CMS Feed

Advancing On-Ground Nature Conservation

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:53:54 EST

The Desert Uplands Build-up and Development Strategy Committee (DUBDSC) has been running The Advancing On Ground Nature Conservation (AOGNC) program since 1999 and to this point in time has been a huge success. Funding for the many rounds of this program has mainly come from National Heritage Trust through the three Regional Bodies that the Desert Uplands transects, being Desert Channels Qld (DCQ), NQ Dry Tropics NRM and Southern Gulf Catchments (SGC), and a small amount from Qantas.

Fenced off natural spring

This project provides funds to landholders for on-ground works that will actively protect, restore or assist with better land management, native vegetation and waterways and enhance available habitats.

ON-GROUND WORKS COVERED UNDER THIS PROJECT

Fencing - to restrict stock access and allow strategic spelling of fragile areas and soil types.
Stock watering points - installation or relocation of watering points to decrease stock impacts on riparian areas, wetlands or springs.
Weed and pest control - including burning to reduce woody tree or weed thickening.
Other infrastructure or works that maintain or enhance the natural values of an area.

From 1999 - 2007 110 projects have been funded which equates to approximately $1,170,000 being spent on ground. When on-ground work is funded landholders contribute at least 50% of the project costs with the average being around 60% In monetary values this equates to over $3 million, including in-kind landholder contribution, being spent over the last eight years.

OTHER ON GROUND FUNDING

The DUBDSC has also been success in running on ground works through the National Landcare Program (NLP) and Envirofund. A total of 37 projects have been successful with $765,000 being spent on on-ground works.

Over 35% of landholders in the Desert Uplands have applied to participate in conservation projects with the DUBDSC since 1999. During this time the DUBDSC has managed a total of 147 on-ground projects and devolved over $1.935,000 for these projects. Including landholder contributions there has been $4.2 million spent in conservation work through the on-ground projects.

This project has now been completed

Recognising Women Farmers

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:48:25 EST

Women Empowered Everywhere

Almost 70 ladies and a handful of enthusiastic gentlemen, from across the Central West walked away feeling empowered, enlightened and energised after attending Empowering Women Forum in Barcaldine.

The forum, held on Tuesday 9th March brought a number of well known and highly respected speakers to the region to share their skills, knowledge and experiences. Topics included achieving goals, mental health and stress management, succession planning and business management.

The day began with a chicken and champagne breakfast then Margaret Bridgeford from Resource Consulting Services gave a detailed presentation on business management and the business environment in western Queensland.

Robyn Pulman gave an inspirational and motivational presentation sharing skills to improve your life, identifying and achieving your goals, family and work relationships and how to consciously make choices in your life that leads to happiness. Robyn refers to it as ‘Personal Mastery’.

Linda McDouall as a psychologist talked candidly about metal issues with a rural perspective. The Lawrie women from the central coast offered their inspirational take on what is required to be a strong feminie force in the grazing industry. The forums included a number of trade displays from local businesses such as quilting materials, beauty products, beauty therapy, photography, art and local produce. A number of organisations including Rural Fire Service, Royal Flying Doctors Service, West N’ Breast Support Group also displayed the programs and services they offer.

The Desert Uplands Build-Up & Development Strategy Committee, supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under its Australia’s Farming Future program, anticipated the need to directly engage women of the west in capacity building workshops. The strong and positive response and the great value to the attendees confirmed this, as did the second Empowering Women Forum in Pentland the following day, 10th March with a similarly enthusiastic and appreciative group of women of the northern Desert Uplands.

For more information please contact the Desert Uplands office on 0746511002 or email info@desertuplands.org.au.

Blueprint For The Bush Weed Project

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:35:01 EST

In 2006 the Desert Uplands Committee (DUC) was successful in obtaining $440,000 for weed control across the seven Shires in the Desert Uplands Bioregion. Blueprint for the Bush weed project is part of the Queensland Government's Blueprint for the Bush, a 10-year plan to build a sustainable, liveable and prosperous rural Queensland.

The proposal put to Government was to utilise the Rural Lands Officers (RLOs) employed by the Shire Councils to organise the weed control measures. These are the people who know the strategic areas that need to be treated. The idea of this was to use already available resources and not employ a Project Officer from DUC. This allows more dollars to reach on ground activity.

All seven Shire Councils contributed to, and supported the project. They will supply the RLO, car and internal administration costs for the project. The Shire Councils will be able to use 30% of their allocated funding on stock routes and town commons in the Desert Uplands Region and the remainder will go to landholders. The RLOs will contact landholders, organise spraying contractors and monitor progress of the work undertaken whilst the landholders will supply chemical and diesel.

There will be a Management Agreement with landholders committing them to continuing treatment after the completion of funding. Landholders will also be responsible for filling in a diary to follow the progress of the treatments and have before, during of and after photos taken at the same GPS location. This will allow concise reporting to Government and also assist the mapping of weeds on properties if landholders are willing to mark on their property map the location of any known weeds.

Each Council will receive an equal amount of the funding and the project runs for two (2) years. The two Regional Bodies, Desert Channels Queensland and Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM both supported and contributed financially to the project. Letters of support were also supplied by Central Highlands Natural Resource Management Group, Aramac Landcare Group, Rural Lands Officers, Natural Resources and Water, Emerald and Blackall. -Our thanks to all who contributed and supported the project.

The seven shires are Blackall, Barcaldine, Jericho, Aramac, Flinders, Dalrymple and Belyando.

Contact Desert Uplands

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 16:56:15 EST

Staff Contacts:

Nina House - Administration Officer
Mobile: 0429 691 831
Email: nina.house@desertuplands.org.au

Current Newsletter

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:58:36 EST

No description available

Past Newsletters

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:54:25 EST

No description available

Build-Up and Development Strategy Committee

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 9:40:01 EST

The Desert Uplands Build-Up and Development Strategy Committee (DUBDSC) is a not for profit community group. The group was formed in 1995 and since then have been successfully completing projects to address regional issues. It is a dynamic group with strong community leadership who prides itself on achieving results.

The DUBDSC vision is "That the people of the Desert Uplands will, through sustainable economic and environmental development, progressively increase their standard of living and quality of life".

The DUBDSC motto is "delivering community solutions for regional issues"

Whats new......

Workshops and field day information available on the calendar of events
2008/09 List of Committee members and meeting dates
Photo Gallery - Images from around the region

The Committee

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:40:56 EST

Committee:

The Desert Uplands is one of the longest running regional strategy groups in Queensland. The role of the DUBDSC is to address economic, environmental and social issues faced by landholders and their communities within the Desert Uplands bioregion.

The Desert Uplands Committee consults extensively with the wider community and public authorities and has developed strategies to improve the viability of communities and the sustainability of land use within the Desert Uplands.

The Committee also initiates and coordinates research projects, prepares submissions for funding and provides information to assist graziers in property management.

The Committee is made up of local community members who meet every two months around the region and hold meetings where the public are invited to attend.

Committee Structure:

Chairperson - Robyn Adams (photo right)

Vice-Chair - Bruce Currie

Treasurer - Jess McKinlay

Committee members:

Rebecca Arnaboldi,

Damian Arthur,

Robert Cameron,

Phil Cook,

Jane Dickson,

Gerry Fogarty - Main Roads

Margaret House,

Peter Klem - NRW,

Frank Lawrence,

Glenys Lawrence,

Frank Manwaring

Lew Markey - DPI,

Juliana McCosker,

Loretta McKeering,

Serg Pelizzari,

David Thompson,

Peter Whip,

Bronwyn White,

Natalie Williams

If you would like more information about the Committee or would like to become a Committee member then please contact the Desert Uplands office.

Regional Bodies

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:19:16 EST

Regional Bodies:

The Desert Uplands Bioregion lies over two major catchments that almost split the region in half, north-south. The two regional bodies that represent these catchments are the NQ Dry Tropics to the east and Desert Channels Queensland Inc. on the western side. Southern Gulf NRM also cover the North west corner of the Desert Uplands region.

Desert Channels Queensland

Desert Channels Queensland (DCQ) is a community group, funded by the Federal and State governments. DCQ's region covers a third of Queensland from Torrens Creek to Birdsville and Tambo to Camooweal.

Desert Channels Queensland is run by a dedicated group of community representatives who draw on experience in primary production, local government, Great Artesian Basin, Aboriginal issues and conservation.

DCQ is all about building partnerships in the community to help sustainably manage the region's natural resources for the future.

It does this through:

Funding

Information

Networks

Expertise

DCQ works closely with its internal implementation groups, the Georgina Diamantina Catchment Committee and the Cooper's Creek Catchment Committee and the cross-regional implementation group, Desert Uplands Committee to tackle issues such as weeds, feral animals, water management, land degradation, biodiversity conservation, Indigenous cultural heritage, spring and wetland management, and community capacity building.

DCQ is principally funded through the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust. It also receives funding from the State both in cash and in-kind.

For more information about Desert Channels Queensland see their website; www.dcq.org.au

NQDry Tropics

NQ Dry Tropics is a community based, not-for-profit company established in 2002 to deliver on-ground Natural Resource Management (NRM) and enhance the community's involvement in those activities throughout the Burdekin Region.

The NQ Dry Tropics Region is one of six National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and one of fifteen Natural Heritage Trust regions in Queensland. Located in north east Queensland and covering an area of 133,432 square km the NQ Dry Tropics Region accounts for approximately 8% of the State. The region extends into marine waters and includes Magnetic Island and the Palm Island Group.

The region is highly diverse in both land-type and land-use with a large agricultural, mining and industrial base. It encompasses the Burdekin and Belyando-Suttor catchments and has three main bioregions (Einsasleigh Uplands, Brigalow Belt and the Wet Tropics). Major population centres in the region include Townsville-Thuringowa, Ayr, Bowen and Charters Towers. There are 11 Local Government Authorities in the region. Ninety percent of the approximately 190, 000 people living in the region reside in Townsville-Thuringowa.

In addition to our long and close relationship with Desert Uplands, NQ Dry Tropics has formalised strategic partnerships with other community NRM groups including Dalrymple Landcare Committee, Central highlands Regional Resource Use Planning Cooperative Ltd. and Conservation Volunteers Australia. .

For more information about BDTNRM and our activities in the region visit our website at

www.nqdrytropics.org.au

Download the Regional NRM map (PDF file)

Property Management Planning

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:00:47 EST

The Property Management Project (PMP) began in December 2006 and was started as result of monitoring and evaluation conducted by the Desert Uplands Committee. As a result of this monitoring and evaluation work the committee recognised that there was a strong interest from land holders, in the Desert Uplands, concerning different aspects of property management planning. This project aims to deliver information that will provide landholders with decision making tools, allowing them to implement informed management decisions and planning techniques to achieve sustainable and productive outcomes.

In December of 2006 the Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management board funded the PMP project for the Desert Uplands. The project was designed to achieve its goals by using three techniques to involve land holders, these include;

One on one property visits discussing issues and providing information on natural resource management.

The one on one property visits are aimed at delivering information to land holders, supplying them with industry contacts, information on funding bodies and funding arrangements that may help them implement natural resource management techniques on their properties.

Capacity Building Projects

Some of the capacity building exercises that have been developed for this project include workshops covering the following areas;

Field Days on properties with strong local land holder input, showcasing land management techniques that have achieved positive natural resource management outcomes within the Desert Uplands.

Desert Steps Ahead Property Visits, providing you with information and support relevant to current property management challenges

Understanding climate workshops

GPS training

GIS workshops

Grazing Land Management Workshops

Funding on-ground conservation projects on properties

Within the project there has been $150 000 allocated to assist landholders on a 50:50 basis to design environmentally beneficial projects and implement them on their properties. The 50% contribution from the landholder can be an in-kind contribution where time labouring and machinery usage can be offset against the funds received. This project has been funded by Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM and as a part of the funding arrangement it has been stipulated that the on-ground funding be allocated to properties within the Burdekin River Catchment and its tributaries. As of May 2007 this money has been allocated after applications were assessed.

This project was successful in

a) Linking on-ground works outcomes, building landholder capacity to initiate actions towards achieving planning outcomes under both the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM Plan and the Desert Uplands Committee’s Strategic Plan,
b) Continuing and building on the DUBDSC’s previous successes,
c) Building on other initiatives currently being undertake in the DU, and
d) Providing strong integration between capacity building (Desert Steps Ahead), the provision of tools (e.g., PMP), and the use of incentives.

This project is now completed