Wedderburn Conservation Management Network News
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Landscape Restoration Project – Project Officer Position
Project Officer Position – Part-time (2-3 days/wk) Short term contract (6 months)
The Norman Wettenhall Foundation has provided a grant to the Loddon Plains Landcare Network Inc. for a landscape restoration project across the network’s area in North Central Victoria. Applications are sought from suitably experienced persons for the role of Project Officer to work with the Landcare and Conservation Groups in the network to develop an area-wide biodiversity plan. The plan will identify existing natural assets, threatening processes, priorities for protection, enhancement and restoration including potential landscape-scale biolinks. Importantly, the blueprint will include a social/cultural overlay that captures community interest and builds on work the community has already done.
Organisational skills and the ability to engage with the community is a vital part of the role. Community ownership of the project is critical to its success. The Project Officer will work closely with the Network’s Committee of Management.
The position description can be downloaded from www.nrmjobs.com.au
Applications in writing close 5.00 pm 27 August 2010
Posted by Wedderburn Conservation Management Network at 6:49 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Loddon Plains Landcare Network Planting Day and Evening Dinner
Loddon Plains Landcare Network is a collective of farmer, Landcare and other environmental groups located northwest of Bendigo working to improve the natural environment.
As part of Naturally Loddon – a month long series of environmental events across the Loddon Shire – the network has organised a tree planting day at four sites, from Wedderburn to Durham Ox , for Saturday , 4 September. Urban volunteers are needed to join with network members and share this enjoyable and rewarding day.
A dinner (with entertainment by Kinja ) will be held in the Serpentine Hall to celebrate the day’s landcare work. Volunteer tree planters and network members are welcome to attend.
The day’s timetable
11 am Arrive at sites, briefing, lunch (provided)
12 pm Planting, guarding, watering trees and shrubs
5 pm Arrive Serpentine Hall (Drinks and nibbles)
6.30 pm Dinner and Entertainment
9 pm Close
What to bring
Volunteers should bring with them a hat, sunscreen, gloves, water bottle, waterproof boots and a change of clothes for the dinner. All planting equipment will be provided.
Who to contact
All volunteers and network members participating on the day must register with Penny Wall by Tuesday 25 August.
(Ph: 54361262; M: 048836126
E: apwall@aussiebroadband.com.au).
Please advise Penny of any dietary special requirements
KINJA TO ENTERTAIN LANDCARERS
Made possible by the generous support of the Inglewood
and Districts Community Branch of the Bendigo Bank
Ron Murray and Sarah James (pictured above) celebrate the cultural heritage of their ancestors in a blend of indigenous Australian and Celtic music. In many ways Ron and Sarah that playing together is their special contribution to reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous people in this country.
Posted by Wedderburn Conservation Management Network at 6:34 PM 0 comments
Wedderburn Conservation Management Network “Observers” attend Outing with St Arnaud Field Naturalists.
A very frosty morning greeted us on the drive to Birchip where we met with members of St Arnaud Field Nats to tour the “Wetlands”
First Stop was Keith and Helen Barber’s property. The wetland area on their property was initially created by Keith’s grandfather and has received an environmental water allocation with the completion of the Wimmera Mallee pipeline. Keith had photographs of a wide variety of bird and animal species that use the wetland including plumed ducks and carpet pythons. We viewed his frog pond which has been one of the environmental considerations from the pipeline project.
Peter then escorted us to the Birchip Landcare wetland area which was nominated for a Landcare award this year. A most interesting project, illustrating use of a redundant bunker area, to capture water runoff. The community usage of the area and recycling of water was conveniently demonstrated to us by a truck wash in progress.
Lunch at Lake Tchum, where a committee member gave us a picture of the utilisation of the lake, particularly since it has been dry for years and has recently filled with water from the pipeline. We witnessed an Australian Raven take an egg from a plovers nest at the water’s edge.
Another Birchip Landcare member ( Dorothy) showed us her frog pond. This one impacted by kangaroos and rabbits, and intermittent available water supply from a domestic tank. She gave us an interesting historical perspective of past droughts in the 20’s and 40’s when her family had to walk off the farm due to lack of feed for too many sheep.
Mary Fielding’s farm, and neighbouring catchment dams provided yet another view of water catchments. The catchment dams on her property continue to hold water, however her frog pond had failed due to lack of tank water supply. The area has an increasing population of Chariot Wheel which is currently being researched.
This was a great opportunity to view the importance of water for biodiversity in the Mallee. It was also valuable to view the effects of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline project and its political and practical applications for farmers and the environment.
A most interesting day. Annette Robertson and Lynton Schriever
Photograph - Keith and Barbra's frog pond
Posted by Wedderburn Conservation Management Network at 6:26 PM 0 comments
Assistance required for work with endangered plants
DSE biodiversity officer Julie Whitfield is again looking for assistance with her work in the Wedderburn/Charlton area. Julie works towards the protection and sustainability of rare and endangered plants. Her timetable and contact details are given below.
DATE
ACTIVITY
MEETING TIME/PLACE
Thursday 19th August
Searches for old records of Dainty Phebalium in the Wanyarra area.
10am at the corner of Rooneys lane and Dunolly-Rheola rd.
Vic roads ref Map43 E6
Thursday 26th August
Count and map extent for Dainty Phebalium Phebalium festivum In the Wedderburn Nature Conservation reserve.
10am at the corner of Gibson road and the Wedderburn/Wychitella road.
Vic roads ref Map29 B7
Wednesday 8th September
Planting Day for Velvet Daisy Bush in Korong Vale and BBQ provided.
Meet at 9:30am at the corner of Korongvale-kinypanial road and Boort Wedderburn road.
Vic roads ref Map29 D7
Sunday 12th September
Counts and searches for Golden Moths Orchid at Mt Jeffcott.
Meet at the base of Mt Jeffcott at 11am
Vic roads ref map28 D7
Wednesday 15th September
Counts and searches for Golden Moths Orchid
Meet at base of Howells Hill Scenic lookout
Vic roads ref map 28 H6
Opposite the quarry
email: Julie.whitfield@dse.vic.gov.au
Or phone 03 5430 4461 mobile 0407 340 729
Posted by Wedderburn Conservation Management Network at 6:08 PM 0 comments
LPLN Committee of Management Elected
Loddon Plains Landcare Network held its AGM in Serpentine on Tuesday 20 July. The newly elected members of the Committee of Management are shown in the photograph attached.
Front, left to right:
Mal Brown (Northern United Forestry Group) - President
Michael Moore (Wedderburn CMN) - Secretary
Wendy Murphy (Wedderburn CMN & Friends of Kooyoora & Inglewood Landcare) - Committee member
Back, left to right:
Jean McClymont (Salisbury West Landcare) - Treasurer
Bill Twigg (Salisbury West Landcare & East Loddon Landcare) - Committee member
Laurie Maxted (Loddon Vale Landcare) - Committee member
Penny Wall (North Central Landcare & Northern United Forestry Group) - Vice President
Dennis Demeo (North Central Landcare) - Committee member
All members of the committee are volunteers with a strong commitment to sound Natural Resource Management. The committee will meet monthly at the Loddon Shire Council Offices, Serpentine, to discuss the ongoing business of the network.
Posted by Wedderburn Conservation Management Network at 6:04 PM 0 comments
Victorian Mallee Fowl Recovery Group Line Search, Powerline Track, Murray Sunset National Park
On Sunday 1st August we joined members of VMRG to conduct a line search of an
2 square km area which had been burned in 2008.
The search was well organised with teams of 9-10 people covering a 2km grid. Conservation and Land Management students from Sunraysia TAFE also participated. The searching through mallee country that had been burnt two years ago was relatively easy, with some challenging walking in diagonal directions over sand dunes. I could not resist comparing carrying out the same task in our local area, which is much more densely vegetated country. Existing tagged mounds were found. At least three emu nests were also located, some with eggs.
A hearty lunch, provided by the Nangiloc and District Kindergarten, gave us sustenance for the afternoon search, which was in some unburnt country and was more difficult terrain.
The day was an enlightening experience. It gave us the opportunity to participate in a well organised and coordinated search, with adequate numbers of volunteers and ample safety and data recording equipment. It also allowed us to assist in gathering of valuable information regarding the effect of bushfire on Malleefowl population.
Article by Annette Robertson and Lynton Schriever
Photograph of emu eggs - Annette Robertson
Posted by Wedderburn Conservation Management Network at 5:55 PM 0 comments
Location, location, location
Do malleefowl prefer a position with an open view to the south, or a nice shrubby backyard to the east? Is there a reason why one particular mound is used more often than another mound? Is vegetation structure and quality a limiting factor to where malleefowl will live? These are some of the questions we are trying to answer with our current vegetation surveys.
In 2007 surveys were done at 5 malleefowl mounds in the Wychitella NCR- 2 in the Skinners Flat block, 2 in the Wychitella block and 1 in the Wedderburn block as well as one mound on private property. The mounds range from being currently active, active within the last 5-10 years and long inactive. The method of the surveys is in two parts. The first survey is based on vegetation structure whereby a 50m tape is laid out and at every 50cm a 2m pole is placed and all vegetation touching that pole is recorded including the ground layer and the canopy above. This method gives an indication of the make up of the ground cover, understorey and canopy around the mound. This is then repeated at all four compass points.
The second method is where along the 50m line two 10m square blocks are measured up at the 20-30m point and the 40-50m point. One 1m square block is also set up within these two 10m square blocks. In both the 10m and 1m squared blocks every species is recorded and the number of each of the species is counted.
By comparing the results of the current surveys with the 2007 results it is hoped that we can get a better picture of why malleefowl choose to use one mound over another. It may be the structure of the surrounding vegetation providing better protection or it may be the mixture of species meaning a better supply of quality food, i.e. fungi, berries and insects.
The mound on private property has been completed and the remaining mound surveys will be occurring in the coming weeks. These will be followed by vegetation surveys in the kangaroo exclosure plots and 50m structure surveys in the Wychitella NCR. If you are interested in helping please let me know. Knowledge of plant species is not essential, but would be helpful, but there are some difficult working conditions involved.
Article by Wendy Murphy, WCMN Ranger, Photograph - Peter Watts