Victorian Landcare Magazine - Summer 2022 , Issue 83
Community conversations are continuing as the Landcare for Country pilot finally gets underway. Landcare for Country is about strengthening grassroots connections between Landcarers, Traditional Owners and First Nations communities so they can come together and do Landcare, for Country.
The pilot will create a number of new positions based in Traditional Owner groups that will work with Landcare to drive and support outcomes that align with Traditional Owner aspirations and priorities for Country. The pilot will run over four years and be supported by DELWP’s Victorian Landcare Program.
For more information contact Jackson Chatfield on Jackson.chatfield@delwp.vic.gov.au or 0419 504 451.
Landcare Victoria Inc. (LVI) continues to expand its role and services for members, including upgrading communications capacity, preparing a submission to the review of the National Landcare Program to put community Landcare back on the agenda, and supporting members with grant auspicing.
In early 2022, an online membership census will be conducted to collect information about Landcare activities and priorities and information required for insurance purposes. We will also be working on the first stage of developing a new Landcare Plan for Victoria that will establish a platform for community Landcare in the decades ahead. We are looking forward to visiting groups in the regions soon.
For more information on LVI or to become a member visit http://www.lvi.org.au/or (03) 9034 1940.
Two new local Landcare facilitators have been welcomed to the Corangamite Landcare Team. The Geelong Landcare Network has recently appointed Bronwyn Merritt and Lismore Land Protection Group has recently appointed Alicia Merriman.
We wish outgoing Landcare facilitators Tim Trottier and Rod Eldridge all the best for the future and thank them for their great Landcare work.
The 2021 Victorian Landcare Grants round has funded 15 Project Grants and 34 Group Support Grants across the region.
For more information visit https://ccma.vic.gov.au/get-involved/landcare/ or contact Elisia Dowling on 0418 397 521.
Landcarers in the region are busy implementing their 2021 Victorian Landcare Grants projects that were announced in October 2021. Groups are enjoying getting back to delivering projects and meeting for working bees. Bushfire recovery works are continuing as groups who received funding from Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants look to wrap up by April 2022.
Planning is underway for a Landcare celebration event to be hosted by ABC gardening personality Costa Georgiadis on the long weekend from 12–14 March 2022. This will be an opportunity for the Landcare community to come together, celebrate their achievements and be inspired by Costa’s energy for plants and the environment.
For more information visit https://egcma.com.au/what-we-do/landcare/ or contact Carolyn Cameron on 0419 892 268.
The Landcare community has responded positively to the easing of the COVID-19 restrictions and has started conducting field day and working bees. AGMs are being held face-to-face; however online meetings may be here to stay.
Landcare groups have been busy planning to deliver the 26 projects funded through the 2021 Victorian Landcare Grants. These grants are highly valued by our local Landcarers.
Environmental scientist Dr Graeme Lorimer has been engaged by the CMA to conduct wetland plant identification training. The training is targeted at the Landcare facilitators, with CMA staff taking advantage of the opportunity to further develop their skills.
For more information visit https://www.ghcma.vic.gov.au/get-involved/landcare/ or contact Tony Lithgow on 0418 180 996.
It has been great to have face-to-face meetings once again. Groups are adapting to the requirements of social distancing and checking in.
It is full steam ahead with our 2021 Victorian Landcare Grants. We have some impressive projects in the pipeline across the catchment with several new groups supported to deliver on their local priorities. In addition, 21 groups received Group Support Grants.
A group of enthusiastic locals from Rushworth and surrounds are looking at coming together to form the Waranga Landcare Group. A new group in the catchment will be a strong note on which to start 2022.
For more information visit https://www.gbcma.vic.gov.au/our-region/community_natural_resource_management or contact Tony Kubeil on 0408 597 213.
The CMA extends its congratulations to the 21 groups who were successful in their 2021 Victorian Landcare Grants applications. Funded projects include large-scale pest plant and animal control works to support remnant native vegetation and reduce competition for native fauna, education events to promote the protection of riparian vegetation, and native indigenous revegetation to increase habitat for threatened species.
Citizen science projects will also be undertaken to increase the understanding of the Mildura ogyris butterfly (Ogyris subterrestis subterresstis) listed under the Flora and Flora Guarantee Act 1998. This project will promote awareness of the species that may lead to the discovery of new populations. The Mildura ogyris is ranked seventh on the list of Australian butterflies most likely to become extinct in the next 20 years.
For more information visit https://www.malleecma.com.au/engagement/ or contact Nelson Burand-Hicks on 0427 540 469.
The summer break provided an opportunity for the regional Landcare team to plan for the year ahead. Youth engagement will be a strong theme of our 2022 program, supported by the CMA’s School Based Trainees and Apprentices Program staff.
Plans are underway for the fourth Cascade Connections Landcare facilitator event. Hosted in collaboration with the North East, Goulburn Broken, and Corangamite Landcare teams, the 2022 event will be held in the North East and will support the Landcare facilitators and project coordinators of the four catchments.
February marks our annual Rabbit Buster Month campaign. Landholders and community groups are encouraged to read up, reach out and rip into their rabbit control programs as the summer heat dries up feed, breeding numbers are low, and soils are more responsive to culturally-safe warren destruction.
For more information visit http://www.nccma.vic.gov.au/landcare or contact Tess Grieves on 0438 357 874.
The announcement of the 2021 Victorian Landcare Grants has provided funding for nine Group Support Grants and 28 Project Grants in the region. Ten of the successful project grants have also been identified as eligible through the Australian Government Bush for Birds Program and will receive an additional funding contribution towards some of their activities.
Four new Landcare facilitators took up their roles during the spring.
The dormant Jarvis Creek Landcare Group has become active again. A recent meeting of Landcarers in the area (near Tallangatta) have formed a new executive committee and begun planning how to invigorate local Landcare and community events. The executive is a mix of newer and more experienced members. We look forward to hearing about their strategic direction for the group.
For more information visit https://www.necma.vic.gov.au/Solutions-Resources/Landcare-Community-Groups or contact Richard Dalkin on 0409 683 467.
Landcare groups in the region continued to show their passion and focus with applications for the 2021 Victorian Landcare Grants the most subscribed in in the CMA’s history. Twenty-one Project Grants and 87 Group Support Grants were funded.
On 1 January 2022, the Port Phillip and Westernport CMA integrated into Melbourne Water, bringing the catchment management and waterway management roles for the region under a single entity. Barry Kennedy continues as Regional Landcare Coordinator, and other Melbourne Water staff are excited to get out soon and meet their new partners.
The Regional Landcare Support Plan has been finalised and continues to have a strong focus on environmental volunteering’s vital role in achieving state and national priorities.
For more information contact Barry Kennedy on barry.kennedy@melbournewater.com.au or 0447 821 559.
West Gippsland’s five Landcare Networks and the CMA got together recently to exchange ideas and discuss future directions. Hosted at Narkoojee Winery in Glengarry, the strategic planning day provided a much-needed opportunity to reconnect in person. With the theme of Past, Present, Future, attendees shared their achievements and the challenges of recent times and reported on how Landcare was going in their patch and what they hoped to achieve over the coming years.
For more information visit https://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/getting-involved/landcare or contact Sam Shannon on 0409 944 114.
Wimmera Landcare groups have been focused on rolling out a diverse range of 2021 Victorian Landcare Grant projects. We look forward to seeing these projects continue to develop over the course of 2022 as they build capacity for land stewardship and significant on-ground change across the region.
A large-scale soil moisture and weather station networking program coordinated by Wimmera CMA as part of the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, continues to engage with many Landcare groups to improve management of natural resources and build drought resilience of agricultural and broader landscapes.
The Wimmera Landcare Team welcomes Annie Hobby, who has replaced Wendy McInnes as the Horsham Rural City Council area Landcare Facilitator. Annie brings a great skillset to the role and is well placed to build on Wendy’s fantastic achievements with the local Landcare community.
For more information visit http://wcma.vic.gov.au/get-involved/Landcare or contact Joel Boyd on 0429 949 196.