Cradle to Coastlines - September 2020

Page 9

Protecting and enhancing our region’s natural resources

Native orchid spotting

September 2020

cradle to coastlines

cradle to coastlines in this issue Page 3 Three Hummock Island Page 4 Take responsibility for our Little Penguins

Page 6 Little Penguin friendly pets

Page 8 Dog friendly beaches Page 9 Orchid-spotting on the

3

Cradle Coast

6

Page 10 Tree planting, Burnie and Devonport

Page 11 Pilot cat control project Page 12 Keep your cat happy at home

Page 13 Pied Oystercatchers Page 14 Recording incidental bird sightings

Page 14 Winter shorebird survey Page 15 Whats under the cover?

Page 16 Welcome Mike

13

9

14

Thomson

Page 16 UTAS Social Research Page 17 Funding Finder Page 17 Rubicon Rice Grass information flyer

Page 18 Have you tasted an Angasi Oyster?

Page 19 Weeds Action Fund

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19

Front cover: Black-striped Greenhood, Pterostylis melagramma (Photo credit: Craig Broadfield)

1-3 Spring St, Burnie Tasmania 7320 03 6433 8400 www.cradlecoast.com www.facebook.com/CradleCoastNRM/

Three Hummock Island project update Feral cats are a big threat to Hooded Plovers.

We have wildlife cameras in place, monitoring for cat activity around the island, and we also have two feral cats fitted with GPS collars. These two will give us valuable data about the habitats that feral cats use, and also let us know how effective our planned cat control activities are next year.

This project is supported by the Cradle Coast Authority with funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Our project working on protecting Hooded Plovers on Three Hummock Island is starting up again after a delay because of travel restrictions.

Three Hummock Island is a wild, remote place, managed by Tasmania PWS as a State Reserve, but even so, there are many human impacts.

The invasive weed, Sea Spurge, has been mapped on all the island’s main beaches – we plan to remove it before it takes over all the space that Hooded Plovers need to nest.

Check out this golf ball collected during a marine debris clean-up. The marking indicates that it spent time at Seabrook Golf Course at Wynyard, about 100 km away, before being washed up on Three Hummock Island. Plastic travels a long way, and as you can see from this photo, it breaks down into tiny pieces that can kill marine and coastal animals.

Two cats were trapped, sedated by a professional wildlife ecologist, and fitted with GPS collars.

One of the collared cats photographed near a trap.

p. 3

Taking responsibility for our Little Penguins Of all the Australian states, Tasmania has the highest proportion of its population (99%) living within 50 kilometres of the coast. Despite our chilly climate, we prize our nearness to the water, and we build shacks, pathways, playgrounds and homes near the beach. In some urban areas, residents literally have penguins living on their doorstep, burrowing under their houses or in their backyard. How special is that?

Cradle Coast Authority, Member Councils, governments, and community groups have learnt a lot about penguins and the threats they face on land and at sea over the last 25 years. We’ve built penguin fences to stop them being run over by cars and trains. We’ve documented the location of penguin colonies in urban areas and developed management plans to help protect them. We’ve raised community awareness about Little Penguins and provided examples of how we can all help to look after them better. We’re certainly heading in the right direction, with Little Penguins recently declared to be “sensitive wildlife” by the Tasmanian Government. The Stanley Peninsula and the coastal strip from Wynyard to Don Heads have been declared as sensitive wildlife areas and additional penalties for dog attacks apply.

(Photo credit: Perviz Marker)

Unfortunately, on land, the threats continue: clearing habitat, feral and domestic cats and dog attacks. Many coasters were justifiably horrified to recently hear about more penguin deaths at Camdale. Last year there were more than 40 penguin deaths reported at Wynyard, leaving at least 10 penguin chicks orphaned. Over the years, Little Penguin deaths have also been reported at Stanley, Sulphur Creek, King Island and West Ulverstone culminating in hundreds of deaths.

Historically, some colonies have been wiped out, and others have been severely impacted by the loss of mature breeding birds. Nearly all of these have been confirmed as dog attacks.

p. 4

As our coast becomes more popular, with more houses, more people, more pets and an increase in beach usage, we need to start rethinking how we use the coast. The Cradle Coast could be that special region where people have made an extra effort through small but significant changes in their everyday actions to protect our beaches, our coastal wildlife and our treasured lifestyle.

We have seven community groups whose members volunteer as penguin guides, providing education, looking after habitat and caring for injured or orphaned birds and it’s important to keep supporting them.

However, we shouldn’t leave it entirely to others to do the job for us. Everyone must take responsibility. We can all play a role by setting higher expectations of ourselves and others when it comes to respecting the rules around “No Dog” beaches and preventing our pet dogs and cats from roaming.

It’s not hard to imagine the Cradle Coast region becoming famous internationally for the way we look after our penguins and share them with the rest of the world, but it requires meaningful change and that starts with each of us.

Written by: Daryl Connelly, CEO, Cradle Coast Authority.

Everyone must take responsibility. We can all play a role by setting higher expectations of ourselves and others when it comes to respecting the rules around “No Dog” beaches and preventing our pet dogs and cats from roaming.

Penguin footprints in the sand.

p. 5

Make sure your best friend is "penguin-friendly"!

Other initiatives to protect Little Penguins that the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment is supporting include: Establishment of the Tasmanian Penguin Advisory Group (TPAG) to provide expert advice to DPIPWE, regarding conservation and management of Little Penguins in Tasmania. The group comprises penguin and coastal habitat experts, including representatives from BirdLife Tasmania, CSIRO, the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, the Derwent Estuary Program, as well as a community-based Little Penguin scientist, and staff from the Parks and Wildlife Service and DPIPWE’s Marine Conservation Program.

The appointment of DPIPWE wildlife biologist, Dr. David Pemberton, to work with relevant councils to promote the changes to the Dog Control Act, as well as working with Parks and Wildlife centres, Wildcare groups, tour operators and other interested groups on their implementation.

David can be contacted on 0439 558 215 or via email atDavid.Pemberton@dpipwe.tas.gov.au

Little Penguin disturbed during moulting by dogs at Sulphur Creek. (Photo credit: Anna Wind)

Ongoing dog attacks on Little Penguins have highlighted the need for increased education and awareness of penguins breeding along our coastline and the need for more innovative thinking about what we can do to stop dogs attacking penguins.

Recent dog attacks have triggered Councils, community groups, State Government and the Cradle Coast Authority to work together to find practical solutions to address the issue.

The Tasmanian Government recently made changes to the Dog Control Act to give greater protection to sensitive wildlife, with new penalties for the owners of dogs that attack Little Penguins in a designated "sensitive area", and increased penalties for dog attacks anywhere they occur.

p. 6

The ongoing efforts of dedicated community groups and Councils to enhance penguin habitats need to continue. We can upgrade penguin protection fencing to keep penguins safe and deter roaming dogs from entering penguin habitat. We can ensure there is clear and consistent signage to define where dogs are permitted and prohibited and advertising any changes widely. We can increase patrols of “no-dog zones”. We need to ensure there are suitable alternatives for dog exercise areas.

An innovative program such as Leave It could be replicated to engage dog owners to reduce interaction and dog attacks on penguins.

Let’s keep on working together to find solutions to protect our furry and feathered friends.

But most importantly, we need to continue to increase awareness about Little Penguins and support dog owners to train their dogs to be wildlife friendly.

The Tasmanian Government and The Cradle Coast Authority acknowledge the ongoing efforts of dedicated community groups and Councils to enhance penguin habitats, and is working to support dog owners’ increased awareness of Little Penguins and other wildlife vulnerable to dog attack.

“Leave it” is a dog training program focused on reducing dog and koala interactions and a successful example of a community project design developed by the Griffith University.

Dog attacks are the third most common cause of death among koalas.

Little Penguins in rehab. (Photo credit: Anna Wind)

p. 7

SENSITIVE PENGUIN AREAS This map shows the three areas you can view Little Penguins in our region: Godfreys Beach, Stanley Parsonage Point, Burnie and Lillico Beach, Devonport.

Godfreys Beach Penguin Observation Platform

Burnie Little Penguin Observation Platform

Lillico Beach Penguin Observation Area

Learn more about penguins from our Little Penguin online learning package and Sensitive Area information, including about what fines apply. www.cradlecoast.com/online-learning-packages/

SEE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL WEBSITES FOR DETAILS ABOUT WHERE DOGS ARE PROHIBITED AND ALLOWED.

Orchids of the Cradle Coast Do you follow Field Naturalists of Tasmania or Tasmanian Native Orchids on Facebook?

If so, you have probably admired the photographs of Craig Broadfield and Greg Close, two avid local naturalists and talented photographers.

Both Greg and Craig have a knack for discovering and photographing orchids, which can often be very small, hidden, and in flower for short periods. October to December is the best time for seeing orchid flowers, but in recent months there has been quite an array if you know where to look.

Craig took this photograph of the Blackstriped Greenhood, Pterostylis melagramma, in the Dial Range Regional Reserve on 16 August, 2020, and he says, “We are so fortunate to have on our doorstep in the north-west some amazing and varied landscapes and environments to explore.

Orchids can be quite a challenge to locate.

Getting down to their level in their habitat opens up a whole new world in miniature; a world that abounds in small herbaceous plants, ferns, mosses, lichens, fungi and arthropods. Capturing these gems on “film” is only a small part of what drives me to get out into the great outdoors as often as time permits.”

Some great places to see orchids are between Sisters Beach and Rocky Cape on the walking track through the National Park, Henry Somerset Reserve, Warrawee Reserve, Kelcey Tier Reserve, and on the walking tracks through the Dial Range.

If you would like to learn more about native orchids, you can come to the Cradle Coast Authority office in Burnie where we have copies of the Beginner’s Guide to the Common Orchids of North West Tasmania, a very handy booklet produced by the Central North Field Naturalists and the Cradle Coast Authority. Photos can be uploaded to one of the two Facebook groups above, or to iNaturalist, where an expert is sure to help you with your identification!

Photo left: Black-striped Greenhood, Pterostylis melagramma (Photo credit: Craig Broadfield) Photo right: Mayfly Orchid, Acianthus caudatus.

(Photo Credit: Greg Close)

p. 9

Member Councils busy with tree planting

TasTAFE students planting at Shorewell Creek.

Winter on the Cradle Coast is tree planting time!

Our Member Councils have been busy this year, with impressive results that you might see on your travels around the region.

Burnie City Council has managed plantings at five sites, with 1700 plants going in the ground.

Council staff were assisted by Tas TAFE students from the Conservation Land Management course at one of the sites.

Don College students help plant along the Devonport City Council coast.

At Devonport City Council, more than 2000 plants were planted throughout the municipality at 11 different sites from coastal plantings at the beach through to riparian zones in wet Eucalypt forest. The Friends of Don Reserve helped with the majority of these plantings, as well as students from Don College and indoor staff from Devonport City Council.

We’ll have an update on other Member Councils’ NRM work in our next newsletter too!

Devonport city council staff member, Danielle, plants a tree on the bank of the Don.

p. 10

Pilot cat control project by the Central Coast Council Feral, stray and even roaming domestic cats can have a devastating impact on our native wildlife. Cats are highly efficient predators, but they are also carriers of toxoplasmosis, a disease which can be fatal to a number of Australian marsupials including bandicoots, wombats, possums, pademelons and wallabies.

Cats have become increasingly prevalent in the coastal strip between Preservation Bay and Howth, and the Central Coast Council, in collaboration with the Sulphur Creek Preservation Bay Coastcare Group and the RSPCA, has started a pilot cat control program in the region to protect sensitive wildlife such as shorebirds and Little Penguins.

Trapping along the 5.7 km coastal strip started at the end of June and lasted six days. A total of 17 cats were trapped.

Four of the cats were taken to the RSPCA; two of these were reclaimed, one has been adopted and the other is awaiting adoption.

The remaining 13 feral cats have been humanly euthanised. A second round of trapping will be occurring at the end of August.

The project has been a great success and the reactions from the residents have been overwhelmingly supportive. It is great to see the Central Coast Council establishing valuable partnerships and proactively managing the growing issue of stray and feral cats.

The project was funded by the Federal Government Communities Environment Program, applied for by the Sulphur Creek Preservation Bay Coastcare Group.

A feral cat captured by a wildlife camera amongst coastal vegetation.

p. 11

TassieCat can help you keep your cat happy at home More and more cat owners are realising the advantages of keeping their cat at home; the cat is safe from accidents and diseases, there are fewer vet bills to pay, wildlife is safe and owners create a stronger bond with their cat.

While many cat owners are keen to keep their cat at home, some have said that they don’t know how to tackle the transition. TassieCat has created a new booklet titled Home, Sweet Home to help with the process. It gives people practical tips and tricks about how they can transition their cat to life at home if they have previously been able to roam, and how to keep a new cat or kitten happily at home.

Cats like routine and transitioning a roaming cat to a life at home is a big change.

Sometimes the cat might start to display a behaviour that owners might find problematic. This can be caused by a number of things such as a lack of basic provisions, boredom, or the transition to indoor life being too abrupt.

To help cats and their owners overcome these behavioural problems, TassieCat has also created a booklet about the five most common cat behavioural issues and tips on how to solve them.

For more information visit

www.tassiecat.com p. 12

Pied Oystercatchers

Australian Pied Oystercatcher at Cooee Beach.

(Photo Credit: Ray Turnbull)

(Photo Credit: Ray Turnbull)

Fast facts

The Rubicon Estuary, a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), is a stronghold for Pied Oystercatchers.

Since 2013, yearly coordinated counts have been undertaken, and usually the Rubicon Estuary KBA Interest Group counts around 400 Pied Oystercatchers at various sites in the Rubicon Estuary. This year there were only 293 recorded, meaning that around 100 birds were not sighted.

The Australian Pied Oystercatcher is black with a white breast and belly. All oystercatchers have a bright orange-red bill, eye-rings and legs and a red eye. Oystercatchers prefer feeding on extensive intertidal mudflats, especially in Tasmania and Victoria. They can be seen probing the sand or mud with their long bills in search of sandworms, molluscs or crabs.

Oystercatchers breed on beaches in the Cradle Coast from September to April.

The population estimate for Australian Pied Oystercatchers is 11,000. One percent would equal 110 birds, which means the Rubicon Estuary supports a significant population in a small area.

Pied Oystercatchers breed in pairs with a breeding territory of 200m which is defended by both birds. Nests are built on sand, shell grit or shingle, just above high-water mark on beaches, sandbars and along estuaries and lagoons and they lay 2–3 eggs.

Pied Oystercatchers have previously been sighted roosting at the Port Sorell boat ramp.

Currently, the boat ramp is not favoured by the birds as a comfortable roost. They may have found alternative roosts in pasture or other areas.

Walk on the wet sand to avoid crushing the eggs or disturbing the chicks

We would appreciate reports from the public on sightings of Pied Oystercatchers to find out where they are currently roosting in the Rubicon Estuary. Please keep an eye out for any new sites the birds are using and let us know. We’d be very interested to hear from you. Call Julie Ann on 03 6428 6405 to report a new roost site.

KBAs in the Cradle Coast region and around the world have been identified as globally important for the preservation of wildlife. The BirdLife Australia KBA approach to conservation relies on local experts, community groups and other partners to identify, manage and monitor these sites.

Article contributed by Julie Ann Serafin

p.13

Recording incidental bird sightings

Winter shorebird surveys Before the sun had crept over the horizon, 22 birdwatchers were waiting to travel to their designated shorebird counting areas in the Robbins Passage - Boullanger Bay Key Biodiversity Area (KBA). The survey on the 4 July was the latest instalment of bi-annual shorebird counts in the Cradle Coast.

Eastern Rosella. (Photo credit: Eric J Woehler)

Seeing a bird of prey or another unusual bird is always exciting. It’s important these birds are recorded to let researchers know where and when these birds are being seen. Often sightings of scarce or cryptic birds are missed in routine bird surveys and monitoring events.

Observations of our nocturnal birds, raptors, rarer species such as Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and Striated Fieldwren, and birds out of their usual range, are particularly important. By entering your observations into Birdata, they can be used in the annual State of Tasmania's Birds report and for tracking changes in bird populations as part of the Atlas of Australian Birds. These results are also important for assessing the conservation status of our birds and for informing plans for their protection.

The Incidental Search capability in Birdata allows opportunistic sightings (outside of a planned survey) to be recorded. To assist citizen scientists to start recording their bird observations, BirdLife Tasmania has prepared new fact sheets, funded by the Australian Bird Environment Fund.

The survey covered nine known roost sites in the KBA, including Kangaroo Island, Robbins Island and Perkins Island. Shorebirds flock together at roosting sites around high tide when there is no exposed mud left to feed on.

Volunteers get in position before the birds arrive and count all the shorebirds present at the roost site over a two-hour period after high tide.

Although weather conditions were not great, the count was a success. A total of 14 shorebird species were recorded, represented by 5313 individual birds and included migratory and resident beach-nesting birds.

The diversity of migrant species was greater than previous years, with low numbers of Grey Plover, Eastern Curlew and Sanderling. There were more Double-banded Plover than 2019, a species that breeds in New Zealand but visits Australia in winter, and the counts for Red-necked Stint were three times higher than previous years.

While it is terrific to see such positive results, long-term data is required to accurately determine the population trends for these shorebirds. The shorebird counts in this region have been running for over 15 years, which makes the data from the north-west invaluable. Count data is sent to BirdLife Australia.

Thanks to Hazel Britton for her dedication in organising these surveys.

The BirdLife Tasmania fact sheet for an Incidental Search can be found on the BirdLife Australia website: www.birdlife.org.au/images/uploads/branche s/documents/TASbirdata_Fact_Sheet_Incidental_Search.pdf

Double-banded Plover (Photo credit: Ray Turnbull)

p. 14

What's under the cover?

A display planter box is being used to demonstrate root growth - plant root systems grew to 30 cm in just 14 days. This amount of root growth would certainly contribute to reducing the risk associated with hillslope erosion by water if planted after a summer harvest.

In a field trial of the same seed mix in Ulverstone, an Autumn-sown cover crop has emerged and is clearly reducing erosion. The selection consisted of tic beans, grey peas, lucerne and oats. This combination offers differing root depths and growth forms to provide improved soil retention plus many other soil health benefits. Timing is always key, so sowing and then preparing the site for the next crop will always be determined by the weather; the aim is to not allow too much growth above the surface or let the cover crop go to seed.

For more information about the progress, please contact Ali via: adugand@cradlecoast.com

Display planter box at 14 days post seeding.

This project is supported by the Cradle Coast Authority with funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

There is a lot going on under the soil surface that we don’t fully understand yet, but the benefits that root systems provide have gained a lot more interest in recent times.

The Cradle Coast Authority’s Agriculture Projects team are working with farmers to road-test simple, low risk options to consider in steep vegetable cropping sites between cash crops. The cover crops include a combination of species and are often referred to as “green manure” crops. The trials are part of the Protecting our Productive Soils project.

Autumn-sown cover crop planted at Ulverstone and photographed in July 2020.

p. 15

Welcome, Mike Thomson

UTAS social research Marine and coastal community wellbeing in NW

Maree Fudge at Rocky Cape letting people know about the fabulous online survey on marine and coastal well-being.

We have a big change to announce in the NRM team!

The Cradle Coast Authority has appointed a new manager to oversee Natural Resource Management in the region.

Scottish-born Mike Thomson has more than 30 years of global experience in the aquaculture industry, spanning research and development, aquaculture tech and fish farm operations. He has worked in Scotland, Ireland, Norway, South Australia and New Zealand, and moved to Tasmania with his wife and family in 2012, taking on a role with Petuna.

Mr Thomson holds a Master of Science and has represented the aquaculture industry in a number of international forums. Mr Thomson and his family live at Port Sorell. “We are lucky to live and work in such a bountiful place. I have been offered the most wonderful opportunity to learn more about the unique and beautiful land and seascapes of the Cradle Coast region, and I look forward to working with the CCA team, our partners and the wider community on how best to manage these precious resources” said Mr Thomson.

The whole CCA team, and especially the NRM staff, would like to acknowledge and thank Spencer Gibbs for the amazing job he’s done as Regional NRM Manager for the past three years. Spencer will now be focusing on overseeing all of our Regional Land Partnerships projects.

University of Tasmania researchers, Karen Alexander and Maree Fudge (pictured) are asking residents in Circular Head and King Island how they feel about living by the sea and how it affects their wellbeing.

The researchers anticipate that their study, which is funded by the Australian Government’s Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (www.frdc.com.au), will be used in the future by Tasmanian marine industries and government to help make and monitor decisions about regional development and community well-being.

You can follow the progress of this research on their website www.bluegovernance.com or on their Facebook page @bluegovernancelab.

The survey is open until 21st September 2020, it takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

Karen and Maree strongly encourage anyone with strong connections to the coast and the water to have their say.

The survey can be done here www.app.maptionnaire.com/en/8123/

p. 16

at

Round 4 of the Smart Farms Small Grants are now open!

Apply today!

The Australian Government is offering grants valued between $5,000 and $100,000 to support one to two-year projects that will help farming, forestry and fishing groups and communities increase their awareness, knowledge, skills and capacity to adopt smart and sustainable agriculture practices.

Looking for funding?

The Cradle Coast Authority website now has a ‘Funding Finder’ available for all local businesses, community groups, not-forprofits and individuals. The site provides a comprehensive list of grant and funding opportunities available and is updated daily.

For more information visit: https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/ smart-farms

Applications close at 11:00 pm AEDT, 9 October 2020.

Rubicon Rice Grass information flyer available

You can register to receive emailed alerts for new grants, save your favourites and access tips to help you apply for grants.

As at late August 2020 there are 30 environment and sustainability grants currently available to agricultural businesses in Australia valued at over $514.7 million.

There are also 240 grants currently available to community groups for environmental projects across Australia valued at $145.8 billion!

If you have a project in mind for your business or community group have a look and see if there may be funding available to get you started.

To view the Cradle Coast Funding Finder, visit:

www.cradlecoast.com/funding-finder/

For more detailed information about the Rubicon Rice Grass Project tackling Rice Grass at Squeaking Point, Port Sorell, Bakers Beach and Narawntapu National Park, check out the Project Information flyer here: www.cradlecoast.com/rice-grass-removalfrom-the-rubicon-port-sorell-estuary/

p. 17

Native shellfish reef restoration On the Cradle Coast, too, records from Hunter Island, Sisters Cave, Rocky Cape and middens on the West Coast show that Angasi Oysters and Hairy Mussels were harvested by Aboriginal people for thousands of years, along with other molluscs like abalone, sea snails and limpets.

Plate 2 from Gillies et al (2015): Mixed flat oyster and mussel reef, Georges Bay, Tasmania. (Photo Credit: Chris Gillies)

European colonisation had a devastating impact on native shellfish reefs. Up to the 1860’s in Tasmania, millions of Angasi Oysters

Have you tasted a native Angasi Oyster?

Although Australian oyster-growers currently focus on two species, the Pacific Oyster, and the Sydney Rock Oyster, some farms are experimenting with a third type, the native (or “flat”) Angasi Oyster, Ostrea angasi. For the past few years, those in the know have been able to taste this delicacy at certain restaurants. And by all accounts, it is a unique and delicious addition to the menu.

Outside of the oyster industry, there are others around Australia who are interested in growing Angasi Oysters for another purpose too: ecological restoration.

Prior to European colonisation, southern Australian coastlines had extensive and important near-shore and estuarine shellfish reef ecosystems. These reefs were habitat for all sorts of fish species and the shellfish themselves would have been providing an important function in filtering water and protecting shorelines from wave action. We know from archaeological records (analysis of shells found in middens) that native reefbuilding shellfish species such as Blue Mussel (Mytilus sp.), Hairy Mussel (Trichomya hirsuta), Sydney Rock Oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) and Angasi Oyster, were an important food for First Nations people.

were harvested, at a rate that outstripped their

reproduction.

At

the

same

time,

extensive land clearing caused sedimentation in estuaries which damaged the reefs, and some reefs were directly dredged to use the calcium

carbonate

shells

for

building

materials. The only healthy native shellfish reef left in Tasmania is in Georges Bay. The Nature Conservancy, along with other organisations, have been working to reverse the damage, and restore native shellfish reefs.

Successful projects in Port Phillip Bay and South Australia have made the news. These projects are re-establishing the ecosystem services that shellfish reefs provide, resulting in economic gains through commercial and recreational fisheries improvements, as well as employment opportunities. Perhaps one of the Cradle Coast’s estuaries could benefit from such a project too?

Information in this article was sourced from Gillies CL, Creighton C and McLeod IM (eds) (2015) Shellfish reef habitats: a synopsis to underpin the repair and conservation of Australia’s environmentally, socially and economically important bays and estuaries; as well as from several of Dr Christine Crawford’s IMAS reports, Sumner’s articles about Oysters in Tasmania, and archaeological reports by Jones (1971), Stockton (1982), Bowdler (1984) and Collett (1996).

p. 18

Weeds Action Fund R E G IS T E R YOUR INTEREST

The next round of the state-wide Tasmanian Weeds Action Fund is on its way. The fund takes a strategic and targeted approach to tackling high priority weeds. A small grants round is set to open in spring.

Another round to support larger-scale, more complex projects will be released later this financial year.

Please register your interest ONLINE via the NRM North Weeds Action Fund Contact form and you will be contacted when the guidelines are released or call NRM Engagement Officer Hannah Sadler on 03 6433 8400.

www.nrmnorth.org.au/land/weeds-actionfund/register-your-interest/ Serrated tussock is regarded as one of the worst pasture weeds due to its invasiveness, its competitive nature, and its significant impact on agricultural productivity. It is highly unpalatable to livestock and can lead to loss of condition, and in some cases, death if ingested. In bushland areas, the tussock can outcompete native grasses and reduce biodiversity.

What's news?

Cradle to Coastlines is the newsletter produced quarterly by the Cradle Coast Authority Natural Resource Management team and is distributed to over 750 readers.

If you would like to spread the word about your next community activity or write a short article about the achievements of your community group, send us the details to include in the next edition of Cradle to Coastlines.

Send to: Anna Wind, awind@cradlecoast.com Deadline for December edition: 13 November 2020.

p. 19

Events and activities what

Who and more info

when

Weed Action Fund

Register interest online via www.nrmnorth.org.au/land/weeds-actionfund/register-your-interest/ or call NRM Engagement Officer Hannah Sadler 03 6433 8400.

Spring 2020

The Threatened Species Bake Off

An invitation to Australians to bake a dessert in the shape of a threatened species to commemorate Threatened Species Day on 7th September.

More information is available at www.bit.ly/tsbakeoff

By 7 September 2020

Dogs' Breakfast

A celebration of responsible dog ownership and information about sensitive bird areas. Contact Kathy Grieveson for more information kathygrieveson@gmail.com

Saturday, 10 October 2020

7 September 2020

National Threatened Species Day

Round 4 - Smart Farms Small Grants

For more information visit: www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/smart-farms

Applications close 11:00pm AEDT, 9 October 2020

Aussie Backyard Bird Count

For more information and to get involved visit www.aussiebirdcount.org.au

19 - 25 October 2020

NAIDOC Week

www.naidoc.org.au

8 - 11 November 2020

Australian Pollinator Week and Citizen Science pollinator count

For more information and to get involved visit www.wildpollinatorcount.com/

8 - 15 November 2020

National Landcare Conference and Awards

Sydney See the website for more infomation: www.landcareaustralia.org.au.

10-12 March 2021

1-3 Spring St, Burnie, Tasmania, 7320 03 6433 8400 www.cradlecoast.com www.facebook.com/CradleCoastNRM/