MidCoast2Tops Landcare Connection | Community organisation

MidCoast2Tops Landcare Connection

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25.01.2022 Fantasic fottage coming in of our plants, given away in partnership with @Mid Coast Council, in ground where they should be! Footage taken of Hillville Resident, Nadia, of her excellent planting work and knowledge!

24.01.2022 A NOTE FROM THE ABSA PRESIDENT A New National Park for the Grey Grasswrens (Photo Gen Kyi) Narriearra Station, over 150,000 ha in area and containing 90% of re...maining Grey Grasswren habitat in NSW, has been acquired by the state government as a new national park. This is the largest single property acquisition in the history of NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, The announcement can be accessed at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au//largest-ever-purchase- After more than 15 years researching Grey Grasswrens in south-western Queensland and a further 20 years on Narriearra Station in north-western NSW Jeff’s personal dream has been realised. In 2010 he published a paper on his banding project at Narriearra in Corella which, among other things, highlighted the plight of the declining population of Grey Grasswrens primarily because of the deleterious impact of cattle grazing on the bird’s habitat and suggested acquisition of the property. In 2014 he was contacted by the then Office of Environment and Heritage to expand the study on the Grey Grasswrens on Narriearra under the Saving our Species Program. As the then President of Australian Bird Study Association Inc, he arranged for the association to be engaged as the contractor for the study, with research on the birds on Narriearra ultimately expanded to include radio-tracking. Three reports have been produced for the Saving Our Species Program and all are available for download from the ABSA’s website www.absa.asn.au in addition to a paper on the pilot radio-tracking project which was published in Corella. Although there are numerous issues involved in the value of the property for both conservation and historical significance, he would like to think that a large driver for the acquisition of the property has been the tireless effort of bird banders Rudy and Rebecca Jacobs, Ken Gover, Darryl McKay, Heather Parsons and myself with short term assistance from numerous others. The radio-tracking project was planned to be completed this year, but Covid-19 has forced a postponement of that until 2021. I extend my congratulations to Jeff and all of those involved in this Grey Grasswren research project on Narriearra over the past 20 years. Your efforts have resulted in a fantastic outcome for the ongoing conservation of the Grey Grassswren. John Farrell President Australian Bird Study Association Inc.

22.01.2022 Tasmanian Devils are making an Australian mainland comeback with the help of some friends! Actors and friends of WildArk, Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky, helpe...d release 11 Tasmanian Devils into the wild on September 10th, bringing the total released Devils to 26. They are among the first Tasmanian Devils to live in the wild on mainland Australia in 3,000 years. The team at Aussie Ark will monitor the marsupials in the 400-hectare wildlife sanctuary in the Barrington Tops through camera traps, radio collars and surveys to check how they are adjusting to life in the wild. The Devils have been given a platform to succeed - so stay tuned for regular updates on their progress and the 2021 breeding season! Tasmanian devils vanished entirely from mainland Australia, theoretically because they were outcompeted by introduced dingoes, which hunt in packs. Dingoes no longer occur in Aussie Arks protected areas, making it the perfect location for Devils. Dingoes never made it to Tasmania and the Devils thrived, but the island state, along with its Devils, now has it's own problems. A transmissible, painful and fatal disease called Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD)one of very few known contagious cancershas decimated between 80 - 90 percent of the wild population of Tasmanian devils. Aussie Ark, previously known as Devil Ark, is as committed to the survival of the Devil in Tasmanian as ever. As a part of the mainland disease free insurance population we've bred over 400 joeys some of which have returned to Tasmanian. Now we are embarking on the ambitious opportunity to rewild and rebuild mainland ecosystems. Aussie Ark is their lifeline! You can help Aussie Arlk rewilding Australia by donating today! This sanctuary is the first of many - we have the land, we need your help to rebuild Australia's ecosystems. Rewilding projects, including the return of endangered Eastern quolls, Long-nosed potorros, Rufous bettongs, Koalas and Parma wallabies are all coming! DONATE TODAY! Australian friends: http://bit.ly/DevilComeback2020 International Friends: https://devilcomeback.org/ So far the #DevilComeback is going well! #RewildAustralia . . . Global Wildlife Conservation

20.01.2022 As we start the recovery from our recent floods, it may be a fantastic opportunity to reconsider our fencing options. Did you know that although great for stock control, barbed wire fencing poses a threat to over 60 native Australian species, including our vital pollinators and beautiful gliders. Click through for a fantastic info sheet on wildlife friendly fencing options, both for new fence lines and retrofitting existing barbed wire fences. https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au//W...ildlife-Friendly-Fencing-2020 Huw Evans

20.01.2022 Have you heard the news yet? As of next year, our local communities will have university education opportunities right here on the Mid Coast. With environmental science as one of the courses being considered, we here at MC2T are excited about the opportunities this brings for both our communities and our local environments. https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au//taree-universities-/

20.01.2022 Our latest newsletter just hit inboxes. Check it out here: https://mailchi.mp/9316b7af35/mc2t-april-newsletter-3947653

20.01.2022 National tree day plant give away at Wingham farmers markets today!

19.01.2022 Spotted Tail Quoll breeding season is upon us! If you are lucky enough to have these fellas on your property, you may think of them as an annoyance, but did you know they are one of our greatest defences against introduced predators like foxes and cats? As a continent with very few native meso-predators, and a tricky relationship with the largest of these, it is vital we protect and appreciate the role quolls can serve in our ecosystems. Click through for a handy resource o...n some of the ways to co-habitat with these amazing animals. We would love to know if you are sharing your patch with some of these beautiful animals? https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au//protect-your-chooks-an See more

17.01.2022 Special Disaster Grants around now open for primary producers who have been impacted by the recent floods. More information can be found here: https://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/d/special-disaster-grants-floods

16.01.2022 We are thrilled to finally announce our Property Resilience and Recovery Workshops, coming to the region across three weeks in November. These full-day workshops have been designed to aid heavily impacted landholders from last years bushfire and drought conditions as they start to re-examine the workings of their property going forward. Landholders will be guided through the expected challenges of land management in this time of increasing extremes of weather, providing stra...tegies to address these new extremes. Working on individual action plans throughout the day, attendees will be compiling a draft property action plan through the use of a provided template. Together with their neighbours and the help of Landcare, these will assist landholders in their decision making and may form the basis of funding applications for joint initiatives. Due to covid, places are strictly limited, so please head over to our website to register! https://www.midcoast2tops.org.au/resilience-and-recovery-ac

16.01.2022 Heard the good news yet? Nabiac Farmers Markets are back on as of tomorrow!! Do you know of any other markets starting back up? Drop them below to get the word out!

16.01.2022 If you live along our coastline, you probably see a lot of signs and infrastructure designed to protect our shorebirds, but do you know why they get so much of our attention? Over the coming months, in partnership with Manning Coastcare, HLLS and Hunter Regional Landcare, we will be highlighting the species that call our coastline home (for part of the year anyway) and the major threats to their survival. In the mean time, click through to get a jump start and learn some am...azing facts about these highly vulnerable species. https://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/beach-nesting-birds

16.01.2022 FARM FORCE! Farm kids standing guard against bushfire, pests, drought and flood. The challenges farming families face when dealing with the impacts of bushfire,... pests, drought and flood have an enormous effect on our rural communities. In these times it is our children who can feel like they are uninformed and unheard. The ‘Farm Force’ program provides our kids from the Hunter region a chance to have a voice. It will see the creation of a series of books addressing these issues that are written and illustrated by local kids, to be used as a resource for the local community. The first of the book series will focus on local experiences of the 2019/2020 bushfire season. Please visit the Farm Force webpage and click on Bushfire Battlers to discover more information on how to be involved. https://www.envirostories.com.au/get-involved/farm-force/ Entries are open now, and will be accepted until 31 October. This program is supported by Hunter local Land Services, Hunter Region Landcare Network and MidCoast2Tops Landcare Connection Read more here: https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au//latest-/h-news/2020/farm-force!

14.01.2022 If you were not able to make it last week, Sustainable Farms have released the recording of last week's webinar "Biodiversity Recovery after Bushfire". See the link to watch the recording! http://sustainablefarms.org.au//biodiversity-recovery-afte

12.01.2022 As bushfire recovery continues, we would like to invite Rainbow Flat and surrounding communities to our upcoming weed management practical demonstration. See flyer for details or maybe tag someone below who you know needs to get on top of the weed invasion!

11.01.2022 Did you know that we send out a bi-monthly newsletter of the latest Landcare news from across our Mid Coast region? To be kept up to date, just sign up at the link below; we promise to only send out one every two months - or less!! http://eepurl.com/gL7S-T

11.01.2022 Fire-safe gardens have been a big topic this year, but with that comes a reduction in habitat for smaller bird species. When taking the time to replan your garden, why not try to move your dense native shrubs and understorey species away from the house, rather than removing them altogether. This will not only reduce the fire risks immediately surrounding your home, but improve the habitat value of nearby "burnable" habitat. One species you may be encouraging into your patch... is the beautiful Flame Robin - HLLS's June "Bird of the Month" https://www.facebook.com/HunterLLS/posts/2838290742895409

10.01.2022 We have had a few calls recently asking if we think the installation of nest boxes is a good idea for individual properties. While additional habitat features will probably not do any harm, there are often other suitable steps you can take to improving the habitat value of your patch. Often our first suggestion to people looking to invest in the habitat value of their patch is in fact, a monitoring camera. Retailing for around $100-$200, these cameras not only provide you wi...th vital information of what you are dealing with, but they also provide endless hours of entertainment and learning for the family! By learning what you do and do not have, you get a fantastic idea of what habitat assets you can look at sublimenting, either by planting or installation. For many species increased ground logs or dense midstory planting can be more beneficial then nest boxes in old growth bush. In some cases, if a significant pest species problem is identified, nest boxes may do more harm then good. Do you use a monitoring camera around your patch? We would love to see what you have found. And as always get in touch for advice on the next steps you should be taking to increase the biodiversity of your backyard. https://www.facebook.com//pcb.347374162/3473738715988968/

09.01.2022 MC2T is thrilled to be bringing this multi-agency workshop to some of our most impacted communities. Do you know someone who was bushfire impacted? If so, tag them below and see if this workshop could help them in their recovery. Throughout the day we will be hearing about what can be done during recovery in order to increase our resilience to future climatic changes. The issues we will be exploring include: - Climate change impacts for the Mid Coast... - Water quality management - Managed Grazing - Soil health post-drought and bushfire - Erosion control - Landscape Rehydration - Property Bushfire preparedness - Weed management post-fire - Value of biodiversity on property Throughout the day, attendees will be identifying ideas for recovery of their own property, developing an action plan. Through the sharing of these with community and MC2T, we will aid in sourcing the resources, funding and support to start the process of increasing our resilience to future extremes. Mid Coast 2 Tops is thrilled to be working with MidCoast Council, Hunter Local Land Services and DPIE to bring these workshops to our community.

07.01.2022 Great morning sorting the first round of deliveries for our planting giveaway, in partnership with MidCoast Council. The EOI is still open, just head over midcoast2tops.org.au and fill out the form!

06.01.2022 Find Grass ID impossible? Me too! Lucky we have knowledgable Landcarer's like Paul from Hunter Region Landcare Network to help!

06.01.2022 Weed Wednesday!

05.01.2022 Interested in making more sustainable steps in life, but unsure where to start? Or have you made the first few steps but not sure how this aligns with the bigger picture? This may be just for you!! UTAS is currently offering a Diploma of Sustainable Living online, with 100% scholarships for domestic commencing students. Yep, free! With subjects like backyard biodiversity and the science of gardening, it looks like there’s something for every level. If, like me, you are more... of a guided learner, this may be the perfect option to fill the hole workshops have left. https://www.utas.edu.au/sustainable-living

04.01.2022 There are few things weeds love more than disturbance, and our region just seems to keep on serving these up and giving weeds the helping hand! So our member networks Manning Landcare Inc and Karuah & Great Lakes Landcare, in partnership with ogether with Hunter Local Land Services, TIDE: Taree Indigenous Development & Employment and MidCoast Council have planned a series of events to GIVE YOU A HELPING HAND in getting on top of a few priority species. See flyer for RSVP information for each locality.

03.01.2022 Happy #worldoceansday!! Today we want to highlight the work done by our amazing coastcare groups and Manning Coastcare GROUP as a whole. Every week there are dedicated teams meeting on public lands across our coastline and doing their part for our coastlines and oceans. Not only do they enhance habitat, keep weeds at bay and access paths open, but not once have I seen a member leave without taking a piece of rubbish with them or sharing some knowledge with a member of the gen...eral public. Today and every day, we say thank you to our volunteers. If you are interested in joining a group or starting your own, get in touch! We are here to help and support you and your local environment!

03.01.2022 With many within our region choosing to replace what was lost last bushfire season, Chris Scott, our resident bush regenerating guru was kind enough to offer some simple do's and do-not's for planting native trees. This video was produced to assist the recipients of our current Bushfire Native Tree Giveaway, in conjunction with MidCoast Council, but we believe many will take something from Chris' wisdom. https://youtu.be/UYhpx8J46fQ

02.01.2022 Manning River Turtle online talk this evening 5pm - see link to RSVP https://www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au//Marine-Catchment-Discover