- Spot Scene of the Week
- 16 February Dalrymple Landcare Committee general
meeting
- 20 February Reef Water Quality Partnership
Regional Implementation Group meeting
- 22 February Land Soils and Agriculture
Link-Up
- 23 February Land Management Advisory Group
Meeting
- 26 - 28 February Burdekin Catchment Road
Show
- 27 February – 1 March NRM Communicators
Workshop
- 27 February, National Land & Water
Resources Audit (NLWRA) Socio- Economic Indicators for NRM
Workshop
- 2 March Comments due on the Draft National Weed
Spread Action Plan
- 3 March Peter Andrews natural sequence farming
field day
- 4 March Better Earth Expo,
Thuringowa
- 7 March Climate Change Forum and Expo at Home
Hill
- 9 March Applications close for the Good
Land Management Awards 2007
- 19 March Townsville, Workshops to assess
the impacts of lantana on biodiversity
- 21-22 March Northern Beef Research
Conference, Townsville
- 28 - 30 March River Management in North
Queensland workshop, Townsville
- 2 April Burdekin Solutions Extraordinary
General Meeting
- 27 April Envirofund applications
close
- 2007 Prime Minister's Environmentalist of
the Year Award
- Welcome to Bronwyn Roberts New Field
Officer for the Belyando Suttor
- Grader Grass Management under
scrutiny
- Dutchman’s Pipe a killer for
Birdwing Butterflies
- Pests and Weeds Across North Queensland
Under the Gun
- Grazing Land Best Management Practices
(BMPs) Guidelines
- New EnviroNorth website
- New Land Manager website
- New management tool for East Australian
graziers
- More energy efficient air
conditioning
- National Pollutant Inventory (NPI)
2005-06 data now available
- How much carbon are you
emitting?
*******************************************************************
Spot
Scene of the Week
Highway Reward Mine - abandoned Mine 35km south of Charters
Towers
http://webgis.bdtnrm.org.au/spotscenes.htm
16
February Dalrymple Landcare Committee general meeting.
DPI&F, Charters Towers. For more information contact John
Nicholas John.Nicholas@dpi.qld.gov.au
20 February Reef Water Quality Partnership
Regional Implementation Group
Meeting in Brisbane. For more information go to: http://www.reefplan.qld.gov.au/about/partnerships.shtm
22
February BDT link-up meeting.
To RSVP and for more information contact LSA Programme
Coordinator, Kate Masters on Phone: 4724-3544 or email kate.masters@bdtnrm.org.au
23
February Land Management Advisory Group Meeting, Charters
Towers
To RSVP and for more information contact LSA Programme
Coordinator, Kate Masters on Phone: 4724-3544 or email kate.masters@bdtnrm.org.au
26 - 28
February Burdekin catchment road show
Public meetings to discuss Best Management Practices adoption
incentives and to review the Grazing Land Best Management Practices
(BMPs) Draft Guidelines.
26 February: Greenvale Hotel 9:30am DPI&F
Charters Towers 3:00pm
27 February: Burdekin catchment road show Belyando
Crossing Roadhouse 10:00am
28 February: Burdekin catchment road show Clermont
Club 9:00am
To view a copy of the guidelines go to /cci/grazinglands/
27
February, National Land & Water Resources Audit (NLWRA) Socio-
Economic Indicators for NRM Workshop
The NLWRA, under the auspices of the Social and Economic
National Coordination Committee (SENCC), is developing national
indicators of NRM capacity and has the task of conducting a series
of workshops to consult with State agencies and regional NRM bodies
with an interest in social and economic information for NRM. The
information is being used to identify NRM priorities, and to
support the evaluation of current and future program investments.
Further information on the Audit can be found at: www.nlwra.gov.au . If you wish to
attend the workshop please RSVP to Arwen Rickert by the 21
st of February. ebcarwen@iinet.net.au
27
February – 1 March NRM Communicators Workshop
To be held in Toowoomba. For more information contact Deb.Cavanagh@bdtnrm.org.au
2
March Comments due on the Draft National Weed Spread Action
Plan
The Australian Weeds Committee has extended an invitation to all
interested persons to comment on the consultation draft of the
National Weed Spread Prevention Action Plan. The closing date for
comment is 2 March 2007. For further information visit http://www.weeds.org.au/nwspap.htm
3 March
Peter Andrews talks to North Queensland Graziers
North Queensland grazing land managers will take another
practical step towards managing climate change and improving the
water quality leaving their properties at a Natural Sequence
Farming field day on March 3. The field day, to be conducted by the
Three Rivers Landcare Group, Burdekin Dry Tropics and Dalrymple
Landcare Committee will feature Peter Andrews, an innovative
ecological land manager from the Hunter Valley. The field day will
be held at the Ewan Racecourse, (120km North of Charters Towers on
the Lynd Highway) and nearby demonstration sites commencing at
7.30am on Saturday the 3 rd of March 2007. To register,
contact Debra at Burdekin Dry Tropics office on 4724 3544 or
John Nicholas of the Dalrymple Landcare Committee on 4754 6120 by
Friday 23 rd February 2007. Go to http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2005/s1383562.htm
to read about ABC’s Australian Story featuring Peter
Andrews.
4 March Better Earth Expo, Thuringowa
BDTNRM will be hosting Peter Andrews at the Better Earth Expo at
Thuringowa so if you would like to speak to him come along and say
hello. This event will be a first for the region and will showcase
the environmental industry, service providers and environmental
groups from throughout North Queensland. For more information go
to:
http://www.thuringowa.qld.gov.au/thuringowa/info/calendar.htm?d=1172671200
7 March Climate Change Forum and Expo at Home
Hill
Sunwater is a major sponsor for the Burdekin Climate Change
Forum and Expo hosted by the Burdekin Bowen Floodplain Management
Advisory Committee (BBIFMAC), along with the Lower Burdekin
Landcare, the Burdekin Shire Council and Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM
. Leading scientists and local experts will present the
latest information about climate change and discuss measures and
efficiencies we can adopt, at home and on our properties for a more
sustainable future in the Burdekin Region. The Forum and Expo will
be held at the Home Hill Memorial Hall. The expo will be held from
2pm and the forum will commence at 6pm. Bookings are essential. For
more information please call BBIFMAC on (07) 47834344
9 March Applications close for the Good Land
Management Awards 2007
As part of National Landcare week, The Dalrymple Landcare
Committee Inc. in conunction with BDTNRM and the SPIRAL project are
holding the second annual Good Land Management Awards. This year,
funding for the awards has increased to $20000. The focus of the
awards remains on improvements made by landholders and landcare
groups for their work towards improving and implementing
sustainable land use and improving natural resource condition. The
Awards now include separate categories for landholders and landcare
groups, while the rural blockholder and effective weed management
categories remain.
The awards are open to all industries in the Dalrymple Shire,
and are not specific to commercial grazing enterprises. Nominations
will be accepted in both self-nominations and third-party formats.
People who have not been involved with landcare are eligible and
are invited to nominate. Applicants are welcome to nominate works
completed with assistance from funding bodies or works completed
through their own initiatives.
This year, we are asking all landcare groups to nominate one or
more landholders based on the works that the individual has
completed. In addition to this, the Dalrymple Landcare Committee is
asking each landcare group to submit an entry based on what the
group has achieved.
Applications close on Friday the 9th of March 2007. Successful
applicants will be contacted by phone and mail by Friday the 23rd
of March 2007. The awards ceremony will be held in Charters Towers
on Friday March the 30th 2007 at a venue to be determined. For
further details or information please contact John.Nicholas@dpi.qld.gov.au
.
19 March Townsville, Workshops to assess the impacts
of lantana on biodiversity
Lantana ( Lantana camara ) is one of the 20 Weeds of
National Significance (WONS) and is acknowledged as a major threat
to biodiversity. However, information on the native species and
ecological communities at risk from lantana invasions has not been
collated and assessed. A series of workshops are being held across
lantana’s distribution with the aim of improving our
knowledge of species and ecological communities that are affected
by lantana.
Recently a system was developed to assess the species affected
by bitou bush (another WONS). This led to the identification of
over 150 native plant species and over 20 ecological communities as
being at risk, and the development of the NSW Threat Abatement Plan
for bitou bush (Bitou TAP - see
www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/content/bitou_bush_tap ).
A national plan similar to the Bitou TAP is now being developed for
lantana with the view to targeting control programs for
biodiversity conservation.
We need to gather small groups of people together who have
either been managing lantana or native species in lantana infested
areas. Those attending should have a good knowledge of their local
biodiversity and have an understanding of the species that are
likely to be affected by lantana. Participants include bush
regenerators, landholders, council pest and environmental officers,
national park staff, NRM staff, landcare officers and scientists.
If you would like to attend please email PeteTurner: Phone: Email:
pete.turner@environment.nsw.gov.au
For more information go to: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/content/lantana_ktp
21-22 March Northern Beef Research Conference,
Townsville
Hosted by the North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC) the
Update Conference is an opportunity for northern researchers,
extension officers and producers to get the latest technical
information from some of Australia's best researchers on both
recently completed and ongoing research projects in the areas of
genetics and genomics, reproduction and breeder management,
sustainable grazing, animal welfare and ruminant nutrition. As well
as the technical presentations, the Update Conference will include
a choice of two field trips inspecting research activities in the
nearby Burdekin catchment at either Swans Lagoon or Wambiana.
Contact: Jackie Kyte Email: jkyte@bigpond.net.au . For more
information go to: www.nbruc.org.au/
28 - 30 March River Management in North Queensland
workshop.
Jupiters Townsville Hotel & Casino, Sir Leslie Thiess Drive,
Townsville
2 April Burdekin Solutions Extraordinary General
Meeting
An extraordinary General Meeting will be held in Townsville to
discuss Burdekin Solution’s new constitution. For more
information contact Gloria.MacDonald@bdtnrm.org.au
27 April Envirofund applications close
Do you have a great idea for a natural resource management
project? Could you use up to $50,000 for environmental works in
your area? From this week, individuals and community groups are
invited to apply for up to $50,000 for natural resource management
projects from Envirofund Round 9. Projects that have been funded in
the past include: fencing, erosion control, off stream stock
watering points, habitat protection, awareness raising activities
and pest and weed control.
Envirofund is the local part of the Australian
Government’s Natural Heritage Trust program. It provides
funding direct to community groups and individuals to carry out
on-ground natural resource management projects that can show a
public benefit. Projects can be on public or private land, and can
be submitted by individuals, partnerships, companies and community
groups. Application forms and Guidelines can be downloaded from the
Envirofund website www.nht.gov.au/envirofund or
by contacting the Natural Heritage Trust on 1800 065 823.
Applications close at 5pm on Friday 27 th
April.
2007 Prime Minister's Environmentalist of the Year
Award
Submissions are now invited either from yourself or on behalf of
another individual or organisation, for any project, program or
other activity by an individual, organisation or group in Australia
or overseas that, included in its outcome, has: made a sustained
contribution to the environment; influenced understanding or
appreciation of the environment and our place in it now and for a
sustainable future in Australia or overseas, and/or; provided
leadership or inspiration in environmental management or
protection.
For further information visit http://www.banksiafdn.com/
Welcome to Bronwyn Roberts New Field Officer for the
Belyando Suttor
The BDTNRM and CHRRUP on-ground incentives program in the
Belyando Suttor catchment has a new field officer. Bronwyn Roberts
will start on Monday 19 th . She is well known around
the district, and has a strong knowledge of the cattle and cropping
industries in Central Queensland. She grew up in Emerald and has
worked on her family’s properties Olive Vale, Alpha and
Barngo, Capella. Bronwyn has been the Administration Manager for
Elders, Emerald since 2004 where she has developed outstanding
financial management and customer service skills. Bronwyn has a
long history with the Emerald Saleyards, completing her traineeship
with Emerald Peak Downs Saleyards Board in 2003 and working as the
Assistant Superintendent until moving to Elders. The previous field
officer, Anna Keetels has recently been appointed Executive Officer
of CHRRUP. For more information, contact CHRRUP on 07 4982
2996.
Grader Grass Management Under scrutiny
The Department of Natural Resources and Water, Tropical Weeds
Research Centre at Charters Towers is conducting a two year
research project into the ecological aspects of grader grass to
improve management techniques of this high priority pest. The
project is funded by the Burdekin Dry Tropics, Northern Gulf and
Southern Gulf Catchments Natural Resource Management bodies..
Grader grass (Themeda quadrivalvis) a native of India, is a
significant and increasing weed problem in northern Queensland.
Grader grass forms tall thickets which may cover large tracts of
land, smothering native plants, reducing biodiversity and
increasing fire hazards.
This project will provide both economic and environmental
benefits through the development of management recommendations so
that land managers can reduce the economic and environmental
impacts of this weedy grass.
For further details please contact Dr Wayne Vogler on 07 4761
5707 or email.
Dutchman’s Pipe a killer for Birdwing
Butterflies
BDTNRM staffer noticed with dismay that the January 2007 edition
of Gardening Australia is promoting Dutchman’s pipe - a class
3 pest plant in Queensland - as a ‘standout plant’.
http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/factsheets/pdf/pest/pp1.pdf
http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/pests/weeds/declared_plants/dutchmans_pipe.html
These plants are toxic to the larvae of the spectacular Cairns
and Richmond birdwing butterflies.
To all those gardeners out there, pay attention to the plants
being promoted by your local nurseries and if you see any declared
weeds among them, bring it to the nursery’s attention as they
may be unaware of the potential problem.
Pests and Weeds across North Queensland Under the
Gun
North Queensland pest animals and weeds are in the firing line
following the approval of 16 projects worth more than $3.6 million
under an historic Queensland Government pest program. The
successful projects are under the Queensland Government $11 million
Reclaim the Bush: A Pest Offensive, part of the government’s
Blueprint for the Bush initiative. Recipients and their partner
organisations will contribute a further $17.9 million in cash and
in-kind support, taking the Pest Offensive’s total to almost
$28.2 million.
Townsville City Council would receive more than $570,000 on
behalf of a number of North Queensland councils to help with feral
pig and wild dog management and to build a wash down facility.
Burdekin Shire Council will receive more than $430,000 to combat a
prickly acacia infestation that covers about 1500 hectares across
two properties. Three Aboriginal Shire Councils, will share almost
$550,000 to assist Aboriginal communities to manage weeds and pest
animals that affect natural and cultural resources in these areas.
To see a list of successful projects in North Queensland go to
http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=50261
Grazing Land Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Guidelines.
BDTNRM is developing these guidelines to reduce sediment and
nutrient loads entering our waterways and reaching downstream
weltands and the Great Barrier Reef. We are seeking grazier input
from graziers, landholders and other interested parties and will be
using your feedback on the Draft guidelines to further improve
them. For a copy of the guidelines contact Tom Coughlin: tom.coughlin@jcu.edu.au To
view a copy of the guidelines go to /cci/grazinglands/
New EnviroNorth website
The environment & NRM education website: EnviroNorth: Living
sustainably in Australia's savannas" was developed for schools,
with schools, involving many teachers and students. The site has
been developed by Julie Crough and Louise Fogg's Tropical Savannas
Knowledge in Schools Project in collaboration with the Northern
Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training. It is
planned to extend the site to Queensland and WA schools in the
future. Story with pictures :
www.savanna.cdu.edu.au/news/topical_savannas104.html?tid=341427
EnviroNorth www.environorth.org.au
New Land Manager website
This website, developed with the support of the Natural Heritage
Trust is a clearinghouse of practical information for land managers
across northern Australia (where managers include facilitators,
planners etc.). The site functions rather like a search engine set
up to find information resources relevant north Australian NRM. The
site has initially focused on fire management and biodiversity
management, reflecting the sources of funding, however, it is
intended that the site will grow in response to user feedback.
www.landmanager.org.au
New management tool for East Australian
graziers
CSIRO has just released a new real-time information tool to help
graziers in eastern Australia better cope with the impact of
climate variations on pasture production. Primary producers from
Rockhampton in Queensland across to Ceduna in South Australia and
down to Tasmania can now access newly released satellite pasture
growth data from the Pastures from Space website. Pasture
Management Tool www.pasturesfromspace.csiro.au
More energy efficient air conditioning
The Alternative Technology Association (ATA) has produced a
guide to show you what type you should buy, and which are the most
energy efficient. For further information visit http://www.ata.org.au/wp-content/articles/98_airconditioning.pdf
National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) 2005-06 data
now available
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) is a publicly accessible
database with information on the types and amounts of substance
emissions to the Australian environment. Emissions to air, land and
water are estimated by facilities each year. The NPI also holds
some data for diffuse sources whose emissions are aggregated
together, including emissions from motor vehicles. The 2005-06 data
was released on 31 January 2007. For further information visit
http://www.npi.gov.au/overview/index.html
How much carbon are you emitting?
According to Carbon Neutral, a volunteer based not for profit
Australian community organisation, although the sustainable level
of domestic carbon emissions is 2 Tonnes per year, the average
Australian is responsible for 13 tonnes of carbon emissions per
year.
Air travel is the biggest offender with a return flight to the
UK costing 12 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per passenger,
almost the same amount generated by the average Australian for an
entire year (about 52 trees worth). Someone on a return flight from
Townsville to Brisbane would have to plant about 4.5 trees to
compensate for the carbon emissions during their flight.
The average Australian drives approximately 15,000 km per year
and would have to plant 17 trees to offset their carbon emissions.
How much carbon are you responsible for? Go to http://www.carbonneutral.com.au/
to calculate your carbon emissions.
Your contributions and feedback are welcome. Please contact
Deb.Cavanagh@bdtnrm.org.au
*******************************************************************
This edition as well as past Burdekin Bites can be
found on our website: /news/burdekinbites/index.html
Burdekin Bites is produced by BDTNRM and compiled by
Deborah Cavanagh, BDTNRM Communications. Opinions expressed in the
e-bulletin are not necessarily those of BDTNRM. While every effort
has been made to check the accuracy of articles, BDTNRM cannot
accept any responsibility for errors and omissions. Any comments
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For more information or to access your information, please
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