from the Photo Album...from the Photo Album..... Landholders from the Hunter and Central Coast...

1Bush Matters - Winter 2003

No 1/2003

N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e N S W N a t i o n a l P a r k s & W i l d l i f e S e r v i c eC o n s e r v a t i o n P a r t n e r s P r o g r a m I S S N 1 4 4 6 - 8 4 4 1

CONTENTSPhoto Album................1

From the DirectorGeneral........................2

Commonwealth Projecton tourism andconservation...............2

NPWS Wildlife Atlas.....3

Greening the Farm........4

Bird routes.. ................6

Wildlife on Farms.A new book..................6

Yeranda -hand in hand tourism andconservation ...............7

Searching for the SwiftParrot ........................8

Land for Wildlife on theCentral Coast........ .... .10

Murrakool WildlifeSurvey.......................12

Post fire weeding andbush regeneration......13

Plains-wanderer HabitatManagement Guide......14

Useful books .............15

What�s on ...................16

from the Photo Album......

Landholders from theHunter and CentralCoast attended the�Wildlife Managementon Farms� course inApril, held by TocalCollege.

Above: Learning how tocarry out bird counts.

Right: No sleeping afterlunch - easy to get theattention of particpantswith this wildlifeexample. Dr PatrickWhittaker talking to usabout reptiles.

2 Bush Matters - Winter 2003

There is much discussion aboutintegrating management of biodiversityinto agricultural activities to gain thebenefits of ecosystem services � cleanwater, well structured soils, aiding pestmanagement, buffering in times ofdrought and minimising risks of salinity.There are also benefits for landholderswho are interested in drawing on thescenic beauty, presence of wildlife andcultural heritage on their propertiesthrough natural and cultural heritagetourism. Ecotourism offers botheconomic and social benefits tolandholders who are adding anotherenterprise to their farm business orfocusing specifically on the ecotourismmarket. Landholders are capitalising onconservation values of a property to runa profitable business, gain additional

Conservation is the main objective ofthe National Parks and Wildlife Act1974, with a further objective tofoster public appreciation,understanding and enjoyment.

Much of Australia�s $70 billiontourism industry is based on theattractions of the country�s naturalenvironment, unique wildlife andcultural heritage. Tourism operatorswho utilise national parks, or who relyon natural images to grow theinternational market share, have aninterest in conserving Australia�snatural and cultural heritage as thebasis for sustainable businesses.

The Commonwealth Department ofIndustry, Tourism and Resources iscompleting a project examining theissues, trends, perspectives andstructural arrangements that influencethe development of partnershipsbetween national park managers andtourism operators. The report,Pursuing Common Goals:Opportunities for tourism andconservation, will include case studiesof successful partnerships andexamples of how tourism can be usedto help deliver conservation outcomes.

Commonwealth Project on Tourism and ConservationThe report focuses on ways in whichboth tourism and parks can meet theirrespective goals of profits andconservation. The study found thatthere are examples of collaborativeventures where park managers andtourism operators work towardscommon objectives, however these arelimited.

Whilst the report looks at partnershipsbetween tourism and parks, there arecase studies of other arrangements inwhich tourism and conservation arecombined.

Sixty per cent of Australia�s total landarea is managed by private landholdersand conservation of biodiversity andcultural heritage cannot be achievedwithout community and industryparticipation. The report looks at waysto maximise private input toconservation. There are case studiesof community groups, non-government organisations and privatelandowners involved in tourism andconservation, including those withconservation covenants. Theirinteraction with park agencies andother organisations is explored.

The report provides models of a rangeof partnerships which can be usedwithin the current structuralarrangements. It will be useful as areference document for policydevelopment and as a guide for tourismoperators and national park managerswho may be able to adapt some of thepartnership models to theircircumstances.

Anyone interested in the project shouldcontact;Carrie Steffen, TourismDivision, Department of Industry,Tourism and Resources on (02) 62137029 or at [email protected]

... from the Director Generalincome to invest in sustainableagricultural enterprises or to fundimprovements on properties includingrestoration and rehabilitation of wildlifehabitat.

As well as information and networkingopportunities, this third edition of BushMatters provides some examples of lowkey tourism initiatives, one beingundertaken by landholders withvoluntary conservation commitments �showing how conservation and tourismcan work hand in hand for the benefit ofowners, guests and the environment. TheBird Routes tourism initiative is anotherexample of how threatened species canbecome an opportunity for localcommunities to benefit from theconservation and recovery or rare and

endangered species. These storiescontributed to Bush Matters are full ofgreat ideas and may well inspire others.

Brian GilliganDirector GeneralNSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.


Land holders can now easily accessinformation on what animals and plantsmight occur in their area by using theonline version of the Atlas of NSWWildlife database. The Atlas is the NSWNational Parks and Wildlife Service(NPWS) database of native fauna andflora records. It contains over one millionrecorded sightings and covers all areasof NSW. Records come from varioussources including, historical reports,National Parks and Wildlife Service staffobservations, survey data from majorprojects, consultants reports, and thecommunity.

What type of information isavailable from the Atlas?The Atlas contains sightings of nativeflora (eg. ferns, conifers and floweringplants), mammals, birds, reptiles,amphibians and endangeredinvertebrates (such as insects andsnails). It contain records of fish, orinvertebrates only if they are listed onthe schedules of the Threatened SpeciesConservation Act 1995.

What do I get if I do a search onthe Atlas website?The search form allows you to:

• get recorded sightings for a precisegeographic area - such as a singlepark or reserve, or a localgovernment area, or an area drawnby you using an interactive map

• display and print a list of speciesrecorded over your chosen area andprint basic maps

• get more information on some ofthe threatened species found inyour search, via a link to the NSWNational Parks and Wildlife Servicewebsite .

What if I don�t have access tothe Internet?If you are unable to access the Atlaswebsite you can still obtain informationfrom the database by contacting theNPWS Data Exchange Officer on 02 95856684. A summary list like the oneavailable at the website can be providedfree of charge.

How can I contribute to theAtlas?The NPWS Wildlife Data Team alwayswelcomes contributions to the database.Contributors receive regular newsletters,sightings cards and a Field Data Bookwhich explains how to record fauna andflora sightings. For records to beaccepted they must include either gridreferences or detailed locationdescriptions and the sighting date.Records can also be submittedelectronically using the Atlasspreadsheet available at: http://www.npws.nsw.gov.au/wildlife/licence/extdata.xls

Who uses the information fromthe Atlas?The records within the Atlas are used by• private individuals who may wish

to know what species might befound on or around their property

• academics and researchers workingin particular areas or species

• students working on schoolprojects

• NPWS staff to manageconservation of species, both onand off reserves

• consultants undertakingdevelopment applications

• land holders undertaking landclearing applications

• government departments forconservation planning, landmanagement and EnvironmentalImpact Assessments

Limitations of Atlas DataInformation from the Atlas provides onlyan indication of what may occur in agiven area, and will not provide the fulldistribution of a species. When usinginformation from the Atlas it is importantto be aware of its limitations, for example:

NPWS Wildlife Atlas: Flora and Fauna data available on the internet

If you are interested in contributing tothe Atlas and would like a registrationform, or need more information, pleasecontact the Wildlife Date Team on(02) 9585 6688, (02) 9585 6694 [email protected] Atlas Website can be found at:www.wildlifeatlas.npws.nsw.gov.auOther Sources of Species InformationThe Atlas is only one of a number ofsources of fauna and flora informationfor NSW. Other sources include StateForests of NSW, the Royal BotanicGardens, the Australian Museum andBirds Australia.

Brown stripedmarsh frog;G Gatenby NPWS

Yellow-tailed blackcockatooG Gatenby; NPWS

� Sightings often follow patterns ofhuman movement such as alongroads;

� A common species in an area maynot be recorded, because no onehas thought to do so;

� The number of recordedsightings for a species does notnecessarily correspond in anyway to the actual abundance ofthat species in NSW. Contribu-tors often focus their efforts onrecording vulnerable and endan-gered species, with the result thatrare species may have morerecorded sightings in the Atlasthan common species.

There is great variation in the reliabilityof records in the Atlas database both interms of geographic accuracy andspecies identification.


Greening the FarmChristine Watts explains how landholders in her local area in the CentralTablelands NSW, are working to �green� their properties.

Bess Vickers and members of the Blayney Carcoar Landcare group.

Planting of native vegetation in areasof cleared farmland helps provide apleasant place to live for landownersand wildlife. It is also a key featurein improving productivity andsustainability. In light of this, manylandholders in agricultural areas areintegrating ecological as well aseconomic principles into propertymanagement.

Mrs Bess Vickers (1994 ABC RuralWoman of the Year for the CentralWest and State Runner-up) and hersister-in-law Mrs Mikki Glasson(Natural Heritage Trust, NationalRecognition for OutstandingEnvironmental Volunteers 2002) havegreatly contributed to rural-landconservation in the CentralTablelands of NSW. In particularthey have been active in therevegetation of their 1300-acreproperty, situated between Blayneyand Carcoar, NSW. Both have beenmembers of the Blayney-CarcoarLandcare group since its instigationin 1996. The property is now ownedby various family members, withBess living and working on theproperty.

Bess� family has a long history in thedistrict, having resided in the areasince 1862. This has allowed long-standing study of the many changesto the rural landscape, such as thedisappearance of many species offlora and fauna, habitatfragmentation, widespread erosion,and the increase in salinity.

Bess and Mikki�s interest inconservation began a number ofyears ago, prompted by theknowledge that action was requiredif the remaining native vegetation onthe property was to be saved. In1972, Mikki applied to the NationalParks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)for a 250-acre section of theirproperty to become a designatedWildlife Refuge in the hope thatprotection would allow nativeregeneration. The refuge wasgranted and this area has sinceexperienced vegetative restoration,especially native yellow box(Eucalyptus melliodora)regeneration, which has providedvaluable habitat for insects, birds andmammals.

Limiting access to and conservingnative flora can have manyadvantages. Remnant vegetationdecreases the quantity of rainfallentering the groundwater,consequently decreasing the risk ofwaterlogging and dryland salinity.The protection of existing nativevegetation can also, in the short term,be more beneficial than revegetationas it provides immediate protection,habitat and food for native animals.In addition it is cheaper and less timeconsuming.

Careful management of remnantnative vegetation can increase afarm�s productivity and land value,thereby easily offsetting the reductionin useable land created by fencing offregeneration areas.

Remnant vegetation, however, is justone of the options to maintain thehealth of a property. Replantingefforts are also needed to replaceflora species that have been lost ordiminished. Besides establishing aWildlife Refuge on their property,Bess and her family have plantedalmost 25,000 native tree and shrubspecies since 1994, providing wildlifecorridors throughout the property andlinks to the wildlife refuge. Theseareas, now flourishing with nativeflora, account for 10% of the propertyarea and it is hoped that by the timethe current revegetation plans arecompleted, this will increase to 15%.

The revegetation sites are diverse topromote a variety of habitat types andvegetation communities. Theseinclude wetland lagoon areas, withrestricted access dams, which haspromoted the growth of wetland floraspecies. This, in turn, has greatlyincreased the number of water birdsvisiting and residing in the area, suchas swans, ducks, white-necked


herons, and white-faced herons, andhas provided excellent habitat forother aquatic animals such as thelong-necked tortoise.

In addition to limiting access to damsand creating wetland areas, Bess andher family have also fenced lengthsof the permanent creek that runsthrough their property. This has notonly positively impacted water qualityand increased riparian regeneration,such as phragmites (Phragmitesaustralis) and cumbungi (Typha sp.),but has also increased the diversityof animal life within the creek, suchas increased numbers of fish andnative water rats.

Bess believes that naturalregeneration and revegetation hashad a positive influence on native birdpopulations. She has noted that therehas been a steady increase in thenumbers and types of bird life sincetheir revegetation program began,including species such ashoneyeaters, eastern spinebills,butcherbirds, wrens, red-breastedrobins, crimson and eastern rosellas,red-rumped and superb parrots.Clearance of native vegetation playsa large part in producing change inbird populations, and has particularlyimpacted small bird species, which arerapidly disappearing from Australianlandscapes. Many of these specieswere historically common in the localarea but disappeared as clearingoccurred.

The types of plants used are alsochosen with wildlife in mind. Eachtree lot has a variety of vegetation toencourage many forms of wildlife toreturn to the area. Understoreyvegetation can assist small birdpopulations by supplying protection,habitat, and food. Different eucalyptspecies have been planted in eachrevegetation area to attract koalas, aspecies that has locally disappearedfrom the area. Such diverserevegetation can increase the varietyof fauna species in the area.

The revegetation program has hadbroader benefits for the farm.

The farming area around the Blayneydistrict can suffer from exposure.Due to the positioning of Bess�s treelots, which mostly run along pre-existing fence lines or fenced offcorners, many paddocks now possesseffective windbreaks and shelter forthe farm stock. These have notablyreduced stress and lambing lossesduring the cold winter conditions andhave provided valuable shade andshelter during the summer months.The tree lots can also providevaluable ungrazed areas, which canbe crashed grazed during seasons oryears when livestock feed in criticallylow. Bess has also observed thatpasture growth productivity has beenmuch improved in areas close to therevegetation sites.

In the face of the worst drought inmany years, such tree windbreakshave had the additional benefit ofreducing the impact of wind erosion,reducing topsoil loss, and allowing theremaining drought affectedvegetation to preserve adequate rootdepth. This will promote fast growthrecovery when the drought breaks.

Revegetation on a large scale doesrequire a somewhat sizeable injectionof funds. Both the Blayney-Carcoar

Landcare group and Bess and Mikkiindividually, have obtained fundingfrom various organisations, such asthe Natural Heritage Trust, theDepartment of Land and WaterConservation, Greening Australia,and the Roads and Traffic Authority.It is such funding that has allowedBess and her family to undertakesuch an extensive planting programon their farm.

As with most things, there are ofcourse the drawbacks. Besidessearching for funding, Bess has notedonly two. The revegetation areas notonly provides habitat for nativeanimals; they also provide excellenthabitat for rabbits, which can have anegative impact on grazing anderosion. The other disadvantage isthe increase in the incidence ofblackberries. Birds will frequentlyperch on trees within the tree lots,and drop blackberry seeds very closeto the base of the planted trees,making removal difficult.

Bess states however, that the benefitsof revegetating her family�s farm hasfar outweighed any drawbacks,regardless of whether you areplanting to provide wildlife habitat andcorridors, shelter belts for livestock,drought feed reserves, increasedaesthetic appeal, or to improve theoverall productivity of your farmland.

Although drought conditions mean the water level in the dam is low, newplantings, fencing, stock access ramp and island for habitat can be seen.


Phot

o: J

udith

Ben

nett

Local bird experts in a number oftowns have been working to increasetourism in their area. �Bird routes�brochures have already beenproduced for several regions and thenumber keeps on growing.

The idea originated in Barraba withthe help of Russ Watts, who realisedthat the North West slopes of NSWwas one of the few places wherewoodland birds had a chance ofsurviving. These small woodlandbirds are being lost as the once vastGrassy Box Woodland, is beingcleared and replaced with the sheepwheat belt.

In 1996, Barraba council happilyadopted a plan to encourage touriststo visit local stock routes tobirdwatch, and the council fundedsigns and a brochure. This ventureresulted in increased visits to the areaby �twitchers� (bird watchers to theuninitiated!)

The idea spread into the Baradinearea, when Russ suggested that localbirdo David Johnstone produce a Bird

Bird Routesroute brochure forthe district. Davidhad a long-standinginterest in birds, andwas involved in birdatlassing with BirdsAustralia, soalready had birdlists for the area. Aswell as lists of birdspecies likely to beseen, Davidexpanded thebrochure to make it a guide toreserves in the area. The Bird Routesof Baradine & The Pilliga brochurehas small descriptions of eachreserve describing other aspects ofinterest or historical information. Thebrochure was launched by authorEric Rolls. The first 10,000 brochureshave already gone, and a further15,000 have just been printed. Onceagain bird watchers come specificallyto the area.

All the bird route brochures areavailable from the local touristcentres or their websites.

Bird Routes Brochure List� Bird Routes of the Barraba District� Bird Routes of Baradine & the

Pilliga� Bird Routes of the Bingara District� Bird Routes of the Manilla District� Bird Routes of the Warialda

District (Yallaroi Shire)� Bird Routes of Tamworth and

Parry Shire� Bird Routes of the Dubbo District� Bird Routes of the Clarence Valley� Bird Routes of Lismore and

District� Lake Macquarie Birding Routes

No 1 (Eastlakes) and No 2(Westlakes)

This book will be a wonderful aid tolandowners interested in providinghabitat for the native animals that liveon their farms or once occurred there.

Wildlife on Farms outlines the keyfeatures of animal habitats�largeflowering trees, hollow trees, groundcover, understorey vegetation, damsand watercourses. Practicalinformation on conserving andreintroducing wildlife is given.

The background information is clearlyillustrated by diagrams and colourpictures to depict the habitas described.

Wildlife on Farms. How to Conserve Native AnimalsA new book from CSIRO Publishing byDavid Lindenmayer, Andrew Claridge, Donna Hazell, Damian Michael, Mason Crane,Christopher MacGregor & Ross Cunningham

The benefits of wildlife on ruralproperties is also explained and thebook shows how wildlife conservationcan be integrated with farmmanagement.

In addition, there are profiles of 29example species�mammals, birds,reptiles and amphibians�that arecommon to a large part of southernand eastern Australia. Each entrygives the distinguishing features of theanimal, key features of its requiredhabitat, and what can be done on afarm to better conserve the species.

This book was written after a seven-year study of biodiversityconservation in agricultural/grazinglandscapes in south-easternAustralia. The authors are or wereecologists working at the Centre forResource and Environmental Studies,The Australian National University inCanberra.Cost: $29.95


Yeranda - Hand in hand �conservation and tourism�.Making a commitment to seek WildlifeRefuge status for our bush property wassecond nature when we moved fromVictoria. We had sought Land for Wildlifestatus for our Tatura dairy farm in the1980s and had observed the rewards ofserious tree planting in a paddockformerly used for calves. The Land forWildlife scheme was well up and runningthen and quite a few farms in the Taturaarea were beginning to heed the warningsof the benefits of tree planting in an areathat was obviously being threatened bysalinity. Our two sons chose careers awayfrom dairy farming so when offered achance to sell the family farm of some 34years it seemed to be a sensible decision.

Moving north to �Yeranda�, MainCreek, near Dungog in 1990 was ahuge change with the 57 hectareproperty already being heavily timberedwith tall stands of white mahogany,grey gums, forest red gums,angophoras, ironbarks and otherspecies suited to dry sclerophyll forest.The two rainforest gullies were filledwith a diverse range of plant specieswith the bonus of numerous arborealand terrestrial orchids.

Rather than a need for additional treeplanting the idea of being involved infirstly Wildlife Refuge (in 1992), thena Voluntary ConservationAgreement ( finalised lastDecember) came about by a genuinedesire to protect and conserve theproperty which we developed into asmall tourism venture. Over theseven years of operation the numberof people who have shared theproperty has grown and many have

seen the results of hard work asthe removal of lantana has allowednew areas to be opened up. Whilstweed control is slow and difficult,to stand back now and see whatonce was an impenetrable thicketof lantana is reward enough.

Prior to having the VoluntaryConservation Agreement, weapplied to Land and WaterConservation for a VegetationManagement contract and weredelighted to gain substantial fundingtowards paying for the specificherbicide and assistance to do thework. After 18 months the lantanahas almost been eradicated but oneknows you can never turn your backas the viable seed bank will be therefor our grand children to continuedealing with!

The nicest point to make is that wehave been able to successfully marrytogether a small business and aVoluntary Conservation Agreement.Each complements the other�.inorder to operate an ecotourismaccommodation business on Yeranda,you need to be ever mindful of thewell being of the vegetation andnative animals. As well as lantanathere are many other woody plantsto be dealt with. Guests do not wantto bush walk a property that is overrun by introduced weed species.

There are great opportunities toeducate guests in a subtle way as tohow to manage the Australian bush.By example they can see theadvantages of hard work and weed

control. Conservation does notnecessarily mean �locking up� andkeeping humans out of an area. Infact with purpose built tracks therecomes the opportunity of sharingthe property and accessing areaswhich would otherwise beawkward to reach.Guests comespecifically to Yeranda to bushwalk, bird watch, for romanticbreaks away or to just totally relaxand recharge their batteries. The

simple pleasure of showering underthe stars will long be remembered bythose who daringly abandon theconventional bathrooms provided ineach cottage! The outdoors showersadd a dimension which most guestsrevel in...be it just a way to save onwater by showering with a friend!!Solar powered lighting in the first twocottages and an emphasis on the useof recycled building materials addsto an environmentally responsibleapproach. Having owner built thethree cottages to suit only smallnumbers of guests there can neverbe a huge impact on the 57 hectares.No more cottages will be built atYeranda � the only future housingplans, developed in collaboration withNPWS, are for increased numbersof artificial nesting hollows for thetrue locals!!!

Some day in the future we know wewill have to depart the bush livingsituation but it is our desire to leaveYeranda in better shape than whenwe first bought it. For a property thatwas once cleared land it certainlylooks much better despite the dryconditions of late 2002 and early 2003.The usual 50 inch plus rainfall willsurely return and �the 360 degreesof green nature� (as written in ourguest book by a Japanese visitor) willonce again be our view.

Ros and Kevin Runcimanwww.yeranda.com.au

Photos by Ros RuncimanCongratulations to Ros andKevin who were the winners ofthe Ecotourism category of theNSW Tourism Awards 2002Fungi found at Yeranda

Owner built cottages


Only 1000 breeding pairs of swiftparrots remain worldwide. However,if you have suitable habitats in yourlocal area, you may just get a visitfrom one of these beautifulendangered birds!

The swift parrot is a small parrotabout 25cm long. It is bright greenwith red around the bill, throat andforehead. The red on its throat isedged with yellow, its crown is blue-purple and it has bright red shoulders.One of its most distinctive featuresfrom a distance is its long (12cm), thintail which is red-blue in colour. Thisdistinguishes it from the similarlorikeets, with which it often flies andfeeds. It can also be recognised andlocated by its unique and beautifulcalls which are often quite loud.

Looking after the swift parrot requirespeople in many different locations tobe involved. The swift parrot breedsin Tasmania during spring andsummer, migrating to the coastalareas and the south-west slopes ofVictoria and New South Wales forthe winter months (April-October).During winter on the mainland theycongregate in areas where eucalyptsare flowering profusely or wherethere are heavy lerp infestations (fromsap-sucking insects). Favoured feedtrees include winter flowering speciessuch as swamp mahogany(Eucalyptus robusta), spotted gum

(Corymbia maculata) , redbloodwood (C. gummifera), muggaironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon),white box (E. albens) and yellowbox (E. melliodora). Followingwinter they return to Tasmania wherethey breed and nest in old trees withhollows and feeding in forestsdominated by Blue Gum (E.globulus).

The Swift Parrot is listed asendangered in NSW as well as atthe Commonwealth level. A NationalSwift Parrot Recovery Plan for thisspecies commenced in 1995 and weare now implementing the secondplan (2001-2005) to continue to worktowards ensuring long-term viabilityfor this species. A key threat to swiftparrot habitat includes loss of habitatthrough clearing for agriculture,urban and industrial development.Loss of large feed trees as a resultof intensive forestry is also a problemin some areas. A threat to the survivalof the swift parrot is also their fatalcollisions with wire netting fences,windows and vehicles.

These threats pose serious andongoing problems for the SwiftParrot, however there are somesimple and effective ways thateveryone can help out in their localarea.

A private property near Frogmore,between Yass and Cowra, is a goodexample of how individuallandowners can make a significantcontribution to habitat conservationwhilst enjoying being surrounded bya large diversity of wildlife all yearround. This property is owned by acouple who have recently becamevolunteers for the Swift ParrotRecovery Program. As a result oftheir general interest in the

environment they bought and beganregenerating their property threeyears ago.

Initially when asked what they weredoing with the land they would say�nothing�. However, after workingso hard planting week after weekthroughout the year, they decided�nothing� didn�t really describe it. Sothey now simply say they are creatinga bird sanctuary, which is preciselywhat they are doing, as well asnurturing and encouraging othernative wildlife that they are privilegedenough to have on their block.

By getting involved in this recoveryprogram and/or helping out in yourlocal area, there are obviouslypositive benefits for Swift Parrots,however there are there are alsomore far reaching benefits for a widediversity of wildlife and the ecologicalcommunities in which they exist. Forexample, conservation of SwiftParrot habitat has benefits for otherthreatened species including theRegent Honeyeater Xanthomyzaphrygia, Powerful Owl Ninoxstrenua , Diamond FiretailStagonopleura guttata, PhascogalePhascogale tapoatafa and SquirrelGlider Petaurus norfolcensis.

What can you do to help:

On your own property

♦ Regenerate and/or plant localwinter flowering tree species in areasthat previously provided habitat forthis species.

♦ Retain and protect stands ofwinter flowering feed trees,particularly large mature trees, suchas the existing vegetation alongroadsides, in paddocks and remnantstands of native trees in the suburbs.

Searching for the Swift ParrotYou may have heard the high-pitched tinkling call of the swift parrot or spotted this beautifulparrot in your local area. Debbie Saunders from the National Swift Parrot Recovery Teamwould like your help in finding them and protecting their habitat in your local area.

Distribution of Swiftparrot


If you want to get more involved,increase your knowledge and raiseawareness of these birds:

♦ Keep your eyes and ears openfor the Swift Parrot at all times duringthe winter migration period. Searchfor the species from April to Octoberin your local area where floweringtrees occur or where there are largenumbers of other honeyeaterspresent.

♦ Talk to neighbours, friends andlocal groups about the presence ofSwift Parrots and their habitats in thelocal area.

♦ Get involved in our floweringnetwork by letting the RecoveryTeam know what species of trees arein flower (and/or have large lerpinfestations) in your local area duringthe winter migration period (April-October).

♦ Inform the recovery team ofpositive (eg community habitatprotection) and negative (eg habitatbeing disturbed/cleared) issuesregarding Swift Parrot habitat in yourlocal area.

♦ Become involved in the nation-wide surveys held in the May (lastweekend) and August (first weekend)each year by searching your localarea.

♦ Register yourlocal group (such aslandcare, bushcare, birdwatching or naturalhistory groups) in theprogram to receive freeinformation about thespecies and all associatedactivities to help thespecies throughout theyear.

♦ P r o v i d einformation andsuggestions to themanagers of your local

golf course or sports centres (suchas tennis courts and softball fields)that have wire mesh fencing in thevicinity of winter flowering treespecies. Suggestions may includehanging strips of material such asribbons along the full width of theirfences (5cm apart) or cover themesh with shade cloth to minimisethe likelihood of fatal collisions bySwift Parrots.

As a part of the recovery program,the Swift Parrot Recovery Team anda large network of volunteersconduct national surveys twice ayear to discover where thisendangered bird occurs across thestate and what resources they areusing.

Last year proved to be particularlyinteresting with the largest numberof Swift Parrots ever recorded inNSW since commencement of theSwift Parrot Recovery Program in1995.

If you have seen the bird recently orwould like information on the speciesand how to find it, please feel free tohave a look at the new Swift Parrotweb site:(www.birdsaustralia.com.au/birds/swift) which also has a recording oftheir call, some pictures and surveysheets that can be downloaded/

There are ways of minimisingbird collisions around the home.You could also contact the re-covery team and get a copy ofthe collision prevention brochurefor simple ideas on how to makeyour home a more bird-safe en-vironment. Examples of ideasinclude:� Wherever possible close cur-

tains and blinds. This is par-ticularly important when thereare windows on oppositesides of the room to avoidcreating the illusion of anopen flyway.

� Place pot plants in front ofyour external window surface

� Hang mobiles, wind chimes,solid shapes (such as raptorsilhouttes) or other ornamentsin your windows

� Position attractants such asfeeders, bird baths and birdattracting plants within half ametre of windows so thatwhen birds leave they havenot built up enough momen-tum to injure themselves.

printed. Alternatively you cancontact the recovery team directly(details provided below).

With your help, we can continue toidentify important habitats andlocations for Swift Parrots duringtheir winter migration and work toprotect these areas for the long termconservation of the species.

Debbie SaundersSwift Parrot Recovery OfficerPO Box 2115,Queanbeyan NSW 2620

phone: 1800 66 57 66or 02 6298 9733email: [email protected]

D.Watts/NPWS


CCCEN initiated the CommunityWildlife Corridors Project with thesupport and collaboration of Gosford,Wyong and Lake MacquarieCouncils, Department of Land andWater Conservation (DLWC) andNational Parks and Wildlife Service(NPWS). These organisationsprovided the Steering Committeemembers for the project.

The aim of the project was to workwith the community to educate and buildthe capacity of landholders to bettermanage their land as part of wildlifecorridors. Landholder contact wasprovided by CCCEN. Site visits andproperty assessments carried out by aproject officer employed jointly byGosford and Wyong Councils, and aLandcare Coordinator. Grants wereprovided to landholders to undertakeon-ground works to improve habitaton their property. A key corridor withineach Council area was identified andlandholders in those areas werecontacted to participate in the project.

The Land for Wildlife scheme wasidentified as a key component of theWildlife Corridors project andCCCEN entered into a third partyagreement with NPWS to deliver and

coordinate Land for Wildlife in theCentral Coast region. NPWSprovides the overall program support,including signs, newsletters,factsheets and technical notes, datamanagement, and support for eventsand workshops. CCCEN undertakeslandholder liaison, property visits, siteassessment and managementplanning, local newsletters,workshops and field days andprovides networking opportunitiesthrough their established communityand local government networks.

A highlight was a gathering of theLand for Wildlife landholders on oneof the Land for Wildlife properties.Over 30 landholders attended amorning tea and guided walk throughthe Harris� property where thethreatened species Prostantheraaskania was found during the siteassessment. (This identificationincreased the known population by20%). The Harrises also have aNPWS voluntary conservationagreement over part of the property,which protects land which is habitatfor many threatened species includingsugar gliders, yellow-bellies gliders,powerful owls and green and goldenbell frogs.

The gathering provided theopportunity for local landholders toshare their own experiences andmeet members of their localcommunity who share a concern andcommitment to nature conservationon the Central Coast.

Jeff Drudge, the property assessmentofficer for the project, says that manylandholders have been able to gainmore knowledge about their property.Jeff was able to identify many plantspecies on the properties including newpopulations of threatened plants. Heassisted in other ways, for example, atape of owl sounds was given to onelandholder to help in identifying whowas playing havoc with her mulchheap!

Another unusual observation wasmade by a landholder who wrote:�Out doing some gardening the otherday, I uncovered what appeared to bea very large, rather mobile slug. Aftercontrolling my initial reaction (squeak!),

a closer look revealedthe fact that I had justfound a live fish in mymulch. The fishseemed happy to beplaced in a bucket ofwater, and I called myhusband, whosejudgement andeyesight I trust. Yes, itreally was a fish, about12 cm long. Returningto the same spot, wedug up a further 5 fishof similar appearance,ranging from fresh to

Land for Wildlife on the Central Coast� an exciting initiative of the Central Coast Community Environment Net-work (CCCEN) and a good example of how Land for Wildlife is run as acommunity based model in NSW.


When we bought our 25-acre prop-erty at Warnervale on the NSW Cen-tral Coast 5 years ago, we were gladthat it was mainly cleared as we in-tended to have horses. The impetusto change our thoughts came whena corporate company advised of itsintention to commence clay miningacross the road from us. After someinvestigation, we were horrified atthe destruction, to both the environ-ment and lifestyle, such a develop-ment would cause. We also discov-ered the importance of our propertyand others in our street as part ofthe Porters Creek wetland. TheCouncil received over 100 objectionsto the development. Council soughtexternal legal advice and the devel-opment didn�t proceed. We now aimto create a balance on our property;working with, rather than against, theenvironment.

Linda Clayton, from Landcare, in-spected our property and suggestedwe go to Mark Snodgrass of OrganicMatters for species native to ourarea. This was to create the corri-dor, from the front area of bushthrough to the back. Linda said mostof the rest of the bush would regen-erate itself.

Whilst explaining to Mark that thepurpose of the plants was to createa corridor, he recommended we con-tact Roberta Dixon, the Co-ordinator,for the Central Coast CommunityEnvironment Network (CCCEN)Wildlife Corridors Project.

At the time we enquired about thisproject it was focussed on theMatcham/Holgate, Bensville/Kincumber/Avoca, Wyong River andDora Creek areas. Although our prop-erty didn�t fall into any of these areas,Roberta still encouraged us to completean expression of interest form.

When Jeff Drudge, a botanist em-ployed for the project, visited ourproperty he was pleased with the levelof regeneration and general resilienceof the bush. Jeff made several rec-ommendations, which we have com-menced implementing. As our prop-erty links into Porters Creek Wetland,we were accepted into the project.

The project has given us access toguidance and knowledge we wouldnot usually have. This information,combined with the handouts, news-letter, events, free plants, follow-upphone calls etc has been invaluable.We cannot speak highly enough ofthe assistance we have received fromRoberta Dixon, Nikki Bennetts andJeff Drudge.

quite decomposed (all dead). As faras I can tell from identification guides,the live fish at least was a freshwatermullet, i.e. native. �

In the first year 44 landholders haveregistered their properties under theLand for Wildlife scheme, and afurther 4 are working towardsregistration. For many landholders,registration in the Land for Wildlife

scheme is an easy step intoconservation on their property, as itdoes not affect the legal status oftheir property but acknowledges theircommitment to managing their landfor conservation. They become partof the NPWS Conservation PartnersProgram and have the opportunity toconsider other more permanentconservation options in the future.

Through the Wildlife Corridors projectwe have been advised of other envi-ronmental initiatives open tolandholders through National Parksand Wildlife Service (NPWS) andDepartment of Land and Water Con-servation (DLWC). We have joinedthe Land for Wildlife program(NPWS) as part of the Wildlife Cor-ridors project with our sign proudlydisplayed on our front gate. To go astep further, we have also applied forWildlife Refuge status with NPWS,which has just been approved. A rep-resentative from DLWC has in-spected our property and we are dis-cussing Property Agreement options.

We now have approximately 5 hec-tares under regeneration and havebeen both surprised and delighted withthe level of regeneration that has al-ready occurred. The benefits of re-generating areas of the property arenumerous. We have learnt so much,still with so much to learn. This hasbeen a really positive experience, bothfor us and for the environment.

Our Land for Wildlife Story.From Marion and Bernie Semtner

The local support from CCCEN andGosford, Wyong and Lake MacquarieCouncils is vital. The program is alsohelping the local councils toimplement the conservation of nativeflora and fauna in their areas.

CCCEN have recently obtained anEnvironmental Trust grant to continuecoordinating Land for Wildlife on theCentral Coast for a further 3 years.

Wildlifehabitaton theSemtner�sproperty.Photo:Semtnerfamily


Sue Pretty (local LandcareCoordinator) and Janet Field (localLand for Wildlife participant and chairof Murrakool Inc.) were impressedby the �Heartlands EasternBillabong Wildlife Survey� that wasconducted north of Albury aroundHolbrook, Culcairn, Walla Walla andWalbundrie in 2001/02. They thoughtit was just what the Murrakoolneeded, so a 12-month wildlifesurvey funded by the AustralianGovernment�s Envirofund isunderway in the Murrakoollandscape.

The Murrakool is roughly bounded bythe Murray and Wakool Rivers inNSW, from their junction north ofGoodnight in the west to Barham inthe east. I am a wildlife ecologistbased in Albury and have beenemployed to conduct the surveys. Inaddition to generating usefulinformation on the distribution andlocal status of wildlife species, theaim is to engage the local community,raise awareness and encouragepeople to take greater actions toprevent local extinction. Birds,mammals, frogs and reptiles are beingsurveyed at 44 study sites (mostly on

private land) using a range oftechniques, whilst five slide shows,three workshops and a bookletsummarising the results are beingprepared for later in the year.

Murrakool Wildlife Survey:Research and extension for landholdersThe Murrakool Landcare group which started a local Land for Wildlife scheme, hasanother project to assist landholders by surveying wildlife in the area.

Some of the survey highlights so far:

Feathertail Gliders: a great find near the junction of the Murray and WakoolRivers (north of Tooleybuc and Goodnight) in an area with very large, ancientRiver Red Gums, as well as some small young trees. The closely relatedSugar Glider has been recorded at three sites and is known to occur at ahandful of others in the area, whilst Yellow-footed Antechinus have beenfound at four sites so far, mostly large red gum blocks around Barham withlarge amounts of fallen logs.

Gilbert�s Whistlers: A family of three (adultmale and female, with immature) was found nearCampbell�s Island, north-west of Barham at atall River Red Gum site that has a thickunderstorey of Dwarf Cherry and scatteredSilver Wattle thickets. This bird is veryuncommon, being rare in most regions within itsrange and known to have declined or disappearedfrom numerous locations. The Gilbert�s Whistleris closely associated with large patches of healthywoodland/forest in semi-arid Australia that havea thick understorey. Other threatened woodlandbirds have included the Grey-crowned Babbler(10 sites), Hooded Robin (1 site), DiamondFiretail (3 sites), Black-chinned Honeyeater(1 site) and Major Mitchell�s Cockatoo (1site), whilst three Freckled Ducks were foundat Lake Talpie and several Southern Bell Frogswere discovered north-east of Swan Hill.

This Tree Dtella, which is a geckospecies, was recorded near Kyalite andis one of twelve reptile species foundduring the surveys so far. Photo: ScottHartvigsen.

Year 11 Biology students from MacKillop College, Swan Hill helpingset up one of the traps at a mallee site near Koraleigh. Photo:Matthew Herring.

Matt Herring, Murrakool WildlifeSurvey [email protected],0428 236 563

Since the surveys began in January2003, a total of 181 species havebeen found, including 148 birds, 16mammals, 12 reptiles and 5 frogs.

The local community has been keptin touch with the results by phone,email, post and local newspapers.There has been considerableinterest from a broad range ofpeople across the region,especially farmers, schoolstudents and local wildlifeenthusiasts. All in all, the projectis off to a fine start.


Post fire weeding and bush regenerationlooking at the opportunites and challenges to managing weeds in yourbushland after fire.A fire in native vegetation can appearto be a setback in restoring areas andcarrying out weed removal and bushregeneration programs. Fire doeshighlight the importance ofmaintaining existing bushland, as thevegetation responds with newregrowth of a diversity of species.Areas which have been replantedtake many years to acquire the abilityfor even a few species to recoverafter fire or any other disturbance.

Healthy bushland will change afterfire. Plant species on the site changeover time, especially after there hasbeen a disturbance, such as fire orflood. Certain species may disappear,for example stands of casuarinas maybe burnt at a time when no seed ispresent to re-establish the species onthe site. However, if the bushland ishealthy, a variety of other nativespecies will regenerate. Some ofthese species may not have beenpresent on the site for many years.

Fire in bushland presents someopportunities for improving thecontrol of weeds. Initially it seemsthat all those weeds have gone,access to the site is easy and keepingup with the removal of regrowingweeds would seem to be a �piece ofcake�. However, unless a carefulweed control strategy is developedand implemented, this elated feelingwill be lost some months later, asweed growth overtakes the site!

So what sort of strategies andactions can assist? In areas wherenative species and weeds aregrowing together, how should workbe planned to maximise theregeneration of native species afterfire and control weed growth?

A bit of background knowledgehelps.Where were the weedsgrowing prior to the fire? This will

be the area where weed regrowthwill be highest.

How hot was the fire? How willindividual weeds respond to the fire?

Hot burns can develop intense heatwhich can kill some weeds, and alsomay promote the germination of nativeseeds. Hot burns will also removevegetation cover and the soil surfacebecomes prone to erosion. Not the timeto go tramping into the area, pulling outany weed which germinated!

As with most bush regenerationwork, patience is the key to success.Allow the site time to recover. Thiswill allow native seedlings to establishwithout disturbance and vegetation(even if this is weedy) will protectthe soil surface. Waiting for thevegetation to recover will also allowtime for fauna to use the site withoutdisturbance. The speed of recoverywill vary with the weather expeciallythe amount and timing of subsequentrainfall. Even after several months,unless there has been good rain, sitesmay still be struggling to recover.

The response of weeds after fire willvary with the characteristics of theplant. Some species such as inkweed(Phytolacca octandra) and Solanumspecies such as blackberry nightshademay germinate in large numbers soonafter fire. Although they generally donot persist on a site for the long-term,you will need to consider if they aresuppressing regeneration of nativespecies in the short term.

Weed species of the pea familyrespond in the same way as nativespecies such as wattles, andgerminate in large numbers.Controlling this flush of seedlingsallows the store of seed in the soil tobe reduced in one go. Bitou bush isanother species which responds witha flush of seedlings after fire, and fireis a useful tool in reducing the levelof soil stored seed.

Other hints:� While the burnt site is recovering,

remove weeds from adjacentunburnt areas, to prevent thesespreading into the burnt areas.

� Allow weeds that survive fire bysuckering or coppicing (eg lantana,blackberry) to grow up to at leastknee high before treating withherbicide.

� Cut and paint or apply herbicidedirectly to the weed in preferenceto hand pulling so that disturbanceto the soil is minimsed and anyseedlings of native species are notuprooted.

� Take care if spraying � smallnative seedlings may be justemerging.

� Tall herbaceous weeds can besprayed lightly � so that nativespecies underneath are notaffected. This will prevent theweed growth from suppressing thegrowth of the native plants.

Left: 9 months after a fire - vegetation isslowly appearing.Below: The same site 3 years latershowing strong growth of diverse plantspecies. Photos: V.Bear.


Plains-wanderer HabitatManagement GuideA photographic guide for visually assessing thegrassland structure of Plains-wanderer habitatThe future survival of a largenumber of threatened species hingeson the goodwill of privatelandowners. One such species is thePlains-wanderer Pedionomustorquatus. This small (about 10cmtall) quail-like bird, similar in shapeto the button-quails, has declinedgreatly in numbers and distributionsince European settlement.

The NSW Riverine Plain, also knownas the Hay Plain which is roughlybordered by Narrandera, Hay,Berrigan and Deniliquin, nowsupports the vast majority of thenational Plains-wanderer populationdue to the loss of low open nativegrasslands in other parts ofsoutheastern Australia. This areauntil recently has seen little intensiveagricultural development. Thecurrent population on the NSWRiverine Plain is about 3,100 birds,though this number could drop tobelow 1000 birds in drought years.

The Plains-wanderer prefers nativegrasslands with a sparse openstructure. Denser taller habitat isalso used when drought makes the

sparse grasslands unsuitable. Themost effective approach to managingPlains-wanderer habitat ismaintaining the appropriate structureand species composition of its nativegrassland habitat. It is recognised thatthe long-term grazing practices onmany family properties on the NSWRiverine Plain have been sympatheticwith the existence of the Plains-wanderer over many generations.Landholders can manage theremaining habitat on their propertiesthrough adaptive grazing practices.Grazing management for Plains-wanderers is a voluntary action, butis regarded as a sustainable grazingoption that will provide benefits to thePlains-wanderer at the same time asproviding economic benefits tolandholders.

Rather than prescribe to landholdersa set stocking rate to maintain theappropriate habitat structure, apractical photographic guide canprovide a visual tool for assessingwhether the grazing pressure in theirPlains-wanderer habitat areas on theproperty is appropriate or not.Funding through the NPWS Save OurSpecies program has enabled theproduction of a photographic guide forlandholders on the NSW RiverinePlain. Photographs in the guide showthe preferred habitat structure and theamount of herb/grass cover and bareground that is ideal for the Plains-wanderer.

To assist in conserving this species, adraft Recovery Plan for the specieswas placed on public exhibition in early2003. NPWS are currently reviewingthe public submissions. The plan aimsto protect and enhance remainingPlains-wanderer habitat.

NPWS has recently purchased the22000 hectare Oolambeyan NationalPark, which contains a significantproportion of high-quality habitat andgood numbers of breeding Plains-wanderers.

The Plains-wanderer is a small,cryptic, ground dwelling bird, that isthe sole member of a family of birds(Pedionomidae) endemic to south-eastern Australia. Individuals forageduring the day for seeds, leaves,insects and spiders and may hammercompacted soil with their bill toexpose a variety of arthropods.

Another way to assist the survivalof this species is to control feralanimals around potential habitatareas, specifically targeting foxes.

The Plains-wanderer is listed as anEndangered Species on Schedule1 of the New South WalesThreatened Species ConservationAct, 1995 (TSC Act). This speciesis also listed as a VulnerableSpecies on Schedule 1 of theCommonwealth EndangeredSpecies Protection Act, 1992.

To obtain a free copy of thephotographic guide, please contactGreening Australia, Deniliquin on (03)5881 3429 or Damon Oliver,Threatened Species Officer, NPWSDubbo on (02) 6883 5348.

An adult female Plains-wandererPhoto: R Humpries NPWS


USEFUL BOOKS

Guide for theRiverinaCharles SturtUniversity, BerriganShire and Native DogLandcare Group.

A regional guide forlandowners and thoseinvolved in managingexisting vegetation andhow to re-plant newcleared areas.

The Guide covers a wide area, extending north of theMurray River, west to Balranald, east to Narranderaand north through Carrathool Shire.

The Guide comprises three sections.Review Articles consists of chapters on a variety oftopics native vegetation, wildlife, grazing, forestry,weeds and others. Each is written by someone withexpertise on the topic.Vegetation Profiles contains maps of geographicareas within the region with corresponding local nativevegetation profiles and lists of the local native plantspecies.Species Descriptions comprises detailed informationon over 320 locally native species that occur in thearea covered by the Guide.

Guide in hardcover available from:Native Dog Landcare Group,PO Box 208, Barooga NSW 3644,(03) 5876 2236,Email: [email protected].

This wondeful resource can also be downloaded fromthe web. http://riverinaguide.mur.csu.edu.au

A regional guide to managingnative vegetation has beenproduced by the Hunter Catch-ment Management Trust.

The Hunter Bushland Re-source Kit has been developedspecifically for the Hunterregion - with Hunter landholdersfor Hunter landholders.

Looking for an easy read- or a bit of light relief.Try Diary of a Wombatby Jacky French

It is recommended for ages 3�7, and once you knowthe word �slept� you can read this children�s book veryquickly. Great pictures and an amusing slant on wombatlife and how to train humans. From good bookshops. The kit is a great source of information for landowners.

The kit includes:� descriptions of vegetation and talks about what is

special about the vegetation in the Hunter region;� ways to assess the health of your vegetation;� information on how to manage and expand your

native vegetation;� techniques for integrating remnant vegetation with

productive farming; and� extensive native and weed species lists for each

local government area of the Hunter catchment.

A number of Hunter landholders feature as star per-formers giving their real-life experiences in regenerat-ing and managing remnant vegetation while increasingfarm productivity.The Kit can be purchased from the Hunter CatchmentManagement Trust at the special price of $22.To receive an order form please contact the HunterCatchment Management Trust on ph: (02) 4930 1030,email [email protected].

The Kit can also be downloaded from the Trust�swebsite:www.hcmt.org.au/Bushland_resource_kit.php3

Landholders with VCAs or Wildlife Refuges in the Hunterand Riverina can contact Louise 02 95856671 or Sally 0295856040 for your free copy of the Kit/Guide.

Native Grasses. An identificationhandbook for TemperateAustralia. 3rd Edition 2002

by Meredith Mitchell. LandlinkPress Victoria.

This 42 page book, describes 17grass species in detail with photos.


WHAT�S ON

Bush Matters is the Newsletter of the Conservation Partners Program of the NSWNational Parks & Wildlife Service and is published twice yearly.

Editor/ Layout: Louise Brodie.All photos and art work by NPWS or Louise Brodie unless indicated.

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the NSWNational Parks & Wildlife Service. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure thatthe information in this newsletter is accurate at the time of printing, NPWS cannot

acccept responsibility for errors or omissions.

NSW NPWS, PO Box 1967, HURSTVILLE NSW 1481Phone 02 9585 6040; email: [email protected]

www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au

Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater2003 Survey season

The national surveys for Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters are being carried out.The next survey date is the first weekend in August (2-3 August 2003)

Contact Debbie Saunders on (02) 6298 9733 or 1800 66 57 66or email: [email protected]

Other information is available onwww.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/birds/swparrot.html www.birdsaustralia.com.au/birds/swift.html

�Staying Alive - a celebration of strength and new growth�

The 4th Landcare and Catchment Management Forum.To be held in Batemans Bay,

Starting on the evening of Thursday 28th August through to Saturday 30th August2003.

The Bateman�s Bay Soldiers Club will be the main venue for the Forum, offering an array of outstandingfacilities together with a picturesque outlook to the waters of Bateman�s Bay.

It is only fitting the host of the forum is the Nature Coast in this International Year of Freshwater.

The Forum will unite landcare and catchment management volunteers from across NSW.The presentations, workshops and tours will inspire and reinvigorate our continuing effort and ethic to cooperate

and �care� for our wonderful environment.

For further details visit the website at www.southeastlandcare.org. Alternatively, you can contact the Forumsecretariat, Sam Hampton 02 4474 1061 or email [email protected].

The registration form and forum brochure can be downloaded from www.landcarensw.org

The program will aim to respond to the key outcomes from the 2001 Parkes Forum with many other surprisingactivities. The speakers will be tasked with the challenge to make us all �think outside the square� in our

approach to harnessing workable partnerships with Indigenous people, Local Government, individuals and thebusiness community. Other topics will include current natural resource management challenges, new initiativesto expand and build capacity in new areas, enhance outcomes through use of innovation and technology, and

encouraging networking between community and supporting organisations.

Tours will take you out into the environment of the Eurobodalla Nature Coast and introduce you to many initia-tives from South East region and beyond.

Get ready to make a splash, dive in and make a difference at the 2003 Landcare andCatchment Management Forum!

from the Photo Album...from the Photo Album..... Landholders from the Hunter and Central Coast...

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Transcript of from the Photo Album...from the Photo Album..... Landholders from the Hunter and Central Coast...