It seems remarkable something as small as a seed has the capacity to renew and repair our native ecosystems.

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services (LLS) has just completed its fourth year of community seed collecting workshops, funded by NSW Catchment Action, to increase community education and skillsets in the collection, preservation and propagation of native seeds.

Ivan Lackay, Northern Tablelands LLS Project Officer recently delivered two workshops in partnership with Stringybark Ecological Services. The sessions are designed to enable landholders to collect, process, store and grow the seeds endemic to their local area for use on their own properties, and for the Northern Tablelands LLS Seed Bank.

The Seed Bank was born in 2012 to supply the region with viable seed of local provenance for revegetation and restorative activities.

For more information about the Seed Collection workshops, the Northern Tablelands LLS Seed Bank, and upcoming opportunities contact Northern Tablelands LLS Project Officer Ivan Lackay on 0455 031 598.

Photo caption: Eucalyptus seed collected at the Seed Collection Workshop is cleaned and packaged for storage in the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Seed Bank. Photo courtesy Dave Carr, Strinybark Ecological Services.

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Tell us about projects you are interested in on your farm

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is developing projects with support from the NSW and Australian Government and we would like landholders to submit Expressions of Interest to help us identify and support their natural resource priorities on-farm.

Expressions of Interest will be assessed as they are received against a set of criteria including funding availability, landholder contribution, NSW and Australian Government priorities and value for money.

Visit the Northern Tablelands LLS website for details.

Waterway weeds in the spotlight

Two ornamental plants introduced to Australia a century ago have Northern Tablelands Local Land Services and Inverell Shire Council working hard to tackle these invasive species along the Dumaresq River.

Outlying patches spread from a large containment zone of Cat’s Claw Creeper and a recently discovered regrowth of Water Lettuce are the target for the renewed weed control projects, funded by NSW Catchment Action. The Cat’s Claw Creeper and Water Lettuce weed control projects are essential to preventing their spread downriver and into the Murray-Darling river system.

Northern Tablelands LLS Regional Weeds Officer, Jonathan Lawson, said they are targeting 21 new growth areas of Cat’s Claw Creeper with assistance from Inverell Shire Council weeds officers. Outcrops were formed after river-borne seeds dropped from the core infestation which covers the river frontage of several properties.

Cat’s Claw Creeper now extends along 170 kilometres of the Dumaresq River. Inverell Shire Council Environmental Compliance Coordinator Phil Sutton said it is critical to minimise infestation of this Weed of National Significance.

The invasive weed, Water Lettuce carpets waterways impeding water flow and potentially spreading downstream into the Murray Darling Basin.

Water Lettuce and Cat’s Claw Creeper are both included in the 2017-2022 Northern Tablelands Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan. For more information about the projects, or to report an occurrence of either weed, contact the Inverell Shire Council Weeds Officer on 02 6728 8288.

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Giving your weaner cattle the best start

Weaning is an important time for the continued health management of your beef herd. Weaner cattle experience greater stress due to separation, diet change, handling, socialisation and animal health treatments. This increased stress suppresses / weakens their immune system which puts them at greater risk of infectious viruses and bacteria.

Increased growth and optimal health can be easily achieved by good routine management. Weaner cattle are more susceptible to clostridial diseases particularly pulpy kidney and blackleg. Boosting immunity to these diseases is critical and can be achieved through vaccination. Vaccinate calves with 5 in 1, with the first shot given ideally 4-6 weeks prior to commencing weaning to prime the calves’ immune system and the second dose 4-6 weeks during the start of weaning. Don’t forget to keep your vaccine cool for it to be most effective.

Managing internal and external parasites is vital at weaning due to their suppressed immune system. To prevent economic loss, the best way to decide whether to drench weaners is through conducting faecal egg counts. Following drenching move stock into a clean paddock once they are finished being yard weaned.

If you are yard weaning ensure you have enough space at feeders and adequate water for the size of the mob in the yards. Yard weaning is an excellent way to get young cattle used to being handled and familiar with being yarded. At higher stocking rates there is an increased risk of diseases such as pneumonia which can spread quickly. It is important to check animals regularly and examine any animals that seem unwell. Seek professional help early.

Don’t forget to take care of your replacement females - they are the future of your herd. It is recommended that heifers should be vaccinated with a 7 in 1 with a second vaccination 4-6 weeks after the initial followed by a yearly vaccination. This allows them to develop immunity to leptospirosis.

For more information contact Northern Tablelands LLS Biosecurity Officers Elli Sinclair on 0447 654 883 or Max Newsome on 0427 007 190.

River tours educate and fascinate

It isn’t every day you have a chance to cradle a platypus. This rare opportunity was offered by Northern Tablelands Local Land Services to landholders and the community during a recent kayak tour, designed to help landholders understand more about the value of our river systems to landscape health.

Guided by ecologist Phil Spark, and facilitated by Local Land Service River Health Officer, Andrew Walsh and Bell’s Turtle Project Officer, Kelly Twigge, groups of enthusiastic landholders and town residents floated the Macintyre and Gwydir Rivers.

“These tours, assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust and NSW Catchment Action, highlighted to the community and landholders the benefits of having healthy river systems and adjacent land, otherwise known as riparian zones,” Andrew said.

Kayaker Joanna Low had the "amazing" opportunity to get close to a local platypus on the guided river tour.

Alongside discussion about methods available to protect these fragile river systems, Phil showed landholders many of the animals found in and around our local rivers, allowing the kayakers a moment with aquatic inhabitants they might not normally see.

To learn more about the Northern Tablelands LLS Guided River Tours or how you can get involved in the Northern Tablelands LLS Healthy Rivers and Bell’s Turtle programs, contact Andrew Walsh on 02 6720 8318.

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Shop locally .... for your livestock

One of the best biosecurity controls you can implement on your farm is “shop locally”.

You are more likely to understand the local issues and you will know what to avoid (weeds, diseases, drench resistance issues). As we move further from home to source stock, the biosecurity risks increase.

Wherever possible inspect stock prior to purchase to ensure you are getting animals you consider suitable for your purposes. Insist on a health declaration and carefully assess the disease information provided. Health declarations are available for cattle, sheep and goats and have been adopted nationally.

National Vendor Declarations (NVDs) provide basic information about purchased stock, are an easy-to-use movement document and they do add some residue and health status information. However on their own, they are of limited assistance to re-stockers.

If you are unsure what questions to ask sellers or what to look for on the health declaration, contact a Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Biosecurity Officer or District Vet.

To learn more about biosecurity management when buying in stock, contact Northern Tablelands LLS Biosecurity Officer, Geoff Green on 02 6770 2013 or 0427 007 185.

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Bell's Turtle hatchlings released into natural environment

These healthy little Bell's Turtle hatchlings are endangered. Thanks to a conservation program with Northern Tablelands Local Land Services and UNE through funding from NSW Government's Environmental Trust Saving our Species Program, these hatchlings were released into the Macdonald River at Bendemeer. The biggest threat to the Bell's Turtle is the predation on their eggs by foxes.

Watch the video

For more information about the Bell's Turtle Turtles Forever program, please contact Project Coordinator, Martin Dillon on 0427 412 675.

A bit of TLC for TSRs

Travelling Stock Reserves (TSRs) have long been a valuable resource for farmers when times get tough. Now, the stretches of grazing land alongside our roads and property boundaries are getting extra attention under the Protecting Biodiversity on TSRs in the Northern Tablelands Project.

The project surveyed and assessed existing vegetation on the TSRs, then applied a targeted herbicide spray to cull invasive woody weeds. This treatment will encourage the return of native grasses and protection of vulnerable or endangered ecological communities, such as the New England Peppermint and Box Gum Grassy Woodlands.

Northern Tablelands LLS has secured $99,600 to deliver the project over three years, assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. The project team has identified 40 sites on TSRs on over 1177 hectares, to eradicate invasive weeds such as pyracantha, hawthorn and mimosa.

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For more information on the Protecting Biodiversity on TSRs in the Northern Tablelands Project, contact LLS project officer Sandy Hodgens on 0428 744 287.

Transport fund to help drought affected farmers

A new Drought Transport Fund announced by the NSW Government will help farmers manage livestock through dry conditions. The NSW Drought Transport Fund will provide up to $20,000 in low interest loans, with a two-year interest and repayment free period.

Minister for Primary Industries, Niall Blair said the fund would help eligible farmers pay freight costs for fodder, water, or to move stock to agistment.

The NSW Drought Transport Fund will complement existing transport subsidies for the cost of transporting donated fodder within NSW and transporting stock off a property for animal welfare purposes.

These measures form part of the wider NSW Drought Strategy, which includes a rural resilience program, rural support workers and financial counselling, and the Farm Innovation Fund for on-farm drought preparedness work and capital improvement.

The Farm Innovation Fund has approved $54 million worth of low-interest loans this financial year, with almost $9 million worth of loans applied for in March alone, and more than $200 million since its inception in 2013.

More information on the NSW Drought Transport Fund and application details are available from www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au

What's on: Upcoming events & activities

Soil health & production workshop - Ebor

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is holding a Soil Health & Production Workshop for landholders interested in maintaining optimum soil health and maximising production from their pastures and livestock systems.

Topics include:

Understanding your soil
How to assess your soil's health
Soil health effects on pasture production
Soil health effects on livestock production
Assessing soil health in the paddock
Soil sampling techniques for nutrient assessment

Participants will be offered two free laboratory soil tests per family/farm business. We will run a second interpretation workshop for you to collect and analyse your soil test results.

Monday 23 April 2018 9am - 3.30pm
Ebor Sports Ground, Ebor

Please RSVP to Glen Uebergang on 0429 217 066

Managing soil nutrients workshop - Tenterfield

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is holding a Soil Nutrient Workshop to help landholders understand soil nutrient inputs and build soil management skills.

Topics include:

Understanding soil health and fertility
Calculating nutrient requirements
Developing a soil strategy

Please bring along soil and plant samples (a cube of soil with growing plants is preferred) and you soil test results for discussion.

Tuesday 24 April 2018 9am - 3pm
Tenterfield TAFE, High Street, Tenterfield

Please RSVP to Glen Uebergang on 0429 217 066

NSW quad bike safety improvement program

A one day course for those wanting to develop their skills in the safe use of four wheeled motorbikes.

This course is mapped to the national unit of competency, AHCMOM212 - Operate quad bikes.

NSW quad bike safety improvement training program provides free training to eligible participants. To check your eligibility please go to the Safework website.

Armidale: 23 April 2018
Glen Innes: 24 April 2018
Gunnedah: 26 April 2018
Narrabri: 27-29 April 2018

Contact Jessica Taylor for more information on 02 6763 1276.

Vertebrate pest & canid pest ejector training courses

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services will conduct Vertebrate Pest and Canid Pest Ejector training courses at:

Tenterfield: Tuesday 1 May 2018
Glen Innes: Thursday 3 May 2018
Inverell: Tuesday 8 May 2018
Armidale: Thursday 10 May 2018

The courses will give landholders a clear understanding of their legal obligations. Topics include baiting techniques, toxicity, storage, transport, legislation and WH&S.

At the end of the course participants are issued with a certification card which confirms accreditation for the next five years to use 1080 and Pindone for feral animal control.

Bookings are essential - register with Tania Stone on 02 6770 2000.

Landholders wishing to undertake Canid Pest Ejector training must hold a current Local Land Services Vertebrate Pest Training accreditation.

Aboriginal cultural fire burn

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services, Jubullum Local Aboriginal Land Coucil, Banbai Enterprise Development Aboriginal Corporation (BEDAC), and Northern Alliance (formerly Firesticks) are conducting an Aboriginal cultural fire burn and workshop. The workshop will include a presentation of a Fire and Seasons Calendar No 2 (for Jubullum Country).

Wednesday 13 June 2018 at Jubullum LALC (between Drake and Tabulum)

Everyone is welcome!

For more information and to RSVP please contact Harry White on 0437 678 720

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services

Autumn 2018

Field days, workshops and events:

Seeding the future: Local Land services Seed Bank stocks up