The 2021 New England and North West Landcare Awards have been run and won.
Southern New England Landcare is thrilled to announce that one of our longstanding members, Mr Gordon Williams, was presented with the New England Region Individual Landcarer Award. Congratulations Gordon!
Image: 2021 Award winners - Gordon Williams is top row, third from the right.
Here is a recent media release, dated 9 March 2021, by Northern Tablelands Local Land Services District Vet, Dr Andrew Biddle, to help producers manage Barber’s Pole Worm in their sheep flocks.
The recent rain and warm weather have provided ideal conditions for a barber’s pole worm explosion in our region and it is important that producers know how to monitor, test and treat them. Click this link to download the full article, "Warm weather the perfect storm for Barber’s Pole Worm".
Image: NTLLS District Vet, Dr Andrew Biddle conducts a worm egg count under the microscope.
SNEL's Des Andersen's koala interview with Michael Pearce
Interview date: 21 January 2021
Project/Research Title: Bush Blocks – Living with Koalas and Australian Wildlife
Description of Project: To provide a case study that explores the relationship of rural residential living for people, wildlife and the environment.
"We didn’t expect to what extent there is an abundance of wildlife. We’ve helped Koalas in dry times by providing water buckets at the base of these trees. You really feel part of nature by helping animals when they’re under stress."
Read the full interview with Michael here.
Landcare Australia has honoured our much loved & admired Patron and Australia’s first National Soils Advocate, Major General the Hon. Michael Jeffery, who sadly passed away on Friday 18 December, 2020. Click here for press release
As soil advocate, he met with thousands of farmers, scientists, indigenous groups, policy makers, politicians, consultants, students & community groups. "I believe there are substantial benefits for all Australians from a more focused and integrated approach to the health of our soil. A regenerated agricultural landscape will ensure the whole community will be healthier in terms of the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink."
Two events, held in the latter half of 2020, supported 70+ local farmers to better understand landscape rehydration.
Workshops by David Hardwick and Damon Telfer, and Stuart Andrews in September and October respectively, promoted key messages that supporting diverse and healthy perennial plant communities, restores hydration to farms.
If you are a landholder managing a few acres or more, this opportunity could be for you.
The Northern Tablelands Koala Partnership project is offering landholders an opportunity to secure direct funding for Koala habitat development and Koala habitat conservation. Funding is available for planting Koala specific vegetation including primary feed trees and habitat trees. This will help increase Koala and wildlife corridors in our local area. Funding will also be available to fence, improve and conserve existing habitat through livestock exclusion and weed management.
You are invited to participate in an important survey being conducted by the Australian National University and the Charles Darwin University which closes on 14th February 2021.
The survey primarily addresses post-wildfire management actions that are implemented for fauna. The preferred target audience includes practitioners and conservation managers from within government, non-government organisations, and private organisations, working on public or private land; particularly for those involved with the planning, implementing and monitoring of post-wildfire management actions for fauna conservation and recovery.
Three new members have been appointed to the board of the Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) to help drive conservation outcomes on private land across NSW, including CEO of Southern New England Landcare, Ms Karen Zirkler.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said the new board members will bring a wealth of skills and experience to the board.
A very productive Regional Stakeholder Forum, held on Tuesday 15 December 2020, has assisted the Northern Tablelands Koala Partnership Project to forge ahead.
Representatives from Local Councils, Local Aboriginal Land Councils, lead State Government agencies, the University of New England and community organisations from across the region were invited to contribute, resulting in a wide range of interests tabled for discussion.
Activities such as energy efficiency and waste reduction, environmental monitoring, education and/or rehabilitation, regeneration works are important contributors to the overall state of the environment.
As such Council invites submissions from individuals or organisations like community groups, schools, and businesses outlining their environmental activities and achievements during 2016 - 2020 for inclusion in the State of the Environment Report.
Closing Date: Friday, 26 February 2021, by 5pm.
For their last meeting of 2020 on Wednesday, 9th December, members of Southern New England Landcare's Save the Regent Honeyeater Group met up at Sue and Peter Metcalfe’s place on Dumaresq Dam Road to learn some native seed collection techniques.
Wishing all our wonderful Members, Friends, Landcarers, Rivercarers, Collaborators and Partners all the very best for a safe, healthy and happy Christmas from the whole team at Southern New England Landcare!
Our office in Armidale will be closed for the Christmas period from Friday 18th December 2020, and re-open on Tuesday 12th January 2021.
Image: A juvenile koala decorates a pine tree at the Zirkler residence near Kentucky in readiness for Santa's visit! Photo by Karen Zirkler with artwork by Alex Hunter.
Here’s are delightful and encouraging report from Candice Larkin, updating us on the results of the Regent Honeyeater nest spotted near Severn River.
The Armidale Tree Group nursery is short of Acacia (wattle) seed. If you have access to fruiting wattle trees/shrubs in your yard, would you be able to collect some and drop it into the nursery? It would greatly appreciated.
The NSW Government has urged bushfire-impacted businesses and primary producers in regional communities to submit their applications for bushfire grants with one month to go until the 15 December deadline for three significant financial assistance programs.
Do you know someone in our region who is passionate about caring for the land? Nominations are now open for the 2021 Landcare Awards, which close on the 8th January 2021!
These awards are to recognise an outstanding person or group within our region, who is working to conserve our natural environment and/or sustainable, regenerative farming systems. Let them know their work is appreciated and valued. Here’s your opportunity to acknowledge those stellar Landcare contributors.
Nominate them now at
Southern New England Landcare is excited to introduce Des Andersen as the first dedicated Koala Conservation Officer for the Southern New England region.
Mr Andersen will work with Southern New England Landcare to deliver the Northern Tablelands Koala Partnership Project, which will draw on recent and historical data to identify koala populations and engage and inform the community to help deliver ‘on-ground’ action.
Winterbourne Landcare group gathered for a long overdue catch-up on 18th November 2020.
Landcarers active members, Paul and Cathryn McFarland recently completed another spring tree planting and have contributed the following article to the Armidale Tree Group Newsletter, Number 119 Spring Edition, November 2020.
Landcare NSW today celebrated a new look for the ‘Working Together’ Aboriginal Landcare Engagement Program to mark NAIDOC Week.
Landcare NSW CEO, Dr Adrian Zammit, says the initiative within the NSW Landcare Program will increase opportunities to consciously develop stronger connections and partnerships between Landcare groups and Aboriginal Communities.
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