NUFG hosts Farm Forestry and Firewood Machinery Expo

A fortnight before Easter 2011, the Northern United Forestry Group will host a major Farm Forestry and Firewood Machinery Expo that is creating great interest across south eastern Australia. Full info at:

http://www.nufg.org.au/nufg_hosts_firewood_expo.htming

Guest Speaker Program - Land for Wildlife

At our January meeting we were given a talk by Terri Williams of the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). Terri is, among other things, associated with the Land for Wildlife program which is organised through DSE in cooperation with the Bird Observers Club of Australia. We were informed that this valuable program which began in 1981 can now claim that there are some 9,000 properties in Victoria taking advantage of the completely free and voluntary scheme. The scheme encourages private landholders to provide habitats for wildlife on their properties. One of the valuable aspects of this resides in the fact that there is a large percentage of native flora and fauna located on private land outwith the reserve system and therefore dependent upon private landholders for their survival.

We were informed that if people are interested then upon application the property in question is visited by an expert such as Terri who inspects the property and gives advice as to how it can be, if necessary, brought up to the required standard for registration as a member property. Registration as a member does not in any way alter the legal status of the property. Advice is also available on how the wildlife habitat can be managed and integrated with other uses of the property. Apart from playing a vital role in the survival of species as mentioned above the habitat can play a major role in sustainable agriculture and provide landscape connectivity. Other advantages to the scheme include; newsletters, other publications, field days and contact with like minded individuals. Membership is open to all sorts of properties from small to large. Terri can be contacted through DSE Bendigo.

Note - you get a sign like the one above to hang on the gate.

Article – Michael Moore

Norman Wettenhall Foundation Workshop

Some weeks ago I attended the Norman Wettenhall foundation workshop which was held at the Ceres Environmental Centre in Melbourne. As a member of the deputation from the Loddon Plains Landcare Network which also included Mal Brown, Jean McClymont and Leah Cripps (Project Officer of the LPLN) we were involved in discussions aimed at sharing the challenges and progress of the five Natural Resource Management groups funded by the foundation.

Other groups involved in the valuable discussions were members from the Connecting Country Project (Mt Alexander Shire), the Beyond Bolac Project, the JARR Project ( Jack and Albert River Restoration) and the Otway Agroforestry Network and the Upper Barwon Landcare Network - Otway L.E.A.F. Project (linking environment and farms).

A theme common to all projects was that of developing biodiversity blueprints for each project area and much discussion was centred around this subject. The Loddon Plains Landcare network although the “youngster” in this group is well on track in this aspect as our Project Officer goes about the business of collecting information from the thirteen member groups of the LPLN. The Wedderburn CMN is a strong supporter of the united efforts of the Loddon Plains Landcare Network.

Michael Moore, photo – round table discussion at Ceres Centre

Update on wheel cactus at Buckrabanyule

Injecting of Wheel Cactus continues on private land and roadsides around Buckrabanyule. Regular Tuesday workdays have resumed, meeting at my shed, Mount Buckra, 1307 Borung-Charlton Road, Buckrabanyule at 8.15 am. Any one interested in helping would be most welcome. We provide equipment and instruction; wear suitable clothes and boots and bring eye protection: sunglasses are fine. It is best to ring me on 5492 7567 or Beth Crutch on 5492 7541 before setting out to join us.

The battle against invasive cacti nationwide has moved a big step forward with Biosecurity SA sending a submission to Canberra last week for Wheel Cactus, as the frontrunner of all invasive cacti in Australia, to be declared a weed of National significance [WONS}. I was very happy to help with some data on distribution and cost of controlling the pest weed here in Victoria.

Janet Richardson

Secretary, Wychitella and District Landcare Group

LPLN Project Officer Progress

Leah Cripps has completed her first month with the LPLN and has met with North Central Landcare, East Loddon landholders who were at the Silver Leaf Nightshade workshop, Northern United Forestry Group and the Wedderburn Conservation Management Network. More meetings are coming up during November with other groups where she will talk about the Biodiversity Blueprint and how it will be an important document to attract funding for Landcare and associated works.

Leah understands that this is a busy time for landholders to be meeting and appreciates the time taken to speak with her. Groups that have documented their project work will be mapped over the coming months. Information sheets have also been mailed out to people that may wish to participate in the blueprint but are unable to meet with Leah at the moment.

Leah Cripps can be contacted via email leah.cripps@aanet.com.au

Korong Bushland Reserve Planting Day

Six members of the Wedderburn CMN braved the wet weather conditions to take part in the rescheduled Loddon Plains Landcare Network planting day at the Korong Bushland Reserve on October 13^th. Approximately 600 shrubs and grasses were planted on the day.

The Wedderburn CMN planning day

The Wedderburn CMN planning day was held this year at Parks Victoria Inglewood on the 15^th of October with seventeen people attending. Alison Jeavons chaired the meeting as we first went through highlights of the year followed by a discussion of our annual review document and our DSE Service Agreement. The main topics under consideration were those associated with:

Environmental Threats /Issues and the WCMN’s Responses to these perceived threats such as pest animals and plants, the fragmentation of habitat, the degradation of habitat, protection of threatened species and monitoring of changes. Responses to threats included such aspects as habitat building, habitat expansion, creation of biolinks, fox control, spraying of weeds etc

Education and Involvement of the General Community such as presentations, bustrips, newsletters, newspaper articles and websites etc

Administration Aspects of the CMN such as networking, funding and governance etc.

High on the priority list was the management of the $577,000 which the WCMN has obtained over a three year period from the Federal Government’s Caring for our Country scheme for use in our Box – Gum Grassy Woodlands Project which was mentioned in the last newsletter. After much discussion we all headed off for a pub lunch at one of the local pubs before returning to more discussion which was periodically interrupted by water leaking through the roof of the Parks Vic building onto the table – hence the assortment of buckets and various other containers seen in the photograph. Overall, the day was a productive one.

Michael Moore