We've Moved! | COVID-19 Update | Cat Management | Rodenticides Awareness | Rescued Penguins & other news

We've moved!

Please bear with us over the next week as we unpack and get adjusted to our new very central location in Hobart. Click the map to find us. 

Our new office address: Level 3 / 65 Murray Street, Hobart TAS 7000

Our postal address has not changed: PO Box 4791 Bathurst St., Hobart TAS 7000

COVID-19 Update

*Group convenors - please pass this on to your members and volunteers*

Landcare Tas Office

Staff will be moving back to working in the (new!) office on 24th August 2020. We will have a COVID-safe workplan in place for staff and visitors to the office. We look forward to welcoming you to our office, but please call ahead before visiting.

Member Groups & Volunteers

Many of our members and volunteers are returning safely to their activities. We would like to make sure all our members and volunteers are aware that different land managers have different requirements for volunteers on their land. Whether you work on Council, Crown, Parks, or other land, please contact your land manager representative before planning volunteer activites, as they all have different policies in place.

We would also like to remind our Member Groups that they have an obligation to protect the health and safety of their volunteers. The Department of Health has developed this useful COVID action plan, which is a self-assessment tool to help more vulnerable volunteers manage their risk related to COVID-19.

If your group feels daunted by what needs to be done to re-start your volunteer activities safely, you may find this Return to ‘COVID safe’ Volunteering step-by-step guide from Volunteering Tasmania helpful.

Spotlight on Feral Cat Management

A Pilot Cat Control Project - Sulphur Creek Preservation Bay Coastcare

With backing from Central Coast Council, the Sulphur Creek Preservation Bay Coastcare group is midway through their Pilot Cat Control Project, and it is going well, thanks to strategic planning and a devoted group and contractor who are prtoecting local wildlife including a healthy population of Litlle Penguins. Local council support and Landcare Tasmania's network has enabled other groups in the area to start cat management activities across the municipality and beyond.  Read about how the program was set up, and what's happening next.

Landcare Tasmania's Federal Submission on Cat Management

Landcare Tasmania's Cat Management Working Group gathered input from a number of key members involved in this issue, and compiled a submission to the Inquiry of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment into the problem of feral and domestic cats in Australia.

Minimising Impact on Raptors from Rodenticides

Several years ago Landcare Tasmania began developing its Rodenticides Community Awareness Program in response to community concern over the increasing number of raptors affected by widely available rodent poisons. This year, the program has had a boost through funding from the Federal Government's Community Environment Program (CEP) supported by two electorates - Franklin and Clark. 

With this funding, we are able to support a number of member groups who are keen to improve habitat for raptors and their prey and inform their communities about the threat of rodent poisons. It's a great example of how Landcare Tasmania's advocacy can amplify the voices of our members on issues that are just as important at the community level as they are at the State and even National level. The link provides more information the impacts of rodenticides and alternative that are less harmful to our wildlife.

On-ground activities begin in Franklin & Clark electorates

Acton Park  (Franklin)

On a sunny Saturday 23 July, the first planting activity for the project took place near Acton Park, which brought together regular Landcarers as well as Clarence City Council Mayor Doug Chipman and local MP Julie Collins, and featured on Channel 7 Nightly News. 

Friends of Collinsvale and the UTAS Landcare Society welcomed so many new Landcare volunteers on this cold but enjoyable day spent planting and learning about raptor habitat.

Upcoming Rodenticide Awareness Info Sessions

Keep your eye on our newsleter for upcoming community information sessions & habitat restoration activities between now and June 2021. Each information session will have a specialist from our professional network provide education about best practice for rodent control and the use of rodenticides, and identify vulnerable species and their habitat such as Masked Owls & Grey Goshawks, and prey such as the Eastern Barred and Brown Bandicoots. The value of hollow bearing trees will be promoted, along with the installation of next boxes and wildlife cameras.

The little penguin that could, would, and did!

 Kathy Grieveson of Penguin Rehab & Release shares the cutest story of how one of her little residents learns 'how to penguin'. As a long time supporter of the Penguin Rehab & Release Centre and Kathy and her tireless volunteers, we love a good outcome!

Landcare Tasmaina's Online Outreach Continues

Hosted by the North East Bioregional Network (Tas) with support from Highways and Byways and Landcare Tasmania, registration is now open for the Scaling Up Ecosystem Restoration Webinar that includes talks from 10 ecological landscape specialists (both national and international).

The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration unites the world behind a common goal: preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. This Decade is a catalyst for unifying and practical action around the principle of respect and affection for our unique and precious natural world.

We invite you to be part of this globally important discussion.

About the North East Bioregional Network

Photo credit: North East Bioregional Network

Our members, the North East Bioregional Network (NEBN), have extended their efforts globally through their involvement in two global ecological projects: The EcoHealth Network, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  

The NEBN have featured their mammoth ‘Restore Skyline Tier’ project with the EcoHealth Network, and within the IUCN’s publication Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors.

Landcare in the News 

• Winter Bushfire Preparation
• Soil First Tasmania share their soil trial journey in the Tasmanian Country
• Bridgewater/Gagebrook Cleanup Group feature in the Brighton Community News, and share their cleanup story with the ABC.
• Don Defenderfer, who was State Coordinator of Landcare Tasmania for many years, welcomes back the Tasmanian Country

Can you support us?

If you would like to further support the work we do, and have the capacity to support us financially, please consider becoming an Individual Member (from $30 per year) to support our organisation, or by donating to the Tasmanian Landcare Fund to support our members' project work.

Welcome to our new member groups!

Community Landcare is continuing to grow! New member groups are a great demonstration of the generosity of the Tasmanian community to get involved in caring for our bush, land, coasts, rivers, and wildlife. They're contributing to our vision for all the land and coasts of Tassie to be cared for by the community. Join them if they are in your area!

Check out the latest new members: 

White Beach Coast Care - Community Group

Circular Ponds Landcare - Property-based Group

Become a Member Group

Are you a Community Group, School, or Property-based collection of people who'd like to join or form a Member Group? Contact us on [email protected] for help, or click below to sign up now.

Events Calendar

See below for a full listing of member events in the coming months. As many COVID-19 restrictions are now lifting, please check with the organiser whether these events are indeed running or whether they have been cancelled.

Thanks for reading!

The Landcare Tasmania Team

Rod Knight - CEO
Peter Stronach - Community Landcare Manager, Deputy CEO
Priscilla Richards - Landcare Services Manager
Kat Traill - Events Producer
Raelene Mibus – Landcare Officer
Jenn Gason – Communications & Database Assistant

Upcoming Events