Landcare NSW and COVID-19, October 2021

A roadmap for easing COVID-19 restrictions has been released by the NSW Government. 

Restrictions have recently been eased and will be further eased when the 80% double-dose vaccination target is reached.

Find out about the path forward for all NSW here: Easing restrictions at 80% full vaccination | NSW Government 

To help you to make informed decisions that affect your Landcare group and its activities, or to just keep updated, please see below to get the most current information. 

Should you have situation specific queries or need advice on developing your COVID Policy for events/field days/etc. we strongly urge you to contact Service NSW who are available 24/7 on 13 77 88 as they will have the most relevant information on hand and will help to guide you through the process. 

USEFUL LINKS: 

Please remember, these change day-to-day, and by LGA, and the information Landcare NSW has comes from these websites so if unsure please go directly to the Service NSW website. 

COVID-19 SAFETY PLANS: 

Your COVID-19 Safety Plan, may also need to be updated and  must address the matters required by the approved COVID-19 Safety Checklist. 

The plans set out what businesses and organisations need to do to fulfil their obligations under public health orders and minimise risk of transmission of COVID-19  

Complete the relevant COVID-19 Safety Plan for your industry. You need to keep a copy of your plan and provide it when asked to an authorised person. 

For more information and guidance: 

Blog: Citizen Science for Spring Fun

We love Citizen Science here at HQ, and indeed all across the Landcare landscape, so that’s why we have compiled some great Citizen Science Projects to keep the spring holidays ‘I’m bored’ comments down to a minimum and help our community explore, appreciate and contribute to great projects across NSW and Australia!

Aussie Backyard Bird Count

Fairy Wren by John McLoughlin

18–24 October 2021

Taking part in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count is easy! Just spend 20 minutes in your favourite outdoor space (and within government restrictions) and tell us about the birds you see during that period. By taking part you’ll help Birdlife Australia understand our local birds, distribution, pests and important insights into their daily lives. The best thing, even if you don’t know much about birds the Birdata web portal and app automatically gives you a list of 30 birds (including pictures!) from your region to get you started.

More here https://aussiebirdcount.org.au/

Great Southern BioBlitz

Whian Whian Landcare Dunoon Tree Planting c. Emma Stone

22-25th October 2021

The goal of the Great Southern Bioblitz is to provide a platform for groups, associations and individuals to encourage engagement in citizen science across the southern hemisphere. Through the online platform iNaturalist, the projects hopes to increase biodiversity awareness and encourage citizens to contribute to the understanding of where plants, animals and fungi occur their distribution.

​All you need to do to contribute is to download the iNaturalist application to your handheld device and make observations within your LGA or within current COVID-19 restrictions over the collection period 22-25th October 2021. More here

HOOT DETECTIVE

Boobook Owl c. David Clode (1)

Closes February 2022

Find owls without leaving home! Listen to audio from the wild across Australia and see if you can hear any owl calls. Hoot Detective is a digital interactive project where anyone around Australia with a connected device can become a citizen scientist.

What does it involve?

Citizen scientists listen to a short 10 second grab of audio that has been pre-selected as having a ‘sound of interest’ in it.  They will then choose the ‘sounds’ found in the audio from a short list, say owl, frogs, insects, koala and more.

More here

COAST SNAP

Coastcare

Ongoing

CoastSnap is a global citizen science project to capture our changing coastlines. No matter where you are in the world, if you have a smartphone and an interest in the coast, you can participate!

CoastSnap relies on repeat photos at the same location to track how the coast is changing over time due to processes such as storms, rising sea levels, human activities and other factors. Using a specialised technique known as photogrammetry, CoastSnap turns your photos into valuable coastal data that is used by coastal scientists to understand and forecast how coastlines might change in the coming decades.

More here

Enigmatic Penrith Platypus Found in Western Sydney

Landcarers in the Mulgoa Valley safeguarding the future of a recently discovered population of platypus have secured Landcare funding to mitigate the impacts of Black Summer fires on the rare species.

With $55,000 from the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants, Mulgoa Landcare – based outside Penrith – will embark on regeneration and restoration work along Schoolhouse Creek and Mulgoa Creek to secure the area against current and future fire impacts, while monitoring water quality and educating nearby communities in protecting the species.

“Over the years, there has been anecdotal stories but with the urban development in the area we just weren’t sure. When we found out there was evidence of platypus in the creeks we were thrilled,” said Mulgoa Landcare Coordinator Lisa Harrold.

By using Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, the group has found indications of Platypus presence along Mulgoa, Schoolhouse and Jerry’s Creeks.

“Drought, followed by bushfire and flooding have led to large scale impacts on platypi populations.

“Platypus are often referred to as ‘indicator species’ – a bit like the ‘canary in the coalmine’ and urban sprawl has significantly impacted waterways and the health of platypus habitat

“A recent study indicates there has been an 18% decline in populations of the iconic species in fire affected areas in the nine months following the bushfires. Add the additional stress of ash in waterways followed by pollutants and sediment in the flooding, and Platypi have had a great deal to contend with.

“Platypi are hardy creatures, but their food source is not. Water invertbrates are incredibly sensitive to water quality so the work being done by Mulgoa Landcare and our greater network and funded by the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants is crucial in supporting their habitat and survival.”

With extensive revegetation and restoration works along riverbanks and landscapes being undertaken over the past 25 years and more to come Lisa says funding, focus and community support are essential in supporting local platypus populations.

“Platypus are declining, and we need to do something about threats to the species before it is too late. The Penrith Platypus Project will help monitor local platypi and commence habitat restoration to secure this population and understand their habitat needs, not just at a local level, but also against current large scale environmental impacts elsewhere. It’s a big task but if you don’t start then you’ll never see improvements.”

Landcare NSW Chair, Stephanie Cameron said the project, funded through the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Fund will ensure that the newly identified platypus populations in Penrith can be supported into the future.

This grants program is jointly managed by Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network, delivered in conjunction with the relevant State and Territory Landcare organisations.

The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery project has been supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.

LANDCARE NSW AND TRANSPORT FOR NSW BUSHFIRE REVEGETATION PROJECT PLANTS OVER 30,000 TREES

Landcarers across NSW have planted over 30,000 trees as part of the Landcare NSW and Transport for NSW Bushfire Revegetation funding.

All planted within 50km of a bushfire affected zone, Landcare NSW Operations Manager, John McLoughlin, says the project was just another way Landcare is helping support projects that assist native flora and fauna back to health.

“The past two years have significantly affected our landscapes and our community. Our Landcare NSW community have done incredible work in supporting our landscapes in response to the destruction. Whether maintaining existing refuges, pest control so native species can recover, or revegetation works like tree planting they’ve been inspiring. This project is just one of the many ways they have helped,” says John.

“Indeed, many revegetation projects in the Northern Rivers were badly affected by the floods and so this funding helped repair the existing sites that were affected by both.”

Spread throughout all of NSW from Northern NSW hinterland to the Alpine regions, 28 Landcare NSW Member Groups put up their hand to plant trees by the end of June and despite COVID they rose to the challenge.

“The Landcare NSW & Transport for NSW Bushfire Revegetation Funding has been highly successful with 31,988 trees planted by 23 bushfire impacted community organisations across NSW. Our groups originally were planting 27,765 but there was a groundswell movement with many reporting in-kind plantings bringing our total to nearly 32,000!”

The plantings were held across 110 sites to ensure landscape scale restoration and a diversity of both geographic areas and native species benefiting for the project. Approximately over 300 different species endemic to the local landscape were planted as part of the project.

“Many of the trees planted will help support threatened species throughout NSW who are struggling in response to the bushfires. These include the glossy black cockatoo, koalas, glider species and flora and fauna. By investing in the further rehabilitation and development of local biodiversity this funding will ensure that threatened species are supported to recover.”

Whian Whian Landcare Group Member and Border Ranges Richmond Valley Local Landcare Coordinator, Emma Stone, said the funding was welcomed with open arms, with the flexibility being its strongest asset.

“This project had a target of 3,500 trees but with there was such fantastic support for the revegetation ventures that we achieved more and planted 4,668 trees in the ground.

“The project supported plantings on 17 properties which was nearly 50% of the Whian Whian Landcare membership and has really strengthened morale and motivation within the group with landholders working together to achieve the target.

“Our biggest focus is supporting existing species to recovery as well as planting next to existing corridors to provide species protection for animals such as the koala.

“There has already been expressions of interest to plant further trees and explore further opportunities like the Bushfire Revegetation Project and help our native wildlife recover!”

Habitat Hops creating connections into the future

Habitat connectivity and high on-farm productivity can often be at odds but one Landcare group in southern NSW is ensuring that landholders guide the way for the ‘habitat hops’ across their landscape, big or small, to ensure that farms remain financially viable and environmentally sustainable.

Although in its early stages, the Burrinjuck to Bango Habitat Hops Project, funded through the Environmental Trust, is connecting different members of the community to connect habitat corridors across their region.

From small ‘blockies’ to larger landholders, the project stretches from Bango Nature Reserve to the Burrinjuck Dam, connecting crucial habitat corridors for threatened flora and fauna species.

Project Coordinator and Bowning-Bookham Landcare member, Ms Elizabeth Goodfellow, says the project’s main focus is about supporting the local ecological communities including the endangered Box Gum Grassy Woodland.

“The Box Gum Grassy Woodland is spread across a large area of NSW but is highly fragmented. With the support of this project, we’ve put in 10,000 tubestock on 30 tree plots in between Burrinjuck and Bango across 12 different properties to help support this ecosystem,” says Elizabeth.

Planted just before and during the recent drought, Elizabeth said the project’s success lay in landholders having an unique plan for each property and a plant survival rate of 80% or more in spite of the drought.

“Each property that worked in the project came up with a plan of where they wanted to do tree planting and what funding and support would help implement the plan. It definitely wasn’t without its challenges, but we tried to make it as easy as possible.

“The benefit of this project is it is a lot more flexible in what you can do on-farm. We can support anything from simply fencing of paddock trees as well as small lots to shelter belts hundreds of metres long, these are are all part of it. Comparatively, a lot of the other projects require big areas to be included in your tree plots. So, by making this a bit more flexible regarding size we’ve been able to make sure we get both that on-farm productivity as well as the environmental benefits.

“The funding, provided by the Environmental Trust, helped move the project from ‘nice thing to do’ to being ‘doable’”.

While investing in lizards, bugs and birds may not seem to have a big imprint in the everyday fabric of our lives and farms, these all play a crucial role in supporting the overall health of our environment and subsequently our individual health and wellbeing.

“Biodiversity is the variety of all living things; the different plants, animals and microorganisms, the genetic information they contain and the ecosystems they form. So, by creating these habitat connections, we are creating a stronger, more resilient bio-diverse environment. This leads to happier and healthier farms. Productivity goes up, water quality improves, beneficial species return, this all leads to greater health in the landscape.

“While in the short term we are counting the numbers of tube stock on the ground, we are also growing a community of people who are interested in looking after the environment together and making sure that we have a healthy landscape that is going to be looking after us well into the future.”

One of the biggest flow-on effects, Elizabeth says, is the increased involvement of individual landholders connecting with local Landcare through the project.

“(The project) has helped a whole bunch of new people into our Landcare group. We gained new people who saw the benefits for their properties in being involved in this project and hopefully they will be involved in other projects into the future as well,” says Elizabeth.

With another 3 years of funding secured to ensure the project continues, the future is looking bright and working towards a time where participants and community members will be able to once more stand on Bookham Hill and see habitat hops stretching across the landscape.

2022 MINI MUSTER – HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF LANDCARE NSW

MUSTER TIMING: The  2022 Muster will  be held prior to the NSW Landcare and Local Land Services Conference in Tweed Heads on the 15th March 2022 at Twin Towns Tweed Heads  (8:30am – 12:30pm).

INTENT OF LANDCARE MUSTER

The Musters and Mini Muster brings grassroots Landcarers together to discuss the strategic direction of Landcare in NSW and its peak body, Landcare NSW. The Muster is open to all regardless of membership with Landcare NSW. Hosting a Mini Muster enables regions to discuss issues of importance and provide advice to Landcare NSW without having to attend the State Muster, however they are always optional.

MUSTER AND MINI MUSTER PROCESS

In previous years, regional Mini Musters were organised to extract topics for discussion at the main Muster. This paper is being provided to feed into your regional Mini Muster. Mini Musters are optional and can be at the discretion of the region through whatever format suits your region addressing COVID concern (e.g. online, survey. email etc).  Landcare NSW welcomes feedback from any region who would like to discuss the topics and provide their direction to Landcare NSW. If your region/group hosts a Mini Muster and wants to provide feedback to Landcare NSW please send your feedback to Deb Tkachenko, dtkachenko@landcarensw.org.au by the end of February 2022.

The topics of discussion for both Mini Muster and State Muster in Tweed Heads will be the same topics (see below). Both the Mini and State Musters will encourage discussion of topics in groups.  Three different areas of discussion have been nominated as below. (Of course,  groups and regions can nominate additional topics at your discretion and these can be passed onto Landcare NSW).

  1. Landcare Expertise. What matters most at the grassroots level? (40 mins)

Landcare NSW has set its current strategic direction at building the skills, competencies and abilities of the Landcare movement, our capability.

Discuss what you think are the key needs/interests at a grassroots level.  For example:

  • Regenerative Agriculture – How can Landcare NSW help in this space?
  • Embracing Aboriginal Culture and Heritage  – What can Landcare NSW do?
  • Seed collection and seed propagation – how can this be better organised in NSW with Local Government?
  • Professional Business Support – What do you as Landcarer’s want Landcare NSW to do to meet the needs of grass roots volunteers.
  1. Working Better Together – Partnerships (40 mins)

Landcare NSW identifies the value of partnerships as key to success, we collaborate and work together and that is how we get things done.

  • What are the important relationships at a grassroots level? (eg;. LGAs, Rotary, Lions, other environmental and natural resource management groups, local businesses, sponsorship)
  • What relationships should be developed at a State Level?
  • How do you foster a good partnership – what are the ingredients for good partnerships and how can Landcare NSW help?
  1. Its all about the Volunteers (40 mins)

Landcare NSW is a member centric organisation, that works to build the position profile and presence of Landcare NSW and Landcare in NSW at the State level. 

  • What do you suggest Landcare NSW needs to do to help grassroots Landcarers care for their volunteers? What is missing in the current model or could be improved?
  • What strategies do you think Landcare NSW should develop to assist you to attract volunteers to you local groups?
  • What makes your volunteers happy?

Each muster discussion topic should consider what it wants Landcare NSW to do to help and articulate this as an action.

ALIGNMENT WITH LANDCARE NSW DIRECTION

This is an opportunity for grassroots Landcare to provide direction and advice on the strategic direction of Landcare NSW. This muster aims to enable Landcare in NSW to look forward.

New to our community?

Find out about the Landcare NSW Muster here and how this event helps shape the direction of Landcare NSW and Landcare in NSW.

Hasting Hollows Project to bring species back from the brink

Threatened species in the Hastings region will now be better supported back to recovery thanks to a project led by Hastings Landcare.

Hollows in the Hastings, funded by the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grant Program funding, will help install 190 nest boxes and hollows across 19 different properties in the region.

Camera monitoring and data analysis of species occupying the hollows will help guide future installations says Hastings Local Landcare Coordinator Stephen Allwood.

“Threatened species recovery is a slow process, particularly for hollow dwelling species. Hollows can take up to and over 100 years to naturally form, so nest boxes and artificial hollows will help recovery efforts in areas where many old growth trees were lost during the bushfires.

“The loss of hollow bearing trees is listed as a key threatening process in NSW with additional contributing factors to the ongoing loss of hollows including bushfires, development, land clearing and forest harvesting,” says Stephen.

“This project will help support threatened owl species such as the powerful owl, masked owl, sooty owl and barking owl while our smaller ‘prey’ boxes have the potential to help additional threatened species such as yellow-bellied glider, squirrel glider, greater glider and micro bat species.

“We are looking for landholders interested in taking part in the project and installing nest boxes on their properties to support native populations.”

Hastings Birdwatchers Representative, Sue Proust, says the project is about supporting habitat and providing education about local species.

“This project is a fantastic opportunity to not only create vital habitat but create greater awareness of the significance of natural hollows and the need to preserve them. Large hollows suitable for owl species can take hundreds of years to form!” said Sue.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Environmental Scientist, Dr Alexandra Knight, says the collaboration between Hastings Landcare, its wider network and CSU will help understand and support the species who use the boxes.

“Understanding the thermal properties of nest boxes greatly contributes to effectiveness and use by wildlife. I look forward to working with Hastings Landcare and building our relationship to better support local wildlife back to recovery.”

The Hastings Hollows Project is part of a wider project across the North Coast where hollows will be monitored by Landcare groups to establish valuable data, improve future nest box projects and provide significant information on particular species.

This Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Project has been supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.

If you are interested in being involved in this project, Expressions of Interest will be open very soon. For more information, please contact Hastings Landcare on 0467864465.

North Coast Regional Landcare appoints first ‘Aboriginal Landcare Officer’

Landcare on the North Coast is embarking on a first for the state, with the appointment of the first Aboriginal Landcare Officer in their network.

The new Aboriginal Landcare Officer position will provide support to Aboriginal groups, North Coast Landcare networks and Landcare groups to co-design collaborative activities that build capacity and partnerships – with a particular focus on projects that can assist with bushfire habitat recovery.

Funding from the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program will support the position and strengthen Landcare-Aboriginal partnerships on the North Coast as part of the project, ‘CountryCare: Landcare-Indigenous partnerships building pathways towards eco-cultural bushfire recovery’.

Regional Landcare Coordinator for the North Coast, Josh Keating, says understanding for the need for the position arose from a Regional Community of Practice workshop, funded through the NSW Landcare Program, which highlighted the opportunities to connect and strengthen ties between the local Landcare community and Aboriginal groups and organisations.

“Landcare sees common objectives in the environmental work it does and the land management activities many Aboriginal organisations undertake,” says Josh.

“With bushfires ravaging our community this project and position will ensure that both communities have a great opportunity to engage with one another and share knowledge and experience for mutual learning.

“The things that Landcare can offer to Aboriginal communities include capacity building and increasing knowledge of technical skills regarding environmental management. Whereas Aboriginal groups can provide cultural knowledge and locally specific information that helps Landcarers understand how they can better manage their land. This will strengthen all our works in supporting our local environment and communities.

“For that reason, the idea of working together and sharing ideas, knowledge and doing joint projects is a core focus of this position.

This partnership project will collaborate with the NSW Landcare Program’s ‘Working Together’ Aboriginal Engagement Program to build on the existing relationships between Landcare and Aboriginal organisations across the North Coast.

“The program largely stems from the recognition that Aboriginal communities are the original “Landcarers” and we are all focused on caring for the land, environment and communities in our region.

“Engaging with First Nations groups is an area where greater understanding, co-design partnerships and collaborative initiatives will maximise the effectiveness of regional-scale bushfire recovery programs in the long-term.”

‍The project will partner with Landcare NSW, Aboriginal organisations and the Landcare networks across the North Coast to help achieve the critical long-term bushfire recovery outcomes and build the capacity and connections between local Aboriginal community organisations and the North Coast Landcare community.

NSW Landcare Program Community Landcare Aboriginal Engagement Officer, Craig Aspinall, says he hopes the role will be the first of many for Landcare networks, with mutual learning and understanding of environmental management and sustainability a key focus of Landcare and Aboriginal connection to Country.

 

“We called the Aboriginal Landcare Program “Working Together” for a reason! Collaboration means co-design, a true partnership, sharing, respecting. It is imperative that Landcare not only ‘talks the talk’ but also ‘walks the walk’ with Aboriginal people, gives them a voice, makes connections and supports the aspirations of Aboriginal communities in managing Country”, says Craig.

CountryCare: Landcare-Indigenous partnerships building pathways towards eco-cultural bushfire recovery is part of the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Program. This project is being supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.

Landcarers asked to report frog deaths in eastern Australia

Photo courtesy of Sophie Hendry – Brown Skin L. Caerula

Since June 2021, people have been coming across sick and dead frogs in eastern Australia from Rockhampton south, through eastern NSW and down to Victoria. A number of species have been affected including the Green Tree Frog and Peron’s Tree Frog, both species that are commonly seen close to or in our homes.

Initially, it was surmised that this was a result of the cold snap at the start of winter and frogs were succumbing to another wave of the deadly amphibian chytrid fungus which has been the cause of frogs deaths and extinctions around the globe since the 1970s. However, with reports of deaths still coming in scientists have realised this outbreak has the potential to severely affect frog numbers around eastern Australia and are investigating further. Outbreaks of similar magnitudes to what we may be seeing have previously altered food webs permanently in other parts of the world, impacting reptile and bird populations through loss of prey.

The Australian Museum and Australian Registry of Wildlife Health are leading the investigation with help from vets, regionally based amphibian researchers and frog-lovers around Australia. However, they are calling upon help from all Australians to report frog deaths, and uncover the cause.

There are two ways you can assist these efforts. If you see a dead frog, then you should report it. You can send information on dead frogs to the national citizen science project FrogID (run by the Australian Museum) using the email calls@frogid.net.au. Include details of the location and any photos that you have. If possible, please bag the specimen and freeze it, and let the Australian museum know in your email. When lock downs ease, the team hopes to organise collection of these for microbial autopsies to be performed, to better understand the cause of these deaths. Sick frogs should be taken to your local vet. Signs of sickness include being slow to move, thin, and having discoloured skin (lighter or darker than usual). Some frogs have been observed with red bellies, red feet and sloughed skins. Remember it’s always important to wear disposable nitrile or latex gloves when handling frogs regardless of their health.

Another way people can greatly contribute to the investigation is to get outside and record healthy frog calls throughout spring. We are lucky to have over 240 different frog species in Australia all playing an important role in the ecosystem.  Frogs are also important environmental indicators, providing humans with messages about the state of our water, habitat and even our soil quality.

As we move into Spring and the weather warms up it’s important to know where we still have healthy and diverse populations of frogs. The easiest way for Landcarers to contribute to this knowledge is using the Australian Museum’s FrogID app https://www.frogid.net.au/ . This great app has information about all of Australia’s frogs in it.  Using the app, you can record your local frog calls, and upload them to be identified by a frog expert. The records will be saved in a national database, and you will receive an email identifying the frogs you have heard.  It’s also heaps of fun.

Dr Alexandra Knight, Charles Sturt University, Port Macquarie.  aknight@csu.edu.au

August Update – The Governance Project: Connecting Up Landcare

Landcare NSW is currently undertaking a Governance Project to review the governance system and ‘connect up’ the many elements that make up the Landcare NSW community.

Work began in late 2020 with extensive research to understand the current system and identify areas for reform. There has been in depth discussion with the Council of Landcare NSW and engagement with the Landcare community via online regional workshops. There is broad-based support for the project all across the State.

Landcare NSW thanks the regional leaders who have engaged in the process so far for their valuable feedback and insights. In response to members feedback, the propositions for change have evolved to ensure the system is co-designed with input from the Landcare community.

Engagement will continue in the coming months with a second round of regional consultations led by Landcare NSW Chair Steph Cameron to ensure everyone feels comfortable moving forward and to work through the remaining issues with a couple of regions.

The project is being facilitated by Randall Pearce of Think Insight Advice. Randall consults to not-for-profit organisations across Australia and has worked with Landcare NSW since 2014.

All feedback is welcome and we encourage all Landcarers, especially those on committees and in leadership roles, to engage with this project. If you have questions or comments, please contact administration@landcarensw.org.au