The Bugle - 5 May 2006
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories
- Man bites dog: forces combine to fight wild dog scourge
- Landcare groups host Peter Andrews field day
- Mackay Whitsunday hosts Healthy Waterways science forum
- Project assesses salinity risk in the Condamine
- Co-op assists Bellyando-Suttor landholders
Government updates
- NRM groups encouraged to join research project
- Conference showcases natural resources
- Partnership to align vegetation and weed management
- Monitoring officers discuss annual report requirements
- SIPs Update satisfies thirst for knowledge
- JSC meeting deferred to 6 June
Natural resources news
- QPWS helps neighbours with cyclone cleanup
- $700,000 for turtle and dugong plan in the Torres Strait
- Qld floodwaters move towards Lake Eyre
Man bites dog: forces combine to fight wild dog scourge
South West NRM, the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water and a local trapping expert are joining forces to fight the growing scourge of wild dogs in the south west.
The increasing wild dog population poses a serious threat to graziers and wildlife. Wild dogs hurt the pastoral industry by reducing sheep, lamb and calf numbers, and spreading diseases such as tape worm and the livestock abortion-causing microorganism, Neospora caninum.
In response, South West NRM, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water and local trapping expert, Don Sallway, have developed Tracks to Trapping, a free wild dog trapping workshop.
The skill of trapping wild dogs is slowly being lost. The workshops have been developed to reintroduce this important skill. Effective wild dog trapping can form an important component of coordinated control campaigns and in association with baiting, fencing, shooting, security animals and dog drives, can significantly reduce the impacts of wild dogs.
Workshops will be conducted throughout Murweh, Booringa, Baloone, Paroo, Quilpie and Tambo shires in the South West region between the 16 May and 14 June.
For more info about the workshops, contact South West NRM on 4654 7382.
Landcare groups host Peter Andrews field day
Kingaroy and Nanango & Districts Landcare Groups gave the concept of Natural Sequence Farming a good run when Peter Andrews, of ABC Australian Story fame, came to town. The two Landcare groups presented a field day with the dynamic developer of Natural Sequence Farming, Peter Andrews, the keynote speaker.
More than 50 people heard about Peter’s innovative farming practices and the prospect of challenging their practices.
In addition to the presentation, the field trip included three property visits where participants had the opportunity to put their knowledge of the landscape into action.
Kingaroy Landcare Group Project Officer Leanne Petersen said, "It's refreshing to look at the land from a 'big picture' perspective. The actions we take in one place have impacts (good and bad) in another – it's just a means of getting the balance right for production values and the environment".
The field day with Peter Andrews was part of a sustainable land management project undertaken by Kingaroy and Nanango & Districts Landcare Groups in partnership with the Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management through support from the National Landcare Program.
For more info about Natural Sequence Farming system, see the NSF web site.
Mackay Whitsunday hosts Healthy Waterways science forum
The Mackay Whitsunday Natural Resource Management Group and the Pioneer Integrated Catchment Management Group invites you to the Healthy Waterways Science Forum 2006, Achievements & Challenges.
The forum, which includes presentations by leading scientists and discussion sessions, is part of Healthy Waterways month in the Mackay Whitsundays.
The forum will be held on Tuesday 30 May at Paxton's Warehouse, River St, Mackay. There will be a field trip on the Pioneer River departing from Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens the next day.
The registration form and program is available from Mackay Whitsunday NRM's web site or by phoning Vivienne on 4953 5298. Please register by 8 May.
Project assesses salinity risk in the Condamine
A project to improve the understanding of salinity processes, risks and management options across the Condamine catchment is underway.
The Condamine Alliance and Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water are working together to identify known salinity sites, potential future salinity sites and assets at risk from salinity in the Condamine.
NRMW's Andrew Biggs said there were many small, localised salinity outbreaks in the catchment. Examples could be seen around Warwick, Dalveen, Clifton, Cambooya, Jondaryan, Brymaroo, Jimbour and Bell.
"Within the Condamine catchment, land use change commenced in the 1800s and secondary salinity problems have been documented as early as the 1950s. Unfortunately, there is no simple 'fix' to salinity. Different management options are required, depending on the landscape, type and stage of salinity," Mr Biggs said.
The project will produce a map of known salinity sites in the catchment, a series of fact sheets describing the different types of salinity found in the catchment, recommended management options for different land uses and a look-up table describing the potential salinity risk for each sub-catchment.
For more info, email Kristie Watling or phone her on 4688 1092.
Co-op assists Bellyando-Suttor landholders
Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM is funding the Central Highlands Regional Resources Use Planning Cooperative to assist graziers and broadacre farmers wanting to manage their properties better.
Based in Clermont, project officer Anna Keetal is working with landholders to develop property managemenet plans.
Landholders can apply for funding for activities such as riparian fencing, alternative watering points, weed control, biodiversity conservation areas and other land management initiatives.
For more info, email Anna Keetal or phone her on 0428 776 249.
NRM groups encouraged to join research project
Land & Water Australia is looking for about eight regional NRM groups to participate in a four-year research project, Successfully Investing in Regional NRM Practice Change.
The project, jointly funded by Land & Water Australia and the Natural Heritage Trust, is an expansion of the Engaging stakeholders in Regional NRM Practice Change project
This project focused on regional NRM groups' identification and understanding of their key stakeholders, and processes used to influence NRM practices.
Reports from the first phase project should soon be available through the Australian Government NRM web site and LWA web site. They will include a stakeholder analysis report and summary report from four regional case studies.
The second phase of the project aims to provide regional groups and policy makers with better knowledge of the most effective ways to engage stakeholders to improve the way management and condition of natural resources at the catchment level.
The project should help build understanding of what drives and impedes changes in the way natural resources are managed.
For more info, email Ian Gaze or phone him on 02 6272 4970.
Conference showcases natural resources
Queensland's first Natural Resources Conference will address how we manage our land, water, vegetation and mineral resources, and how we preserve our cultural heritage, to safeguard our economy, improve our business practices and preserve our quality of life.
The conference, to be held at the Brisbane Convention Centre on 17 May, will highlight a range of subjects, including water recycling, radical fixes for the environment, rural leasehold strategies, land management, skills shortages in the mining industry and Indigenous partnerships.
Speakers include Professor Peter Cullen, biologist Tim Low, Agforce's Peter Kenny, Indigenous leader Terry O'Shane and Peter Andrews of Australian Story fame.
Bernard Salt, best known to Australian business for his commentary in the media on the business implications of demographic and social change, will be the guest speaker at lunch.
For more registration brochures or to find out more about the conference, email Rebecca Breen, phone 3227 8311 or visit the conference web site.
Partnership to align vegetation and weed management
Landholders will be given advice on practical ways to control weeds while protecting remnant vegetation under a partnership between the Queensland Conservation Council and the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water.
NRMW's Director of Vegetation Management, Leslie Shirreffs and QCC coordinator Toby Hutcheon said the arrangement was aimed at creating better understanding of integrated land and vegetation management practices.
"This partnership is about QCC working collaboratively with land managers and stakeholder groups to improve understanding of practical land management priorities like vegetation and weeds," Mr Hutcheon said.
There was currently some confusion among land managers about how to manage problems such as weeds while protecting native vegetation, he said.
Ms Shirreffs said the partnership, struck this month, would help to clear up that confusion by giving land managers practical information.
QCC would provide workshops and educational support materials for land managers.
"This partnership will lead to better understanding across sectors about land management challenges and approaches," she said.
"I congratulate the QCC on its initiative in seeking collaborative solutions on the ground."
The workshops will be held in a variety of centres later in the year.
The partnership agreement also allows for the identification of other areas where practical educational approaches would benefit land and conservation management.
For further info contact Leslie Shirreffs on 3224 7895.
Monitoring officers discuss annual report requirements
Monitoring, evaluation and reporting officers met in Brisbane last week for a two–day workshop.
Representatives from the Queensland and Australian Governments and most regional NRM groups attended the workshop.
The officers discussed regional NRM groups' reporting requirements for the upcoming 2005-06 annual report.
Also up for consideration were processes to review and change management action and resource condition targets, including the target change protocol and lessons learned from the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee's recent review of their target-setting process.
The QIRIS team also gave an overview of ViSTA (the new web-based system for planning, tracking and reporting on projects and investments) and how it will be used to meet these reporting requirements.
The workshop also provided opportunities for everyone to share knowledge and discuss ways to streamline monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
For more info, email Nicole Blackett or phone her on 3224 2154.
SIPs Update satisfies thirst for knowledge
Feeling out of the loop on the latest state-level investment project activities? Now there's no need to be!
The latest SIPs Update (January-March 2006) is available to download from the regional NRM web site.
The SIPs Update is a quarterly publication that provides a quick update on the range of SIPs and their associated projects.
JSC meeting deferred to June
The Joint Queensland-Australian Government NRM Steering Committee (JSC) meeting scheduled for 22-23 May has been postponed to 6-7 June.
The agenda for the June meeting remains unchanged.
QPWS helps neighbours with cyclone cleanup
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is offering grants from $1000 to $10,000 to neighbours of parks and forests to help with removal of debris after Cyclone Larry.
Environment Minister Desley Boyle said she had met Palmerston landholders the week after the cyclone to discuss assistance for removing vegetation from boundary fences, roads and firebreaks.
"The damage from this disaster is extensive, and the Queensland Government is keen to assist neighbours in these exceptional circumstances. The damage, worse in some sections than others, has occurred over a stretch of about 400 km where hundreds of private properties back onto parks and reserves managed by QPWS," she said.
"QPWS has set aside a preliminary amount of $100,000 in extraordinary circumstance assistance funds to help its neighbours who share common boundaries with QPWS managed lands and who have sustained significant damage. This project will work in parallel with the $3 million jobs project jointly funded by the Department of Employment and Training and the Environmental Protection Agency."
"We're employing people who lost jobs as a result of the cyclone. They'll be paid to help repair national parks – keeping the workers in the region and opening up the parks for tourism.
"Now we're helping landholders who share boundaries with QPWS to clear away vegetation.They can apply for grants of $1000 to $10,000 and we’ve already received 19 applications.
Application packages are available from QPWS offices in Atherton, Innisfail and Cairns. Applications close 31 May. For more information, email Doug Wilson of QPWS or phone 4046 6692.
$700,000 for turtle and dugong plan in the Torres Strait
A plan for the management of traditional fishing for dugong and turtle in the Torres Strait will be boosted with an additional $700,000 in funding, Australian Fisheries Minister Senator Eric Abetz, and Torres Strait Regional Authority Chair John T Kris, announced this week.
Senator Abetz said the $700,000 would be provided over two years from the Government's Natural Heritage Trust.
"The additional funds will be provided through the NHT-funded North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) Dugong and Marine Turtle Project," he said.
"The Torres Strait Regional Authority will administer the funding and ensure the regional activity plan is expanded to cover more Torres Strait Islander communities."
Qld floodwaters move towards Lake Eyre
Floodwaters in Queensland's south-western Channel Country are slowly making their way to Lake Eyre in South Australia, but it will be some time before they reach central Australia, the ABC has reported.
Flooding has eased in Cooper Creek at Windorah and the flood peak from last month's central western rain is now about 200 kilometres further downstream.
John Ferguson from Durham Downs says the water seems to be travelling slower than usual, but it will be welcome once it arrives.
Thought for the week...
"Not only are forests the powerhouses of obvious biospheric processes – notably photosynthesis and biological growth, creation of fertile humus and transfer of energy. Their exceptional contribution to the biosphere goes much further. Forests play major roles in the planetary recycling of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. They help to determine temperature, rainfall and other climatic conditions. They are often the fountainheads of rivers. They constitute the major gene reservoirs of our planet, and they are the main sites for the emergence of new species. Indeed, forests contribute as much to evolution as several other biomes put together."
New Gaia Atlas of Planetary 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 05 May 2006