Welcome to Southern Otway Landcare 2012
Well, it’s certainly a new year for Southern Otway Landcare. We are still trying to get used to all the space available in our new offices. Once we’ve got everything packed away and have some comfy chairs for people to sit in, we’ll be properly open for business. We hope to soon be able to invite you down here to see and use this fantastic new space that the Shire of Colac Otway have so generously allowed us to occupy.
Long-time co-ordinator Kristen Lees has moved on to the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. Southern Otway Landcare’s staff are currently: Quenton Gay (Team Leader), Jack Pascoe (Pest Plant and Animal Co-ordinator) and Libby Riches (Landcare Facilitator). Southern Otway Landcare has been fortunate to receive funding for our Facilitator’s position through a major State Government Funding Initiative and we are excited about the opportunity this will give us to work more closely with our community and build the profile of local Landcare.
In 2012 we are hoping to build our relationship with the many people who are part-time residents of the Otways. Such people are an important part of the fabric of our community and potentially have a huge amount to offer to our community and environment. If you are a part time resident of the Otways and want to know about our environment and community or are looking for advice on how to manage you property, Landcare would love to hear from you. Contact Libby Riches on 5237 6904 or email solnlibb@vicnet.net.au.
Landscapes of the Southern Otways Photography Competition
Southern Otway Landcare are sponsoring the Photography Competition in this year’s Apollo Bay and District Agricultural Show, which will be held on the 17th of March. In the lead up to the Show, we are running a Landscapes of the Southern Otways photography competition through our Facebook page. We are running this competition because we’d like people to share their pictures with us so we can all celebrate the beautiful environment of the Southern Otways. Competition winners will have their photos printed by Landcare and submitted on their behalf to the open competition in the Agricultural Show. Winning photos will also be published on our website, which reaches more than 300 subscribers – fame and glory shall be yours!
We are running the competition through our Facebook Page, simply click on the link and follow the prompts:
https://www.facebook.com/soln.org?sk=app_79458893817
Not on Facebook? You can still enter the competition, simply email your image to solnlibb@vicnet.net.au with your name and we will publish it on your behalf.
Have you seen me?
I am a good guy, I am the dung beetle Onthophagus binodus. I am active from Spring to Summer and bury balls of dung up to 20cm below ground in which I can lay up to 3 eggs per day. This provides benefit to the soil such as aeration and increased infiltration, returning nitrogen and phosphorus to the root zone, deepening root growth and promoting beneficial soil biological activity. I am just one of many species of Dung Beetle that frequent the Southern Otways.
Over the past 3yrs SOLN has been compiling information on Dung Beetles and have noticed an increase in activity in recent weeks which is consistent with findings in previous years. We need your help to collect information! If you notice that your sheep and/or cow dung is diminishing in size or riddled with holes like a non appetising version of Swiss Cheese, there are a few things you can do:
- Firstly look inside the Dung for beetles. If none are found then,
- Dig around the dung pile to the full depth of the spade.
- Carefully pull apart the soil looking for tunnels and for dung, and for the beetles.
If you find a dung beetle or evidence of their activity please send a photograph, note its size, colour and any distinguishing features (e.g. horns on the head or spurs on the rear legs), and note the type of dung.
You can send through your observations to Quenton Gay at Southern Otway Landcare on 5237 6904 or email solnquen@vicnet.net.au. We will also be in attendance at the Apollo Bay and District Agricultural Show on Saturday 17th March 2012.