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Biodiversity and threatened species
TAKE ACTION AND HELP OUR NATIVE SPECIES
It’s biodiversity month! Which means it's time to celebrate our native plants and animals. Our biodiversity is rich and unique, with more than 500,000 animal and plant species calling Australia home – many of which are found nowhere else!
September 7 marks another important date – Threatened Species Day which commemorates the death of the last Tasmanian Tiger at Hobart Zoo in 1936. Although our biodiversity is extraordinary, many ecological communities are declining and risk extinction. In NSW alone, there are close to 1,000 animal and plant species at risk.
September is when we turn the spotlight on native plants, animals and ecosystems that are under threat and reflect on how we can protect them now and into the future. Read on for ways you can get involved!
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September is biodiversity month!
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Help us count coppers
ONE OF AUSTRALIA's RAREST SPECIES
Citizen scientists are needed to monitor Purple Copper Butterfly in September and October as part of the Counting Coppers project delivered by the Saving our Species program in partnership with Butterflies Australia, Central Tablelands LLS and Lithgow Oberon Landcare Association.
The project is asking citizen scientists to help monitor known populations of one of Australia’s rarest butterflies by recording sightings with an easy-to-use app. It’s also calling citizen scientists to help find new populations in suitable habitat, as the species is currently only known from a small number of locations within the Central Tablelands of NSW and very recently from within Namadgi National Park in the ACT.
It’s hoped, with the help of citizen scientists, we can better understand when and where this species is flying and perhaps, we may uncover more populations of this endangered butterfly.
Register your interest in the Counting Coppers project.
We will be running a field day on Friday 16 September at a known Purple Copper Butterfly site south of Rydal. Join us for the opportunity to see this endangered species flying in its natural habitat and participate in the Counting Coppers citizen science project on the day.
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More equals more in Small purple-pea project
TRANSLOCATING SEEDLINGS GROWN FROM LOCAL SEEDS
Local Land Services and the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) teamed up to translocate 100 seedlings to bolster existing populations as a pinnacle part of a five-year project to help save the endangered Small purple-pea (Swainsona recta).
Seeds were collected locally and grown by the ANBG in Canberra before making the trip back home to the Central Tablelands. The Small purple-pea is an important part of the floristic diversity in our White Box Grassy Woodlands and the new plantings will provide genetic diversity to the existing small populations.
The Small purple-pea is a very attractive purple flowering legume that develops a long tap root. Its striking flower stem can be seen from spring through to early summer before dying back mid-summer and emerging again in autumn.
The experience gained from this project will be used in similar projects aimed at improving the conservation of endangered native flora.
Read the full article.
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Bird watch - spot a swiftie or reach a regent
HELP US SEARCH FOR THESE SPECIAL THREATENED SPECIES
 With spring and warm weather around the corner, it’s a great time to get outdoors and keep your eyes peeled for two very special species in the Central Tablelands – the Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot.
Both species are threatened under State and Federal legislation. With only 300 Regent Honeyeaters and 1,500 Swift Parrots left in the wild, all sightings of these species assist experts in prioritising areas of habitat, and in the case of Regent Honeyeaters, help to monitor and protect areas breeding areas, to increase the number of chicks that successfully fledge.
How do you know what they look and sound like?
Fortunately, there’s fantastic resources available to assist with that. Birdlife Australia has produced a number of publications. These can be found here.
Where should you look?
Woodlands with flowering Eucalypt species. This includes White Box (Eucalytptus albens), Grey Box (Eucalytptus molucanna), Inland Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcrapa), Mugga Ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), Blakleys Red Gum (Eucalytptus blakleyi) and Yellow Box (Eucalytpus meilodora).
If you see one, who should you tell?
Birdlife Australia! Birdlife Australia actively lead species monitoring and conservation efforts. For Regent Honeyeater sightings it’s important to report these ASAP by emailing woodlandbirds@birdlife.org.au or calling 1800 621 056. It’s also important to try and document other information including any leg colour band combinations and other relevant details (e.g., number of birds, behaviour, etc.).
Swift Parrot sightings can be submitted via the birdata app.
For more information on the work we’re doing to project Regent Honeyeaters or Swift Parrots and their habitat in the Central Tablelands, call Vivien Howard on 0439 387 603 or Mike Ashleford on 0474 883 583.
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What is a biosecurity plan?
AND WHY DO YOU NEED ONE?
 The word ‘biosecurity’ has certainly got lots of airtime lately, but what does it mean for you and your farm?
Biosecurity is simply what you do on farm to reduce the risks of diseases, weeds and pests affecting your crops and livestock. Good biosecurity practices don’t have to be complicated. They can be simple things like maintaining stockproof boundary fences or checking that purchased fodder is free of weed seeds.
A biosecurity plan is a written document that outlines the processes you have in place to ensure good biosecurity on your farm. This is not a one-size-fits-all kind of plan – biosecurity risks often vary greatly from property to property. Following a biosecurity plan helps to prevent diseases, weeds and pests from impacting your farm, therefore saving you money, stress and headaches.
Biosecurity plans are not just for big livestock producers. If you have something to protect, whether it be a pet pig, a single horse, a small hobby sheep flock, or even just an empty paddock, a biosecurity plan can help protect your farm from biosecurity threats.
Other factors might also influence whether you write a biosecurity plan. If you have sheep, cattle or goats and want to be Livestock Production Assurance (LPA)-accredited, you must have a biosecurity plan in place. LPA accreditation enables access to the LPA-approved National Vendor Declarations (NVDs) that are used to sell livestock. More information on LPA can be found here.
There are many different templates available. The Farm Biosecurity Action Planner is a great place to start. The template can be adapted to your individual situation and your specific biosecurity risks. There are no right or wrong answers – a biosecurity plan is simply a tool to help you identify the risks on your farm and document how you manage them.
The Farm Biosecurity website is a great source of other biosecurity resources, including the National Health Declarations for sheep, goats and cattle. The Farm Biosecurity website is a joint initiative of Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia.
Since 2019, when an amendment was made to the Biosecurity Regulation 2017, it is a legal requirement for people entering an area where a biosecurity management plan applies to comply with the measures outlined in this plan. Failure to comply may be an offence under the Biosecurity Act 2015 and penalties can include an on the spot fine of $1000 or a court ordered fine of $220,000 for individuals and $440,000 for corporations.
To ensure you are protected by the Biosecurity Act 2015 you must ensure you have an up-to-date biosecurity plan in place and ensure you have signs at each entrance to the management area where the plan applies. More information on the Biosecurity Regulation changes can be found here.
Corflute biosecurity gate signs are available for free from your Local Land Services office. Many local sign writing businesses can provide aluminium signs on request, as well as some online businesses. A PDF version is available for download here.
Biosecurity plans, however basic or complex, don’t have to be set in stone. They can and should be reviewed and updated each year or so or as your farming situation changes or evolves.
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To learn more about identifying and managing biosecurity risks join us at an upcoming workshop where we’ll run through developing a biosecurity plan for your farm coupled with an afternoon information session covering the use of National Vendor Declarations and livestock traceability through the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database.
For dates and locations, and to book your spot, visit the events section below.
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Join a pest animal group control program near you
PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY AND OUR LANDSCAPES
Late winter and early spring are traditionally critical times to manage pests – tackle feral pigs before summer crops get established, get on top of foxes and wild dogs to get more lambs on the ground.
Here in the Central Tablelands, we have been working with public and private land managers to organise aerial baiting this spring to help control wild dogs in inaccessible terrain. Aerial operations will follow up the on-ground baiting programs in targeted areas with land managers and pest animal groups.
The confirmed dates for group programs at this stage are:
- Freemantle and districts pest group - 3 September
- West Macquarie pest group - 9 September
- Wolgan Valley pest group - 14 September
- Turon pest group - 7 September
- Palmers Oaky pest group - 15 September
Additional dates for the remaining pest and landholder groups across our region are still being confirmed with the majority looking at baiting dates during September. If you and your neighbours are keen to undertake a baiting program, please get in touch with your local Biosecurity Officer.
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Bait collection days
TAKE NOTE OF DAYS FOR YOUR NEAREST OFFICE
To help with coordination and to streamline bait pickup, each office has designated bait days. Please book ahead so your baits and the paperwork can be prepared.
- Mudgee – Wednesday mornings
- Molong – Thursday, or by negotiation
- Lithgow – please contact biosecurity staff (Mark Simpson or Kat Irvine)
- Bathurst – Wednesday and Friday
- Cowra – Thursday
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Know a soon to be uni graduate?
TELL THEM ABOUT OUR NEW GRADUATE PROGRAM
 Local Land Services is offering a unique opportunity for university graduates ready to kickstart your career in sustainable agriculture, natural resource management and veterinary science.
We’re investing in our future frontline workforce through this dedicated new graduate program that will help attract highly skilled professionals like yourself to regional communities.
Over 12-months commencing January 2023, our six graduates will learn about Local Land Services programs, engage with landholders in the paddock and put your university studies into practice alongside our on-ground teams.
Graduates will be mentored by a member of our experienced team and have the opportunity to rotate across different roles in your operational area to become truly immersed in our organisation. We’ll also continue your learning with a range of supported training modules aimed at preparing you for employment with the NSW government.
This is an exciting innovation for Local Land Services and shows our dedication to investing in regional NSW and the future of the industries and environment we support.
Find out more and apply online before 11 September 2022.
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Are you a producer on the Central Tablelands? Have you signed up to Ag Advice? Our monthly advisory offers production-based information, advice and updates direct from our District Vets and Agricultural Team. Click the image to sign up.
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Farming Forward project launched
IMPROVE YOUR CAPACITY AND KNOWLEDGE
 We recently launched our Farming Forward Project involving a series of events and activities across Local Land Services regions over the next two years covering drought planning and preparation, understanding and managing soils and livestock production requirements.
Drought planning and preparedness
Drought planning and preparedness events will help landholders to be proactive in planning, decision-making and undertaking priority activities to improve resilience. Events may include developing drought plans, calculating carrying capacity, managing fodder and water, maintaining groundcover and stock management areas (also known as confinement feeding).
Soil management
Soil testing programs and soil health workshops will build knowledge and understanding in interpreting soil testing data, soil capabilities and other key soil constraints including soil moisture to allow producers to adapt and implement management strategies that increase productivity and sustainability.
Livestock production
Through the delivery of PROGRAZE™ and Tactical Grazing Management courses, we will assist livestock producers to improve their knowledge of animal nutrition requirements at different ages and stages of production. Producers will also improve their capacity to assess pasture/feed availability and match these requirements to increase productivity.
By coordinating our service delivery in these three key areas across all Local Land Services regions, we can be even better placed to help landholders make informed decisions to improve their farm businesses.
We will continue to deliver other local targeted extension and advisory services as required whilst focusing on the Farming Forward Project throughout 2022/23.
Find out more.
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Last minute preparation for fodder conservation
PLANNING IS KEY TO REDUCE COSTS
Squirrelling away excess green fodder in good years is one of the best ways to protect your livestock enterprise from periods of feed deficit.
However, whether you have all the gear to do it yourself, or you hire a contractor, there is going to be some time and money spent getting it stored away in a timely fashion. Therefore, we want to maximise quality, to reduce the cost of stored energy per unit of megajoules of energy (ME).
Here are the top five preparation hints for you this spring:
- Walk through paddocks to assess which ones have the best drainage.
- Prioritise paddocks for hay and silage according to quality and proportion of weeds. High weed content paddocks are better suited for silage and in some higher altitude tablelands paddocks, there is still time to use a selective herbicide to control weeds and graze
- Contact your silage/hay contractor to book in a time that suits you.
- Budget for fertiliser to replace the nutrients taken from the paddock. Fertiliser spreading is best done straight after the bales have been removed from perennial pasture paddock to replenish the root stores.
- Check hay and silage storage areas for weeds, spray if necessary. Clean out silage pits when dry enough. Clean hay and silage making equipment to eliminate the spread of weeds across your farm.
Remember that storing high quality clean (weed free) feed is crucial to making fodder conservation a viable economic option. Choosing paddocks that have a decent percentage (20-40%) legume will ensure digestibility, ME and protein will remain high if cut, cured, baled, and stored correctly.
The distance between where the hay and silage are cut and stored can significantly increase your costs per tonne, so please consider fuel and labour costs of transport. The transport costs also need to be considered looking forward to when the fodder is being delivered to the livestock. Considerable time and money can be spent on moving the fodder, especially silage due to its low dry matter percentage, to the feed out area for livestock.
Planning is key to reduce the costs per tonne and likewise to maximise the quality of the stored fodder. So, plan now to reduce the impacts of climate variability on your business.
Read more here.
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Early spring is a great time to check your legume nodulation
HOW DO YOU ASSESS QUANTITY AND QUALITY
Legumes perform an important function in our pastures. They add diversity to our pasture composition and also supply good quality feed.
One of the critical contributions to our pastures is their ability to supply nitrogen (N) – one of the essential nutrients – to our plants. To do this, legumes have small ‘bumps’ known as nodules on their root systems. These nodules contain a symbiotic bacteria rhizobia which converts atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia.
Pasture legumes can usually fix between 20 and 40 kg of N per tonne of Dry matter they produce. However, above-ground legume appearance and abundance are not always a reliable indication of what might be happening below.
Early springtime is a great time to check your legume nodulation. The question arising is then ‘how do you assess your legume nodulation’? Read the full article.
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TREES NEAR ME NSW
Find out more about trees with this easy-to-use mobile and website app for maps and information about Plant Community Types in NSW. Explore and learn more about NSW native plant communities and plant species in your local environment, search for individual tree and plants pictures and descriptions and understand what vegetation used to be found in now cleared areas.
EXPAND YOUR LANDCARE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS WITH LANDCARER
Newly upgraded, the Landcarer V2 an provide even better connections to an incredible array of resources and enable you to share your challenges, opportunities and successes. This platform upgrade enables the sharing of critical information in real time, view content without logging in, engage in structure discussion boards, explore communities of practice, opt in to receive email updates and gives improved mobile responsiveness.
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SOIL HEALTH AND PASTURE WORKSHOPS - MUDGEE
Join us for a workshop on understanding soil and pasture health. Learn about soil fertility, testing, and impacts on pasture production and sustainability.
Monday 5 September 2022
FARM BIOSECURITY PLANNING WORKSHOP - VARIOUS
Improve your ability to assess the biosecurity risks on your farm and learn what steps to put in place to address them. Each workshop will be delivered by staff with expertise in farm hygiene, pests and weeds and animal biosecurity.
6 September - Mudgee
13 September - Hampton
20 September - Cumnock
PURPLE COPPER BUTTERFLY FIELD DAY – RYDAL
Join us the Department of Planning and Environment for an opportunity to spot our region's endangered Purple Copper Butterfly. Learn more about this threatened species, capture some photos and participate in monitoring and citizen science activities on the day.
Friday 16 September 2022
PARASITOIDS - BENEFICIAL INSECTS WEBINAR 1 OF 3 – ONLINE
A parasitoid is an organism lives and develops on or within another organism (the host), eventually killing it. A number of insects can be parasitoids, with most wasps or flies. Why should we care about parasitoids? They are greatly important in insect management, as biological controls for pest species. Join Dr Samantha Ward from Cesar Australia as she provides an overview of why parasitoids are important to the control of pest species.
Friday 14 October 2022
BOORLOOLONG FROG LAMP LANCH – OBERON
Join us to learn more about the endangered Booroolong frog – once common throughout the NSW tablelands now only found in small populations in key catchments.Together with NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), we’ll be launching the Sewell’s Creek Local Area Management Plan (LAMP) that will help the endangered Booroolong frog population thrive in the region.
Friday 14 October 2022
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EMERGENCY ANIMAL DISEASES
Australia currently has a disease-free status for foot and mouth disease and lumpy skin disease, however all landholders need to play an active role in monitoring and reporting any suspect cases. Visit our website for up to date information
Identifying Foot and Mouth Disease
Identifying Lumpy Skin Disease
SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING
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