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Regional natural resource management

The Bugle - 25 May 2007

In news this week

Regional NRM group stories 

Government updates 

Natural resources news 

Regional NRM group stories
Fitzroy salinity study to benefit catchments

Central Queensland landholders, catchment groups and the Queensland Government have joined forces in the battle against rural salinity through a new assessment project.

Minister for Natural Resources and Water, Craig Wallace, said departmental officers, in conjunction with the Fitzroy Basin Association  and the CSIRO, were finalising a 12-month project in the Fitzroy Basin which identifies areas of salinity risk.

Studies focus on six catchment areas - the Nogoa, Comet, Isaac-Connors, Mackenzie, Dawson and Fitzroy River catchments.

A round of workshops last month at Ridgelands, Theodore, Emerald and Middlemount outlined some findings from the project to catchment field officers and community representatives.

"The aim of the project was to improve our understanding of salinity risk, both basin-wide and at local scales," Mr Wallace said.

"The results of the study have been presented to the FBA so they can prioritise where salinity risk needs to be addressed and invest their efforts with landholder projects in the future."

The final reports are near completion and will be made available to landholders and other interested parties.

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Volunteers - vital work in building understanding of changes in waterway health

Last week, during National Volunteer Week, Mackay Whitsunday NRM released a series of reports - the result of a long-term volunteer waterways testing program in the region.

Healthy Waterways Program coordinator and waterways researcher with the group, Carl Mitchell, said "Volunteers are the driving force behind waterways managers gaining a better understanding of the condition of the region's rivers.

"These reports highlight the importance of using information collected by volunteers to understand the condition of our region's precious waterways.

"Community volunteers work with scientists and researchers to gather data which accurately assesses water health. Their data contains anecdotal evidence of people who know their river system intimately; their sense of personal stewardship for the waterways is what keeps them involved and engaged with our program.

"We will combine information from the community monitoring reports with data from researchers looking at fish populations, water quality and a range of aquatic health indicators. Report cards on the condition of aquatic ecosystems in all of the region's waterways will be developed from this combined data," Mr Mitchell said.

The Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group's Healthy Waterways Program has been 'watching' the region's rivers and streams since 2003, using the keen observational skills of people who live and work in the catchments they monitor. Local catchment and Landcare groups have been key to engaging and supporting volunteers in these efforts.

Jane Eales, catchment coordinator for Pioneer Catchment & Landcare Group said "Without the commitment of volunteers from our local catchment areas, we simply would not have the data we need to understand the condition of our waterways and how they are changing over time - their local knowledge and observations are invaluable to the Healthy Waterways Program."

A series of catchment-based reports using the community water quality information can be ordered through the Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group.

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SEQ Rainforest Recovery Plan features at statewide rainforest conference

WWF's Mike Gregory is set to present a paper focusing on the SEQ Rainforest Recovery Implementation Project at the Queensland Rainforest Forum, to be held 25-27 June at Griffith University.

Mr Gregory will be one of 45 speakers addressing delegates at the event, which is expected to attract 150 delegates from a diverse range of rainforest projects.

The project stretches across three regions - SEQ, Burnett Mary, and Fitzroy Basin - and comprises strategic on-ground actions and management change. Mike will discuss the community support gained so far for the project and the development of an implementation program, which has provided a cross-regional framework to improve rainforest condition and conservation.

Mike believes the forum will help achieve the goals of the SEQ Rainforest Recovery Implementation Project, to which he has recently been appointed coordinator.

"This forum will provide rainforest specialists and community volunteers with an opportunity to share in the latest information about community engagement, rainforest science and research, and recovery planning," Mike said.

"I encourage other rainforest enthusiasts to join us for this event."

Registration for the two-day forum is only $60 for community/student representatives and $120 for agencies/academics. Registration information is available from Kerri Woodcock, Landcare Queensland, on 3211 4413.

This event is an initiative of SEQ Catchments, the Australian Government, the Griffith University Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies, WWF and Landcare Queensland.

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Positive partnership promotes sustainable land management

As farmers and producers across Australia face significant challenges to stay in business, while protecting the natural environment the Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management Inc. has committed $100 000 in project funding designed to produce positive long-term outcomes to the management of horticultural production land within the Kolan catchment.

The funding will enable Growcom, in collaboration with BMRG and researchers from Central Queensland University, to evaluate the practicality and efficiency of running a competitive tender to purchase environmental outcomes at the farm gate within the horticultural industry of the Burnett Mary region.

BMRG CEO David Brown said the activity promises to be an effective partnership between BMRG and Growcom in the delivery of on-ground incentives to the region's producers.

"The tender process will be used to allocate funding efficiently between proposals, as well as educate land managers in a number of effective land and water management options to address catchment scale issues."

BMRG staff will be engaged not only through the tender process, but involved in the assessment of applications and final monitoring and evaluation of success of the trial.

"Partnerships such as this are the basis for sustainable land management, if we are to provide an enabling environment for the region's primary producers," Mr Brown said.

"By supporting on-the-ground initiatives such as this project, BMRG is helping improve the livelihood of local people, as well as preserving or restoring the health of our regional environment, and the flow of goods and services they both provide."

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Climbing over the humps to build a camel industry in Queensland

Outback Queensland's next emerging agricultural industry could be camel farming, depending on a study underway to investigate possible markets for the world's largest feral camel population.

Considered by many western graziers to be a pest, the estimated population of one million single humped camels are already proving their worth at controlling noxious weeds.

When tamed, the animal are considered an asset by graziers from Boulia, Winton, Muttaburra and Tambo, according to Desert Channels Queensland project officer Brett Carlsson.

DCQ will undertake an 18-month project in South Australia to better understand the grazing and movement patterns of the animals, which are expected to double in numbers over the next eight years.

"DCQ is extremely keen to get in on this project because South Australia and West Australia are very pro-active in their control of feral camels but Queensland has fallen behind," Mr Carlsson said.

Camels have to be managed: broken-in so they wouldn't damage infrastructure and rotated for grazing to minimise impact on the land, he said.

Another study by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries was looking at the market for camels because, while the industry potential had been recognised for 20 years, no industry had emerged, DPI&F development officer Nicholas Swadling said.

A successful industry would include transporting feral herds from interstate, building or modifying processing plants and fitting ships for live animal exports - before Queensland could be considered a player in the global camel trade.

"A DPI&F Industry Development Officer will be working with the shire councils and State Development to see what is feasible," the Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries, Tim Mulherin, said.

"We are treading carefully and responsibly in the development of this emerging opportunity, but first we have to get over some of the humps."

Thanks to the Longreach Leader for this story.

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Interpreting satellite images for NRM

The use of high-resolution satellite imagery to assist in natural resource management could be extended by a project that employs the interpretation skills of GIS and imagery specialists at the University of Southern Queensland.

Condamine Alliance has invested $105 000 from its regional investment strategy in a project with the university's Spatial Analysis and Modelling Group, Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments.

The broad aim is to generate fine-scale maps and related datasets specified by the Alliance, using SPOT5 satellite imagery of the catchment, including:

This work could get around a long-identified problem in NRM - that traditional ground-based survey and mapping methods don't always deliver the necessary information in a timely and cost-effective fashion, especially when mapping required is at a fine-scale level (Gottschalk et al., 2005; Dominy and Duncan, 2001).

Another problem for land managers is that some contemporary remote sensing applications for NRM use relatively coarse-resolution imagery (Justice et al., 2002) and don't capture fine-scale variables related to land, water and vegetation.

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Government updates
New youth environment council to advise Ministers

Thirty Queenslanders aged between 16-25 yeras have been appointed to a new Queensland Youth Environment Council (QYEC), to provide insights to government on key environment and sustainability issues.

The establishment of the council follows the International Earth Dialogues Forum held in Brisbane in July 2006 that was co-chaired by Premier Peter Beattie and former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr and Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said the young people had gathered for their first meeting [last] weekend (18-20 May) on the Gold Coast hinterland.

"It is vital that the Queensland Government gains a youth perspective on key environmental issues affecting Queensland, such as climate change, water use, renewable energy and wildlife conservation," Ms Nelson-Carr said.

Minister Welford said members of the council has been drawn from a large number of high quality applicants submitted by young people from across the state.

"An excellent mix of people has been appointed to the council reflecting the geographic, cultural, Indigenous, age and gender diversity within Queensland's youth population.

"The QYEC wil...give these young people a chance to build their knowledge of environmental issues and practice and develop other skills such as public speaking," Mr Welford said.

The members of the committee included Cameron O'Neill, a Landcare facilitator with Desert Channels Queensland.

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Community Cabinet heading to the Whitsundays

The Queensland Cabinet will return to the Whitsunday region for a Community Cabinet Meeting on 17-18 June, Premier Peter Beattie announced this week.

"It will be the third time we have held a Community Cabinet in the Whitsundays and the 103rd Community Cabinet held by my government since it came to office," Mr Beattie said.

"I urge everyone in the Whitsunday region to come and join the Queensland Cabinet public forum at Bowen on Sunday 17 June at the McKenna Hall, Bowen State High School.

"The formal meeting of State Cabinet will then be held at the Police Citizens Youth Club at Airlie Beach on Monday 18 June and be followed by a community reception.

"The north is rapidly emerging as Australia's new economic frontier and my government is developing strategies to support the growth and development of Bowen as part of our state's northern economic triangle.

"To do this, we need to meet and listen to Queenslanders about their needs, their industries and their visions for the future of their state."

Local residents wanting to meet a member of Cabinet must apply for a formal deputation; forms are available to download from the Premier's website (click on 'Community Consultation'). Requests must be received no later than close of business on 5 June.

To read the full media release, visit Queensland Ministerial statements online.

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Post-cyclone waterways project on track in FNQ

A two-year project to clear Far North Queensland waterways of potentially harmful Cyclone Larry debris has already prevented serious damage in a number of coastal shires.

Minister for Natural Resources and Water Craig Wallace said the $4 million Waterway Debris Removal Project had reached its halfway mark with most vital works completed before the start of the 2007 wet season.

"The department has made good progress with this program, removing debris from the most high risk locations in Cairns, Eacham, Cardwell and Johnstone council areas before February 2007," Mr Wallace said.

"The timing couldn't have been better because within weeks many of these areas experienced a further declared natural disaster flooding event.

"Without the work done by the debris removal project there would undoubtedly have been major losses to infrastructure, homes and business.

"Our concern was that during another flooding event the debris would cause flooding of some residences, erode banks and river crossings, and in some cases cause streams to change course.

"By removing the worst of the debris before the wet season we've prevented that from happening and saved these communities further financial and emotional stress."

Mr Wallace also noted that Shire Councils and Trusts are starting to gear up for the project's $250 000 revegetation program to replace native trees at some damaged sites.

To read the full media release, visit Queensland Ministerial statements online.

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Natural resources news
New products from LGAQ

The Local Government Association of Queensland has produced a number of publications under the state-level capacity building investment project.

The project aims to build the capacity of local governments, including Aboriginal Community Councils and Island Community Councils to:

The publications available to date include:

These publications are available for download from the LGAQ website (under 'Environment', 'Natural Resource Management').

A triple bottom line guide and software package to assist council officers assess NRM issues in terms of financial, economic, social, and environmental impacts to make more informed decisions is available as a hard copy (with a CD) to regional bodies. For a copy, contact LGAQ on 3000 2222.

There is also one publication under development:

More information about the capacity building project (CB01) and other SIP projects is available from this website.

The LGAQ is also holding its annual Environment Conference in Hervey Bay from 11-13 July. For further details, visit the LGAQ website.

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Helping the less fortunate get their hands dirty

With the support of a Community Awareness Grant, Landcare Queensland recently coordinated a field trip with a difference to the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Working in partnership with New Farm Neighbourhood Centre and West End Community House, Landcare Queensland hosted a trip for 15 people who wouldn't usually have the opportunity to participate as Landcare volunteers. The group travelled to Austinville, where they were met by 15 volunteers from Austinville Landcare who led them through the process of removing lantana from remnant rainforest.

Many of the volunteers are affected by either physical or intellectual disabilities, however this did not alter their level of enthusiasm as they laid into 300 square metres of lantana infestation in less than two hours. One of the participants said "I thought that I had lost a lot of skills to do gardening and to use tools until today." When asked if they'd like to volunteer with Landcare again, there was a resounding "Yes. When?"

Samantha Morris, celebrating her last landcare field trip before finishing up as manager for Landcare Queensland, said "This field trip would not have been possible without the support of the Department of Natural Resources and Water who provided a Community Awareness Grant.

"We were thrilled to have such keen interest and support from social service providers in Brisbane City. While they're flat out supporting people from a range of backgrounds, they still managed to find the time to assist their clients to join us for a day of landcare volunteering. It goes a long way to demonstrate the connections between social and environmental issues.

"Research has shown that volunteering in the environment has positive benefits for those with mental health issues. While this was only a one-day trip, we truly hope it's given those volunteers a special day out of the city and a real buzz about how much difference they've made to rainforest in Austinville."

Landcare Queensland is now appealing for additional support to extend the program. For more information, please contact Emma Trigg, manager Landcare Queensland, on 3211 4413.

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Satellites help to fight Keating's Lagoon pigs

The 'extreme impact' of feral pigs at Keating's Lagoon is being targeted with new satellite technology.

Annan-Endeavour Catchment Management Group coordinator Jason Carroll was recently trained in the use of the technology and ArcGIS 9 software, which the group now uses as an environmental mapping tool.

Mr Carroll plotted the path of a pig exclusion fence at the lagoon, 5 km south of Cooktown, taking GPS points from around the perimeter of the proposed pig fence and uploading them into the ArcGIS program.

The GPS points are joined 'dot-to-dot' to create a map for the fence, and data then transferred back to the GPS for use on the ground.

Mr Carroll said the project was awaiting funding approvals, and included not only building the fence but monitoring water and plants, and fish surveys.

"We used (the technology) to map and then control 3.2 ha of mother-in-law-tongue weed at Alligator Creek, which we will map again in a year's time," he said.

Cape York Marine Advisory Group scientist Christina Howley said CYMAG would use the technology to map seagrass beds around Cooktown for greater accuracy in monitoring.

"It has greatly improved the quality of maps I can produce, saves us time and allows us to more clearly present the information we are gathering to the community, funding bodies and management organisations," she said.

Thanks to the Cooktown Local News for this story.

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Landcare Conference to focus on making a difference

Registration formally opened last week for the 18th Queensland Landcare Conference, to be held in Mackay 22-25 August.

With the theme 'Making a Difference', the conference is expected to attract more than 300 people, who will participate in forums, workshops and field trips to build a picture of exactly how Landcare is making a difference in Queensland and beyond. With more than 30 speakers already confirmed over the three-day program, registrations are expected to fill fast.

Conference convenor, Margaret Lane, said "It has been 17 years since the Landcare Conference has been to Mackay and we are honoured to have been selected as hosts for 2007.

"Topics already confirmed include farming systems improving soil and water health; what's being done to look after Great Barrier Reef ecosystems; ameliorating the effects of climate change; using urban compost to the benefit of rural landscapes; weed management in the Burdekin; reducing the impacts of urban development; and managing nutrients for water quality."

The conference features three keynote presentations, five plenary sessions, more than 10 concurrent workshops, and a choice of three 'around town' field trips and seven full-day regional field trips.

Further information about the program or registration costs is available from Landcare Queensland on 3211 4413 or via email.

Subsidies are available for both local producers to attend the conference and for people travelling from remote parts of the state.

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Shifting Sands: Qld Coastal Conference 2007

Online registrations are now open for the Queensland Coastal Conference 2007, 'Shifting Sands'.

The inaugural event will be held in Bundaberg from 17-20 September, and will build on the success of the biannual national conference 'Coast to Coast'. The theme 'Shifting Sands' reflects the need for coastal issues to be escalated and addressed in an integrated manner.

The Queensland Coastal Conference 2007 will mark the first state coastal conference to be held in Queensland, and will attract over 200 delegates from the state and beyond. Delegates will include federal, state and local governments, regional bodies, leading research and education organisations, coastal and marine industries and consultants, managers, planners and engineers, NGOs, user groups, Indigenous groups, and many other community organisations.

The conference program will feature a number of outstanding speakers, several concurrent sessions, open space, workshops, and poster presentations. The conference will provide an ideal opportunity for coastal planners, engineers, managers, scholars and community groups to share ideas and workshop solutions to ensure the natural, cultural, economic, and social values of Queensland's coastline are protected.

'Shifting Sands' will also focus debate across the full range of coastal and marine issues being considered at state, regional and local levels; and to identify ways that we can improve our collaboration towards meaningful outcomes in the coastal zone.

For information, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, visit the conference website.

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Get a job in NRM!

Are you interested in working with Queensland's regional natural resource management bodies? Then head to the Regional Groups' Collective website where current job opportunities are now available. Be sure to check back regularly to ensure you don't miss out on the job of a lifetime!

Here's a sample of what's on offer:

Burnett Mary Regional Group Inc.

Title: Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Officer (team leader)

Tenure: Full-time to 30 June 2008 with option for extension based on performance and funding

Salary range: $51 849 to $65 794 per annum

Location: Bundaberg

Reports to: NRM Program Manager for Regional Investment Strategy services

A position description (including selection criteria) is available from the BMRG website or by calling 4181 2999.

Closing date: Friday 8 June

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Thought for the week

Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.

Confucius

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View past issues of The Bugle.

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 08 January 2008

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