The Bugle - 3 November 2006
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories
- DNA sought from Capricorn Coast dolphins
- Signs and wonders: wondering where the signs have gone
- Burnett Mary appoints new CEO
Government updates
- Congratulations to Queensland on monitoring, evaluation and reporting efforts
- National Marine Park Network Moves A Step Closer
- Prime Minister unveils $60m for climate change projects
Reef Plan updates
Natural resources news
DNA sought from Capricorn Coast dolphins
A much loved but endangered icon of the Capricorn Coast will be better understood and ideally better protected through a partnership between the Fitzroy Basin Association and the Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre.
Humpback, Snubfin and Bottlenose dolphins are threatened because they live so close to human activity. Humpback and Snubfin dolphins are particularly vulnerable as they live in small, localised populations.
Daniele Cagnazzi from the Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre will build a better picture of their health, movements and mating system through a comprehensive DNA study.
"In the coming months, my volunteers and I will be out collecting dolphin skin samples, photographing dorsal fins – the dolphin equivalent to a thumbprint - and recording their behaviour," Mr Cagnazzi said.
The welfare of the dolphins is crucial to Mr Cagnazzi who stresses that his research is authorised through the Environmental Protection Agency's Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
"This information is critical for developing management plans that will ensure these species are protected and continue to be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the coast," Mr Cagnazzi said.
For more info, contact Daniele Cagnazzi on 0439 782 243.
Signs and wonders: wondering where the signs have gone
What does a sign do? For the Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association and those community members involved in the important work of monitoring the waterways across the region, it seems that as well as marking important research sites, they also disappear!
Jon Graftdyk, Healthy Waterways Project Officer with the Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association said, "The signs that drivers will notice on our local waterways mark the location of our key waterways sampling sites – which are vital reference points in a network of monitoring sites on waterways throughout the region."
"The signs raise the public's awareness of the work being done by catchment groups in monitoring and protecting the health of our waterways by alerting those using the roads which cross our creeks and rivers to the location of important waterways research sites.
"We are disappointed that the signs we have only recently installed have been removed – along with their star picket supports."
Not only to the signs keep the local community informed of NRM activites, they reaffirm the government's commitment to natural resource management programs.
Mr Graftdyk called on the community to help protect the region's waterways by leaving the signs where they are.
For more info, contact Jon Graftdyk on 4956 1388.
Burnett Mary appoints new CEO
The Burnett Mary Regional Group has announced that David Brown has been appointed as the group's new CEO.
He will officially start work with the BMRG on 6 November.
His contact details will be:
david.brown@burnettmarynrm.org.au
Phone: 4132 8301
Fax: 4132 8333
PO Box 50, Bundaberg Qld 4670
Welcome aboard, David.
Congratulations to Queensland on monitoring, evaluation and reporting efforts
Twenty-five monitoring, evaluation and reporting officers from across Australia shared knowledge, experiences and lessons learned from the 2005-06 annual NRM performance reporting period at a recent conference in Adelaide.
The purpose of the conference was to address short and medium term program performance reporting issues and develop recommendations for monitoring and reporting in future programs.
Claire Carter and Nicole Blackett from NRW's Community Partnerships represented Queensland at the conference.
ME&R officers from each state, territory and the Australian Government presented their annual NRM performance reporting experiences and shared lessons regarding data collection and reporting. Topics covered included:
- Project reporting
- Financial Approval and expenditure
- Standard outputs reporting
- Target reporting (management action targets and resource condition targets)
- Matters for target reporting (including % attribution)
- Australian Government spreadsheet for data collection and support
- General observations of what worked and what did not work.
A list of 15 key actions came out of the conference, with Queensland to take the lead on narrative/qualitative reporting opportunities and further developing contract specification methodologies.
Queensland government officers and regional NRM groups should be congratulated on their 2005-06 performance reporting efforts, as Queensland appears to be ahead of the game in many ME&R areas, including narrative reports, governance processes, reporting systems, templates and guidance documents.
For more info, phone Claire Carter on 3224 2323 or Nicole Blackett on 3224 2154.
National Marine Park Network Moves A Step Closer
The Australian Government is one step closer to establishing one of the world's largest marine park networks with public consultation on the South-east Marine Park Area (MPA) commencing from 28 October.
The proposed network will be the first of a series of regional representative marine parks to be established around the nation.
Environment and Heritage Minister Senator Ian Campbell said the south-east marine park network would consist of 13 new Commonwealth reserves in south-eastern Australian waters, with a combined area almost as big as Victoria.
"The current proposal comes after previous consultation, which began in December last year, with marine industries and other stakeholders. The initial rounds of consultation resulted in more than 20 changes to boundaries and zoning in the draft proposal," he said.
Public comment on the proposed reserves must be received by the Department of the Environment and Heritage by Friday, 22 December.
More information including detailed descriptions of the areas, maps and fact sheets on each proposed MPA can be downloaded from the marine park web site.
Read the Minister's media statement
Prime Minister unveils $60m for climate change projects
Prime Minister John Howard has announced $60 million worth of projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, amid criticism the Government has failed to address climate change, the ABC has reported.
Mr Howard has committed the money for 42 projects, which include a mobile carbon catcher, as part of the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.
Mr Howard said he recognised the value of a global emissions trading scheme, but in the meantime there are practical measures governments could adopt.
Tully farmer's efforts stop money flowing down the drain
A Tully district cane farmer believes he has reduced his drain erosion problems by a massive 80 per cent – and he's letting other growers know the secrets of his success.
Angelo Crema, who grows cane in partnership with his sons at Warrami and Lower Tully, has spent the past four years perfecting the management of drains on his property. It's been time well spent, because he has not only reduced sediment losses to down stream, he has cut the amount of time he spends maintaining his drains and headlands.
The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries' Profitable Farms/Healthy Catchments project is documenting and sharing the work of farmers who have been improving their erosion and drainage management.
"We have constructed four sand traps within the drainage system and dug these to a depth of between 1.8 to 2.4 metres," Angelo said.
Angelo has just received a grant from the Tully Water Quality Improvement Plan incentives program to continue his on-farm work. This program has a total of $200,000 available to Tully-Murray property holders implementing on-ground projects that reduce sediment run-off in the catchment.
Like the DPI&F's Profitable Farms/Healthy Catchments project, the Tully Water Quality Improvement Plan is contributing to the Australian and Queensland Governments’ Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.
To learn more about what is being done to improve water quality or to learn what you can do, visit the Reef Plan website.
Report AIMS to measure impact
Education, Science and Training Minister Julie Bishop has released a new report, Marine Imprint: the crucial impact of 33 years of AIMS research in the public interest.
The report by Insight Economics assesses the impact of research by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) since its establishment in 1972.
"AIMS is recognised world-wide for its cutting edge research in the field of tropical marine science and technology and is held in high regard by industry, government and other stakeholders," Ms Bishop said.
"This report provides an independent assessment of the value and relevance of AIMS research for the long-term benefit of Australia and has shown that the Institute delivers strong net economic benefits for Australia for a small investment by taxpayers."
Read the Minister's media statement
Download the report
Thought for the week
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
Winston Churchill (via Katy Cassidy)
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The Bugle is a weekly newsletter published by Community Partnerships, the Department of Natural Resources and Water, highlighting regional NRM activities around Queensland.
Last updated 02 November 2006