bush stone- curlews: coming home pages 6-7
Transcription
bush stone- curlews: coming home pages 6-7
September 2016 Volume 26 two March 2016 Volume 27 One INDIGENOTES VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 BUSH STONECURLEWS: COMING HOME PAGES 6-71 Photo: Mick Connolly President’s letter I FFA has been very active this year but organisational problems have interrupted some things, including Indigenotes. Sorry you’ve had to wait since March for this issue. Big thanks to Amanda Dodd for taking on the job of emergency editor, on top of her many other roles in IFFA. The committee has got over the recent hurdles and is powering ahead. However, to maintain the pace, we need several people to fill committee positions that will be vacated at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 1st October 2016. If you are at all open to joining the committee, please contact me or anyone else on the committee (contact details on p10). You don’t have to attend the AGM to be voted into office but it would be helpful to fill in a nomination form by 23rd September 2016. The AGM will be during IFFA’s Little Desert camp, based at Dimboola on 30th September to 2nd October – see below. I and others who went to previous IFFA camps (back in the 1980s and early 90s) are really looking forward to the camp. The theme is ‘Connecting People with Nature’ and I am sure that anyone who goes will feel more connected with nature. It’s also socially enjoyable and fulfilling to rub shoulders with like-minded people who, when we pool our experiences, have a huge breadth and depth of knowledge about nature. I’m particularly keen to learn from the local Aboriginal people of the Barengi Gadjin Land Council, who will be at the camp. There were two prior IFFA excursions in 2016. The first was in March to see how Bush Stone-curlews are being bred and protected in a sanctuary in Lockwood, near Bendigo. Thanks to the mid-Loddon Sub-Catchment Management Group for hosting us, and for their impressive conservation efforts. The second excursion was hosted by Australian Ecosystems Pty Ltd in April, when we were given a very informative tour of their wholesale nursery in Bangholme, on Melbourne’s southeastern fringe. Growing indigenous plants has come a long way since its infancy in the mid-1980s! The IFFA committee is keen to foster networking, training and other support for indigenous nurseries. The person to contact to become more involved is IFFA’s Indigenous Nurseries Liaison Officer, Naomie Sunner: [email protected] or phone 0415 941 629. We are also working on establishing a network of career bushland managers. Following a meeting of interested people in April, an on-line survey is seeking guidance about the aims and functions of the new network – see p8. To become involved, contact John Loschiavo: bushlandmanagementvictoria@gmailcom or 0439 658 742. IFFA put a lot of work into submissions about two Victorian government reviews concerning nature conservation. The first was about how planning schemes regulate removal of native vegetation and seek to provide compensation. The second was in response to the Victorian government’s draft biodiversity strategy, called ‘Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2036’. For the first time, the government is recognising in policy that contact with nature in people’s daily lives is important for health, wellbeing and quality of life. These things are at the core of IFFA’s existence but the draft strategy proposes to focus conservation efforts far from population centres, where very few people will be connected in their daily lives. Sadly, the importance of contact with nature has been entirely overlooked in the government’s concurrent review of the native vegetation planning controls. Look for IFFA’s submissions at www.iffa.org.au. The IFFA committee has also been busy with strategic planning for the organisation’s future. This process builds upon a previous review and the ‘speed planning’ session at last November’s AGM. You can read about the directions the committee has planned by downloading the document from www.iffa.org.au. Dr Graeme Lorimer IFFA PRESENTS SPRING CAMP LITTLE DESERT NATIONAL PARK Friday 30 SeptemberSunday 2 October Featuring Mallee bird specialist Dr. Joab Wilson Scientist Dr. Graeme Lorimer Ecologist Dr. Jeff Yugovic Ant expert Dr. John Wainer Ecologist Geoff Carr and many more to come We recommend staying at Dimboola Caravan Park Daily departures into park from Dimboola Caravan Park You must arrange your own accommodation, food and transport Bookings required via Eventbrite http://tinyurl.com/grwxetl 2 Caladenia cardiochila INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC The IFFA committee joins a funding crowd Crowdfunding conservation Australians have taken to crowdfunding with some zeal with new platforms and the range of campaign themes expanding quickly. Crowdfunding results in small donations from a large number of people enabling start-up ideas to develop into real projects. In 2015 the Victorian Government launched a collaborative pilot with Pozible, a leading Australian crowdfunding platform, to encourage and support community initiatives to help protect threatened species. Michelle Butler, Senior Project Officer with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning(DELWP) implemented the pilot and Amanda Dodd, from Cairnlea Conservation Reserves Committee of Management, was one of the first five campaign producers. Here they share their views. Michelle Butler The idea was discussed internally including with the Project Control Board for the Threatened Species Protection Initiative. Along with a more traditional grants approach, the board was supportive of trialling crowdfunding but needed further operational detail. Claire from Australia’s crowdfunding platform Pozible, provided options for different partnership approaches. The model that was settled on enabled a matched grant approach and we gained approval from Lisa Neville , MP the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, to proceed. It allowed us to engage with groups that would be receiving funds from the other grant processes from within the program so that they would have a safety net if their campaigns failed. The campaigns would be housed in a collection on the Pozible website which would bring greater awareness to all of the projects. To create a space for community groups to test their involvement, a facilitator helped them build their campaigns. Pozible also offered information sessions and advanced workshops to interested groups. The campaigns were then presented to the board for approval and after some amendments, seven campaigns were approved for the first collection. The tight timelines and novelty of the process was a challenge and resulted in two groups postponing their involvement. A FRIEND had sent me a link via Facebook to a conservation research project seeking crowdfunding support. It piqued my interest immediately, and so I pledged. I began investigating different crowdfunding platforms and approaches, including attending a workshop that provided a more detailed understanding of crowdfunding. As a public servant working in the community and environment grant space, I was interested in exploring if governments had used crowdfunding campaigns before in a cost-share arrangement. In 2013, the WA agency ScreenWest, won a public sector award for its 3to1 Crowdfunding Initiative that supports independent Western Australian film makers. In 2014, Arts Tasmania launched Crowbar, contributing fifty percent (up to $2000) to artists’ campaigns that successfully reached their target. While there were some examples of partnerships in the Arts space, limited government application had occurred in conservation. I thought, crowdfunding could enable government and the community to leverage funds to support more conservation projects. It could also provide community groups with an avenue to drive digital and social media skills, tap into other types of support, expand their funding base and build awareness of their group and conservation activities. INDIGENOTES VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 3 Never trivial: the pursuit of trivia Those remaining continued to bounce ideas off each other, sharing materials and enthusiastically barracking for each other’s success. At DELWP and at Pozible, media materials were being produced and circulated to highlight the five campaigns which launched as a collection in November 2015. Over three weeks we watched the campaigns build, stall and then build again as media and networks were busily tapped. In the end, three campaigns successfully reached their target funds. We evaluated our efforts which identified that the funding was only part of the benefit, regardless of the success. Campaigners also noted that they: • Learnt new skills in video editing, marketing and promotion • Engaged with new people, locally and internationally • Built awareness of community group activities and programs • Built new networks and useful contacts, including ongoing links with businesses As a result of the input from our generous community pioneers, we have revised and broadened the scope which will be tested in the next iteration. Amanda Dodd T HE FRIENDS of Iramoo and the Cairnlea Conservation Reserves Committee of Management have been discussing alternative ways of obtaining funding for years. While we appreciate the grants and support we receive from local, regional and state government agencies, sometimes there are lulls in grant rounds where the future can look quite stressful. The end of 2015 was looking very stressful for us. All of our existing grants were coming to completion and it looked like we would have very little funding for our works program in 2016. Thankfully DELWP released the application forms for the first round of the Threatened Species Protection Initiative Grants in August 2015. At the bottom of the application was a small tick box – would you like to be involved in Crowdfunding trials – Why not? I ticked it. Nothing happened for a few months until I received an email inviting us to attend an information session and then an 4 advanced workshop with Pozible and DELWP. It was full steam ahead from there – we needed to submit our project pitch, preferably with the draft video only six days after the workshop. We called an emergency meeting of the committee and the friends group for ideas and stayed up late on a Friday night working out our program, what we wanted funding for and our rewards. After a few stressful days of program planning and script writing, I sat in the Featherheads Grassland Reserve and filmed the pitch. Once DELWP gave us confirmation that our program was eligible for matched funding we planned our campaign launch night – an ecological trivia night at which 46 people across eight teams competed to win prizes and adulation. In the end we raised $1350 which went straight on the campaign. The three weeks that the Saving Six Grassland Species campaign was running was both exhilarating and highly stressful. Our most popular reward that people selected was to adopt and name a Striped Legless Lizard. The names people chose for their adopted lizards were amazing, and included Mr Pickle, Putuguq, Legolas and Hermione. In the end we received donations from over 191 amazing supporters and not only met but exceeded our target of $12,000. The Victorian Government matched the target and co-contributed $12,000, bringing our total funding for the project to $25,800. The five crowdfunding projects showed that there is support for threatened species conservation. I would highly recommend groups try out crowdfunding as a way to obtain funds and also as a way to learn new skills and connect with new people. The Saving Six Grassland Species campaign would not have been possible without the support of DELWP, Claire from Pozible and Jen from TBL creative partnerships and everyone from Cairnlea Conservation Reserves Committee of Management and the Friends of Iramoo who donated their time and energy. Keep an eye out on the Pozible website for future campaigns that support threatened species projects. http://www.pozible.com/ INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC Annual General Meeting Saturday 1 October 2016 (at our Little Desert Spring Camp) Time: 6pm Place: Riverside Holiday Park 2 Wimmera Street, Dimboola, Victoria At the meeting, members will have the opportunity to: find out about the IFFA’s operations and finances speak about any items on the agenda vote on any resolutions proposed At the meeting, members will be asked to vote to: accept the minutes of the previous annual general meeting accept the annual report accept the annual financial statements e lect officer bearers and general committee members If you are not able to attend you can nominate a proxy to vote on your behalf. Send or give your voting instructions in writing to your proxy or the secretary at least 24 hours before the meeting. All members can nominate themselves or any other member for any of the positions listed in the next column. • • • • • • • The following positions will be open for nominations: President Vice-President Secretary Membership Secretary Treasurer Editor of the newsletter Webmaster Events Coordinator Indigenous Nurseries Liaison Officer Student Representative Fundraising Coordinator Ecological Restoration Professional 2 ordinary members • • • • • • • • • • • • • In the propagation shed Spring brings with it warmer weather, longer days and a vast array of wildflowers, so it’s no surprise that it is many people’s favourite season. It is at this time of year that many ecosystems come to life with B ECAUSE most species are in flower, this is the time that plants can be easily identified, so for indigenous nurseries that collect their own seed reconnaissance missions to target sites are always a pleasurable task. With the exception of long walks in wildflower strewn landscapes in the name of site surveying, there are many tasks that plant propagators have to do in spring. • Daisies germinate readily in daytime temperatures of around 18-25 C. They require light to germinate, so are best sown on the surface of seed raising mix September – October. • A number of semiaquatic wetland species are dormant over winter, emerging from seed, corms or rhizomes in spring. Sow species such as Bolboschoenus, Schoenoplectus and Alisma plantago-aquatica in spring using the bog method. Alternatively, Bolboschoenus can be divided by separating and potting on newly sprouted corms as soon as they emerge. • Other semi-aquatic species such as Juncus, Ficinia and Carex can be sown using the bog method in spring. INDIGENOTES VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 colours and scents, drawing in the many species of pollinators required to produce this year’s batch of seed. Naomie Sunner leads the way from bushland to the nursery bench. • Many Spear grasses germinate best in temperatures 15-22 C. Species such as Austrostipa stipiodes, A. mollis, A. bigeniculata should be sown in September. • Many other species of cool season grasses, known as C3 grasses germinate well in the cooler spring temperatures. Sow Dichelachne crinita, Anthosachne scabra and Rytidosperma sp. September – October. • Saltbushes such as Einadia, Rhagodia and Enchylaena also prefer the cooler spring temperatures in which to germinate. Sow these species September to October. • Many Peas and Acacia species have hard seed coats and germinate well in warm temperatures after soaking in warm or boiling water. After soaking seed for 4-12 hours, sow seed October-November. • As plants put on new growth over spring, there is an abundance of beautiful cutting material. Take cuttings any time in spring of Correa, Grevillea, Prostanthera and Pimelea, ensuring that flowers are buds are removed. • Many species that can be grown by division will establish well in the warmer temperatures of spring. Species such as Viola hederacea, Ranunculus, Goodenia can be divided over spring. 5 The secret world of non-vascular plants Dining with Bush Stone-curlews T Nocturnal, ground-dwelling and beautifully camouflaged, Bush StoneCurlews stand completely still when threatened. They are famously difficult to see. Sadly this gives no protection against habitat loss and introduced predators that hunt by following a scent trail, and the birds now face local extinction in central Victoria. Karen McGregor reports on a program to bring curlews home to a safe and suitable environment. he March IFFA excursion was held in Lockwood (just south of Bendigo) where we were fortunate to meet Alpine Everlasting in a captive breeding program some Bush Stone-curlews Ozothamnus alpinesCreek Landcare Group. We saw run by the Upper Spring two enclosures, one with a pair of shy curlews and one with four curious brothers and sisters (who had been given to the program by Halls Gap Zoo). The curlews are fed at dusk on a diet of 75-100g per day of premium chicken loaf (dog food), 6 hardboiled eggs (including shell), mealworms, Wombaroo insectivore dry mix and earthworms. We also travelled around the area to see various fox/cat proof fenced exclusion sites which are several hectares in size. These are the sites where the curlews will be released to provide safe breeding areas. The group is currently working to increase curlew habitat in the sites. The preferred habitat of these birds is grassy woodland with fallen tree debris and leaf litter, which INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC Above: A section of Shelbourne Nature Conservation Reserve modified to favour Bush Stone-Curlews. Left: One of five blocks, surrounded by a feral-proof fence, destined to become a home to Bush Stone-Curlews. Birds will initially be held in a pen to become familiar with the place before release. Support from local landholders is vital and permanent water is available in a dam on a next-door farm. Curlews are strong fliers and are expected to move around the district before returning to this fox-free refuge. Photos: Mick Connolly is essential for roost sites and finding food. Roost areas contain little or no shrub layer, with a sparse groundstorey. The Landcare group has also installed many nest boxes in the area which are enjoyed by Brush-tailed Phascogales and Sugar Gliders. A visit to Shelbourne Nature Conservation Reserve showed the success of the ecological thinning program where up to onethird of the dense regrowth eucalypt trees were felled. These trees were carefully selected and cut to fall across the contours INDIGENOTES VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 in order to increase leaf litter accumulation and water retention in the reserve. This proved effective when a downslope dam received much less runoff than before the thinning. Soon after the canopy was opened up the remaining (healthier) eucalypts began to flower due to the decreased competition for light and resources. This in turn attracted Swift Parrots to the area. We wish this group continued success and that the local wildlife population will continue to grow. 7 Victorian Bushland Management Network A BUSHLAND manager is someone who manages land for biodiversity. This work predominantly involves removal and/or reduction of threats to biodiversity (pest plant and animals, inappropriate disturbance regimes) and enhancement of biodiversity values (planting, direct seeding, habitat enrichment). As a profession, bushland managers work on land which is usually reserved for biodiversity. They work both in the public and private sector on both private and public land. The type of work they do is driven by their funding arrangements, level of expertise, types of bushland they work in, and the management priorities of their bushland. Most bushland managers are working towards the same goal: to reduce threats to biodiversity and enhance biodiversity. Until now, there has not been an organisation for bushland managers to share information and knowledge in Victoria. The Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association recognised the need for a bushland management network and would like create a network which aims to promote the profession and facilitate knowledge and information sharing. Recently IFFA hosted a workshop with people from a wide range of organisations to brainstorm the scope and direction of a potential network. From the workshop, three main areas of focus were suggested. 8 1 Developing industry standards and industry promotion While bushland managers know that certain management techniques are better than others, there is a great need for guidance about which ones to use in particular situations and what specifications and standards should be attached to each. Industry standards are required to: • Ensure best practice for the management of bushland, and to ensure the best value for money and the best outcomes for biodiversity, given the limited funds for bushland works • From the development of standards for the industry, monitoring and evaluation protocols could be developed. Monitoring is a great tool for managers to see how their reserves are changing with management interventions. It also can be used to report outcomes to funding agencies. The bushland network could also promote the industry as a profession. This could lead to greater recognition as a profession, and potentially even to further funding for bushland works. HAVE YOUR SAY Please complete our 10 minute survey by 14 November 2016 to tell us what you want from a bushland management network https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T8H3KJT INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC 2 Information and knowledge sharing using a website and field trials/workshops There is currently no centralised platform for bushland managers to share information regarding bushland management issues. A website could be used to share information. This would include photos, videos, case studies, reports and an online forum where bushland managers can share information and discuss issues. In addition to the website, the network could run workshops on specific topics and put the outcomes of the workshop on the website. The network could also facilitate and coordinate field trials of different management techniques and report the findings on the website. 3 Building capacity of bushland managers through short courses and industry accreditation While there are several tertiary courses relating to bushland management, there is a need for further professional development opportunities. The network could either provide or facilitate short courses and other training for bushland managers. Depending on the demand for ongoing professional development, these short courses could be combined to form an industry accreditation. The bushland network will be run by a committee, comprising professionals within the bushland management industry. The main activities of the committee would include: • Develop and implement industry standards; • Facilitate field trials, workshops and online information • Facilitate and run training courses relevant to bushland management. John Loschiavo Wedding Bush Festival Friends of the Grange Heathland Reserve Saturday 8 October, 9am-noon. 6.5 hectares of rare remnant bushland in suburbia. Walking tours, free indigenous plant, free sausage sizzle Osbourne Avenue, Clayton South, off Westall Road. Enquiries 0403 587 611 INDIGENOTES VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 9 Application for membership of the Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association Incorporated Association No A0015723B Individual/Family/Organisation Name Membership type (tick one) Individual ($25 per year) Family ($35 per year) Names of other family members Name of organisational or family representative Postal address State Non-profit organisation ($40 per year) Concession ($20 per year) Postcode Email Associate member (individuals younger than 15 $5) How old? Website Corporation ($50 per year) Phone Individual life member ($500 per year) (H) (W) (M) (Fax) Family life member ($700 per year) I wish to become a member of the Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association In the event of my admission as a member, I agree to be bound by the rules of the Association for the time being in force Signature of applicant Membership fee amount $ Donation I wish to make a donation to IFFA Donation amount $ Total $ Date Note: New members joining July-December pay half the fees shown below but become a member for the full financial year New members joining January-June pay the full amount, which includes membership from the date they join including the whole of the following financial year I wish to renew my membership of IFFA (Note membership runs from 1 July to 30 June each year) Delivery type for newsletter Post my hardcopy newsletter AND/OR Payment I enclose a cheque for $ (made out to “Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association Inc.”) I attach cash $ (but please do not send cash in the mail) I have transferred $ to the Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association bank account (BSB 063138 Account10092717; include your family and first name, or organisation name as the description) Paid up Individual, Family, Concession and Associate members of IFFA are eligible for a discount subscription to Ecological Management & Restoration Journal. See IFFA’s website for the form, or enquire to [email protected] Email my .pdf format newsletter Please send this form together with your cheque to IFFA Secretary, PO BOX 159, Brunswick 3056 Membership Secretary’s use only Receipt sent _________ Date Received__________ New membership Transaction ID _________________________________ Approved date _________ http://www.iffa.org.au Follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/IndigenousFloraFaunaAssociation and on Linked In at http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Indigenous-Flora-Fauna-Association-4613422 President: Graeme Lorimer email: [email protected] 9876 6415 Vice-President: Amanda Dodd [email protected] Secretary: Ben North [email protected] 0419 709 744 Treasurer: Vacant Events Coordinator: Karen McGregor [email protected] Webmaster: Madeline Brenker [email protected] 10 Student representative: Madeline Brenker [email protected] Indigenous Nurseries Liaison Officer: Naomie Sunner, [email protected] Ecological Information Officer: Dr. Melanie Birtchnell Committee members: Linda Bradburn, John Loschiavo Indigenotes guest editor: Amanda Dodd Indigenotes design: Mick Connolly Life member: Patricia Crowley Indigenotes is the newsletter of the Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association. Views expressed in Indigenotes are not necessarily those of the Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association. Articles are not peer reviewed Call for articles Indigenotes is a newsletter by IFFA members for IFFA members. Stories, snippets, photos and reports from members are always welcome. If it’s something you’re doing with flora or fauna or habitat, write it down and send it to IFFA’s editor at [email protected] INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC Nilgiri In the mid-1980s a young couple, Ros and Andrew Bradey were desperate to buy a farm anywhere in SE Australia. They bought 300 hectares at Ullswater in the South-west Wimmera region of Victoria and called it Nilgiri. They bought it because it was cheap. They had very few dollars and were probably low on cents too! H AVING bought a farm, and sheep, and a few tools their previously unimpressive financial situation was reduced to abject poverty. Owning a farm, but not being able to afford to do anything with it was less than satisfying. One thing they could afford to do was use their newly acquired wheelbarrow and shovel to dig up a few dozen Red-Gum seedlings (which had regenerated next to a swamp) and move them to make three clumps of trees in one of their paddocks. Their idea was that these trees would provide shelter to the old ewes they had recently acquired. What they hadn’t realised was that because there were significant areas of forest, woodlands and wetlands nearby, these areas would be quickly colonised by numerous native bird and animal species too. Planting trees became something of a passion. Though after a while, planting for wild-life habitat became the prime objective, with agricultural productivity improvements being the spin-off. The question of how many native trees were too many was always up for debate. The farm’s income came from wool, sheep and cattle, not trees or native wildlife. Some tree planting could improve the farm’s bottom line, but too much would start to reduce it. About 20% of the farm’s area seemed to be a prudent maximum. Now, thirty years later, the not so young Ros and Andrew have raised a family and increased the farm to 1,100 hectares. 170 hectares of the farm are managed purely for conservation. Within this conservation area are two Conservation Covenants, including the first wetland in Victoria to receive a covenant. As well as producing wool and meat, the farm routinely fledges Brolga chicks and INDIGENOTES VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 Tree corridors leading to wetlands occasionally Red-tailed Black Cockatoo chicks. It is also host to scores of other slightly less charismatic native species. Throughout the past 30 years the farm’s productivity (and profitability) has increased in tandem with improving conservation values. Very occasionally there have been conflicts between conservation and agricultural productivity, but for the most part the two activities have been complementary. Words and photos: Andrew Bradey The Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association will be visiting the Bradey farm on the first weekend of May 2017. Additional details will follow. Register your interest via [email protected] 11 Nilgiri A 30-year experiment to simultaneously improve farm productivity and conservation values. REPORT PAGE 11 Left: State forest, pasture, conservation area and rows of fodder shrubs. CONTENTS President’s letter; IFFA camp out Crowdfunding conservation 12 notice AGM In the propagation shed 2 Bush Stone-curlews 3 Victorian Bushland 5 Management Network 5 Membership application form; 10 6-7 Contact us Nilgiri11 INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC 8-9