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Regional natural resource management

The Bugle - 07 September 2007

In news this week

Regional NRM group stories Government updates Reef updates

Wetlands updates

Natural resources news
Regional NRM group stories
Students develop solutions to environmental challenges

Over 450 students and community members converged on Bassett Park in Roma to participate in the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee's (QMDC) Discovering Landcare Forum on 28-29 August.

Students were involved in a variety of interactive, science-based activities as they examined natural and cultural resource management topics such as water quality, biodiversity, recycling, pests and weeds, water use efficiency and sustainable farming practices.

"We have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback we have had from participants," said Pam Fisher, event organiser.

"Teachers have told us that students said it was the best excursion they have ever been on."

"It was such a well organised, fun and informative forum. I truly think the kids gained heaps of knowledge," said St Patrick's Primary School teacher, Kylie Douglas, from Mitchell.

The forum didn't stop with day-time activities. Students were also entertained and informed into the evening with a look at the lunar eclipse with the Charleville Cosmos Centre and bat trapping with the Environmental Protection Agency.

"Throughout the event students were encouraged to think about possible solutions to some of the environmental challenges facing our region and focus on what they could do on a personal level to make a difference," said Pam.

"The forum also focused on the role of science in natural resource management, and encouraged students to consider themselves as scientists and capable of making the next revolutionary invention."

Over 50 different organisations were involved in the forum in some way. Involvement ranged from the Isolated Children's Parents Association, who provided the catering, to the Parthenium Action Group, who provided activities for the students.

"The forum would not have been possible without the support of these organisations and QMDC would like to say a big thank you to the many organisations and individuals involved. We are also very grateful for the support provided by our sponsors the Blueprint for the Bush, National Science Week grants and Heritage Building Society," said Pam.

"QMDC looks forward to bringing the forum to another regional town next year," she said.

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Science meets tradition in land management

In what is thought to be a national first, indigenous people across southern Queensland have come together with three regional natural resource management bodies in a project where science meets the experience of 40 000 years of land management. The project aims to put science behind the traditional owners' descriptions of what makes a landscape 'healthy' versus 'unhealthy'.

Condamine Alliance project coordinator Jayne Thorpe said indigenous people based their assessment of what made their country healthy on the land's ability to support the indigenous way of life in a particular location.

"Indigenous people base this on their historical knowledge of how they remember their country when it was healthy, whereas science seeks to put numbers on the flora and fauna present. As scientific measurement of changes in the landscape is time-consuming and costly, we're hoping that indigenous markers or indicators of healthy country can assist us in making more efficient estimates of the condition of landscapes and waterways," she said.

Indigenous people from the local Jarowair people, together with Quandamooka people, met on August 28 with Queensland Parks and Wildlife staff and representatives of regional natural resource management bodies the Condamine Alliance and SEQ Catchments at the indigenous traditional site Gummingurru, near Meringandan, to review the first year of the 18-month project.

South West NRM Ltd is the third body associated with the project.

Four projects across southern Queensland where indigenous people are helping restore country to a healthy condition are either planned or under way. These are at:

Indigenous indicators identified for healthy country are similar to those identified by the scientific and rural community:

  1. grazing management and maintaining ground cover
  2. controlling access by stock to water
  3. tree planting
  4. appropriate use of fire.

"Where this project is different to other approaches is that indigenous people have identified the need for their young people to be involved in these projects," Mrs Thorpe said.

"In the lands of particular importance to indigenous people, there also needs to be sensitive development of tourism where the environmental impact of visitors is minimised."

The projects at the Bunya Mountains and Spicers Gap are being strongly supported by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, which is supplying the materials being used. Indigenous youth are working alongside traditional owners at each location to carry out the on-ground works.

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Communities called on to make Threatened Species Day count

The Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) hopes communities across the region will today lend a hand to protect more than 130 of our plant and animal species identified as being 'at risk'.

Today marks National Threatened Species Day and focuses on the importance of protecting habitat for the conservation of biodiversity nationwide. 

At a local level, a BMRG project team is playing an integral role by developing a multi-species action plan so that future on-ground works will benefit as many species as possible. The plan will provide an integrated and cost-effective approach for regional conservation activities and species recovery.

The Burnett Mary region covers a wide range of landscapes, including diverse regional eco-systems or plant communities, from highland rainforests to coastal heathlands, home to an equally diverse range of animals. 

Chair of the BMRG, Russell Stewart, said many of these plants and animals are under threat from factors like urban development, fire, weeds, feral animals and climate change, but have a good chance of being recovered with the community’s assistance.

"Formal records kept by the EPA, Birds Australia and other groups provide a lot of information about species distribution, however our project team needs more details from the community to fill in the gaps," said Mr Stewart.

"Local knowledge can prove invaluable in identifying vegetation and painting a true picture of where species occur now and where they were found in the past."

Landholders, indigenous land managers, community groups, and local or state government agencies among others are encouraged to contribute sound information about local mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, frogs, butterflies, spiders and plants.

"We want to hear from people in the community with any information, informal or anecdotal, they can provide regarding threatened species and habitat remnants," said Mr Stewart.

Anyone wanting further details about the project and listed threatened species or to contribute information can download a project brochure and data collection form at BMRG's website - the community data form can be completed and mailed to BMRG, or submitted online.

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Event builds sustainability of Roma community

Roma community members have gained new skills and perspectives through the 2007 Discovering Landcare Forum. A number of workshops and guest speaker events were held over two days to inform and build the capacity of the local community for environmental, social and economic sustainability.

Over 100 community members attended the event organised by the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee (QMDC), in addition to the 450 students and teachers who participated in student-centred environmental activities, which ran concurrently at the forum.

Workshop topics included climate change, the commercial implications of soil carbon, biodynamic farming and grant writing skills.

"We covered a variety of topics under the sustainability umbrella in response to community demand," said Pam Fisher, event organiser.

"It was amazing to have speakers of such calibre as Dr Christine Jones travelling to Roma from interstate to share their experiences and ideas and it has been great to hear the on-going interest and excitement that that has been generated by the talks."

Over 50 different organisations contributed to the running of the forum including Pumps 'N Solar, Mounts Machinery, Goodyear, Amalgamated Pest control, 4X4 Accessories and Black who all provided marquees or equipment for the activities.

"The forum would not have been possible without the support of the Roma community and QMDC would like to say a big thank you to the many organisations and individuals involved. We are also very grateful for the support provided by our sponsors the Blue Print for the Bush, National Science Week grants and Heritage Building Society," said Pam.

"QMDC looks forward to bringing the forum to another regional town next year."

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South West region getting WaterWise

A free sausage sizzle, competitions and giveaway plants encouraged people to learn about water conservation in Cunnamulla.

The event, put together by South West NRM and Paroo Shire Council as part of a Community Water Grant, proved popular and drew a healthy crowd.

$50 worth of WaterWise equipment was up for grabs, with participants tested on their knowledge of water conservation.

Robyn Haig, South West NRM's grazing and production systems specialist, said the competitions made people a little more aware of water conservation in their own lives.

"That made people think a little about the water they waste, and how they can conserve it," Ms Haig said.

Linda Durham, South West NRM's local government and pest officer, said children seemed to get the most involved.

"We had kids asking lots of question, like '‘what does conserve mean?', so it was good to be able to teach them a little about being water wise," Ms Durham said.

"It's important to teach kids about conservation, and what they learn, they will pass on to their parents."

Rhiannon Hindmarch, South West NRM's district project coordinator based in Cunnamulla, said there was a lot of knowledge to be gained at the event.

"The people who stopped and thought about water conservation are the ones who got the most out of it," Ms Hindmarch said.

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Government updates
Cultural heritage training on the map for Indigenous rangers

Indigenous rangers from Yalanji in Cape York can now use global positioning systems (GPS) to help map their own cultural heritage sites thanks to support from the Department of Natural Resources and Water (NRW).

The rangers, from the Kuku Nyungkul clan, recently took part in a workshop in the rainforest just inland from Cedar Bay, with the department's cultural heritage unit providing the on-the-ground practical training.

The workshop, designed as part of a TAFE Rangers' course, included nine students, six elders and two representatives from the Aboriginal Rainforest Council.

Regional cultural heritage coordinator, John Richter, says the group is one of the first to be trained in the technical skills needed to map their own cultural heritage data.

"Basically NRW staff provided the group with training about the practical use of GPS and GIS (mapping) technology, elements that are included in the TAFE ranger course," John said.

"The idea was to put traditional owners in a position where they are familiar with the type of information required and how to gather it, so that they can fill out a site data recording sheet and take it from there.

"There isn't anyone better qualified to determine what is or isn’t a cultural heritage site than the traditional owners.  

"The NRW team had the GPS knowledge, and the Indigenous rangers had the knowledge of their traditional areas. This was about bringing all that knowledge together."

John said the training was designed not only to help rangers pinpoint spots of cultural significance but also to help them map tracks and trails.

"It can be difficult to understand latitude and longitude coordinates, particularly when we're talking about a trail rather than a landmark.

"This training gave the rangers more understanding about how the coordinates relate to maps.

"By the end of the exercise the Kuku Nyungkul team had recorded 11 new sites that were located by the elders present in the party, as well as surveying for sites previously recorded on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Database." 

John says the training presented benefits for all groups involved.

"We were able to pass on new skills and discuss how the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 helps protect important sites, and the Kuku Nyungkul were able to provide us with recommendations for each of the sites recorded."

Story sourced from NRW's internal newsletter nrw.news

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Local issues on agenda at Ministerial Regional Community Forums

Local solutions to local issues will be discussed when the next round of Ministerial Regional Community Forums is held on Monday 24 September 2007.

Forums will be held in 10 communities across Queensland:

Communities Minister Warren Pitt said the forums enabled regional Queenslanders to discuss local issues with the government, and to help develop local solutions.

"Cabinet Ministers, parliamentary secretaries and other Members of Parliament will travel across Queensland to discuss significant local issues with regional community representatives, known as forum members," Mr Pitt said.

"While the agenda at each forum is tailored to the particular topics of each region, the agenda at all 10 forums will also include discussion on strategies to address climate change.

"This will help the Queensland Government communicate its messages about climate change to a statewide audience."

Ministerial Regional Community Forums have been held across Queensland since 1999. Forums are held four times each year in 10 different regions across the state.

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$1.35 million to improve river management

Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull this week announced that the Australian Government will provide $1.35 million in funding from its Raising National Water Standards programme to assist water dependent ecosystems in Queensland and New South Wales.

Mr Turnbull said, "It is widely recognised that many knowledge gaps still exist relating to aquatic ecosystems and environmental water requirements.

"This project will help restore rivers by delivering practical advice on how we can achieve the best possible environmental outcomes.

"Griffith University, through the International Water Centre, has been commissioned to study the relationships between flows and environmental condition for selected unregulated rivers in Queensland and New South Wales.

"The project will lead to guidelines that help us manage the effects of changes to flows and other pressures, such as land use change and weeds.

Mr Turnbull said, "Overall, this work will deliver more accurate assessments of environmental water requirements for these important coastal and inland rivers."

The Australian Government Water Fund has committed more than $1.7 billion to more than 3400 projects worth over $4.8 billion across Australia under the Raising National Water Standards, Water Smart Australia and Community Water Grants Programmes.

Information on Raising National Water Standards projects is available from the National Water Commission website.

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Six-monthly update confirms dramatic decline in illegal fishing

The six-monthly illegal fishing update, presented to Western Australia's, Northern Territory's and Queensland's fisheries Ministers at a meeting in Darwin last week, confirms a strengthening pattern of success in the battle against illegal fishing in Australia's northern waters.

Australian Government Minister for Fisheries and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz, said that while the report could not be released publicly for operational reasons, it confirmed a dramatic collapse in incursions of illegal foreign fishing vessels in 2007.

"This 90 percent reduction in incursions of motorised foreign fishing vessels to date this calendar year builds on a 40 percent decline during 2006," Mr Abetz said.

"The fact we are now receiving reports of sightings in the hundreds, rather than the thousands, speaks volumes for the success of our policies.

"Both our tough policies on the water, and our outreach programs in Indonesia, are clearly working well together to bring about this outcome.

"In particular, heightened cooperation from Indonesia over the past eight months has been invaluable in facilitating our onshore education programs in key Indonesian ports."

Australian Government Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator David Johnston, said the ongoing and tireless work of Border Protection Command and the Customs and Defence people involved in surveillance and response missions was proving crucial in the fight against illegal fishing.

"Daily, Australian personnel risk their lives to protect Australia's fish stocks and our borders from incursions.

"There is no job more important than protecting our borders and that is what these personnel are doing."

The Ministers stressed that despite these encouraging successes, the government will not be slackening its efforts to tackle illegal fishing.

"While the reduction in incursions in our northern waters is significant we will continue to patrol our borders to maintain a strong presence and act as a deterrent to any potential threat from illegal foreign fishers," Senator Johnston said.

Read the full media release on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website.

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Reef updates
Reef Plan fact sheet now online

A two-page Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan) fact sheet is now available on the Reef Plan website to download.

The new fact sheet is for everyone interested and involved in the Reef Plan and its activities. It is designed to explain the Reef Plan to those without much background, and is an ideal tool to raise awareness of Reef Plan activities.

The fact sheet summarises the Reef Plan's goals and objectives and gives an overview of who is involved, how water quality is being measured, and Reef Plan activities such as the FutureCane programme, water quality monitoring, good management practices on banana plantations, and the Queensland Wetlands Programme.

Regional NRM bodies, industry groups and government agencies are encouraged to access and distribute the fact sheet in workshops, field days and other events, and in their daily interactions with primary producers and other interested groups.

The Reef Plan is a joint Australian and Queensland Government initiative with strategies and actions ranging from education and extension to monitoring and evaluation.

For hardcopies of the Reef Plan fact sheet, email the Reef Plan secretariat.

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Wetlands updates
Students rewarded for Reef Beat projects

The Queensland Wetlands Programme joins the other sponsors in congratulating Townsville's Aitkenvale State School Year 6 student Brieanan Sampson on winning the 2007 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Reef Beat wetlands scrapbook competition.

To enter the competition, students filled scrapbooks sponsored by the Queensland Wetlands Programme with wetlands material published in the Townsville Bulletin.

Brieanan won her class a trip to the Reef donated by the Townsville Bulletin. Runner-up Sharnie Lennox and her Ayr East State School Year 5 class will be treated to a wetlands bus excursion hosted by the Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management.

Jade Newman from Central State School and Gabriella DalleCourt from St Joseph's Mundingburra were highly commended (each receiving $500 from Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management).

Class winners won a movie pass from Birch Carroll and Coyle: Verity Mitchell, Brayden Fracchia, David Trask, Sienna Fracchia (St Joseph's Mundingburra); Alandra H. [sic] (Weir State School), Regan Lees (Rasmussen State School); Tahia Blakey, Tayla Heuir (East Ayr State School);  Maccaria Hughes, Rita Fontaine, Ellesse Bushby (Hermit Park State School) ; Bryce Day, Alex Einermann, Keegan Bentley, Paris Sugden, Helene Carter (Belgian Gardens State School).

A number of schools won passes to ReefHQ as encouragement awards.

The Queensland Wetlands Programme is a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland governments to protect wetlands in the Great Barrier Reef catchment and throughout Queensland.

For more information on the Queensland Wetlands Programme visit the Queensland Wetlands Programme website.

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Natural resources news
Weeds threaten native birds

Invasive species are regarded as second only to habitat loss as a threat to birds in Australia, so new web-based tools to help choose plants to replace weeds with fleshy fruit will be a welcome relief to our feathered friends.

Weeds are a worldwide conservation and economic problem. They directly threaten 16 native bird species on a national scale, although this figure is considered to be a substantial underestimate. New research suggests weeds threaten 25 bird species in New South Wales alone.

However, birds contribute to this weed threat when they eat the fleshy fruit from these weeds and distribute the seed wherever they next roost - so a new weed infestation can start up, many kilometres away from the source of the weed.

To manage this, the Weeds CRC project Selecting weed replacement for use by frugivorous birds has come up with tools to help gardeners and land managers manage weeds but still keep their birds.

"Weeds greatly modify the habitat of birds by contributing to changes in fire regimes and vegetation structure, altering the quantity, quality and/or seasonal availability of food and ensnaring birds," Dr Carl Gosper said.

"Weeds are well known for their negative impacts, but it is important to consider that there are also cases where weeds appear to benefit native species, or at least provide support for them, such as providing a source of food."

Providing alternative food sources for birds can balance the impact of weeds control, Dr Gosper said.

The Weeds CRC has developed 3 tools to help people choose native plants for fruit-eating birds:

"These tools will assist land managers, restoration practitioners, gardeners, nursery industry personnel and others choose replacement plants for these fleshy-fruity weeds," Dr Gosper said.

The tools are now available on the Weeds CRC website.

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AgForward workshop update

Every month, AgForward runs a number of workshops across the state. Upcoming workshops include:

The cost of the workshops are:

More information on these workshops can be found on the AgForward website (under 'Workshops').

To register interest for the AgForest field days, contact Rohan Allen on 0408 769 918. For all other workshops, contact Bree Robertson on 07 3238 6039.

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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:

Regional group: Northern Gulf Resource Management Group

Title: Tablelands mapping coordinator (GIS)

Tenure: This position has a 3 month probationary period and is then highly likely to be extended to June 2013.

Salary range: Salary level to be negotiated based on demonstrated skills and experience.

Location: Mareeba, Queensland

Closing date: Monday 1 October 2007

The purpose of this position is to work with the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group in the coordinated delivery of the Natural Heritage Trust extension (NHT2) and proposed NHT3 funding programs across the region, and to coordinate the support for these and other related natural resource management programs.

A position description can be downloaded from the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group website.

For any further information regarding this position, please contact Michael Digby, regional mapping services coordinator, on 07 4062 1330 (business hours).

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Thought for the week

If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would get done.

Anon.

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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 04 December 2007

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