You’re receiving this newsletter because you signed up for it

Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser. | Click here to unsubscribe.

Catchment News

19 December 2012

 

 

 

FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NATIVE HABITAT

UNIQUE SPOT: Corangamite CMA's Chelsey Langley, land owner Grant Hickey and Federal Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman visit Mr Hickey's Dreeite property.

 

Dreeite land owner Grant Hickey says a decision to lock up a patch of native vegetation and control grazing practices on his property was reaping benefits for his farm and the environment.

Mr Hickey received funding through the Federal Government’s Victorian Volcanic Plains funding scheme to protect remnant vegetation.

A new $2 million federal funding scheme is now available to Corangamite landholders through the Conservation and Carbon Capture Program, which funds new revegetation projects as well as existing remnant patches.

The project is available for land managers willing to protect existing wetlands or vegetation, undertake their own revegetation project, or associated conservation work.

Work could include revegetation projects, creating wildlife corridors, fencing to exclude stock, protecting old paddock trees, pest plant and animal control, strategic grazing or hydrology restoration projects.

The program also provides landholders an opportunity to transition into gaining carbon credits.

Mr Hickey, a beef farmer, encouraged farmers to consider investing in a conservation project through the Conservation and Carbon Capture Program.

Mr Hickey has carried out work to manage pest plants and animals and altered stock access to allow a native area to naturally regenerate. His actions have had a big impact on native plants, such as tree violets, returning to the Stony Knolls region.

“I’ve seen great results, and this is such a unique area so I think it’s important we protect it,” Mr Hickey said.

For more information on the Conservation and Carbon Capture Project, click here. Or contact the Corangamite CMA’s Chelsey Langley on 5232 9100 or email chelsey.langley@ccma.vic.gov.au.

 

 

 

COMMUNITY CAPTURES LANDSCAPE CHANGE

A new initiative will help Corangamite region land managers track landscape changes over time using photographs.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority with Victoria University has established a Fluker Post research program in Lorne, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet and Torquay.

The program is a community-based environmental monitoring system where people submit photos taken from the post to track how a project site changes over time.

The posts are located at Torquay’s Rocky Point and Yellow Bluff, Aireys Inlet along Painkalac Creek and near the lighthouse, Anglesea’s Fairylands and along Anglesea River and along Lorne Point.

The posts are named after Victoria University’s Dr Martin Fluker who developed the idea to improve the accuracy of photo point monitoring.

Corangamite CMA coastal projects officer Jannes Demetrious said the project relied on the community involvement.

“We want to see people get behind this because it’s a great way for land managers to keep track of what’s happening at these sites,” he said.

“We hope to see a decrease in weedy vegetation and we can document any erosion if it’s occurring.

“It is a great way for all members of the community to have input in to an environmental project because all they need to do is take a photo and email it in.”

The posts are on Surf Coast Shire and the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee managed land.

The initiative is funded through the Corangamite CMA’s Coastal Tender program, which is funded by the Australian Government. This program has has funded numerous environmental work across the region.

People can see the images on the Corangamite CMA Facebook page.

 

 

 

LANDCARE FORUM SHOWCASED REGION

The Corangamite region showcased the conservation work happening across our catchment while hosting the annual Victorian Landcare Forum last month.

About 130 Landcare professionals, volunteers and natural resource management representatives came together to share ideas and learn from industry experts during the two-day forum at Geelong’s Four Points Sheraton.

The theme was Living and learning together and focussed on the growing interest in sustainable living.

Workshop topics included working with coastal communities and protecting marine parks, carbon farming, social media in Landcare and the use of farm planning tools.

The group could choose from field trips to:

• Bellarine’s Ramsar Wetlands for a catchments for coast discussion

• Modewarre and Deans Marsh for a sustainable agriculture session about soils and agroforestry

• Barabool Hills to learn about on-farm systems management and best practices in the Geelong region

• Victoria's Volcanic Plains farmlands for a productive Landcare session.

Corangamite Regional Landcare coordinator Tracey McCrae said the forum was a success.

“Landcarers in our region are achieving so many great things so it was great to be able to share what they’re doing with others across the state,” she said.

“It was great to see people sharing information and ideas as this really builds confidence among the groups to expand on work they’re already doing in their regions.

“This forum had a real focus on sustainable living and how we can combine this with a productive and resilient agriculture industry.”

 

 

 

GRANT FOR YOUNG LANDCARE CHAMPIONS

LANDCARE CHAMPIONS: Birregurra Primary School students will learn about the environment with help from a Coranmgamite CMA Sue Hickey Memorial Grant. 


Students from Birregurra, Deans Marsh, Forrest and Winchelsea primary schools will take part in a regional Landcare Champions program thanks to a Corangamite Catchment Management Authority Sue Hickey Memorial Grant.

The Sue Hickey Memorial Grant offers funding for training, study and other forms of learning related to environment volunteer work.

The Upper Barwon Landcare Network, one of six grant recipients for 2012 sharing in $10,000 funding, will use its grant to fund a Landcare Champions Program in 2013 at four district primary schools.

Birregurra Primary School’s Landcare Champions group is already established. The group has been testing water quality in the Barwon River and Birregurra Creek and working with Birregurra Community Group members planting trees along the creek. The champions program also includes a visit to the Earth Sanctuary at Little River.

Corangamite CMA chief executive Gareth Smith congratulated this year’s successful recipients and said he was impressed with the quality of the applications.

Corangamite CMA celebrated the grant’s 10-year anniversary in August, highlighting the work of previous recipients.

In the past decade the grant has helped 39 community groups, schools and individuals, with nearly $100,000 passed on to recipients.

This year the successful recipients will use the funds for study tours, attending environment related conferences and horse management courses to improve biodiversity management.

Other 2012 grant recipients include:

• Ballarat Christian College will take a group of Year Nine students to the International Water Conference

• A Greening Australia representative will attend a Limnology Conference at the University of New England 

• Lismore Land Protection Group will use its grant for a study tour

• Camperdown Timboon Rail Trail Committee of Management will use its grant for a study tour

• Surf Coast and Inland Plains Network will conduct a responsible horse management course to improve biodiversity management.

 

 

 

INTEREST IN COASTAL SALTMARSH PROJECT

PROTECTION: The threatened saltmarsh vegetation along Victoria's coastline will be protected through the Victorian and Australian Government-funded Saltmarsh Protection Project.

A project which protects the habitat of one of Victoria’s most threatened birds has generated strong interest from coastal land managers living on and near saltmarsh vegetation.

The $1 million Saltmarsh Protection Project has received 76 expressions of interest and a potential 2063 hectares of saltmarsh up for protection along Victoria’s coastline.

The response from both public and private land managers has eclipsed targets set for the project, a positive sign for the threatened Orange-bellied Parrot which relies on the saltmarsh habitat for survival.

There are about only 50 Orange-bellied Parrots remaining in the wild. These parrots spend their winter months at sites along Victoria’s coast feeding on plants in and around coastal saltmarsh communities.

Land managers who take part in the project, a jointly-funded Australian and Victorian government initiative, can receive funding by signing up to preserve the critical habitat under a five-year agreement.

Project manager Polly Matthews said interest in the project had been high because of a targeted approach directly to coastal land managers, which had helped increase awareness and education of the threatened saltmarsh vegetation.

“People have been very responsive to this project and willing to get involved, not only for the financial incentive but for the conservation benefits, which has been a great outcome,” she said.

“Generally people are interested in doing the right thing for the environment and when it’s on their own property, they’re more likely to want to learn more about what they’re doing and see great results. We hope this translates into a long-term conservation interest.”

Matthews said the project’s oversubscription would hopefully attract future government investment to enable all value-for-money project sites to be funded.

Corangamite CMA is managing the project in partnership with Glenelg Hopkins CMA, Port Phillip Westernport CMA and West Gippsland CMA.

 

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON NATIVE FISH PROJECT

Corangamite CMA’s new YouTube clip highlights the river restoration work being done along Gosling Creek in aid of protecting a threatened native fish.

The Gosling Creek Restoration Project is a State Government funded initiative targeting landholders and aims to improve water quality in the catchment’s rivers and creeks.

The project has resulted in 4000 native trees planted, covering two hectares of streamside frontage, and includes fencing to prevent stock access to the waterway and erosion.

Dwarf Galaxias live in a wetland at the bottom of the creek, one of the few remaining sites of the rare little native fish.

To check out the video, visit the Corangamite CMA’s YouTube Channel.

 

 

 

SEE WHAT ANIMALS COME OUT AT NIGHT

Families can take part in a night walk these holidays and learn about the native animals which roam the bush after dark.

Barongarook Landcare Group is running a Creatures of the Night session on January 11 at Barongarook.

Pete the Possum Man will host a spotlight tour in search of nocturnal native animals, like the Fat-tailed Dunnart pictured, and share stories of his bush adventures.

To take part people must book by calling 0414 560 296 (Mon-Wed).

 

 

 

Forward this email to a friend. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe.