Archives for July 2013

NRM Planning for Climate Change

· · Leave a Comment

Reef Catchments, along with 52 other Regional NRM organisations across Australia, has received funding from the Federal Government to update their regional NRM Plan in light of climate change. This process will be aligned with the Principles for the NRM Planning for Climate Change Fund http://www.environment.gov.au/cleanenergyfuture/regional-fund/about.html

The three principles are:

  1. Plans identify priority landscapes for carbon plantings and strategies to build landscape integrity and guide adaptation and mitigation actions to address climate change impacts on natural ecosystems
  2. Planning process is logical, comprehensive, and transparent
  3. Plans use best available information to develop actions and are based on collaboration with government, community and other stakeholders

Reef Catchments have already commenced the process of collating spatial datasets to assist in identifying parts of the landscape that would benefit from carbon plantings or strategies (e.g. weed control) to improve the integrity and resilience of ecosystems in the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region. Existing carbon stores (soils, terrestrial and marine vegetation) will be examined to identify trends to date and where there is potential to increase carbon storage. Areas at increased risk under projected climate change scenarios (sea level rise, increased intensity of extreme events etc.) will also be identified. Natural systems provide ecosystem services but can also mitigate the impacts from extreme weather events such as cyclones, flooding and storm surges; this will be an important component in updating the NRM Plan.

Once the datasets are compiled, this information will be provided to the community for their input and to capture aspirations for the future of the region.

The Magic of Gypsum

· · Leave a Comment

Last week 71 farmers attended a series of workshops about soils, which were funded by the Australian Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI). As well as discussing the future potential of the CFI for local farmers, the workshops provided a foundation for understanding the physical and chemical properties of local soils.  Dr Ross Coventry from Soil Horizons delivered a set of lectures in the morning, allowing participants to brush up on their soil science, and then in the afternoon we followed John Hughes (of the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) into the cane fields to look at soil pits and see some demonstrations – of the dramatic effect of compaction on soil water absorption, and of how to check soil slaking and dispersion. Many of the landholders who attended may eventually benefit from the work carried out under the Reef Catchments Action on the Ground program, which John helps manage.

Farmers were encouraged to have their soils and subsoils professionally analysed, since even within one field there can be great variability. This could mean that some parts of the property need nitrogen fertiliser or cultivatation while other parts would benefit from the repeated application of organic matter. It could save a landholder considerable amounts of money by focusing soil treatments on particular soil issues rather than broad-scale application.

Sodic soils are a particular specialty of Dr Coventry’s. He explained how these soils often have crusting, clumping (which is worsened by cultivation) and poor water penetration, and do not retain their structure when they are wet, which results in extensive and potentially dangerous erosion. There is an inexpensive treatment for sodic soils, however: Gypsum applied at the correct rate will work in a way that might seem like magic (but is actually very scientific). The calcium in gypsum is the secret. Calcium ions have two bonding sites (that’s what the +2 means), so by replacing sodium ions, which have only one (+1) they bind the soil particles together more strongly. An important tip that Dr Coventry shared was that soil treatments like gypsum must be applied at the correct rate – never try to save money by spreading it more thinly over a larger area.

Image: Soil workshop participants at the Camilleri Brothers’ farm, Homebush

Soil workshop participants at the Camilleri Brothers' farm, Homebush1

Image: John Hughes explains soil EC mapping

John Hughes explains soil EC mapping1

Image: Ross Coventry demonstrates a slaking test

Ross Coventry demonstrates a slaking test1

Coastcare Autumn Snapshot

· · Leave a Comment

The last three months have seen 45 Coastcare volunteers taking to Bucasia Beach, Ball Bay, Eimeo Creek and Blacks Beach Spit to remove invasive weeds, revegetate with native plants and clean up litter from our coastal environment.

  • Volunteers – 112 hours of labour have been donated by our amazing volunteers
  • Invasive weeds – around 650 kg of invasive weeds have been removed from the dunes
  • Revegetation – 200 native seedlings were planted to replace weeds removed which will stabilise the dunes and provide future habitat for native fauna
  • Litter – approximately 1.7 tonnes of litter was removed from Blacks Beach Spit, roughly the same weight as an four door sedan

To read more and see pictures from our Autumn Coastcare Activities (and earlier), visit www.rc2019.thedma.com.au/coastcare 

Download the current winter Coastcare calendar here.  The next Coastcare activities will be held on Saturday 13 July at Ball Bay (9-11am) and Eimeo (2-4pm).

To volunteer at Coastcare Activities in 2013, or subscribe to emails to find out what projects are happening on our coast, email claire.bartron@reefcatchments.com or call 0429 155 841.

Coasts and Communities is a joint initiative of Mackay Regional Council and Reef Catchments with support from Mackay Regional Council’s Natural Environment Levy and the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country initiative.

Image:  Bucasia Coastcarers removed 400 kilograms of weeds from the dunes.20130511 Bucasia Volunteers with bags copy

Coasts and Communities eNewsletter launched

· · Leave a Comment

Coasts Calander

This month the coastal team launched the first edition of the Coasts and Communities quarterly eNewsletter.  We all love the coast, it’s where we live, play, work, fish, relax and explore. The Coasts and Communities program is all about maintaining and improving the condition of our coast so that future generations will be able to enjoy the same things that we do, but no one can do this on their own! Reef Catchments is working with many organisations, community groups and individuals to improve the condition of our coast. We do this through coastal planning, monitoring, on-ground activities, and our volunteer Coastcare program.

The Coasts and Communities quarterly eNewsletter provides a new way for us to engage with colleagues, program partners, coastal communities and Coastcarers to share the many ways that we are all working together to care for our coast.

Click here to view the first edition of the Coasts and Communities eNewsletter.  To subscribe to future editions click here.

If you have a particular topic or issue you would like to see covered in the next edition of the Coasts and Communities eNews, or would like to ask a question at the Coasts and Communities program, email claire.bartron@reefcatchments.com or call  0429 155 841.