The Bugle - 27 February 2009
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories
- Event examines cropping at the cutting-edge
- Caring for Land Together: a new strategy for western Queensland
- Saving the koala from the scrap heap
- Growers urged to register with Grains BMP
- Water Quality Improvement Project kicks off
- Parthenium control ramping up
- New Coastal Management Guidelines for Mackay region
- NatureAssist offers cash incentives to landholders
- Ingham emergency assistance grants
- Weed growth prompts spray-drift alert for primary producers
- CQ growers on winter crop disease alert
- Amendments create a fairer system for land acquisitions
- $21 million spillway upgrade
- Workshops to foster community involvement in monitoring for Reef WQIPs
- Growing your own the way to go
- Mackay Garden hosts International Congress
- Chickpea course
- Innovation on show
- Get a job in NRM!
Regional NRM group stories
Event examines cropping at the cutting-edge
Combining technology and cropping to achieve the greatest gains in productivity and sustainability was the focus of a field day in Wowan-Dululu, near Rockhampton, on Monday 16 February.
Around 50 people attended the day which offered demonstrations of precision agriculture technology, guest speakers and farm visits. The day was a collaborative effort between the Wowan-Dululu Landcare Group, Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association (DCCA), consulting firm CTF Solutions, and the Fitzroy Basin Association Inc (FBA).
Farm visits included trips to properties based at Dixalea, Rosedale, and Alma Park. Alma Park property owner Neal Johansen said adopting precision agriculture resulted in less chemical use and had both environmental and economic benefits.
The results from applying precision agriculture at the three properties will be on display at the next field day, and attendees will get the chance to see how the technology has improved these enterprises first-hand.
The properties were three of eight farms involved in a topographic mapping and community base station project, supported by $60,000 in funding from FBA, and managed by consulting firm CTF Solutions. The results from this project were also showcased at the event.
For more information email FBA Media and Communications Coordinator Jody McDonald or phone 4999 2816.
Caring for Land Together: a new strategy for western Queensland
After five years of work a strategy that involves 14 different language groups and covers one-third of the state has been developed to better involve Aboriginal people in natural resource management in the west.
It was launched in Longreach by Chairperson of the Desert Channels Queensland (DCQ) Aboriginal Advisory Panel, Pam Hegarty, who's a member of the Koa traditional owner group from the Winton region.
Ms Hegarty said that the importance of this document is for people to recognise the existence of traditional owners on country and recognise the cultural obligations to care for country.
The strategy has needed input from 14 different traditional owner groups that exist within the DCQ region and are represented on the Aboriginal Advisory Panel.
Ms Hegarty hopes the strategy will educate the general public on land management and will help people to accept the knowledge and experience that Aboriginal people have in land management.
For more information contact Desert Channels Queensland Regional Communications Coordinator Aleisha Domrow on 4652 7822.
Saving the koala from the scrap heap
SEQ Catchments and ENERGEX have announced a $200,000 pilot project that will restore habitat corridors and replant koala food trees along the North Pine River corridor in the Moreton Bay Regional Council area.
SEQ Catchments CEO Simon Warner said that local conservation groups will carry out revegetation of the corridors, as well as weed control and regular koala health checks.
Funding for the project will be provided by recycling scrap metal from disused ENERGEX transformers, powerline structures, and work cables from electricity network upgrade projects.
Over the past two years SEQ Catchments have been proactive in seeking funding from a wide range of services, and they are now working with several leading organisations to carry out large revegetation programs, restore river health, and increase wildlife and habitat corridors.
For more information contact SEQ Catchments Limited Corporate Development and Communications Manager Anthony Hill or phone 3503 1425.
Growers urged to register with Grains BMP
The call has gone out for Central Queensland grain growers to take advantage of a Grains Best Management Practice (BMP) funding incentive to identify and develop profitable and sustainable on-farm management practices.
Grains BMP is a partnership between Fitzroy Basin Association Inc (FBA), the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F), and AgForce and is supported through funding from the Australian Government's Caring for Our Country.
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries development extension officer Rod Collins said the Grains BMP project was a voluntary information tool, based on a series of five self-assessment modules, with action plans to help grain growers prioritise areas for improvement.
Mr Collins said participating growers will be helped by staff from DPI&F, FBA, and AgForce to work through the five modules at a series of workshops.
Places will be limited so interested growers should register their interest by Saturday 28 February.
For more information visit the Grains BMP website or contact you local office on the following numbers:
- Biloela DPI&F, ph: 4992 9146
- FBA Regional Sub-Catchment Group (through the Dawson Callide Coordinating Association), ph: 4993 1004
- Central Highlands Regional Resource Use Planning Group, ph: 4982 2996
- Three Rivers: Isaac/Connors and Mackenzie Sub-Region, ph: 4985 7511.
Water Quality Improvement Project kicks off
An incentive scheme to assist canegrowers and graziers to improve water quality on their properties has distributed $605,000 in funding.
Landholders were invited to provide a description of actions they would take to improve water quality, as well as the cost of these actions. The tender was open to all canegrowers in the lower Burdekin catchment, and to graziers in the Haughton River, Barratta Creek, and Stone and Landers Creek catchments.
Over 85 applications were received for the project with total bids of nearly $2.2 million. From this, 37 applications were approved to receive portions of the $605,000, with an additional $891,000 worth of landholder contributions.
Some of the works that were completed as part of the project were the installation of trickle irrigation systems, tail water recycle pits, GPS guidance systems, legume planters, and rotation grazing infrastructure.
Burkedin Dry Tropics NRM Operations Manager Dr Scott Crawford said the program provided a cost-effective way for distributing funding to landholders, and complements works currently underway.
For further information please email Burkedin Dry Tropics NRM Communications Manager Lesley McMahon or phone 4724 3544.
Parthenium control ramping up
With some help from the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee (QMDC), fifteen landholders across the Maranoa-Balonne and Borders Rivers areas willsoon be ramping up their fight against a weed that costs farmers and graziers across the state $22 million annually.
QMDC Weed and Pest Animal Technical Officer Lavinnia Fiedler said the organisation had allocated $40,000, received through the National Landcare Program, to encourage landholders to set up wash-down facilities as part of its work to control and prevent the spread of Parthenium.
Fifteen applications that best demonstrated designs in accordance with the Queensland Guidelines for Vehicle and Machinery Wash Down were successful in the latest funding round, each receiving up to $3,000 toward the cost of setting up private facilities.
The National Landcare Program funding has also allowed QMDC to purchase $12,000 worth of equipment for the on-ground control of Parthenium - now available to Landcare and Sub Catchment Planning group members in the Maranoa-Balonne and Border Rivers catchments.
For more information contact QMDC Weed and Pest Animal Technical Officer Lavinnia Fiedler on 4620 4610.
New Coastal Management Guidelines for Mackay region
New Coastal Management Guidelines have been developed in a collaborative effort between Reef Catchments, Mackay Regional Council, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and local Landcare groups and are now available for community comment.
The Coastal Management Guidelines identify proposed conservation and management practices to be implemented throughout the Mackay region’s coastal zone.
Reef Catchments Coastal Coordinator Kerri Woodcock said the Guidelines aim to restore and protect beaches, dunes, and coastal wetlands in the region without hindering recreational access and use.
Establishing Coastal Management Guidelines for the region is the first step towards engaging the community in coastal management activities, and for developing a prioritised plan for future management of the Mackay coast.
To view the Coastal Management Guidelines visit the Reef Catchment website or phone Reef Catchment Coastal Coordinator Kerri Woodcock on 4968 4207 for more information.
Government updates
NatureAssist offers cash incentives to landholders
Funding is available under the third round of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) NatureAssist scheme. NatureAssist is for rural Queensland landholders to help sustainably manage their land, conditional upon them entering into a nature refuge agreement. NatureAssist is a competitive market-based incentive scheme that gives landholders throughout rural Queensland the opportunity to tender for financial assistance to carry out on-ground management actions that will maintain or enhance their property’s conservation values.
NatureAssist is administered by the EPA with support from the Department of Natural Resources and Water, through the Blueprint for the Bush initiative with AgForce. Partnerships have also been formed with some regional natural resource management groups in Queensland.
Expressions of interest in NatureAssist Round Three will be invited from 23 February 2009 and must be submitted by 16 March 2009 (5pm AEST).
Landholders can express their interest by completing a simple one-page expression of interest form. This form will be available between 23 February and 16 March 2009 for download or online completion on the EPA website or by calling the EPA Customer Service Centre on 1300 130 372.
Landholders may tender for any tangible, on-ground activity that contributes to the protection and management of the conservation values of the proposed nature refuge. Examples of some types of activities previously funded through NatureAssist include:
- implementing measures such as fencing to control stock access to creeks, wetlands, springs or environmentally sensitive areas
- establishing alternative off-stream watering points for stock
- fencing to protect environmentally sensitive areas from pest animals or unauthorised access
- identifying, protecting and managing cultural heritage resources
- revegetation and/or regeneration techniques to enhance values, stabilise soils and improve water quality
- one-off flora and fauna surveys for the purposes of guiding conservation management activities
- control of weeds and pest animals
- development and implementation of plans for on ground land management, including for sustainable farm management, fire management, conservation management or broader property management.
Putting cash in the pockets of land managers is a way of rewarding those who have implemented best management practice and looked after their property. Funding is provided to the landholder once a nature refuge agreement has been signed by the landholder.
There are now more than 730,000 hectares of land under nature refuge agreements in Queensland, providing habitat for threatened plants and animals while allowing businesses to continue and develop.
Ingham emergency assistance grants
Flood-affected individuals in the Ingham district are eligible for emergency assistance of $165, with maximum assistance of $765 available for a family of five or more.
Emergency assistance is the first of three levels of financial assistance available to flood victims. Affected residents might also be eligible for Essential Household Contents or Structural Damage Assistance, subject to conditions.
The Essential Household Contents Grant assists with repairing or replacing items such as furniture, clothing, floor coverings or white goods. Maximum payment limits of up to $1,635 for eligible individuals, and up to $4,910 for eligible couples or families are available.
Structural Assistance Grants, are available to help repair owner-occupied, uninsured properties to ensure the residence is in a habitable and secure condition. Eligible individuals can receive up to $10,100, and eligible couples or families up to $13,600 to fix structural damage.
Both essential household contents and structural repair assistance are available for uninsured property or where insurance does not cover the damage, and affected residents should contact their insurance companies as a first response.
Weed growth prompts spray-drift alert for primary producers
The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) primary producers battling to control prolific wet season weed growth need to minimise the damage that can occur through spray drift or off-target movements of agricultural herbicide or pesticide.
The key to successful chemical applications are spraying in the right weather conditions, using the right spray nozzles at the correct calibrations, and following all directions on chemical labels.
DPI&F Biosecurity Queensland inspector Roger Winton said careful consideration should be given to herbicide selection, location of susceptible crops, and sensitive areas such as wetlands and local weather conditions before any spraying activities commence.
Mr Winton said users of the chemical 2,4-D need to be aware of, and strictly adhere to, recent changes to label instructions. Producers are reminded that the use of 2,4-D high-volatile esters is banned from 1 September to 30 April 2009.
More information about responsible chemical use and spray drift minimisation can be obtained from the DPI&F website.
CQ growers on winter crop disease alert
Central Queensland (CQ) grain growers must remain vigilant for Ascochyta blight fungal disease outbreaks in chickpeas, as well as the potential for stripe rust and yellow spot in wheat for the 2009 winter.
It is imperative that growers adopt recommended monitoring and control strategies, including using seed sourced from CQ and from a known Ascochyta-free crop, and using a fungicide seed dressing. Ensure headers and machinery are thoroughly cleaned prior to entering properties or when moving between crops.
If any suspect plants are found, the location should be marked before contacting the DPI&F or an agronomist to confirm if it is Ascochyta.
Central region growers should also be on the alert for both stripe rust and yellow spot. Growers should consider selecting stripe rust resistant varieties of wheat from the updated 2009 season guide as there is a threat from new stripe rust pathotypes.
The 2009 winter season wheat variety guide, which includes new varietal releases suited to Central Queensland, was posted to registered growers in late February.
To access the full media statement visit DPI&F’s website.
Amendments create a fairer system for land acquisitions
The Acquisition of Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 has been passed by Parliament to modernise the Acquisition of Land Act 1967 and establish straightforward processes for people and businesses affected by land resumptions.
The amendments now provide a clearer framework for determining who is entitled to lodge a claim for compensation when land is acquired or resumed by state or local governments.
Several changes to the Act also simplify the resumption process making laws relating to claims for removal costs, electricity and telephone reconnections, mail redirection and valuation, and legal fees as a result of an acquisition, more transparent.
Owners of investment properties are now included in the class of claimants entitled to be paid costs, and individual unit owners will now be able to make an individual claim for loss suffered when common property is resumed.
A further amendment now sets a three-year limitation period for claims with a safeguard for those outside the statutory period. This brings the legislation in line with other states.
$21 million spillway upgrade
$21 million is being spent on the Tinaroo Falls Dam in Far North Queensland as part of an ongoing dam safety upgrade program conducted by SunWater in response to revised industry standards for dam safety.
Following approval by the dam safety regulator, works will commence to ensure the spillway infrastructure meets recent changes in dam safety guidelines.
New dam safety regulations were established in 2007 following a revision of the method used for estimating extreme rainfall by the Bureau of Meteorology.
Three dam safety spillway upgrades have now been successfully completed under the program, including Fred Haigh Dam near Gin Gin, Bjelke-Petersen Dam near Murgon, and Borumba Dam near Imbil.
While Tinaroo Falls Dam is already extremely safe, an upgrade will enable the dam to better manage excess water in the future.
For the full media statement visit the Department of Natural Resources and Water’s website.
Workshops to foster community involvement in monitoring for Reef WQIPs
The Department of Natural Resources and Water’s (NRW) State Community Waterway Monitoring Team is running the second round in a series of workshops on community-based monitoring in Great Barrier Reef catchments.
The most recent workshop was held at Hervey Bay in December last year and focused on data management, interpretation, and reporting of community-based water quality data collected in the region for Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIPs).
Participants were also trained in macro invertebrate sampling techniques to help them further assess ecosystem health.
Coordinated by Myles Waller and John Targett from NRW, presentations were made by representatives from the Burnett-Mary Regional Group, NRW, the Environmental Protection Agency, SEQ Catchments, the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee, and the Burnett Catchment Care Association.
Further workshops will be held over the next few months in each of the remaining Reef WQIP regions—Terrain, Burdekin Dry Tropics, Fitzroy and Reef Catchments Mackay Whitsunday Inc.
For more information email NRW Project Officer Myles Waller or phone 3362 9382.
Reef updates
Atrazine cleared from farm water with new enzyme
Farmers around the world are expected to benefit from the successful trial of an enzyme that breaks down the herbicide, atrazine, in run-off water.
CSIRO Entomology's Dr Colin Scott said that atrazine is a widely used and extremely useful herbicide but, depending on its use, can lead to residues that persist in water for sometime after application.
"The enzyme we have developed will reduce the potential for off-farm water contamination by atrazine and this should help provide continued access to it for farmers," he said.
The successful trial was held in the Burdekin sugar growing region near Ayr and the results are promising for reducing contamination in run-off that reaches the Great Barrier Reef.
Collaborators in the trial were the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, James Cook University, and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
For more information see the CSIRO media statement.
Wetlands updates
Connectivity key to environmental health
More than 30 volunteers and community members celebrated the connection between wetlands, other waterways, and the health of an entire catchment area in honour of World Wetland Day (WWD) 2009.
Emu Park Community Bushcare Group and Capricorn Coast Landcare Group, with support from Fitzroy Basin Association Inc. (FBA), joined forces to hold a WWD community celebration in Emu Park on Saturday 21 February.
Interactive kids’ activities, information displays, tree planting and a free barbeque lunch were highlights of the family event at the Emu Park Lagoon—a palustrine wetland.
A Welcome to Country was performed by Bob Muir of the Woppaburra people, and Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Brad Carter officially opened the event.
Celebrated in February every year, WWD marks the date the Ramsar Convention was signed in 1971 to coordinate international wetland conservation efforts.
For more information email FBA Media and Communications Coordinator Jody McDonald or phone 4999 2816.
Natural resources news
Growing your own the way to go
Queensland Conservation is developing the Grow Local SEQ program to help people recession-proof their pantries, and contribute to community sustainability, through the production and consumption of locally grown food in Southeast Queensland.
Grow Local SEQ Campaign Manager, Samantha Morris says growing your own food is good for the environment and the hip pocket, while buying locally grown produce supports local farmers, which in turn means better environmental management on those farms.
Queensland Conservation is bringing together many local food enthusiasts at a community forum being held today, Friday 27 February at Griffith Ecocentre to discuss the regional Grow Local strategy.
If you would like to attend call Samantha at Wombat Creative ASAP on 5538 5109 for more details.
To join the Grow Local SEQ campaign mailing list email Samantha Morris at Wombat Creative or phone 5538 5109.
Mackay Garden hosts International Congress
Mackay Regional Botanic Garden will play host to hundreds of delegates in October, when the Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand (BGANZ) Congress comes to Mackay.
Helen Paulsen, Chair of BGANZ Queensland said Congress is an important event in the calendar of many staff and volunteers of botanic gardens across Australia and New Zealand as it gives BGANZ members the opportunity to hear leaders in the field speak, and to network with peers.
The Congress, hosted by Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, takes place from 8 – 10 October. The theme of the Congress, Plan(e)t Priority: Regional Reality, will allow delegates to explore the significance of regional botanic gardens, and the unique plant resources preserved in regional centres.
Community groups, governments, and companies are invited to support this event as sponsors or exhibitors. A call for papers has been made and closes Friday 6 March. Registration, program and venue details will be available online shortly at Wombat Creative’s website.
For more information email Conference Secretariat, Wombat Creative or phone 5538 5109.
Chickpea course
Expressions of interest are being sought for advisers, agronomists, and farmers to attend a certified chickpea agronomy course in Emerald on 17-18 March.
The courses will be conducted by Pulse Australia in association with the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries (DPI&F), and are designed to provide growers with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to achieve more reliable and profitable chickpea production.
They also explain to growers the science and reasoning behind current Best Management Practice, and provide updates on the latest research and advancements in the chickpea industry.
The course cost (approximately $475) includes all course materials, including a detailed manual, and meals, but excludes accommodation.
Please email Gordon Cumming or phone 0408 923 474 to register your interest.
Further details are available on Pulse Australia’s website.
Innovation on show
Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association (DCCA) is holding an Information Sharing Day in Blackwater on 19 of March to showcase innovative practices across Central Queensland.
The day is designed to share local success stories, hear about changes in practice, and learn about new approaches or trials of little-known practices.
To encourage landholders to showcase their stories, DCCA is offering grants of $1500 and locals from the Boyne Calliope Sub-region (BCSR) are encouraged to take this opportunity to present, as well as attend to learn something new.
Presenters will have 10 minutes to speak and 5 minutes to answer questions.
For more information or if you would like to be involved please contact the BCSR on 4975 6555.
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: Queensland Murray Darling Committee Inc
Title: Borders River Catchment Team Coordinator
Location:Goondiwindi
Contact: A position description can be obtained from the QMDC website or contact Tricia Richter, phone: 4637 6200
Closing date: 5 pm, Friday 6 March 2009
Thought for the week
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Robert Collier
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© The State of Queensland 2009.
Last updated 19 March 2009