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Grants & Project Funding Opportunities

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South East LLS Expression of Interest (EOI) Round opening in November

South East Local Land Services is running a small EOI round for incentive funding in the Yass Valley, Boorowa and Upper Lachlan Local Government areas. The EOI will be advertised via the South East LLS website southeast.lls.nsw.gov.au, e-newsletters and YAN's Facebook page from 31 October. The EOI will close on 17 November 2014. 

Incentives offered include:
- Stockplan training
- Stock Confinement Feeding Facility (SCFF)/Stock Management Areas (SMAs)
- Fencing for ground cover management, land capability and alternate water
- Farm Planning training
- Paddock Trees
- Riparian fencing in the priority areas of Blakney Creek and Jerrawa Creek sub-catchments

For more information please contact Melinda Johnson at Yass on melinda.johnson@lls.nsw.gov.au or Melissa Henry at Boorowa on melissa.henry@lls.nsw.gov.au. 

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Upcoming Landcare Groups Meetings

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Murrumbateman Landcare Group AGM

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General Landcare News

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Murrumbateman Field Days report

Thanks to all the volunteers for the Murrumbateman Field Days. This was the busiest field days yet and the combined Landcare/South East LLS display had over 1000 visitors, well up on last year. 

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Richard Norris Lecture 

The Institute for Applied Ecology would like to invite you to the Richard Norris Lecture, an event hosted in memory of the late Richard Norris that showcases the work of a prominent water scientist.

This year Professor LeRoy Poff from the Department of Biology, Colorado State University will discuss the scientific and social challenges in shaping a more resilient future for river ecosystems.

The event will be held at the Inspire Centre on the 5th November from 4-5pm with canapés afterwards.

Humans are transforming flowing water ecosystems around the planet, causing rapid declines in aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem goods and services. Among the key drivers in this transformation are various forms of water infrastructure (dams, irrigation works) that fundamentally modify biophysical processes in aquatic and riparian systems. One major response to this degradation has been to restore some historical flow variability to dammed rivers through provisioning of ‘environmental flows.’ A foundation of this approach is to manage toward some historical reference condition; however, baseline conditions are rapidly changing with persistent human land use modification, with assisted spread of exotic species and now with rapid climate change. The social and scientific expectation of a future that deviates markedly from the past is fueling paradigm shifts in water resources and conservation management. What can (and should) conservation scientists do to help guide the evolution of a new management perspective that can promote ecosystem resilience and support biodiversity sustainability in the face of expanding water infrastructure, in both developed countries and in developing regions?

About Professor LeRoy Poff

Professor LeRoy Poff is a stream and river ecologist in the Department of Biology at Colorado State University, where he also is Director of the university-wide Graduate Degree Program in Ecology. His research aims to understand how natural and human-caused hydrologic variability regulates species interactions and shapes the structure and function in freshwater aquatic and riparian ecosystems. His hydro-ecological research and publications have contributed fundamentally to informing the applied science of ‘environmental flows’ and sustainable river management. He collaborates with biologists, hydrologists, geomorphologists, engineers and social scientists, and he currently has research projects on hydro-ecology and climate change in the US, Ecuador, and Australia. He is a former president of the Society for Freshwater Science, an ISI Highly Cited Researcher, and an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

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Taylors Creek Landcare Group Field Day Report

What a fantastic day we had! With perfect weather and following good rain, the country-side was looking its best.
After meeting at Nardoo, Rob and Ian Willson, together with Rob’s grandsons, Jack and Isaac, led the way to one of their very successful Direct Seeding sites. About ten years ago these gullies were fenced off then direct seeded with eucalypt and wattle seeds using the group’s Direct Seeder. Ideal rain conditions followed the seeding and up shot a very good percentage of the trees and shrubs planted. Many seeds were washed down onto the gully floor and trees are growing there too, helping to halt the gully’s spread. Green Wattles, Acacia mearnsii, Snowy River Wattles, A.boormanii, Silver Wattles, A.dealbata and Cootamundra Wattles A. baileyana, were identified as well as Ribbon Gums, Eucalyptus viminalis. To enable closer inspection and identification, Ruth took a piece of wattle that had us all stumped as to its name.  It was great to see such a successful project.
We then popped into the Group’s propagation igloos to see hundreds of tiny trees that have already began to shoot up. Ruth and June have been busy with lots more propagation about to commence.
Next it was Sunnybrook and up to the Big Hill Snow Gum Woodland. This site is located on the side of a hill that is quite steep. The centuries old snow gums, Eucalyptus pauciflora, have been bent double by the force of the wind over the years. Despite their shape and hollow trunks, the trees looked very healthy. They are about to come into flower then there will be lots more seed for propagation. Many seeds have already been collected and are about to be propagated.
Lines were ripped and tubestock planted in 2001 and these have enjoyed amazing success. Joan and Max Limon believe in planting a large variety of shrubs and trees with several species of wattles, She Oaks and eucalypts, including Snow Gums propagated from this very site, being planted.  Some of these plants are already regenerating themselves amongst the scattered old trees, especially the Red-stemmed Wattle, Acacia rubida. Even the old Snow Gums are regenerating now that stock has been excluded. Ruth discovered that the planted She Oaks, Allocasuarina verticillata and A. littoralis, had produced seed cones which Max helped her collect in order to be propagated. Clearly visible from this site, on top of the Big Hill, is the one and only She Oak still standing on Sunnybrook.
 Seed pods from She Oaks

Joan pointed out the Small Bird Exclosures, the latest project that was completed in May this year. These exclosures, erected every 100 metres, will become “stepping stones” for small birds to connect the Snow Gum Woodland on Sunnybrook to a large Red Gum/ Yellow Box Woodland across the valley on Nardoo.
Next on the list was a delicious lunch at Willeroo. Thanks to Erica and Edward Gundry for having us all there in your lovely garden. After this we followed Erica to her newest project. A tree line had been fenced off along a contour half way down a slope. Trees, all coming from our propagation igloo, had been planted a year or so ago and are doing very well. Varieties included Inland Scribbly Gum, Eucalyptus rossii, Blakelys Red Gum, E. blakelyi and Ribbon Gum, E. viminalis.  Grass growing in the tree line, as well as the trees themselves, will slow the flow of water down the steep slope and this will help the trees to grow as well. It will be interesting to follow the progress of this site.

Last stop of the day was a magnificent woodland of mixed eucalypts just up from the Willeroo Wool Shed. These ancient trees, some 300-400 years old, are mostly E. rossii with some E. mannifera.
George had been concerned that there had been no regeneration so part of the woodland was fenced off on the advice of Rainer Rehwinkel many years ago. The good season this Spring has seen much regeneration occur which is very heartening.
Over all the sites seen on our field day, many beautiful wild flowers were in bloom. Masses of Bulbine lilies were just coming out in flower along with Yellow Buttons, Scaly Buttons, Blue Bells, Creamy Candles, Vittadinia, Common Woodruff, Pale Sundew, Early Nancy, Blue Bells, Nodding Chocolate Lilies and Sheeps Burr. Thanks to Ruth for help with the naming of many of these plants.
An exciting find was the yellow flowers of the Yam Daisies or Murnong. There were quite a few of this plant seen. It was once very common in South East Australian grasslands but is now rare. The Yam Daisy flowers provide nectar for butterflies and are a food source for native bees. It produces little tubers under the ground which were an important food source for Aboriginal peoples. It was eaten raw or cooked. When roasted it produces a sweet syrup and is delectable.
Prior to the onset of grazing sheep and cattle, to which this plant was particularly vulnerable (Curr, 1883), Major Mitchell described the open view down from the Grampians as “a vast extent of open downs — quite yellow with Murnong” and “natives spread over the field, digging for roots” (Mitchell, 1839). (Beth Gott “Koorie Use and Management of the Plains”)
It was a very successful, enjoyable day looking at a wide variety of projects. Thank you to everyone who attended and to all the
landholders who welcomed us onto their properties to see the progress of each of these projects.
 Yam Daisy

BIRD UPDATE
Five Wedge-tailed Eagles were spotted over Sunnybrook by Max Limon. We have not seen that many at one time before.
Ruth has seen two Latham Snipes on her place, Gilead.
Little birds of many kinds abound in the garden and babies are singing in their nests. I recently spotted a Grey Fantail putting on a mating display for a Red-browed Finch! I think he was a bit confused!

Jean Underwood
Our secretary, Jean, is still recovering in Canberra Hospital. We wish you well, Jean. You are very much in our thoughts and prayers.

By Joan Limon

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Feral Fox Fact - Ordering fox baits

In order to purchase fox baits you must have completed either the 1080 course run by South East Local Land Services or an AQF3 course. If you do not have this qualification more courses will be run in early 2015. Proposed locations are Yass, Blakney Creek or Biala, Gunning and Dalton. Courses will be held in the first two weeks of February. The course takes approximately 3 hours and is currently being supported by the Feral Fox Fighters project and so is free of charge to landholders.

Fresh baits are made from lamb tongues or chicken wings. As the baits are mostly prepared fresh, the Rangers need 5 days notice from when you plan to collect the baits. Please note that only Ben and Chris in Yass office and Scott in Boorowa office are accredited to prepare and distribute fox baits. 

During the off season (September - January) baits are generally prepared one day a week. During the peak season (February - August) baits may be prepared 3 days a week (Wed, Thurs, Fri) depending on demand. 

Fox baits can be ordered through either Boorowa or Yass offices. If you are preparing for group baiting activities, drop offs at a central location can be negotiated.