Growing Regenerative Farming Systems
Growing Regenerative Farming Systems is an exciting 4 year project between UGLN and Goulburn Murray Landcare Network. The project provides practical learning opportunities where farmers and land managers come together and hear from experienced presenters and share their own experiences. The first workshop is the Holistic Management course, being held in Yarck, focusing on regenerative pasture management, soil carbon building, species diversity, understanding soil structure and the services a healthy soil can provide.
Environmental Education In Schools
Our Project Officers and Facilitators are currently working with 10 schools in the Murrindindi Shire. We discuss with the schools their environmental programs and wishes and work with each school to assist them to achieve their goals. For example, Buxton Primary School have a bush block they have cleared of weeds, revegetated with indigenous bird attracting plants and created pathways for safe access. Guest speakers have visited the school to talk to the students about identifying the local bird species. Several of the schools have a focus on healthy, local, sustainable food and so have developed vegetable gardens at their schools.
Kids Teaching Kids Forum
The Kids Teaching Kids forum is held each year in the Yea Wetlands, bringing all 10 schools together. This program is based on the Australia-wide Kids Teaching Kids program developed by Aaron Wood where children share their environmental learning with each other, creating ownership and a passion for learning and the environment.
Learning with Landcare
Learning with Landcare provides an introductory forum for new landholders and particularly landholders with properties smaller than 200 acres. The attendees are provided information regarding what their responsibilities are with pest plant and animal management, animal husbandry and the legal requirements of owning stock, biodiversity on your property and planning for fire. Following on from this forum we provide informative workshops on various topics as requested by landholders such as; weed identification, property planning considerations, soil testing, horse care and many more.
Great Victorian Rail Trail
Five Landcare Groups in the UGLN have adopted sections of the rail trail in their patch to support the shire and manage those sections with picnic areas, weed control and where needed, revegetation. We also have a weed mapping and management program along the trail from Trawool to Merton. This program has been made possible in the past with funding from the State Government. The UGLN has recently secured funding through VicTracks to continue this work. Nature walks along the trail, National Tree Day plantings, weed identification and working bees are some of the activities of this program.
Priority Weed Control
The UGLN currently has funding through the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority Victorian Landcare Grants to provide subsidies for landowners for the cost of purchasing chemicals to spray Regionally Controlled weeds. These weeds include Blackberry, Gorse, Broom, Chilean Needle Grass, Serrated Tussock and Japanese Honeysuckle. The subsidy is 50% of the cost of chemicals up to $300. Click here to access the claim form.
Alexandra Composting Program
Incorporated into the school program, we have a small amount of funding to support a community based program in partnership with Alexandra Secondary School and Murrindindi Shire Council. VCAL students from the High School visit many of the businesses in Alexandra and collect their food waste. This is then taken to the community vegetable garden at the Embassy of Ideas, Alexandra, with the help of their trusty 'Worms on Wheels' Bike where the group have built compost bays.
Queensland Fruit Fly Monitoring Program (QFF)
UGLN, in partnership with Agriculture Victoria and Murrindindi Shire Council, are currently running a QFF monitoring program in the Murrindindi Shire.
This program aims to bring awareness to community regarding this damaging insect. Due to the fantastic vigilance of our monitoring participants, we have been able to confirm 3 cases of QFF in the area, specifically in Trawool, Yea and Murrindindi.
UGLN have QFF traps and replacement baits available free of charge for community members who are willing to be a part of this monitoring program.
King Parrot Creek Fox Control Program
With support from DELWP, Parks Victoria, Murrindindi Shire Council and GBCMA, UGLN are supporting landowners to manage fox numbers on their properties. This program features information workshops, Farm Chemical User Permit workshops and raising community awareness regarding the impact of foxes on native wildlife and stock. Our Project Officer, Chris Cobern, manages and reports on the achievements of the fox control project.
Ribbons of Remnant Roadsides
Our immediate past president was the brainchild behind this program. Bruce saw the need to protect our roadsides from wood collection for firewood and invasive weeds.
Many of the roadsides in the shire have high Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs), which means the native vegetation needs to be protected. This program involves weed management, revegetation where required and building community awareness around the value of these sites through flora and fauna walks and signage.
