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

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

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.