Archive for January, 2015

Peel-Harvey Catchment Council staff Jordan Garbellini and Dr Ryan Hooper wearing Ramsar482 to celebrate World Wetlands Day

Living next to an internationally important wetland system is something Peel residents can treasure and celebrate on 2 February 2015 during World Wetlands Day. The date is celebrated around the world each year to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.
Peel-Harvey Catchment Council chairperson Jan Star urged people to connect with Peel’s wetlands and waterways on World Wetlands Day.
“Our Peel-Yalgorup system is Number 482 of the internationally Ramsar listed wetlands, so we are suggesting people post their World Wetlands Day activity on social media and hashtag #Ramsar482 on 2 February 2015 to celebrate our patch,” Jan Star said.
“Take a walk around the inlet, get onto the waterways on a canoe or a boat, or take a picnic, a camera and photograph our shorebirds. We have a limited edition of Peel Yalgorup Ramsar #482 t-shirts available from our Sutton Street office as well as other Wetlands souvenirs.”
Western Australia has 12 wetlands listed as being of international importance under the Ramsar treaty which is dedicated to the conservation and wise use of wetlands. The theme for World Wetlands Day 2015 is Wetlands for Our Future.
“Since European settlement Western Australia has lost, and continues to lose, much of its wetlands. Wetlands are a litmus test for the broader environment – healthy wetlands are indicators of healthy land around them. Be aware that our Ramsar 482 Wetlands need your help and pick up litter before it enters our water ways. Good management of wetlands is an important part of protecting our environmental assets of the State for the benefit the future generations,” Jan Star said.
To celebrate World Wetlands Day, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat is also running a photographic competition for 15-24 year olds. The winner will receive a free flight to a famous wetland of their choice anywhere in the world. To enter, take a picture of your favourite wetland with your phone or digital camera between 2 February and 2 March 2015, and upload it to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat’s World Wetlands Day 2015 website http://www.worldwetlandsday.org/en/

ENDS

Contact: Jane O’Malley, Executive Officer, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, Jane.Omalley@peel-harvey.org.au , (08) 6369 8800

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Alex Watt is set to enjoy a produce hamper for his input.

Mandurah, 27 January 2015…Local Williams resident Alex Watt’s input on the draft Hotham-Williams Natural Resource Management Plan being undertaken by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council has earned him a $200 Marradong Country produce hamper.

Over 1700 community members were invited to provide feedback via a five minute survey relating to the PHCC’s Rivers 2 Ramsar project which Alex completed. Feedback was sought to identify priorities in natural resource assets, issues and management. Once set, these would become the focus of on-ground projects and lead to potential funding for the areas.

Peel-Harvey Catchment Council Project officer Mel Durack, who arranged the winning Homegrown & Handmade hamper from Kallista Bolton, said the drafting of the plan involved extensive consultation to identify how to facilitate the local community’s desired outcomes.

“Natural resource management issues of interest to members of the community ranged from feral animals to wildlife and from paddocks to reserves. This was a fantastic example of grass roots involvement and demonstrates the level of passion the community has for owning the future of the catchment’s health. When drafted, the NRM plan will guide management to improve health and productivity of farmlands, rivers, creeks, bushland and other natural assets in Hotham-Williams,” Mel Durak said.

This project is supported by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council through funding from the Australian Government.

Contact: Jane O’Malley, Executive Officer, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, Jane.Omalley@peel-harvey.org.au , (08) 6369 8800

Jane O’Malley, CEO, Jan Star, Chair, pictured with Hon. Greg Hunt, Don Randall MHR Canning

Mandurah, 15 January 2015…The board and staff of Peel-Harvey Catchment Council were delighted to welcome a visit from the Federal Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Greg Hunt, and the Federal Member for Canning, Don Randall to acknowledge the natural management resource entity’s transition to an independent national Natural Resource Management organisation.

Midway through the 2014 year, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council officially became the 55th Natural Resource Management region in Australia giving the entity national status. Chair Jan Star said the visit was key in continuing the excellent relationship with the Department of Environment which Peel-Harvey Catchment Council has established to date.

“We believe that the ministerial visit reinforced the capabilities of the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council board and staff to the Hon. Greg Hunt and provided him with a better understanding of our key assets and the necessity to continue the Commonwealth’s focus on the Peel-Harvey region,” said Jan Star.

The Australian Government has already committed $3.6 million to protect and enhance biodiversity of the internationally significant, Ramsar-listed Peel-Yalgorup system during a four year timeframe. The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council is managing the project which includes landscape scale restoration, community engagement and planning across six priority sites in the 1.2 million hectare Peel-Harvey catchment.

“Environmental and natural resource issues in the Peel-Harvey are many and complex. There are big issues here and they need big solutions. I’m confident the newly established Peel-Harvey natural resource management body is best placed to find these solutions,” Canning MHR Don Randall said.

Contact: Jane O’Malley, Executive Officer, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, Jane.Omalley@peel-harvey.org.au , (08) 6369 8800

John Steer (Geographe Civil) Peter McCleery (Water Corporation) Matt Giraudo (on behalf of PHCC) and Rob Summers (Dept. Agriculture and Food) at the Waroona Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Mandurah, 17 February 2015…

The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council (PHCC), in partnership with the Department of Water and the Water Corporation, has significantly reduced nutrient discharge from the Waroona Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) as a result of its ongoing trial of an innovative swales system.

The project involved construction of a 700mm purpose built swale designed to reduce total phosphorous and nitrogen in treated wastewater. The new swale system is part of a 12 month trial, and has been operating for three months with some encouraging results to date.

Trial results logged to date indicate average total phosphorus in treated wastewater exiting the WWTP has been reduced by 59.5 per cent, from 3.4mg/litre to 1.4mg/litre. Total nitrogen has been reduced by 32.6 per cent, from 35.1mg/litre to 23.6mg/litre.

Peel-Harvey Catchment Council Chairman Jan Star said although the existing woodlot had been initially effective in reducing nutrients, it required a significant upgrade, and the swale systems provided a good alternative while the Water Corporation considered options for the woodlot site.
Jan Star said the capturing of phosphorus and nitrogen prior to its entry into waterways was vital for the health and sustainability of waterways.

“The new swale system is part of a 12 month trial, and has been operating for three months with some encouraging results to date,” Ms Star said. “The swale system is preferred as other trials have been successful and it is a relatively cheap, effective and transferrable environmental management option.

“The site will be monitored monthly, with testing of both the swale and water quality to assess the effectiveness of the project in reducing phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations. It is great to see partnerships like these produce good results.”

Department of Water Waterways Program Manager Bob Pond said there had been some very good results achieved in this multi-agency project.

“The department applied for and received State and Commonwealth funding for these projects, and then worked with the PHCC as the on-ground delivery agency,” he said. “It was a very productive partnership.”

Water Corporation South West Regional Manager John Janssen said he was pleased the partnership project had already proved successful and looked forward to more positive results throughout the duration of the trial. “It is great to see such fantastic results in a very short period of time.”

The trial of swales at the Waroona WWTP forms part of the Filtering the Nutrient Storm program funded by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative, with additional support from the Water Corporation. The trial concept is based on the results of an earlier trial undertaken by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council and the Department of Agriculture and Food at a small drain in Coolup.

Peel Harvey Catchment Council deliver a range of environmental projects across the Peel Region with the aim of improving water quality and protecting and improving biodiversity within the region, including overseeing the region’s internationally recognised Thrombolites.

ENDS
Contact: Jane O’Malley, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council Executive Officer, jane.omalley@peel-harvey.org.au 6360-8800

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Attendees at a workshop on Neil Kentish’s property learnt about on farm water management pertaining to growing trees.

Mandurah, 7 January 2014…Seventeen people recently attended a workshop on Farm Water Management, “Turning Water into Wood” at Neil Kentish’s property in Serpentine. Entitled ‘A Landholder’s Perspective’ and presented by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, the day focused on how keeping and using water onsite goes beyond improving productivity, with the combination of grade banks, sediment traps, pasture and native vegetation helping to reduce erosion and nutrient loss in a healthier and more productive landscape.
Neil Kentish, proprietor of SJ Farm Grown Firewood, spoke about making the most of timber. SJ Farm Grown Firewood is a local business in Serpentine. They grow a selection of Eastern states species of Australian Eucalyptus for their timber products, including firewood, posts, poles and even flagpoles. They harvest timber from 15 year old trees, planted and grown on their farming properties in Serpentine.
Colleen Archibald, event co-ordinator, said the presentation was a great example of a landholder amalgamating sustainable agriculture productivity with environmental objectives. “It was a great example of the outcomes of both, with various groups and organisations engaged with the landholder from inception,” said Colleen Archibald.   Neil also spoke about the revegetation and management of water flows through Karnup Creek on his property in Hall Rd, Serpentine. Neil has created riffles in the creek and swales in the surrounding area to slow the water flow and keep it on the property longer so it can replenish the ground water and be used by the pasture and timber. He also discussed the planting of timber trees over the last 15 years to create a better environment as well as produce an income stream from poles, posts and firewood. Neil gave an impressive demonstration of his firewood production equipment.

Neil’s water management work has been an ongoing program for him over many years but has recently been supported by Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, via the Filtering the Nutrient Storm project in 2011. Neil has been involved in landcare for many years and has funded a lot of the work himself – especially the timber production. He is now busy thinning the timber plantation and developing the firewood and pole market for sustainably grown timber.  This project is supported by Peel-Harvey Catchment Council through funding from the Australian Government.

ENDS…

Contact: Jane O’Malley, Chief Executive Officer, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, jane.omalley@peel-harvey.org.au , (08) 6369 8800