The Bugle - 14 November 2008
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories- Fantastic response to funds for future
- Feral cat's tail to come to a dead end
- Carbon field day on today
- Committee inquiry into regional partnerships
- Groundwater biodiversity report released
- Desalination technical report released
- Treasury modelling of costs and opportunities of reducing climate change released
- Research networks to investigate effects of climate change
- New fees for polluters
- Time is ripe for parkinsonia control in CQ
- Weed threatens Murray-Darling Basin's upper reaches
- New fisheries scholarship on offer
- UWA offers fully online postgraduate courses in NRM Policy and Planning
- Barron River residents join forces to fight hymenachne weed threat
- Jeff Campbell wins the NLP Individual Landcarer Award
- A policy discussion paper on managing Australian soils released
- E-concepts is looking for good ideas
- Landcare legends to celebrate Q150
- AgForward workshop update
- Get a job in NRM!
Regional NRM group stories
Fantastic response to funds for future
Desert Channels Queensland's (DCQ) latest funding round of $400 000 has had an impressive response with over 50 project applications totalling more than $1 million.
Applications for funding under DCQ's Protecting Our Future initiative closed on 24 October following the call for projects that give lasting benefits to five regional asset groups: land, water, biodiversity, community and Indigenous land management.
DCQ's Regional Coordinator Steve Wilson said applications were diverse and included projects from right across the region.
"Not only have we had this huge response, but 35 of the applicants are new business; they haven't sourced funding from DCQ before," Mr Wilson said, "the standard of applications is very high and I'm really glad we have an independent technical assessment panel because I don't want to have to split them."
Steve said DCQ aims to have contracts signed and out by the end of the year and get the projects under way as soon as possible.
To date DCQ has had projects on over 500 properties across the region. These have all aimed to assist the community to manage, protect and restore (where necessary) the condition of the region's assets.
For more information on the work of Desert Channels Queensland, call 4658 0600.
Feral cat's tail to come to a dead end
Desert Channels Queensland's (DCQ) $10 bounty on feral cats will spell the end of many of the feline predators in the region.
According to DCQ Pest Management Coordinator Brett Carlsson there had been considerable feedback from across the community and catchment groups about the problem with feral cats, and DCQ's new Feral Cat Control Project will help control one of the greatest threats to Australian wildlife.
"There is ample research to support just how bad they are for our wildlife and environment," Mr Carlsson said, "and DCQ is taking advantage of its experience with feral animal control projects to work with the local shires on this program."
People wanting to claim the bounty will need to collect a record sheet from their Shire Rural Lands Officer or roo box to record GPS points of where the feral cats are taken, have it signed off by the property owner or manager, and return the details with the cat's tails to their local Rural Lands Officer for the $10 bounty.
"As well as the bounty, DCQ is providing local government Rural Lands Officers with drop-door cage-traps to trap feral cats in and around towns," he said.
"We're also trying to prevent unwanted domestic litters adding to the feral population by offering cat owners a 50 per cent rebate on having their pet cats de-sexed at the local vet," Mr Carlsson said.
This rebate can be collected by submitting, to the DCQ office, an invoice and receipt from a registered vet.
For more information on the Feral Cat Control Project call Brett Carlsson at DCQ on 4658 0600.
Carbon field day on today
The Dalrymple Landcare Committee, in conjunction with Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM (BDTNRM), is hosting a "3 Cs" (three types of carbon) field day today (14 November 2008) at the Ewan Race Track, about 120 km north of Charters Towers on the Lynd Highway. The one day field day is part of the Clarke River and East Burdekin Project that has been running in the region for the last two years. Three guest speakers will be discussing various aspects of the carbon debate and the interactions that occur within the northern grazing regions.
Researcher Dr Beverley Henry from Meat and Livestock Australia will be discussing methane emissions from cattle and how these emissions have been shown to vary depending on the diet and forage quality.
Dr Chris Stokes, CSIRO Townsville, will be presenting about the basic carbon cycles in the environment and the differences between labile and humic carbon in soils. Dr Stokes has also been researching the interactions of fire and subsequent emissions.
The final speaker for the day will be Dr Steven Bray, Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries Rockhampton, presenting findings from his recent research on properties across Queensland identifying carbon sinks and sources and how some of these characteristics may change with property development and management.
Following the presentations, a nearby property will be visited to see how the on-ground works of the Clarke River and East Burdekin Project have been implemented to improve water quality and property management.
The field day is free of charge and starts at 8.30am sharp. For further information email John Nicholas from the Dalrymple Landcare Committee call on 4761 5170.
Government updates
Committee inquiry into regional partnerships
A report released last week signals a new approach to funding infrastructure across regional and local communities.
The Funding Regional and Local Community Infrastructure interim report tabled last week draws on the highly critical Australian National Audit Office report into the previous government's Regional Partnership Programme and recommends to the Federal Government a new framework for regional infrastructure funding.
The interim report contains recommendations to the Federal Government on how the new fund may be structured and suggests the new program cover all regions of Australia, employ a partnership approach and predominantly fund hard infrastructure.
Copies of the House Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government's report, including the full list of recommendations, can be obtained from the Funding Regional and Local Community Infrastructure website.
Groundwater biodiversity report released
A new report into what is known about biodiversity in groundwater, the ecological processes in groundwater environments and the ecosystem goods and services provided by subsurface groundwater dependent ecosystems in Australia has been released by the National Water Commission.
This report forms part of a series of Waterlines papers designed to explore issues relating to aquatic ecosystems in Australia and identify significant current gaps in knowledge associated with environmental water management.
The report reviews knowledge of the biodiversity, ecological processes and ecosystem services of subsurface groundwater dependent ecosystems (SGDEs) in Australia and identifies research directions that will provide accessible information and tools to help environmental water managers make informed contributions to the water planning process in relation to the needs of SGDEs in Australia.
The report found the sequestered location of SGDEs underground has led not only to these habitats being overlooked in favour of more accessible GDEs, but has also masked their diversity, ecosystem services and the close interconnections between SGDEs and other ecosystems.
Recognition of the variety of subsurface groundwater habitats and of the key habitat characteristics of living space and resource supply will aid understanding of the drivers of SGDE ecology and the ecological significance of SGDEs.
The report also found there are extensive gaps in knowledge of the distribution, composition and biodiversity value of Australian groundwater animals.
The report is available on the National Water Commission website.
Desalination technical report released
The National Water Commission has released a report showing that desalination technologies will play an increasingly important role in securing Australia's water supplies.
The Emerging trends in desalination report is a technical publication commissioned by the National Water Commission from the UNESCO Centre for Membrane Technology.
The report reviews the latest research and emerging trends in desalination, including energy minimisation and environmental protection, the economics of desalination, and the merits of various desalination technologies.
It indicates that desalination technology is becoming an increasingly competitive water treatment option. It also shows there are good prospects to further reduce environmental impacts and improve energy efficiencies.
Emerging trends in desalination: A review can be found at on the National Water Commission website.
Treasury modelling of costs and opportunities of reducing climate change released
The Federal Treasury has released its report into the costs and opportunities of acting decisively to meet the challenge of climate change, finding that it is in Australia's economic interests to take early and decisive action on climate change.
The report, which measures the economic impact of cutting carbon emissions through the Federal Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, has three key conclusions:
- the Australian economy will continue to grow strongly as carbon emissions are reduced.
- the earlier Australia acts, the cheaper the cost of action. The longer it is delayed, the more damage could be done to the Australian economy.
- many of Australia's key industries will become more, not less, competitive.
The report positions Australia within the context of global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stabilise carbon dioxide concentrations at 450-550 ppm around 2100. In all scenarios, Australia's action is comparable to that of other developed economies.
Developing nations' contributions are differentiated, either through relatively less stringent per capita-based national emission pathways within a united global action framework, or through gradual adoption of emission reduction obligations under a multi-stage framework.
The report also finds that average annual gross national profit growth will only be one tenth of one per cent less than it would be in a world without action to tackle climate change.
This report is not a complete assessment of the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of climate change policies. The modelling does not include the economic impacts of climate change itself, so does not assess the benefits of reducing climate change risks through mitigation.
A copy of the report is available from the Federal Treasury website.
Research networks to investigate effects of climate change
The Federal Government will provide $10 million over four years to establish research networks investigating the effects of climate change on areas such as water resources, human health, emergency services, infrastructure and biodiversity.
The seven new 'adaptation research networks' are designed to foster critical research into the effects of climate change.
The networks will be part of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, hosted by Griffith University, which is leading Australia's climate change adaptation research effort.
These institutions will host each of the following networks and will be awarded the amounts indicated for four years:
- Terrestrial Biodiversity - James Cook University - $400 000 per year
- Water Resources and Freshwater Biodiversity - Griffith University - $400 000 per year
- Marine Biodiversity and Resources - University of Tasmania - $400 000 per year
- Settlements and Infrastructure - University of NSW - $447 000 per year
- Disaster Management and Emergency Services - RMIT University - $205 000 per year
- Social, Economic and Institutional Dimensions - University of Melbourne - $376 000 per year
- Health - Australian National University - $240 000 per year
New fees for polluters
The Queensland Government is to tie annual environmental licensing fees for industries to the levels of pollution they produce.
The updated environmental protection regulation, which aims to encourage businesses to reduce their environmental footprints, will come into force on 1 January 2009.
Premier Anna Bligh said environmental fees are presently based on the nature of the industries involved and size of the output of the company as opposed to how much pollution they produce.
The new fee system will instead adopt a polluter-pays approach based on the average annual emissions to air, land and water, with higher the emissions resulting in higher annual licence fees.
The new regulation is expected to result in higher fees for many industries. Under the new regulation, the maximum pollution fee for oil refining would jump from $20 540 to more than $47 000, while sewage treatment operations will face maximum pollution fees of $29 000, up from $15 210 under the previous regulation.
The Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 also includes an updated list of activities that will require environmental regulation. Activities that will be regulated for the first time include sheep feedlots, tunnel ventilation stacks, large water treatment plants and geological storage of carbon dioxide.
Ms Bligh says other activities with low environmental emissions, such as crematoriums and aquaculture farms that do not release waste to waters, will be deregulated.
The new fee system will contain a fee discount system for businesses that demonstrate excellent environmental performance and adopt best practice environmental management.
Find out more information by visiting the Environmental Protection Agency website.
Time is ripe for parkinsonia control in CQ
Parkinsonia, a Weed of National Significance, is in flower making this the perfect time to control it, according to the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
Biosecurity Queensland senior land protection officer Duncan Swan said parkinsonia's bright yellow flowers made it highly visible, and that it was vital to control this weed before it seeds.
"Parkinsonia is one of the worst woody weeds in Central Queensland," Mr Swan said, "it can form dense, and often impenetrable, thorny thickets along watercourses, around water points and on floodplains.
"Parkinsonia is turning good productive grazing country into poor land as cattle are unable to access it," he said.
Mr Swan said the seeds float down watercourses, so it is best to control parkinsonia before the wet season begins.
"The floods have moved the seeds around, so landholders need to be vigilant for parkinsonia in areas it may not have been seen before, and control it before it can seed and become a major problem," Mr Swan said.
Mr Swan said the best way to chemically control parkinsonia is either basal bark or using the cut stump method.
Control of parkinsonia can be by either mechanical or chemical means. Parkinsonia is a Class 2 declared plant under Queensland legislation. It is the responsibility of landholders to control parkinsonia on their land.
Story sourced from Queensland Country Life.
Weed threatens Murray-Darling Basin's upper reaches
Biosecurity Queensland is fighting to control an outbreak of a potentially devastating water weed in the upper reaches of the Murray-Darling Basin.
Land protection officer Graham Hardwick says an infestation of hymenachne has been found on the Moonie River at Thallon in Queensland's southern inland.
Mr Hardwick says if it is not controlled quickly the weed could be carried further downstream.
"There's about five or six kilometres of river that its infested and we're starting probably at the bottom end of it and working up to the thick area and trying to control it that way," Mr Hardwick said.
"Its like any water weed, if it gets the right nutrients it chokes out the whole system and it's not very good for the ecology and it's not real good for irrigators further down if they get it tangled up in their pumps," Mr Hardwick said.
Contact Biosecurity Queensland for more information on 13 25 23.
Story sourced from ABC online.
New fisheries scholarship on offer
A new annual fisheries scholarship will be made available for Central Queensland University honours students. The $5000 Marine Fish Habitat Scholarship will be offered for the first time in 2009.
The Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries (DPI&F) scholarship will provide scientific research funding in the area of marine fish habitat and is open to all honours students who commence their study in semester 1, 2009.
The student's research will contribute to DPI&F priority marine fish habitat projects including land use impacts, marine plant management and also the rehabilitation of fish habitats in Queensland.
DPI&F offers 10 other scholarships ranging from programs for PhD and Masters scholars to supporting indigenous students through secondary school combined with work experience projects.
Applications for the Marine Fish Habitat Scholarship close Monday 1 December.
For more information about the scholarship contact DPI&F on 13 25 23 or visit the DPI&F website.
Wetlands updates
Survey of Australian wetlands underway
The largest ever survey of the health of Australia's wetlands has commenced with a team of University of New South Wales(UNSW) environmental researchers conducting an aerial survey of waterbirds across the entire continent.
At a cost of more than $1.1 million, the team will criss-cross Australia to visit every possible significant wetland. Led by wetlands expert, Professor Richard Kingsford, of the UNSW School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, the survey team will fly at low altitude to count the number and species of waterbirds living in the wetlands to assess their relative health.
It is the first time that all of the nation's wetlands have been assessed together in this way and it is thought to be the largest and most ambitious continental-scale research project of its type ever attempted.
The survey is a component of the Raising National Water Standards Program, funded by the National Water Commission, with further in-kind funding from state and territory governments and $180 000 from UNSW.
Information about the results of the survey will be available on the Wetrivers UNSW website.
Natural resources news
UWA offers fully online postgraduate courses in NRM Policy and Planning
The University of Western Australia (UWA) offers fully online graduate certificate and graduate diploma courses in NRM Policy and Planning.
The courses examines the problems, institutions, policies and planning processes for NRM in Australia. Students explore these in both an Australia-wide context and in their own local and regional context. At graduate diploma level students choose two topics in NRM policy or planning to research in more depth.
The courses offer flexible online learning (with no need to attend campus) and are highly suited to both metropolitan students and those in rural and regional areas from all over Australia.
Visit the UWA website for more information, email the course coordinator, or call on 08 9842 0808.
Applications for first semester 2009 close on 31 January 2009.
Barron River residents join forces to fight hymenachne weed threat
Barron Catchment Care and Kuranda River Boats are working together to conduct a control and eradication activity on hymenachne weed growing on the banks of the Barron River near Kuranda.
Hymenachne amplexicaulis or olive hymenachne is declared as a Class 2 Pest under the Queensland Government's Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002. It is also listed as a 'Weed of National Significance', and as such is a target weed in the region's Pest Management Plan.
Barron Catchment Care coordinator Jane Page said, "The valuable assistance provided by Kuranda River Boats and Brian Clarke has gone a long way towards controlling this pest with completion of spraying activities along a significant stretch of the Barron River near Kuranda."
"The latest combined assault on this water pest weed is part of an on-going focus on control and eradication on the part of Barron Catchment Care staff and other stakeholders which is vital in order to curtail hymenachne seeding," she said.
"Control includes spraying with a registered herbicide for waterways Weedmaster Duo or Round-up bioactive, and local participation in the part of Kuranda Rivers Boats has provided easier access to hymenachne infestations and to gain good control," she said.
"This program is having an impact, although there are smaller infestations, the largest hymenachne infestations are located at Biboohra, Bilwon and Kuranda (upstream weir). There still are a number of scattered infestations with several farm dam outbreaks identified and controlled," Ms Page said.
Any landholder near Kuranda who needs assistance in controlling hymenachne or identification of suspected outbreaks can contact Ms Page at Barron Catchment Care on 4093 3504.
Jeff Campbell wins the NLP Individual Landcarer
Jeff Campbell from the Mitchell area in South West Queensland has won this year's prestigious National Landcare Program Individual Landcarer Award at the National Landcare Awards.
Jeff manages a 25 000 hectare farm 'Currawarra' and has led a movement of concerned farmers who are slowly returning their land to a sustainable condition.
Twelve years ago Jeff changed his farm to the holistic management system, focusing on improving watering points for stock and making better use of perennial pasture. He replaced rotational grazing with time-controlled grazing. The results were positive and other local farmers also changed their practices.
The landholders then implemented the Australian Land Management Systems (ALMS) Environmental Management System (EMS) on their properties, which enables them to continually improve their properties while gaining recognition for their achievements.
Following this success Jeff has taken a leadership role as the chairperson of the Mitchell and District Landcare Group for eight consecutive years, and he is now involved in a range of organisations at a catchment and regional level. He is keen to use every avenue available to attract other landholders to landcare. Jeff educates farmers and university students that landcare values are not against production values, rather that the two complement each other.
Jeff strongly believes that by working together landholders can manage our natural resources in the most effective way. He has coordinated sub-catchment planning along 250 kilometres of the Maranoa River by bringing together five major sub-catchment groups in the area. The project has seen some 78 000 hectares of grazing land fenced, better watering points established, pastures improving and stock excluded from riverine areas. As a result, an estimated extra four ute loads of soil remain in the paddock every day.
Despite the massive challenges presented by the drought, Jeff remains an ever-positive voice in the community.
Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said, "Jeff and his wife Jacky are clear examples of the great work farmers do every day on their properties to improve water efficiency and environmental sustainability."
A policy discussion paper on managing Australian soils released
The National Committee on Soil and Terrain (NCST) has commissioned a discussion paper to highlight the issues, encourage public debate and provides a mechanism to enable stakeholders to have input to the policy discussions on soil management.
Sustainable management of our soil resources is fundamental to Australia's economic, environmental and social future.
Re-energising efforts to improve soil management in Australia will help to meet greenhouse objectives, manage water supply crises, ensure the security of food supply, and the income it derives from food exports, and improve the resilience and profitability of farming systems.
Contributions are not only welcome but also critical to achieve a coordinated and collaborative approach to this issue for the benefit of all Australians. Contributions will be considered to help plan a strategic approach to soil management.
The Soil Policy Discussion paper, Managing Australian Soils discussion paper, and Invitation to Comment and Guiding Questions documents are downloadable from the CSIRO website. The closing date for comments is Monday 8 December.
Comments can be emailed to Cynthia Maher.
For further information or to obtain hard copies of the discussion paper and accompanying documents, please contact the NCST Secretariat.
E-concepts is looking for good ideas
Australian farmers are a famously innovative lot, inventing the first mechanical harvester and the stump-jump plough to name just a couple of famous innovations.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) wants to tap into farmers' vast pool of ideas by throwing down a challenge. GRDC wants to hear from anyone with an innovative idea for helping Australian grain growers compete more effectively in the global grain market.
Whether you've come up with a new way of doing things, new technology or a new product or service, if it makes the Australian grain industry more competitive, then the GRDC wants to know about it. E-Concepts allow anyone, in the public or private sector, to put forward their ideas.
While ideas can be submitted at any time, they'll be assessed three times a year on February 15, June 15 and October 15 .
They'll then be processed and assessed and if the idea has merit, the GRDC could negotiate with the instigator to develop it further. All ideas need to be submitted using the E-Concepts process.
While all ideas will be considered on their merit, applicants might like to focus on three themes being considered by the GRDC - the Australian grain industry's response to climate change, increasing productivity in the short and long term and responding to higher agricultural input costs.
Further information is available from the GRDC website.
Landcare legends to celebrate Q150
Landcare Queensland is seeking your help to find Queensland's Landcare Legends.
Thanks to a grant from the Q150 Community Funding Program, Landcare Queensland will be helping to celebrate Queensland's one hundred and fiftieth birthday by 'Celebrating the History of Landcare through Digital Storytelling' during 2009.
Landcare Queensland project coordinator Justin Ward will be managing the project and assisting landcare legends to document their stories.
"There are over 300 Landcare groups active in Queensland with thousands of extraordinary landcarers involved in the protection, management and rehabilitation of our environment from the desert to the coast. We've been through some challenging times since the start of the Landcare movement in 1989 but thanks to the dedication of landcarers, the movement is still going strong. The Q150 year is the ideal opportunity to celebrate the passion, commitment and dynamism of Queensland's Landcare Legends," Mr Ward said.
Landcare Queensland will work with 10 Landcare Legends to create short digital stories about their contribution to the landcare movement. The digital stories will be created using PlaceStories, digital storytelling software developed by community cultural development organisation Feral Arts. The completed Landcare Legends PlaceStories will be hosted on the Placestories website for everyone to enjoy and will also be shown at the 20th Queensland Landcare Conference being held in Longreach, October 2009.
Landcare Queensland is now calling for the landcare community in Queensland to nominate Landcare Legends from their local area. Landcare Legends can be either an individual or a group and will be supported by Landcare Queensland in creating and publishing their story.
To find out more or to nominate a Landcare Legend please email Justin Ward or call on 3211 4413.
AgForward workshop update
The AgForward team present a range of workshops to landholders, including GPS essentials, computer mapping, vegetation management, and AgForest's native forest field days.
AgForward and AgForce have recently launched AgEssentials. Participants who successfully complete an AgForward/AgForce workshop receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment. The skills from AgForward workshops can be used to gain a Certificate IV in Conservation and Land Management through the AgEssentials program.
Upcoming workshops include:
- 18 November: St George - Computer mapping essentials
- 19 November: Goondiwindi - Computer mapping essentials
- 20 November: Texas - Computer mapping essentials
- 25 November: Cunnamulla - Computer mapping essentials
- 26 November: Charleville - Computer mapping essentials
- 27 November: Roma - Computer mapping essentials
- 9 December: Eromanga - GPS Essentials
- 10 December: Thargo - GPS Essentials
- 10 December: Muttaburra - Computer Mapping
- 11 December: Eulo - GPS Essentials
- 11 December: Barcaldine - Computer Mapping
- 12 December: Ilfracombe - Computer Mapping
- 16 December: Rosevale - GPS Essentials
- 16 December: Nebo - Computer Mapping
- 16 December: Ivanhoe Downs - Complex PMAV Field Day
- 17 December: Boonah - GPS Essentials
- 18 December: Esk - GPS Essentials
- 18 December: Calliope - Computer Mapping
To register for the workshops contact Bree Robertson on 3238 6039. To register for the AgForests Field Days contact Rohan Allen on 0408 769 918.
More information on these workshops can be found on the AgForward website (under 'Workshops').
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 or NRMjobs 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/organisation: Fitzroy Basin Association
Title: Grazing Land Management Officer
Tenure: Full time, contract to 31 December 2009, subject to ongoing funding.
Salary range: $54 937 - $66 637
Location:Preferably located at Biloela negotiable within the Fitzroy Basin
Contact: Karlee Goodsall on 4999 2827
Closing date: COB Friday 21 November
Thought for the week
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
Winston Churchill
***
We welcome your contributions and feedback. If you have any comments or suggestions for The Bugle please contact Carl Glen or Shona Strachan.
View past issues of The Bugle.
The Bugle is a weekly newsletter published by Catchment Programs, the Department of Natural Resources and Water, highlighting regional NRM activities around Queensland.
If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, or it has been sent to you in error, you can unsubscribe. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, you can subscribe to receive future issues directly.
Last updated 14 November 2008