🌱 September 2023 Issue | ALCA Conference, Biodiversity Month Activities, Innovations in Agriculture, Watch Webinars & More!

Junior Landcare Letter Writing Campaign Kicks Off!

Landcare Australia’s Junior Landcare program has teamed up with Junior Landcare ambassador, Costa Georgiadis, for a fun letter-writing campaign running this National Biodiversity Month - and just in time for school holidays.

In support of the campaign and as part of Junior Landcare’s 25-year anniversary, scientist and nature guide, Tom Covell, penned his own Love Letter to the Land, writing: “Walking through the bush and hearing the beautiful bird calls always made me forget my worries. I realised the birds were talking to each other, whether a young bird asking for food or a butcher bird warning about danger. You taught me that all of nature is connected, and we just need to listen.” (Read Tom's full letter here).

The Love Letters to the Land campaign has been designed to help connect children and families to their local environment and showcase steps they can take to protect it. Click below to read more letters or to find out how you, your group or community can get involved.

Celebrating 3 Years with Country Road

Three years ago, ‘The Biodiversity Project’ kicked off in the Namoi Valley with Country Road and cotton farmers. Since the first tree was planted in 2020, approximately 60 hectares of land on a cotton farm has been revegetated.

With support from Cotton Australia and CRDC, cotton farmers in the Namoi Valley have worked with Landcare Australia to plant 11,800 seedlings along 11.6 kilometres of riverbank with long-term aims to improve waterways on their farms, and benefit nature as well as their agricultural production.

Country Road committed $600,000 in the first three years of the project and has since raised $790,000 through sales of the iconic Heritage Sweat and brand contributions.
Read more about this milestone achievement by clicking the button below.

Did You Know That Australia is a World Leader in Terms of How Much Private Land is Managed for Conservation?

Conservation on private land is addressing some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time and is uniting the work and vision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, landholders, scientists, farmers, businesses and nature conservancies.

The Australian Land Conservation Alliance’s flagship conference – PLC23 Unite for Nature – will be taking place on Ngunnawal Country at the National Canberra Convention Centre, 16-18 October 2023. A unique opportunity to grow your networks, participate in practical workshops and field trips, and celebrate and showcase the impact of private land conservation and those working to reverse nature loss.

What is the Sunshine Coast BioBlitz?

The Sunshine Coast BioBlitz is three weekends of educational walks and talks on all things ecology, led by local and state experts! This October immerse yourself in ecology with a range of biological surveys around the Sunshine Coast. These events are a collaborative effort with all the local Landcare groups in the Sunshine Coast region. These events provide an opportunity to close the gap between the experts and amateurs, whilst fostering a greater stewardship toward our land.

The events include Greater Glider Detection Dog surveys:

“Greater Glider habitat knowledge was significantly boosted in the Noosa region thanks to the outcomes of a ground-breaking survey and trial of specially trained greater glider scat detection dogs in early 2022. The survey boosted recorded sites 5-fold in the region and identified sites and habitat in completely new areas and National Parks. DNA analysis of the scat found has provided proof of concept for the trials and further DNA analysis is also underway to undertake enhanced population DNA genome sequencing and further genetic marker development in partnership with Federation Uni.
Rachel and team are now rolling out further surveys across the Noosa region and providing valuable information to both Council, QPWS and TMR for improved conservation outcomes for the species moving forward, as part of funding via the Department of Environment and Science’s Community Sustainability Action grants.” - Rachel Lyons, Noosa District Landcare.

Event Dates:
13th – 15th of October Mooloolah River Landcare event
20th – 22nd of October ECOllaboration/Noosa Landcare
27th – 29th of October Barung Landcare

To Learn more and book, click on the button below.

Your Invitation to the UN Day Gala Dinner

On behalf of Dr Patricia Jenkings, President of UNAA (NSW) and the Executive Committee, the UN would be honoured to have you join their annual flagship UN Day Gala Dinner on Friday, October 20th, at the NSW Parliament House, for a fun evening full of inspiration.

This year’s UN Day Gala Dinner will mark the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), historic 2023 signing of the UN High Seas Treaty and midway mark of the UN Water Action Decade (2018-2028), through the interrelated themes of water and oceans.

Your presence at the Gala Dinner supports vital fundraising efforts and aids in showcasing your commitment to preserving our oceans and ensuring a sustainable future for all. You will also be given the opportunity to connect with individuals, donors, and partners of UNAA NSW who share our passion for creating positive change and a healthier planet.

Be quick to secure your tickets, as the seats are limited and selling fast!

Nungurner PS’s Firewise Garden Takes Root

Nungurner Primary School in East Gippsland recently celebrated the establishment of its new Firewise Garden, a Junior Landcare project that brought all hands on deck ahead of bushfire season.

A collaboration between Nungurner Landcare, Wildseed Nursery, Nungurner CFA, local residents and Lakes Entrance Community Landcare, this fantastic project all started with the publication of the Green Fire Walls Firewise Garden Design by Angelique Stephanotis and team at Nungurner Community Landcare – a resource kit of fire information and videos.

Through the project, parents and friends around Nungurner have been encouraged to plant a Firewise Garden with a free Soil Test and Plant advice for their gardens and blocks of land by the local East Gippsland Landcare Network Facilitator Phillip Vaughan. For more about the project or how you can start your own Firewise Garden, click below.

Upper Hunter Farmer’s Whole Farm Transition to Improve Productivity and Profitability

Hunter Valley producer Peter Dreyer has dealt with all extremes of climate since moving into farming in 2019. He started with droughts and most recently battled floods, but he believes changes to his farming system have made his business not just climate resilient but have lowered input costs, improved labour efficiency and seen gains for the environment.

After attending a local workshop on practical methods to reduce the impact of drought, and following the drought breaking in 2020, Peter’s practice transformation began. In the past three years he has reduced his reliance on external inputs and lowered his on-farm costs with the goal of ensuring his enterprise would be prepared ongoing climactic challenges.

Three related principles underpin Peter’s current farming system:

Maintaining diverse groundcover with a focus on perennials.
Improving soil health including through minimizing the use of fertilisers and pesticides; and
Transitioning to cell grazing to improve animal health and support groundcover.

Watch this 3-episode series that was produced as part of the Landcare Farming Innovations in Agriculture Series. Supported by the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, the Landcare Farming Innovations in Agriculture Series is managed in partnership by Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network.

Landcare Australia is proud to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which we live and work. We value and respect their deep and continued spiritual and cultural connections to the land, waters, seas and sky, and pay our respects to their Ancestors and Elders past, present and future.

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