Bathurst Regional Council Finalist in Prestigious Green Globe Awards

Bathurst Regional Council has been named a finalist in the Green Globe
Awards, the NSW Government’s awards for recognising excellence in
environmental leadership and innovation in sustainability.

Mayor of Bathurst Cr Gary Rush said Council has been named as one of three
finalists in Public Sector Leadership award and is up against Sydney Metro
(Transport for NSW) and the University of Technology, Sydney.

“Council’s nomination captures the work being undertaken across Council’s
departments to show leadership and innovation in environmental issues.

“Council has committed to a range of programs and projects which are a part
of our award nomination.

“These range from our involvement in the contaminated lands capacity
building project providing training and information to better manage
contaminated land, to the installation of four solar projects, the largest
of them being 100 kilowatts at the Waste Water Treatment Plant.

“The introduction of the kerbside garden and food waste service in April
this year which has seen more than 200 tonnes of organic material diverted
from landfill per month, through to our ongoing commitment to the
restoration of remnant woodlands for the critically endangered Regent
Honeyeater with the planting of more than 20,000 mixed native species.

Finally, the annual Sustainable Living Expo, Sustainable School Grants
program and the Land Improvement Awards all combine to create an impressive
record of environmental leadership by Council,” Cr Rush said.

The awards will be announced at a ceremony in Sydney on 27 October, 2016.


What are the Green Globe Awards?
The Green Glove Awards are the State Government’s leading environmental
recognition program, celebrating excellence, leadership and innovation in
sustainability.  They recognise the work of organisations and individuals.
The Awards are co-ordinated by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

Superb Homes for Superb Parrots

Celebrate National Threatened Species Day at the Launch of a Unique Project

The official launch of the ‘Creating Superb Homes for Parrots’ project, the largest hollow augmentation project ever implemented in Australia, is taking place this Wednesday 7 September to celebrate National Threatened Species Day.

The Superb Parrot is in desperate need of new homes and this unique project is coming to the rescue, with thousands of habitat trees already planted along with the creation of more than 200 artificial hollows, and the public is invited to get involved.

The Hon Paul Toole, Minister for Local Government will officially launch the Creating Superb homes for Parrots project, which is being delivered by the Central West Councils Environment & Waterways Alliance in collaboration with Central Tablelands Local Land Services and funding through Catchment Action NSW. 

“This project is a fantastic demonstration of the outcomes that can be achieved when State Government and Local Government work together. This is believed to be the largest hollow augmentation project ever implemented in Australia with more than 200 hollows being created for the threatened Superb Parrot,” said Mr Toole.

“There is no doubt that this project has the potential to have real long term benefits for the survival of this species and it is a credit to the various agencies involved.”

Following the official launch at 9:30 am, there will be a special public demonstration of the Hollow Augmentation Technique by a qualified arborist.

“The process involves the removal of a ‘face plate’ or slab of timber from a standing tree, which is set aside while a cavity is created with a chainsaw. Once the desired sized nesting chamber has been cut out, the face plate is re-attached and an entrance hole is cut to provide access to the hollow,” explained Mick Callan, Project Support Officer with the Environment & Waterways Alliance.

Over 200 hollows, specifically prepared for Superb Parrots, have been created across the Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra and Orange Local Government Areas.

Additionally several thousand trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted across the project areas to restore habitat for the Superb Parrot.

Volunteers are invited to extend the plantings by taking part in a community planting event to celebrate National Threatened Species Day.

Working with Bill Josh from Habitat Connect, volunteers will plant a mixture of known Superb Parrot habitat species from 9:00 am through to 3:00 pm. The Deputy Mayor of Orange, Chris Gryllis, is looking forward to taking part.

“Orange City Council was proud to partner in bringing the Hollows for Habitat Forum to this region in April, which has directly led to this project being delivered,” said Councilor Gryllis.

“Our Council was a founding member of the Central West Councils Environment & Waterways Alliance back in 2000 and we have continued to work together on important and innovative projects such as this and genuinely look forward to a continuing positive relationship into the future.” 

Morning tea and a free BBQ lunch will be provided as part of the project launch and planting day, with information stalls to be hosted by Central Tablelands Local Land Services and the Environment & Waterways Alliance.

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Celebrate National Threatened Species Day by planting habitat trees for the threatened Superb Parrot

• Bloomfield Park, Orange - Wednesday 7 September - 118 Bloomfield Road, Orange
• Community Tree Planting:  9am - 3pm
• ‘Creating Superb Homes for Parrots’ Official Project Launch - 9:30am
• Arborist demonstration of the hollow augmentation technique - 10:00am
• Morning tea and BBQ lunch provided

Superb Parrot - Credit: Geoffrey Dabb

Noxious Weeds Management Field Day - Hassall Park, O'Connell

The Upper Macquarie County Council, Oberon Council and Environment & Waterways Alliance will be hosting a Noxious Weeds Field Day for land owners and managers at Hassall Park O’Connell (on the Oberon side of the Fish River Bridge) on Friday 22 July 2016 at 10.30 am.

The purpose of the field day is to help land managers identify and control noxious weeds that occur in the Oberon and Bathurst areas with a particular focus on Chilean Needle Grass (Nassella neesiana) a Weed of National Significance.  Chilean Needle Grass is a highly invasive plant.  Infestations have been identified in both sown pastures and native grass lands within the Fish River Catchment area particularly along waterways.

Heavy infestations of Chilean needle grass can decrease productivity of pastures by as much as 50% during summer. It also causes injury to stock and downgrades wool, skins and hides with its long sharp seeds.

Seeds of Chilean Needle Grass can be spread along roadsides and other grassy areas by use of mowing and earth moving equipment, livestock, vehicles and floodwaters.

Chemical application alone will not control Chilean Needle Grass.  Oberon Council has established a demonstration control site at Hassall Park, O'Connell using a combination of chemical spraying, deep mulching and revegetation.  The field day will provide land holders with information about the importance of site specific strategies and management practices relevant to controlling this weed in pastures that may include the use of crop rotations, pasture sowing, herbicide control and grazing management.

Identification of Chilean Needle Grass is not easy as it is often confused with other Nassella species and native spear grasses.  Land managers need to know how to identify it and take prompt action if it is discovered.

The field day will also provide local land managers with the opportunity to discuss the identification and management of other noxious weeds including willows over morning tea with staff from the Upper Macquarie County Council.

For more information about the field day please contact Gillian Salmon at Oberon Council on 6329 8145or for information regarding Chilean Needle Grass contact Jill O’Grady - Weeds Officer UMCC on 0437 766 626.

This Noxious Weeds Field Day is part of the Fish River Rehabilitation project supported by Central Tablelands Local Land Services and the Environment & Waterways Alliance.