Private Land Conservation Matters (PLCM)

Private Land Conservation Matters (PLCM) project

– Suzanne Pritchard, LNSW Project Manager

The Private Land Conservation Matters (PLCM) project is ramping up with events planned and rolling out across the state in 12 Landcare regions. The Biodiversity Conservation Trust funded project is making possible 69 field days, eight networking events, 21 workshops, three forums, four trials and four online webinars.

The main themes being addressed across the project include sharing best practice biodiversity conservation in production areas, caring for Country, bush regeneration strategies, riparian restoration and habitat management for flora, fauna, endangered communities, and individual species.

These themes have translated into events such as the recently held 2-day Fire Focus Forum, hosted by Gywmac Landcare, Threatened Species Investigation in the McDonald Valley hosted by Greater Sydney Landcare, the jam-packed Creek Feast day organised by Watershed Landcare, celebrating all aspects of riparian restoration, and the Conservation & Primary Production Field day hosted by MidCoast2Tops at Dingo Creek where landholders shared their successful integration of an Angus Stud with riparian restoration.

The focus for many groups across the state in May is mycology. A Fungi Discovery workshop is being organised by South East Landcare, Soil Super heroes secrets will be shared by MidCoast2Tops and Mycology in the Mix is being presented by Central West Lachlan Landcare.

Keeping track of all the events and sharing the lessons learnt is being made possible by the recently activated PLCM Shared Resources portal, https://plcm.landcarensw.net.au/.

The events calendar is publicly available, and it is hoped that it will provide a useful resource for ideas and a vehicle for collating the event outcomes to support Landcarers looking to host events in their region to support all Landcarers, including those on private land.

NSW Landcare Awards

NSW Landcare Awards update

Judging is now complete for the 2023/2024 Landcare Awards and we are pleased to share the finalists – in alphabetical order. These are the 32nd chapter of the awards and it will be fantastic to celebrate the amazing work that is happening out there on the ground.

For those of us involved in the judging process, it was so uplifting to see such dedication and passion. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony which will be held at Sergeants Mess, Chowder Bay, Mosman on the 3^rd of June (2.30-6.30pm).

This event can be viewed via live stream: Watch Live

After much deliberation, we are delighted to share with you our finalists across the nine categories:

Climate Innovation:

Mulloon Institute
Wallabadah Community Association
SouthEast Climate Innovators (Hovells Creek, Boorowa and Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups)

Community Partnerships

K2W Link Inc
Lake Macquarie Landcare Volunteer Network Committee

Individual Landcarer

Bev Debrincat
Ran Mitchell
Greg Thompson

Sustainable Agriculture

Jodie Michelle Viccars
Little River Landcare Group

First Nations Partnerships

Waybali Murraway – Weaving Paths
Worimi LALC and Tilligerry Landcare (Partnership)

CoastCare

NPWS Penguin Wardens
Wallabi Point Coastcare Group
Clean4Shore

Next Gen Landcare

Jayden Gunn
Taylor Springett

Women In Landcare

Janet Heffernan
Nell Chaffey

Woolworths Junior Landcare

Delungra Public School
St Marys Catholic College
Wilsons Creek Public School

Delungra Public School Students

We would like to say a huge thank you to all our nominees, judges and to Landcare Australia Limited for providing the funding to host these awards.

The Conservation Chronicles

Conservation Chronicles

– Melanie Tyas, Landcare NSW State Community of Practice Manager

We are off to a flying start with our Lunch and Learn series with two sessions now under our belts. During session two we heard from Steven Fleischmann Local Landcare Coordinator with Lithgow Oberon Landcare Association. Steven is hosted at Lithgow Council where he’s been working to protect critically endangered swamps by treating stormwater using natural solutions at the source.

His projects see stormwater slowed by installing large rocks where the pipes discharge. This stops scouring and creates habitat for native creatures such as frogs and crayfish. It also ensures that sediment and other urban byproducts, such as dog poo are captured before they have a chance to hit the wetlands.

As well as creating habitat, these innovative solutions are far cheaper than typical engineering options such as GPTs. Despite being Steve’s initiative, he’s quick to point out that the project is a group effort – with council, volunteers, Landcarers and local community all playing a part.

However there’s still some work to be done as these sediment ponds require maintenance and whilst it’s minimal, Steve’s eager to find a solution to deal with the sludge that will need to be dug out. Like most of our projects, it’s a work in progress.

Stay tuned for session three, where we will learn to prepare media releases for newspaper and radio with new Broken Hill Local Landcare Coordinator and former journalist, Melanie Gates. Melanie attended the last session and arrived a tad early.

It didn’t take long to unearth her talents and rope her in to presenting at the next session. Thanks Mel and her host Simon for being so accommodating. With Mel’s expertise, we’re poised to unleash our creative flair as we captivate the media with our newfound writing prowess. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter in our journey.

Stormwater drainage works

Banjo Frog

LANDCARE NSW SEEKS WESTERN LEADER FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST HAVE BEEN REOPENED AND WILL CLOSE SUNDAY 28 JULY, 2024.

The position of Ordinary Director – Western Region, has be now been reopened as a ‘Casual Vacancy’. Landcare NSW are now seeking applications from people living in the Western region who are interested in joining the Board of Landcare NSW, the peak body for Landcare in the state.

Western Landcare NSW Chair, Paul Heley said, “This is a great opportunity to bring the ‘perspectives’ of Landcarers from the Western region to the Board table of the peak body for Landcare in NSW.”
Former Landcare NSW Chair, Stephanie Cameron said, “Landcare NSW is the peak body for community Landcare in NSW. The primary purpose of the organisation is to serve as a ‘resource advocate’ to ensure that the thousands of Landcarers in NSW have all they need to care for our land, environment and communities.”

To ensure that Landcare NSW has the perspective of everyone in the state, Board Directors are elected from electoral zones that cover the entire state.

“If you live in the Western Board electoral zone and share our commitment to strengthening and growing the community Landcare movement in NSW to improve the health of our natural and working landscapes, you should consider standing for the Board,” said former Landcare NSW Chair Stephanie Cameron.

The Western Electoral Zone covers the area of the state which correspond to the boundaries of NSW LLS Western Regional boundaries.

Candidates for Ordinary Director positions must normally reside within the geographic boundaries of the region they wish to represent. Here is a LINK to a map to help you determine if you qualify to run.

Candidates for Ordinary Director positions must be a member of a local Landcare NSW member group or a District Network. These candidates will need to verify their membership by having their nomination form signed by the secretary of the local association (must be incorporated) or by the district network association or regional association (if local group is unincorporated).

If you have any questions please get in touch with Nominations Committee Chair – Steve Bunnell via email: election@landcarensw.org.au or you can also connect with Paul Heley, Chair of Western Landcare, to further discuss this opportunity for your region: chair@westernlandcarensw.com.au

If you wish to send an expression of interest, you can do so by filling out the Expression of Interest Form, and sending through to election@landcarensw.org.au

As this position needs to be filled as soon as possible and is currently a ‘Casual Vacancy’, all expressions of interest will be reviewed and assessed by the Nominations Committee as received. This committee will also conduct the interview and probity checks, with formal appointment to fill the position by the Board of Directors at one of the next Board meetings.

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST HAVE BEEN REOPENED AND WILL CLOSE SUNDAY 28 JULY 2024.

Enhancing Landcare Collaboration Across New South Wales

In a significant development for environmental stewardship, the NSW Government has substantially increased funding for Landcare coordination in the regions and for some centralised services. This boost reflects an evolving expectation from state agencies regarding their collaboration with Landcare across New South Wales and with Landcare NSW in particular.

Recently, during meetings with senior executives from these agencies, there has been a clear expression of interest for Landcare NSW to take on a more pronounced role in coordinating and facilitating the delivery of state-wide or multi-regional projects. This initiative aims to enhance consistency, efficiency, and deeper project penetration, marking a pivotal shift in how environmental and land management projects are managed across the state.

Landcare NSW has a history of executing large-scale projects with regional Landcare groups. These experiences have highlighted both strengths and weaknesses in the current collaborative approach. To address these challenges, Landcare NSW is engaging directly with Landcarers, staff, and committee members in the regions to develop improved protocols and procedures. This co-design and co-delivery approach with the regions is expected to foster more effective project implementation.

Over the coming months, this collaborative effort will be worked through and structured through the State Advisory Council. The objective is to streamline government agency contracts and enhance grant applications, ultimately supporting Landcarers in achieving their strategic objectives more effectively across New South Wales.

This proactive step by Landcare NSW, which is a core part of our advocacy function, not only promises to increase project effectiveness at the regional and group levels, but also aims to secure a more sustainable and impactful future for environmental conservation and sustainable farming across the state.

New ATO Reporting Requirements for Non-Charitable NFPs

Understanding New ATO Reporting Requirements for Non-Charitable NFPs

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has introduced a new ‘self-assess’ reporting requirement for non-charitable, income tax-exempt not-for-profits (NFPs) that possess an active ABN. Here are the essential details:

1. Annual Self-Review Return: Starting from 1 July, NFPs need to submit an annual self-review return to confirm their tax exemption status. This process involves a straightforward ten-minute form that includes:

- - Organisational details estimating gross revenue size.
  - Five eligibility assessment questions.
  - A summary and declaration section.

2. Maintaining ABN Details: It’s mandatory for NFPs to update their ABN details within 28 days of any changes. The ATO provides a downloadable form for this purpose, which must be filled out by authorised or newly appointed contacts.

3. Compliance and Support: The ATO is adopting a practical approach to compliance and will focus on lodgments from the 2023-24 income year. They offer transitional support like lodgment deferrals and payment plans for NFPs that need extra time to meet these obligations.

4. Accessibility: For those unable to use online services, the ATO is setting up a telephone lodgment channel.

This new requirement aims to streamline processes and ensure transparency in the operations of NFPs.

For further assistance, NFPs can view an informative ATO webinar – or contact our Membership Officer at Landcare NSW – memberships@landcarensw.org.au

Landcare NSW Membership and Insurance Renewals for 2024-2025

What You Need to Know

As we edge closer to June 2024, it’s time for us all to prepare for the annual membership and insurance renewals. In today’s economic climate, where the cost of living continues to rise, we recognise that renewal time can pose challenges and we’re committed to doing what we can to keep costs fair and reasonable, while adding value to your membership wherever possible.

Understanding Our Costs

To ensure we continue to offer the best possible value, we have been actively negotiating and comparing the market rates for our insurance cover. For perspective, here’s what a hypothetical Landcare group with twelve members would pay for the same coverage:

Public Liability Cover: $1,300
Association Liability: $700
Personal Accident: $450
Plus GST

This totals $2,450 for a year’s coverage, highlighting the significant savings our group arrangement offers—akin to the cost for four small group memberships at our current rates.

Upcoming Changes

While some cost increases for the 2024-25 period are inevitable, we’re aiming to keep them to a minimum wherever we can. And when things are tight, you need to know exactly what your money is buying – so, we’re separating insurance and membership costs in our invoicing, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for.

Enhanced Benefits

We’re not only trying to keep our costs as low as possible; we’re also working to increase the value of your membership. For example, once our new insurance broker is appointed, we’ll host another Insurance Webinar, following on from the success of last year’s program. These webinars will be offered monthly, with guest speakers and special interest topics. The webinar series will also give you a voice and a forum to share your ideas and experiences with other Landcarers.

Advocacy and Support

We understand that during tough economic times, the support of a strong community is more important than ever. And that’s a big part of what Landcare NSW offers its members your continued membership ensures that Landcare NSW can continue to advocate on your behalf to state politicians and parliamentarians, and to government agency executives. And advocacy isn’t just for the bigger issues – we’re here to help you resolve problems at all levels. This is a critical and core function of Landcare NSW and an important service for our members.

Program Participation
Active membership is crucial for those wishing to participate in the Landcare Enabling Program (LEP). Keeping your membership current is essential to accessing those benefits associated with the Program.
Pricing Considerations
As far as pricing is concerned, there’s a few factors to consider as we head towards the 2024-25 cycle. The ongoing cost-of-living situation that affects us all, coupled with our own very tight administration budget, makes it difficult to calculate pricing that’s both fair and effective.
But we’re doing our best to find the middle ground. You can be assured that we’ll always put your interests first as we work towards providing cost-effective and valuable memberships.
As we began to receive our quotes and make our calculations, we’ll be keeping you informed as regularly and as early as we can.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, you can get in touch with our Membership Officer any time via memberships@landcarensw.org.au

Saving Our Species Program – a call to action

A Call to Action: Contributing to the Saving Our Species Program with Landcare NSW

Landcare NSW is reaching out to all community members to participate in an important conservation effort through the “Saving Our Species” (SoS) program.

The NSW Government’s SoS program recently released 71 draft conservation strategies aimed at protecting threatened species and ecological communities across New South Wales, with public consultation (for individuals) open until May 3, 2024.

However, if you would like to participate in Landcare NSW’s consolidated feedback, then you can submit your feedback to enquiry@landcarensw.org.au no later than 15 May 2024.

Here are the proposed conservation strategies for the 71 species now on exhibition thanks to the SoS program: Saving our Species draft conservation strategies | NSW Environment and Heritage

This is the first of multiple exhibitions that the SOS program is releasing so look out for these on the SOS website. The next tranche (of strategies) is expected to be published in early May.

If you want to be notified of these releases or would like to discuss any aspects of the SoS program, send an email to the SOS Program at: savingourspecies@environment.nsw.gov.au

Compiling Collective Feedback:

Landcare NSW will compile all feedback from these collaborative efforts into a summary document that reflects both detailed and overarching suggestions from the Landcare community.

Engagement and Impact:

This initiative is open to everyone in the conservation community, whether they are currently affiliated with Landcare NSW or not. By engaging in this consultation, participants can influence the strategies that will shape the future of our natural heritage.

We encourage all interested parties to come forward and share their expertise. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the conservation efforts in New South Wales.

Please send your comments to enquiry@landcarensw.org.au no later than 15 May 2024.

Ozfish: Driving fish habitat action

Driving fish habitat action

The Driving Fish Habitat Action Project has again provided opportunities for joint projects between Landcare NSW member groups and local OzFish chapters.

The partnership project was proven over year one, two and now year three, and has now been backed for year four and five with funding from NSW Fisheries – providing the template for one of the most powerful NGO partnerships in NSW.

In year 3, OzFish, with NSW Landcare groups, funded 30 projects across freshwater and saltwater, which had a total value of $977,000. In year 4, OzFish, alongside NSW Landcare groups, funded 20 projects across freshwater and saltwater environments, with a total value of over $400,000. Some of the great outcomes achieved were, over 60 woody and 200 tonnes of rocky habitats installed, over 5km of riparian fencing installed to protect vital ecosystems for native fish and over 7,000 native plants planted. eDNA sampling was undertaken across NSW waterways to look for threatened fish species and to confirm suspected native fish sightings and over 10km of riparian weeds were removed.

Gunning District Landcare (GDL) has partnered with OzFish since 2022 and was recently featured in an article on OzFish’s website. One of GDL’s committee members, Janet Heffernan, has been striving to protect and conserve the endangered Southern Pygmy Perch for 20 years. She works closely with representatives from OzFish and fish scientists from the Department of Primary Industries and the University of Canberra.

GDL was proud to receive a Scientific Collection Permit at the end of 2023 that allows their citizen scientists to sample local creeks for the Perch, and Janet is in the midst of a big round of sampling.

Gunning LLC, Leah Samson volunteered with her recently putting out fish traps and testing the water quality in Oolong Creek. And the result? They recorded 22 native fish!

Stay tuned for our Conservation Chronicles where we showcase the Gunning District Landcare and OzFish partnership.

March 2024

Images: Introducing a new pygmy perch population to Oolong Creek.

Private Land Conservation Matters (PLCM)

Private land conservation really does matter!

– Suzanne Pritchard, LNSW Project Manager

Private land conservation really does matter and Landcarers across NSW are supporting those that are leading the way and encouraging other landholders to follow thanks to the $1.54 million Private Land Conservation Matters (PLCM) contract LNSW is delivering for the Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT).

What started out as a partnership between the BCT and LNSW to better understand the shared interests in managing land for biodiversity outcomes has developed into a mutually beneficially arrangement providing resources for 12 host organisations across the state to host 106 events by December 2024.

From multi-partner multi-day forums to online webinars, and every event type in between, how to manage private land to enhance biodiversity outcomes is being talked about by experts, shared in social networking gatherings, understood through citizen science projects and on land that has a one form or another of conservation covenant upon it.

It’s all about protection of Box Gum Grassy Woodlands (BGGW) in the Murray. Landholders will be able to learn about this endangered vegetation type while spotlighting and dining, considering natural capital options, understanding cultural connections or identifying tools and technology to tackle management decision. The BGGW supports productive agriculture based on native pastures, so it’s a win for landholders, native flora and fauna if this diverse ecosystem can be encouraged, expanded and connected across the landscape.

In the north of the state walk & talk field days on covenanted landholdings will see multiple agencies converging to share best practice land conservation techniques and knowledge in dealing with landslips and erosion, threatened species, and property planning. These gatherings are key to strengthening the social connections between landholders, who sometimes feel isolated, with like-minded Landcarers.

Out west big is better and forums are the flavour for bringing landholders together. The combination of large distances and limited time will see a multiday forum held in the western region and a 2-day event focussing on all aspects of utilising fire in the north western region. There will also be field days-a-plenty providing opportunities to get up close and personal with seed, showcasing some trials and demonstration and bringing multiple organisations together to explore and educate how to improve on-farm biodiversity.

The southeast will be utilising the PLCM funding to host roadshows across the region on riparian strategies and bush regeneration techniques. Regional workshops and field days are also planned to cover topics as diverse as koalas, regenerative agriculture, keystone species, fungi and flora, preceded by information sharing webinars so that the theory can be put into on the day. A muster to bring everyone together is in the mix too.

Along the east coast learning opportunities to better understand private land management of feral animals, woody weeds, caring for country, ecological burns for biodiversity, koalas, and fungi will see workshops and field days held. A growing interest in understanding bush regeneration strategies will provide food for thought about the value of retaining and expanding remnant vegetation.

If you’d like to find out more about what’s happening in your region contact your local landcare group, or BCT representative. All regions across the state have something to offer.

Private land conservation, by providing opportunities for landholders and Landcarers to connect and support each other, will greatly contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30×30 targets calling for 30% of land under protection by 2030.

The Private Land Conservation Matters program is key to unlocking the potential of landholders to protect biodiversity across the state. LNSW acknowledges the foresight and support of the BCT in resourcing Landcarers to deliver an extensive program of activities for landholders to conserve biodiversity on their property.

March 2024