia and the Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation in numerous projects.
South American studies to help fight Queensland weed
Studies into biological methods of Lippia control underway in South America will receive support from the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee and the CSIRO.
"Lippia has long been impacting on productivity and environmentally sensitive areas in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin, particularly in the Border Rivers and Condamine catchments," the QMDC's Janet Barker said.
"Land managers have struggled to find management solutions that are sustainable and the concept of seeking out biological control agents as a long-term solution has been considered by researchers, landholders and policy makers," she said.
CSIRO Entomology has pursued options for investigating pathogens and insects for Lippia control in South America, where the weed comes from.
"Basically, we're supporting a larger project into all forms of biological control, with QMDC supporting those aspects of the project focussed on pathogens which include rusts, fungi and diseases that inhibit the growth of the plant," the CSIRO's Mic Julien said.
For more info, email Amelia Radford or phone 4637 6234.
Great results for Queensland Murray-Darling natural resources
Grazing management projects currently underway in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin region will reduce sediment in the region's waterways by nine per cent.
A trial of a new joint Queensland Murray-Darling Committee - Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water modelling tool predicted a nine per cent reduction in sediment and nutrient loads from runoff into the region's waterways.
"This is great news for those communities involved as it means their hard work will pay off," said Mr Penton.
The model was trialled in the Condamine-Balonne catchments in conjunction with a QMDC-NAP Water Quality SIP team environmental management support system.
This trial has been a result of a NAP and NHT funding project from the Queensland and Australian Governments and demonstrated that government funding will have long-term benefits for the region.
For more info, phone Geoff Penton on 4637 6276.
Forum focuses on the Burnett Mary coast
More than 40 people participated in the Burnett Mary Regional Group's recent coastal forum in Hervey Bay.
Presentations included:
- humpback dolphins in the Great Sandy Strait and Hervey Bay (Daniele Cagnazzi, Southern Cross University)
- Turtle Conservation on Lady Musgrave Island (Jim Buck)
- Expanding the Coastal Water Quality Monitoring Network (Liz Tanner, Woongarra Marine Park Monitoring & Education Project)
- Burnett Mary Region Shorebird Mapping Project (Lesley Bradley, Queensland Wader Study Group)
- Wreck Rock Turtle Monitoring Project (Nev & Ben McLachlan)
- the Wide Bay Coast Regional Coastal Management Plan (Robert Zigterman, EPA).
In the afternoon participants undertook a workshop to define regionally "significant" coastal and marine species.
Ample networking opportunities occurred throughout the day which also found groups sharing stories and contacts (many meeting for the first time) for the development of future project ideas. The next Coastal Forum is planned for October in Tin Can Bay.
For more info, email Bianca McCracken or phone her on 4132 8333.
Top
Singing the praises of outback heroes
With the re-establishment of the "Mulga Awards", south-west Queensland is getting set to honour the achievements of a number of very special people who make its towns such wonderful places to live.
The Mulga Awards were first introduced in 1999 to honour people who had made a valuable contribution to the local area. In 2006, the Year of the Outback, the School of Distance Education in collaboration with South West NRM and a number of other businesses in South West Queensland are working together to bring back "the Mulgas".
Karen Riethmuller from the School of Distance Education in Charleville said the Mulga Awards were a chance to recognise those who had given up their time and energy to help make south-west Queensland area a better place to live.
"It is those wonderful people who work tirelessly to provide those opportunities that should be nominated for the awards and have the opportunity to be acknowledged for their efforts," she said.
This year the awards will centre on five shires, Paroo, Quilpie, Bulloo, Barcoo and Murweh, with the aim of increasing the number of participating shires in years to come.
Nomination forms for the awards are available from the council offices in these shires and also from South West NRM in Charleville (phone 4654 7382). Nominations close on 8 May and the Mulga Awards presentation night will be Friday 16 June.
Tickets can be purchased from the Charleville School of Distance Education on 4654 1341.
Burdekin Dry Tropics shares incentives ideas
Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM recently hosted an information-sharing session, with speakers from the government, regional NRM groups and Landcare sharing ideas about incentives programs.
The Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Mackay Whitsundays NRM, FNQ NRM and Dalrymple Landcare attended.
The consensus was that incentives needed to be part of a strategic plan so everyone knew why the incentives were being given and how they would contribute to NRM. Projects had to be practical and contribute to people's understanding of NRM.
From the landowner's point of view, incentives worked best if the application forms and governance arrangements were simple, easy to understand and complete. There had to be monitoring, evaluation and ongoing engagement. People adopting incentives and making NRM change should be recognised for their initiative and there should be some sort of recognition in the marketplace.
For more info about the workshop and to read the presentations, visit the Burdekin Dry Tropics web site.
Beechmont earmarked for Natural Heritage Trust funding
Beechmont landholders have until 28 April to access up to $50,000 in individual incentive programs available under the Australian Government's Envirofund to carry out a range of activities on their properties to help manage and preserve Beaudesert Shire and Gold Coast City Council's precious natural resources.
Over 120 Beechmont landholders at a recent information sharing night at the Beechmont Community Hall heard several areas within Beechmont have been identified as high priorities for funding. The event was hosted by the Beechmont District Landcare Association, Beaudesert Shire Council, Gold Coast City Council, SEQ Catchments, Beechmont Rural Fire Brigade and the Biological Farmers Association.
Landholders were provided with detailed information on funding available under production and conservation-based incentives programs in the shires.
Beechmont Landcare's Greg McKenzie said the overwhelming landholder response to the event demonstrated the community's enthusiasm for working together to find ways of balancing sustainable production and the environment.
For more info on the upcoming weed management workshop (22 April) email Sarah Castle, from SEQ Catchments or phone 0400 910 679.
Get a job - in south-west Queensland!
South West NRM is looking for two staff members, a local government NRM support officer and a regional Landcare facilitator.
The Charleville-based positions are until June 2008, with the possibility of extension.
Application packages are available on South West NRM's website, by phoning 4654 7382 or by emailing Admin.Assistant@southwestnrm.org.au.
But hurry, applications close 17 April.
State Cabinet endorses regional NRM groups
The Queensland Government has endorsed the continued operation of regional NRM groups. Natural Resources, Mines and Water Minister Henry Palaszczuk has written to the Regional Groups' Collective Chair Gordon French to advise him of the decision.
State Cabinet considered a submission on options for community involvement in regional NRM. The submission was developed after extensive consultation with regional NRM groups, local government, industry and other interested parties.
Cabinet has endorsed option 1.2, maintaining the current system where non-statutory regional NRM groups develop and implement NRM plans, while providing for specific improvements such as stronger links to other planning processes.
Option 1.2 had received overwhelming support in the public consultation.
Cabinet has also agreed to extend the NAP and NHT bilateral agreements with the Australian Government. Queensland will provide core operating funding to regional NRM groups until June 2008.
The regional NRM system will be reviewed before the bilateral agreement expires to ensure future arrangements continue to be efficient and effective.
In the meantime, the Queensland Government will continue to work with the Australian Government and regional NRM groups to streamline contract administration and reporting requirements.
The Cabinet decision is a resounding vote of confidence in the work of regional NRM groups.
It also reflects the quality of the 154 submissions the department received on the options paper for community involvement in regional NRM.
For more information, email Evelyne Meier or phone her on 3227 6587.
Read the report on consultation
SIP product list satisfies thirst for information
Check out the State-level Investment Projects (SIPs) product list now on the regional NRM web site. It's an easy way to find out about the tools, products and reports being developed through the wide variety of projects in the salinity, water quality, sustainable agriculture, social and economic, and capacity-building activities.
The list also shows you where you can access a product or who to contact for more information. Feedback about this product list is welcomed.
For more information email Christina Dwyer.
Great new resource available for community waterway monitoring groups
Community groups involved in monitoring waterways can now get detailed guidance on health and safety issues thanks to a new product.
The Health and Safety Guidelines for Community-based Waterway Monitoring have just been released, specifically for use in waterway monitoring involving community volunteers. The guidelines will help groups identify health and safety risks and take measures to address these.
The guidelines were developed by Conservation Volunteers Australia on behalf of the State Community Waterway Monitoring Team (Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water) and the EPA. They were developed through a project in Queensland's National Action Plan (NAP) for Salinity and Water Quality program. The NAP WQ05 project aims to "enhance the capacity of community waterway monitoring networks to contribute to regional natural resource management".
To order a copy of the guidelines, go to the website of Queensland's NAP Water Quality Program WQ online.
For more info, email Amber Perry or phone her on 3896 9622.
Soil symposium promotes productivity
The Queensland Branch of the Australian Society of Soil Science (ASSSI) and Condamine Alliance will present a mini-symposium on "Latest Soil Science for Production Agriculture" at Dalby RSL Club from 3.00 to 6.30pm on Friday 21 April.
President Don Yule said ASSSI was holding a two-day field trip to the Darling Downs and had taken the opportunity to present the latest soil science information to farmers in the region.
The mini-symposium aims to highlight recent research and developments in soil science to increase farm productivity. The program is a series of short, sharp updates across the breadth of soil science, including soil resources, mechanics, physics, chemistry, fertility, biology and new technologies, and applications in irrigated and dryland farming systems.
ASSSI and Condamine Alliance invite farmers and agronomists from the Darling Downs to attend the free mini-symposium and to join soil scientists afterwards for discussion over dinner ($30). Farmers and agronomists are also welcome to attend the field trip on Saturday.
Dr Yule said: "The Mini-Symposium should appeal to leading growers and agronomists across the Darling Downs and ASSSI is proud to bring its members to Dalby for this highly interactive meeting."
For more information, please email Don Yule or phone him on 0427 113 127.
LGAQ works with Aboriginal community governments on NRM
The Local Government Association of Queensland is about to develop a guideline to help Aboriginal community governments integrate land and sea management into their corporate plans.
This guideline, which will be developed through the LGAQ's NRM Capacity-Building SIP project, will be based on a similar guideline the LGAQ has develped for mainstream councils.
This initiative was identified and supported at the recent LGAQ Aboriginal community government NRM forum held in Cairns, which attracted over 60 delegates, including representatives of 10 Aboriginal community governments.
The forum explored opportunities for community governments to undertake land and sea initiatives through collaborative partnerships under the Australian Government's National Action Plan (NAP) and Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) at a national, state, regional and local scale.
The LGAQ acknowledges that many community governments do not have the capacity to be effectively involved in addressing land and sea issues and sees redressing this deficiency as a priority.
For this reason, the LGAQ convened the forum to help community governments to identify the support they needed to manage their land and seas wisely.
For more info, email NRM project coordinator Malcolm Petrie or phone him on 3000 2202.
Australian forest products face ban in UK
Australia faces a ban on the sale of its forest products in the United Kingdom after a decision by the Blair Government to only buy materials that have come from legal and sustainable sources, according to the Wilderness Society.
The Wilderness Society's Sean Cadman said a UK Government committee (CPET Review Committee) had declared that the Australian Forest Standard did not meet the criteria set for its endorsement of forest certification schemes. This information was contained in the report prepared by CPET on the Australian Forest Standard.
"The UK Government, which is a very large buyer of forest products, has decided that these products should come from sources that are both legal and sustainable, a move we strongly applaud," Mr Cadman said.
Read The Wilderness Society's report
Seagrasses dying around the world
Seagrasses around the world are in decline, according to a global study that says human impact is largely to blame, the ABC has reported.
But Australia's "underwater forests" in Queensland have bucked the trend and are generally in good shape, the researchers find.
Seagrass beds are shallow water ecosystems, like a forest on the ocean floor.
Not only do they serve as protective nurseries for juvenile fish and shellfish, and a habitat and feeding ground for many marine species, they protect the coastline from currents and weather-related erosion.
Save wetlands to cut bird flu risk: UN
A United Nations report says restoring the world's wetlands may be critical to preventing outbreaks of avian flu, as their revival will keep migratory birds from mixing with domesticated fowl, according to an ABC report.
It says the degradation of wetlands has forced wild birds, some carrying the deadly H5N1 strain, into alternative habitats.
That increases the risk of the spread of the disease to poultry and onto humans, many of whom live in close proximity to their flocks.
Thought for the week...
We are the first species to become a geophysical force, single-handedly altering the Earth's atmosphere and climate. We have initiated the sixth great extinction spasm of geological history by the massive destruction of ecosystems and the loss of plant and animal species. There is nothing inevitable about this mindless destruction. It can be slowed, halted, then (except for the extinction of biodiversity) reversed.
Professor Edward O. Wilson in The New Gaia Atlas of Planet Management
We welcome your input and feedback on this newsletter. If you have any contributions, comments or suggestions please contact Paul Rees or Shona Strachan.
To view past issues of The Bugle visit the regional NRM web site.
Last updated 28 April 2006