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Issue 23: November 2009 Welcome to the November edition of Catchment News, the newsletter of the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA). Previous editions of this newsletter are available on the CMA website. To subscribe to Catchment News or make changes to your subscription details please send an email to hcr@cma.nsw.gov.au. Click here to view large text format | Click here for print-friendly version What's happening around the catchments?
Equipped with hiking boots a sense of adventure the CMA Board took to the hinterland of the Lower North Coast in October to inspect CMA-funded projects in some of the region's most pristine bushland. First cab off the rank was the CMA's first Riparian Property Vegetation Plan (PVP), protecting River Oak Forest and Cabbage Gum-Forest on a property on the Bowman River at Upper Bowman, north-west of Gloucester. In previous CMA funding rounds, landowners wanting to conserve narrow stretches of riparian land found it difficult to compete in the PVP tendering process. In response to this, the CMA Board established a specific PVP category for riparian areas, and the Ward family was one of the first to be offered funding through this kind of agreement. Also on the Board's itinerary was a visit to Jane Scott's 410-hectare property north-west of Gloucester. Early in 2009 Ms Scott entered into a PVP with the CMA to set aside and manage around two thirds of her property in perpetuity. The incentive PVP payment has provided an alternative income stream to logging forested areas of the property, allowing Jane to invest in productivity improvements elsewhere on the property. One of the CMA's earliest PVPs was next on the list; signed in January 2007 this agreement has protected in perpetuity 637 hectares of forest, 14 km from Nowendoc on the Cooplacurripa River. The conservation area includes Sub-tropical rainforest and Wet and Dry Sclerophyll forest with potential habitat for over 25 threatened species. Finally the Board had a chance to visit to the 3,761 hectare property 'Kalungra', on the Barnard River at Hanging Rock, purchased in 2008 to protect its river and the rich ecosystem it supports. The CMA invested 50 per cent of the cost of the property to conserve it as part of the National Park Estate. Board members were shown around the property by Catherine Watt from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and neighbouring landholder, Alexander Christian. The Board meets every second month in a different part of our region. This month the Strategic Investment and Systems Audit committees (subcommittees of the Board) will meet in Spears Point, Lake Macquarie.
The CMA welcomed the news of the appointment in October of its first female General Manager, Fiona Marshall. Fiona's predecessor Glenn Evans retired in August 2009 after more than 15 years at the helm, first of the Hunter Catchment Management Trust and then of the CMA. Fiona will be familiar to many, particularly those in the Upper Hunter where she's been based in recent years, as the CMA's Business Manager-Investment, a position she held for over five years. Fiona plans to split her time between her work in the General Manager role, based at the CMA's principal office at Tocal, and the family farm at Wingen near Scone where she and her husband Stuart and boys Andrew and Ben farm cattle and alpacas. Fiona has a long history in natural resource management, commencing her career at the Soil Conservation Service in the mid 1980s in Sydney and then Scone and the central coast. She worked in the former Department of Water Resources and was involved in providing executive support to the newly established Hunter River Management Committee. Her experience spans the CMA region, from working in the Gosford and Muswellbrook areas and on the early development of the Rivercare planning process in the Manning. Fiona brings to the job extensive business and investment experience, substantial knowledge of our region's natural resources, and a great deal of enthusiasm. She is also well-known for her formidable work ethic. In her new role as General Manager of the CMA Fiona is looking forward to promoting innovation and encouraging unique and extensive partnerships in the region, with both the private and public sector. Her colleagues at the CMA wish her well in her challenging new role.
From September each year they flock to the Manning, attracted to the great fishing and the long stretches of sand. Little Terns fly all the way from Japan to the Manning Entrance State Park at Farquhar Inlet to breed in the summer months. Standing at just 20-28 centimetres, the Little Tern is listed as an endangered species in NSW, and is particularly vulnerable to predation by foxes on their eggs and chicks. However a local partnership project is offering hope (and an investment of $710,000) to control foxes and invasive weeds and regenerate suitable breeding habitat at Farquhar Inlet over the next 15 years. The partnership is a collaboration between the Taree offices of the CMA and the Land and Property Management Authority (formerly the Department of Lands) and local community groups, including Manning Coastcare, Mates of the Manning, and Taree Indigenous Development and Employment (TIDE). Bitou bush, Lantana and Bridal Creeper have all been identified as Weeds of National Significance (WONS) across Farquhar, and a trial is currently underway to determine the best approach for controlling the introduced sharp rush (Juncus acutus). Control of this highly invasive species on foreshores and sand flats will help maintain suitable habitat for the nesting endangered shorebirds and assist in the restoration of Farquhar's Littoral Rainforest and Coastal Saltmarsh, which are both listed as Endangered Ecological Communities. For more information on the project contact Chris Wright, Environmental Officer-Ranger with the Land and Property Management Authority at their Taree office on 6591 3503.
Salinity is a major environmental problem facing NSW and is estimated to cost the state around $180-$200 million each year in the loss of productive land, lack of suitable water for irrigation, damage to infrastructure and increased costs to industry. The Permian geology of the central Hunter Valley floor, with its ancient marine sediments, means soils in areas including Cessnock, Singleton, Muswellbrook and Denman have poor structure, are highly erodible, dispersive (easily broken down in water) and often contain high levels of salt. Soil erosion can cause these naturally occurring salts in soil and groundwater to be exposed, released and mobilised, ending up further down the catchment in our creeks and rivers. Once exposed, saline areas are extremely difficult to rehabilitate as most grasses and plant species do not tolerate high levels of salt. Glendon Brook, near Singleton, is a salinity hot spot in the Hunter and was the focus of the CMA's 2007 community salinity monitoring program, which engaged local landholders in helping identify local causes for salinity in the catchment. A number of landholders in this area have since been engaged to undertake on ground works on their properties, with funding from the Australian Government, through the CMA. The main focus of these works has been to divert surface water away from eroding gullies allowing them to be filled and reshaped around the affected areas. Where water cannot be diverted around the gully, rock flumes are constructed to stabilise the gully floor and sides and dissipate water energy during large rainfall events. Soils that are low in fertility are then top-dressed with recycled organic compost, re-seeded with grasses, and planted with native trees and shrubs. The CMA's use of recycled organics has proven to be highly successful in improving soil fertility and re-establishing groundcover, and was recently recognised through the 2009 NSW Compost Leadership Awards. Once rehabilitated, the treated gullies must be fenced off to exclude permanent stock access, and managed with follow up planting and time controlled grazing to ensure a minimum of 70% groundcover is maintained. If you're in the Hunter and need advice on managing saline areas on your property contact the Ben Harris at the CMA's Muswellbrook office on 6542 4444.
Students and teachers at Thornton Public School have something on their school grounds that many other schools don't have: an important remnant of an endangered ecological community, in this case Lower Hunter Spotted Gum - Ironbark Forest. Thanks to the dedication of parents Karen Brown and Caterina Poggi, the support of the school community, and the hard work and enthusiasm of Thornton PS students, an outdoor learning area has been created in the school's bushland area, with funding and support from the CMA and the Australian Government. In 2008 before work began, people were using the bushland area as a short cut and tracks were becoming drainage channels during rain events, causing soil erosion and disturbance to groundcover and understorey plants. The project aimed to protect and rehabilitate the sensitive bushland areas and increase awareness in the school community of the unique importance of these areas. At the beginning of the project the area was fenced off, which allowed students, staff and parents to get stuck into rehabilitating the site-removing weeds, planting 200 native tubestock, and mulching paths to prevent further erosion. As part of the project, native plant species growing in the area have been identified (with the help of local experts Noel Jupp and CMA Vegetation Officer Skye Moore) and marked with interpretative signs to explain the significance of each species. The outdoor learning area was created in an already cleared area from timber decking and measures six metres in diameter-big enough to seat 30 students at a time. The school is planning to officially launch the new area in the coming months.
Landholders across the Manning are getting ready to embark on a wide range of on-ground natural resource projects as part of the CMA's 2009-10 Small Projects program. Up to 65 landholders in the CMA region received funding of up to $15,000 to carry out projects that will have benefits both for the health of their own properties and for their local catchment. One grant recipient is dairy farmer Clarence Rose who plans to replace an old rotting bridge and install a new floodgate on his Coopernook dairy farm. The new bridge will make it easier for cattle to cross a large drain on the property, keeping it much cleaner and reducing the amount of mud and effluent flowing into the Lansdowne, and eventually the Manning River. The new floodgate will allow Mr Rose to better manage the flow of water over his property, mitigating the effects of erosion and the risks of acid sulfate soil exposure. Mr Rose is a member of the Mid Coast Dairy Advancement Group (DAGs) and, as the project progresses, hopes to share lessons learnt with fellow members. As well as providing funds to private landholders, the CMA is also working to support community groups and networks in the region. Ten groups received funding recently through the CMA's Community Network Support Program, with a total investment of $83,000 of Australian and NSW government, and Hunter funding sources.
The CMA is seeking Expressions of Interest from people residing in the Central Coast or Lower North Coast for consideration in the next round of CMA Board appointments. Board members provide local knowledge, direction and expertise during the planning, implementation and monitoring of the CMA's programs. Reporting directly to the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, they are appointed for a term of up to three years on a part-time basis, upon which time they may be eligible for reappointment. Board members have staggered appointment dates and two positions will become vacant on 20 April 2010. Board members must reside within the Hunter-Central Rivers catchment area and be able to demonstrate: an active community involvement and appreciation of a diverse range of community values and sensitivities; an understanding of key environmental and natural resource management issues, including soils, water, vegetation and biodiversity; a working knowledge of land use systems and a capacity to encourage sustainable developments within the catchment; a proven track record in building relationships and working collaboratively with others; knowledge of corporate governance principles; and knowledge and skills in areas defined in the Catchment Management Authorities Act 2003. The close date for Expressions of Interest for people from the Central Coast or Lower North Coast for consideration in the next round of appointments is Thursday 12 November 2009. The CMA is also seeking EOIs from residents of the Hunter region to create an eligibility list for future vacancies. EOIs received after the close date from the broader CMA region will be considered in future rounds. If you would like to learn more or express your interest in becoming a CMA Board member, contact CMA Business Manager, David Fryer on 4930 1030, email david.fryer@cma.nsw.gov.au, or drop in at the CMA's Tocal office at 816 Tocal Road, Paterson.
Whether you're starting from scratch, changing land use, or wanting to get more from your land, developing a good property plan is an essential place to start. By taking the time to collect detailed information on your property's natural resources, infrastructure, management practices and day-to-day operations, you're better able to develop strategies to improve your productivity and bottom line and make more efficient use of your property's natural resources. The CMA is currently offering landholders access to specialised training in property planning at heavily-subsidised costs. The Targeted Actions for Local Catchments (TALC) training course is presented by consultant Nick Bullock, who has a wealth of experience in managing rural properties. The course allows landholders to work one-on-one with the course presenter, first through a half-day review of their property (to collect production and natural resource management data), then through two one-day planning workshops, where landholders are trained in the use of the innovative 'Farmkeeper' software program to design whole-of-property management plans. Landholders can then spend an extra half-day with the course presenter on their property designing priority on-ground projects that can be submitted for incentives funding. Landholders who have completed the TALC course will also be eligible to apply for a range of funding through the CMA to implement on-ground works. The course, which is usually valued at $1,500, is being offered to landholders in the Tilligerry Peninsula, Wollombi and Congewai, Cooplacurripa, and Central Coast and Lake Macquarie areas for just $100. Numbers are limited to 10 properties per area, with two people per property able to attend. To register your interest in participating in the Targeted Actions for Local Catchments course please contact: mick.budden@cma.nsw.gov.au (Tilligerry Peninsula); grahame.price@cma.nsw.gov.au (Wollombi and Congewai); geoff.lemessurier@cma.nsw.gov.au (Cooplacurripa); and vanessa.malicia@cma.nsw.gov.au (Central Coast and Lake Macquarie).
With the Christmas holidays fast approaching there are a million things to do, but with predictions of a hot dry summer ahead, if you live near the bush, preparing for bushfires is one thing that should be at the top of your list. Although some things are pretty clear cut, like the need to clear gutters of leaves, there are other some things that rural landholders in particular need to do to prepare their properties for bush fires that can be more problematic. For example legal approval is required under the Native Vegetation Act 2003 for any clearing of native vegetation, but there are provisions under the Act for bush fire hazard reduction. A Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Certificate is the environmental approval for bush fire hazard reduction work only. Rural Fire Service (RFS) Fire Control Centres provide advice on the environmental approvals required for hazard reduction and provide free environmental assessments for private landholders doing hazard reduction in bush fire prone areas. You must have this certificate if the bush fire hazard reduction is to be done in areas of native vegetation, could potentially threaten endangered species, or could result in air or water pollution, or soil erosion. For more information go to the Rural Fire Service website. The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) has also produced a fact sheet, which contains further information about bush fire hazard reduction and the Native Vegetation Act 2003. Photo courtesy of Daniel Cleaveley.
Whether it's a river, creek, billabong, wetland, lake, farm dam, drainage line or floodplain, most landholders have an area on their property where land and water meet. This area is known as the riparian zone, and it requires special care and management. In 2007 the CMA published a resource kit to help landholders better manage their riparian zones. Where Land Meets Water provides a comprehensive guide to natural processes, assessment and planning tools, species lists for plants and weeds, and legislation related to riparian management. The guide was developed specifically for the Hunter catchment however many of the management principles are equally applicable throughout other parts of the CMA area. Landholders from the Central Coast, including Lake Macquarie, can now find additional information relating to their area in the newly published Where Land Meets Water: Central Coast Supplement. Central Coast and Lake Macquarie landholders can obtain hard copies of Where Land Meets Water and the Central Coast supplement by contacting Vanessa Malicia at the CMA's Gosford office on 4337 1202 or email vanessa.malicia@cma.nsw.gov.au. Both documents can also be downloaded from the CMA website.
Since the formation in 2004 of the thirteen Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) across NSW, a total of almost five million hectares of land has been protected, repaired, enhanced, treated or rehabilitated by the regional authorities and their communities. This enormous effort is due in no small part to the partnerships CMAs have formed within their communities. To illustrate this point, for every $1 invested by the Australian and NSW governments, the CMAs have attracted $2.20 in cash and in-kind support from private sector, industry and organisational partnerships, with almost 80 per cent of all funds being invested directly in over 13,000 on-ground projects. Since 2004, this amounts to a total investment of $2.11 billion in practical environmental works, building on a $659.8 million contribution from the Australian and NSW governments. A new publication, which was launched last week by NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, the Honorable John Robertson, documents the achievements of the state's CMAs and their communities over the past five years. It features some impressive statistics on the collective efforts of the thirteen organisations and showcases inspiring examples of the innovation and hard work of the people of NSW, who have delivered a substantial return on the investment of government funding in improving the natural environments in which they live. An electronic version of the publication is available from the CMA website or you can request a hard copy from the CMA by calling 4930 1030.
The Taree-based Mid Coast Dairy Advancement Group (DAGs) has taken top honours in the Environment and Landcare Section of the NSW/ACT Regional Achievement and Community Awards, announced at a ceremony in Bathurst on 31 October. DAGs brings together a diverse range of stakeholders--local dairy farmers, National Foods, Industry and Investment NSW, MidCoast Water, and the Hunter-Central Rivers CMA--all of whom want to ensure the sustainability of dairy farming on the Mid North Coast. Integral to the group's success is the Farmers' Targets for Change (FTC) program, which has successfully engaged local farmers in identifying and resolving natural resource issues on their properties. Guided by consultant Nick Bullock, the program involves two on-farm visits to each participating farm and three group workshops where farmers can come together and discuss various solutions, whilst learning from the experience and ideas of others in the group. One of these workshops involves the development of a farm plan using the FarmKeeper software with individual plans mapped out in layers on an aerial photograph. The CMA has seen the value in the workshops, investing around $300,000 over the past three years to fund the workshops, and $400,000 in related on-ground works carried out by participants of the program. Well over 100 local farmers have attended FTC workshops with the majority going on to implement on-ground projects, including fencing off riparian areas and installing off-stream watering systems. The Targeted Actions for Local Catchments courses currently being offered by the CMA are based on the same approach as the FTC workshops. Dairy officer with the Taree office of Industry and Investment NSW Ray Johnston, who has been closely involved with the program, says it's the willingness of the farmers to participate in developing and implementing projects, with a lot of their own time and money, that has made the process such a success. Mr Johnston estimates the total value of the farmers' own contributions to their projects to be in excess of $5 million. Dates for the calendar8 November - Bush Regeneration Day on Rileys Island Volunteers and NPWS staff are working together to regenerate this 48 hectare island, which features a variety of habitats including seagrass, mangroves, dry sclerophyll and coastal saltmarsh (an endangered ecological community). The group will be targeting weeds on the island on Sunday 8 November from 8:30 am- 12:30 pm. Contact Deb Holloman on 4320 4224 or Deb.holloman@environment.nsw.gov.au for more information. 14 November - Far Away Tree Party at Earthcare Park Come along and join volunteers and friends of Earthcare Park for a picnic afternoon tea. Discover the magical properties of local plants and enjoy a twilight screening of the popular animated flick Wall-E. Bring a torch, a picnic blanket and come dressed in the traditional attire of your forest people. Fairy food and BBQ will be available. Call Elvie on 0407 730 410 or go to the Earthcare Park blog spot for more information. Earthcare Park is located on Metford Rd, Tenambit opposite Maitland Golf Course. 14 November - African Olive Field Day in Rosebrook Maitland landholders are invited to come along to this field day to find out about trials conducted by Maitland Council on the control of African Olive and to find out how they can tackle African Olive on their own properties. The day will be jointly run by the CMA and Maitland City Council and will feature special guest speaker Dr Peter Cuneo from Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, who will share his extensive knowledge and research on the ecology of African Olive, particularly in south-west Sydney, where it was originally introduced. Those interested in attending should contact the CMA on 4930 1030. 15 November - Bird walk at Belltrees Station As part of the CMA's new VegWatch program, a bird walk is being conducted through Grassy Box Woodland areas at Belltrees Station on the morning of Sunday 15 November. Special guests from the Hunter Bird Observers Club will guide the walks, while CMA staff will be there to point out plants of interest along the way. After the walk, participants will hear from students of Belltrees Primary School, who'll give a presentation on some of the things they've learnt about their VegWatch site through their participation in the CMA's VegWatch program. This is a free event and morning tea and lunch will be provided. To register or find out more contact the CMA on 4930 1030. 15 November - Planting day at KWRP Join the Koora Gang volunteers for their regular planting at 8.30 am on Ash Island. Lunch will be provided. Contact Tiffany on 4964 9308 for details. 19 November - Turning the Pages River Day in Murrurundi Coordinated by Turning the Pages Incorporated, the Turning the Pages project began in 2007 with the aim of bringing local communities together, through art and science, to celebrate the significance of the Pages River, a major tributary of the Hunter River. The River Day is the culmination of a series of activities happening throughout Spring, including art and science workshops and tree plantings with the local schools and community. For more details on the River Day, contact Linda Russell at the CMA's Muswellbrook office on 6542 4423. 26 November - Wentworth Swamp Evening Workshop The Community Environment Network (CEN), in partnership with the CMA and the Environmental Trust, is hosting an evening workshop on a property that is one of the few parcels of private land around Wentworth Swamp that still has significant native vegetation. A recent birding field trip to the area found 32 bird species on this property, while on nearby pasture dominated properties less than 10 different birds were observed. There will be a vegetation and bird tour of the property before a range of experts talk about local plant, weed and bird species. A free barbeque dinner will be provided. Please RSVP to Tony Wells, Project Officer CEN on 4349 4754 or 0423 528 685. 4 December - Entries close for WetlandCare Art Competition This is your last chance to submit your entries for the WetlandCare Art competition. Members of the community are invited to submit artworks and photographs exploring the theme of Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change. Entry forms are available from WetlandCare Australia website or by calling WetlandCare Australia on 02 6681 6169. 12 December - Hunter Region Landcare Network meeting Landcarers in the Hunter region are invited to attend this meeting to provide input into possible site visits and meeting venues for 2010. If you have a Landcare site you'd like to show off, go along to the meeting or contact the network Chair Ruth Hardy on 0458 348 110. The meeting will commence at 10.00 am at the Lake Macquarie Landcare Resource Centre at Teralba. Please RSVP to Ruth on 0458 348 110 for catering purposes. Support available for natural resource management activitiesIntegrating learning and land management In 2009-10 the CMA is offering subsidised training as part of its Integrated Land Management Program. As part of the program, landholders in priority areas will pay just $100 to undertake 2.5-3 day courses in sustainable land management. The courses have been targeted to specific issues and priority areas within the region as follows:
To register your interest in these courses, send an email containing your name, course and location preference, property address, enterprise type, email and phone number to the appropriate contact: mick.budden@cma.nsw.gov.au (Tilligerry Peninsula); grahame.price@cma.nsw.gov.au (Wollombi and Congewai); geoff.lemessurier@cma.nsw.gov.au (Cooplacurripa); and vanessa.malicia@cma.nsw.gov.au (Central Coast and Lake Macquarie). The Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management AuthorityThe Hunter-Central Rivers CMA is working with private landholders, local government and industry to better understand and manage our local catchments, while providing funding and expertise to implement natural resource management activities in line with the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Action Plan (CAP). The CMA's Strategic Investment and Systems Audit Committees will meet this month at Lake Macquarie. The members of the Hunter-Central Rivers CMA Board are Dr WEJ Paradice (Chairman), Neil Rose (Deputy Chairman), John Weate, Julia Imrie, Arthur Burns, John Asquith, and Chris Scott. The General Manager is Fiona Marshall. For more information on any of the stories in this edition of Catchment News, contact Hunter-Central Rivers CMA Acting Community Education Manager Tiffany Jeffery on 4938 4932. For all other inquiries contact your local CMA office:
CMA Gosford Office
CMA Muswellbrook Office
CMA Taree Office For inquiries relating to the CMA's Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation
Project: To subscribe to Catchment News or make changes to your subscription details please send an email to hcr@cma.nsw.gov.au. © Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority 2009. |
CMA
Board members go bush
Welcoming
the CMA's new General Manager
Joining
forces to protect our tiny tourists
Stopping
salinity in its tracks
Learning in the great outdoors
Benefits
flowing through our catchments
Seeking new
CMA Board members
Planning
the key to good property management
'Tis
the season to be jolly…and bush fire ready
Where Land Meets
Water
Celebrating
five years of achievements
Mid Coast
dairy farmers recognised for their achievements