The Kununurra Cane Toad Working Group: (CTWG)
Meeting Minutes 07 June 2005
Present:
Gae Mackay, Lee Scott Virtue, Scott Goodson, Chris Adams, Dick Pasfield, Karin Carnes, Noel Wilson
Apologies:
Des Hill
Actions from previous meeting:
Nomination of Dick Pasfield and Des Hill to the state cane toad group: Completed
Noel to send cane toad PowerPoint presentation to Karin and Dick.
Noel to follow up re ad for the picture gardens: Completed
Karin to follow up with Lee re e-mail list
Update on cane toad project:
Noel gave an update on the project over the last month. The surveillance team has been working on Legune station to map water points and corridors. Working from there upstream on the Victoria River to map suitable habitats for cane toads. Team has also commenced work on trap design, using the best features of the traps trialed so far.
Trailing of the new traps will commence this week on Coolibah station.
Action:
There should be a statement from the Kimberley Cane Toad Working Group to go on the cane toad web site advising people that they do not need to purchase traps for Kununurra now, and they should wait until the cane toads get closer to the border and the trap design has been more thoroughly researched.
New Media Package:
The new watch out for cane toads has been launched by both Ministers on 4/6/05, in Perth and Broome. Packs will be distributed in the East Kimberley. Copies of the newsletter produced recently will also be distributed around Kununurra.
Future of the cane toad project 05/06:
The funding for the cane toad project in 05/06 will go to CALM ($900,000), who will be the lead agency. The survey team will be offered contracts with CALM; there has been approval for supervisor and three team member positions to be offered. At a local level the project should continue on the same, but unsure of the structure on the state level. CALM have put forward request for funds for office, vehicles, etc from the budget allocated. There is still $600,000 from the commonwealth that was promised with the original state funding to be allocated to the state. CALM will also be employing a new project manager for the cane toad project. Approximate split of the funds in 05/06:
Co-ordination - $100,000
Public Awareness - $100,000
Biodiversity and asset protection - $200,000
Delay of entry and establishment - $500,000
This breakdown is indicative only at this stage, and may change.
General Business:
- There will be a meeting of the WA staff working on the cane toad project with NT staff in Timber Creek 28 th June.
- The Cane toad working group needs to have some more input into the cane toad web site set up by Kimberley Specialists. There is a need for the members of the working group to be publicized on the web site with contact details so members of the community can contact a member of the group if necessary. Also there is a need to include Sarah Brett in cane toad info as she is getting a lot of frogs to ID.
ACTION:
The future and content of the cane toad web site needs to be discussed at the next meeting of the cane toad working group.
Information from the cane toad forum:
- There will be a breakdown of the financial commitment to the forum circulated to all the sponsors of the forum.
- There is a 20 minute DVD from the forum that will be available to all the sponsors of the forum.
- The information form the scientific day is still to be complied.
- There are 3 VHS copies of the entire scientific day that are available for copying if people would like copies.
Follow up re the ad at the picture gardens, this has been completed and will be available for use at the next showing of the pictures.
Next Meeting:
Tuesday 2 nd August at CALM.