Hunter Local Land Services
Landcare Links
Issue 1 - January 2016
 Dear Landcarers
Welcome to Hunter Landcare Links from the Hunter Regional Landcare Facilitator. This monthly email update brings together a range of natural resource management (NRM), sustainable agriculture and community information relevant to the Hunter Landcare Community.
I hope you enjoy this first edition of Hunter Landcare Links, if you have anything that you'd like included in future editions, please send me an email at nev.reis@lls.nsw.gov.au.
Please feel free to email Hunter Landcare Links on to fellow landcarers and others and encourage them to subscribe. If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter you can unsubscribe via the link at the bottom of this email.
In this issue:
Welcome from the Chair
 The feedback we were receiving indicated that people wanted more regular communication and networking with other landcare activities in the region. We agreed and now welcome you to the first edition of our Landcare Newsletter!
The NSW Government's Local Landcare Co-ordinator Initiative is making this an exciting time for Landcare. I am pleased to see the cooperative manner in which Landcare networks worked together to submit bids for this initiative.
I am also pleased to have received positive feedback on the role Hunter Local Land Services' staff have played in facilitating development of bids.
Our Board looks forward to hearing of the good outcomes we believe will follow. Please continue to provide your feedback.
Susan Hooke. Chair
Hunter Local Land Services
New Local Landcare Coordinators across NSW
 At the end of 2014 a small state wide team, including Chris Scott
(Manning Landcare), John Hughson (HRLN Chair), and myself provided input to development of a State Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Local Land Services and Landcare NSW to work together. This MoU was signed on 3 September 2015 at the State Landcare Conference in Orange. Subsequently, the New South Wales Government committed $15 million to deliver 60 new Local Landcare Coordinators across the state until June 2019.
 Manning Landcare, representing the Manning Great Lakes district (top right); and Hunter Region Landcare Network, representing Upper and Lower Hunter Districts (below right), agreed to put in two separate applications for the region to host Local Landcare Coordinators for these areas in the Hunter Region. Both groups met this month in anticipation of recruiting the much needed Local Landcare Coordinators.
The RLF Regional Service Delivery Plan
The Regional Landcare Facilitator (RLF) sits with Local Land Services and is responsible for a Regional Service Delivery Plan. The 2015-16 RLF Regional Service Delivery Plan which will deliver the following activities:
- Support Landcare Networks to establish Local Landcare Coordinators
- Hunter Carbon Farming Case Study
- Matching Enterprise to Property Decision Support Tool
- Support Landcarers in attending the NSW 2015 Landcare Conference
- Landcare Networks' Organisational Health Checks
- Communications such as this e-newsletter, answering enquiries, and promoting Landcare events
- Hunter Regional Landcare Scholarships
- Industry engagement with viticulture, fishers, and farm foresters.
If you have an interest in any of the above, don't hesitate to contact me to discuss further.
UpHunter Landcare - Wild About Trailblazing
 Landcare UpHunter will soon launch its Wild About Trailblazing project supported by a Hunter Local Land Services Community Education Grant provided through National Landcare Programme funding.
The innovative project aims to inspire Upper Hunter school students and youth to get involved in wildlife monitoring and conservation in their local area.
Upper Hunter schools interested in taking part will be provided with trail cameras for short-term projects to monitor, record and identifying wildlife and feral pests visiting their school environment. In addition to increasing student understanding and awareness of birdlife, native animals and feral intruders, the program will assist UpHunter and Scone Landcare build a database of wildlife and pest locations and movements.
Photos:
Top - Eagles feasting on roadkill by Adam Sykes Martindale Creek Catchment Landcare.
Bottom - Wild goats fighting in the Upper Hunter by Hamish Cameron.
Merriwa Landcare Tree Planting
Merriwa Landcare is hosting a Tree Planting field day in February for local landholders keen to improve the biodiversity of their farm. Hunter Local Land Services is supporting the project through Hunter Catchment Contributions funding as well as assisting with capacity building events and workshops.
Stepping Stones project manager, Kirsten McKimmie is mapping Merriwa's planting sites as Stepping Stones is funding the seedling trees and shrubs, and has been busy organising conservation volunteers to assist with the Autumn planting. Merriwa Landcare member, Ellenor Nixon's (photo below) family is keen to plant trees on their "Merriwa Park" property this Autumn with the local Landcare project.
Landholders will inspect established tree plantings, learning first- hand from local farmers what works and what doesn't, plus exploring fencing options, site preparation and planting methods.
Merriwa Landcare is now focusing on investigating the possibilities for direct seeding in the diverse range of soil types found on the Merriwa plateau, planning a series of trials and monitoring activities. The group aims to explore the possibilities of using direct seeding to re-establish the district's native endangered box gum grassy woodlands expanding important habitats for native insect pollinators and increasing shelter for pastures and livestock. Remnant vegetation may well play a vital role in ensuring a sustainable farming future for the region. To find out more contact maria.cameron@lls.nsw.gov.au.
Upcoming events
- World Wetlands Day: Waterbird photo exhibition, with Canapés & Champagne, 2 Feb 3.30 - 5 pm, Hunter Wetlands Centre, Newcastle. RSVP by email conference_centre@wetlands.org.au or phone 49516466.
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- Beef Cattle Weaner Management for Grass Fed Markets, 16 Feb 9.30 am - 1 pm, Knowla Moppy via Gloucester
- Merriwa Landcare Tree Planting Field Day, in February. For more details email maria.cameron@lls.nsw.gov.au
- Kooragang Monthly Tree Planting Day, 8.30-10.30 am Sunday 21 Feb, Schoolmasters House, Schoolhouse Road, Ash Island. Call 4964 9308 for more details.
- Soils and Trees for Carbon Markets, 25 Feb 10 am - 3 pm, Krambach Catholic Hall, 760 The Bucketts Way, Krambach
- Thinning for production in the Lower Hunter, 27 Feb 10 am - 2 pm, 'Glenthorn' 561 Allyn River Road, East Gresford
- Camera 'Trapping' Workshop, coming in late February in the Cessnock area. For more details email ingrid.berthold@lls.nsw.gov.au .
- Date Claimer: First State wide Local Landcare Coordinators Induction Training, 21-23 March, Newcastle
- Dates announced for EV Festival 2016, 13-14 Aug 2016, Newcastle Kart Racing Club Cameron Park
Other Landcare News links
Funding opportunities
Landholders affected by the recent heavy rainfall and flooding in the Hunter, can contact Hunter Local Land Services on 1300 795 299 for advice and assistance on livestock health, welfare and disease issues and pasture, feed and stock options.
Tools and resources
Happy landcaring!
Nev Reis | Regional Landcare Facilitator
Hunter Local Land Services
Phone 02 4938 4959
Email nev.reis@lls.nsw.gov.au
Social media www.facebook.com/HunterRegionalLandcareFacilitator
Address 816 Tocal Road (Private Bag 2010) | Paterson | NSW 2421
The Regional Landcare Facilitator Program is an initiative
of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture.
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Local teachers are on board and very 
