Article by Kaye Rodden

Photo above: Southern Farming Systems Trial Site, Inverleigh
The organising group: Bret Ryan (Southern Farming Systems), Dr Russ Barrow (Charles Sturt University), Kaye Rodden, Graeme Heath (Charles Sturt University) and Cemlyn Martin (CEO Southern Farming Systems) giving a thumbs up after a successful field day.

This was an introductory event for community members across the Barrabool Hills and beyond, to hear about dung beetles and the role they play in contributing to carbon capture and storage (very topical at the moment), learn how to identify both native and introduced species and implement methods to collect and identify beetles on their own property.

It was also an opportunity to announce the success of the Geelong Landcare Network (GLN) and Upper Barwon Landcare Network (UBLN) in obtaining a grant through the State government to survey dung beetles across the two network areas over the next 12 months, in partnership with Southern Farming Systems (SFS), and to seek EOI’s from landholders to participate.

The program fulfilled all the above aims and also reinforced the important partnerships between the BHLG, GLN and SFS.

The event took place in the SFS machinery shed at their trial site, and thanks to the SFS staff who cleared the shed to enable us to set up for the presentations.

A hearty individually packaged morning tea and lunch was sourced from a local caterer and provided FREE, and as some of the participants had travelled significant distances, including from Ararat and Mortlake, I believe this was welcomed.

Many also welcomed the time after the scheduled presentations to network and chat with the academics from Charles Sturt University over lunch. Over 40 members of the community, young and not so young, attended the field day on a warm and muggy Saturday.

We were lucky that the Dr Russ Barrow and Graeme Heath from Charles Sturt University’s Dung Beetle Ecosystem Engineers project were able to cross the border and provide us with an excellent presentation about their research into these amazing insects. The Dung beetle is fast becoming a national identity, with the National Broadcaster recently featuring them as a key to Australia moving toward zero emissions stating….

“ a humble powerhouse working underground to support the big players up top to keep our planet liveable. Dragging poo through the soil, like adding fertiliser, turning humble paddocks into carbon sinks that can soak carbon dioxide out of the air like trees do”.

View on www.abc.net.au

Those members from our group who attended also heard that the Geelong Landcare Network in partnership with the Upper Barwon Landcare Network and Southern Farming Systems, have been successful in obtaining a grant next year to survey for Dung Beetles across the two network areas. A steering committee is being set up to start the search for appropriate sites (10 in total) to monitor over the 12 months.

There will also be workshops to discuss setting up your own monitoring stations across your property. If you would like to register for any of these activities contact the Geelong Landcare Network Facilitator, Bron Merritt, at geelonglandcarenetwor@gmail.com.

A huge thanks to Christa and Trevor Jones for their help in the setting up and catering.
Thank you to Southern Farming Systems for hosting the event and the support of the Corangamite CMA, funded through a Federal Government’s National Landcare Program.