The Link The Link IssueVolunteer 84 Newsletter Issue 70 VOLUNTEERS AND PARTNERSHIPS UNIT NEWS WELCOME DANIELLE CALABRO G’day My name is Danielle Calabro and I am the current graduate ranger working in the Volunteers and Partnerships Unit. I am in my first year of the graduate program and just shy of completing two placements. Once I have completed the Adelaide placement, the graduate program takes me to Northern and Yorke and SAAL regions, where I can’t wait to gain more experience working in the parks, meet new rangers, and work with volunteer groups. My first six month placement was at Naracoorte Caves National Park where I was lucky to be involved with the international student volunteers program. I got to know a fantastic and enthusiastic group of young American students and some of the work we undertook included weed eradication; a Mallee fowl mound survey; planting native pigface on sand dunes in Canunda National Park; and tree planting at Naracoorte Caves National Park. I also had the pleasure of supervising school work experience students where they gained experience in a fox baiting program, revegetation work at Bool Lagoon Game Reserve, and asset maintenance. I have been a volunteer in organisations from wildlife parks to museums, where I gained invaluable experience and met wonderful people who were happy to share their experience and knowledge. I think that volunteering is such an important part of our society. It enables people to pursue their interests, make a difference, form life-long friendships and share knowledge. I love how people from all walks of life get together because they share a common interest. I think the passion and hard work that volunteers have for our parks is vital to long term nature conservation, and I look forward to being a part of this as I continue on my journey as a budding park ranger. Danielle celebrating with international student volunteers FAMILIAR FACE - NEW POSITION - WENDY CLIFF Wendy has recently started in her new role as Volunteer Support Officer for the Northern and Yorke Region. Some people may already know Wendy as she has been in the region since 2007, working as a Ranger across all three districts, and originally being a Grad Ranger. Wendy can support your group in a number of ways including help with volunteer recruitment, sharing ideas/stories, promoting volunteer opportunities, assist in the recognition and acknowledgement of your volunteer contribution(s), and with your management of safety for volunteers. And much more! Call in and visit Wendy at the Natural Resource Centre at 2/17 Lennon St, Clare, or contact her on 8841 3469 or [email protected]. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS 2013 Volunteer Awards Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) has announced the winners of its 2013 Volunteer Awards. DEWNR Chief Executive Allan Holmes says the awards, first presented in the 1980s, are an ideal way to acknowledge the valuable work being done across the state. The DEWNR awards recognise the voluntary contribution to the environment by individuals and groups working directly with the department. There are two categories – the Outstanding Individual Volunteer Achievement Award and the Outstanding Group Volunteer Project Achievement Awards, with the results as follows:. • Roy Caldwell, who has been involved with the Friends of Anstey Hill Recreation Park in the Adelaide Mount Lofty Region for more than 25 years, has been recognised for an individual award. Roy has co-ordinated regular working bees, planting days and made a significant contribution to the restoration and cultural heritage management of the Bakehouse and Ellis Cottage for more than 25 years. Roy also shares his knowledge and passion for Anstey Hill with school groups and community organisations, and visits the park on a daily basis, tending to all manner of activities that need attention.” Three groups have been recognised in the group volunteer category: • Friends of Burra Parks, in the state’s Northern and Yorke Natural Resource Management Region, have been recognised for work on the Bimbowrie Conservation Park Heritage Building Restoration Project, which includes stonework improvements to the expedition hut of Sir Douglas Mawson • Friends of Canunda and Beachport Parks, in the South East, are being celebrated for an educational initiative in which local school students are given environmental education opportunities to further their knowledge of local heritage and national parks in their area – through the March into May Project • The West Mallee Protection Group (in the Alinytjara Wilurara Region) has been recognised for its work to rehabilitate an area around Googs Lake through on-ground works, in conjunction with community partnerships and monitoring The individual winner and the three group awardees each receive $1250 to further their conservation efforts, and a framed certificate. 2013 Friends of Parks Inc Awards Friends of Parks Inc awards have also been announced. These awards recognise the voluntary contribution to the environment Friends of Parks groups. • The Friends Group Achievement of the Year (Incorporating the McLaren Shield), was won by the Friends of Canunda/Beachport Parks for the March into May Project. • The Best Biodiversity Project Award was awarded to two groups this year, the Friends of Mound Springs and the Friends of Streaky Bay District Parks with both winners receiving $700 and a framed certificate. Congratulations to all involved! GET INVOLVED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ANNUAL TRAPPING - ARID RECOVERY Volunteers are required to assist with Arid Recovery’s Annual Small Vertebrate Trapping at Roxby Downs from 9 February 2014. This is a great opportunity to participate in one of the longest running trapping events of its kind. Participants will assist in the trapping of reptiles and small mammals. Volunteers are required to pay a donation fee which includes accommodation and food and assists with the ongoing research of Arid Recovery. For more information call the Arid Recovery office on 8671 2402 or email [email protected]. REINTRODUCTION OF THE WESTERN QUOLL An opportunity exists for a keen and dedicated volunteer to assist DEWNR with an exciting plan to reintroduce the western quoll to South Australia. Duration: three months, 24 March-24 June 2014 Location: Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia Accommodation: provided in fully contained shearers quarters with toilet, showers, kitchen, lounge and own room Food: $200 a week provided for food expenses Travel: $400 supplied to assist with travel costs to and from the study site Duties: radio tracking quolls, feral animal control, data entry, trapping, habitat assessments, DNA sampling, aerial radio tracking from light aircraft. Experience: Experience in radio tracking, remote field work, off-road driving and/or camera trapping is desirable but not essential. A manual driver’s license and moderate to high level of fitness are required. For more information contact [email protected]. Applications close January 31. CLELAND WILDLIFE PARK Animal Management Volunteers and Food Bag Production Volunteers Ongoing Animal Management volunteers work closely with the keeper staff at Cleland Wildlife Park helping with the care and husbandry of our captive native wildlife population. While there is no direct handling of the animals volunteering at Cleland can be a worthwhile and rewarding experience. Some of the tasks you may be involved in include food preparation and cleaning of the food prep area, cleaning exhibits and enclosures, and creating behavioural and environmental enrichment tools. Food bag production volunteers assist with the production and bagging of food pellets. These bags are provided to park visitors to hand feed animals throughout the park. Any relevant training will be provided. For more information about either of these positions contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Cleland Wildlife Park on (08) 8130 9008 or [email protected]. COMMUNITY NURSERIES NETWORK The Community Nurseries Network are a group of local community run nurseries in the Coorong Lower Lakes & Murray Mouth (CLLMM) region growing plants for the Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association (GWLAP) Community Revegetation Program. The nurseries are located at Meningie, Finniss, Hindmarsh Island, Milang, Clayton Bay and Raukkan, and are always looking for volunteers to help with propagation, general nursery management and seed collection. For more information contact: Community Nursery Network Coordinator, Jill Taylor 8537 0808 or [email protected] and check out the new website at: www.communitynurseries.com.au. ‘COMMON MOTHS OF THE ADELAIDE REGION’ – CAN YOU HELP? Butterfly Conservation South Australia is producing a book on ‘Common moths of the Adelaide Region’ to replace the now out of print book by Peter McQuillan, published by the SA Museum in 1982. The new book will be a companion to the ‘Attracting butterflies to your garden’ book. BCSA has been fortunate to receive a seeding grant from the AMLNRM and a small team are working with author Peter McQuillan on content for the new book. They have chosen around 120 common moths and would like to include images of not only the adults but their caterpillars as well. This is where they need help… they are seeking high quality images of local moths and caterpillars for possible inclusion in their book. The photographer of all images used in the book will be acknowledged and photographers should be willing to sign a release