News

Study reveals Mountain Pygmy-possum maintaining genetic diversity

A genomic study of Mountain Pygmy-possum populations in Victoria has shed new light on supporting their conservation and management.

The study, commissioned by the North East Catchment Management Authority, and prepared by CESAR Australia, has used a next generation approach to analyse genetic samples collected from 13 Mountain Pygmy-possum populations in Victoria.  

Gardens 4 Wildlife Albury-Wodonga wins Victorian Landcare Award

A program aimed at driving and responding to community interest in creating wildlife-friendly gardens has won the Environmental Volunteer Award at the 2021 Victorian Landcare Awards.

Gardens 4 Wildlife Albury-Wodonga (G4W) is an initiative of the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network, which took over the project after its initial establishment by Wodonga’s Friends of Willow Park group.

Thinking ahead on climate in North East vineyards

The North East Catchment Management Authority is undertaking a number of case studies, demonstrating how leading farmers from North East Victoria are managing the risks associated with climate change. The Embedding Climate Adaptation in Agriculture project is working with the region’s farmers to determine how the use of climate projections supports their farm management. This project is supported by North East Catchment Management Authority, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

North East viticulturalist Mark Walpole likes to think ahead – sometimes decades.

As a champion of “new” grape varieties that match long-term changes in climatic conditions at his Whorouly and, more recently, Beechworth vineyards, Mr Walpole says he can see no reason why production of grapes in the Murray Valley “food bowl” couldn’t be moved upstream in future to north east Victoria.

Soil health community grants support carbon project

The value of native vegetation for storing carbon is well accepted by farmers as a form of greenhouse gas mitigation on their farms; but its capacity to increase soil carbon is largely unknown.

A project undertaken by Rutherglen Landcare Group has seen North East farmers conduct a series of detailed soil tests to determine the effects of different forms of native vegetation and exotic pastures on soils in the area.

North East landcare groups among Victorian Landcare Grant recipients

Twenty-six north east Victorian landcare groups will receive up to $30,000 in project grants and 10 groups will receive $500 support grants in the Victorian Landcare Grants for 2021.

The Victorian Government provides funding to support Landcare and environmental volunteering groups and networks for on-ground works, education, and capacity building projects that protect, enhance, and restore our land and natural environment.

A total of $4.09 million was provided for 206 project grants and 282 support grants across Victoria in 2021.

Grants were awarded to Landcare and environmental volunteering groups and networks that have a focus on on-ground land and natural environment improvement work.