Citizen Science in the North West | Featured Farmers | Summer Weeds | + more
Landcare Tasmania acknowledges and pays respect to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people as the traditional and original owners, and continuing custodians of this land on which we live today. We acknowledge Elders – past and present
Coming Up: Monitoring Your Patch - A Citizen Science Workshop
This Saturday we'll be getting together with north-west locals for a huge day of citizen science.
From 9:30-3:00pm we'll be gaining hands-on skills and monitoring some biodiversity in the Reid St Reserve, Ulverstone.
Led by experts Cynthia Schaap and Sharon Young, we'll get hands on with some biodiversity monitoring techniques.
By the end of the workshop, every participant will have successfully identified plants, identified evidence of specific animals, set up a wildlife monitoring camera, made a bird recording, familiarised themselves with a GPS, made a GPS point, and been introduced to a database app such as the Natural Values Atlas.
We will also be introduced to practical guides, resources and a strong network of local experts.
Collecting environmental data means working towards enriching our awareness of what's in the area - and where to take our management plans. We're excited to build skills within the local community with some simple techniques on monitoring the local biodiversity.
Our hope is that participants leave this workshop feeling confident to pick up some tech and collect valuable data on their local environment.
Register below to come along! *Spaces limited*
The workshop is part of Landcare Tasmania's Outreach Program and is supported by Gavin Pearce MP through the State Government’s Braddon Volunteer Grants and the JM Robert’s Charitable Trust.
Weeds of Summer
Image: Ragwort (jacobaea vulgaris) source: Kingborough Council
It can be hard to relax into summer holiday mode when the bright flowers of summer weeds are blooming!
You might notice flowering now:
- Ragwort
- Thistles (slender, spear)
- Blackberry
- Paterson's curse
- St John's wort
Want to jump off the banana lounge, put down your Mojito and bust some weeds instead?
You could:
- Join Tamar NRMs 24th annual Ragwort Raids
- Help the TLC weed their conservation properties
- Join Kingston Beach Coastcare in busting blackberry
- Learn how to ID and monitor weeds with us this Saturday
- Sea Spurge Biocontrol participants wanted! Contact us.
- Find your local Landcare group and join a weed working bee
- Read this guide for priority weeds in the Tasman Peninsula
- Consult NREs Weed Index
- Join the Facebook group: Tasmanian Weeds
- Look at this list of Tassie beach weeds on iNaturalist (or log an observation!)
- Grab yourself a pack of weed dabbers from our shop
Overwhelmed by weeds and not sure where to start? Get in touch [email protected]
Emergency Recovery Grant - Non-profit Organisations
Tasmanian Flood and Severe Weather Support
This grant is open to NFPs registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission.
This grant aims to assist with the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of non-profit organisations that have suffered direct damage as a result of the severe weather event in October 2022.
Applications close at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, 31 January 2023.
Featured Farmer - Wetheron Farm
Image: Wetheron Farm, containment pens and troughs © Richard Ellis
Wetheron is a commercial wool, lamb, and cropping property located 3km from Bothwell, Tasmania. Their focus is on sustainable farming practices and improving environmental values across the 2,500ha property.
Currently the property has in excess of 300ha under conservation covenant, extensive areas fenced off to manage and preserve sensitive landscapes (eg north facing slopes), and is undergoing the staged development of a network of interconnecting biodiversity corridors.
They began a new initiative of planting eucalyptus 'paddock trees' from seed collected and propagated on farm. This saw the establishment of over 150 strategically planted trees during spring 2017. This effort is to improve the environmental values of the property which is at risk due to the ongoing effect of 'dieback' in the eucalypt population across the property.
Read more to find out how their program was successful for animal welfare, production and land preservation.
Congratulations to the Wetheron group on smashing your goals and thank you for being a part of the Tasmanian Landcare network.
This project is part of our Member Support Program. Do you need support for your Landcare project? Submit a proposal to The Project Bank. Read more about how it works, and get your cunning plans together! Funded by: Donations to the Tasmanian Landcare Fund
Summer Listening
Weeding done? Pick that mojito back up and listen to some of our member and supporter podcasts
- Lonely Conservationists podcast - Author Jesse Pannazolo talks about nature saving lives, conservation stereotypes and heaps more
- Motherland by Steph Trethewey - A podcast by Tas Ag Co's Steph Trethewey, sharing the stories of rural mums
- The Curious Farmer Podcast by Leap Farm - Kate Field talks to other farmers, gardeners, chefs, scientists and conscious eaters
- Driven By Nature with Yanti and Carla - "Focussing on the island of lutruwita Tasmania, we tell stories of people and place, exploring hard-fought campaigns, in-depth ecological research, community care and science communication"
- Soil Wealth Podcast - cover crops, precision ag, integrated weed management and more
- The Tasmanian Country Hour podcast - ABC radio, rural news and events from Tasmania and the nation
kunanyi Clean Up
Help clean up our iconic mountain and enhance its natural beauty by joining City of Hobart Bushcare's annual kunanyi clean-up day on Saturday 2 April 2022.
Flora Apprecitation - bursaria spinosa
Image: bursaria spinosa summer flowers © Brian Walters
AKA Prickly Box! In summer, this compact, dark green shrub has clouds of white flowers, usually humming with bees.
Its sharp spikes on smaller branches make it a safe haven for small nesting birds. It is a common native shrub that occurs in mostly dry areas, and is the only species of this genus in Tasmania,
Many are familiar with the delicious honey produced by the prickly box.
Roadkill Reporter App Launched
Image: Simon Sturzaker
Research says that an average of 32 animals die every hour on Tasmanian roads. And that's just what is reported.
A new app has been launched to collect roadkill data and map roadkill hotspots in Tasmania.
The Tasmanian Roadkill Reporter is an in-house app that is designed to make it easy for people to report roadkill.
Data collected aims to help road users and road owners identify ways to reduce roadkill and protect Tasmania's wildlife.
Shop Update
Replacement dabber sponges are back in stock!
Head to the Landcare shop for:
- Weed control dabbers (3pk)
- Replacement sponges (10pk)
- Flips
- Cards
- Tote Bags
Thanks for reading
The Landcare Tasmania Team
Peter Stronach – CEO
Priscilla Richards – Member Services Manager
Rachel Larner – Finance and Administration Manager
Kat Traill - Events Coordinator
Jenn Gason – Communications Officer
Evie Drinnan – Project Officer
Joy Pfleger – Project Officer
Cynthia Schaap – Project Officer
Claire Byrne - Executive Assistant
Lily Fraser - Project Officer
