A major problem in the Northern Gulf and other regions is the pest plant ‘cryptostegia giandiflora’
commonly known as Rubber Vine. When the seed pods open a tuft of long white silky hairs containing up to 450 brown seeds are distributed by wind and water over huge areas.

Control has proved extremely difficult as it often grows in inaccessible regions and the only access to it is by air. The Northern Gulf Resource management Group through the Etheridge Shire Council
recently brought experienced staff from Tasmania Forestry to conduct the training of 3 three local
helicopter pilots giving them the skills required to control their helicopters while starting fires in
Rubber Vine growing along river and creek beds.

Trial fires were ignited by a Heli-torch designed by Tasmania Forestry that ejects a flammable gel
directly onto the problem area. The gel is electronically ignited as it emerges from its container.

The helicopters fly close to the Rubber Vine and drip the gel through the most affected area.
The outcome of this method depends on the moisture content of the Rubber Vine. The area
selected for burning needs to be dry enough to ignite the Rubber Vine but wet enough to stop the

The Staaten River Wild river rangers answered the call for help recently following the devastation of Cyclone Yasi. The rangers provided assistance not only closer to home but also in the worse affected areas around Cardwell. Tully Heads The new Senior Ranger, Steven Wargent was employed in early February and his skills were tested early in his role when he had to coordinate the rangers’ response and quickly prioritised work tasks.

The Girringun Aboriginal Corporation provided a much needed camp ground and despite the last of electricity and water the young rangers set up camp and coordinate their activities. 25 Rangers from Burketown, Cooktown, Girringun and Ewamian all worked together in providing much needed help and back-breaking labour for 3 weeks. Much of the work involved cleaning up debris, chain sawing fallen trees and generally cleaning up. Ranger Coordinator, Mr Jimmy Richards said “it was an incredible feeling that we were really helping people”.

This year, the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (NGRMG) is initiating a long-term, region-wide environmental monitoring and evaluation project that will deliver regular annual, biannual or triannual reports on the health and change in condition of major environmental assets.

The Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (NGRMG) has been successful in obtaining funds from the State Governments’ Natural Resource Awareness Grants program to hold the Gulf’s very first Kids Environment Day on the 2^nd of September 2011 at Lake Belmore, Croydon.

Gulf Kids Environment Day will involve remote school students coming together to celebrate the environment by making presentations about local environmental issues and participating in biodiversity focussed activities such  as bird watching and bug catching. It is hoped that Gulf Kids Environment Day will become an annual event and will generate a greater environmental awareness.   The day also has a strong focus on team building and fostering the development of future environmental leaders. 

The NGRMG’s Regional Landcare Facilitator, Erica Blumson said “This is a chance to celebrate our kid’s contribution to the environment as well as fostering new opportunities to learn”. NGRMG will support schools in preparing presentations and will be inviting schools to participate in the coming weeks. Volunteers are welcome to assist with activities on the day. 

Daryl Hannah the prominent movie actress and environmental campaigner has recently spent two weeks rolling up her sleeves and getting her hands dirty in the soils of regional north Queensland. Throughout the Australian election the whole country has recently been held to ransom over issues such as regional Australia, climate change, biodeisels, ethanol, renewable energy, food security, population growth, health issues, and servicing Indigenous Australians. While these debates have consumed our political and media systems with a whole heap of talk, Daryl has simply got down, got dirty, got connected and got on with it.

NatureAssist is for rural Queensland landholders to help sustainably manage their land, conditional upon them entering into a nature refuge agreement. NatureAssist is a competitive market-based incentive scheme that gives landholders throughout rural Queensland the opportunity to tender for financial assistance to carry out on-ground management actions that will maintain or enhance their property’s conservation values.  Expressions of interest must be submitted by 16 March 2009 (5pm AEST). Landholders can express their interest by completing a simple one-page expression of interest form available at www.epa.qld.gov.au/naturerefuges or by calling the EPA Customer Service Centre on 1300 130 372.
 

Ecowise, on behalf of the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (NGRMG), have just completed a survey of freshwater fish and aquatic bugs in the Staaten River Catchment.

Alf Hogan (fish ecologist), Terry Vallance (aquatic ecologist) and Adrian Dickson (environmental scientist) battled the bush to reach unexplored water holes and lagoons in the catchment area.