Archive for July, 2015

Job Skill Opportunities for Local Young People

The Australian Government is offering local young people the opportunity to learn about the Green Army programme that offers young people skills, training and experience to improve their future career prospects.

The six-month programme is open to young people aged 17 and 24 who are interested in gaining practical training and experience while being paid to work in local environments. Green Army projects include restoring native vegetation, protecting animal habitats and regenerating wetlands.

Peel-Harvey Catchment Council’s (PHCC) Chair Jan Star AM said the program was a wonderful opportunity for young people of the Peel-Harvey Region to learn new skills, work outdoors and play a major role in protecting and restoring their own local environment.

“In recent months the PHCC has worked with Bridging the Gap’s Green Army team revegetating Wilgie Creek in the lower Murray Catchment, and two weeks ago the Harvey River Restoration Taskforce welcomed a team to join them in delivering a program of activities aimed to increase biodiversity linkages long the Harvey-River system.”

“The Harvey-River project will deliver a hands-on training programme that includes activities such as hand weeding, biodiversity monitoring, bank stabilisation, planting, tree guard removal, water quality sampling and foreshore river assessment,” explained Jan Star.

The PHCC is encouraging young Peel Region residents to find out more about the Australian Government’s Green Army programme and think about joining the growing band of people working on local projects to help protect Australia’s environment.

The Australian Government wants to ensure that as many young people and local communities as possible can benefit from this highly successful programme and is offering an information session for interested participants on Monday 3 August, 1-3pm at the Mercure Hotel Perth.

The session hosted by the Department of the Environment and Green Army Service Providers will provide information for interested young people on how to join a team as a Participant and will be available to answer any questions about the programme.

For the full schedule of information sessions and to find out more about joining a Green Army team visit www.environment.gov.au/green-army.

This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

ENDS

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

Photo: Dr Steve Fisher, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council Science Advisor

Improved science leadership and integration of science into the management of the Peel-Harvey catchment are assured with the announcement of a significant new appointment at the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council (PHCC).

Dr Steve Fisher has joined the region’s peak natural resource management body as the PHCC’s Science Advisor and will work with decision makers and practitioners at all levels to apply evidence-based knowledge to improve the environmental health of the catchment. Peel-Harvey Catchment Council (PHCC) Chair Jan Star A.M. welcomed Dr Fisher to the key role.

“The role of Science Advisor at the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council provides a great opportunity for Steve to bring together his expertise in watery science, his communication skills and his love of the Peel-Harvey estuary environment to guide better-informed decision making towards improvement of the health of the Peel-Harvey waterways.”

She added one of Dr Fisher’s key tasks was to prepare an updated science strategy for the Peel-Harvey, incorporating broader catchment issues as well as those encountered in the estuary and rivers.

“The Peel-Harvey has been the focus of considerable research. The need for a Science Advisor to deliver outcomes for the Peel-Harvey has been recognised for several years. With funds recently provided by state and local government, Dr Fisher’s appointment has been secured.”

“Adaptive management priorities will have a strong focus on water quality but will also include biodiversity, species dispersal, wetland restoration, adaptation in a changing climate and more. Water quality science priorities will include nutrient pathways, assimilation of nutrients in drainage systems and Monosulphidic Black Ooze associated with sediment loss from erosion,” said Jan Star.

Steve has a PhD in Chemistry from Curtin University where he specialised in petroleum and environmental organic geochemistry. Although Steve was born in Kalgoorlie where there is little water, he quickly developed an affinity for estuaries and rivers while growing up in Perth. He spent much of his childhood fishing, swimming and boating on and around the Swan-Canning estuary, including his daily travels in a dinghy to and from school at Aquinas College on the Canning estuary. He learned to row on the Swan-Canning, continued competitive rowing beyond high school and is still actively involved through coaching.

Steve has kept this affinity with water as a common thread throughout his 30 –year career as a scientist. As an academic, consultant and while working at the CSIRO, WA Department of Fisheries and WA Department of Water, he has developed expertise in a diverse range of activities related to natural resource management.

This diversity includes investigating the impacts of oil exploration and production on the marine environment at the Northwest Shelf, to analysing otoliths (“ear stones”) from fish to determine the separateness of fish stocks such as pink snapper and dhufish to assist in decision making about management of these fisheries, to implementing water quality monitoring programs for the Swan –Canning Estuary, catchment and urban drainage network.

Since the 1970s, Steve has regularly holidayed in the Mandurah region spending many hours out on the Peel-Harvey Estuary as a recreational fisherman. During this time, he has seen Mandurah grow from a country town with a population of approx. 10,000 to the City of Mandurah of today and is passionate about improving the environmental health of the estuary and waterways.

Steve is also an experienced science communicator, having made oral presentations at international and national conferences as well as to workshops for community and volunteer organisations.

ENDS…

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

Click here to view or print pdf …

State Natural Resource Management Conference Comes to Mandurah

Western Australia’s most significant natural resource management (NRM) event, the state’s annual conference, is coming to Mandurah this year. The State NRM Conference, 21-23 September 2015, is being held at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre and is expected to draw over 200 delegates with this year’s theme announced as “Finding the Balance: Healthy Environment, Productive Economy.”

The region’s peak NRM body, the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, is working closely with the other NRM Regions and the State NRM Office as co-convenors of the conference. Chair Jan Star A.M. said the conference afforded an excellent opportunity to local and state NRM practitioners.

“We are delighted to be the hosting region for this major conference and are presenting an optional pre-conference tour for delegates on the Peel-Harvey waterways and estuary escorted by award winning nature photographer David Rennie, Department of Water and Birdlife WA. The cruise will provide a water based experience of our internationally recognised Peel Inlet including the Creery Wetlands; a significant habitat haven for up to 100,000 resident and migratory shorebirds,” said Jan Star.

Jan Star acknowledged the support of major event sponsors City of Mandurah and Lotterywest, who have announced a limited number of subsidised conference registrations for community members and people working for not-for-profit organisations.

“We are also very pleased to acknowledge City of Mandurah for partnering this event as one of the key sponsors. It is very gratifying to see so many entities combining their resources to create an accessible program for the delegates. We have just learnt that through sponsorship from Lotterywest, the conference committee has been able to offer limited subsidised registration for participants who volunteer or work in community landcare, NRM or other not for profit environment/ sustainable agriculture type organisations,” said Jan Star.

Applications for subsidised registration close on Friday 21 August. Limited positions apply and each applicant will reviewed on a first come first served basis. Applications received on or before Friday 7 August will be eligible for $250 subsidy, applications after this date will be eligible for $150 subsidy.

For more information or to apply or register, visit www.nrmconferencewa.com.au

 ENDS…

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

Job Skill Opportunities for Local Young People

The Australian Government is offering local young people the opportunity to learn about the Green Army program that is open to young people aged 17 and 24 who are interested in gaining practical training and experience while being paid to work in local environments.

An information session for interested participants will be held on Monday 3 August, 1-3pm at the Mercure Hotel Perth. To find out more about joining a Green Army team and registering for the information session visit www.environment.gov.au/green-army.

This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Green Army Information Session for Community Organisations

Community organisations can find out more about hosting a Green Army project at an information session being presented by the Department of Environment and Green Army Service Providers, to be held at the Canning River Eco Education Centre, 9-11am Monday 3 August.

Community organisations will be able to apply for new projects as part of Round Four of the Green Army to be announced shortly. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about hosting a local project. To register your attendance visit www.environment.gov.au/green-army.

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

S.H.A.R.E Dry Sheep Equivalent Speakers L-R Brett Wood-Gush, Simon Taylor, Rebecca Eggleston and Debra Goostrey (with Professor Peter Newman speaking via video url link below)

This week the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council (PHCC) welcomed an expert panel on sustainable development to lead discussion on future growth for the Peel Region through its S.H.A.R.E (Social, Help, Action and Resources for the Environment) series.

The latest in the series “Dry Sheep Equivalent – Planning for the Capacity of our Landscape”, challenged the notion of basing development planning on how far you can push urban sprawl – to consider more intently how to best accommodate predicted growing numbers within a given landscape.

The recent release of the Draft South Metro Peel Sub-Regional Planning Framework predicts that within the areas of Kwinana, Rockingham, Serpentine Jarrahdale, Mandurah, Murray and Waroona, population will increase significantly from 523,406 (2011) to 1.26 million (2050).

Chair of the PHCC Jan Star AM, said that it is imperative that as civic leaders we join together to promote robust discussion on how we want to shape and form our future expansion. Ensuring that during a phase of anticipated intense growth that we create vibrant, safe, healthy and enviable communities.

Expertise drawn from a diverse group of guest speakers who included; Peter Newman AO, Distinguished Professor of Sustainability, Debra Goostrey, CEO of the Urban Institute of WA, Brett Wood-Gush Urban Designer/Fellow Planning Institute of WA, Simon Taylor, Director Department of the Premier and Cabinet WA and Rebecca Eggleston, General Manager of FORM, provoked thought and promoted discussion amongst attendees and speakers.

“Recently announced as the managers for natural resource management (NRM) of the now independent Peel-Harvey Catchment Region, the PHCC is accepting a new level of corporate responsibility in leading thought and conversation on how we can ensure all aspects for a sustainable future are met.

“If our region is to absorb the planned population increase it is vital that our environment can sustain that increase. The well-being of the community and vibrant living opportunities depend on that environment. Strong economic and employment strategies will also have to create local opportunities in order to build a strong community” said Jan Star.
“It is well recognised that the Region’s natural assets have always been a drawcard for new residents and visitors alike, and these valuable aspects of our communities will be threatened if future development considerations are not approached with their protection as a given.”

“We cannot afford to overstock our paddock, and in the words of Professor Newman, we must be careful as we extend.”

S.H.A.R.E, which will continue to be presented by the PHCC throughout the year, has been designed to stimulate thought and positive actions for our Region. Series topics are based on a survey undertaken with project partners, government agencies and the community.

The S.H.A.R.E series project is supported by the PHCC through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

View Professor Peter Newman’s video presentation here.

Photo: Canning MHR Don Randall with members of the Bridging the Gap Green Army who will be working on the Harvey River. L-R Back Row: Willow Moynihan, Luke Conway, Aaron Burvill, Michael Leather, Chloe Bird, Maya Rakatau, Danielle Foxe Front Row: Denam Ellis, Don Randall Absent: Shannon Brady, Alexander Coole

16 July 2015… A launch was held this week by the Harvey River Restoration Taskforce (HRRT) to welcome the new Bridging the Gap Green Army Team.

The team will provide essential on-ground support for a range of landcare projects along the Harvey River system lead by the HRRT.  These projects form a significant component of the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council’s Rivers 2 Ramsar project, ‘Connecting River Corridors for Landscape Resilience.’

The launch, held at the Alcoa Landcare Education Centre located in Yarloop on July 14th 2015, featured a seedling planting by team members of the Green Army and Canning MHR Don Randall, followed by a luncheon prepared by the local Harvey Lions Club.

Harvey River Restoration Taskforce Rivercare Officer Jane Townsend welcomed the Green Army team, and outlined the projects with which they would engage.

“The Harvey River Restoration Taskforce and our project partners are excited to welcome the Green Army team to our on-ground program of activities aimed to increase biodiversity linkages along the Harvey River system. Without the support of our project partners and an initiative like the Green Army, we would struggle to achieve our project objectives,” said Jane Townsend.

“Over the next six months, we will undertake a range of activities including hand weeding, biodiversity monitoring, foreshore river assessments and bank stabilisation on selected reaches of the Harvey River,” Jane said.

Bridging the Gap CEO Jane McWhirter said the organisation is delighted to be partnering with the Harvey River Restoration Taskforce to deliver real benefits to the Peel-Harvey environment.

“The Green Army program supports hands-on local environment and conservation projects across urban, regional and remote Australia,” Ms McWhirter said. “Here at Bridging the Gap we have a long and proud history of managing initiatives like Green Army that deliver training and job opportunities to young people.”

Ms McWhirter also acknowledged the hard work of Canning MHR Don Randall in seeing the project realised. “With Mr Randall’s support we hope to deliver additional Green Army projects in the Peel region,” she said. “It is fantastic to see a Federal Member committed to working with local organisations to combat high unemployment while delivering real training and experience to young people.”

Canning MHR Don Randall congratulated Bridging the Gap together with the Harvey River Restoration Taskforce and the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council for their innovative approach to the delivery of the Green Army project.

“One thing these organisations have in common is a firm commitment to the communities in which they work,” Mr Randall said. “I am confident the delivery of this Green Army project will be second to none.”

Mr Randall said this Green Army project sees young people from the Canning electorate supported to achieve accredited conservation qualifications while delivering real environmental benefits to the Peel and Harvey regions.

“The Green Army was a key election commitment and will provide training to 15,000 young Australians by 2018,” he said.

The Harvey River project is supported by the Australian Government’s Green Army Programme and Bridging the Gap.

The Rivers 2 Ramsar project is supported by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council through funding from the Australian Government.

ENDS…

MORE ON RIVERS 2 RAMSAR…

The Australian Government has committed over $3.5 million to restore ecological corridors across the Peel-Harvey catchment to re-establish habitats for native fauna. The project, named Rivers 2 Ramsar to reflect the linkage between the region’s rivers and Ramsar-listed wetlands, is occurring concurrently across six priority sites in the 11,940km catchment.

Community-based natural resource management (NRM) organisation, The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, is managing the delivery of the over-arching project with no less than seven key partners, numerous stakeholders and community members.

The large scale biodiversity project is on schedule to finish in 2017 and is having significant social, economic and environmental benefits. This project is supported by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council through funding from the Australian Government.

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

7 July 2015…The topic of next week’s Peel-Harvey Catchment Council’s event, S.H.A.R.E. (Social Help, Action & Resources for Environment) has drawn Western Australia’s leading experts on planning, urban design and sustainability to Mandurah. S.H.A.R.E.’s topic, ‘Dry Sheep Equivalent (DSE)’, relates to planning for landscape capacity. DSE is a standard agricultural stocking measure of a piece of land’s capacity to carry livestock. With many strategic planning projects underway in the Peel-Harvey region, the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council invited the experts to address how we will enable world class innovative planning, manage population growth to 3.5 million for Perth and Peel, and protect the region’s significant environmental assets. The guest speakers are:

Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University ‘What is the Peel-Harvey’s DSE in human terms and how is planning addressing this?’; Brett Wood-Gush, Urban Designer/ Fellow Planning Institute of Australia ‘Packing them in: Why suburbia is becoming eco-burbia like it or not’; Simon Taylor, Director at Department of the Premier and Cabinet of WA ‘SAPPR – The strategic planning for land use and long term conservation planning’; Rebecca Eggleston, General Manager, FORM ‘Creating vibrant, diverse, quality places designed with people in mind’; and Debra Goostrey, CEO UDIA WA ‘Dispelling urban myths to ensure world class liveability for Perth and Peel in 2050’.

S.H.A.R.E. ‘Dry Sheep Equivalent’ is being held Thursday 16th July. Seats are strictly limited and RSVP is essential. Enquiries to catchment.events@peel-harvey.org.au

SPEAKER PROFILES

Peter Newman

Peter Newman is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University. He has written 17 books but is best known in Perth as a media commentator and the person who saved the Fremantle Railway. In 2014 he was awarded an Order of Australia for his contributions to urban design and sustainable transport. Peter has worked in local government as an elected councillor, in state government as an advisor to three Premiers, in the Australian Government on the Board of Infrastructure Australia and in the UN on the IPCC as a Lead Author for Transport. (Pre-recorded presentation).

Brett Wood-Gush

Brett is the Principal Urban Designer at Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority where, among other current projects, he closely involved in the Scarborough Beach Masterplan Development. He has been engaged in multiple projects as senior urban designer and has developed strategy and policy recommendations and industry workshops. A passionate and focused collaborator, lecturer and researcher, Brett is a skilled practitioner in creating viable, vibrant and sustainable communities.

Simon Taylor

Simon is currently a Director in the Cabinet and Policy Division at the Department of Premier and Cabinet. In this role he leads two major cross government projects: The Strategic Assessment of the Perth and Peel regions (the ‘SAPPR’) and The Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy. Simon holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (majoring in sustainable development) and has previously worked in the Offices of the Ministers for Environment and Planning. Prior to this he also worked at the Department of Housing on a number of affordable housing projects and helped to establish the Perth Solar Cities project.

Rebecca Eggleston

Rebecca is General Manager at FORM, an independent non-profit organization that develops and leverages creativity as a catalyst for community transformation and cultural development in Western Australia. Rebecca leads the organisation’s urban and place strategy work, combining her background in creative cities, city strategy, creative industries and community development. Rebecca was previously a Program Director at CEOs for Cities, a U.S. based national network of urban leaders, where she developed the organisation’s creative cities work and consulting, as well as designing and delivering new programs and national events to advance thinking on a range of key city concerns. Prior to this, she managed creative industry and creative city development initiatives in Western Australia.

Debra Goostrey

Debra has held the position of Chief Executive Officer for the WA Branch of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, the peak body for the development industry since May 2007. After studying for a double degree in Public Administration & Information Science, Debra had a varied career representing the interests of private industry and held the key role of Chief Executive Officer for Transport Forum prior to taking up the position at UDIA. Debra’s broad understanding of the needs of industry has seen her involvement on an enormous variety of committees, councils and boards at state and national level including diverse roles as a Trustee Director for a multi-billion dollar industry superannuation fund, Director of the Land Surveyors Licensing Board and a member of the Wildlife Corridors Advisory Group reporting to the Federal Minster for Environment. Debra is currently a member of the Training Accreditation Council, the Ministerial Taskforce on Housing Affordability, the Perth/Peel Strategic Assessment Reference Group and is Chair of the School of Economics and Finance at Curtin University.

ENDS

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

    Peel-Harvey Catchment Council escorted the Environmental Protection Authority Board on an aerial inspection of the Coastal portion of the Peel-Harvey Catchment. L-R Elizabeth Carr, Jane O’Malley, Dr Paul Vogel, Jan Star A.M, Glen McLeod, Dr Tom Hatton and Robert Harvey

2 July 2015…Gaining first-hand knowledge of the state of health of the large Peel-Harvey catchment was the goal of an aerial site inspection by members of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board this week.

The flight was part of a day long visit organised by the Office of the EPA, with the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council (PHCC), acting as guides. The PHCC is the community based organisation responsible for the natural resource management of the large 11, 940 km2 catchment.

PHCC Chair, Jan Star A.M. said that as part of the Strategic Assessment for the Perth and Peel Region (SAPPR), the EPA board were interested in observing the issues the catchment is facing to help inform how to manage population growth and protect the environment which is the economic base of this region.

“The flight gave them a bird’s eye view of the complexities of our waterways that cannot be appreciated from the ground,” said Jan Star. “On-ground inspections included Lake Goegrup, Austin Cove, Ravenswood, the Murray River, and the Peel Main Drain. We also visited the C-Wise facility at Nambeelup and discussed opportunities for closed loop food production. There are good opportunities for us to enable sound planning and protection of our environmental values, which underpin why we live and recreate in the Peel-Harvey, but we can’t take a business-as-usual approach. I think everyone appreciated this and hence the focus on the Peel-Harvey through the SAPPR process.”

“Science is showing us that our waterways are in a bad way. We can see some of the impacts; others are more subtle. With increased population will come increased pressures, we need to be clever about how and where we put people, and the services to support them. We were very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about the need to protect our fragile environment and focus on solutions for the future. “

Environmental Protection Authority Chairman Dr Paul Vogel said the aerial and ground tours across various sites of the Peel-Harvey area, accompanied by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council and experts from the Department of Water, proved invaluable to the board members.

“The site visit was an opportunity to get a first-hand look at the area and provide the EPA with a better understanding of the issues and pressures facing the Peel-Harvey system,” Dr Vogel said. “The EPA found the site visit extremely useful in informing our views.”

ENDS

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