Saltgrass Saltgrass

How is the housing crisis linked to sustainability?
In the next three episodes we will explore how housing is a key climate issue and we'll look at how the housing crisis is impacting where I live, in regional Victoria.
In this episode we will look at how the land lies, what is the problem?
In the two following episodes we'll explore what the local community is already doing about it and also at some other innovative solutions that may be helpful. 
For links go to the Saltgrass website

I know it has been a while since there was anything new on Saltgrass, so here is a quick (6 min) update for you. 
In summary:
There will be 5 new episodes coming out soon which will wrap up season 5 of Saltgrass and then we will get stuck into season 6. 
Also, Saltgrass won some cool awards :) Yay!
 

This is the full audio from the Connecting Country event called ‘Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate’
The event featured presentations from Sasha Jellinek from the University of Melbourne and Melbourne Water, Oli Moraes - Project Manager at Djaara and Tess Greives from the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA)
 

Connecting Country is a not for profit organisation which works closely with landcare groups and others in restoring neglected and damaged ecosystems. Hadley Cole and Bonnie Humphries from Connecting Country join Allie to discuss how landcare groups contribute to various restoration efforts, and how the unprecedented nature of climate change and its impact on existing ecosystems makes the task complex and unpredictable. Various strategies are being tried, including mixing plant provenances to achieve a higher genetic diversity and boost ecosystem resilience. 
In this episode are excerpts from an event  called 'Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate' featuring Sasha Jellinek from the University of Melbourne and Melbourne Water, Oli Moraes from DJAARA and Tess Greives from the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA),
The full recording of the event will be shared in upcoming weeks.
 
Guests:
Bonnie Humphries – Connecting Country – Landscape Restoration Specialist
Hadley Cole – Connecting Country – Landcare Facilitator
Sasha Jellinek - the University of Melbourne and Melbourne Water
Oli Moraes - Djaara
Tess Greives - North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA)
 
 
Summary:
00:00 Introduction
02:28 Acknowledgement of Country
03:22 Hadley Cole and Bonnie Humphries in conversation about Connecting Country and Landcare
17:30 Excerpts from event: ‘Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate’
17:53 Sascha Jellinik – climate impact and importance of genetic diversity
21:14 Oli Moraes - The Role of Djaara in landscape restoration and climate strategies
25:36 Tess Greives – Climate ready Reveg projects
28:07 Bonnie and Hadley on the Importance of Genetic Diversity in Ecosystems
31:35 The Role of Climate Future Plots in Ecosystem Restoration
43:09 The Importance of Community Involvement in Ecosystem Restoration
46:03 Conclusion and Final Remarks
 
LINKS:
Connecting Country
Djaara’s Healing Country Plan
 
Related Episodes:
Wilderhoods
Walking Together
Caring For Country

Today we are going to Village Dreaming Farm and Orto cooking school. Mara and Ralf live on about 15 acres just outside of Daylesford – about a 30min drive south of where I am in Castlemaine. They have been there since 2015 and in that time have transformed the empty paddocks of former grazing land into a small farm that follows regenerative and permaculture principles, with a kitchen garden, orchards and wetlands. 
 
Links:
Village Dreaming
 
Ceres - environmental park in Melbourne
Natural Tucker - sourdough bakery
Damian Cook - who Ralf worked for for many years 
Critical Mass - cycling protest
 
Related Episodes:
Youth are Rising
Redbeard Bakery
Ilka White on her art practice and  Ethical Apparel

Are you good at composting? I certainly haven't been in the past. But with the help of a community composting group called YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) I have become a kitchen scrap saviour, a leaf collecting ninja and I make steaming hot compost. 
In today's episode I talk to Lucy Young, Joel Meadows, Mikaela Beckley and Claudia Lang about what this group is all about and why they are passionate about compost. (Spoiler: reducing greenhouse gasses, connecting community, building beautiful soil)