National Awards for Tassie | Landcare as a Lifeline | Feral Cats | West Coast Workshops + more
National Landcare Award Winners!
Tassie Landcarers had a great time at the National Landcare Conference in Sydney from the 23rd-25th August. At the National Landcare Awards, Tasmanians took home 2 awards, making it one of our most successful years yet!
Landcare Tasmania's CEO Peter Stronach says "The event is a great celebration with so many inspiring Landcarers being recognised for their efforts to restore and protect Australia’s environment. All of the Tasmanian finalists were of the highest quality and to take home a couple of awards for Tasmania is really exciting for us.”
This features as part of our Advocacy work, to raise the profile and get better support for important issues and Community Landcare in Tasmania
Outreach Event Roundup
The following events 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.
Coming up: West Coast Seed Collection and Propagation Workshops
Image by Yasmin Mund for Landcare Tasmania
West Coast locals, this one's for you! We're hosting a native seed collection and propagation workshop in Queenstown on 27 Sept at the Golf Club, hosted by the fabulously engaging Ruth Mollison of Island Seeds. We'll also be running a workshop for students at Mountain Heights School (not open to the public).
This training workshop is funded by the Federal government's volunteer grants in Braddon electorate.
Landcare as a Lifeline - Supporting Mental Health With Connection to Nature
On Saturday Sept. 10th, Landcare Tasmania joined with Lifeline Tasmania and Hobart Arbor Co, to launch the new Branch Out Landcare group to support mental health in our community with a beautiful and meaningful day of planting and healing.
Feral Cat Info Night + A New Resource
Audience members at our Ulverstone feral cat info and Q&A session last weekend were excited and inspired that there is now more knowledge and help available in the face of the feral cat problem. Experts Gillian Bassnett, National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator, veterinary specialist Bruce Jackson and cat trapping expert John Bowden were on hand to answer questions. We will be holding two more sessions in the north west in the near future, to help the community take the next steps.
Have a read of our new comprehensive guide, developed with Gillian Bassnet. Find out how to develop a cat management plan - the key practical and legal considerations that you'll need to make, whether trapping is for you, and ways to monitor the feral cat problem in your area.
The issue is gaining increasing traction for community action in Tasmania, as reported in the ABC news this week.
These sessions are part of our North West Landscape-scale project funded by the State Landcare Action Grants, empowering communities to tackle issues over a large area, and is also part of our advocacy work to raise the profile of issues important to Community Landcare in Tasmania.
Enthusiasm for the Environment at Mole Creek Primary School
Over the past fortnight Landcare Tasmania ran two workshops with the enthusiastic grade 2/3's from Mole Creek Primary school, exploring their local patch. Students investigated habitat quality for certain native animals by looking for food, shelter and friends. Together, we set up a wildlife monitoring camera, delved into drawing animal tracks, and finished off with looking at waterbugs. They were very excited to discover a group of special residents on their farm - the Eastern Barred Bandicoot!
These two workshops were a part of Landcare's School Citizen Science Program, a program aiming to foster the connection between students and their local environment through enquiry. Landcare Tasmania's Education Program now includes 30 member schools ranging from Early Learning to High School. Would your educational institution benefit from a Landcare program? Your school can become a member.
AgFest was a Blast
What a week! Landcare Tasmania staff and volunteers listened to local issues and achievements, shared knowledge, and chatted with the Ag Fest community. Thanks to all of you who stopped by! We'll be following up with enquiries soon.
Our main messages were the dangers of rat poisons, education on feral cat management, and linking people to Landcare groups and projects. Agfest goers were drawn in by our Eagle and Masked Owl which were generously loaned to us by the Forest Practice Authority.
This features as part of our Advocacy work, to raise the profile and get better support for important issues and Community Landcare in Tasmania
Announcements from our Members
Understorey Network Community Nursery
Get your plant orders in now for 2023! The Understorey Network at Tolosa Park, Glenorchy, is a native plant nursery run entirely by volunteers. Here's how to order plants.
Penguin Rehab & Release - Volunteer Intake Event
Penguin Rehab and Release in Burnie has their annual Volunteer Intake coming up soon, kicking off with an Information Evening on Wednesday 19th October at the Cradle Coast Authority in Burnie. This will be followed 10 days later with a training day on-site (Saturday 29th October). Find out what's involved here
Ripple Farm Landcare group - Landscape Healing Hub
Ripple Farm would like to share an update on how far they've come in their regenerative farming journey and what they're up to this spring, including spreading the word on their Landscape Healing Workshops for schools. Read about Ripple Farm
Tasmanian Bushland Garden Sculpture Trail & Sale Opening
The annual sculpture trail & sale opening event is on Sunday 9th October at the gardens in Buckland. There will be food, coffee, cakes, wine, music, plant stalls, and entertainment More event info here
These listings are one of our Member services, giving members a bigger voice and platform.
Platy-Project teams up with Landcare
September is platypus month! Through the National Landcare Network's partnership with Australian Conservation Foundation, we are teaming up with the national Platy-Project to help record platypus sightings. We know many of our member groups are active around platypus habitat, so jump in and get your sightings recorded.
Featured Photo - Alpine Berry Flowering in the Cold - by Huon Douglas
Submitted to Landcare Tasmania Photography Comp 2021
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!
Grassroots Action Network Does Awesome Landcare Fun (GANDALF)
Australian Plant Society Tasmania Inc.
Membership Fee Announcement
Landcare Tasmania's membership fees will be increasing effective from 1 October 2022.
The Board of Landcare Tasmania is responsible for setting fees, and our fees have not changed since 2014. This increase will assist us with meeting rising costs, and better reflects the value of a Landcare Tasmania membership.
Our membership cycle runs annually, with membership fees due on 31 Jan every year (unless you're a Life Member). If you join from 01 Oct you don't need to pay again in January - you get the 4 months between 01 Oct and 01 Feb for free!
Thanks for reading
The Landcare Tasmania Team
Peter Stronach – CEO
Priscilla Richards – Member Services Manager
Rachel Larner – Finance and Administration Manager
Jenn Gason – Communications Officer
Evie Drinnan – Project Officer
Joy Pfleger – Project Officer
Cynthia Schaap – Project Officer
