Welcome to Landcare Tasmania's monthly bulletin
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Homegrown Generosity - 5000 Trees from Cindy Watkins
We are incredibly honored to have internationally renowned textile artist Cindy Watkins sponsoring Landcare Tasmania by donating $2 for every tree she embroiders and sells in her 5000 Trees project. Her work is absolutely stunning and made from textiles she hand-dyes herself from natural materials. Her work is currently exhibited at Gallery Pejean in Launceston. You can meet her at the Tasmanian Craft Fair in Deloraine in November, where Landcare Tas will have a spot at her stall. Click the image to see her website.
Dr. Graeme Stevenson - Finalist in the Bob Hawke Landcare Awards
We have all our fingers and toes crossed for Dr. Graeme Stevenson, one of only 3 finalists in the Bob Hawke Landcare Awards. He has spent a lifetime dedicated to Landcare in Tasmania. The award, administered by Landcare Australia's and funded through the National Landcare Program, will be announced at this year's National Landcare Conference in Brisbane in October.
Graeme is from Somerset in northern Tasmania and has 55 years of agricultural experience running his family farm as a farm labourer and manager, through his tertiary agricultural education, dairy extension and research, and as an agricultural consultant and rural journalist. He has worked with Tasmanian dung beetles and agricultural earthworms in soil management since 1988. Graeme volunteered with the Elliott and Wynyard Landcare groups from 1993, as well as Somerset and Camdale Coastcare, Burnie Farmers Market and Tasmanian Organic groups. He has initiated and managed 27 Landcare/organic farming projects attracting $1.4m in grants majoring delivering on-ground works to benefit our soils. Under the stage name of Dr Spluttergrunt, Graeme has performed his 'soil care' presentation to over 60 schools. He has 20 years of applied research into organic and biological agriculture as sustainable farming.
People's Choice Awards at the National Landcare Awards:
for Landcare Tas members in 8 of 10 categories! Voting closes Wednesday the 10th of October.
- Helen Eastburn of West Tamar Landcare Group - Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award
- Kingborough Council - Australian Government Partnerships for Landcare Award
- Adam Holmstrom of Glebe Hill Bushland Reserve Landcare - Austcover Young Landcare Leader Award
- Tamar Island Wetland CARes Volunteer Group - Fairfax Media Landcare Community Group Award
- Turners Beach Coastcare Inc - Sure Gro Tree Max Coastcare Award
- Glenorchy Reconciliation Group - Rio Tinto Indigenous Land Management category
- Youngtown Primary School - Junior Landcare Team Category
1200 Trees from Fifteen Trees
Here are some photos of the 1200+ trees our members are putting in the ground. This member service builds on the great work already going on by our members and contributes to the remediation of our natural and working landscapes.
The support of Fifteen Trees and its corporate contributors has been assisting tree planting across the country for the last 9 years.
Congratulations to the Tasmanian Landcare Fund grant recipients
Nineteen projects with a total value of $49,360 have been approved for funding under Round 22 of the TLF. The theme for the Round of supporting practical Landcare projects that improve the management of Tasmania’s water, soil, plants and animals. Read more for details.
Funds for the Round have been provided by the JM Roberts Charitable Trust. The Trust has generously donated over $0.5M to support Landcare Tasmania projects. Their support of community Landcare is deeply appreciated.
New members
Great to see another lot of new community Landcare groups have joined the Landcare Tas fold.
Like all new groups they'd probably love to hear from people in their neighbourhood. To get involved, or just say hi and offer a welcoming hand, just check out their profiles on our website.
- Bradys Plain Landcare - A new fostering greater awareness of land stewardship and community action on local environmental issues such as the control of ragwort, gorse and other environmental weeds in the region. They would like to invite guest speakers to the local community hall to engage and inform the community on issues such as soil conservation, remnant habitat enrichment, wildlife corridors and vulnerable species protection.
- Bronte Landcare Group - The group cares for a total area of 1,200 acres, with 11 members in the Bronte, Clarence River & Derwent Bridge areas. They are keento participate in the feral cat eradication programme & other projects.
- Redbank Farm Landcare - Redbanks is a 380 hectare property in north-west Tasmania operated, by the Nichols family for over 20 years. Almost one-third is natural bush, wetlands and revegetation areas. The Nichols adopted a nature conservation management plan in 1998 and continue to model best-practice farming practices with an emphasis on sustainability and educating others that Landcare values do not conflict with production values.
- Friends of Falmouth Foreshore - The group aims to remove weeds along the foreshore area in Falmouth, including Gorse, Boxthorn, Boneseed, Mirror Bush. They are also increasing awareness of coastal environmental issues in the local community.
- Stella Maris Primary School Landcare - Students and staff at Stella Maris Catholic Primary School are working to improve the habitat for species in their local area. They are into clean ups, planting, wildlife monitoring and educating other people about the local environment, including sustainable farming practices. They have identified an excellent area for establishment of habitat which will help to sustain endangered bandicoots that live around the school grounds. The group is looking for support from the local community to help in the sustainability challenge.
Reminder: You can find details of more than 200 Tasmanian Landcare groups on our website.
Putting A Value On Landcare
A recent report from Landcare NSW shows the value of community Landcare in the State to be $500 million, and that's just what the economists had data for. It also highlights the importance for community Landcare to be properly supported by government. In NSW 66 Landcare facilitators are funded, with the program run in partnership with Landcare NSW. Read the Article
Want to get involved? VOLUNTEER
There's lots to do at the Landcare Tas office, and we're always on the lookout for new volunteers. If interested please register or call the office on (03) 6234 7117 or send an email to [email protected].
Thank you for your donations DONATE
Donating to Landcare Tasmania ensures your money stays in Tasmania and is used to support the thousands of people working in our State for our bush, coasts, land, rivers and wildlife.
We have lots of things that need your support. Everything from buying equipment for groups to share, through to providing training to help groups tackle some of the trickier environmental and sustainability challenges.
It's also tax deductible for amounts over $2.
Landcare Tasmania members in the news:
Kingborough doing it big on National Tree day
Clean-up champions in the news - Bridgewater Gagebrook clean-up group
Tamar NRMs 13th Boneseed Blitz
Kingborough Council up for National Landcare Award
Come and see us!
Spring means event season, so come and say hi and meet some local groups. Click the images for more info.
For our members - Our Member Outreach BBQ event for October will be hosted by the Upper Meander Catchment Landcare Group. Members are invited to come along and gain a wealth of knowledge on how you can care for the land and coast where you live.
Click below if you'd like to become a member
