Regional Landcare Facilitators going Social

During the 20011 National Regional Landcare Facilitators meeting in Melbourne this week, facilitators from across Australia explored the values of promoting the NRM/Landcare message via social media, whats going on with the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) and how to best engage their local communities.

In a digital world, where environmental action is becoming more sought after, one of the challenges of Landcare is getting the message out and attracting volunteers to events, both locally and from afar.

Social media may just be the key.

It was agreed that timely and appropriate use of social media (such as Place Stories) has the potential to increase the communities understanding and appreciation of Landcare activities, as well as taking local issues to the global community.

The group also got an update on the CFI from Australian Government representatives, including information on the funding available, how they relate to each other and the time frame for delivery of incentive programs.

We also ran a break-out session where small groups tried to untangle some of the barriers to successful engagement of their communities.

Overall the meeting was a great success, and a chance to discuss common issues in Landcare across the nation, get up to date info on the national Landcare program and forge new and exciting networks with other Regional Landcare Facilitators.

For more infromation on any of the above topics, email info@wheatbeltnrm.org.au

Regional Landcare Facilitators Meeting: 17-18th November 2011

This week Regional Landcare Facilitators from all over Australia are meeting in Melbourne to discuss national Natural Resource Management (NRM) issues and develop plans for working with communities across Australia to promote NRM in their 'backyards'

Wheatbelt NRM's Regional Landcare Facilitators Sally Sprigg (nee Raynor) and Mick Davis will be attending the two day meeting to ensure that any and all NRM issues from the wheatbelt are put on the agenda, as well as determining how our work fits in with other Regional Landcare Facilitators across the Nation.

Mick will be updating the blog to provide some info to anyone who'sd interested, so don't forget to 'follow' us so you stay up to date!

Biodiversity Hotspots

Global biodiversity hotspots 

Australia is one of seventeen countries described as being 'megadiverse'. This group of countries has less than 10% of the global surface, but support more than 70% of the biological diversity on earth.

The concept was first developed by Russell Mittermeier in 1988, as a way to prioritise conservation action.

 

Map showing location of 'Megadiverse' countries

National biodiversity hotspots

The Australian Government announced 15 national biodiversity hotspots in October 2003. Whilst international biodiversity hotspots have been identified for some time, this was the first attempt to identify biodiversity hotspots at the national scale.

These 15 areas are examples of locations that contain particularly high levels of biodiversity under threat. 

10. Central and Eastern Avon Wheatbelt (Western Australia)

The dominant vegetation of this area includes woodlands of Wandoo, York Gum, Salmon Gum, Casuarina and some areas of proteaceous scrub heaths. The woodlands contain many of Western Australia's threatened plants and birds. 

The area is particularly rich in endemic plants - Grevilleas, Hakeas, Eucalypts, Acacias, Eriostemons, and the Asteracea family - and invertebrates, particularly ground-dwelling spiders.

 

Most of the native vegetation has been cleared for agriculture and grazing, leading to extensive salinity problems over one-third of the area. Remnant vegetation, wetlands, river systems, populations of species and ecosystems are in poor condition, and the fragmentation of vegetation means an increased threat of weeds, fire, and feral animals.

Sedimentation, salination and other pressures such as water diversion and water pollution threaten the area's nationally important wetlands.

For detailed info on the flora and fauna of the Avon Wheatbelt IBRA Region visit the Biodiversity Programs resources page.

For more information about Biodiversity Hotspots visit this link, or contact Wheatbelt NRM on info@wheatbeltNRM.org.au