Member Groups; The Lismore Land Protection Group, Weering-Eurack Landcare Group, Leslie Manor Landcare Group, Cundare Duverney Landcare Group, Weerite Landcare Group & Mount Elephant Community Management
eDNA - A New Way to Find Out What’s in the Water.
Are You Interested In Revegetation Plantings In 2020?
Birds on Farms Speakers
2019/20 LLPG Committee
Cundare Duverney Landcare Group Recognised at Victorian Landcare Awards
Coming up
Weering Eurack Landcare Group AGM 6.00pm Thurs 26th September, Beeac Hotel
Election of office bearers, financial report and direction setting.
Weering Eurack Landcare Group & Cundare Duverney Landcare Group Dinner & Photographic Presentation Beeac Hotel Thurs 26th September
6.45 pm Arrive and order (for dinner at 7.30pm)
8.15 pm Emily Noble (Ballarat Field Naturalists) photographic presentation of native flora and fauna of the Volcanic Plains Eucalyptus Grasslands.
Please RSVP for dinner to Caroline McEwan (0429 355575), Justin Alexander (0498 388391) Rod (0458 390146) by Tue 24th.
‘Night Stalk’ Spotlight Walk Where: ‘Titanga’ homestead Lismore
(Enter via ‘gatehouse’ off Hamilton Hwy) When: Friday 4th Oct. (last Friday of school holidays) From 5:30pm for a free BBQ
Nature scavenger hunt * BBQ dinner * dusk spotlight walk * campfire and marshmellows *BYO torch, chair and appropriate clothing * IF the weather is wet venue will change to the Titanga woolshed. Follow the LLPG facebook page to keep up with any changes.
All children attending are the responsibility of their parents. Please RSVP to Shari for catering Ph: 0409 070089 or email llpgsharim@westnet.com.au
This event is funded with the support from the Victorian Government’s Community Action Grants.
Waterbug Detectives, BBQ and tree day
Browns Water Holes, Lismore (park near playground)
Wed 25th Sept (first Wed of the school holidays) Time: 10am – 12pm for Waterbug Detectives session run by Waterwatch staff, followed by BBQ & tree planting.
Please RSVP to Shari
eDNA - A New Way to Find Out What’s in the Water.
DNA is like a fingerprint and its’ probably almost everywhere. With just a speck of it, DNA can help identify the presence of native fauna, introduced fauna or pest species, and we will be using it to help find out what sort of animals are present in the Mt Emu Creek.
Sampling for Environmental DNA (eDNA) entails the taking of water samples and analysing the sample for the presence of DNA. Any DNA found in the sample is then compared to a database which contains the DNA of thousands of species, to help identify which species are present in the water sample.
It only takes a few drops, and this highly sensitive and cost effective technique can determine the presence of aquatic species in waterways and wetlands as well other species that live close to the water body. eDNA provides an exciting new tool to help us quickly and cheaply find out what native species of amphibians, fish, mammals, and crustaceans are present. Importantly it can help establish an inventory of what species are present such as the endangered the Yarra Pygmy Perch, Dwarf Galaxis, Growling Grass Frog, or Blue Billed Ducks, or lesser threatened but equally important species such as platypus or native water rats.
We will be conducting the eDNA sampling as a Citizen Science project, whereby landholders and members of the public can help us collect the samples for analysis, as we will have 20 sites to do.
If you would like to participate in eDNA sampling as a Citizen Scientist, please RSVP to Rod (0458 390146) or Shari (0409 070089) by Wed 9thOctober. We will meet at: Pura Pura Fire Shed Friday 11th October 12.30 pm (finish about 3.30 pm)
The group, EnviroDNA who will undertake the analysis, will provide a short workshop for participants to better understand the methodology and how to go about the sampling. We will then break into small groups to go off to meet up with landholders and undertake the sampling at selected sites, and then meet back at the fire shed to drop off samples.
“This is quite new and exciting stuff” says Tom Calvert whose property has frontage to Mt Emu Creek. “We have done a lot of fencing along the creek, but don’t have much of an idea as to what we are protecting other than the waterway itself. This will help us understand what species are present in the creek and which we can hopefully preserve for future generations”.
The eDNA survey will be conducted with support from the Victorian Government as part of the “Protecting Victorian Volcanic Plains Grassy Woodland Habitats along Mt Emu Creek” project.
Are You Interested In Revegetation Plantings In 2020?
With the success of our Federal Government Smart Farms Round 2 Grant we are calling for expressions of interest from those wanting to participate in revegetation plantings next year. Revegetation plantings help to confer multiple benefits to both the landholder and the wider environment. Participants gain valuable shade to help increase lamb survival in winter and shade to reduce heat stress and stock water consumption in summer. It also adds to the biodiversity on farms by creating habitat for a range of bird and insect species, while creating “stepping stone biolinks” help to link the woodlands to our north with forests to our south, and also help to sequester carbon to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
In just a few years tubestock starts to provide shade and shelter
If you are interested in revegetation plantings for next year (2020) please contact Rod as we will soon be ordering tubestock.
Birds on Farms - Participants Share Their Experience
Three guest speakers shared their insights of the Birds on Farms Project at the recent LLPG annual general meeting. Project leader Caroline Wilson spoke via skype on the project which started in the 1990’s. With over 300 monitoring sites across southern Australia the project has added greatly to the knowledge on the population and health of woodland birds, the species distribution and the ecological value of various types of habitats found on Australian farms.
Birdlife Australia relaunched the Birds on Farms Project in 2017 and was overwhelmed by the response from landholders and volunteer birdwatchers who now participate as citizen scientists.
Eleanor Lang undertakes seasonal surveys of four sites at Titanga - an open woodland, a blue gum plantation, a creekline with established Landcare planting and an open creekline. Eleanor has observed that some species were found across most or all sites on the property while several other species were unique to their habitat. By taking the time to sit and observe, many bird species not previously seen on the property have been discovered.
Peter Chapman also surveys four sites on his property ‘Selkirk’ at Mingay, these being their extensive garden area with many native shrubs, a dam surrounded by native trees, the woolshed paddock and a wetland area. To start off the surveys Peter had help from Eleanor and an expert birdwatcher from Geelong to assist with the species identification. A good variety of small and nectar feeding birds are found in the dense garden plantings with both native and non-native plants and several bird-baths. The vegetated dam and the grassy wetland each attract a different group of waterbirds suited to the different habitats. An exciting find on Selkirk has been a Peaceful Dove, normally found in the Mallee Region but has made itself at home in the garden. As a landholder new to the project this year Peter spoke highly of the value of being involved. Peter feels that birds are essential to maintaining a healthy ecological balance through insect control, plant pollination and vermin control. For that reason, he strongly encourages anyone interested to become involved.
Surveys are conducted once in each of Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring and take only 20 minutes per site. Farms can register 2 to 4 sites per property. A bird observer mentor can be arranged through Birdlife Australia if you are not confident with your bird identification and they will conduct each survey with you. For more information contact Shari at LLPG or project coordinator Caroline Wilson by email (woodlandbirds@birdlife.org.au) or phone (03 9347 0757).
2019/20 LLPG Committee
The Lismore Land Protection Group AGM saw the election of a new committee and a thank you to the outgoing committee. Congratulations to new President Fiona Cole, Vice President Scott Barr, Secretary Val Lang, and Assistant Treasurer Chris Lang. Committee members are Craig Beazley and Steph Rogers. It was decided at the meeting that the Treasurer and the final committee member will be elected by the new committee at their first meeting. Thank you to outgoing President John Steel for all his work over the past 2 years and to the rest of the outgoing committee.
Cundare Duverney Landcare Group Recognised at Victorian Landcare Awards
At the recent Victorian Landcare Awards held at Government House, the Cundare Duverney Landcare Group received the Innovation in Agriculture Award for its’ project to reduce stubble burning and improve soil condition. Justin Alexander, Bill Charles and Ross Alexander attended the ceremony to receive the award from the Governor of Victoria, the Honourable Linda Dessau AC. Ross said “it was nice to have the efforts of the group recognised, and thanks to all the participants in the project who have participated in trialling the stubble incorporation practice and made it possible”.
Bill Charles, Hon. Lily D'Ambrosio MP, Honourable Linda Dessau AC., Ross Alexander and Justin Alexander
This newsletter has been funded with support from the Victorian State Government “Local Landcare Facilitator Initiative”
Lismore Land Protection Group
19 High Street (PO Box 28) Lismore, Victoria 3324 Ph: 03 5596 2384 Landcare Facilitators:
Rod Eldridge: 0458 390146 email: llpgrod@westnet.com.au Shari McConachy 0409 070089 email: llpgsharim@westnet.com.au Find us on the Landcare Gateway here
