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North East

15/11/2020 by

Bush for Birds landholder grants announced

bush for birds grants
Regent Honeyeater & Swift Parrot

Trust for Nature and the North East Catchment Management Authority have announced the recipients of the first round of environmental grants through the Bush for Birds project.

The Bush for Birds project aims to protect, manage and increase habitat on private land for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot.

There are estimated to be fewer than 400 Regent Honeyeaters and 2,000 Swift Parrots left in the wild.

Landholders submitted expressions of interest (EOI) for funding for a range of activities including fencing remnant bushland, planting trees and shrubs, thinning dense regeneration and weed control.

Twenty-four landholders were successful in receiving funding, collectively they manage over 500 ha of remnant bushland and are undertaking more than 120 ha of revegetation.

Trust for Nature Regional Manager Will Ford said the project attracted a lot of attention which demonstrated the community’s interest in threatened species.

He said, “Ninety EOIs were submitted for this first round of funding, which goes to show how important these iconic species are to the local community.”

“Landholders have been really keen to get involved and contribute to threatened species conservation in a practical way.”

Waldara landholders Barbara McDonald and Judy Bonwick’s grant application was successful.

Barbara said, “We were thrilled to hear that our project got the go ahead. “We think it’s really important to strike a balance between farm productivity and conservation, and this project will help us to achieve that.”

Will said their farm project contributes greatly to protecting threatened species: “This property sits between the Ovens River and the Warby Range, so it’s a really important part of the landscape from a wildlife connectivity perspective.

“The proposal included fencing a good quality patch of native woodland, managing invasive weeds to promote natural regeneration, and linking up areas of bush with strategic paddock tree plantings.

“More than 60 per cent of Victoria is private land, so landholders have a critical role to play in providing habitat for threatened species.” “I’m looking forward to working with such committed landholders to achieve some really positive conservation outcomes,” Will said.

The North East Catchment Management Authority (CMA) will soon announce the second EOI round for the Bush for Birds Project.

North East CMA Senior Project Officer for Biodiversity Mark Cairns said, “Barb and Judy’s property is a great example of the type of project site suitable for investment. With Trust for Nature as a partner working at the grass roots level engaging landholders to protect remnants sites we are confident in attracting more quality applications in the second landholder grant round.”

Stay up to date with the latest funding opportunities by subscribing to the NRM Update Newsletter at necma.vic.gov.au.

Trust for Nature is one of Australia’s oldest conservation organisations, established by the Victorian Government in 1972 of the Victorian Parliament in 1972 to protect habitat on private land. It is a not-for-profit organisation that relies on the generosity of supporters to help protect Victoria’s biodiversity.

The Bush for Birds project is supported by the North East Catchment Management Authority in partnership with Trust for Nature through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. For more information contact Will Ford on willf@tfn.org.au or 0418 300 959.

Media contact

Kathy Cogo, Media and Communications Manager, Trust for Nature, 0466 015 183, kathyc@tfn.org.au.

Photo: Standing near a very old Yellow Box tree, landholders Barbara McDonald and Rod Mann are part of the Bush for Birds project.  

North East CMA
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12/11/2020 by

Grass-trees here to stay

Landholder Mike Davies
Grass-trees

Tucked away on a property in Nagambie is a special stand of grass-trees.

It was so amazing that even the landholder was surprised by what he saw when he first found them.

The property has about 10 ha of grass-trees, an extremely slow growing group of plants which are endemic to Australia and can be recognised by their narrow, stiff, long leaves which sprout from the top of the trunk.

What is so encouraging about this patch of grass-trees is that they span across various ages – from the very young to the very old, with some more than two metres high.

Landholder Mike Davies (pictured) said he is proud of these distinctive plants which are popular amongst visitors.

He said, “I take family and friends to see them when they come to visit. Most have never seen this many grass-trees or any of this size or grandeur.

“This whole property is more than 100 ha and to be honest I had never walked the entire ridgeline where they are found, so I was really surprised to see so many, and particularly see some so old. They are incredible.”

Trust for Nature approached Mike about the conservation significance of the property and he was keen to find out about how to protect the grass-trees in the long term.

As a result, he is considering placing a conservation covenant over the land so they are protected forever.

Trust for Nature’s North East Conservation Officer Shae Brennan said protecting the grass-trees will ensure they are there for future generations to enjoy, even when the property changes hands.

“It’s great that Mike was interested in covenanting. In addition to the grass-trees, this is an environmentally significant site with great connectivity to an adjoining conservation covenant and is also home for the endangered Lace Monitor, which is more commonly known as the Tree Goanna.”

Not all of Mike’s peers initially understood his motivation for covenanting part of the property but he is passionate about protecting this special area-he also knows the covenant won’t prevent him from doing what he’s already doing.

“I’m not worried about the conservation covenant, quite the contrary. It’s a relief to know that these grass-trees will be protected long into the future, even when I’m not here to watch over them.”

Funding is available to protect this property as a result of the Victorian Government’s Biodiversity Response Planning program which is helping to ensure that Victoria’s natural environment is healthy, valued and actively cared for.

protected
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12/11/2020 by

Bushfire message from Trust for Nature CEO

Victorian bushfire
the message

Our thoughts are with all Victorians who have been affected by the devastating fires in Gippsland and the north east of the state.

Our thoughts are also with covenantors who have been affected.

It is likely that at least 40 landholders with conservation covenants have been impacted so far, in addition to Trust for Nature’s own reserve at Maramingo. Using available information including maps and the knowledge of the regional staff, Trust for Nature is working as quickly as it can to understand who and what has been affected by the fires.  As soon as we can the Trust will do what it can to support these landholders with recovering habitat on their properties.

It is timely to consider the significant contribution which covenantors make to the care of Victoria’s environment.  Covenantors work continuously to look after their land—often over many, many years— for the benefit of our plants and animals and for us.  Trust for Nature’s connection with covenantors is ongoing and we want to do all we can to assist those who have been impacted by the fires at this time. In due course and when covenantors are ready.

For those outside affected areas who want to support recovery action on covenants, Trust for Nature has set up a Bushfire Habitat Recovery Fund for donations towards the extra costs incurred for Trust for Nature and landholders to work together to restore habitat. You will find more information and/or can donate through our website.

This is not for emergency support; it is for habitat restoration in the medium to long term for covenanted properties directly impacted by the fires. Anyone wanting to support emergency efforts in general can donate to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

As our supporters will know, our work is regional and across Victoria.  This means that we have staff who live in affected areas and who have been impacted by the fires personally.  We are focused on providing them with support through this very hard time.

If you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to call us on 8631 5888.

Sincerely

Victoria Marles
CEO, Trust for Nature

Photos courtesy of DELWP.

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12/11/2020 by

Landholders urged to keep fallen trees for wildlife

Trust for Nature is urging landholders impacted by bushfires to keep as much fallen wood on the ground as possible
fallen trees for wildlife
trees killed by fires

Trust for Nature is urging landholders impacted by bushfires to keep as much fallen wood on the ground as possible.

Unfortunately thousands of trees have been killed by the fires and are now lying on the ground, prompting some property owners to feel the need to ‘clean up’.

However Trust for Nature’s Conservation Science Advisor Dr Doug Robinson said it’s important that they leave as much fallen wood as possible to help with the natural recovery of ecosystems and survival of wildlife.

He said, “As a landholder it can be disheartening to see lots of burnt timber on the ground and it can look messy, but wildlife, fungi and plants need this woody habitat now more than ever.

“Animals need hollow logs to live in and fallen tree trunks to hide under—particularly when landscapes can be bare and leave animals exposed to predators,” Doug said.

The logs also help provide shade, moisture and shelter for plants and protection from increased grazing pressures from animals such as deer.

Decaying timber also provides food sources for insects and is vital in kick-starting the food chain again because it increases soil activity for insects and arachnids and in-turn provides food for larger native mammals.

Any timber, dead or alive, is also important for fungi—a food source for many animals, particularly bandicoots and potoroos which have been so heavily impacted by the fires.

Doug said, “Ecosystems are incredibly resilient but their recovery will take years.

“Every action that landholders can take to help with this recovery is important, and is a vital part of our ongoing stewardship of natural areas.”

About 46 properties with conservation covenants (which protect a property forever, even after it changes hands) have been impacted by fires in East Gippsland and north east Victoria.

Trust for Nature will work with the landholders as they restore habitat over the following months and years.

It is a not-for-profit organisation that relies on the generosity of supporters to help protect Victoria’s biodiversity. Trust for Nature has set up a Bushfire Habitat Recovery Fund to help landholders who have conservation covenants impacted by fires.

Main photo: Max James on his Wangarabell property which has a conservation covenant

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12/11/2020 by

Protecting Squirrel Gliders on Longwood Plains

Landholders near Euroa are doing their bit to ensure the threatened Squirrel Glider doesn’t disappear from the area. On the Longwood Plains the species clings to survival along roadsides, creek lines and patches of native vegetation on private property.
endangered birds
squirrel glider

Landholders near Euroa are doing their bit to ensure the threatened Squirrel Glider doesn’t disappear from the area.

On the Longwood Plains the species clings to survival along roadsides, creek lines and patches of native vegetation on private property.

Trust for Nature’s Bertram Lobert said the Longwood Plains’ original woodland vegetation has been substantially cleared and highly fragmented, due to almost 200 years of clearing and farming.

He said, “The gliders depend on old trees which have hollows in them and on connections, like treed roadsides, across the landscape. Fortunately there’s been good interest from local landholders who want to provide homes for gliders so we’re working with them to improve and build habitat.”

The gliders are difficult to find because they don’t have bright eye-shine (for nocturnal detection), they don’t vocalise (like the Sugar Glider does), and their body colouration camouflages them in the tree canopy.

With the help of thermal imaging technology Trust for Nature has detected Squirrel Gliders on three Longwood Plains properties that have conservation covenants on them and with support from the Urquhart Charitable Fund, 80 nest boxes have been installed where they will be most useful.

Conservation covenants are voluntary agreements on property titles that enable private landowners to protect nature forever, even after the property changes hands.

Bertram said, “The work that these landholders are doing is great and its efforts like theirs that could very well ensure that we don’t lose Squirrel Gliders from this area.”

Local landholder and farmer Paul Dettmann has spent the last three years improving his 60 ha property for the benefit of local plants and animals, including the Squirrel Glider.

He bought his first property in 2008 to protect it with a conservation covenant and has since established about 40 covenants on properties across Victoria, making him one of Trust for Nature’s largest covenantors.

He said, “I think we need to understand and integrate farming and conservation more.

“Farmers are the biggest land managers and rather than there being a tension between agriculture and conservation, we need to find synergy.”

You can visit Paul’s property and find out more about protecting Squirrel Gliders at a field day as part of Trust for Nature’s Spring into Nature program on Saturday, October 19 in Locksley. See our events page for more information.

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