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

The Conservation Chronicles

Lunch and Learn is on its way…

– Melanie Tyas, Landcare NSW Regional Community of Practice Coordinator

Now that the Landcare Enabling Program (LEP) has been announced, we are leaping into the Lunch and Learn Series. These lunch sessions are open to our members, LEP participants and relevant stakeholders.

Our aim is to create an environment where we come together and learn from each other. There is so much untapped talent in the Landcare ranks and this is a great opportunity to shine a light on the amazing work that is happening on the ground, the partnerships that have been forged and the tools that are available that help us be more effective, efficient and connected.

Late last year we looked at the case studies on NSW Landcare Gateway website and chose a few that may resonate across the board. Coordinators were then contacted to gauge interest on whether they would participate in the program and as a result we are in the process of determining dates. We will spread the sessions across the week to ensure that everyone has a chance to get involved. They will also be recorded and uploaded to Gateway for those who can’t make it.

Here’s a sneak preview of what will be on offer:

Title: Conservation Chronicles: NSW Landcare Success Stories (2019-2023)

“Collaborative Council Engagements”

  • Presenter: Henrietta Mooney (RLC Hunter Regional Landcare)
  • Details on how 9 regional councils united to discuss Landcare and foster collaboration.
  • Sponsorship and support from HRLCN.

“Soil Health Benchmarking with Green Triangle Farmers”

  • Presenter: Shelly McDouall (LLC Northern Slopes Landcare Association)
  • Insights from a regeneration farm project involving eight farms in the Northern Slopes.
  • Integration of grazing components for holistic soil health.

“Volunteer Engagement Post COVID”

  • Presenter: Ninna Douglas (LLC Tamworth Regional Landcare Association)
  • Strategies employed by North West Landcarers for volunteer engagement post-pandemic.
  • Transitioning from physical meetings to virtual platforms and its impact on membership.

“Natural Solutions Stormwater Project”

  • Presenter: Steven Fleischmann (LLC Lithgow Oberon Landcare Association)
  • Challenges and successes of a multi-year stormwater project in collaboration with LOLA, CT LLS, Lithgow City Council, and Blue Mountains City Council.

“River Health Festival”

  • Presenter: Emma Stone (LLC Border Ranges – Richmond Valley Landcare)
  • Responding to flood-induced setbacks with the Upper Richmond River Festival.
  • Overview of events and workshops to boost community morale.

“Rural Women’s Gathering and Farmers’ Mental Health”

  • Presenter: Christine Davis (LLC Glenrac)
  • A retrospective on the Rural Women’s Gatherings and their impact on regional women empowerment.
  • Collaboration efforts to support farmers’ mental health.

“Saving a Scar Tree”

  • Presenter: Terry Moody (LLC Upper Clarence Combined Landcare)
  • Narration of efforts to rescue and repurpose an Aboriginal Scar Tree following a fire incident.

“Seed Saving for Rainforest Rehabilitation”

  • Presenter: Mel Craig (LLC Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare)
  • Lessons from seed-saving initiatives for rainforest rehabilitation, including collaboration with transportation projects.

“Gumbaynggirr Koala Project”

  • Presenter: Debbie Repschlager and Michael Kennedy (LLC Clarence Landcare Inc and Aboriginal Engagement Officer, North Coast Regional Landcare)
  • Engaging local primary schools in the Gumbaynggirr Dunggirr project, emphasizing junior Koala Rangers’ role.

“Mycology May Art Exhibition”

  • Presenter: Trudi Refshauge (LLC Midlachlan Landcare)
  • Insights into the Mycology May art exhibition, and its intersection with drug and rehab programs, as well as local wine cellars.

“Blake Botanic Reserve Refurbishment”

  • Presenter: Janet Manzin (LLC Ricegrowers Association)
  • Student-led restoration efforts and the installation of seating and pathways at the Blake Botanic Reserve.

“Caring for Koalas in Warialda”

  • Presenter: Shelley McDouall (LLC Northern Slopes Landcare)
  • The story of John Hodge’s initiative to safeguard koalas by establishing water points and a wildlife reserve in Warialda.

“Carp in the Murray”

  • Presenter: Adam Kerezsy (LLC Lake Cargelligo)
  • The great flood of 2022 changed the ecology of the Basin’s rivers, but not it a good way.

“Carp and the Oyster Industry”

  • Presenter: Laura Stoltenberg (Oceanwatch)
  • Oyster growers, Shoalhaven Council, Shoalhaven Water, some cattle growers, South East LLS, OceanWatch, NSW DPI, and others come together at 6 monthly intervals to discuss topics impacting local water quality.

The program is now underway with the first session being held in late March where we introduced Covram:

Covram – A tool to improve native vegetation management

Determining the condition of native vegetation at a site is vital to ensuring that the most appropriate and sustainable land management decisions are made, however current approaches can be time consuming and expensive, and are not broadly comparable.

Covram offers a simple, standardised approach which empowers farmers and land managers to self-assess sites – making it ideal for Landcare activities. The methodology has been successfully applied to 100s of diverse sites including roadsides, reserves and private land and is informed by over 30 years of experience in field assessment and land management advice.

Covram is made up of two parts:

1. Covram mobile app – Developed for field use by land managers – Search ‘Covram’ on the Google Play or Apple App Store

2. Web app to review and analyse data collected – Available via covram.com.au

Covram is freely available at present and we welcome people to try it out and provide feedback. We will be presenting an online lunch and learn session from 12 -1pm on 26th March, to provide an introduction and answer any questions.

For more information on the app email ian@covram.com.au or michael@covram.com.au.

 

To be added to the mailing list for this online series, please email Mel at mtyas@landcarensw.org.au.

 

March 2024

COORDINATOR GRANT CLOSING FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER

The NSW Government has committed $59 million to Landcare and Landcare activities in NSW over the next 4 years through the NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027.

Landcare NSW, in partnership with Local Land Services, will deliver the program as a continuation of their long-standing successful partnership.

NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027: Local and Regional Coordinators grants

The first phase of the program will activate $33 million in funding to employ up to 83 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare coordinators and support staff across NSW.

Phase 1: NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027: Local and Regional Coordinators | NSW Government is currently open and applications will close 11:59pm this Friday 3 November 2023.
Important information to note:
If you have any technical issues with the form, please contact Smarty Grants as soon as possible:
Technical Assistance
SmartyGrant
Phone: (03) 9320 688
Email: service@smartygrants.com.au

Applications now open

Applications are now open for the NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027: Local and Regional Coordinators grants.

To view the program guidelines, including detailed role descriptions, and to apply, head to www.nsw.gov.au/lep

Applications will close 11:59pm this Friday 3 November 2023. There will be no extensions to this deadline.

Local and regional coordinators play a key role in the program including:

  • supporting and facilitating the delivery of on-ground projects that care for the local natural environment and agricultural systems
  • strengthening the capacity of Landcarers by further developing their knowledge and skills
  • ensuring effective collaboration and partnerships between Landcare groups, Local Land Services, other government agencies and Landcare NSW
  • leveraging funding opportunities to maximise socio-environmental outcomes.

This funding also includes up to $5,000 for each local and regional coordinator role to undertake professional development over the course of the 4 year program.

The Landcare NSW and LLS partnership

Together, Landcare NSW and Local Land Services are committed to empowering local communities and Landcare groups and networks to deliver sustainable agriculture and to best manage the state’s natural resources.

NSW LANDCARE ENABLING PROGRAM 2023 – 2027

The NSW Government has committed $59 million to Landcare and Landcare activities in NSW over the next 4 years through the NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027.

Landcare NSW, in partnership with Local Land Services, will deliver the program as a continuation of their long-standing successful partnership.

NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027: Local and Regional Coordinators grants

The first phase of the program will activate $33 million in funding to employ up to 83 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare coordinators and support staff across NSW.

Local and regional coordinators play a key role in the program including:

  • supporting and facilitating the delivery of on-ground projects that care for the local natural environment and agricultural systems
  • strengthening the capacity of Landcarers by further developing their knowledge and skills
  • ensuring effective collaboration and partnerships between Landcare groups, Local Land Services, other government agencies and Landcare NSW
  • leveraging funding opportunities to maximise socio-environmental outcomes.

This funding also includes up to $5,000 for each local and regional coordinator role to undertake professional development over the course of the 4 year program.

Applications now open

Applications are now open for the NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027: Local and Regional Coordinators grants.

To view the program guidelines, including detailed role descriptions, and to apply, head to www.nsw.gov.au/lep

Applications close on Friday 3 November 2023 at 11:59pm.

Need more information?

Two webinars are being held to give applicants an opportunity to ask questions about the program and application process.

Register for the session that best suits you:

Landcare NSW and Local Land Services have worked closely with Landcarers to ensure this program meets the needs of Landcare and regional communities.

The Landcare NSW and LLS partnership

Together, Landcare NSW and Local Land Services are committed to empowering local communities and Landcare groups and networks to deliver sustainable agriculture and to best manage the state’s natural resources.

NSW LANDCARE PROGRAM UPDATE 2023 – 2027

The NSW Government has committed $59 million to the Landcare Enabling Program over the next 4 years (2023- 2027). Landcare NSW in partnership with Local Land Services will deliver the Program as a continuation of their long-standing successful partnership.

The commitment to the NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027, will employ up to 83 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare coordinators and support staff across NSW. This commitment builds on the success of the NSW Landcare Program, a $22.4m commitment 2019-2023, which supported the employment of 84 part time local and regional Landcare Coordinators in NSW.

Landcare NSW and Local Land Services (LLS) are currently planning the next phase of the NSW Landcare Program. The Joint Management Committee (JMC) which is made up of representatives from both Landcare NSW and LLS engaged Nation Partners to help facilitate and design the implementation plan for the new program.

A working group comprising of LLS and Landcare NSW volunteers was established to support this process co-chaired by Gary Rodda (LLS) and Turlough Guerin (LNSW) and ensured feedback from recent focus groups, the Landcare State Gathering and evaluation reports were taken into consideration.

A key focus is ensuring a fair and equitable process for potential Landcare group applicants.

Coordinator Grants Package

The critical components of the program are the employment of Local and Regional Coordinators.

The Department of Regional NSW (DRNSW) and LLS are developing the grants package. Landcare NSW, specifically the Program Manager, provided input into the design and planning of the program.

The intention is to have the new program grants package available in September, with the view to advise successful applicants in October 2023. Typically, open/close periods for a grant is four weeks.

Details such as part time versus full time coordinator positions, the types of roles that will be supported, salaries and host organisation eligibility will be clearly defined in the guidelines when they become available. Due to probity reasons, we cannot provide any specifics until the guidelines are released.

Once the Minister releases the grant guidelines for the Coordinator component and the application period is open, the NSW Landcare Program plans to hold two online webinars to respond to any questions regarding the application. These sessions will be recorded and made available.

We have developed an Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to answer some of the questions we have been receiving as best we can at this stage. We also encourage those Landcare groups and regions with an interest in hosting a coordinator to get in touch with their regional Landcare body: Regional & Local Landcare Coordinators — NSW Landcare Gateway

Enabling Components – Shared Services Hub and Digital Landcare 

Landcare NSW has begun working on two new components of the Program as a matter of priority to ensure support for host organisations and coordinators.

The new Program has a Shared Services Hub component which will provide a suite of essential support services for Landcare groups to opt in to. The Hub aims to streamline access to centralised support services such as human resources, incuding induction packages for new coordinators as a priority.

Another new component is the Digital Landcare component focused on digitising knowledge to increase efficiencies, access and reach to support hosts and coordinators with readily accessible information. This is being looked at as a priority and Landcare NSW has begun a Digital Projects’ Scoping phase.

This will include a thorough review process of all the current digital assets of Landcare NSW and provide a Road Map, detailed plan, recommendations for requirements for the build and implementation phase of the Landcare NSW Digitalisation Project. Given the time it will take to design and implement a solution, it will likely take a minimum of 6-12 months before any new systems could be in place with user testing and training.

 

Blog: Down The Track monitoring Lake Cargelligo’s big backyard

At Lake Cargelligo in western New South Wales, a local youth group helps with ecological monitoring of the big lake and the islands within it by camping out at least four times each year.

Down The Track Island trip February 2023

The monitoring is run by local biologist and Landcare Coordinator Adam Kerezsy, and local farmer (and chair of the not-for-profit Cargelligo Wetlands and Lakes Council) Peter Skipworth. Adam and Peter always try to get extra experts along to share the fun, and in February 2023 this task fell to Thomas Munro, an ecologist with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust.

Thomas Munro from the Biodiversity Conservation Trust discusses plant identification on Robinson Crusoe Island. Photo credit: Adam Kerezsy

Tom made the long trek across from Dubbo and showed the Trackers how to identify plants using maps, books and identification keys.

With the temperature up over 40 degrees, they then hit the water with a combination of techniques including dragged seine nets and funnel-shaped fyke nets that were set overnight.

 

Retrieving the overnight fish samples. Photo credit: Adam Kerezsy

Unfortunately, the results were as expected: thousands of carp, from youngsters around 50mm long to monsters up over 500mm. As most people are aware, the recent flooding has resulted in a massive boom in carp numbers. This is in contrast to Down The Track results over the last two years, where carp were only one of six or seven species that were sampled.

Catch of the day. Photo credit: Adam Kerezsy

The camp was as happy as usual, despite the arrival of at least one brown snake and a quick trip to Lake hospital when the treble hook on a lure ended up embedded in an ear. It seems there was no major damage and the unlucky patient returned within an hour or so and resumed fishing.

Hopefully the Lake system will return to normal as the effects of the flooding subside. There’s no doubt that Down The Track will be there to monitor these changes, especially given they are now supported by a wide range of organisations, ranging from Landcare to the University of Canberra and government agencies.

Peter Skipworth helps Jimeal Thorpe with a lifejacket. Photo credit: Adam Kerezsy

 

Fishy business. Photo credit: Adam Kerezsy

 

 

 

This initiative is made possible by the NSW Landcare Program. A collaboration between Landcare NSW and Local Land Services, supported by the NSW Government.

Community in Action – Landcare responding to Landslides

When the extreme rainfall events on the Northern Rivers in February and March 2022 hit it resulted in widespread landslides and devastating impacts across the Northern Rivers. Numerous landholders had internal roads cut off, fences wiped out, paddocks disfigured, hillsides slumped, and forested areas collapsed. This was beyond the scale experienced within living memory leaving affected people completely shocked and perplexed as to what could be done to address the damage.

With the spotlight through this disaster largely on the flooding impact in high population zones, the devastating impacts of landslips in rural areas was largely missed by the media and fell through the cracks of the recovery grants and services.

This is where Landcare stepped in.

Supported by the Local and Regional Landcare Coordinators, the Border Ranges Richmond Valley Landcare Network (BRRVLN) and Richmond Landcare Inc formed a partnership to mobilise on this issue and within a few weeks had mustered together a suite of experts to speak to landholders affected by landslides at a forum held at the Southern Cross University. Attended by nearly 200 people and with a waiting list, this event identified and amplified the need for further support to this issue.

With a rapid turnaround provision of funding from the Northern Rivers Community Foundation, BRRVLN was able to facilitate 28 site inspections with geotechnical engineers and soil conservationists to help landholders understand the dynamics of the landslips, the ongoing risks and the potential for remediation.

This included a field day demonstration of hydro-mulching to support rapid cover to a landslide affected area to stabilize the slope and reduce the risk of further sheet erosion.

Out of tragedy has come learnings and opportunity for growth. The 2022 Northern Rivers floods has brought attention to a poorly recognized element of unsustainable land management. As importantly, it has highlighted the need for resources and expertise to be made available to landholders to better understand landslip risk, adapt land use towards prevention and know where to turn for advice when landslips occur.

Further collaborations and opportunities between all Landcare networks across the Northern Rivers are underway to expand the Landcare response to this need.

This activity was supported by the NSW Landcare Program (2019-2023). This initiative is made possible by the NSW Landcare Program. A collaboration between Landcare NSW and Local Land Services, supported by the NSW Government.

Blog: Healing Country & Community with Good Fire Practices in the Upper Shoalhaven

Mosaic Burning

Supported by the Upper Shoalhaven Landcare Local Landcare Coordinator (LLC), Erin Brinkley, this project was born from the Black Summer Bushfires which burnt over 250,000ha in the Upper Shoalhaven Landcare region. The fires caused significant biodiversity loss, removal of critical habitat, extreme soil erosion and reduced water quality. In addition, there was a major physical, mental and emotional toll on the community, with people fighting the blaze on all sides and businesses crippled by necessary road closures during the prolonged hazardous conditions.

The ‘Healing Country & Community with Good Fire Practices’ project aimed to deliver an educational experience that increased local knowledge and leadership in fire management practices specific to the region with over 80 participants taking part in the workshops.

With funding from the NSW Government’s Increasing Resilience to Climate Change Community Grants Program, Upper Shoalhaven Landcare ran a series of cultural engagement workshops in Broad Gully, Mongarlowe.

Under the guiding eye of an Aboriginal woman, their first workshop focused on training local Rural Fire Service (RFS) in flora identification, surveying methods, and understanding the best times to burn based on species’ cycles.

The second workshop was a two-day practical demonstration of cultural burning in action. The demonstration involved members of Landcare, Mongarlowe Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade, and local landholders who saw cultural burning in action with 10ha burnt and had the opportunity to listen and learn from a team of Walbunja Fire Practitioners.

By bringing together local RFS brigades, botanists, landholders, Landcare and Aboriginal groups, Upper Shoalhaven facilitated vital knowledge sharing and demonstrated how good fire practices can be used as a tool to reduce fuel loads and help mitigate the impacts of our changing climate. The workshops proved burning can be conducted in a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere and improved community confidence in using fire as a tool, at the right time, to manage the land and reduce bushfire risk more broadly.

In addition, participants learnt that by adopting these cool burning techniques they can improve landscape health and reap huge biodiversity benefits in the process. Growing in understanding that cool-burning enhances the natural environment, but is also extremely beneficial for the community, giving people a chance to come together and do something positive post-bushfires.

A healthy landscape lends itself to a healthy community, and the locals involved in the project came away with a positive sense that, together, we can help address the impacts of climate change and extreme bushfires in our region.

This initiative is made possible by the NSW Landcare Program. A collaboration between Landcare NSW and Local Land Services, supported by the NSW Government.

Future change makers found in Western Landcare with schools programme

On the Western Rangelands the next generation have been busy engaging with the change maker that is Landcare and communities and environments are flourishing due to it.
Focusing on growing knowledge about environmental sustainability, healthy environments, the human impact on the environment and more, the community is helping guide the next generation to a diversity of view and options that help empower young people to make a change.

Landcare and community groups have been investing in school-based programs to ensure that young people are invited to have conversations about how to build a more sustainable world and in a way that’s accessible and understandable.

“Introducing activities such as gardens to schools and communities can help tackle several problems potentially faced in rural towns. School and community gardens in rural towns play an important role in addressing a multitude of issues, including food security, nutrition, education, sense of ownership, community, and the protection of our soils as a valuable natural resource,” says Western Landcare Executive Officer Louise Turner.

“School and community gardens have helped to bring people with like-minded interests together. Early education helps to provide context for understanding seasonality and life cycles while giving people the opportunity to work cooperatively on real tasks.

“Many schools have expressed interest in using gardening activities to incorporate other learning opportunities such as cultural diversity, Aboriginal uses, sustainability issues, plant identification, creating worm farms, habitats of native fauna, and history into their education programs.

“Integrated education into the ethos of Landcare provides students with tools to educate pupils about environmental issues and articulate their vision for a sustainable future. They then go home and start the discussion and understanding of environmental issues with their support network and families and that can only be a good thing,” Louise said.