Delatite Landcare Group continues strong after 30 years

THE Delatite Landcare Group (DLG), now in its 30th year, held its AGM last month to reflect on the year’s achievements and discuss protecting the Southern Greater Glider, sighted in the district in April. At the meeting on Thursday, November 21, at the Produce Store, President Jeremy Madin presented a detailed overview of the group’s activities and the support received over the past 12 months. “Our committee is a small one but an active one,” said Mr Madin. He acknowledged the contributions of committee members, including Vice President Sue Plum, who stood down after 10 years, and Treasurer John Gilson, commended for his work with Up2Us Landcare Alliance at the 2024 Victorian Landcare Awards. Other committee members, John and Lynn Gras, and Erica Lowing, were also thanked for their efforts. Mr Madin expressed gratitude to Up2Us, noting the attendance of acting executive officer Rhiannon Quigley. “We could not work without the network support from Up2Us, who are an enormous supporter of our activities,” he said. The relationship with Up2Us was described as symbiotic and productive. “Network facilitator and executive officer Kim Magnay (currently on leave) has been thoughtfully and effectively responsive to DLG suggestions, particularly around sustainable agriculture, including precision soil testing, hill pasture hydration, carbon capture, regenerative agriculture, and managing native grasses,” said Mr Madin. “With Chair John Gilson and the Up2Us committee, she has energetically secured substantial funding, organised workshops and field days, and managed numerous activities, often in collaboration with DLG but also independently, benefiting members and the broader community via the Up2Us newsletter, which reaches 340 people,” he said. DLG membership remains steady with 38 financial members and about 100 individuals and families receiving activity updates. Seven key activities supported by Up2Us were outlined, including an endangered native fish breeding project, a spring wildflower walk, an Indigenous plants handbook, and farm dam enhancement. One significant event was the Arboreal Fauna Exploration led by ecologist Bertram Lobert on April 12 at Dungeon Gully in Boorolite. Attendees observed a previously unrecorded population of Southern Greater Gliders on the property of committee members Lyn and John Gras. Mr Lobert, a passionate advocate for the Save Our Strathbogie Forest campaign, was invited to the AGM to share his knowledge and concerns about the glider’s future. “Every environmental indication in this country is going in the wrong direction,” he said. “It is a sign for more First Nation ethics to heal this country." He emphasised that native animals depend on older trees, which are increasingly scarce. Mr Lobert’s presentation explored the evolution of the greater glider, highlighting its plight. “In the 1980s greater gliders were seen everywhere with no thought they would become endangered,” he said. By 2016, the Southern Greater Glider was listed as vulnerable, and in 2020 it was declared endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The 2024 DLG committee will include Jeremy Madin as president, John Gilson as treasurer, and John Gras as secretary. Committee members are Lynn Gras, Erica Lowing, and newcomer Connor McFadden, with the vice president’s role yet to be filled. The group plans to continue advocating for biodiversity initiatives with Mansfield Shire Council in line with its environmental strategy. Mr Madin also said the group aims to enhance community education and involvement in appreciating natural heritage. “Bird and animal observation, flora and fungi identification, and understanding their place in local geology and soils are core business for Landcarers,” he said.

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