ADDRESSING CHANNEL COUNTRY SUSTAINABILITY AND WILD DOGS
MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 12 May 2010
ADDRESSING CHANNEL COUNTRY SUSTAINABILITY AND WILD DOGS
Achieving sustainable use of our landscape is the key factor to maintaining long-term financial viability is the key message of the Channel Country Sustainable Grazing Forum being held in Jundah on the 26th and 27th May 2010.
“This will be an opportunity for landholders to learn about and share their grazing management techniques and access information on current issues from leading experts in a range of fields,” said Desert Channels Queensland (DCQ) Industry Liaison Officer, Colleen James, who is organising the event.
On Wednesday the 26th May the Forum will begin at 9am at the Jundah Hall and cover topics including Channel Country Landforms and the Processes That Shape Them; Sustainability in the Channel Country; Sustainable Grazing; Flood Plain Management; Managing Feral Pigs; and Wild Dog Behaviour and Ecology.
A BBQ dinner at the Jundah Hotel will wrap up day one with the chance to network and speak with presenters including Dr Jerry Maroulis, University of Southern Queensland; David Phelps, Agri-Science Queensland; David Rankine, Bunuro Station; Gerry Roberts, GR Consulting; Darren Marshall, Feral Pig Project; and Tony Townsend, Dog Trapper.
On Thursday 27th May attendees will have the opportunity to see what two local Channel Country graziers are doing on their place with the field tour to Haughton Vale and Glen Valley Stations.
Tony Townsend, drawing on his 20 years of experience as a professional dog trapper and howler, will then provide a practical demonstration on wild dog trapping, baiting and livestock guardian animals.
This will be followed by a Wild Dog Forum that will give producers an overview on the successful progress that the Paroo and Murweh Shires have had over the past few years in regards to wild dog control and plan a way forward to increase participation and wild dog control in neighbouring shires.
“Wild dogs are an increasing problem in our region and graziers are seeking answers. Through sharing information and ideas we hope to begin to address this issue,” said Colleen.
The Wild Dog Forum will be drawing on the experiences of John Cuskelly, the State Wild Dog Coordinator; Peter Lucas, Q/Dog and Paroo Wild Dog Chairman; Mandy Cartwright , AgForce South West Regional Manager and Murweh Wild Dog Advisory Group Secretary; and the Barcoo Shire & Diamantina Shire Rural Lands Officer, Peter Pidgeon.
The Channel Country Sustainable Grazing Forum is an initiative of the Desert Channels Landholder Support Service Project and is funded by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government’s Blueprint for the Bush Program.
Catering cannot be guaranteed unless registration is received. To register or for more information please contact Colleen James at DCQ on 07 4652 7826 or email colleen.james@dcq.org.au. Check out the web page: www.dcq.org.au.
ENDS
