Dear <<First Name>>,
Unfortunately due to the current COVID-19 lockdown, many of our upcoming Landcare events and activities have been affected. Even though we are limited in opportunities to do Landcare work, I hope everyone takes the chance to go for a walk in the beautiful spring weather and enjoy what the fantastic nature of North East Victoria has to offer.
If you or a loved one is struggling, here is some important and helpful advice to help you cope with isolation and restrictions. There are also many support services available if you or a loved one are feeling anxious or uncertain:
- Lifeline Australia Phone 13 11 14 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
A crisis support service offering immediate short-term support at any time for people who are having difficulty coping or staying safe.
- Beyond Blue Phone 1800 512 348 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service.
- eheadspace 1800 650 890 (9am -1am, 7 days a week)
Online and webchat support and counselling for 12-25 year olds, their family and friends.
For more details head to coronovirus.vic.gov.au.
- Penny Raleigh, Victorian Landcare Facilitator
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Knowing what's in your hay or silage
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Thursday 9 September, 12pm to 1.30pm - Online via Zoom
The Field Day is an opportunity for dairy, grain, hay and silage farmers to share technical and marketing knowledge related to the production of high-quality fodder for the dairy industry, including soil pH.
Producing fodder that meets the nutritional and quality needs of the dairy market can be tricky. Grain, hay/silage & dairy farmers are invited to learn more about producing high quality fodder at the virtual #Fodderforthefuture Field Day on Thursday 9 September, 2021 with Murray Dairy, and supported by North East CMA. Register here.
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Regenerative Farming Market webinar series
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Landcare Victoria Inc. and Regen Farmers Mutual present a two-part free online webinar series, to discuss how the market for environmental services is growing across Australia as businesses move to be more sustainable.
How can farmers access these markets? What are the barriers to further uptake? What environmental services can farmers be paid for? The answer to these questions and many more will be discussed at our Regenerative Farming Market webinar series.
Join in to hear from Andrew Ward and Rohan Clarke, the key catalysers that have been leading the team developing the Regen Farmers Mutual.
Click on the links below to register:
Part 1: Understanding Environmental Markets - Tuesday 14th September 12:30pm
Part 2: Accessing Environmental Markets - Tuesday 21st September 12:30pm
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Between 11 and 26 September, more than 80 virtual events and experiences will feature in the annual Victoria Nature Festival.
The Nature Festival has something for people of all ages, abilities, and interests. You can connect from the comfort of your own home with live streamed events and immersive videos.
Come along to get connected to Victorian nature with us! Sign up here to get festival news and events.
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From the bush to the mountains - Threatened Species of the NE
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Wednesday, 22 September, online webinar, 7.30pm to 8.30pm
Hear from and ask experts about the Mountain Pygmy-possum and the Regent honeyeater, two threatened species that call the North East home.
Experts will share their extensive knowledge and conservation experiences form the bush to the mountains over an interactive Q&A session, including new findings from Mountain Pygmy-possum research and some of the biggest challenges faced by the Regent honeyeater.
Registration at https://bit.ly/3jO6q5u
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Great Australian Platypus Search
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Registrations for the Great Australian Platypus Search are now open!
This groundbreaking citizen science project is calling on all Victorians to take part in mapping platypus populations across their State, and eventually, across Australia.
Sign up now at www.thegreataustralianplatypussearch.org/. This is a one-off commitment, with all testing equipment provided with paid return postage.
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Bush For Birds Round 3 | NECMA & Trust for Nature
Expressions of Interest close midnight 10th September 2021
North east Victorian landholders can apply for funding to create and improve habitat for Regent Honeyeaters and Swift Parrots, two nationally endangered birds.
The project also aims to increase by 200 ha the area of land permanently protected for biodiversity by establishing in-perpetuity conservation covenants. For more details and to submit an EOI click here.
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Strengthening Rural Communities | FRRR
Applications close Tuesday 23rd November 2021
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program aims to give the thousands of small rural, regional and remote communities across Australia an opportunity to access funding to support broad community needs. Given the events of summer 2019/20, it has also been expanded to offer funding to support recovery in bushfire-affected communities.
Grants are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and assessed quarterly. For more information click here. For more information click here.
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Future Drought Fund’s Networks to Build Drought Resilience
Applications close Monday 1st November 2021
The Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund provides a sustainable source of funding to help remote, rural and regional communities, and farmers, become more prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of drought. The Fund is part of the Government’s Drought Response, Resilience and Preparedness Plan.
The Networks to Build Drought Resilience Program is one of the Fund’s foundation programs. It is designed to build community capacity by strengthening social and community networking, support, engagement and wellbeing. The aim is to build an enduring resilience to the impacts of climate change, drought, and enhance the public good in agriculture-dependent communities. For more information click here.
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2022 Science and Innovation Awards - Youth Grants
Applications close 5pm, Friday 1 October 2021
Grant applications are now open for the 2022 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. If you’re 18-35 and want to make a difference for Australia’s agriculture industries, this is your chance to apply for a grant of up to $22,000 to fund your project.
The Science Awards support young innovators, scientists, researchers, extension officers, industry advisers and others actively engaged in the agriculture sector who have an original project that will contribute to the ongoing success and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture industries. For more information click here.
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Small Environmental Grant Scheme | Norman Wettenhall Environment Trust
Expressions of Interest open regularly
Providing support for people undertaking projects that will make a positive difference to the natural living environment, in land, sea or air, rural or urban. The Norman Wettenhall Environment Trust supports grassroots organisations and individuals, and academics who are working with on-ground community groups. The expression of interest process opens regularly throughout the year. For more information click here.
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Agricultural Chemical User Permit Training (ACUP)
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Hosted by Rural City of Wangaratta, open to everyone. Cost of the course - $50
Course participants limited to 10 people
Training Dates:
• 14 October 2021 – Tarrawingee (registration closes 6th October)
• 5 November 2021 – Whitfield (registration closes 27th October)
• Another session will be scheduled in the coming months depending on COVID restrictions.
For more information, or to register for the ACUP Training, please contact Alandi Durling on a.durling@wangaratta.vic.gov.au, or 0438 828 660.
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Have your say on new proposed soil carbon methods
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Hosted by Rural City of Wangaratta, open to everyone. Cost of the course - $50
There is a host of good landcare-related reasons for improving the proportion of soil organic carbon, including enhanced soil stability, primary production, water-holding capacity, biodiversity, nutrient cycles, and soil fertility.
As well as the immediate benefits of improved soil and carbon, farmers who can demonstrate an improvement in soil carbon may be able to generate and sell Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) into the carbon trading market. The approved soil carbon methodology that must be the basis for production of ACCUs has been reviewed to reduce the cost of soil carbon measurement, among other things.
A proposed new method for soil carbon under the Emissions Reduction Fund is open for public comment, have your say here.
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Weed control help for North East landholders
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Trust for Nature will be working with landholders with conservation covenants in the north east to control high threat weeds, in this Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery project over the next nine months.
Controlling weeds is especially important after the 2019-20 bushfires. On fire-affected land, weed control will help the bush recover. On other properties, it will help create refuges for wildlife.
All landholders with conservation covenants in north east Victoria are eligible. Click through here to find out more.
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Employment Opportunity with Wodonga Urban Landcare Network
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Wodonga Urban Landcare Network has three opportunities available and they are flexible for the right candidate/s. Express your interest in one or all of these roles and help make a difference in our community.
- Landcare Facilitator, Member Support - 0.2 EFT / 3-years
- Landcare Facilitator, Network Support - 0.3 EFT / 3-years
- Healthy Hectares North East Project Officer - 0.2 EFT / 1-year
Expressions of interest close 5pm, Friday 10 September 2021. For position descriptions and further information, email: president@wodongalandcare.org.au or call Julie on 0429 4455 36
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Enhancing Farm Dams: What to plant in and around your dam
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Healthy, well-vegetated dams provide habitat for invertebrates, fish, frogs, turtles and birds. In turn, these animals help improve the function of a dam by cycling nutrients from the dam into the wider landscape, and by modulating sediment, nutrient, salts and algal levels within the dam, which improves water quality for stock. Click here to find and download the PDF version of this great resource.
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Recorded Webinar on Environmentally Sustainable Design
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The Ovens Landcare Network and Wangaratta Landcare & Sustainability present a number of experts and professionals discussing the local impacts of climate change and considerations for building and adapting so more of our homes are suitable into the future. Watch the recording on youtube here.
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