Nature's Voice edition 12 by Victorian National Parks Association

Nature’s Voice

Victorian National Parks Association newsletter – Number 12

April-May 2012

Groups stand up for habitat regulations M

ore than 36 national, state, regional and local environment groups representing thousands of Victorians have signed a joint statement calling on the Baillieu Government to undertake extensive and open consultation in its proposed review of native vegetation regulations. Releasing the joint statement earlier this month, VNPA Executive Director Matt Ruchel said native vegetation rules have been the cornerstone of efforts to protect native habitat on private land. He warned they should not be changed behind closed doors. The call followed confirmation in March that the Victorian Government is undertaking a review of the rules, but no formal policy, scope or consultation process has been announced. Brendan Sydes from the Environment Defenders Office fears changes could wind back laws designed to protect native plants and animals on private land. “Victoria’s native vegetation retention laws have been developed and refined over many years under successive governments,” he said. “These are the only Victorian laws that protect plant and animal habitat on private land in Victoria. It’s important these protections are not undermined by winding them back.” President of the Environmental Farmers Network, Andrew Bradey, says changes to the rules

Inside

Hard work by volunteers helping to restore habitat on private land could be undermined by Photo: David Fletcher changes to Victoria’s native vegetation laws.

could undermine years of tree planting and bushland restoration. “Many of the signatory groups are involved in tree planting and restoration of bushland to address the clearing of the past, and we do not want the regulatory ‘rug’ pulled out from under community volunteers,” he said. And the VNPA’s Karen Alexander, who is also president of John’s Hill Landcare group in Emerald, said a holistic approach is needed for improving native habitat. “We need good input from scientists and community groups, as well as the people on the ground, to develop regulations which are effective, efficient and most of all deliver real improvements for our stressed-out native plants and animals,” she said.

Ranger speaks out for our parks

The groups have called for key elements of the framework to be retained, including the over-arching Net Gain policy, introduced by the Kennett Government in the late 1990s. They also questioned inflated compliance figures of $395 million a year when a 2010 Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission review cited costs of only $41 million annually, and have recommended the establishment of a new independent native vegetation regulator.

TAKE ACTION Tell Premier Ted Baillieu we need native vegetation regulations to protect Victoria’s flora and fauna. Visit nativeveg.vnpa.org.au to find out how.

Firewood bungle sparks free-for-all

Bastion Point reprieve

Photo: Six-spined Leatherjacket. Photo: John Gaskell

Sea Science seminars at aquarium

his month Reef Watch kicked off a new series of monthly Sea Science seminars at the Melbourne Aquarium. The first seminar took an in-depth look at the often misunderstood world of Victoria’s ray species. Our next seminar will take place in May to help launch our new Reef Watch project: ‘Buddy up with a Blue Devil’. This fish is a favourite with divers; through photographs, individual fish can be identified by their distinctive cheek markings, enabling Reef Watch to gather valuable information on their populations and distribution. Speaker Dr Simon Bryars has

been studying Blue Devils on South Australian reefs and has made some wonderful discoveries about these charismatic fish. For more information please contact Wendy Roberts on 8341 7446 or email info@reefwatchvic.asn.au.

Support our campaign

Help protect Victoria’s marine life and environment by supporting our marine appeal! Donate online or by mail, or else contact Lara Hookham on 9341 6501, email larah@vnpa.org.au.

Cows before nature and campers T

he Baillieu Government has overturned a decision to protect large areas along the Murray River in new parks, instead giving the green light to continued cattle grazing in areas originally earmarked for conservation and recreation. The Department of Sustainability and Environment has notified 230 graziers that grazing licences will be reissued for areas set aside for the proposed Murray River Park.

Many of the licences expressly prohibit camping, campfires and dogs, all permitted under the Murray River Park model. Clearly the Baillieu Government has walked away from legislating for a designated park to protect the Murray River and its iconic red gum forests and wetlands, and to provide for recreation. The decision also overturns a November 2011 commitment, when

Nature’s Voice

MDBA caught in the Act

Editor: Michael Howes Design: John Sampson Printing: Tara Press Nature’s Voice is a quarterly newsletter. The deadline for our July-August 2012 edition is 25 June. Address: Level 3, 60 Leicester St, Carlton 3053 Tel: 03 9347 5188 Fax: 03 9347 5199 Website: www.vnpa.org.au Email: vnpa@vnpa.org.au ABN: 34 217 717 593 ISSN: 1837-6681 SAVE PAPER! If you prefer to receive Nature’s Voice by email, please contact us on 9347 5188 or email vnpa@vnpa.org.au 2 – Nature’s Voice | No 12 | April-May 2012

egal analysis of the draft Murray-Darling Basin plan by the Environment Defenders Office shows the plan fails to meet the requirements of the Water Act and may be invalid. The Water Act established the Murray-Darling Basin Authority in 2007, giving it the power to ensure Basin water resources are managed in an ‘integrated and sustainable way’. But the EDO’s legal analysis of the draft Basin plan has found it puts social and economic considerations before the issue of what extraction level is sustainable.

the Baillieu Government ‘agreed in principle’ to recommendations from the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council to fence cattle away from rivers. We are calling on state environment minister Ryan Smith to ensure protection of the Murray River Park as originally planned by overruling DSE and seeking proper advice on how river frontages in the park should be managed.

It also says the MDBA’s decision to more than double groundwater extraction does not appear to be based on best available science and fails to align with the precautionary principle – both requirements of the Water Act. The MDBA comes under fire too for its interpretation of its powers under the Water Act, in which it can set binding targets for environmental, water quality and salinity targets that the states must meet. The EDO says the authority has chosen to give these provisions their weakest interpretation and make targets non-binding only. Victorian National Parks Association

Ranger speaks out for parks starved of funds he following statement is from a Parks Victoria ranger who wishes to remain anonymous. The VNPA calls on the State Government to increase funding to Parks Victoria for park management and wage justice for staff. “It is with great sadness that rangers, who normally love to share our parks and wildlife with the community, have had to take action to temporarily close parks, to ensure Parks Victoria has adequate future funding for parks and park staff. “Parks are starving. More and more park area has been given to Parks Victoria to manage without an equivalent increase in general funding for operating costs and salaries. “Across some parts of the organisation vacant staff positions run to 25-50% as there is no budget to fill them. The remaining staff are stressed and struggling to meet the demands of managing and protecting parks. “The Baillieu Government has capped public servant wage increases below the rate of increase of everyday living costs. “Most rangers, who due to the

Photo: courtesy Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria urgently needs more funding for park management and staff.

time demands of weekend work and 12-hour shifts for planned burning and emergency bushfire fighting are usually the principal breadwinners in their families, earn no more than $50,000 a year.

“Please help. Contact your local politicians asking for a realistic pay offer that reflects the true value of parks and rangers’ work, and for enough funding to manage parks for their own sake and for visitors.”

Cattle foul rivers, threaten health T

he Baillieu Government can no longer turn a blind eye to cattle fouling Victorian river systems after a recent Department of Health report revealed that cow faeces are contaminating waterways and posing unacceptable risks to human health. In March the Baillieu Government reissued 229 grazing licences for public land along the Murray that was originally slated for protection. In 2009 the Brumby Government renewed almost 10,000 riparian grazing licences for rivers across Victoria. “Successive Victorian governments have failed to deal with the very serious issue of cows polluting our rivers,” said VNPA spokesman Nick Roberts. www.vnpa.org.au

“This report demands urgent government action to protect people from serious health risks and provide adequate resources to fence off waterways and protect our river systems from cattle faeces pollution.” The report looks at the public health issues caused by cattle being given unfettered access to Victorian rivers upstream of drinking water off-take points. It found that public health contamination risks from pollution of rivers from livestock were ‘several orders of magnitude’ above tolerable levels, that the costs of disease outbreaks are overwhelmingly higher than the costs of prevention, and that

protecting water sources may bring many additional environmental and economic benefits. The VNPA developed a five-point plan to address these issues after many earlier reports to government and the Department of Sustainability and Environment had identified similar environmental and health risks. “It’s time for the Victorian Government to act on the advice of its own health department, phase out cattle grazing from public riverside land and offer greater incentives to landholders to fence waterways and exclude stock,” Mr Roberts said. To download our action plan visit riparianland.vnpa.org.au. Nature’s Voice | No 12 | April-May 2012 – 3

Firewood free-for-all A

n administrative bungle by Victoria’s Department of Sustainability and Environment to allow free firewood collection in state forests could result in members of the public facing prosecution in the courts. Legal advice from the Environment Defenders Office has identified possible fines and even jail terms for people collecting firewood without a permit in areas of State forests. It also warns that members of the public could take others to court through ‘private prosecutions’ even though the department may choose not to. Last year the Baillieu Government scrapped firewood permits originally introduced in 1958 by the Bolte Government and instead allowed firewood to be collected free from State forests and some parks. However, the Forests Act prescribes penalties for the removal of ‘forest produce’ from areas in State forests including firewood when taken without a permit. The legislation was not changed to fit the new policy, effectively encouraging the public to break the law. Scrapping the firewood permit system was obviously based on poor advice and will lead to harmful environmental impacts across Victoria

Under the Forests Act, people could be taken to court, fined or even jailed for collecting firewood in state forest without a permit. Photo: Nick Roberts

and the undercutting of farm forestry growers. The negative impacts of firewood collection on biodiversity and native animals are well known. Dead timber provides habitat for a range of native fauna, some threatened. This latest clumsy move comes from a government that has been bereft of proper environmental

policies since the 2010 election. The VNPA calls on the Baillieu Government to reintroduce a new permit system for firewood collection from public land in Victoria, and do more to support farmers to develop small-scale wood lots for firewood production. Download a copy of the legal advice from vnpa.org.au.

Judge calls for Leadbeater’s review A

lthough conservation group MyEnvironment failed to stop all logging in the Toolangi area in its March court case against VicForests’ alleged unlawful logging of Leadbeater’s Possum habitat, the case has raised important issues. Supreme Court Justice Robert Osborn said there was an urgent need to review protection for Leadbeater’s Possum in the Central Highlands following the Black Saturday fires. Logging at Gun Barrel coupe near Toolangi was interrupted by community action last year, before finally being halted when MyEnvironment was granted a temporary injunction. Sarah Rees, President of My Environment, said the decision was 4 – Nature’s Voice | No 12 | April-May 2012

Leadbeater’s Possums are tiny. Photo: Dan Harley

a partial blow to the survival of Leadbeater’s Possum, and that it demonstrated that the law is based on an outdated forest model.

She said the law ignores the ecological impacts of the 2009 Black Saturday fires. During the court case, VicForests changed its planned logging operations to exclude areas as breaches came to light. “Had the case not been brought, areas of forest now protected from logging would have been clearfelled,” Ms Rees said. “It is tragic that the laws are not strong enough to protect this critically endangered species. The laws have been designed to allow logging, not to protect endangered fauna.” Leadbeater’s Possum, Victoria’s faunal emblem, is facing extinction through the loss of habitat from fire and decades of overlogging. Victorian National Parks Association

Bastion Point at Mallacoota now has a much better chance of retaining its great natural and cultural values.

Photo: David Huxtable

Last-minute reprieve a win for Bastion Pt A

t the 11th hour, East Gippsland Shire councillors voted unanimously early in April to finalise the design of the State Government’s preferred lower-impact option at the existing Bastion Point boat ramp site, and to seek broad community support for that option. Mallacoota community members who made the six hour return trip to Bairnsdale to present submissions and hear councillors debate the motion were encouraged by the result. The VNPA also applauds the council’s decision. “It’s reassuring to see councillors finally listening to public opinion on this long-running issue,” said Save Bastion Point Campaign spokesperson Leo op den Brouw. “The project was first referred for an Environmental Effects Statement in 2000. It was the subject of controversy when the previous government overrode the recommendation from an

Inquiry Panel that a minor upgrade to the existing ramp at Bastion Point was all that should occur.” The current State Government implemented a review of the project, co-ordinated by the Department of Transport. This review recommended that the existing site be upgraded with a modified design option known as H2. Council agreed this option should be implemented, following cultural heritage studies and detailed design, including costings and visual impact, environmental impact, car parking and sand management. “The Save Bastion Point Campaign looks forward to working with the Bastion Point Project Team and other stakeholders to achieve a positive outcome for all, one that meets the requirements of the boating community while addressing environmental and economic concerns,” said Mr op den Brouw.

“We congratulate councillors on taking this positive step in the right direction.” The VNPA has fought side by side with Save Bastion Point in this longrunning campaign, and congratulates everyone who has worked so hard to help protect this beautiful coastal area from inappropriate overdevelopment. “We’ve always supported safer open-ocean access at Bastion Point,” said VNPA Marine and Coastal Project Officer Simon Branigan. “The council, by supporting a low impact development, has seized a golden opportunity to work with the community and government to make this happen without destroying the area’s environmental and cultural values. “It’s time to lay this large destructive dinosaur of a development to rest and develop a low-impact upgrade of the existing ramp and surrounding area.”

Conservation win for friendliest fish in the sea! Fisheries Victoria has announced extended protection of Eastern and Western Blue Gropers in Victorian waters until April 2013. A big thank you to everyone who donated to this campaign and wrote

www.vnpa.org.au

letters asking for further protection. Your efforts have paid off! > To find out what this decision means for the friendliest fish in the sea, visit our website marine.vnpa.org.au

Nature’s Voice | No 12 | April-May 2012 – 5

NatureWatch he VNPA’s NatureWatch program now has three exciting projects on the go: Grassland Threatened Species, Grass-tree Monitoring, and our newest one ‘Caught on Camera’. These projects are developed by bringing together scientists, community groups and land managers, with community volunteers collecting the vital data. For ‘Caught on Camera’, we’ve been working closely with community group Wombat Forestcare, scientists from the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI), and local Department of Sustainability and Environment staff to develop a program to monitor the response of native animals to fire, using exciting new motion-sensing cameras. At our recent training activity in Wombat State Forest, ARI scientists trained 50 VNPA and Wombat Forestcare volunteers in using these cameras. In coming months, these volunteers will move the cameras to selected sites throughout the forest. The data we collect will improve our understanding of the impact of fire on mammals, and contribute to ARI studies on the impacts of fire on fauna. We’ll also be running this project in Bunyip State Park later in the year. To see what our volunteers are catching on camera, just ‘like’ our Facebook page for regular updates.

Photo: courtesy ACT Parks and Conservation Service

The Striped Legless Lizard is nationally threatened.

Caitlin Griffith NatureWatch Coordinator

Threatened species Our Grasslands Threatened Species project monitors a number of threatened native grassland species in the Greater Melbourne area. We are pleased to announce that our reports Frogs in the Grass, Moths in the Sun and Legging it for Lizards are all now available on our website at reports.vnpa.org.au. The reports, based on data collected by volunteers between 2008 and 2010,

give a ‘snapshot’ of populations of Growling Grass Frogs, Golden Sun Moths and Striped Legless Lizards. Our next activity is monitoring the Plains Yam Daisy (Murnong) in Melbourne’s north on Saturday 29 April. Whether you’re a wildflower enthusiast or a beginner, you’re welcome to join us for an enjoyable morning with the Merri Creek Management Committee and Friends of Merri Creek. To register for this activity, or to join the NatureWatch mailing list, email caitling@vnpa.org.au or phone 9341 6510 (Thursdays and Fridays). To get involved with NatureWatch email caitling@vnpa.org.au or visit naturewatch.vnpa.org.au.

National plan for wildlife corridors T

he federal government recently released draft plans for national wildlife corridors aimed at restoring and managing ecological connections in the Australian landscape. Prepared by an independent Advisory Group including former VNPA director Doug Humann, the plan aims to rebuild and reconnect the landscape. Federal environment minister Tony Burke said national wildlife corridors would lay the foundation for a new, collaborative, whole-of-landscape approach to conserving biodiversity and strengthening resilience of landscapes in the face of climate change. “You can look at a map of reserved areas and sometimes it looks like someone has dipped a toothbrush in paint and splattered different 6 – Nature’s Voice | No 12 | April-May 2012

unconnected dots across the land,” he said, commenting on landscape fragmentation. Environment groups have welcomed the draft, and note that ‘corridors’ are not intended to be just two lines of eucalypts beside a paddock. For the vision to translate to reality, most wildlife corridor projects, from small to grand, will still need to be driven by the community. The persistence needed through changes of governments and policies is best based in the community – although genuine partnerships with governments are very important. Resources to do the work are essential. An investment in community leadership can give a six-fold return to on-ground outcomes, according to Alan

Curtis’s work at Charles Sturt University. Biodiverse carbon plantings, paid for by offsetting for emissions, should also make a major contribution to biodiversity outcomes in these ‘corridors’, says Doug Humann. A landscape consisting only of singlespecies plantations would be a wasted opportunity in the long task of ‘reknitting the landscape’. Please send a short email to Minister Burke (Tony.Burke.MP@environment. gov.au) supporting the wildlife corridors concept and asking that the Central Victorian Biolinks project also be considered as a national corridor. To see the draft plan, go to environment.gov.au. – Karen Alexander, Victoria Naturally Alliance Victorian National Parks Association

Renewed grazing bid defeated

he failure of a motion by the National Party to overturn the federal regulation underlying the ban on cattle grazing in Victoria’s alpine region was a victory for common sense and good environmental decisionmaking. The defeat of this motion in the Federal Parliament on 14 March reaffirms federal environment minister Tony Burke’s decision that the Victorian Government’s so-called ‘scientific cattle grazing trial’ was always deeply flawed.

It is an established fact that cattle grazing severely damages Australia’s fragile alpine regions and has no significant effect in reducing either the extent or the severity of fire. Following the findings of a series of studies conducted since the 1960s, alpine grazing has been banned in five high country national parks in NSW, the ACT and Victoria. The Baillieu Government rushed cattle into the Alpine National Park within a month of being elected,

fulfilling a promise to its political allies, the mountain cattlemen. Now, nearly two years on, the Baillieu Government has no design for its ‘scientific’ trial, no scientists on board and no meaningful data. What it does have is a growing bill for the taxpayer. Environment groups called on Minister Burke to pass new laws to allow the Commonwealth to assess grazing and other threats to national parks, such as mining and land clearing.

look and Bandicoot release offers A new th 60 anniversary hope for species recovery A

aptive-bred Eastern Barred Bandicoots are being released into native grasslands at Serendip Sanctuary near Lara as a significant step in the recovery of this critically endangered species. Up to ten of the small marsupials will be released into four hectares of regenerated habitat to help build the population, which is considered extinct in the wild. This is a vital step in preparing the species for release in Woodlands Historic Park later this year, where the population is projected to reach a sustainable number. The bandicoots were bred at Melbourne Zoo, where they were

An Eastern Barred Bandicoot. Photo

courtesy Conservation Volunteers

prepared for the move to their new home. They also inhabit sites at Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre and Hamilton Community Parkland as part of the recovery project.

s part of our 60th anniversary activities, the VNPA has a new logo. We’ve had positive feedback from many members and supporters who like the new look and the byline ‘Be Part of Nature’. We respect and thank those members who expressed dissatisfaction. Replacing the old logo was a tough decision, made only after considerable consultation and research. But the time was right for a change. Plans are progressing for our 60th anniversary celebrations and we’ll reveal more in June Park Watch, if not before!

– Ann Strunks, Communications & Fundraising Manager

✓ Yes! I want to support the VNPA with a tax deductible gift. I would like to make a regular financial contribution to provide VNPA with secure funding for critically important conservation work. I’d like to give: $50 per month $20 per month $............. a month Regular financial contributions are managed by credit card or direct debit only, with debit made on the 28th of each month. You will receive a tax receipt at the end of each financial year, and can stop or change your donations at any time. One-off Donation - I’d like to give a one-off tax-deductible donation of $................

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Photo: Charles Street

OUT AND ABOUT Bushwalking and Activities Bushwalking Highlights and updates 5 May (Sat) Mt Rothwell evening walk Grade: easy, 4km. For details phone 9347 5188 or email vnpa@vnpa.org.au. Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Centre (near You Yangs) has Eastern Barred Bandicoots, Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies and more. Entry $20. Bookings essential. 9 May (Wed) Social night: Karen Alexander – Sailing South Karen Alexander sailed to the Antarctic Peninsula. See the photos, hear the stories and stay warm and dry! Doors open 7pm at 60 Leicester St, Carlton. Presentation starts 8pm. Wine, tea and coffee for gold coin donation. Friends welcome. Contact: 9347 5188/ vnpa@vnpa.org.au. 23 May (Wed) U35 social night To find out more, keep posted to the U35 e-group for updates. RSVP essential – phone 9347 5188 or email vnpa@vnpa.org.au.

Bushwalking mega buying night, Tuesday 8 May Don’t miss your chance to pick up some great bushwalking gear! The Wilderness Shop in Box Hill is holding a VNPA members night, offering 20% off regular prices and 5% off sale items. There will be free nibbles plus pizza, beer and soft drink as well as a chance to win a great door prize! The night runs 6-9pm, The Wilderness Shop, 969 Whitehorse Rd in Box Hill. For more information phone 9898 3742 or email info@wildernessshop.com.au. vnpa@vnpa.org.au by 8 June.

Cancellation The Masons Falls walk on Wednesday 25 April has been cancelled. Kinglake NP’s Masons Falls car park and nearby tracks will be closed until at least June.

Volunteers needed The VNPA U35 group is looking for volunteers to organise its monthly social nights. These are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of every month. For more information, or to register your interest in volunteering, email vnpau35@yahoogroups.com. 13 June (Wed) Social night and mid-year dinner at the Corkman Come and celebrate six months of BWAG activities! All welcome to an informal dinner at the Corkman Irish pub (160 Leicester St, Carlton). RSVP by phoning 9347 5188 or email

If undelivered – return to Victorian National Parks Association Level 3, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton 3053

Excursions 19 May (Sat) You Yangs and Serendip Sanctuary, via Truganina Coastal Park (Altona). Enjoy You Yangs Regional Park following closure due to floods, and see Serendip’s wildlife. 16 June (Sat) Enjoy interesting walks in and around the historic goldrush township of Warrandyte.

For your diary 15 July (Sun): 7th annual Grow West tree planting day Since 2006 we’ve planted 30+ hectares with 30,000 trees and shrubs in the Bacchus Marsh area. This year we’ll be planting near Lerderderg Gorge SP. Details and registration in June Park Watch. Don’t miss it! For details please phone the VNPA office on 9347 5188 or email vnpa@vnpa.org.au. 18-19 August: 15th annual Hindmarsh tree planting weekend Details of this major landscape change project in June Park Watch. Nhill district, 370km west of Melbourne. Always a great weekend! For details please phone the VNPA office on 9347 5188 or email vnpa@vnpa.org.au.

Bookings & enquiries: 9347 5188, email vnpa@vnpa.org.au.

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