NVC HAS A YOU TUBE VIDEO!

We are very pleased to announce that the Native Vegetation Council (NVC) has produced an inaugural video on YouTube. This 18 minute production explains who they are, what they do and how. It shows the diversity of backgrounds and experience that makes up the Council.

It is hosted on the DEWNR Channel and can be accessed via this Link

Council members serve two year terms and can renominate. In the next issue we will introduce the composition of the NVC till 2017.

FAQ - NATIVE VEGETATION ASSESSMENT PANEL

A new information sheet has been created to assist our clients to understand what the Native Vegetation Assessment Panel does and their processes. This can be found on the native vegetation pages of DEWNR under ‘Related links’ on the right-hand side at this linked page Native Vegetation Assessment Panel 

WE WERE A HIT AT LANDCARE!

The session that the Native Vegetation Management Unit held at the recent State Landcare Conference in Waikerie was so popular they wanted a repeat.

We began with an introduction by the NVC Presiding Member followed by an overview of the current work being undertaken by the Native Vegetation Management Unit. The staff then facilitated three sessions on biodiversity offsets, clearance regulations and incentive schemes.

The Native Vegetation Council was a sponsor of the Biodiversity theme at the Conference.

CLEARANCE REGISTER UPDATED

There is a public register of applications for consent to clear native vegetation that must be made available, plus be put on a website. The existing register has recently been updated.

We have discovered that this register is also used to demonstrate sustainable land management as part of the criteria for exporting to Europe! You can find back registers and the new one via this link Clearance application register 

HABITAT for NATIVE BEES RESEARCH

The University of Adelaide and State Government recently announced a $600,000 pilot program to help build South Australia’s bee populations.  Native plants and food production of orchards and crops rely on bee pollination.

Collaborators include the Native Vegetation Council, Lucerne Australia, Apple and Pear Growers of SA, the Almond Board, the Adelaide Mount Lofty and SA Murray Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Boards, Horticulture Innovation Australia, Trees for Life, Greening Australia and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.

Introduced honey bees currently provide 60% of the pollination of crops with the rest provided by commercial honeybees and native bees. Little work has been done to assess the contribution of native bees to crop pollination.

The project aims to retain and restore native vegetation that bees need to thrive, and to future-proof bee-dependent primary industries against threats to bees such as climate change and varroa mite.

The varroa mite is not yet in Australia but has decimated feral honey bee populations overseas. Native bees are not affected by the mite.

 Research will initially be conducted on revegetation and native vegetation of the Adelaide Hills region. You can read more Here 

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