A free 2 day workshop for Gippsland volunteers with field trips.

The following topics are included:

• Southern Australia's unique marine environment

•  Saltmarsh - its importance and management

•  Beach-nesting birds and waders

•  Coastal weeds - identification and control

•  Geology of the South Gippsland coast

•  Coastal management and the law

•  Revegetation projects

Expressions of interest are  invited from members of volunteer coastal community groups and others interested in coastal management

When: March 13/14th

Where: Port Welshpool Ferry Terminal

Enquiries: Bruce Atkin, 51 839116

Expressions of Interest: email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

When: Saturday March 13th

Time: 8.30am

Meet at: Raymond Island Community Hall, on Fifth Parade

After registration, Rangers will brief you on the day.

Please wear bright coloured clothing, suitable for the weather on the day and walking in the bush

BBQ lunch and cold drinks will be provided for participants after 11.30am

Register your interest by Thursday, March 11th on 51520400 to assist with catering

The East Gippsland Rainforest Conservation Management Network (EGRCMN), the Gippsland Plains Conservation Management Network (GPCMN) and the Trust For Nature have recently been awarded a grant of $65,000 under the State Government's 'Collaborative Internet Innovation Fund' to develop a 'Digital Conservation Network'.

This project will use Web 2.0 based products such as social networking, blogs, collaborative mapping and photo and video sharing as a way of improving information flow and communications.

For further information, contact Peter Murrell, Facilitator EGRCMN, 0417 557 114 or visit http://www.egrainforest.org.au

The Victorian Government has today released its "Land and biodiversity at a time of climate change White Paper".

Thirteen areas of the State have been designated as 'flagship areas'. Flagship areas are particularly valuable for the ecosystem services they provide sucah as water filtration and regulation, carbon stoarge and soil stability. Flagship areas in the east of Victoria include Far East Gippsland, Victorian Alps and the Gippsland Lakes.

The White Paper can be viewed or downloaded at:http://www.dse.vic.gov.au

Last week the NSW Government released their final report on the first Five Year Review of the Snowy Water Licence. No amendments to the Licence, which would deliver real flows to the river were proposed. In particular, they delayed making a decision till 2012 on the issue of allowing flows to the Snowy down the Mowamba River.

Snowy River Alliance has set up a webpage to campaign for effective amendments to the Snowy Water Licence - http://www.snowyriveralliance.com.au/index.html

You can sign on to the direct email to Phil Costa ( NSW Water Minister) at this site.