Landcare Landcare Community
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Autumn 2001 Victorian Victorian 19 ISSUE andcareandcare LL & CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT Outfoxing the fox in Gippsland Wimmera Landcare round-up Filling the winter feed gap Direct seeding success stories ad Editorial contributions Carrie Tiffany, Tiffany and Associates CONTENTS 1 Lane Street, Blackburn North 3130 CONTENTS Phone (03) 9894 2169 Fax (03) 9894 2515 E-mail: [email protected] Mailing list enquiries Direct seeding Upper Wimmera Brenan Wotherspoon, Victorian Farmers shelterbelts Landcare round-up Federation, Phone (03) 9207 5527 Fax (03) 9207 5500 8-9 12-13 E-mail: [email protected] Advertising Paul Crock Filling the Kids go down Phone 0418 377 264 Fax (03) 9428 4676 winter feed gap the drain Cover photograph: 16-17 21 Kerry Reid collects seed on the property he manages at Ravenswood. The seed is Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management is published for the Victorian Landcare being used to revegetate the bare hills in community by the Victorian Farmers Federation in partnership with the Department of the background. By Rawdon Sthradher. Natural Resources and Environment, Alcoa World Alumina Australia, the Victorian Catchment Management Council and the Natural Heritage Trust. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of statements in Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management Magazine the Victorian Farmers Federation, its partners, agents, servants, and contractors disclaim all responsibility for the statements quoted herein. Improve Your Financial Outlook With Rural Finance Mick and Nick Taverna of Lake Boga have reclaimed non-productive salinity affected land by planting saltbush and installing sub-surface drainage. The area is now ready to be planted with new variety stone fruit trees. Productivity improvements including irrigation and drainage systems are eligible for subsidy assistance through the Productivity Enhancement Program. Talk to our specialist rural lenders today. Head Office: 350 Colins Street, Melbourne Tel (03) 9243 2668 Fax (03) 9243 2666 www.ruralfinance.com.au LEEDS RFCP29066 FromFrom thethe editors In this issue we feature several stories on revegetation over the last century direct seeding (this is a good time of year exposing the monumental blunders to start planning revegetation projects). that have spawned environmental weeds Local knowledge and resources about such as blackberries and display the latest direct seeding are abundant. With in today’s revegetation technology. You thorough planning direct seeding can can punt on your favourite trend in the be a quick and cost-effective method of inaugural revegetation stakes and enter revegetation. Greening Australia Victoria fashions in the field for quality prizes. is a good source of information and advice. The festival has a carnival atmosphere Landfest 2001 with environmental and Landcare entertainment, activities, workshops, For a positive start to the Landcare year displays, food, wine and local produce. go to Landfest – Australia’s only Landcare Entry is $3 for adults and free for Deborah Conway will perform at Landfest 2001. festival. Landfest is on again at the children under 15. For more information Victorian Landcare Centre in Creswick, contact the Victorian Landcare Centre so reprinting is welcome, as long as from 10am to 4pm on Sunday 18 March on (03) 5345 2200. the Victorian Landcare and Catchment 2001. Located on Daylesford Road, the Management Magazine is acknowledged centre’s picturesque gardens, walking trails Reprinting our articles as the source. and natural shady amphitheatre make it a We’ve had a number of enquiries from great place to see this year’s top billing Please keep your stories and letters Landcare groups wanting to reprint singer, Deborah Conway. coming. We are always interested in articles or extracts of articles from this hearing from our readers. The theme of Landfest 2001 is fashions magazine in local newsletters. We are in the field. It will highlight trends in keen to spread the word as far as possible Lyall Grey, Jo Safstrom and Carrie Tiffany FOFOXXOFFOFF®® The Proven Solution to fox predation FOXOFF® may be purchased by holders of an Agricultural Chemical Users Permit at DNRE Depots. For more information about obtaining an ACUP Permit contact DNRE Customer Service 136 186 Autumn is Rabbit Season - Bait NOW with Rabbait® Pindone Oat Bait. RABBAIT® is available at all rural merchandise stores including CRT, Elders, IAMA, Wesfarmers, Murray Goulburn & leading independents in 10kg & 5kg Pails & 2.5kg Small Program Kits Quality Products from Animal Control Technologies. The makers of FOXOFF®, MOUSEOFF® Zinc Phosphide and NEW MOUSEOFF® Bromadialone. Trade Enquiries Welcome write to - PO Box 379 Somerton Victoria 3062 For technical information please fill in your details, tick product required & return to address above: Name: FOXOFF MOUSEOFF ZP Address: Post Code: RABBAIT MOUSEOFF BD Catchment REVIEW COMMITTEE Management to provide advice on irrigation farm dams This month the Farm Dams (Irrigation) This approach has the additional Proper management of our water resources Review Committee will present its advantage of treating all water users is vital to Victoria’s economic, social and final recommendations to the Minister equally, regardless of whether they ecological well-being. for Environment and Conservation, take water from a waterway or from The committee’s Draft Report and Sherryl Garbutt. the gullies that feed the waterways. more information is available at The committee’s recommendations Thirdly, the committee proposed http://home.vicnet.net.au/~farmdams/ follow an extensive process of community that streamflow management plans be or by calling the NRE Customer consultation that commenced in April developed by local community reference Service Centre on 136 186. 2000, to enable stakeholders to make groups. The purpose of these plans would The Farm Dams Review Committee recommendations and comment on be to develop local management plans to is an independent committee chaired the issues raised. share the available water within the local by the Chief Executive Officer of the catchment on a fair basis and to manage According to Don Blackmore, Chairman Murray Darling Basin Commission, the local streams on a sustainable basis. of the Farm Dams (Irrigation) Review Don Blackmore. Its members are Sylvia Committee, the most difficult issue for Public comment on the committee’s draft Davey (West Gippsland CMA), Tim the community is how to resolve the recommendations closed on 18 February Fisher (Australian Conservation dilemma of there being only a fixed 2001. The committee is now considering Foundation), Christine Forster (Victorian amount of water available in catchments. these comments and expects to provide Catchment Management Council), final recommendations to the Minister Peter Sutherland (Catchment and “In an increasing number of catchments by the end of March. Water Division, NRE) and Peter Walsh the water that is available on a sustainable (Victorian Farmers Federation). basis has already been fully utilised by To ensure both the ecological sustainability existing users. As it stands, if other of our creeks and rivers and that the For further information contact people in the catchment want access security of existing users is protected, it is Kevan Richards, Executive Officer, to additional water this can only be clear that we need to effectively manage all Farm Dams (Irrigation) Review done by taking water off these users, of the water resources in our catchments. Committee, on (03) 9412 4316. or unacceptably damaging our rivers,” Don Blackmore said. In response to this emerging problem, the committee has proposed three major recommendations in its draft report, which was released for public comment in December 2000. Firstly, the committee proposed that there should be no change to the current arrangement for existing domestic and stock water use. Secondly, the committee proposed that the State’s current licensing system should be extended to cover all water harvested for irrigation purposes. This approach was adopted to ensure that the legal rights of existing water users could be protected and that the State’s rivers could be managed on a sustainable basis. Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management Page 5 Grovedale West students win the National Landcare Garden Competition Students from Grovedale West Primary “The calibre of entries in the The garden is valued at $5000 and the School have beaten schools from around competition was exceptionally high students have also won a 4000 gallon Australia to win the 2000 Design a this year so Grovedale students should water tank with pressure pump from Team Landcare Garden Competition. feel justifiably proud of their achievement. Poly, a $500 voucher for Scholastic books and 5000 bonus points from Scholastic to The grade six students put their creative “Given the havoc salinity is causing to be added to Grovedale’s account. talents to good use and designed a our landscape I was particularly impressed Landcare garden for their school, with the students’ involvement in The Grovedale West Landcare garden incorporating projects to protect frogs and Saltwatch and the plans for expanding will have a focus on educational purposes, monitor water quality. The garden also this program when the Landcare garden allowing students to learn more about aims to attract native birds and animals, is installed.” environmental science, maths, technology, promote the Landcare ethic and be a art and aboriginal heritage. The students’ ideas and plans