The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
MEDIA RELEASE
08 August 2011
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice 2nd Edition
Desert Channels Group’s (DCG) team is built on experience and credibility, and much of this comes from employing local people with local knowledge, and they don’t come more local than Peter Spence.
Peter, DCG’s NRM Facilitator, is a born and bred westerner, and few know more about weeds, feral animals, and the western culture; so who better to mentor the latest addition to the team, NRM Officer, Leigh Deutscher.
Leigh, who recently completing his B.Sc. Ecology and Sustainability and a B.Sc. Applied Science (Hons) accompanied Peter to start his training in the ways of the west.
Their first visit was to acquit an old project at Stonehenge where two years ago the landholder fenced a paddock in half and put in more waters from a nearby dam, using a solar pump. As hoped, the ground cover had increased with a considerable difference being made to the amount of available feed and habitat.
Of great interest at this property, was the number and size of nests that had been formed by the bush rats that are still prevalent in many parts of western Queensland. Nests approximately 50-60 cm high and over 1 metre in diameter, were providing the local feral pigs with some good tucker.
A second fencing project on another property has taken the pressure off some lighter carrying country. By fencing off a lagoon and then fencing a paddock in half, country has been spelled over the past two good wet seasons resulting in increased ground cover. This, along with rotational grazing, has seen the ground cover improvements maintained, even in the face of continued grazing.
For more information on the work of Desert Channels Group, visit www.dcq.org.au.
Media enquiries: Roelie Hartwig Ph: (07) 4652 7812 Fax: (07) 4658 0122 or roelie.hartwig@dcq.org.au
