Buzzing Around the Region

Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 Buzzing Around the Region

This month our Sus Ag team were ‘busy bees’ hosting the Building a Buzz for Beneficial Bugs Field Walk and Insect ID Workshop event!

Building a Buzz for Beneficial Bugs is a State NRM funded project involving the promotion of beneficial insect biodiversity as an alternative to pesticide usage in Horticulture. With two demonstration sites in the Midwest Horticultural Region showcasing specific insect-attracting flowering plants sown adjacent to horticulture cash crops. 

45 people including horticulture growers, TAFE Students, horticulture industry people and community members joined us to visit the two demonstration sites and to learn about alternative pest management strategies. The first stop was at Sun City Produce where Bao Duy Nguyen and his family grow cucumbers, tomatoes and capsicums in growing tunnels. Bao described his efficient method of growing cucumbers and how he releases beneficial insects such as hoverflies to predate on aphids and other pest insects. These beneficial insects allow him to reduce his pesticide usage. He has become involved in this project by sowing insect attracting flowering plants inside the cucumber tunnel. These plants include marigold, corn flower and buckwheat. Professor Geoff Gurr from Charles Sturt University explained how these flowering plants provide shelter, nectar and pollen for the beneficial bugs to survive in that environment. Alternative source of prey is the other element beneficial bugs need to survive, making up the easy acronym to remember (SNAP). With the hope of planting these plants, it is expected that beneficial bugs will be encouraged to come into the system on their own, which means Bao will be able to eventually release less of them and save money.

The next stop was Chally Bridge Farm, where Jack Davoren grows cut flowers, vegetables and fruit. Jack talked about his efficient irrigation system and how he hasn’t used pesticides at all this year! His flowers provide the SNAP which encourages the local beneficial insects to hang around and keep aphids off his brassicas.(Please include the photos of the strawflowers in the middle of white cabbages to demonstrate this) We did find a Diamond Back Moth on one of the sticky traps however, which is a common pest of brassicas. We also enjoyed a beautiful lunch from Tarts and Co next to his everlasting patch.

The final stop was at Chapman Valley Fishing Park where Entomologist Elliot Howse (DPIRD) described the common pest insects found in horticulture systems and local gardens. He also demonstrated how to use the MyPestGuide Reporter App, which is a great tool for people to report and ID insects. David Knowles (Spineless Wonders) taught us all about the native beneficial insects in our region and showed us some amazing photos he’s taken of them. Elliot and David were also amazing at answering everyone’s ‘buggy questions’ during the Field Walks.

We finished the day off with a Greenhouse Tour at the CV Fishing Park and some delicious finger food.

A big thank you to everyone who attended! Also thank you to Kylie from Geraldton Coachlines, Bao Duy Nguyen, Jack Davoren, Geoff Gur, David Knowles, Elliot Howse and Leanne and Wayne from Chapman Valley Fishing Park. It was a fabulous day!

If you want to learn more about Geoff’s research on ‘boosting beneficials in your vegetable crop’ with Hort Innovation and Charles Sturt University read up on it here!

Anna Cornell – Sustainable Agriculture Project Officer

Share

We'd Love to Hear From You!

Your feedback is important to us. If you have suggestions, questions, or would like to get involved in Natural Resource Management, please use the form below or contact our Geraldton office. We’re here to listen and help

Contact Us

Geraldton Office

4 Walton Close, Geraldton
Post: PO Box 7168, Geraldton, 6531
Phone: (08) 9938 0100
Office hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm

Forms

Expression of Interest Form 🞂

Suggest a Project Form 🞂

Membership Form 🞂

Donations Form 🞂

Contacts

NACC Board Members 🞂

NACC Staff 🞂

NRM Bodies & Groups 🞂

CEO’s Report

In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.