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Healthy soils webinar series |
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The Limestone Coast Landscape Board invites you to join us for a series of FREE webinars to assist land holders, primary producers, advisors and anyone wanting to improve their understanding of soils in the Limestone Coast.
These free Healthy Soil webinar series will be presented by the following highly respected speakers:
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Dr Melissa Fraser - Senior Soils Consultant - PIRSA Rural Solutions
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Amanda Schapel - Senior Soils Consultant - PIRSA Rural Solutions
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Claire Dennerly - Sustainable Agriculture Consultant - PIRSA Rural Solutions
Webinar 2: What makes a soil fertile?
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Date: Wednesday 2 June
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Time: 7 pm - 8 pm
Webinar 3: Soil carbon and biology
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Date: Wednesday 23 June
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Time: 7 pm - 8 pm
Register on Eventbrite.
More information can be found on the Limestone Coast Landscape Board website.
If you have already registered for the Healthy Soils Webinar series, you will automatically receive invitations to upcoming webinars as well as email links to past webinars - there is no need to register again.
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Media and Communication online workshops |
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Mackillop Farm Management Group, with support from the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, are hosting three Media and Communication webinars in June.
Paddock to YouTube - taking useful videos with your phone
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Date: Thursday 3 June
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Time: 2 pm - 4 pm
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Presenter: Julie While and Jessica Green - Tocal College
Learn how to use Zoom effectively
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Date: Thursday 10 June
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Time: 2 pm - 4 pm
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Presenter: Dr John James - Enablers of Change
Branding and design workshop
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Date: Thursday 17 June
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Time: 2 pm - 4 pm
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Presenter: Ben Hood - Hello Friday
Registrations are essential! Workshops are open only to participants working in agriculture in the Limestone Coast.
More information can be found on the MFMG website.
This project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program
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Breakfast with Kate |
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Do you own a business within primary production? If you do, why not join Kate Carnell as she talks about understanding resources available to small business and how this adds value to your business. She will also share some of her successes from her five years as Small Business Ombudsman.
Kate’s knowledge will be valuable to anyone who owns a business, leads or works in a business or is considering opening a business. You do not want to miss this rare opportunity to listen to Kate as she visits Mount Gambier.
Rachel Leonow from nbn™ will present on the new Business Fibre Initiative and how this can directly benefit your businesses digital connectivity and capability.
Tickets are limited due to COVID-19 restrictions so we suggest booking early to avoid missing out!
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When – Wednesday 9 June
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Where – Commodore on the Park
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Time – 7:00 am – 9:00 am
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Cost – Members: $25 (WiBRD or Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce) Non-member: $30
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Weeds to watch out for! |
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Now is the ideal time to start planning control of the following winter weeds on your property:
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Salvation Jane (Echium plantagineum)
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Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
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Variegated thistle (Silybum marianum)
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African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum)
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Asparagus weeds such as bridal veil (Asparagus declinatus), asparagus fern (Asparagus scandens) and bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides)
Identifying pest plants correctly is key to planning an integrated control program. Contact your local Limestone Coast Landscape Board Landscape Officer for control advice or the Limestone Coast Landscape Board in Mount Gambier on 8735 1204 or Keith 8755 1620 or visit the Limestone Coast Landscape Board website.
The SA Weed Control app and PIRSA Weed Control Handbook are also useful tools for you to use.
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Biochar and Timber Post Plant Tour |
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Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator, Eykolina Benny, looking at Biochar with Greg Butler from the No-Till Farmers Association
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South Australian No-Till Farmers Association Research and Development Manager, Greg Butler, recently spoke at a successful Biochar and Timber Post Plant Tour at Roundwood Solutions about the benefits of biochar for forestry, crops and livestock.
Key points about Biochar (sourced from the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment):
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Biochar is a stable, carbon-rich form of charcoal that is applied to soil
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Some biochars can increase soil fertility, water holding capacity and crop productivity
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Adding biochar to soil increases its carbon content and could help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions
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Research shows that biochars derived from grasses or crops appear to have the best balance of agricultural benefit and carbon stability
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Biochars derived from grass, wood, and biosolids have been shown to raise wheat germination rates by about five per cent
The Biochar in the Carbon Drawdown Decade ANZ Biochar Conference 2021 conference will be held from Tuesday 5 October to Thursday 7 October.
This project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government's Landcare Program
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Our Changing Landscape - Photo Competition is now OPEN |
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The Limestone Coast (LC) Landscape Board’s annual photo competition is now open.
Entries should focus on and tell us something about sustainable primary production, water, biodiversity, plants and animals in our changing landscape.
Entry is free and are welcome in traditional still photography and social media, with under 18 and open age groups.
To enter send us your best still photo to lclandscapeboardengage@sa.gov.au or share on social media by liking our pages and posting to our Facebook or Instagram pages using the hashtags #LCLBphotocomp and the additional hashtag #U18 if you are under 18.
Competition closes 30 June 2021
More information about 'Our Changing Landscape' photo competition on the LC Landscape Board website.
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Farm Forestry Field Days a great success |
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Landcare Association of South Australia (LASA), Farm Forestry Landcare Network, Coorong District Council and the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board partnered together to
present two farm forestry field days on properties at Meningie and Karoonda.
Australia’s agroforestry expert, Rowan Reid, was the guest presenter, taking participants through demonstrations and the importance of managing plantations by thinning and pruning to promote better growth around the girth of plantation trees.
Rowan also spoke about the different qualities of different tree species and how agroforestry can be included in farming systems.
Wayne Brown provided a portable timber milling demonstration on the Meningie woodlot site.
Local landholders in Sherlock and Karoonda took participants through some farm forestry field trials and how Farm Forestry has been integrated into their whole farm planning.
More information about these Farm Forestry Field Days can be found on the LASA website.
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2021 National Landcare Conference |
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The 2021 National Landcare Conference brings together landcare groups and volunteers, landholders and farmers, Indigenous land and sea managers, landcare facilitators and coordinators, educators, research agencies, natural resource management professionals, and all community environmental groups and individuals to share insights, learn and connect.
You can attend the event in Sydney or register as an online delegate. Due to COVID-19, we understand that many people may not travel to Sydney this year so we will bring the conference to you! We will live stream and record the sessions, and also publish the posters and abstract papers on our Landcarer platform. During the conference online delegates will have an opportunity to connect and engage with each other to discuss the content. The online registration is free.
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Weeding African lovegrass by example! |
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Inspections of African lovegrass were carried out by Limestone Coast Landscape Board Authorised Officers
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African lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) is a hardy weed that produces large, unpalatable tussocks of low nutritional value to livestock and displaces productive plants in pastures.
Our Limestone Coast Landscape Officers have undertaken a targeted control program treating over 100 ha along 430 km of roadside providing greater protection to farms and stopping the spread of African lovegrass.
The targeted campaign aimed to contain infestations in the upper area of the region and prevent further infestations in the lower region establishing.
Transport corridors and stock movement are a main pathway for this weed to be spread.
The best time to control African lovegrass is in November and our Landscape Officers can provide information and advice on how to manage weeds on your property.
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Get involved!
AgConnect promotes the latest sustainable agricultural news and events across the Limestone Coast. If you have an upcoming event or agricultural news you would like to share contact us:
Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitators:
Skylea Mclean: skylea.mclean@sa.gov.au
Eykolina Benny: eykolina.benny@sa.gov.au
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