UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP - WINTER NEWSLETTER

UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP - WINTER NEWSLETTER

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UOVLG WINTER NEWSLETTER: 30 JUNE 2015 NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENTHi to Ovens Valley Landcarers,This Newsletter is a lead into the upcoming new year for UOVLG, commencing with the Annual General Meeting on August 18 with guest speakers Dan Brown discussing feral horse control and silviculturist Brendan Foster speaking on pine plantation management in the Ovens Valley. Details of the AGM and venue will be sent out to Members and friends nearer the date.The change of emphasis for funding for Landcare by the Federal Government over the past 24 months and the reduced budget funding for State environmental agencies such as Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), formerly DEPI, and the North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA) has meant that UOVLG has lost its main sources of project funding. Along with many other Landcare Groups, UOVLG has to operate without the services of a paid Coordinator and depends increasingly on volunteers.At the Annual General Meeting in August, we will be looking for volunteers for committee positions to form the core of management and planning for the next 12 months, but equally importantly, we have a host of jobs needing volunteers to lead or assist when possible, many of them requiring only minimal or occasional time commitments (See below). Karen Doherty has largely picked up the coordinators role on a voluntary basis, networking with numerous Ovens Valley community groups and local agencies to align our environmental interests. Karens work continues with ongoing projects and developing programs with local groups, schools & partners. She has compiled an extensive planning scope for an application to the Federal Governments preferred funding model for environmental management through community groups and the Green Army. Fingers crossed for a successful application, it will be a multi-year program that will focus on weed control/maintenance programs, river health & recreational enhancement and for the whole of the Upper Ovens. For more information & detail, or if you would like to be involved email Karen Doherty: mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.net.au Rob Duncan President,Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group

RACECOURSE PLANTATION PROPOSED JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN LANDCARE AND HANCOCK VICTORIAN PLANTATIONSA recent meeting in the field between UOVLG representatives Karen Doherty and Rob Duncan and Hancock Victorian Plantation representatives Land Stewardship/Silviculture Officers Emma Gall and Brendan Foster discussed a potential joint-venture between UOVLG and HVP.

It is being proposed that 5 hectares of the HPV Racecourse Plantation which has been cut off from the main plantation by an avulsion of the Ovens River just downstream of the Germantown Bridge is transformed into an accessible community asset with strong environmental credentials. HPV is keen to enter into a joint-venture with UOVLG to re-develop the 5ha island as an accessible community asset revegetated with indigenous grasses and trees, but are open to ideas and suggestions. It would appear to be an ideal arrangement for UOVLG; extension of Cherry Walk from Bright, linking with the Friends of Germantown Streamside Reserve trails and developments, an environmental training and teaching area, activity days etc., and all close to Bright. The area was first planted for pines in 1924 and last harvested for pines after the 1984 floods. It remains within HPV custodianship, including responsibility for public safety, insurance etc. for any form of redevelopment.Next stages include development and costing of a management plan and agreement of UOVLG when we discuss the project scope with committee and community members. Anyone with ideas or comments on this proposal, or is willing to overview this project in future, are invited to contact myself, brightduncan@bigpond.com or Karen Doherty, uovlg1@landcare.vic.net.au. GREEN ARMY GRANT APPLICATION WITH CVA AND NECMAKaren Doherty has prepared an extensive and detailed draft of a submission to the Federal Government for a Green Army Round 4 due for submission in August. Fingers crossed for a successful application! It will be a multi-year program that will focus on weed control/maintenance programs, river health & recreational enhancement and for the whole of the Upper Ovens. The projects success will see representation from at least ten of our community & environmental groups based in the Upper Ovens. North East Catchment Management Authority and Conservation Volunteers Australia are key partners. For more information & detail, or if you would like to be involved email Karen Doherty: mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.net.auMore Information about the Green Army: http://www.environment.gov.au/land/green-army

BRIGHT COMMUNITY GARDENUOVLG will auspice this dynamic new group of volunteers which has been steadily gaining momentum since last October, building strong relationships, support and vision for the community garden. The biggest hurdle faced was finding the right piece of land for the garden. After some very near misses, we are very happy to announce that a piece of land has been secured. It is a quarter acre block, privately owned by the Anglican Church on Church Street in Bright. The block sits in behind the church to the West. We are running in partnership with Landcare, The Anglican Church and Alpine Health. The support we have received from these organisations has been invaluable and allowed the dream to turn into reality.Now we are working hard on the design, budget and funding applications. Lots of work to do, but the committee are dedicated and excited and cannot wait for what this project will bring to the community. The focus will be not only on gardening, but rather on connecting people with each other and to the natural world. We want to build a creative hub, host workshops and provide education through garden design and permaculture principles. Our goals are to build strength and resilience through community engagement and improve wellbeing on a range of levels.Please feel free to contact me, this is a community project and we welcome everyone who wants to be involved. Kirstie May kirstiemay@ymail.com

GOOD NEIGHBOUR PROGRAM WITH PARKS VICTORIA.Enzo Brotto of Parks Victoria, Bright, is looking for people who would like to help manage pest plants and animals on their common boundary with the Parks Victoria managed estate. We would like to encourage land owners to enter into a joint pest plant and animal control program for mutual gain. As an outcome, land owners would have a weed free boundary and reduced pests ruining their land. Established pest animals declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act (CaLP) such as rabbits and foxes can also be treated in the Good Neighbour Program (GNP), as well as major weed species. Problem wildlife such as Kangaroos and Deer are not eligible for GNP funds. Treatment of weeds to mitigate fire protection risk is not part of this program. Most noxious and environmental weeds can be treated, except for State Prohibited Weeds and Australian native species indigenous to the local Catchment Management Authority (CMA) region. State Prohibited Weeds include; Water Hyacinth, Salvinia, Horsetails, Alligator Weed, Hawkweed, Knotweed, Mexican Feather Grass, Lagarosiphon, Mesquite, Camel Thorn, Poverty Weed, Tangled Hypericum, Parthenium Weed, Perennial Ragweed, Karoo and Giraffe Thorn, Branched Broomrape.If you require advice or any more information about the Good Neighbour Program or pest plants and animals on your property, please contact Enzo Brotto Ranger, Team Leader Ovens Area.Email: ebrotto@parks.vic.gov.au PO Box: 20 Bright Victoria 3741Telephone: 57550014 / 0408330801Address: Parks Victoria 46 Bakers Gully Road, Bright 3741

UPCOMING EVENTSWHENWHATWHERECONTACT

Thursday 16 JulyCommittee meetingU3A HQ BrightPeter Stokie 0409 356 426 peterstokie123@gmail.com

Saturday 18 JulyUOVLG Market stallHowitt Park, BrightRob Duncan 0419 194 891 brightduncan@bigpond.com

Saturday 18 July: 10:30- 11:30Weed Walk: Spotting, identification and control of weeds.Cherry Walk (east) Meet at Market stallKaren Doherty : mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.net.au

Saturday 25 July09:30 BBQ LunchPlanting bee with Alpine ShireJenveys WaterholeKaren Doherty mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.net.au

Saturday 15 AugustUOVLG Market stallHowitt Park, BrightRob Duncan brightduncan@bigpond.com

Tuesday 18 AugustUOVLG Annual General MeetingVenue to be advisedRob Duncan brightduncan@bigpond.com

Tuesday 22 SeptemberNative Seed workshopDELWP Ovens OfficeKaren Doherty mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.net.au

NATIVE SEED WORKSHOP AND LECTURE TUESDAY 22nd SEPTEMBERThrough a successful Communities for Nature grant, Propagating Community Capacity, UOVLG will host an integrated Native Seed workshop & lecture at the DEWWP offices at Ovens on Tuesday 22nd September. The workshop will cover seed collecting, propagation, provenance, and seed banks. It will also provide a scope of awareness regarding the present impact of fire and flood on our landscape & the many ways we can observe & manage this. Owen Basset from Forest Solutions will be the guest speaker. http://www.forestsolutions.com.au/home/VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDAs we move towards the Annual General Meeting in August, we will be looking for volunteers for committee positions to form the core of management and planning for the next 12 months, but equally importantly, we have a host of jobs needing volunteers to lead or assist when possible. If time doesnt permit but you have something to say please feel free to come and join us for a meeting. It is important to our group to reflect the environmental interests of our community in any way we can through education, engagement & field based projects. Your participation is key!Upper Ovens Landcare is an entirely voluntary organization with like-minded people who take interest in the many environmental and social aspects of our beautiful Upper Ovens Valley. The Group works with individual volunteers managing small specific tasks like monthly water quality monitoring or manning the market stall for a couple of hours on a monthly basis to action based field activities; with a Committee of Management overseeing overarching planning, financial and administrative tasks.Could our Landcarer Membership consider their possible time commitments and preferred contributions to Landcare prior to the AGM in mid-August? Look at the following contribution possibilities and perhaps indicate your interest at the AGM. Committee positions: All committee positions fall vacant at the AGM and nominations will be required for the key positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President and a small number of regular committee members. Webmaster: We seek anyone willing to give time to helping us re-vamp our website & other social media platforms. Landcare can offer & recognise some excellent work experience in these mediums.Newsletter compiler: As you can see from this example, the Newsletter desperately needs an editor with some artistic layout skills to deliver and reflect the UOVLG efforts. Content & contributions will be provided the creativity is all yours!Saturday Market Stall: On the third Saturday morning of each month, Landcare runs a social contact stall at the Alpine Shire Make-it-Bake-it-Grow-it at Howitt Park. It is a great chance to meet the public and pass on the Landcare message together with information and news. Volunteers are needed to man the stall for 2 hours in two shifts, usually between 9:00am 11:00am & 11:00 1:00pm. If you are interested email: brightduncan@bigpond.comAlso, a voluntary convenor is needed to store the marquee and boxes of Landcare publications and help organize the monthly manning roster which normally requires at least 2 people for each of 2 shifts.Waterwatch Monitors: UOVLG has several trained monitors who regularly take water samples on a monthly basis on a specified section of the local waterways. Now and again a monitor is unable to continue monthly observations. It would be good to have expressions of interest from others. Waterwatch Training is offered from time to time by NECMA Waterwatch personnel. If you are interested email:peterstokie123@gmail.com for further informationFriends of Germantown Streamside Reserve: This is an enthusiastic group of Landcarers developing walking tracks, informative signage and other facilities associated with the Ovens River reserve land between the Freeburg and Germantown bridges. Look at Upper Ovens Landcare on Facebook to get latest pictures and information.If you are interested in participating email: paulhel52@bigpond.com

CURRENT UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE COMMITTEE AND CONTACTSPresidentRob Duncanbrightduncan@bigpond.com 0419 194 891

SecretaryPeter Stokiepeterstokie123@gmail.com 0409 356 426

TreasurerPeter ODonnellppod@netc.net.au0427 575 515

Community Liaison officer Karen Dohertyuovlg1@landcarevic.gov.au 0419 876 963

Germantown Streamside ReservePaul Hellierpaulhel52@bigpond.com

0432 919 139

Bright Community GardenKirstie Maykirstiemay@ymail.com 0410 620 567

Racecourse Plantation Joint VentureRob Duncanbrightduncan@bigpond.com0419 194 891

Next Newsletter SPRING: Sep/Oct/Nov, please send any news items/photos/comments to Rob Duncan brightduncan@bigpond.com