by Basil | Jul 30, 2018 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
As part of the Gondwana Wetlands program, Green Skills and the local Gillamii Centre organised a lake foreshore re-vegetation and wetland restoration project on the Lehmann farm, near Cranbrook on Thursday 26th July 2018.
Forty two enthusiastic students and four teachers from the Cranbrook School helped plant 2400 salt tolerant shrubs and trees (of 12 species) around the riparian zone of the newly fenced lake on the property. 9 constructed bird habitat islands were also planted to local rushes. Also on hand to help with the planting were three generations of the Lehmann family, Gillamii project officer Jenni Loveland, along with three Green Skills volunteers working with Basil Schur, Denmark based project manager.
The plants were grown by Albany Farm Tree Nursery. Technical advice for revegetating the site was provide biodiversity consultant Wendy Bradshaw, from Tambellup. Fulcher Earth moving of Mt Barker constructed the islands back in March when the lake was dry. Sam, Sandy and Ian Lehmann supported the project by putting up the fence to keep sheep out of the foreshore area, and carrying out the site preparation. Funding for the project came through the WA State NRM program, as well as through Gillamii’s National Landcare Program supported project.
All in all, a rewarding day.. building support for lake conservation across the Cranbrook community.
Cranbrook School students helping put in 2400 plants on the day
Planting one of the nine constructed islands on the day
Cranrbook School planting team in action
On the day some work was also done at the nearby Bob’s Lake Bird Hide site- Green Skills volunteers Adrian, Elliot and Indu, with landowner Sandy Lehmann.
by Basil | Jul 23, 2018 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Report from WA Landcare Network Forum
By Basil Schur
On Friday 20th July he WA Landcare Network held a members and Stake-holders forum at the Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre. Around 90 people attended the event. The Welcome to Country by Marie Taylor, a Whadjuk Noongar Elder, included some special story telling – and this complemented a latter presentation by Oral McGuire about Noongar enterprise and Caring for Country at Avondale Park, near York.
Marie Taylor, a Whadjuk Noongar Elder, giving the Welcome to Country. at the Forum
While Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Regional Development, Agriculture and Food, did indicate at at the forum her support for the work of landcare, it was perhaps a missed opportunity to challenge her for the paltry $7m a year the WA Government is allocating to State NRM programs.
Two presentations from Katanning Landcare and Blackwood Basin Group related to landcare groups setting up enterprises ( a nursery in the case of Katanning, and the Perup Nature’s Guest House in the case of the Boyup Brook based Blackwood Basin Group.) Green Skills, with its long history of running community based enterprises (ie Eco Jobs, Denmark Tip Shop), has something to offer other community groups keen to embark on income generation through running enterprises.
I gave a presentation on Bailjup Sanctuary Citizen Science program ( pdf attached), which complemented Dr Nic Dunlop’s presentation on Citizen Science in relation to NRM outcomes.
A rewarding presentation covering social entrepreneurship, and integrated agricultural/biodiversity programs was given by Lachy Ritchie of Odonata ( http://www.odonata.org.au/)
Lots of valuable ideas, and it would be great for Green Skills to potentially be part of an emerging partnership between Odonata and Gondwana Link.
Another useful presentation was by Dr Guy Boggs of the WA Biodiversity Science Institute (https://wabsi.org.au/) – a possible opportunity to get more university students and researchers to link with Green Skiils’projects and programs
At the networking level, I found it useful to connect with folk from the Warren catchments Council, the Conservation Council of WA, the Cockburn Wetland Centre, and reps from a wide range of other groups.
Basil Schur, Projects Manager, Green Skills
A selection of slides from the Balijup presentation…
by Basil | Jul 18, 2018 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
New YouTube films highlight cultural importance of two south coast wetlands
Green Skills has recently produced two short YouTube films documenting Noongar Elders, Carol Pettersen and Eugene Eades, visiting culturally significant wetlands east of Albany.The films were made by Frank Rijavec with assistance from Margaret Robertson. The films are based on a day’s outing led by Aunty Carol and Uncle Eugene, attended by Noongar family members and interested Wadjellas (non-Noongars) to Moolyup Swamp ( Lake Pleasant View) near Manypeaks and Warriup Swamp (Mullocullup Nature Reserve) near Green Range.
The two films share knowledge about what makes these stunning wetlands special for Noongar people and culture.
These can be viewed at:
Warriup Film Title
Warriup swamp.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmc_lDkv184
Moolyup Film Title
Moolyup Swamp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3EkVjZNni0
The Green Skills Gondwana Wetland project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program, supported by Royalties for Regions. It is also supported by Gondwana Link and the Koorabup Trust.
For more information contact Basil Schur at the Green Skills Denmark office on 984833130
Filming at Warriup Swamp with Elders Eugene Eades and Carol Pettersen on the Cultural Outing June 2018
Filming Elders Eugene Eades and Carol Pettersen at Warriup
by Basil | Jul 17, 2018 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
On Monday 16th July, Green Skills held a landcare forum at the Manjimup Art Gallery to open the Gondwana Connections Arts and Photographic exhibition.
The event was co-sponsored by Gondwana Link and the Warren Catchments Council. It provided an opportunity to show case the wonderful art and photographic work completed in recent years by both Noongar and Wadjella artists, as well as highlighting the value of Gondwana and its long term vision of reconnected country.
This exhibition opening included a Welcome to Country by Phyllis Karahoutis, Chairperson of the Walgenup Aboriginal Corporation and included presentations by Keith Bradby of Gondwana Link, Basil Schur of Green Skills, Vanda Dei-Tos, Manager, Libtaries and Cultural Services with the Shire of Manjimup, Julian Sharp from the Warren Catchment Council and Sharon Rose, local arts worker. The event included showing two short films : Green Skills’ YouTube doco about the Lake Muir wetlands and another showing casing a recently completed eco-art project in Manjimup. 32 people attended the event, including three local Shire counsellors.
Appreciations go to an excellent team of local volunteers who helped install the Exhibition. This included : Fay Dunstan, Anna Czerkasow, Julian Sharp, Arlen Sharp, Sharon Rose and Kimberley Rose. Shire of Manjimup Gallery and Library staff including Rhiannon Raper and Vanda De-Tos were very supportive as well.
Posted by Basil Schur, Projects Manager, Green Skills
Phyllis Karahoutis giving the Welcome to Country at the event
Keith Bradby, CEO of Gondwana LInk, addresses the forum
Volunteers who helped install the exhibition: Kim, Anna, Fay,Sharon, Arlen and Julian.
The exhibition will be on from 16th July to 31st August 2018
The principal artists represented in the exhibition include Joey Williams, Audrey and Errol Eades, Lynne and Ken Tinley, Nikki Green, Janine McCrum, Robyn Lees, Helmie van Melle, Christine Harrison, Rosemary Turle, Jacqui Gale and Karlee Bertola. Nikki Green and Janine McCrum set up the exhibition. Key support has come from Poornarti Aboriginal Tours, Eugene and Errol Eades, Friends of Nowanup, the City of Albany’s Vancouver Art Centre, and Community Arts Network WA, the Denmark CRC.
This project has been supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program, supported by Royalties for Regions. In addition this event has been supported by the Koorabup Trust, Gondwana Link and the Warren Catchments Council.
by Basil | Jun 19, 2018 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Green Skills just completed a productive fauna surveying weekend at Balijup farm near Cranbrook. This Green Skills and Conservation Council of WA event had 15 participants join in range of activities including Quenda (Bandicoot ) andBrush tailed possum monitoring in the Balijup eco-Sanctuary, bird surveying inside and outside the fenced Sanctuary, Phascogale monitoring on the Horrock’s farm near the Stirlings, and checking of Phascogale nesting boxes at Balijup. Frank Riijavek and Margaret Robertson undertook some documentary filming during the weekend for Gondwana Link.
Thanks to Merryn Pryor and Joe Porter for providing the wildlife management expertise, for all the volunteers for helping, to the Hordacre family for allowing us to use the homestead and property, to Parks and Wildlife Service, UWA (Albany) and Bush Heritage Australia for technical assistance. Phill Horrocks enthusiastically permitted fauna monitoring on his farm near Cranbrook.
This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program, supported by Royalties for Regions. Acknowledgement also to support by the Conservation Council of WA, the Gillamii Centre, and Gondwana Link Ltd.
Processing captured wildlife before releae – Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
Getting cage traps ready for the survey – Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
Preparing the bait for the cage traps – Balijup
A caught Brush tailed possum prior to release Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
– Preparing Phascogale nesting boxes – Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
checking Phascogale nesting boxes – Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
Phascogale box trap – farm near Cranrbook – Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
– Joe Porter checking a Phascogale trap – Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
Gondwana LInk film crew interviewing Basil Schur at Balijup – Balijup Fauna Monitoring Weekend June 2018
