The Bugle - 26 May 2006
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories
- Investigating Pesticides in the Lower Burdekin
- Community join hands around wetlands
- Wrapping up regional investment
- Keeping central Qld landowners on top of new technology
- Would you like to attend the Qld Landcare Conference?
- Community Water Quality Monitoring in South East Queensland
- What weed is that?
Government updates
- NRMW staff recognised for excellence
- A new email address for Community Partnerships
- Independent field checks of on-ground works
- Minister condemns poisoning of Natural Heritage tree
Natural resources news
- Relief continues arriving for Larry victims
- Sexy smells may help trap toads
- Preparing for the whales
Investigating Pesticides in the Lower Burdekin
As part of their Coastal Catchments Initiative Program, Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM is examining pesticide loss from sugarcane cultivation, and the risk this runoff poses to downstream environments.
The project aims to identify key pollutants in the Burdekin region, particularly those associated with agricultural practices.
The area under investigation covers the Burdekin Catchment (Haughton River, Barrattas Creek and Sheep Station Creek), the Lower Don, from Bowen to Gumlu, and marine waters adjacent to the Burdekin Catchment from Townsville to Ayr.
Results from the project will help landholders, industries, management agencies and other stakeholders monitor changes in land-use practices aimed at improving water quality downstream.
For more information contact Dr. Ian Dight Project Manager, Coastal Catchments Initiative 4724 3544
Community join hands around wetlands
The Condamine Alliance has signed off on a $376,000 project to protect a 30-kilometre-long swamp and three smaller wetlands in the Condamine River catchment.
This $236,000 investment of Natural Heritage Trust and National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality funds will complement $140,000 in landholder contributions.
The Condamine Alliance will work with Greening Australia and the Environmental Protection Agency at Long Swamp and the smaller wetlands to assess cultural heritage values, flora and fauna, water flows and quality, and landholder concerns, to develop and implement management plans and on-ground actions.
Long Swamp, west of Dalby, is unique among the catchment’s wetlands because it is so long and narrow (only 800 metres at its widest point).
The Alliance has set itself the challenge of gaining recognition for Long Swamp as a community icon, showing what can be achieved through community engagement and participation, and responsible management.
The swamp passes through more than 25 parcels of land and involves eight landholders whose enterprises range from grain, beef feedlot and cotton. Work on the ground will include fencing to keep stock out, controlling weeds, relocating watering points, and planting natives.
For more information contact Penny Hamilton, Condamine Alliance, 4620 0107.
Wrapping up regional investment
A process that can measure the returns on investments is helping the Condamine Alliance to target spending on natural resource management.
The RAPUP (Risk Assessment, Prioritisation and Understanding Process) was developed for the Alliance as part of integrated, area-wide management (IAWM) in the Felton Valley, south of Toowoomba.
One key finding was that if the Alliance could encourage landholders to increase conservation tillage practices by 20% in upland areas, end-of-valley soil loss would be cut by 10,000 tonnes a year.
The RAPUP used data from a number of sources to benchmark current practices in the valley, identify problem areas, explore proposed practice changes, and link them back to expected outcomes.
RAPUP was developed by Dan Rattray, David Freebairn and Norm Gurner of the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water, with project coordinator Jason Huggins.
"The more I move around, the greater I see the need for such a pragmatic approach," said co-author Dr Freebairn, manager of Natural Resource Sciences, NRMW.
The Alliance has allocated $176,000 for on-ground works from the Natural Heritage Trust and National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, as a result of the RAPUP.
For more information contact Dan Rattray on 4688 1146.
Keeping central Qld landowners on top of new technology
The Fitzroy Basin Association uses GIS (Geographical Information Systems), maps and satellite imagery every day to help central Queensland communities to manage their natural resources.
To facilitate their Satellite Imagery Project, the Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) has recently purchased SPOT-5 Colour Imagery for the entire central Queensland region on behalf of all landowners. The imagery cost $614,541 and was purchased with funds from the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, Natural Heritage Trust and contributions from Geoscience Australia.
FBA aims to provide suitable imagery to landholders for property mapping at minimal cost. The commercial sector will also benefit as landholders will be able to provide images to consultants, contractors and other business partners who carry out work on properties. The images will allow them to do this without restrictions.
SPOT-5 colour imagery has a resolution equivalent to 2.5 metres on the ground. This allows people to identify features greater than 5 metres in diameter (e.g. individual tress, tanks and buildings).
Under the current licence agreement, FBA and central Qld landowners have full ownership and access to the imagery for property mapping applications. Traditionally, individuals would pay up to $5000 for a suitable satellite image. Under FBA’s Satellite Imagery Project, eligible landholders will receive SPOT-5 colour imagery at cost of transfer, which is $80.
For more information contact Mittsy Voiles on 4999 2821
Would you like to attend the Qld Landcare Conference?
Community members from around the Maranoa-Balonne and Border Rivers catchments will have the chance to apply for sponsorship to attend the 17th Annual Queensland Landcare Conference, to be held in Brisbane this year.
The Queensland Murray-Darling Committee Inc (QMDC) will sponsor six people from the region to attend the four-day event from 21 to 24 August. The sponsorship package will cover the conference registration fees and up to $100 towards accommodation costs.
"It is important for communities to be aware of what landcare efforts are taking place in other parts of Queensland. We can learn a lot from other regions and they can learn a lot from us, too," said Mr Kowitz.
For more information about the conference, or to apply for QMDC’s sponsorship package, contact QMDC on 4637 6201 (Toowoomba), 4671 7900 (Goondiwindi), or 4622 8446 (Roma).
Community Water Quality Monitoring in South East Queensland
Australian, state and local government agencies, in partnership with SEQ Catchments and the Moreton Bay Waterways and Catchments Partnership (MBWCP), have developed a project to help improve water quality in the region.
The Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) Capacity Building Project will increase the involvement of community monitoring networks in the Moreton Bay Waterways and Catchments Partnership.
Water quality (physico-chemical) data was collected from three sub-regions in SEQ over a period of three months at both freshwater and estuarine sites. Then, the quality of the data and its contribution to the EHMP dataset was assessed.
A costs and benefits analysis was also carried out to measure the benefits of integrating community monitoring into the EHMP and other regional monitoring activities. The project also enlisted and trained community participants, and developed their water monitoring plans. This involvement was also evaluated in the trial results.
The results of the EHMP capacity building project has provided guidance on how future monitoring partnerships between the community and state agencies and/or regional bodies will best be supported and developed.
For further information about the trial or participating in water quality monitoring please contact Joadie Hardy on 3816 9717.
What weed is that?
Identifying the various rangeland weeds is about to become a lot easier with the help of a new booklet called the WEEDeck, sponsored by South West NRM, in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water.
"The WEEDeck has been specifically designed for the graziers and other community members of South West Queensland to assist them in the positive identification of a number of weeds of concern in our region," said Renee Moore, Vegetation and Biodiversity Officer at South West NRM.
To make identification easy, the WEEDeck lists essential plant characteristics and has coloured photographs of existing and potential weeds found in rangeland landscapes, including Mesquite, Parkinsonia, Rubber Vine and Mimosa.
"Its easy-to-use format and bright images make this booklet an excellent reference," said Renee. Renee also encourages anyone who locates a weed they can’t identify to investigate further. "If anyone finds what they think is a weed and would like it identified then they are welcome to bring a small sample into our office."
The WEEDeck is available from South West NRM in Charleville at a cost of $5.
For more information contact Raelee Brier on 4654 7382 or 0428 881683.
NRMW staff recognised for excellence
Natural Resources Mines and Water Minister Henry Palaszczuk has saluted the work of departmental officers who won Excellence Awards this week for their work in vital areas of policy development, implementation and leadership.
Mr Palaszcsuk said the annual awards were an opportunity to recognise, during Natural Resources Week (13 to 20 May), the efforts of staff across the diverse areas of his department.
He congratulated the Noosa River Plan Team that won the Tom Fenwick Trophy, which is the premier prize in the 2006 NRMW Excellence Awards.
The plan is a joint Queensland Government, Noosa Shire Council and community initiative, and is founded on a fully inclusive consultative process.
The project team, led by NRMW’s Peter Shilton, achieved unanimous commitment to the plan and its implementation through careful policy development, negotiation and conflict resolution.
A new email address for Community Partnerships
NRMW's Community Partnerships now has a central email address for all finance-related information: CP.Finance@nrm.qld.gov.au. Please use this new address for all financial communications related to your agreements, including invoices and financial reports.
If you send emails to specific people, and they’re away on leave or out of the office, your email may sit unopened in an inbox. By using our new central address your email will be opened and actioned the day it's received.
And, there's no need to call attention to any particular person, as your finance-related email may be handled by any one of the Contract Management Team in Community Partnerships.
Independent field checks of on-ground works
The Joint Queensland/Australian Government NRM Steering Committee (JSC) has recently approved the commissioning of external contractor/s to undertake field checks of on-ground works.
The objective is to improve the JSC's understanding of regional project delivery and enhance the JSC's confidence in the excellent work being undertaken by regional NRM bodies.
The field checks are intended to be a constructive, collaborative exercise which will:
- give regional NRM bodies an opportunity to showcase projects
- give the JSC an independent assessment of projects and gain a better understanding of progress
- assist in promoting and demonstrating outcomes to investors.
It is intended that the field checks, which will cover a minimum of one on-ground activity from each approved Regional Investment Strategy (RIS) program and optionally include Strategic Reserve, Regional Competitive and NLP projects, will be undertaken for all regional NRM bodies over the next 12 months.
Minister condemns poisoning of Natural Heritage tree
The Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, has condemned reported acts of vandalism on the historic Tree of Knowledge in outback Queensland.
Senator Campbell said he was disappointed about reports the 150-year-old tree in Barcaldine, 1000km north-west of Brisbane, had been poisoned with chemicals.
The Tree of Knowledge was added to the National Heritage List on Australia Day this year. The 10-metre Ghost Gum is associated with the unsuccessful shearers’ strike of 1891 and is considered the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party.
"Regardless of your political beliefs, the Tree of Knowledge is a significant site in Australian political history and rural Queensland's development, and most Australians would condemn this act of vandalism."
Senator Campbell said he hoped efforts to save the tree were successful.
Relief continues arriving for Larry victims
Another 1.2 tonnes of food and 50,000 litres of fuel have been airlifted to far north Queensland in the past week as part of the State Government's ongoing cyclone relief efforts.
Some 67 shires have been declared natural disaster areas after the devastation and associated flooding caused by cyclones Larry and Monica earlier this year.
Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell says the relief efforts will continue for some time.
Sexy smells may help trap toads
Bottling up cane toads' sexual odours is the latest left-field idea to trap the noxious pest.
The new research builds on a discovery that the pheromones excreted by a native male frog attracts female frogs at large.
Dr Mike Tyler from the University of Adelaide says they are hoping cane toad smells will have a similar pulling power.
"If it's an attractant we would be able to attract perhaps females in such numbers, that instead of having to go around and pick up one here and one there, we might be able to attract them together," he said.
"It's a bit of a gamble, I admit it, but it's something that hasn't been tried and we're just keeping our fingers crossed that we'll have some luck."
Preparing for the whales
With whales already spotted off the Queensland coast, the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) has stepped up preparations for this year's migration season.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said that due to the ever increasing population of whales travelling along Queensland's coastline it was inevitable that some would become entangled in shark control equipment.
"DPI&F have a range of measures in place to ensure whale entanglements are infrequent, and that those animals which are caught have the best possible chance of being freed quickly and unharmed," Mr Mulherin said.
"For example, pingers have been fitted to all shark nets from Mackay south (the migration route does not usually take whales any further north than Mackay) to help in deterring whales from coming too close to the equipment during this migration season.
"Should a whale become entangled, DPI&F have highly-trained Marine Animal Release Teams which can respond.
"In general, entanglements occur later in the season around September when young inexperienced whales are on their way back from the northern breeding waters.
"One of the keys to successfully freeing an entangled animal is early notification,'' Mr Mulherin said.
"The sooner we are notified, the sooner the Marine Animal Release Teams can be on the scene to assist the animal. To this end, we would encourage the public to report suspected entanglements to the DPI&F Shark Hotline on 1800 806 891.
Thought for the week...
One flush of a toilet in the developed world uses as much water as the average person in the developing world uses for a whole day's washing, cooking and drinking.
(United Nations International Year of Freshwater 2003)
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Last updated 02 June 2006