The Bugle - 28 September 2007
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories- Saving Irwin's turtle
- Northern Gulf NRM climate workshops
- Get your bike shorts ready
- Managing weeds for biodiversity
- Sharing stories on shifting sands
- New communicators join FBA and SGC
- Research into grey nurse shark critical to survival
- Marine scientist named Life Scientist of the Year
- Premier Bligh goes south west
- Boost to drought assistance measures
- NRW applications now a click away
- Kayak trekker's journey reaches the end
- AgForward workshop update
- Get a job in NRM!
Regional NRM group stories
Saving Irwin's turtle
Crikey! The Elseya irwini is a rare turtle named after the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin and his father Bob, who caught one on a fishing line during a family camping trip in 1990. Steve took pictures of the turtle and sent them to world renowned turtle enthusiast John Cann, who identified it as a new species and named it E. irwini in 1997.
Irwin's turtle occupies a 100km stretch of the Broken-Bowen river system west of Mackay. Ecologist, Dr Ivan Lawler, started researching Irwin's turtle in 2004. After spending a year looking for it, Lawler and his team, from James Cook University's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, conducted a pilot study in 2006 and have been working hard to learn more about this rare species ever since. So far only two nests have been found.
Its yellow head and pink nose make Irwin's turtle a curious looking creature and it has a very strange and somewhat unusual breathing mechanism, even in the turtle world. Irwin's turtle can breathe underwater by taking water into its cloacae, or bum, where it has a chamber with gill-like structures to extract oxygen. This enables the turtle to stay underwater for long periods without taking a breath.
Dr Lawler's research has found that Irwin's turtle is in decline. Their research indicates that 93% of the turtles are adults. If the population is flourishing there should be lots of young turtles and few adults, but the study found quite the opposite. Dr Lawler is now looking for the turtles' nesting sites so they can be protected and the species can be given a chance at survival.
Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM (BDTNRM) is funding tracking equipment to help Dr Lawler and his team study Irwin's turtle more closely. Dr Lawler is optimistic that Irwin's turtle can be protected with the help of landholders and agencies such as BDTNRM because once the nesting sites are identified BDTNRM can work with landholders to help them protect the sites and the turtles. Dr Lawler is also optimistic that with multi-agency funding the project will proceed long enough for us to gain a thorough understanding of this rare river dweller.
Northern Gulf NRM climate workshops
The Northern Gulf Resource Management Group is holding a series of free information workshops about climate change and how it could affect you.The workshops are designed to help people plan for the future. It will also be an opportunity to have a say on the regional NRM plan and provide input for on-ground projects in this region for the 2008-2013 period.
Workshops will be held at Mt Molloy, Dimhulah, Chillagoe, Georgetown, Einasleigh Normanton, Croydon and Karumba during October.
For information call 07 4062 1330, email Northern Gulf NRM or visit their website.
Get your bike shorts ready
Take the chance to get out onto the beaches and learn how they work. The Southern Bike Ride will be taking off from Point Danger car park at 2pm on Saturday 13 October for a day of fun and education.The ride to Bilinga will last for about 3 hours (6km each way) including stops along the way to learn about the southern beaches with Gold Coast City Council and Griffith Centre for Coastal Management. Bilinga Surf Life Saving Club will put on a delicious afternoon tea before heading back.
For more information and to RSVP for catering purposes contact Sean Galvin, SEQ Catchments, on 0400 910 680 or Sally Kirkpatrick, Griffith Centre for Coastal Management, on 07 5552 8393.
Managing weeds for biodiversity
Two new weed management guides are now available on the Weeds CRC website: African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) and Coolatai grass (Hyparrhenia hirta); the first of eight in this new series.
These new guides emphasise the importance of managing weeds for biodiversity outcomes. For example, when removing weeds from native vegetation it is important to minimise opportunities for future weed invasions.
Download a copy of the management guides or contact Meg Robertson, CSIRO, for more details.
Sharing stories on shifting sands
Community NRM groups shared their stories during a workshop at the Inaugural Queensland Coastal Conference in Bundaberg last week.'Sharing Stories' showcased the contribution that community natural resource management groups make to coastal environments. The workshop gave community members the chance to present their work to coastal professionals, and provided an opportunity for community groups to learn from each others' experiences and share ideas.
Maree Prior from Cooloola Coastcare, Riki Gunn from the Ghost Nets program and Liz Tanner from the Woongarra Coast Monitoring and Education Project all presented at the workshop. Their experiences in working with other groups, developing leaders amongst volunteers and selecting group projects were of great interest to the workshop attendees.
'Sharing Stories' was one of several innovative workshops included in the highly successful conference program hosted by Burnett Mary Regional Group.
Queensland Water and Land Carers (QWaLC) was the community registrations sponsor for the conference, providing free registrations for NRM volunteers.
New communicators join FBA and SGC
Jody McDonald recently took up the role of media and communications coordinator for the FBA, promoting the proactive NRM efforts of communities in the Fitzroy Basin. Jody previously worked as part of the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries central region communications team, and before that was the media officer for CQ TAFE.You can email Jody or contact her on 07 4999 2816.
Lisa Gammon has joined the Southern Gulf Catchments team as a project officer. Lisa is highly excited to be able to utilise her background in learning and cognition for her communications role at Southern Gulf catchments. In all of her past environmental positions, she has eagerly created presentations and other media products to help get the 'natural resource management' message across to people from all walks of life. Most recently Lisa has completed an internship with the Bureau of Land Management.Feel free to email Lisa or give her call at 07 4743 1888.
Research into grey nurse shark critical to survival
As Biodiversity Month comes to a close this weekend, the population of grey nurse sharks on Australia's east coast are still listed as critically endangered, with less than 500 remaining.
Senior conservation officer with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Carley Bansemer, is undertaking PhD studies on the grey nurse shark at Wolf Rock, off Rainbow Beach in Queensland - one of only 14 known gathering sites for the sharks.
The project co-funded by the Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) and SEQ Catchments, aims to assess the shark numbers within the new Great Sandy Marine Park, which is home to up to 40 mature female grey nurse sharks during part of the year.
"Understanding how much time mature and pregnant sharks spend within the protected area at Wolf Rock as opposed to other areas is important to define whether management efforts have been effective," Ms Bansemer said.
Earlier this month, the researcher returned to Wolf Rock to find at least 40 pregnant grey nurse sharks at the Wolf Rock site. Investigations into the sharks' fidelity, occupancy, movements between sites, mortality and longevity of individual sharks are also being conducted.
To view the full article on this project please visit the BMRG website.
Government updates
Marine scientist named Life Scientist of the Year
Marine scientist Dr Beth Fulton of the Wealth from Oceans National Research Flagship has been awarded the 2007 Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year.
The award recognises Dr Fulton's outstanding achievements in marine ecosystem modelling and her impact on understanding climate change and managing the impacts of fishing. Her work has had major international impacts on marine ecosystem science and is shaping the new field of ecosystem-based management.
Dr Fulton's research involves identifying new directions in marine ecosystem modelling and driving model development. She was the first person to systematically explore the optimum level of complexity for ecosystem models.
Atlantis, developed by Dr Fulton for whole of ecosystem modelling for marine environments, is the only model in the world that gives equal attention to the biophysical and human components of marine ecosystems. Atlantis was rated worlds' best for strategic evaluation of marine management issues by the Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2007 and was the first model to be used to assess a whole of fishery management plan from an ecosystem perspective.
The Prime Minister's Prizes for Science are a national tribute to excellent and dedicated work in Australian science and science teaching. The Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year is awarded to a scientist aged thirty-five years or younger to honour excellent research and highlight that our early-stage career scientists are producing world-class research.
For more on Dr Fulton's achievement visit the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training website.
Premier Bligh goes south west
Premier Anna Bligh heard first-hand rural issues on a visit to the drought-stricken Charleville region 750km west of Brisbane last week.
Keen in her first days as Premier to get on the ground and hear the bush's issues, the Premier was accompanied by AgForce general president Peter Kenny to a 15 000 hectare beef property, 20km east of Charleville.
"AgForce has been a partner with us in the Blueprint for the Bush and I want to keep that momentum moving," Ms Bligh told Mr Kenny.
The new Cabinet has a strong regional representation and changes made will have it closer to regional and rural Queensland's needs.
"We have a good record of working with the bush and I want to make sure that continues and improves. There will be times when we will not always agree, but just like today, I want the lines of communication open and clear."
For the full media statement visit Queensland Government's media statements.
Boost to drought assistance measures
A further $714 million in drought assistance measures will be provided to support farmers through the worst drought in our nation's history.
This funding is in addition to the $430 million announced last week to extend the 38 areas of agricultural production currently receiving Exceptional Circumstances (EC) assistance until September 2008.
These new measures will make it easier for farmers and small business to access EC assistance, provide direct grants to irrigators and help with social pressures facing farming families across rural and regional Australia.
Included in the new measures is: an exit grant of up to $150 000 for farmers who have decided to leave the land; immediate access to the $5000 professional advice and planning grants for farmers in EC declared areas; and additional social and emotional counselling through the establishment of 25 Family Support Drought Response teams.
As part of this package a $10 million contingency fund will be established to ensure that Rural Research and Development Corporations have sufficient funds available to continue their research programs during periods of unprecedented low levy collections caused by drought.
For the full media release visit the Prime Minister's media centre.
Wetlands updates
New artificial wetland in FNQ
Developers in Smithfield have created a new artificial wetland for Far North Queensland in an effort to improve the quality of the Great Barrier Reef.
The developer's bio-retention basin system collects nutrients from stormwater run-off, preventing them from polluting the reef.
The Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) says the community must mimic nature while developer Adam Gowlett of the Satterly Property Group says the bio-retention stops sediment and nutrients getting to the Great Barrier Reef.
The artificial wetland system meets Cairns City Council's strict new cleaner seas criteria.
For more information about what's being done to protect the Great Barrier Reef from reduced water quality visit the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan website.
Natural resources news
NRW applications now a click away
Many state land-related service applications will be much easier thanks to new internet-based forms.The application process will be improved, with the introduction of new internet forms to benefit both the applicant and the department. Until now the application process could be long and complicated for both sides, but the new forms take people through the application process and give all the required information to initiate investigations.
Applicants will be able to receive a much better guide to access the information they want as well as background information about their application and how it will be processed.
So far, 19 different forms are available online with fact sheets covering background information ranging from "Application for conversion of lease" to "Application for road licence".
For application forms and supporting fact sheets and policies visit the Natural Resources and Water website.
Kayak trekker’s journey reaches the end
Adventurer Steve Posselt has completed his mammoth trek of more than 3000 kilometres from Queensland to South Australia to highlight climate concerns.He has spent the past four months following the course of the Murray and Darling Rivers, both in a kayak and on foot. The adventurer had to walk almost a third of the distance because of too little water for paddling at times.
Mr Posselt says he has 30 years of experience in water engineering but does not pretend that his trip has given him solutions for the dire problems of the Murray-Darling Basin.
"The whole Murray-Darling system is so complex that I've probably got more questions than answers from the trip. But at least I know the sorts of questions to ask and at least I have a fairly good understanding of the system from top to bottom," he said.
Mr Posselt highlighted the need to look at the science and whether we can sustain what we're doing now and whether it's appropriate to have so many crops that are dependent on water all the time in a land of drought and flooding rains.
Story sourced from ABC news
AgForward workshop update
Every month, AgForward runs a number of workshops across the state. Upcoming workshops include:
- 24 October: Moura - GPS essentials
- 24 October: Border Rivers area - Vegetation management
- 25 October: Rolleston - GPS essentials
- 25 October: Border Rivers area (TBC) - Vegetation management
- 25 October: Boonah - AgForests Field Day
- 30 October: McKinlay - Computer mapping
- 30 October: Emerald - Extension vegetation management workshop
- 31 October: Julia Creek - Computer mapping
- 1 November: Richmond - Computer mapping
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: SEQ Catchments
Title: Commmunity Partnerships Manager - Lockyer
Tenure: Full-time
Closing date: Monday 8 October 2007
Contact 07 3816 9711 for an application package. For further information on this position please contact Tony McKew on 07 3816 9718 (business hours) or mobile 0439852162.
Thought for the week
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle
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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