The Bugle - 21 September 2007
In news this week
- Salinity management a positive step for south Burnett vineyards
- Be on the lookout for new invaders
- Thinking holistically way forward for farmers
- RGC appoints familiar face to new comms role
- BDTNRM showcase in environmental open day
Government updates
- Clean coal technology holds key to climate change response
- Map illustrates indigenous heritage
- Queenslanders research smaller weeds and bigger prawns
Reef updates
- Climate change threatens Qld's $6b Reef tourism industry
- Grazing land management for better Reef and beef
Natural resources news
- Agriculture in Queensland on a productive track towards 2015
- Drought crisis forming as disaster, say farmers
- AgForward workshop update
- Get a job in NRM!
Regional NRM group stories
Salinity management a positive step for south Burnett vineyards
Wine growers struggling with the challenges presented by salt-affected land or highly saline irrigation water look set to welcome a major new offensive and a Queensland first, funded by the Burnett Mary Regional Group.
Potentially one of the most innovative projects to directly benefit the region's wine industry, the Managing salinity in south Burnett vineyards project involves new techniques in the establishment of vineyards to tackle the issue of salinity, largely achieved by using root stocks for the vines which are tolerant of high levels of salt.
The project's three-pronged approach aims to manage vineyards with salinity problems by improving tolerance to salinity, improved water quality interception and irrigation techniques, and ongoing monitoring.
BMRG chair Russell Stewart said the project represents a positive step forward for the region and could potentially lead to significant industry expansion.
"If successful this could lead to significant viticulture industry expansion in the South Burnett, by enabling growers to use land previously regarded as too saline to be productive, and more broadly reduce the impact of salinity on the landscape."
The initiative has been made possible with a BMRG funding injection of almost $60 000, and will be led by the South Burnett Wine Industry Association in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and the Burnett Catchment Care Association.
"Members of the South Burnett Wine Industry Association include some of Queensland's most respected and largest viticulture operations and there is no doubt the expertise of project partners will be a significant asset in ensuring the project's success," Mr Stewart said.
Be on the lookout for new invaders
In the wake of recent welcome rains a range of weeds have begun showing their heads across southern Queensland, flexing their ability to impact on our hip pockets and natural assets.
Queensland Murray-Darling Committee's weeds regional coordinator, Darren Marshall, said "After a long dry and frosty spell there is plenty of bare ground to create an ideal environment for the colonisation of weeds.
"Early identification and control of these weeds will be really important to ensure they remain manageable over the summer," he said.
"Apart from the more common weed species that most people can identify, the current conditions have also been favourable for the establishment of new weeds that may have been introduced over the dry spell," said Darren.
"In areas where fodder has been brought in over the winter, people need to be particularly vigilant at looking out for what strange or new plants may crop up."
Darren said that QMDC realised weed control would be an extra job to think about at this time, but said that it could be a big time and effort saver in the long run.
"Weeds cost land managers a lot of money in lost production each year, not to mention the impact they can have on the health of our creeks and bushland," he said.
A recent study conducted by QMDC has also identified a number of weeds that will become a significant threat to production and ecological systems across the region, should the rain continue.
"There will be some new and emerging weeds that will respond well to the current climatic conditions and land managers are advised to be able to recognise these," said Darren. These include chilean needlegrass, giant rat's tail grass, giant parramatta grass, african lovegrass, cat's claw creeper, and serrated tussock.
"For people living on waterways, keep an eye out for hymenachne, salvinia, water hyacinth and water lettuce," Darren said.
Better known species such as lippia, parthenium and african boxthorn will also be on the move, he said.
For more information on the identification and control of these weed species visit one of QMDC's Landcare and Catchment centres, your local council, or the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries' Biosecurity Queensland.
Thinking holistically way forward for farmers
Farmers from the Tara and Glenmorgan districts recently completed a holistic grazing management training course, which was part of a project supported by Landcare and natural resource management group, the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee (QMDC).
Brian Wehlburg and Helen Lewis, of Inside Outside Management, led the group of nine farmers through their Holistic Management course over the past 10 months. The course expanded on a whole-of-system approach to decision-making frameworks, grazing land management and financial management.
"Although the season has been extremely difficult, most of the farmers had begun to implement changes to their practices, which were already showing signs of improving the soil surface and biodiversity," said Tara landcare coordinator, Andy Gunther.
The training was part of a bigger project with QMDC, and funded by the National Landcare Programme, which supported farmers through different grazing management training programs. QMDC will gather feedback and compare levels of knowledge and the success of each course, allowing the group to provide better advice to other farmers seeking training.
"A lot of farmers have been investing in training to help them adapt to, and manage their way through the current harsh seasons," said QMDC's Bob Walker.
"But there are a lot of training courses out there, and many groups of farmers are not quite sure which one would suit their needs."
RGC appoints familiar face to new comms role
Natasha Wright has begun work as the Regional Groups Collective's new communication officer. Natasha is well known in NRM circles for her good work with SEQ Catchments and will now expand her horizons beyond south east Queensland to take in the rest of the state. You can contact Natasha on 3211 4412.
Another familiar face, Paul Rees, will keep the information flowing at SEQ Catchments for the next couple of months. Paul has been working with SEQ Catchments and QWaLC, among others, for much of the year and was formerly with the Department of Natural Resources and Water. You can get Paul on 3503 1425.
Congratulations to Natasha and welcome back, Paul.
BDTNRM showcase in environmental open day
Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM (BDTNRM) will be out in the community this weekend at the Townsville City Council Parks Environmental Open Day on Sunday 23 September.
The open day is at Anderson park and BDTNRM staff will be manning their stall from 10.00am–4.00pm.
Judy Warner, community and engagement manager for BDTNRM, says it is a community event where people can see what different organizations in Townsville are doing to improve their environment.
"There is an urban focus for this event. We're hoping to really engage with the community, because we truly are a community organisation, and show them what we are doing and what we are hoping to do in the future," she said.
Council hopes the day will encourage a new interest in sustainability and the environment.
The day is free with refreshments and garden tours available.
Government updates
Clean coal technology holds key to climate change response
Queensland is on the front foot in the development of clean coal technology, Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson said this week.
Mr Wilson told the Queensland Power Conference in Brisbane that Queensland was at the cutting edge of global clean coal technology development.
"The Queensland Government's climate change strategy, ClimateSmart 2050, will lead our response, headlined by a $1.3 billion joint government-industry investment in clean coal," Mr Wilson said.
"Three projects are already under way in Queensland investigating clean coal technologies such as carbon capture and storage – the Callide A Oxy-fuel Demonstration Project at Biloela, the Fairview Power Project and Zerogen, a world first demonstration plant near Rockhampton.
"These cutting edge technologies have the potential to deliver deep cuts in emissions.
"They will not only stabilise our own greenhouse gas emissions, but will provide technologies we can export to the world," he said.
Mr Wilson said Queensland was pursuing other avenues in its climate change response including support for the further development of gas.
"Gas is a real alternative as a transitional generation source," Mr Wilson said.
"Gas produces up to 50 percent fewer emissions than a typical coal-fired power station.
"From a zero base in 1998, an entire industry has developed around coal seam gas.
"It is now a major driver of jobs and investment in our state," he said.
Map illustrates Indigenous heritage
Significant sites across north Queensland have been included in Queensland's first cultural heritage map.
The map illustrates the state's rich and ancient Indigenous heritage, listing more than 200 landscapes, places and objects considered significant by Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Map of Queensland - published by the Department of Natural Resources and Water - includes the state's oldest known cultural heritage site, quarries, rock shelters, carved trees, engravings, paintings, travel routes and grinding grooves.
Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said the map included a range of significant sites across north Queensland.
"The listings for the Townsville/Thuringowa area include art sites at Herveys Range, stone arrangements at the Great Basalt Wall and story places on Palm Island," he said.
"For the north-west, the map lists Warrigal Creek art site, near Mount Isa, and Lake Moondarra, where there is a large quarry which provided the raw materials for axes.
"The map also lists settlements and missions, police and contact sites and massacre sites."
Maps are available from Natural Resources and Water customer service centres in Ayr, Townsville, Innisfail, South Johnstone, Cloncurry, Hughenden and Mount Isa.
Queenslanders research smaller weeds and bigger prawns
Innovative projects to tackle the spread of exotic weeds and increase the size of prawns have won two Queensland researchers national prizes for science and innovation.
Jennifer Firn and Dr Melony Sellars were among 17 researchers recognised at the 2007 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry held this week.
They were presented with their awards by the Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran, at a ceremony at Parliament House, Canberra.
Each award winner will receive up to $10 000 to undertake a pioneering project.
"The focus of Ms Firn's work is identifying native grass species that can out-compete african lovegrass - a noxious weed that is taking over pastures in many parts of Australia," Mr McGauran said.
"As current control methods are not working, this research will play a vital role in building valuable pastures with native grasses."
CSIRO's Dr Sellars has won the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation-sponsored prize for a project that could lead to faster growing prawns.
"Dr Sellars is looking to create bigger prawns by giving them an extra set of chromosomes - three instead of the usual two sets," Mr McGauran said.
"This process has been successful with other aquaculture species and could lead to the development of selective breeding programmes to boost the production efficiency of Australia's farmed prawns - an industry with an annual farmgate value of more than $70 million."
The awards are supported by the Australian Government and 10 rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) - Land & Water Australia, Fisheries RDC, Forest & Wood Products Australia, Cotton RDC, Sugar RDC, the Rural Industries RDC, Grape & Wine RDC, Grains RDC, Meat & Livestock Australia, and Australian Pork Ltd.
The awards are coordinated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Reef updates
Climate change threatens Queensland's $6 billion Reef tourism industry
A group representing Queensland's scuba diving operators says uncertainty lies ahead for communities that derive a great deal of their income from Great Barrier Reef-based activities.
For the first time, the World Conservation Union's annual list of threatened species lists some coral, explaining climate change and the effects of El Nino are responsible for their inclusion.
Dive Queensland's Col McKenzie says galapagos coral's inclusion on the list will highlight the Reef's bleak future if there is inaction.
"I think there are some enormous challenges ahead of us," he said.
"Tourism in the catchment of the Great Barrier Reef is a $6 billion industry each year to the Queensland economy and it employs something like 65 000 people - in fact, it's the largest employer in the region of the Great Barrier Reef."
Story sourced from ABC Online
Grazing land management for better Reef and beef
Sustainable land management should become easier for the Burdekin region's farmers and land managers with a practical information pack, produced by CSIRO and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, delivered to about 1200 property owners earlier this week.
Sustainable grazing, which includes practices such as wet season spelling, has been shown to improve pasture condition and economic profitability. It also shows promise as a strategy to reduce the loss of sediments and nutrients in run-off to the Great Barrier Reef.
"We are undertaking significant research throughout northern Queensland to help understand the link between land management and Reef health," CSIRO's Dr David Post said.
"Extensive monitoring and data collection from a variety of locations in the Burdekin catchment have shown that conservative stocking and wet season spelling improves ground cover and has the potential to help reduce water, sediment and nutrient loss to rivers and the Reef."
Economic modelling suggests that there will be long-term financial benefits for land owners as well.
"One Burdekin grazer has said that the ability to control grazing has improved the composition and density of the pasture and reduced soil loss along his stream frontages," Dr Post said.
The information pack, Managing Recovery - Tools for Sustainable Grazing in the Burdekin Catchment, represents over eight years of research conducted by the CSIRO and the DPI&F, in conjunction with Meat & Livestock Australia.
The information pack is available to download from the CSIRO website.
Natural resources news
Agriculture in Queensland on a productive track towards 2015
Leading representatives for agriculture across Queensland are working together on a strategic approach for sustainable agriculture towards 2015.
Representatives from industry groups and regional bodies from across Queensland met recently in Brisbane to develop a shared vision and approach to address the major sustainability issues for Queensland's agriculture. This meeting strengthened the coordination and planning between regional groups, government agencies, peak industry bodies and on-ground land managers. A business plan to address the priority issues identified will be developed after further consultation with partners.
Strategic discussion and planned activities for agriculture in Queensland towards 2015 related to healthy natural systems; resilient agriculture industries; effective partnerships; and links between natural systems and agricultural systems.
For further information contact Andrew Drysdale, Regional Groups Collective.
Drought crisis forming as disaster, say farmers
There are alarming predictions of rising food prices by Christmas and shortages in the new year as farm crops continue to fail because of a lack of water.
Australians are being warned to brace themselves for a hit at the hip-pocket and farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin say they need more government assistance or they may have to shut down their farms for good.
Farmers say if there is no spring rain over Australia's inland farms by the end of this month, there will be a catastrophic crop failure.
Kris Newton, chief executive of the Australian Horticulture Council, says the current drought is having devastating effects on the land.
"I can't think of another disaster, agriculture or otherwise, that comes close to this," she said.
For many there is no way of surviving under the current water restrictions, and because the average farmer is over 55 years of age, many believe there is no point trying.
"You can imagine if someone 55, or 60, or 65 years old, looking at anything up to 10 years before they get a commercial crop again, they may not be prepared to do that and that's perfectly understandable," Ms Newton said.
"So one of the things we'll be wanting to talk with the government about is 'exit with dignity' packages. Restructuring opportunities for people who have decided that's enough, and they wish to get out of the industry or indeed retire."
Ms Newton will be representing farmers in the horticulture sector at a crisis task force meeting in Canberra later this week with the federal Minister for Agriculture Peter McGauran and Centrelink officials.
Story sourced from ABC Online.
AgForward workshop update
Every month, AgForward runs a number of workshops across the state. Upcoming workshops include:
- 16 October: Clermont - Computer mapping
- 16 October: Blackall - Vegetation management
- 17 October: Emerald - Computer mapping
- 17 October: Barcaldine - Vegetation management
- 18 October: Springsure - Computer mapping
- 18 October: Longreach - Vegetation mapping
- 19 October: Biloela (TBC) - Computer mapping
- 23 October: Biloela (TBC) - GPS essentials
- 23 October: Border Rivers area (TBC) - Vegetation management
- 23 October: Pittsworth - AgForests Field Day
The cost of the workshops are:
- Vegetation management/Computer mapping - $100 per enterprise
- GPS esentials - $50 per enterprise
More information on these workshops can be found on the AgForward website (under 'Workshops').
To register interest for the Brigooda workshop, contact Rohan Allen on 0408 769 918. For all other workshops, contact Bree Robertson on 07 3238 6039.
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 body: Terrain Natural Resource Management
Title: GIS planner
Salary range: $56 186 to $68 972 (to be negotiated dependant on qualifications and experience)
Location: Cairns
The purpose of the position is to plan and manage the delivery of GIS within Terrain and collaborate with other regional organisations to deliver relevant information for state of region reporting, resource condition assessment, and regional plan review and implementation.
Selection criteria and a position description are available from the RGC website.
Thought for the week
What others say of me matters little; what I myself say and do matters much.
Elbert Hubbard
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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