Welcome to the new-look 'Feral Flyer'

The Invasive Animals CRC has launched a new website (click on the link above).     The site will be undergoing continuing development over the next few months, and feedback is welcome. Past Feral Flyer subscribers have been migrated to the new site.  If you are aware that a colleague is no longer receiving the newsletter but wishes to, or would like to subscribe, please have them contact IA CRC Communications Manager Kerryn Molloy (contact@invasiveanimals.com)  or access the subscription module of the new website. 

Back issues will be made available via the website from this issue onward - no older Feral Flyers will be accessible once the old site is decommissioned.  Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please also email Kerryn if you wish to contribute articles for future editions of the Flyer.

Diploma course in pest management commenced at the University of Canberra

The Diploma Course in pest management that has been developed under the Education Program for the Invasive Animals CRC commenced on 24 February.  It will run until November 2008. 13 participants have enrolled. They have been drawn from the state and territory agencies concerned with pest management. The aim is to provide participants with the skills necessary to plan and implement regional, best practice pest management. The course is funded through the Natural Heritage Trust and the IA CRC. It has been many years in gestation from the initial compilation of the core competencies in 1993 through to the development of the Conservation and Land Management Training Package specialising in pest management. It draws heavily on the information developed through the Feral Animal Program of the Bureau of Rural Sciences and that produced within the IA CRC and incorporates the strategic approach to pest management developed in the 1990s by Mike Braysher and Glen Saunders. The course fulfills a major aim of the National Vertebrate Pest Strategy, namely to build the capacity of managers to effectively manage their pest animal issues.

The course will be delivered through a mixture of face-to-face teaching through short-course residentials and internet delivery. All the participants are employed pest management officers so it is important that they can undertake the course as part of their workplace. The course uses a problem based approach to learning where the course material and assessment exercises draw from real pest management case studies. In addition, each student will prepare a pest management plan for their region as part of the course assessment. Stephen Dalla Costa is convening the course which has been developed over two years by Mike Braysher, Nina Jenkins and Stephen Sarre. The presenters are Dr Jennifer Andrew (human dimension of pest management), Dr Mike Braysher (underlying principles and the strategic approach to managing pest animals), Dr Stephen Sarre and Alice Kenney (Monitoring and Evaluation). Dr Sarre and Dr Tom Heinsohn will also cover implementation of pest management and funding issues. The course is being presented in conjunction with the University of Canberra College and Tocal College, the training college for the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

The current year is a pilot year to assess the course content and delivery. The course proper will commence in February 2009. Anyone interested in undertaking the course next year should contact Stephen Dalla Costa (at left): Stephen.dalla.costa@canberra.edu.au; tel: 02 62015728.

Pestat Pty Ltd achieves FeralMone® export order

Pestat Pty Ltd have recently achieved the first commercial export of its product FeralMone® to the UK/European Union.  The product will be distributed there by BlueSky Telemetry Ltd from their offices in Scotland.  For those not familiar with FeralMone, the product is an aerosol spray of a mixture of chemicals that is highly attractive to foxes and other wild canids.  FeralMone has a distinctive aroma of near-incomparable character - once smelt, never forgotten....  Congratulations Pestat!

New alien fish monitoring techniques report

Peter West and Annette Brown (of NSW DPI) and Kylie Hall (VIC DPI) have completed a review of alien fish monitoring techniques, indicators and protocols: implications for national monitoring of Australia's inland river systems report.  The report, published by the IA CRC, was commissioned by the National Land and Water Resources Audit.   It is not intended to be an exhaustive review, but rather to inform the National Vertebrate Pests Committee and the NLWRA regarding alien fish for monitoring and reporting under the national Natural Resource Monitoring and Evaluation Framework [read the report]

Recent speeches by Kim Carr

Minister Kim Carr has re-affirmed the Government’s commitment to work with public research agencies to develop charters to protect their independence and integrity.  [ click here]

Minister Carr announced plans for a new research quality and evaluation system.  [ Click here]

Minister Carr had discussed the experiences of Post-Docs and early career researchers in a speech about the rights and obligations of scientists and researchers.  [ click here]

Minister Carr welcomed a call for submissions by the Chair of the Government's independent review of the National Innovation System.   Click [here] for media release.

Conservation benefits from commercial harvesting project update

PhD student Kylie Singh

This project is being undertaken by NSW Department of Primary Industries at Orange with support from the Natural Heritage Trust, Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) and the IA CRC.  Project supervisor Steve McLeod, Technical Officer Jessica Gibson and our PhD Student Kylie Singh are investigating possible benefits to biodiversity and agricultural production from commercial use of kangaroos and goats.   The team have produced their second newsletter, aimed at updating readers on their progress [to read newsletter no. 2 of February 2008, click here].  For those who didn't receive the first edition, it can be viewed [here].

National Natural Resources Management Knowledge Conference

The Victorian Catchment Management Authorities Chairs' Group, on behalf of the National NRM Regions Chairs' Working Group, would like to invite companies and organisations to join them at the second National Natural Resources Management Knowledge Conference - Changing Landscapes to be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 April 2008.    If you wish to book a booth or sponsorship package, contact Helen McGowan (helen@wsm.com.au).   [sponsorship flyer]   [conference website]

Quoll conservation workshop announcement

WWF Australia and the Threatened Species Network have organised a workshop on quoll conservation to be held in Sydney on the 15th and 16th of April.  The aim is to share knowledge and experiences on the major issues facing quoll conservation in Australasia and to support collaborative networks among researchers working around Australia and in Papua New Guinea.  [workshop now closed] 

Positions vacant

Senior Project Officer, CMA (Western, Cobar, Bourke, Dubbo or by negotiation)
Department of Environment and Climate Change, NSW.  [ more]

Policy Officers (two positions), Natural Resource Management, Climate Change Branch
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra [ more]

CEO's blog

Our CEO, Tony Peacock, maintains a blog 'Feral Thoughts' containing snippets of interest, recent media, facts and figures, anecdotes etc. - it is interesting reading, pay a visit.

WA Environment Minister goes toad busting

The Hon. David Templeman caught his first cane toad after a 'busting' outing with the Kimberley Toad Busters.  To read the KTB newsletter, click [here]. 

Eureka prizes open

Presented annually by the Australian Museum, the Eureka Prizes reward excellence in the categories of:

• research and innovation
• science leadership
• school science
• science communication and journalism.

There are over 20 prizes available with a new category of taxonomic research (research and innovation).   The New Scientist photography prize is open to anyone over 17 years of age.

Entries close 2 May, 2008.  For more information, go to http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka  or email eureka@austmus.gov.au.

CRCA Conference 2008

Registrations for this conference are now open.  Register now for an 'early bird' discount.  

Dates:  21 - 23 May.

Venue: Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh, NSW.

Visit http://www.crca.asn.au/conference/  for more information.

Other events

12 March 2008 - 2nd Invasive Species in Ireland Forum - Glasnevin, Ireland.  Contact: www.invasivespeciesireland.com

14-16 April -  National Resources Management Knowledge Conference: changing landscapes.  Melbourne Cricket Ground.  Visit the website at www.nrmknowledgeconference2008.com.

23-26 September 2008 - Neobiota: towards a synthesis - 5th European conference on biological invasions. Prague, Czech Republic. Contact www.ibot.cas.cz/neobiota