May 2014 Edition Understorey€¦ · May 11 - ush Restoration Workshop -Wodonga. Join Parklands rangers to learn key bush restoration principles and how to ID common native plants

The Understorey May 2014 Edition

New Group - Friends of Nail Can Hill Several environmental and community events have

been run by Parklands Albury Wodonga over the last

few months, showcasing the values of the Nail Can Hill

Reserve to interested locals and park users.

The main aim of the events was to engage local

people who regularly use or have a connection to the

reserve and generate interest among these people to

form a “Friends of Nail Can Hill” group.

These recent community events, and the wildflower

walk which was run by Murray LLS, Parklands Albury

Wodonga and other organisations last spring, have

resulted in over 40 people expressing interest in

forming a new Friends of Nail Can Hill group.

“Friends of” groups are a great way to bring people

together to get real action happening in natural areas.

The group can establish a partnership with Albury City

Council, NSW Crown Lands, private land managers and

other groups with an interest in the reserve. This

relationship can then be utilised to develop a works

plan for the group, run community working bees, talks

or other events, and the friends group can even

generate income for works projects to improve the

iconic Albury reserve into the future.

FRIENDS OF NAIL CAN HILL - INAUGURAL MEETING

WHEN: 6.30pm, June 10th 2014

WHERE: Mitta Mitta Canoe Club meeting rooms,

Noreuil Park Albury.

RSVP: Essential, for catering and seating purposes

Refreshments will be provided and everyone is welcome. For a

copy of the agenda, to contribute agenda items, or for special

dietary requirements please contact Parklands Albury

Wodonga Ranger Stuart Roberton, phone: 0413 817 840 or

email [email protected]

Continental Scale Conservation Slopes to Summit, also known as S2S, is one of ten regional partnerships of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative, which is

one of the world’s largest conservation alliances. Established in 1997, the vision of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative is:

“for the ecosystems of Australia’s Great Eastern Ranges to be healthy and connected, contributing to the long-term

economic, social, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of the community, and of native plants and animals”

As a Slopes to Summit (S2S) partner, Parklands Albury Wodonga is working with Albury residents to increase interest in and community stewardship of the great public bush reserves in our area.

Thank you to the NSW Environmental Trust and Murray Local Land Services for financial support to help run these important community events.

Spillway Reserve Gets a Facelift Parklands Albury Wodonga, in cooperation with

Woolshed—Thurgoona Landcare Group recently ran a

bush restoration workshop at the bush reserve below

the Hume Weir spillway.

The day was a great success, with 21 people turning up

to don gloves, grab tools and get into removing the

woody weeds that have been spreading in the reserve.

Two hectares of woody weed works were completed,

with participants learning how to identify plants and

some key bush restoration techniques as they went.

To finish the day off, the group was lucky enough to get

a close up look at some endangered Squirrel Gliders

that have recently made the reserve their home.

This event was part of Slopes to Summit (S2S). Project

partners included: S2S partners, Woolshed-Thurgoona

Landcare, Murray LLS and NSW Environmental Trust.

Restoring a diverse bush parkland and supporting the spiritual and physical wellbeing of current and future generations

Workshop participants hearing about the endangered Squirrel Glider.

Walk and talk participants at a recent Nail Can Hill S2S event

Big turn out for Corry’s Wood event Despite some heavy rain rolling in just as the day got started, some 40 keen people donned the wet gear and braved the elements to attend the Corry’s Wood Community BBQ and Walk & Talk event at Thurgoona on March 30th.

The Walk and Talk covered a range of topics, from the history of agriculture and development in the area and their impacts on local flora and fauna, to identification of native plants and animals found locally, as well as tips on identifying common problem weeds that are popping up throughout the reserve.

The event was made possible by the support from Slopes to Summit, as well as input from a range of project partners. A special thanks must go to Albury City and the ERNWAG group for the provision of their BBQ trailer for the day.

Several participants on the walk also volunteered to remove some problem woody weeds in the reserve as they went. The cut & paint method of weed removal was used, which involves cutting the woody stump at the base and quickly dabbing glyphosate onto the cut stump to ensure the weed doesn't regrow. It was great to see people “walk the talk” and get their hands dirty to help our local environment.

The interest shown on the day, despite the inclement weather, has really given local residents and members of the Woolshed-Thurgoona Landcare Group and the Thurgoona Progress Association a boost. There will now be more events planned for the area including an upcoming tree planting event on National Tree Day on July 27th.

For more information on the National Tree Day event contact Albury City Council or see the Planet Ark website.

Partners: Slopes to Summit partners, Woolshed-Thurgoona Landcare Group, Thurgoona Progress Association, Albury City Council and NSW Trade & Investment - Crown Lands.

More ways to get involved locally…

May 11 - Bush Restoration Workshop - Wodonga. Join Parklands rangers to learn key bush restoration principles and how to ID common native plants and weeds. Partners: North East CMA & Regional Landcare Program.

May 17 - Whistle Stop Progressive High Tea on the High Country Rail Trail. Bookings essential for this gourmet cycle tour, which is part of the High Country Harvest Festival. See the website: www.highcountryharvest.com Partners: Bonegilla & Tallangatta Rail Trail Advisory Groups

May 24 - Memorial Planting Day at Wodonga Creek Meet 10am at Stock Bridge, Wodonga Creek (north of Belvoir Park, Wodonga. All equipment supplied. Partner: Lester & Co Funeral Directors

June 10 - Friends of Nail Can Hill - First Meeting Partners: Murray LLS, S2S

June 22 - Huon Hill Trail Run (13.8km) Challenging trail run with lots of altitude and nice views. Partner: Riverina Endurance

June 22 - Jarvis Creek ‘Friends of Rail Trail’ Ride 16km return or 50km return mountain bike ride options. Partner: Tallangatta Rail Trail Advisory Group

For specific details on the above events, contact Parklands Albury Wodonga on (02) 6023 6714 or click What’s On on our website at: www.parklands-alburywodonga.org.au

Flora & Fauna - Fact of the month Pink-tailed worm lizard (Aprasia parapulchella) This snake-like lizard which is small enough to fit in your hand, is listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act. Growing to just 14cm long, the lizard is long and thin, with grey-brown scales, a dark brown head and a distinctive pink tail. The lizard is found under flat rocks where it shelters and feeds exclusively on ants and their larvae. Nail Can Hill in Albury is known to have several populations of this secretive reptile species. The main threat to this reptile is the removal of rock for gardens, recreation or agriculture.

The snake-like Pink Tailed Worm Lizard - Fits neatly into your hand and is often mistaken for a baby brown snake

Image: Canberra Times

Corry’s Wood locals hearing how they can help endangered species in their area

Parklands Albury Wodonga Not-for-profit

Community-managed Deductible gift recipient

Social Enterprise

WHO WE ARE: Parklands Albury Wodonga is a not-for-profit, cross-border, community managed public land manager. With 6 staff, an honorary Board of Directors and a commitment to a partnership culture, “we” includes the 95 partner organisations and groups with whom we worked over the past year. By facilitating community - business - government partnerships, “we” collectively implemented nearly $700,000 worth of on-ground outcomes last year.

WHAT WE DO: Conservation, heritage and recreation projects in bush parks from Thurgoona to Tangambalanga, Albury, Lake Hume, Shelley & Wodonga … and eventually along the Murray from Corryong to Corowa/Wahgunyah.

We are also the formally appointed land manager for the High Country Rail Trail Crown corridor from Wodonga to Old Tallangatta, and for 80 km of Crown river frontages along the Kiewa and Murray Rivers and their tributaries.

HOW WE WORK: We work in partnership with the regional community, including 12 Friends Groups, local businesses and tailored volunteer programs to involve, encourage and up-skill youths and marginalised groups.

Social Inclusion: “If you want to travel quicker, go alone. If you want to travel further, go together”. Community involvement and participation in all aspects of the organisation means the social inclusion outcomes are just as important as the physical outcomes in our regional bush parks.

Resources are specifically allocated to support volunteer programs that involve youths, particularly Indigenous youths, long term unemployed, dis-Ability, mental health support groups, refugees and correctional services. We also connect marginalised groups with mainstream friends groups as a way to build a sense of community and social inclusion, while transferring to them new life skills and knowledge.

Building Resilient Communities: Managing public land is inextricably linked to investing in people. It is through this process of connecting communities with nature through involvement that we build capacity, skills, social cohesion, a sense of belonging and this means more resilient communities, active stewardship and ongoing environmental restoration efforts.

Just some of our current partnerships...

APEX Park and Hume Weir Spillway: Replacing environmental woody weeds with native species, installing nest boxes for native birds and animals, and upgrading park infrastructure. Partners: Woolshed Creek Thurgoona Landcare Group, Wodonga Scouts and Albury City Council

Bonegilla Boardwalk: Fabricating and installing two 300 metre-long boardwalks across the Kiewa floodplain on the High Country Rail Trail to provide all weather recreational access. Partners: Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation, Wilson Transformer Company and Bonegilla Rail Trail Advisory Group

Middle Creek and Yackandandah Creek: Replacing invasive Willow Trees and Box Elders with native species. Partners: Baranduda Landcare Group, City of Wodonga and Department of Environment & Primary Industries.

Murray River Parklands: Riparian fencing, revegetation and establishment and promotion of the first stage of the Murray River Adventure Trail. Partners: Riverside Estate, Wodonga TAFE, Hume Building Society, Lester & Son Funeral Directors, Rotary Club of Albury, Albury Wodonga Health, Workways Australia, NSW Office of Water, Department of Environment & Primary Industries, local schools and many others.

Oddies Creek Restoration: This labour intensive project will replace the weed-choked creek with a wildlife corridor made up of locally sourced native plant species. Partners: South Albury Community Group and Albury Council

Restoring timber trestle bridges on the High Country Rail Trail: Work is nearing completion on restoring three historic timber trestle bridges in Darbyshire and Koetong. Partners: Koetong Shelley Development Association, Bonegilla and Tallangatta Rail Trail Advisory Group, Army Reserve Forestry Regiment and Puffing Billy Preservation Society.

Wodonga’s Open Spaces: Supporting Steward Groups and workplaces to enhance the biodiversity of our open spaces. Partners: Wodonga Urban Landcare Network, Gateway Community Health and City of Wodonga.

Do you own a local business and would like to work in partnership with Parklands Albury Wodonga to undertake an environmental project or community event? If so, please contact Parklands Albury Wodonga for more details and possible ideas for donations or project sponsorship.

Corporate sponsorship of an event or having your staff help out at a staff planting day is a great way to give back to the local community and the environment, while also raising your company’s profile in the local area.

Partner with us on the journey… here are some simple ways to get involved:

Adopt an old tree

Bequest

Donate

Event Volunteer

Fundraising Partner

Join a Friends Group

Join an Event

Join the Board of Directors

Marketing Partner

Mentoring Partner

Donate to Parklands Albury Wodonga: We are a not-for-profit organisation. Donations play an important role in

ensuring we can continue our significant environmental and community work. Cheques / money orders are readily accepted via the donation slip below. Credit card donations are also available via the secure website: www.givenow.com.au

PARTNER WITH US AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

138 Lemke Rd, Gateway Island

PO Box 1040, Wodonga, VIC 3689

Telephone: (02) 6023 6714

Fax: (02) 6023 2425

www.parklands-alburywodonga.org.au

Yes, I’d like to help by making a donation to the “Parklands Public Fund” of $ …………...

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First Name

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(if applicable)

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Donations of $2 or more to Parklands Public Fund are tax deductible

Lots of people contributing this year, it all adds up...

The greatest asset in any community is it’s people. Together we can collectively achieve so much more by lots of people contributing a little time or financial support.

Parklands Albury Wodonga is not a funded organisation. We generate volumes of environmental and social inclusion outcomes, and we do this via getting two thirds of our income through a diversity of fundraising activities. This means we can support community aspirations of healthy parks and natural landscapes and greater community access to our waterways.

Lots of on-ground outcomes… 6.3km fences constructed 26,500 seedlings planted

106km environmental corridors maintained 1,900 hectares blackberries sprayed 39 restoration projects on other public lands

Lots of financial supporters… Lots of people contributing adds up

Community Financial Partners: Albury Conservation Company

Baranduda Landcare Group Border Trust

Community members (donations) Friends of Chiltern Mt Pilot NP

Holbrook Landcare Network Kiewa Landcare Network

Nature Conservation Trust of NSW Royal Australian Historical Society

Scanlon Foundation Tallangatta Construction & Maint.

Tallangatta Rotary Club Tangambalanga Lions Club

The R E Ross Trust Wodonga APEX Club

Wodonga Raiders Junior Football Club

Business Financial Partners: Albury Wodonga Health

Dysons Buses Hume Building Society

Lester & Son Funeral Directors Norske Skog Albury

Riverside Housing Estate Specialty Press

Workways

Government Financial Partners: Albury City Council

Albury Wodonga Military Area Australian Government (GVESHO)

City of Wodonga Corrections Victoria

DEPI (Victoria) DEHWPC (Federal)

D. Resources-Energy-Tourism (Federal) Indigo Shire Council

LPMA (NSW) Murray LLS (NSW)

North East CMA (Vic) NSW Office of Water

NSW Office of Environment& Heritage

Lots of people … 12 Friends Groups empowered

9 partner organisations collaborated 95 partner organisations cooperated

1,692 volunteers involved $652,939 volunteer hours contributed 1,070 community members engaged

63 neighbouring landholders consulted

Park Advocate

Park Volunteer

Purchase Goods & Publications

Purchase Environmental Services

School Volunteer Program

Special Project Volunteer

Sponsor

Tailored Volunteer Project

Workplace Giving

Workplace Volunteering