Fauna Survey St Helens Flora Reserve

The Basalt to Bay Landcare Network recently received funding from The Sutainable Communities Fund (Pacific Hydro). The funding will allow us to employ a surveyor to conduct a fauna survey of the St Helens Flora Reserve, using equipment also funded by Pacific Hydro. The purpose of the survey is to determine the cryptic fauna that may be living in and using the reserve, so that greater community interest and management of these values can be realised. The Basalt to Bay Landcare Network would like to acknowledge Pacific Hydro for their support, the St Helens and District Landcare Group and Friends of Pallisters Reserve for their willingness to back the project application.

As results are gathered, they will be compiled for release in a public forum event to be held in the district in early 2013. Beyond this there will be opportunities for landholders in the St Helens/Orford/Kirkstall/Koroit/Yambuk/Bessiebelle areas to access training to become registered users of the equipment for further surveys to compliment what is learnt from the St Helens Flora Reserve. To register your interest in this equipment, please contact the facilitator via email basalttobay@gmail.com

This image is from a fauna survey (trapping) conducted by Parks Victoria and South West Tafe in 2003, supplied courtesy of Parks Victoria 2012. It shows a Southern Brown Bandicoot.

Mortlake Common

Mortlake Common regrowth post recent fire.

Bee Talk 21 March @ 7pm @ Foreshore Pavillion

Basalt to Bay is holding a Bee Talk at the Foreshore Pavillion La Bella Room on Wednesday the 21st Of March at 7pm. Our guest speaker is Rob Arnst, an apiarist from Stawell- who will be talking about the importance of bees in the landscape for our food security and biodiversity. Rob farms at Dadswell Bridge near Stawell, and recently became the first Victorian beekeeper to complete a FarmPlan21 course run by the Department of Primary Industries. The course will help Rob and his family to manage his 40ha property, which includes over 100 hives. "FarmPlan21 showed us the gradient overlay for the property, where the water runs, and how we need different management for different soils, to help rejuvenate the farm". According to an interview with Rob in the Weekly Times of 7 March 2012, he is looking at the potential of his farm to produce queen bees if the parasitic Varroa mite ever reaches Australia."Queens are essential to successful beekeeping and we think we have a good opportunity to raise them on our farm. Research tells us that a good mixture of pollen generates peak fertility in our queens. FarmPlan21 has provided us with the first step towards making these plans for our farm, our family, and our industry's future".
If you wish to attend the evening ( and anyone is!) , please RSVP to Lisette on 0459524556 for catering and seating by Monday 19th March.

New Landcare Facilitator for Basalt to Bay

Basalt to Bay have been very fortunate in receiving funding from the Victorian Local Landcare Facilitator Initiative for the next 3 1/2 years. This has given us double the time = 30 hours / week and an opportunity to revisit our goals and strategies to grow the network and our projects. As a part of this process, we advertised the position and appointed Lisette Mill.

Lisette has a Diploma of Sustainability and Dip. of Conservation and Land Management and is currently working for the local Gorse Task force and has previously worked with the Moyne and Corangamite Shires.

Lisette will start her new position on 20 February and will be contactable at basalttobay@gmail.com and on the mobile 0459 524 556.

We thank Mick Wright for his work with us the last 18 months and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.