Last week we held our first Board meeting for the year, this time in Cummins. It was also the first meeting that our two new Board members attended.

I’m really pleased to welcome Nikki Becker and Cecelia Cox to our Board. Our Board members work collaboratively with us to set the strategic direction and priorities for managing our local landscapes. Find out more about Nikki and Cecelia.

The past few months have also seen some changes to our staff. We’ve said farewell to some valued team members, welcomed new ones and been able to create two new program manager positions in the key areas of water and climate resilience. See the next story for more details.

The first few months of 2024 have been extremely busy for us with lots happening across all our priorities including water management in Coffin Bay, summer pest plant control, fox bait distribution events, community migratory shorebird workshops and deer monitoring.

We’ve also been working on new projects including a focus on threatened Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) Grassy Woodland habitat as well as projects to control feral deer and goats; and eliminating cats and rats on Flinders Island to create a safe haven for threatened species reintroduction.

Another exciting new initiative is the state-wide carbon outreach program that will allow us to work with land managers to increase their knowledge of greenhouse gas emission management and integrate low emissions technologies and practices into their operations. We are looking at opportunities to increase First Nations involvement in all of these initiatives.

We’ll also be opening our Grassroots Grants program for community landscape management projects or events next month. More about that in our next newsletter.

All the best,
Jonathan Clark

General Manager,
Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board

Philippa Schmucker and Perri Hendiks undertaking weed monitoring; and Gemma Marshall.

Our Port Lincoln office has seen two new landscape officers join our team and one return from leave.

Perri Hendriks and Philippa Schmucker both join us with a wide range of experience in the field. Perri previously worked for the Northern and Yorke board while Philippa has supported the local fire management team in the past as well working for our neighbouring Alinytjara Wiluṟara board.

They are both looking forward to working with southern Eyre Peninsula landholders on issues relating to pest and water management, as well as biodiversity issues.

This past month has also seen us welcome back Gemma Marshall into her landscape officer role. Southern EP landholders may have worked with Gemma previously on a range of issues such as pest plant management.

Buffel grass is an invasive summer weed that continues to come up across Eyre Peninsula.

Landholders are encouraged to remain vigilant and we ask for your assistance in the early identification of any new outbreaks.

Buffel grass is an introduced, summer growing perennial pasture grass (growing 0.2-1.5 m high). It’s highly invasive to natural ecosystems, out-competing native species and increasing fire risk, as well as changing fire intensity, and impacting on infrastructure.

Eyre Peninsula is an eradication zone so please be on the lookout for Buffel grass on roadsides, industrial areas and anywhere vehicles park up.

It’s easy to identify at this time of year as it’s bright green when everything else may have browned off, and has distinctive purple seed heads. To report, contact 8688 3200 or your nearest office.

See our factsheet to find out more about Buffel grass including control options.

Our Grassroots Grants program will be opening for applications in late March. These grants support individuals, volunteers, community groups and other organisations working on a not-for-profit basis on local landscape management projects with up to $15,000 available per project.

The funding is available for projects that focus on at least one of our regional priorities of water, sustainable agriculture, pest plants and animals, biodiversity and community.

Last year 15 grants worth $140,000 were awarded for projects or events including including:
• a bush food garden being created at Streaky Bay
• weed control and revegetation at various sites
• agriculture workshops
• interpretive walking trails installed near Whyalla and
• marine educational activities with Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries coming up in April.

Keep an eye out for our next newsletter for application details or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

If you are a landholder looking to modify or build a dam, excavate a drain or watercourse or construct a watercourse crossing, please get in touch with us at least two months before you want to start works.

Permits are needed for these water affecting activities. These are activities that can have adverse impacts on the health and condition of water resources, catchment hydrology, water users and ecosystems that depend on water resources. These water resources include watercourses, lakes or dams, floodplains, groundwater, springs, wetlands, waterholes and catchment landscapes.

Find out more on our water page or get in touch with your closest office.

Geraldine Turner is one of our landscape officers and is happiest when she’s outside, helping to protect and care for our environment. She’s worked in her current role (with a few name alterations) for 20 years and has seen changes to the local landscape as well as to opportunities for women in science during that time.

She says: “I feel lucky to be able to help landholders and the community look after our environment. Threatened species work and on-ground rehabilitation projects take many years to achieve but it is very rewarding once we can actually see change.

“I love working with schools, taking on work experience students and showing them what I do, particularly with young women so they can see that there are many great science-based careers out there.”

Geradline loves working in the field of science and is currently in a team that has more women in it thanks to part-time work now being an option. 

She is one of several women working in science who feature in a landscape boards article to mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science. 

Fox bait distribution days
Local land managers are encouraged to come along to our annual fox bait distribution days which have been held across Eyre Peninsula since mid-February. There are still some locations coming up.

Eastern district

• February 28: 10am at Mangalo Hall and 12pm at Coolanie/Glynn at Jack Curtis' farm house
• February 29: 10am at Darke Peak silos and 1pm at Buckleboo oval
• March 5: 2pm at Rudall Sports Club

Coastal Connections: April 20-21

Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries (EMS) is hosting a two-day event in lower Eyre Peninsula during the April school holidays. Funded by one of our Grassroots Grants, the event is about connecting local coastal communities through activities including supervised snorkelling, kayaking, rockpool exploring and bird watching, based at the Redcliffe campsite near Tumby Bay. See the EMS event information or ticketing details on the SALT Festival website.

• The Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board region extends from Whyalla in the east, along the Gawler Ranges in the north, to the edge of the Nullarbor Plain in the west. There are eight offices within the region. Want to get in touch with us? See our contact page for your nearest office. 
   
• Need to check your stock water? We offer free salinity testing for landholders.
   
• Landholders have responsibility for controlling declared pest plants across the EP. See our pest plant page to find out more about the priority pest plants in our region and control options.
   
• Spot a feral deer, fox, rabbit, cat, goat or wild dog? Report your sighting on FeralScan. See our pest animal page for more details on these pests.
   
• Undertaking works on an existing or new water source? Our Water Affecting Activities page has permit information including application forms and factsheets. We also have a guide for siting, design, construction and management of EP dams.
   
• Want more news about our Agriculture Program? Subscribe to our quarterly Farmers Connect EP newsletter.
   
• Find out what is happening across statewide landscape management on the Landscapes SA website. There is also a regular statewide newsletter.