Welcome to our region’s newest local Landcare Coordinator – Hey Jude

Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 Welcome to our region’s newest local Landcare Coordinator – Hey Jude

If you think the name and face of the new Yarra Yarra Catchment Management Group Landcare Coordinator is familiar, you’re right. And that’s because Jude Sutherland has been working with NACC and YYCMG for quite some time now, with lots of NRM runs already on the board across the region.

NACC has been supporting YYCMG for the past couple of years, including through providing project officers and other forms of valuable support.

Tree planting day event held last year with local farmer Brett Lang and Kalannie Primary School pupils (on his property).
Tree planting day event held last year with local farmer Brett Lang and Kalannie Primary School pupils (on his property).

NACC’s aim has been to keep this local, grass-roots organisation going while increasing its capacity wherever possible. As a result of this support, YYCMG have been able to undertake some amazing work with local land managers and communities – from Carnamah to Kalannie and beyond – on a variety of projects, as well as some fantastic local and regional events.

YYCMG has also been able to put in several successful funding applications to help keep the group active over the coming years. One of these grants – via the WA State NRM Office – has resulted in YYCMG being able to employ a dedicated Local Landcare Coordinator, which is why the YYCMG is very excited to welcome Jude to their team.

With this invaluable support from the WA State Natural Resource Management Program and NACC, Jude will mainly be responsible for delivering a Community Capability Grant focusing on “encouraging volunteers to help their environment in the North Eastern Wheatbelt.”

This project will provide opportunities for community members to get involved with strategic on-ground NRM works, to work with other volunteers on local NRM projects, and to increase their skills and knowledge of local NRM issues, as well as help guide the group in its future direction.

Not surprisingly, given her past work with NACC, and more broadly with NRM in the region, Jude will be hitting the ground running. And just as well, as there is plenty in the pipeline at YYCMG over the next couple of months, including workshops on innovative feral pest management, surface water management, and a National Tree Day event. Jude will be based in Perenjori, working 1.5 days per week.

YYMCG Projects

Jude said the YYCMG will be delivering two new Community Action Grants funded through the WA State NRM Office for the immediate future. The first is a 60 hectare revegetation project with Kalannie farmer, Bob Nixon, And the second is an extension of an existing “Creating Corridors and Protecting Fenceline Flora” project.

The Fenceline Flora project involves planting revegetation corridors on farmland, whilst protecting existing native flora along fencelines.

In addition, YYCMG will be delivering a variety of informative and practical workshops looking at everything from birds, bugs, bees and more, with project partners Birdlife Australia and the Mayfield Ecology Lab.

Jude said YYCMG are also looking forward to a new partnership with Edith Cowan University over the next 18 months – making use of funding from the Gunduwa Regional Conservation Association to look at assessing restoration success by using reptiles and small mammals.

“YYCMG is also keen for some post-seeding celebrations, including BBQ nights and a bus tour, bird identification workshops,” she said. “Watch this space.”

Another big event in the planning is a BioBlitz – in September at Bunjil Rocks/Latham. This will be conducted on 23-24 September in partnership with the Moore Catchment Council and NACC.

For more information on any of the above or if you would like to see how you can get involved with YYCMG, please contact Jude via email at: landcarecoordinator@yarrayarracatchment.org.au

 

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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.