THE Upper Plenty Merri Catchments Landcare, is running an 18 month program starting in May 2025, to assist landowners and land managers, not only in our local area but, in the wider rural area in and around Mitchell Shire, with the help from the Victorian State Government’s Partnership against Pests grant funding.
Being in what is called a peri-urban area, between urban and rural zonings, a mix of smaller hobby and lifestyle farmers, absentee landowners, land bankers and full time agricultural enterprises creates challenges in controlling invasive weeds and pests, notably blackberry, gorse and rabbits.
It is not always appreciated that weed and pest management is a permanent fixture of property management.
They not only degrade the quality of land but also create issues for neighbours, public lands and waterways over time so what may be a small problem easily contained, blows out after a few seasons into a headache.
Our local council is using local bylaws backed by state legislation to be more proactive in contacting landowners to provide management plans for a range of the worst invasive weeds.
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To help landowners, the Upper Plenty Merri Catchment Landcare group is running the following independent structured activities which are open to all.
- Information sessions in developing a weed management plan as required by council.
- Information sessions on weed and rabbit management options delivered by experts.
- Field days demonstrating management techniques for both weeds and rabbits, from spraying, chemical and biological control to ripping and hand weeding.
- Static displays at local markets.
- Running a subsidised agricultural chemical use (ACUP) course and a separate animal pest bait (1080/PAP) endorsement.
Including management options for non chemical and biological control where applicable.
- Educational activities on repairing the land, managing land sustainably and what Landcare can offer landowners.
We can also arrange inspections to assist landowners in our local area to make use of grants to assist in land management issues through Landcare membership.
Land management is not intuitive, it takes knowledge, planning and hard work to get to a level requiring minimal oversight.
We also hope that landowners consider making room for native vegetation and the wildlife it supports as we hope to demonstrate, reversing the decline in biodiversity.
For more information, please check out our Facebook page Upper Plenty Merri Catchments Landcare Group https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087151585037
Or email/text the secretary Michael (secretary.upmclg@gmail.com or 0412 408 048) to be put on our PAP mailing list for our program as dates become available.
For membership enquiries contact membership.upmclg@gmail.com.
