May 2011

New wildlife signage for Left Bank Road

New wildlife signage has been erected on Left Bank Road, Mullumbimby in an effort to make local drivers more aware of wildlife crossing the road.

The new signs will display local fauna and the number of wildlife deaths that have occurred in the year. The signs are initiative of Byron Shire Council and the Mullumbimby Creek Sustainable Streets group.

Council’s biodiversity officer Justin McDowell said the installation of the signs follows six months of site monitoring undertaken by the Sustainable Streets group.

“The number of wildlife deaths is being monitored and will be regularly updated on the signs.” He said he hoped that people will see the number wildlife deaths and reduce their speed as a result of the ‘Watch for Wildlife’ signage.

Wildlife deaths on roads through out the Byron Shire are a significant issue.

To read more, click here.

Byron Biodiversity Sustainability Seminar Series 2011

During 2011 Byron Council is running nine free seminars and events to celebrate the shires Biodiversity and Sustainability. They are a great way for residents and landowners to learn from local experts and share experiences with each other.

Workshops are held the first Tuesday of each month from 6:30 – 8:00pm in Mullumbimby and cover a broad range of topics. For more information see the Seminar_Flyer.pdf

Glossy Black Cockatoo Survey and Website

Survey

Byron Shire Council is a partner in the Glossy Black Cockatoo Conservancy, an organisation of government agencies, private sector and community stakeholders collaborating to conserve the Glossy Black-Cockatoo.

After the successful cockatoo birding day held in 2010, this year’s survey aims to add to data collected on the Glossy Black-Cockatoo population throughout southeast QLD and northern NSW.

On Sunday the 22^nd of May volunteers will survey for Glossy Black Cockatoos in areas identified from past sighting records. Volunteers have received training in identification of the cockatoo and the methods involved in collecting the information required for the survey.

If you have any enquires contact the local coordinator Angus Underwood on 02 6626 7324.

Website

Since last years survey there has been considerable work done on the Conservancy website www.glossyblack.org.au. One of the new features on the site is a section where people can view previous sighting records and add new ones. If you have seen Glossy Black Cockatoos please visit http://www.glossyblack.org.au/Submit_sightings.html and follow the steps to entering a new sighting record.

Upcoming Biodiversity Seminar - Native Wildlife as Pets

The next biodiversity focused seminar for this year will be a panel discussion on keeping ‘Native Wildlife as Pets’. This topic is ensured to stimulate an interesting debate with a variety of views to be covered on the night. If you are interesed in hearing views from a range of experts and contributing to a topical discussion then this is for you.

For more information see the Seminar_Flyer_.pdf

Weed Profile – Winter Senna

Have you noticed a shrub with bright yellow flowers along road verges and in bushland the last few weeks. This is most likely to be Winter Senna. Despite its colorful appearance Winter Senna is highly invasive environmental weed that competes with native species.

If you would like to know what it looks like or how to remove Winter Senna see the following fact sheet. Keep your eyes out for this invasive weed. Happy weeding.

http://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/weed-profiles

Funding Opportunities and Workshop

NRCMA Incentive Grants Funding - Open

The NRCMA 2011-12 Incentive Program are open. The grants are advertised on the NRCMA website www.northern.cma.nsw.gov.au , local newspapers and the NRCMA e-News.

NRCMA Incentive Grants Funding – Workshop Mullumbimby - 23rd May, Training Room, Byron Shire Council Station Street Mullumbimby

The community support officer will also be hosting a workshop to assist with applications. Landcare,dunecare groups and individual property owners are all welcome. It is recommended that attendants download and read the guidelines and application before attending the workshop so that they can ask questions specific to their application. This workshop will run from 1pm till 4 pm. Please book by contacting

emailing wendy.gibney@byron.nsw.gov.au .

Caring for our Country - The Caring for our Country Business Plan 2011-12 is now available. It provides an opportunity for you to seek funding for open-call projects and regional base-level funding that contribute to one or more of the six national priority areas set by the Australian Government for improving our natural resources. Go to http://www.nrm.gov.au/business-plan/11-12/index.html for application forms and guidelines. Note: Community Action Grants expected to open Mid May.

NSW Environmental Trust -These programs open 19 March 2011 but closing dates are staggered. Applications to the Restoration and Rehabilitation program will be called later in the year. This is expected to occur in June or July.

Eco Schools - 60 grants of $2,500 each (total program $150,000). Schools who did not receive an Environmental Trust grant in 2010 are eligible to apply. Closing date for Eco Schools 5pm Friday 20 May 2011

Protecting our Places - Grants of $2,000 to $35,000 Available to any Aboriginal community group or organisation (total program $500,000) Closing date for Protecting our Places 5pm Friday 3 June 2011

Application Forms - Guidelines, application forms and more information is available on the Trust website: www.environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au or by phoning the Trust on (02) 8837 6093.

Land for Wildlife

Land for Wildlife is a voluntary property registration scheme which recognises and supports landholders who want to maintain habitat for wildlife on their land. Since the program launch in 2009, 40 landholders have registered their properties as Land for Wildlife (LfW) in the shire. There are a variety of landuses undertaken on these properties. Some are lifestyle blocks and some are working farms with the areas set aside for habitat being successfully integrated in with management of grazing, orchards and macadamia and coffee plantations. Many of the people who have signed up have been consciously looking after areas of native vegetation on their property as habitat for years and are encouraged by the recognition of their efforts.

If you are a landholder who:

has a property with at least 1 hectare of native vegetation mapped as High Conservation Value (HCV) or within a wildlife corridor,
wants to manage part or all of your property as habitat for native plants and animals,
is interested in integrating nature conservation with other land uses, such as agriculture, grazing or tourism.

You may be interested in registering. To apply either pick up a brochure from Council or fill in the online form at http://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/land-for-wildlife

The benefits of joining Land for Wildlife include:

Receiving advice and support to achieve restoration goals on your land
Learning about local native plants, wildlife and ecosystems
Inclusion of nature conservation into your overall property management
Opportunities to meet and learn from other like-minded landholders

A Passion for Nature and our place in it. (Poetry competition)

Dangerously Poetic is an incorporated community group seeking to encourage, publish and promote quality poetry from the Northern Rivers region. This year they are co-sponsoring the Dangerously Poetic Byron Bay Writer’s festival poetry competition. Poetry is set to have a larger profile at the festival and Dangerously Poetic will have a marque dedicated to A Passion for Poetry.

We will also host a 2 hour poetry reading on the Sunday where the judge, Dr Robyn Rowland, will announce the prize winners and they will have the opportunity to read their winning poems. This national poetry prize will be awarded at the Byron Bay Writer’s Festival 2011 on Sunday, the 7th of August, entries are due 15 June 2011. Poets are invited to write up to 40 lines on the theme A Passion for Nature and our place in it.

First Prize : $500, a 3 day pass to the Byron Bay Writer’s Festival 2011, publication in Dangerously Poetic’s upcoming anthology ( projected launch date 2/2012), a free copy of the anthology and chance to read the poem at the festival.

Second Prize : $ 100, a 3 day pass to Byron Bay Writer’s Festival 2011, publication in DP’s upcoming anthology ( as above.)

Entry fee: $10 first poem, $5 for each additional

More information at: http://dangerouslypoetic.com/2011/04/announcing-new-national-poetry-comp...