PO Box 1117
Aspley Qld 4034
Phone: 0419 122 047
Email: northerncatchments@gmail.com
Website: www.northerncatchmentsnetwork.org.au
ABN 59633097974
16th March 2011
Dear Conservation Partner
The Northern Catchments Network (NCN) has been an incorporated not-for-profit organization since 2008. The NCN is one of 11 community-driven Brisbane City Council-supported community creek catchment groups that come under the umbrella of the Brisbane Catchments Network (BCN).
The NCN is the youngest of the catchment groups with some mature and highly successful catchment organisations within the BCN to take guidance and inspiration from. The northern creek catchments of Brisbane include Cabbage Tree Creek [b]Downfall[/b]/Nundah Creek and Bald Hills Creek which cover an area of over 90km2.
The majority of landuse within our catchments is urban commercial and light industrial. The natural values within the northern catchments that we need to protect and restore are the remnant bushland areas such as Chermside Hills the Ramsar listed wetlands of Boondall and Tinchi Tamba and riparian zones as native flora and fauna corridors. Our catchment elevation ranges from above 250m above sea level to the shores of Moreton Bay.
One of our current projects includes applying for “charity” status with the Federal Government so that businesses can make tax-deductible donations to the NCN that will assist with funding conservation projects. Funding is an ongoing issue for the Northern Catchments Network as we have no primary source of income and rely upon grant funds and donations to deliver sustainability and conservation projects in the northern creek catchments of Brisbane.
Our membership base needs to increase to be able to make this application for charity status and this letter is to request you to join the NCN if you are not already a member.
The members of the NCN can vote on major decisions that affect the organization such as:
· Committee position nominations and election at the Annual General Meeting
· Marketing strategies to draw business and corporation sponsorship
· Determining projects and activities for the NCN
The work that the NCN has been involved with includes:
· Fauna surveys in context to the Hamilton Road extension. Through this work members successfully lobbied for fauna exclusion fences to Beckett Road to protect fauna. The NCN was also consulted regarding the fauna bridge over the Hamilton Road extension
· Creation of a frog habitat at 7th Brigade Park in Chermside
· Hosting of a National Tree Day event where more than 500 endemic native species were planted along Cabbage Tree Creek to enhance the fauna and flora corridor
· Working with schools to provide specialist flora advice and participated in Schools Tree Day planting events to provide riparian restoration at one school and a butterfly attracting planting at another school
· Bush regeneration projects that offer interpretative signs
· Participation at sustainability and conservation events to share information about catchment care and the activities of the NCN with the general public
· Working with other conservation partners including Mountains to Mangroves Moreton Bay CoastCare Habitat Brisbane Geckoes Bat Conservation
This year we have had an influx of new committee members and energy. Our current projects in development are the Adopt a Creek Program with the Water Sub-Committee. The Adopt a Creek Program aims at drawing many individuals groups businesses and corporations into regular catchment care activities in our northern creek catchments and offering support advice and acknowledgement in return. The Water Sub-Committee that coordinates water quality monitoring activities and data collection and sharing will inform us of land use activities that could be degrading our waterways and riparian zones that will be used to direct future projects and funding requests. Keep reading our quarterly newsletter or check our website for updates on these projects.
Membership with the Northern Catchments Network will remain free until the next AGM in November 2011 where annual fees will be a nominal $10 for ordinary members – so there is no doubt that membership is great value.
Please consider becoming a member. The membership application form is attached. Once your completed application form is received by mail it will be taken to the next NCN General Meeting which happens monthly where committee members will accept your application and your membership is formalised. You may prefer to attend the next NCN General Meeting to submit your application personally.
If you have any questions regarding the Northern Catchments Network or any of our projects please contact myself or the Northern Catchments Creek Ranger on 3407 0865 or donna.edwards@brisbane.qld.gov.au.
With regards
Maxine Hunter
President
Northern Catchments Network