Hello to all of our Landcare Members, Partners, Sponsors, and Friends throughout the Bass Coast Landcare Network and welcome to the August edition of the BCLN Enews.

This edition is full of news to share, including lots of upcoming events, completed and upcoming plantings, biosecurity information events, project updates, grant opportunities and much more.

You will by now be aware of the current threat of foot and mouth disease, please note that our staff will continue taking biosecurity very seriously when moving between properties to reduce risks. You can read more about what we are doing for biosecurity in our 'Group and Network News' section.

We hope you enjoy this month's edition of the Enews!

For all the latest updates, follow us on Facebook and Instagram... just click the links above!

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Come along to one (or more!) of our upcoming planting days! Plantings are typically 10am-2pm and lunch is provided. BYO water bottle, sturdy boots and wet weather gear. Please note that property addresses have not been published. If you would like to attend a planting day, please RSVP to the group's email address for the exact location.

• ​​August 20th - 1,600 plants at Strzelecki
  ​Contact Melynda - [email protected]
• August 30th - 550 plants at Cowes
  Contact David – [email protected]
• September 3rd - 2,000 plants at Bena 
  Contact Melynda - [email protected]
• Date TBC - 3,000 plants at Wonthaggi
  ​Contact Jye – [email protected]

Join trainer Lucinda Flynn at Leongatha Community House, for this one-day course aimed at learning how to be more energy efficient in your home.

• Develop a thorough understanding of the key aspects of home energy efficiency & comfort.
• ​Learn about fundamental residential appliances and upgrade options, including solar generation & storage.
• Understand key building shell upgrade opportunities, catering to all budgets and including DIY & temporary options.
• Develop skills in communicating energy efficiency advice to a diverse range of community members, in a way that is positive, respectful and promotes active engagement and change.

Click here for more information and to book.

Do you know a young person aged 12-18 who is making a difference for the environment? Get them involved in the NextGen Landcare Online Youth Forum! This is an action-packed event that aims to get youth inspired, connected and empowered to take action for the environment. Join the team at Intrepid Landcare along with Landcare legend Costa Georgiadis on Tuesday 23 August at 10.30am to 2pm AEST.

Click here for more info and to register.​

It’s been four years since Landcarers could gather in person at a National Landcare Conference, one of Landcare’s biggest knowledge sharing events. The National Landcare Conference will take place from Tuesday 23rd to Thursday 25th of August, at the International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney. You can also register as a virtual delegate for free.

Click here for more information and to register.

Agriculture Victoria and GippsDairy are delivering interactive workshops for Gippsland dairy farmers and service providers to understand the current biosecurity risks, what a biosecurity plan is and why you need one. There are several risk factors that are contributing to an increased threat of a biosecurity incursion in Victoria and Australia. On-farm biosecurity control measures will improve your own biosecurity, improve biosecurity in your region and industry while minimising production losses and unnecessary costs. Topics include; 

• Emergency animal diseases – overview with a focus on Foot-and-Mouth and Lumpy Skin Disease
• What happens during a response locally?
• Actions and farm biosecurity measures you can put in place now.

Click here for workshop dates and locations.​

BCLN are partnering with Gippsland Intrepid Landcare to bring you the Plant and Dance 2.0. Come along and help us plant 3,000 plants in the Bass Hills, then enjoy a night of live music provided by local acts and DJs.
Live acts include Steve Cousins, Two Last Names, Canverse, and Natman- C, and DJ’s BANDO, Platypuss, The Other Brother and BassC. This project is kindly supported by funding from the Victorian Landcare Program through West Gippsland CMA’s Community Grants Program and Bass Coast Shire Council's Biolinks Program.

Click here for more info and to book your tickets.​

ResourceSmart Schools is a free program offered by Sustainability Victoria that supports Victorian schools to embed sustainability across the school facilities, community and curriculum, while saving resources and money for the school. Throughout August and September, they are running free, online workshops for schools on a range of sustainability topics, including zero waste schools, biodiversity, water and more.

Click here to view all of the events.

The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) are running Cultural Safety training in September, and Landcare professionals and volunteers working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to take part. The training provides contextual examples of the experience of Aboriginal people including examining the legacy of intergenerational trauma. It also examines the complexities and nuances of Aboriginal culture and some approaches to consider when interacting with indigenous Australians.
The course was offered to almost 40 participants from Landcare in April and May. A third session will be held on Thursday 8th September from 10am - 3pm.
To register your interest, click here to email Barry Kennedy at [email protected]​

What is companion planting, and does it really work? What should you plant next to your tomatoes, which veggies don’t like being next to anything in the onion family and why? For our next blitz on Saturday 10th of September from 9.30am-12.30pm we will be exploring the topic of ‘Companion planting and integrated pest management’, welcoming back Permaculture guru Ric Coleman. To find out who likes who in the veggie world, how to repel insects and encourage growth... please use the link below to find all of the booking details and snag yourself a place at this free session. This session is supported through VicHealth’s Reimagining Health program.

Book your free place at this session here​

The Victoria Nature Festival will be held from the 12th - 25th of September, with the central themes being Nature for Health, Reconnection, Recovery and Regeneration and Connect to Country. The festival's aim is to celebrate the community's connection to nature, and its role in improving mental and physical health. Landcare and other environmental volunteer groups can take part by registering for a “Come and Try” event aligned to the Great Vic Nature Walk on September 17 and 18. If you have an idea, contact [email protected]

Click here to learn more about the festival, and sign up for the newsletter for the latest updates.

GROUP AND NETWORK NEWS

Due to recent concerns from landholders, BCLN wishes to assure all of our landholders and members that we take Biosecurity issues seriously and we are watching the advice and direction from relevant authorities on the potential spread of foot and mouth and lumpy skin disease from Indonesia. We currently have protocols in place, in line with government guidelines, to ensure staff returning from Indonesia do not visit farms for at least a one week period after arrival. We are already washing down cars between attending properties, and have static and mobile sterilization equipment and footbaths for volunteers or staff entering properties.
We encourage landholders to implement their own farm biosecurity measures if they haven’t already, more information on this can be found on the links below.
Click here for more info about Foot and Mouth disease.
Click here for a Foot and Mouth disease webinar.

Shani (Environment Coordinator) and Damien (Environment Team Leader) from the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC) will lead the newly formed BLCAC Natural Resource Management Team. The NRM team will deliver a range of BLCAC and other on-ground projects across the region. They recently visited BCLN, meeting staff to get a feel for the projects undertaken by the network. The first stop was the River Garden where Lisa gave an overview of Training and Education, then to the Powlett River mouth to discuss Invasive Species programs with Aaron, before stopping for lunch in the hills. Paul Speirs gave a tour along his creek with Jye talking about NRM projects, and we finished back at the Nursery and Depot with Mark and Stevie showing us around. BCLN looks forward to working with the BLCAC on many joint projects into the future. The day was made possible through support from the WGCMA, and Callum (Coastal Waterways Officer) came along to help out with the tour.

Our great Nursery volunteers have recently been building bird boxes, so far completing 10 pardalote boxes and starting on some eastern rosella boxes. The boxes were constructed by the Wonthaggi Men's Shed using recycled timber, with Nursery volunteers putting them together from flat packs.

These boxes will be installed along the Bass River. This project was made possible thanks to funding through Bass Coast Shire Community Grants.

Click here to learn more about our volunteer nursery group.​

This month Year 9 Students from Newhaven College participated in a tree planting day at Annie and Paul Chisholm’s in Ryanston, planting over 800 plants to help to restore a gully and large dam, the main water source for the property. Newhaven College have also selected Bass Coast Landcare Network as their chosen charity for fundraising this year and have held some fun days at school to raise funds that they would like to contribute into the Biolinks program, to get even more trees planted across Bass Coast. Thank you to Newhaven College for your support!!

Click here for more information on the Environmental Detectives Schools Program.​

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ross Arestia. Ross started volunteering with the Wonthaggi Urban Landcare Group seven years ago, and soon after volunteered with BCLN setting up the River Garden and Nursery. He spent many hours constructing the first garden beds, hothouses, benches, and irrigation to make both the Nursery and River Garden a reality. His friendly, happy, jovial personality made him universally liked, and he will be sorely missed. Our deepest condolences to Ross' family at this difficult time.

GRANTS, TRAINING, INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LANDHOLDERS

The Bass Coast Landcare Network, alongside our Farmers Digging Deeper project partners are running an introductory program for landholders who are at an early stage in their learning about soils and soil testing. This program includes soil testing on your farm plus two workshops designed to help you better understand your soils and interpret your soil test results. Expressions of interest close on August 31st. 
​This project is supported by Western Port Catchment Landcare Network, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Click for details, costs and inclusions, and to submit your EOI.

The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal works in partnership with philanthropy, government and business to provide grants which strengthen rural, regional & remote communities throughout the year.

There are a number of FRRR grant opportunities open at present including:

1. Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC): grants up to $10,000 to respond to ongoing impacts and recovery from the COVID pandemic; 
2. Bushfire Recovery: grants up to $25,000 for 2019/20 bushfire recovery; and 
3. Small & Vital: grants up to $10,000 for broad initiatives that strengthen local people, places, and climate solutions with a preference for smaller communities (populations under 15,000). 

Applications are open and close 30th August 2022

Click here for more information​

Landcare is one of Victoria’s best inventions, as relevant today as it has ever been.  As the November 2022 State election approaches, Landcare Victoria has prepared policy recommendations in support of landcare for consideration by our political leaders. They need your help to promote these policy recommendations, along with your local needs, by emailing our local member of Parliament, Jordan Crugnale at
[email protected] to make clear the importance of landcare and request increased support and investment for community landcare in Victoria.

Click here for the policy recommendations from Landcare Victoria to help prepare your email.  

Gippsland Intrepid Landcare is running 'Tackle Box', a two-day conference for young Landcare and environmental change-makers. Open to applicants from across Victoria, Tackle Box will give them practical skills to tackle their Landcare group or project head-on. Guest speakers from world-renowned and local campaigns and organisations will lead sessions with real-world outcomes to inspire and drive your own local projects. Held on a sheep farm in Walkerville, there will be plenty of time to connect with nature and other like-minded people, surfing, hiking, stand-up paddle boarding and doing environmental work.

Click here for more info and to apply!​

Digital skills are essential to everyday life, but more support is needed to ensure equality of access across our community. This is especially true for women living in regional areas. To bridge the digital divide and keep women connected, the Victorian Women’s Trust has created Rural Women Online.
Made by women for women, this program offers practical how-to guides, access to a weekly Helpdesk Hotline, and one-on-one mentoring support.
Throughout July and August, the Victorian Women’s Trust will be hosting open days at local libraries across the state. Wonthaggi Library will be hosting an open day on August 31st, click the link below to learn more.

Click here for more information

The Winter 2022 issue (#84) of the Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management magazine is now available to read online, or to download in low-resolution PDF format.
This issue features Online Landcare - how the Landcare and environmental volunteer community are using online tools to connect and communicate with others, and to publicise, plan, and report on their work.

Click here to read online or download.

Although we didn’t hold an August Volunteer Blitz Day, there has still been plenty of action happening at the River Garden. For those of you who came to our ‘Autumn Veg Planting’ Blitz Day on March 12th this year, led by Horticulture teacher Adrian James, the plantings were a great success. In the past few weeks, our weekly group from Interchange Gippsland, who provide disability services for local people, have been busy harvesting green and purple broccoli, cabbages and huge cauliflowers on their regular activity mornings. It was great to see the vegetables growing strong, with hardly any insect attack, a good sign of healthy plants from well prepared soils by our fantastic volunteers. The Interchange group also enjoyed cooking and eating a potato and leek soup recently all with produce grown at the River Garden! Check out the size of the huge cauliflowers with Ian, Russel and Barry in the picture above (bottom left), our healthy potato patch with Barry, Ian, Ben and Ian (top) as well as the photo of Ian and Ian with freshly harvested leeks from our patch on the swales (bottom right). For our next blitz on Saturday 10th of September from 9.30am-12.30pm we will be exploring the topic of ‘Companion planting and integrated pest management’, welcoming back Permaculture guru Ric Coleman. Please see the story in the upcoming events section at the start of this newsletter or click the link below for the details and to book your place. We are doing some planning for the rest of our blitz days for this year (second Saturday of the month) at the River Garden so please email [email protected]​  if there are any topics in particular that you are interested in learning about and we will see what we can organise for you. Looking forward to seeing you down at the River Garden!
Click here for more information on the River Garden and sign up on this page to join our growing River Garden Community!

Capturing Carbon for a Biodiverse Bass Coast - In local planting projects!

If you feel passionate about the environment and want to contribute to action on climate change by reducing the impact of your car on our planet, why not consider becoming a part of our ‘Capturing Carbon for a biodiverse Bass Coast’ program? Head to our web page at the link below and simply click on your car's size to make a tax-deductible donation, so we can plant indigenous plants in biodiverse plantings across Bass coast on your behalf. These plantings will increase habitat and important wildlife corridor connections while capturing carbon from the atmosphere. All your friends and family will also see your complimentary car sticker showing your commitment to the Bass Coast environment and climate action.

Landcare Public Fund making projects a reality – Donate today to make a difference!

The Bass Coast Landcare Public Fund is a regional non-profit organisation focusing on conserving biodiversity throughout Bass Coast.​ We do this by supporting community groups to work in their local area to add value to their conservation efforts, encourage broader community ownership and participation and by working in partnership with other land managers. We work to help protect native plants and animals in Bass Coast’s most ecologically important landscapes. Your contribution, no matter how small, helps to protect native plants and animals in Bass Coast’s most ecologically important landscapes. ​

What's your story?

We would love to hear from you and your Landcare group with stories and photos of what's been happening in your area and any suggestions of things that you would like to see in your E-news.

We look forward to meeting and catching up with you at upcoming events and activities around Bass Coast.

Until next edition, 

Happy reading, from the Bass Coast Landcare Network.