Save the date | Photo Competition | Carbon Farming | Penguin Habitat | Green and Gold Frog + more
Conference save the date!
This month, we welcome two new staff members – Jess Fitzgibbon and Alison McCrindle who will be the powerhouses behind our 2023 Conference.
We'd like to thank Kat Traill, who has produced the last two Tasmanian Community Landcare Conferences with flare and rigor, and is now passing the torch to Jess and Alison.
The conference is always so much fun, and is getting bigger and better every year. We are all getting excited as the dates are now set, location is sorted, and the preliminary program is out.
This year’s conference will mobilise the Landcare network, offering a series of training and networking events as we lead up to the big weekend in October.
We feel as though the Landcare movement is at a tipping point and we ready to keep this momentum going. Don’t forget to save the date!
Calling photographers, professional, amateur and aspiring...
We are gearing up for the 2023 Tasmanian Community Landcare Conference with a Landcare Tas Photo Competition, based on key themes of our conference.
The competition is open to all photographers; professional, amateur and aspiring regardless of your home base as long as the photograph was taken in Tasmania.
Image: Huon Douglas, winner of the 2021 Photo Competition with his winning prize!
Registration is open from Friday 28 April 9am – Friday 26 May 9am.
The competition aims to engage photographers and their communities, highlight unique places and draw attention to the environmental challenges of our time.
Entrants will be judged by a panel assembled by Landcare Tas, including 2 professional Tasmanian photographers and the winners will receive a prize pack of Landcare Tasmania goodies. Winners and runners-up will be announced in our newsletter and on social media.
Stay tuned for more. In the mean time, get snapping!
Carbon Farming Workshops Successful
Responding to demands for more information about the carbon assessment process, we gathered a number of carbon farming and environmental market specialist for two workshops in the north west.
Great discussions were flowing about ethical & sustainable food production, the value of biodiversity on farms, and taking a holistic approach to farm carbon assessment. If you missed out, read more below for workshop recordings, more resources and a run-down of the events.
These workshops are part of Landcare Tasmania’s Northern Slopes Landscape Project. Funded by: State Government Landcare Action Grants
Bream Creek Show & the BIG Weekend of Sustainable Living
We’ve been spreading the Landcare word at some fantastic community expos. We had lots of fun sharing information about our Project Bank, plant giveaways, and the popular biochar kiln at the Bream Creek Show and the BIG Weekend of Sustainable Living Ideas.
At the BIG Weekend we held a walk and talk and shared stories about the land use history, migratory birds, mammals, and native and exotic species. We also had the opportunity to collect seed from an old and well-established Prickly Box (Bursaria spinosa).
At both events the biochar kiln was an absolute hit. Patrons flocked to hear ‘Biochar Bill’ talk about how to create a sustainable and cost-effective soil supplement from weed cuttings. Biochar can help improve soil water retention, microbial habitat and plant health, as well as sequestering carbon in soil.
A big thanks to Bill, Ben, Rowiina and Belinda who volunteered their time at these events.
These activities are part of our Outreach Program which aims to increase capacity for Landcarers so that all our land and coasts can be cared for by the community.
What's in your patch? Penguins!
Last Friday we visited Cooee Primary School to explore their local patch.
We were joined by Amanda from Friends of Burnie Penguins who talked to the class about the life cycle of penguins and how rubbish-free beaches are so important for the penguin’s health and their habitat.
After checking out Amanda's penguin display we went to the nearby Cooee Beach, where the students investigated for ways to make their local coastal habitat better.
Penguin sculptures were made as we merged creativity with citizen science in a fun session on little penguins and their habitat.
This workshop is part of Landcare Tasmania’s Northern Slopes Landscape Project and Education Program. Funded by: State Government Landcare Action Grants
We are hiring - Education Officer
Applications close 5th April 2023
We are seeking an experienced Education Officer to take the lead in the development, planning and delivery of Landcare Tasmania’s education programs and events which support school members.
The Education Officer will coordinate the further development of Landcare Tasmania’s education programs and strategies.
Projects that the Education Officer will be responsible for include “School Landcare” and “Know Your Local Patch”. Other program areas currently being developed include agriculture, sustainability, and waste.
What's on?
There’s plenty in the works for April. This weekend, we will be presenting Conversation Landholder Tasmania's ‘Conserving Habitat for the Swift Parrot’ Field Day, and joining the impressive cohort of stallholders at North-West Ecofest.
Our April workshop spots were snapped up with an overwhelming response for both our Cultural Burning Walk and Talk and our Seed Propagation Workshop in Bicheno.
Next month, we’ll be launching our Huon and Channel Landscape Project. This landscape-scale project aims to increase the health and resilience of the waterways in the North West Bay River Catchment and Huon Valley Catchments. Stay tuned to hear about our targeted on-ground works and community training and capacity building workshops.
Upcoming events:
April 01 Conserving Habitat for the Swift Parrot Field Day -Pelveratta
April 01 North West Ecofest - Ulverstone
April 15 Cultural Burning Walk and Talk - Cradoc - Sold Out
April 15 Seed Propagation Workshop - Bicheno - Sold Out
April 16-23 Moonbird Festival - King Island
April 22 Seed Collection and Propagation - Mountain River
Advocacy: Asking the Federal Government to support Landcare
All eight peak State and Territory Landcare Organisations are supporting a national push for renewed funding to further enable grassroots Landcare.
Together, we are seeking an investment of $50 million per year over 5 years, generating up to $350 million per annum for regional and remote communities.
Part of these recommendations includes a five year $250 million investment in on-ground, grassroots Landcare projects.
Read the summary of the National Landcare Network's Budget Submission below. Let us know your thoughts at [email protected] or contact your local member to show your support for the recommendations.
This features as part of our Advocacy work, to raise the profile and get better support for important issues and Community Landcare in Tasmania
The Green and Gold Frog in Pages Creek
Landcare Tasmania is looking to form a working group, The Pages Creek Catchment Group, to develop a catchment based strategy to improve the health of Pages Creek with the goal of protecting and restoring the habitat of the Green and Gold Frog.
We are asking interested people to contact us on 03 6234 7117 or [email protected]
Member Spotlight - Friends of Collinsvale
Friends of Collinsvale are a Landcare Group working in the Glenorchy area. They say “Our aim is to help our small community understand what weeds are and how to control them, and to run working bees to remove weeds and rubbish and address other issues as they arise.”
Working in both primary schools and the wider community, they are teaching the benefits of revegetation and native plant species. They said “we want to show the students how easy it can be grow plants from seeds, hopefully giving them an appreciation and understanding of the importance of native vegetation.”
With support from the Tasmanian Landcare Fund we have seen two projects emerge, with one focusing on teaching students the benefits of native vegetation, and another focusing on removing weeds on land which adjoins Wellington Park.
This group are also developing a cat management action plan for the area.
Interested in being part of it? Join the group's Facebook group or contact Mark to get involved.
This forms part of our Member Support services. 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!
New stock! Steve Solomon's 'Growing Vegetables South of Australia'
Welcome to our New Member Groups!
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 you're in their area or check out their page for a regular working bee to attend!
Bicheno Landcare - Community Group
Brent St Reserve Landcare - Community Group
Friends of Dempster Creek - Community Group
kanamaluka Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
Tullah Landcare Group - Community Group
Hawthorn Landcare Friends - Community Group
Huon Valley Regenerative Farming - Property Group
Friends of Preolenna - Community Group
La Luna Market Garden - Property Group
Dunalley Tasman Neighbourhood House - Community Group
Donate
Give a little back to the earth with a donation to our tax-deductible gift-recipient, the Tasmanian Landcare Fund.
Thanks for reading
The Landcare Tasmania Team
Peter Stronach – CEO
Priscilla Richards – Member Services Manager
Rachel Larner – Finance and Administration Manager
Jenn Gason – Communications and Volunteer Coordinator
Joy Pfleger – Project Officer
Cynthia Schaap – Project Officer
Claire Byrne - Executive Assistant
Lily Fraser - Project and Engagement Officer
Jess Fitzgibbon - Events Coordinator
Allison McCrindle - Events Coordinator
