The Bugle - 26 October 2007
Regional NRM group stories- Round tables for the SEQ NRM Plan
- BDTNRM crossing the urban-rural divide
- BDTNRM has had a successful year
- SEQ scores in latest Envirofund round
- Wanted the Condamine five
- Evaluation shows value of state-level investment programs to regional NRM
- JSC changing of the guard
- Burnett shire now drought declared
- Queensland Weed Spread Prevention Strategy is released
- Scholarship on offer to the Volunteering for Wild Places
- Nuffield 2007 scholarship winners announced
- Get a job in NRM!
Regional NRM group stories
Round tables for the SEQ NRM Plan
SEQ Catchments (SEQC), in partnership with the South East Regional Coordination Group, is coordinating the development of the SEQ NRM Plan to be included in the upcoming review of the SEQ regional plan.
The SEQ NRM Plan will enhance the coordination of effort across government and the community.
Community, industry, government and research groups are invited to be a part of the roundtable events.
The events will review recent actions to address NRM issues, comment on the draft targets which will form the basis of the SEQ NRM Plan, and work with SEQC staff and other stakeholders on new projects to support the achievement of these targets.
The next round table event will be held on 13 November at Redlands IndigiScapes Centre, Capalaba between 6.00pm and 9.00pm
A second round table event will be held on 21 November at Virginia Palms International, Boondall at 6.00pm.
To RSVP please contact Sean Galvin on 0400 910 680 or for more information contact Andrew Davidson on 0400 910 695
BDTNRM crossing the urban-rural divide
By Terry Butts
Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (BDTNRM) chairman Mark Stoneman stated at a recent board meeting that a collective will and understanding between urban and rural dwellers to work as a team the need and desire to sustain our natural resources for future generations will not be achieved.
According to Mr Stoneman, there should be no separation in aspirations as both desire clean unpolluted water in good supply, both (rural and urban dweller) want to produce and eat the highest quality foods and have access to plentiful supplies.
Mr Stoneman said the challenge BDTNRM faces is to increasingly involve the urban stakeholders in understanding the wider, as well as local, resource management issues.
"Without two-way understanding of the daily problems facing rural and urban families and businesses, the balance of social economic and cultural well-being diminishes," Mr Stoneman said.
BDTNRM covers an area a tenth the size of Queensland yet the vast majority of citizens are located in the cities of Townsville and Thuringowa.
Mr Stoneman concluded that the vast majority of the issues are outside those cities, such as nutrient run off and air and water pollution as some of the challenge for the urban residents.
"In this respect supporting the educative process through schools and other centres of learning becomes vital for the next generation to understand and help develop solutions they can both support and sustain," Mr Stoneman said.
For more information visit the BDTNRM website.
BDTNRM has had a successful year
By Terry Butts
Outlining a busy year, Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (BDTNRM) chief executive officer Bob Frazer said his staff had conducted more than 150 work shops for over 1400 participants covering a wide range of topics including climate change, grazing land management salinity, biodiversity, water quality and coastal management.
More than 200 landowners have been provided with imagery and map products that covered more than 28 per cent of the region. BDTNRM staff delivered training sessions and workshops to more than 260 land owners.
There have been rapid acceleration in delivery of on ground works with more than $3 million in projects provided in the financial year.
Mr Frazer is confident the acceleration will continue.
Another highlight was the protection of 23,000ha of native riparian vegetation, and the implementation of 5000ha of weed control measures. As well, 90ha of wetlands was cleared of Chinee apple (Ziziphus mauritiana).
Mr Frazer stated NRM is all about people and in particularly those who own, live with, manage or are dependent on those resources. During the year BDTNRM renewed its commitment to improving relationships with the region’s people and their organisations.
Opportunities were created to meet, listen and discuss sometimes differing points of view. They have established advisory groups and partnership panels and put in place a skilled team dedicated to engaging the community and partners.
Mr Frazer believes they have successfully developed and maintained, pivotal partnerships across the region, NRM organisations, industries, all levels of government and with the region’s traditional custodians.
A major highlight for the year is the 60 projects and strategic partnerships which were formalised during the year.
For more information visit the BDTNRM website.
SEQ scores in latest Envirofund round
South East Queensland was a big winner when the Australian Government announced the successful projects to be funded under Round 9 of the Envirofund.
Thirty-nine projects worth almost $900 000 will be funded in South East Queensland.
Heading the list is Blue Dog Fishing Co., which will receive more than $45 000 for work to reduce the seabed impact and greenhouse emissions of trawlers in Moreton Bay.
Activities to be undertaken through this Coastcare project include designing and manufacturing one set of four Batwing boards, implementing the Batwing trawl boards through a series of trials, promoting the adoption of the Batwing boards to prawn trawler operators in Moreton bay through field trials, and promoting the fishing community’s environmental activities to the broader community.
Other sizeable grants include:
- more than $44 000 to Albert and Logan Conservation Association to fund rescue action for the Veresdale Scrub by increasing the size of the Veresdale Scrub remnants and managing the weed and fire threats.
- more than $44 000 to Greening Australia for its Seeds for Life project, which will conserve native plant species using seed banks in Queensland and at the Millennium Seed Bank in England.
- almost $44 000 to Reef Check Foundation for its South East Queensland Long-Term Community Coral Reef Monitoring and Education Program, to provide high quality reef health data for 15 sites on the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast.
SEQ Catchments strategic regional facilitator Col Freeman said the fact that so many projects in South East Queensland received funding demonstrated the quality of the work being undertaken in the region.
For more information, email Col Freeman or phone 3503 1428.
Wanted the Condamine five
Condamine Alliance has called on people power to eradicate the 'Five Most Wanted Weeds' in the Condamine catchment, urging land managers to remove them if possible, but not just dump them.
Four out of the Five Most Wanted Weeds are escaped garden plants african boxthorn, honey locust tree, lantana and mother of millions, with chilean needlegrass the exception.
Condamine Alliance's Media and Marketing Coordinator Don Turner said "we're asking people to destroy these weeds by bagging or burning them, where possible, because they can just as easily escape from dump sites.
"If there are large infestations, we are urging them to contact land protection officers at their local councils as part of our integrated weed management project," he said.
Garry Wilson at Clifton Shire 4697 4234 is coordinating the assault and leading television and radio networks have supported the campaign by running ads as community service announcements.
Government updates
Evaluation shows value of state-level investment programs to regional NRM
The report produced from the review of the Relevance and value of the state-level investment programs (SIPs) to regional NRM delivery has been published.
The evaluation, commissioned by the Department of Natural Resources and Water and conducted by the UniQuest Evaluation Team, provides an overview of the state-level investment programs (SIPs) performance (also available on Regional NRM website), and contains detailed reviews of individual projects or themes for greater understanding of their relevance.
The evaluation was conducted on three levels:
- the SIP initiative as a whole
- each of the five thematic suites that comprise the whole initiative
- each of the 44 projects that make up the five suites.
The key methods of investigation undertaken in this research were an on-line survey, interviews of key personnel and investigation of four case studies: the new knowledge and innovative approaches that have developed; the partnerships that have formed; the coordination of effort that has been developed; and the practice change that has resulted.
The report presents the success factors, the barriers and how these were overcome, and evidence of practice change in relation to each SIP suite.
This evaluation is one of six state-level evaluations funded by the Australian Government through the Natural Heritage Trust, conducted to investigate the success of regional delivery of NRM objectives in Queensland and bordering northern Australia regions.
For more information email Nicole Blackett or call 3224 2154.
Burnett shire now drought declared
From 2 October 2007 Burnett Shire will be officially in drought under the state declaration process, following the local drought committee recommendation.
Within the Burnett Shire pasture is generally in very short supply due to the lack of rain during the growing season and a series of dry years.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said "While the quality of feed in the district is of reasonable value it is rapidly drying off due to the hot windy weather being experienced at the present time. In addition stock waters on many properties are in low supply."
The latest declaration brings the area of Queensland officially drought declared by the state government to 83 shires and two part shires, which is equivalent to 62.4% of the land area of the state. There are also 17 individually droughted properties (IDP) in a further five shires.
Under shire and IDP declarations, primary producers are eligible to apply for Queensland Government drought assistance including the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme (DRAS). DRAS provides freight subsidies on the transport of fodder and water during times of drought, and restocking and returning from agistment in the recovery period.
For further information about DRAS and other assistance measures, producers can contact the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Business Information Centre on 13 25 23.
Queensland Weed Spread Prevention Strategy is released
Biosecurity Queensland has developed a Queensland Weed Spread Prevention Strategy to minimise the spread of weeds in the state.
The strategy, developed by a Working Group for the Prevention of Weed Spread, represents the first of its type in Australia and is the model for developing the National Weed Spread Action Plan.
The strategy designed to minimise the spread of weeds to new areas in Queensland, does not include issues relating to threat assessment, national border controls or responses to new incursions into Queensland.
An action plan has been developed based on seven broad goals:
- Incorporate the need to prevent weed spread into the work practices of industry and organisations.
- Motivate the community, industry and government to actively prevent the spread of weeds.
- Identify and protect clean areas.
- Develop innovative, practical and cost-effective solutions to minimise weed spread.
- Resource and coordinate consistent actions within the state and work towards achieving consistency with other states and territories.
- Maintain a strong legal foundation for weed spread prevention.
- Review, monitor and evaluate actions to achieve continuous improvement.
For more information visit the Biosecurity Queensland website.
Rural projects gaining results for the bush
Increased exports, new science precincts, pest prevention and enhanced farm productivity are just some of the benefits from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Blueprint for the Bush projects.
The Property Management Systems Initiative (PMSI) is another Blueprint project maximising on-farm profitability through best management practices and sustainable use of our natural resources.
Six PMSI projects in dairy, nursery and gardens, fruit and vegetables, grains and two in sugarcane are approved and officers have been appointed to support implementation and are negotiating more projects.
Biosecurity is a major priority and will be further supported in regional communities through $11 million over three years to improve management of high priority weeds and pest animals to protect industry sustainability.
This Pest Offensive initiative includes 48 projects aimed at reducing six emerging weed threats, controlling woody weeds, improving the management of wild dogs and feral pigs, reducing the spread of weed seeds, and improving pest management in several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities.
Funding has been allocated to eight regional NRM bodies, 19 local governments including Aboriginal local governments and Torres Shire Council, as well as industry and state agency projects.
The Blueprint for the Bush Annual Report was launched by the Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin at the recent Ministerial Forum.
Visit the DPI&F website to learn more.
Reef updates
New chair of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Dr Russell Reichelt has been appointed as the Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, replacing the outgoing Virginia Chadwick who has held the position for eight years.
Dr Reichelt will take up his appointment in November 2007.
Dr Reichelt has extensive experience in fields related to the functions of the Authority such as marine science, industry and oceans policy. He has been the Managing Director of the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre since 2006. Previously he was also the CEO of the CRC Reef Research Centre and CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
He has also previously been chairman of the Board of Seafood Services Australia Limited, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, the Great Barrier Reef Consultative Committee and the National Oceans Advisory Group.
Among Dr Reichel's responsibilities as chairman of the GBRMPA will be implementing recommendations from the recent review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975.
Particularly attention will be given to renewal of the authority's dual roles of reef management and long term protection; research, monitoring and reporting to inform management and policy decisions; publication of a periodic 'Outlook Report' on the condition of the Reef; and working with the Queensland Government to deliver strong joint management of the Reef World Heritage Area.
To learn more visit the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority website.
Natural resources news
Scholarship on offer to the Volunteering for Wild Places
Queensland Water and Land Careers (QWaLC) is offering a scholarship to the Volunteering for Wild Places, Wildlife and Cultural Heritage conference in Hobart, Tasmania from 23-25 November. The scholarship includes conference registration, travel, accommodation and food. The scholarship is available to a representative of a QWaLC member group.
QWaLC chair Esma Armstrong said "As the peak body for NRM volunteers, QWaLC is actively representing our members in the national arena, and this conference is an important opportunity for a Queensland NRM volunteer to take part in a national forum for the sector."
The conference brings together case studies and informative sessions on NRM volunteering across Australia. Examples of identifying and overcoming the boundaries of where and how volunteers operate will be a key discussion area.
The conference is hosted by Wildcare Inc. To register your interest in this full scholarship, contact QWaLC on 3211 4409.
Nuffield 2007 scholarship winners announced
Sixteen outstanding primary producers from across Australia have won the prestigious agricultural scholarship, which were presented at a ceremony in Fremantle, Western Australia.Vegetable grower Timothy Harslett from Amiens, Queensland, was awarded Australia's leading farming scholarship, a Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarship. The other 15 scholarship winners for 2007 were: Simon Tiller; Mathew Stott; Mark Graham; Lester Marshall; Robert Kestel; Jason Jarvis; Sam Archer; Benjamin Ranford; Jane Bennett; Graham Finlayson; Murray Scholz; Ben Forsyth; Annabelle Coppin; Matthew Munzberg; and Jarrod Ryan.
Nuffield Australia Chairman Mr Peter Nixon presented the scholarships, worth $400 000 in total, at the Innovative Farming Australia Conference, part of the Nuffield Spring Tour.
The 2007 Nuffield Farming Scholarship winners joined an elite group of about 1300 scholars worldwide.
The scholarships are valued at $25 000 each and are supported by leading Australian primary producer and agribusiness organisations.
Mr Nixon said the scholarships gave young Australian farmers the opportunity to travel internationally and explore agricultural issues and opportunities in a global context.
The 16 Australian Nuffield Scholars will be joined, for one week, by about 30 international Nuffield Scholars in Melbourne and rural Victoria before leaving Australia in either February or June 2008 for a compulsory Global Focus Program.
This will involve travel to China, North America, South America and Europe investigating agricultural marketing and trade issues, environmental issues and experiencing the different social and cultural aspects of each region.
Following the initial six-week program, the scholars will go their individual ways to pursue specific study programs in the country or countries of their choice.
For the full story visit the Yarn website.
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: Queensland Murray-Darling Committee Inc. (QMDC)
Title: Landcare Education Officer (Goondiwindi)
Location:Goondiwindi
The Landcare Education Officer will assist Landcare and Catchment Management groups develop, co-ordinate and deliver natural resource management community education & communication activities and to increase the awareness of, and involvement in sustainable natural resource management activities in the Queensland Murray Darling Basin.
or
Title: Regional Coordinator Communication, Education and Capacity Building
Location: Toowoomba
The Regional Coordinator Communication, Education and Capacity Building will develop, coordinate and deliver natural resource management community education, capacity building and communication activities across the region from the network of Landcare and Catchment Centres and the Landcare Discovery Centre. To increase the awareness of NRM, and deliver the communication and education section of the regional NRM plan.
Both
A desirable quality for both positions will be a formal qualification in Communication, Education, Marketing or a related field. A manual driver's license is essential.
A position description and selection criteria can be obtained from the QMDC website or by contacting Julie James on 4637 6270.
Closing date for applications is 5pm 12 November.
Thought for the week
Academics have now confirmed what many of us have long believed: that positive thinking leads to a longer and healthier life.
The Observer Magazine, 12 March 2000
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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