Home - South West Catchments Council
working together to make a difference today
and develop a sustainable future for tomorrow
community • environment • farming
CSR & Communications Manager, Nicki Ledger, and Threatened Species Program Manager, Brian Chambers, making friends at @birdlifewa Black Cockatoo Symposium 🪶 ...
🐄 SWCC Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator, Peter Clifton, facilitating a fascinating discussion on carbon for the Western Dairy Annual Spring Forum. Important takeaway messages include:
- WA is only state with rising emissions (predominantly from energy sector)
- Important for farmers to quantify their emissions to understand climate impact
- Soil carbon potential is an interplay between soil type, climate and land management.
- Clay content is a limiting factor to building soil carbon. It’s harder to build (and retain) carbon in sandy soils.
- ~85% of carbon added to soil is consumed by microorganisms and respired as carbon dioxide.
- Maintaining soil organic carbon requires continued inputs of, for example, manure.
- Soil organic carbon potential higher in areas with medium-high rainfall and lower temperature.
- Need to protect topsoil (full of carbon) and build carbon into soil at depth. ...
🐝🦋🪲 SWCC is working with avocado and canola farmers to research the use of on-farm revegetation to attract pollinators and boost productivity.
We're trialing inter-row cropping with crimson clover and oats, and measuring the increase in pollinator levels. Early results indicate that these species are very attractive to insects (and they certainly look beautiful too!).
More info at link in bio! ...
🌿 The Australian Government will shortly begin consultation on new legislation aimed at creating a national biodiversity stewardship market to facilitate private sector investment in farmers who improve the environmental condition of their land.
The new legislation will develop a market and associated Biodiversity Trading Platform to provide the private sector with an easy, credible and cost-effective method to demonstrate corporate social responsibility by investing in on-farm biodiversity.
Farmers will be rewarded with a drought-proof income for boosting biodiversity on less productive areas of farmland, through activities such as revegetation, planting, weed and pest control, and fencing.
Read more at link in bio! ...
Head down to Bunbury Markets today to chat to our Project Manager, Jaya, about how to keep your pet happy and healthy at home. She has simple and effective enclosure ideas on display to suit every home. Our native wildlife will thank you for doing the right thing 🙏🐶🐱 ...
Thanks all for a fabulous AGM yesterday, which featured a guest speech by Luke Yates of SWALSC on the South West Native Title Settlement and signing of our new Collaboration MoU! It’s been a big year and we’re looking forward to doing even more to build a healthier, more productive environment in 2022 🤩 ...
⭐️We're looking for a Strategy Manager! ⭐️
If you're a gun at identifying market drivers, trends and gaps and want to help us deliver sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, we want to hear from you!
This brand new role will be responsible for developing business cases for investment decisions, with the aim of building a healthier, more productive South West environment and community.
Great people skills are a must, as is financial and risk management competence. You'll undertake proactive engagement of a range of senior individuals within potential partner organisations, for exploratory discussions through to contractual negotiations.
The role requires concise communication of complex concepts, financials and project plans, as well as the staying power to translate an idea into real-world outcome.
If you think you fit the bill, click the link in bio! ...
🤩 There's an exciting road ahead for SWCC, with the launch of our new Organisational Strategy 2021-25 featuring innovative diversification strategies and a commitment to scaling up environmental solutions across the region.
The recent recruitment of two new Board Directors, with significant expertise in governance and financial management, will further strengthen the organisation.
To assist with the delivery of the Strategy, a new Sustainability and Environment Lead and Strategy Manager will be recruited to the executive team.
♻️Happy National Recycling Week! ♻️
Hopefully by now, we're all pretty great at recycling our cans, plastic bottles/containers, paper, newspaper and glass in the yellow bins. We know they need to be clean and loose so they can be recycled and turned into new products. Job done, right?!
Well....not quite! There's still heaps you can do, and the best place to start is REDUCING your waste in the first place. Buy less and waste less - invest in reusables, avoid packaging, say no to that bottled water and steer clear of fast fashion. A good bin is an empty bin!
The next step is to recycle items that can't be processed through your yellow lid bin. Soft plastics can go to REDcycle drop-off points at Coles and Woolworths. Other items like batteries and e-waste can be taken to specialised drop-off points - your local government will be able to advise what's available in your area.
Turning your organic waste into compost is easy if you have a lime-green lid FOGO or GO bin. Even if you don't, backyard composting or wormfarming is easy and rewarding (and you get to keep the compost for your garden!)
We all have a part to play in looking after our environment. Easy, everyday choices can make all the difference!
For more info, check out wastesorted.wa.gov.au. ...
👩‍⚖️ Our CEO, Sally Wilkinson, recently presented at the National Environmental Law Association’s State Conference about the evolving carbon farming regulatory landscape. Sally outlined how SWCC worked with the Australian Government on its Carbon + Biodiversity and Enhanced Remnant Vegetation pilots, and how landholders can get involved in carbon farming to diversify income. ...
😲🤔 Our Communications Manager, Nicki, found this beauty in her garage in Cowaramup. Can you guess the species? ...
Strutting into the weekend like…😄 ...
If you haven’t already, watch David Attenborough’s keynote speech at COP26 (link in bio) – important and powerful words to inspire climate action.
#COP26 #COP26Glasgow #ClimateTalks #ClimateAction #Attenborough ...
The Threatened Species Commissioner has today announced Australia's 100 priority threatened species. Here in the South West, that includes:
✅ Australasian Bittern
✅ Carnaby's Cockatoo
✅ Malleefowl
✅ Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
✅ Chuditch
✅ Numbat
✅ Quokka
✅ Western ringtail possum
Two new additions in our region are the Australian Sea Lion and the Margaret River Burrowing Crayfish 🦐 ...
Project Manager Jaya Vaughan showing a group of keen cat owners some enclosure options to keep their kitties (and our native wildlife) safe and healthy! ...
🤩 Who needs a humpday pick-me-up?! 🤩
Here's a very cute video of western ringtail possum, Jodie, feasting on some prickly moses flowers (Acacia pulchella)! 🐒
Jodie is part of the cohort we're studying for our possum release program with @fawna.inc, @universitywa and DBCA.
@csirogram and SWCC invite you to take part in a survey about the perceived impact of narrow-leaf cotton bush (Gomphocarpus fruticosus) in Western Australia.
This study is being funded by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and seeks input from land managers across the southwest on:
✅Distribution of cotton bush
✅Social, economic, and environmental impacts (negative and positive),
✅Whether the perceived impact varies according to area or land manager type,
✅How much time and money are spent on control of cotton bush
✅Land manager understanding, support, and willingness to pay for a biocontrol program for cotton bush.
To take part in the survey, click the link in our bio. ...
🌳 Today, the Australian Government launched its $22.3 million Enhanced Remnant Vegetation Pilot, which will pay farmers in South West WA to protect native vegetation on their land!
SWCC have assisted Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and The Australian National University to develop the program to suit our region, and will help to assess farms for funding. The cost of utilising your land can be funded through the Pilot, along with fencing, weed & pest control, infill planting and revegetation.
For more information on how you can take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to protect the environment while diversifying your income stream, click the link in our bio. ...
🌟 We're hiring! 🌟
We're recruiting a Sustainability and Environment Lead to act as SWCC's pre-eminent scientific expert in natural resource management and agriculture. You'll head up our fabulous Operations Team, as well as working closely with our Association Members to make a real impact here in the South West.
If you're outcomes-focused, an experienced project manager and adept at bringing out the best in a team, we'd love to hear from you!
Search on SEEK or click the link in bio. ...
Amazing news for WA and especially our precious South West forests! Endless gratitude to everyone who made their voice heard and the tireless campaigners who have worked for years to ensure forest conservation 👏🏼💚 ...