Category Archives: Planning, monitoring & assessment

Holbrook Landcare “Rebirding the Holbrook Landscape” – assessing performance and learning in action

Posted on 15 April 2013 | Comments Off

Chris Cumming and  Kylie Durant

Key words: tree dieback, lerps, restoring the agricultural landscape, community involvement, Holbrook Landcare Network

Holbrook producers established Holbrook Landcare Network in 1988.  It was one of the first Landcare groups in Australia, covering initially 171,000 ha of productive agricultural land in the upper reaches of the Murray Darling Basin. The organisation has directly managed grants of more than $6M across more than 85 projects to address NRM and agricultural issues including salinity and erosion control, soil and pasture management the protection of wildlife habitat.

Of the habitat projects, one of the most successful has been the “Rebirding Project”. A recognition of the importance of birds in the landscape occurred in 1994, when there was widespread concern in Holbrook over eucalypt tree dieback and the potential loss of paddock trees in the landscape. Holbrook Landcare commissioned a survey that identified 41% of the trees in the district were showing signs of dieback, and initiated (with support from our own extension staff and Greening Australia) education programs to inform landholders about the causes of dieback, including the link between cycles of lerp and other insect attack exacerbated by the loss of insectivorous birds.

In 1999 the group was successful in gaining funding for the “Rebirding the Holbrook Landscape to mitigate dieback” revegetation program through the Australian Governments Natural Heritage Trust (NHT), with the aim of drawing birds back onto farms and reducing eucalypt tree dieback.

Actions undertaken. Bird surveys were undertaken at 94 study sites in remnant vegetation on hills, flats and along creek lines. Education components succeeded in engaging the community and increased community knowledge and awareness of habitat issues in Holbrook.  The research information was used to recommend specific guidelines for the revegetation component, including ideal patch size (min 6ha), distance to remnant (1km), position in the landscape and habitat values.

The Rebirding on-ground projects (1999 – 2002) achieved 2150ha of remnant and revegetation work and put 475,000 plants back in the landscape across 118 properties – estimated at 80% of the Holbrook landholders.

Outcomes achieved. Measuring success of the program was very important to the community. A partnership with CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems gave rise to a research project measuring bird use of plantings and remnant vegetation on local farms in 2004 to 2006.  This found that a range of bird species rapidly colonised planted areas and showed evidence of breeding activity, a positive message about the early signs of success of the Rebirding project. Tree health monitoring is ongoing by the community. Current ANU research is showing the positive benefit of the revegetation work in the landscape at the site, farm and landscape scale. The science is therefore indicating that yes, “rebirding” of the Holbrook landscape is underway, and HLN will continue to look to science to help us with the longer term outcomes for birds and tree health, and provide the feedback to us to adaptively manage our programs for the best outcomes.

The lessons and recommendations that come from the research are being applied directly to inform the design of subsequent programs such as the current major biodiversity project being managed by Holbrook Landcare – the “Slopes to Summit Bushlinks Project”.

Contacts: Chris Cumming (Executive Officer) and Kylie Durant,  Holbrook Landcare Network, PO Box 181 Holbrook NSW, Australia.  2644 Tel: +61 2 6036 3121, Email: kyliedurant@holbrooklandcare.org.au.

Paddock tree health field day, Holbrook, 2011.

Paddock tree health field day, Holbrook, 2011.

Before planting habitat blocks at Woomargama station, Holbrook.

Before planting habitat blocks at Woomargama station, Holbrook.

Stands of trees and shrubs established at Woomargama station, Holbrook.

Stands of trees and shrubs established at Woomargama station, Holbrook.

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Posted in Assisted regeneration, Community involvement, Cultural & socio-economic issues & solutions, Ecosystem services, Education & communication, Fauna & habitat, Integrating ecosystems & industries, Landscape pattern & design, New South Wales, Planning, monitoring & assessment, reconstruction, Sclerophyll communities

Natural and cultural resource management – The aspirations of the traditional custodians of the Bunya Mountains

Posted on 26 January 2012 | Comments Off

Key words:  Araucaria bidwilii, Bunya, fire,  South East Queensland, traditional custodians

David Calland

Prior to colonisation, the Bunya Mountains was a place of large gatherings of the Aboriginal people of South East Queensland for the ‘Bonye Bonye’ festival; a time of feasting, ceremony, trading, betrothals and the settling of disputes. In years when there were heavy crops of the nutritious bunya nuts (from the native Bunya Pine, Araucaria bidwilii), invitations from custodians went out to groups towards the coast and to people as far away as the Clarence River in northern NSW and the Maranoa River over 350k to the west. Festivals took place from December to March and the last big recorded gathering was in the 1880s.

In August 2008 the first of a series of Stakeholder Forums were held on the Bunya Mountains of SE Queensland to discuss natural and cultural resource management issues and to explore ways for the Murri people of South East Queensland to become more actively involved in planning, research and on ground management of lands in the Bunya Mountains region.
Traditional Custodians from about twelve groups met with scientists, Government and Non Government Organisations and business representatives and as a result the Bunya Partnership Coordination Group (BPCG) and the Bunya Elders Council were formed to create Natural and Cultural Resource Management opportunities for Traditional Custodians.

Stakeholders on Mt Kiangarow (1126m).

Australian Government funding was secured to develop a Caring for Our Country Action Plan for the Bunya Mountains. The plan was published in late 2010.

In September 2009, a bid to the Australian Government for the Working on Country program was successful. This project is called the Bunya Mountains Murri Ranger Project. The project has employed 4 Indigenous Rangers, a Coordinator Ranger and a part time Administrative Assistant. The group is working collaboratively with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service on the Bunya Mountains National Park and the Western Downs Regional Council on Russell Park.

The Bunya Mountains support a unique assemblage of plants, animals and ecosystems and have been likened to an island of biodiversity surrounded by an ocean of plains of mainly cleared farmland. They are a biodiversity refuge, harbouring ancient species, distinct plant and animal communities and more than 30 rare and threatened species.

One hundred and nineteen grasslands, known locally as “balds”, are dotted across the Bunya Mountains. These balds have important cultural significance as they were maintained by traditional burning practice.

The first traditional burn in 100 years; Bunya Murri Rangers 2010.

A large component of the project involves the management of fire on the grasslands through experimental burns of varying frequencies and intensities. Researchers and rangers are working to find the right fire regimes to maintain the open character and species diversity of the balds before they are lost forever.

Contact: Dave Calland, Natural Resource Officer -Indigenous Engagement, Department of Environment and Resource Management. PO Box 573, Nambour Qld 4560, Australia.  Tel: +61 4 5451 2401 Mob: 0427 427246, Email: david.calland@derm.qld.gov.au

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Posted in Fire Ecology & Management, Indigenous land & sea management, Planning, monitoring & assessment, Queensland, Threatened species & communities

Restoring the Winton Wetlands in north east Victoria

Posted on 26 October 2011 | Comments Off

Key words: wetland restoration, ecosystem function, Mokoan, woodlands, hydrology

The 8,750 ha Winton Wetlands Reserve is located near Benalla within the Goulburn-Broken Catchment in north east Victoria. The restoration project is one of the outcomes of the former Victorian Government’s decision to decommission Lake Mokoan, previously Victoria’s fifth largest water storage, and to allocate resulting water savings for environmental flows to the Snowy and Murray rivers (Lake Mokoan previously lost over 50 GL annually in evaporation).

The decision to decommission Lake Mokoan was controversial and at the time there was considerable local and regional opposition to the project. Dramatic improvements in wetland condition since de-commissioning have now engendered considerable community support for the project.

Figure 1: Location of Winton Wetlands within the Goulburn-Broken Catchment in North East Victoria

Prior to the establishment of Lake Mokoan in 1971, the Winton Wetlands consisted of a series of more than 11 interconnected redgum and open cane grass wetlands covering more than 3000 ha, interspersed with areas of remnant box grassy woodland and surrounded by farmland with a long history of sheep and cattle grazing. From 1971, the wetlands and surrounding woodlands and farmland were regularly inundated to create a 375 GL water storage covering an area of more than 7000 ha.

The original wetland and surrounding woodland ecosystems and associated ecological drivers, (particularly the local hydrology) have been substantially modified as a result of regular inundation and a long history of agricultural use in the surrounding terrestrial areas.

The aim of the project is to restore the wetlands and surrounding terrestrial areas by encouraging the recovery of ecosystem function rather than necessarily attempting to return the site to exact pre-European condition. The project will be one of the largest wetland restoration projects undertaken in Australia.

With the decommissioning completed in mid 2010, the Winton Wetlands Reserve was established in August 2011 and so the restoration project is still in its early stages.

Progress to date:

  • Completion of a Future Land Use Strategy with considerable community input and consultation.
  • Installation of an extensive pipeline system to provide alternative source of local water supply.
  • Decommissioning of the water storage to reinstate more natural inflow and water levels regimes.
  • Establishment of a skills based community management committee to manage and restore the wetlands.
  • Government commitment of $20M to restore the wetlands and implement the Future Land Use Strategy.
  • Development and implementation of Fire Management and Pest Plan and Animal programs.
  • Completion of flora and fauna, pest plant and animal and cultural heritage surveys.
  • Scientific & Technical Advisory Group to guide development of Restoration and Monitoring Plan.

Results to date: The Wetlands dried out completely in late 2009 due to the severe 2005 – 2009 drought. Substantial rainfall from September 2010 has reinvigorated wetlands (see figures 1 and 2), with water levels from natural inflows at 145% (45 GL) in early December 2010 overflowing into the Broken River system. The wetlands have made a remarkable recovery greatly assisting to build local community support for the project.

Figure 2: Winton Wetlands during the 2006–09 drought

Figure 3: Winton Wetlands after rain (November 2010)

Lessons learnt & future directions:

  • Wetlands are remarkably resilient (as, unfortunately, are carp)
  • Community engagement, understanding, and support is essential for the success of the long term restoration project.
  • Focus on immediate land management issues has assisted greatly in the Winton Wetlands Committee gaining credibility as a land manager.
  • Rapid conversion of land with a long history of agricultural use and inundation to areas of high ecological value is not feasible, so a transitional approach to ecological restoration will be required.

Stakeholders: The $20m in initial funding has been provided by the Victorian Government with the project aiming to be financially self-sustaining within 10 years. The Winton Wetlands Committee of Management is committed to working with traditional owners, the local and regional community, and government agencies to restore the Winton Wetlands.

Contact: Tim Barlow, Restoration Ecologist, Email: Tim.Barlow@wintonwetlands.org; Website: http://wintonwetlands.org.au

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Posted in Planning, monitoring & assessment, Victoria, Wetland

Tweed-Byron Bush Futures Project – Management of significant urban bushland

Posted on 16 September 2011 | Comments Off

Key words: bushland restoration, community engagement, council, landcare, costing

John Turnbull , Byron Shire

Two north-east NSW local government areas – Byron Shire and Tweed Shire – are collaborating in a Project that focuses on the management planning and restoration of 985 ha of urban bushland within both shires; i.e. the public lands that fall within about 2kms of urban areas.  These lands have been subjected to threats including land clearing, fragmentation, weed invasion, domestic and feral animal incursions, waste dumping and altered hydrology.  The Project involves more than 10 vegetation communities including seven Endangered Ecological Communities, two ecosystems covered by State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs) and habitat for a wide range of threatened flora and fauna species.

Figure 1 Tweed Byron Bush Futures Project Study Area

Early in the Project a rapid assessment methodology was developed to determine bushland health based on key ecological attributes. The field data sheet used in the audit is now used by restoration contractors for monitoring and evaluation of on-ground works. The audit also determined prioritisation of sites for on-ground work and provided a cost estimates for ten bushland restoration classes.

Figure 2: Site signage put up at all work sites

Extensive on-ground restoration works include weed control (employing best practice bush regeneration methods) and habitat restoration, rubbish removal and recycling, nest box installation, feral animal control and installation of interpretive signage. In addition community and Council engagement programs, education events and workshops are being delivered and educational resources developed including a public land volunteers manual.

One of the Project goals is to generate institutional change and reinforce the role that Council has in managing natural areas, particularly those areas directly under its control It is hoped that this may lead to allocation of an ongoing core budget for NRM.

Results to date: 23 Site Action Plans (SAPs) have been prepared encompassing 43 worksites and 145 hectares of urban bushland. Primary bush regeneration work is underway at 52 sites covering 225 hectares resulting in a significant reduction in weed density and severity. Thirty nest boxes have been installed and monitoring to date has recorded Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) and Long-eared Bats (Nyctophilus sp.) in treated sites. Ten Landcare workshops have been delivered and six fact sheets prepared on biodiversity management issues.

Figure 3: Sugar gliders using nest box installed as part of the project

Lessons learned and future directions: The monitoring and evaluation process within the SAP guidelines will allow for determination of each project’s effectiveness, as well as effectiveness of the overall program.  SAPs, restoration costing and our rapid assessment bushland health methodology will all inform future bushland management decisions, while our volunteers manual will provide ongoing support for bushland ‘care’ groups.

Stakeholders and funding bodies: The main funding is from the NSW Environmental Trust Urban Sustainability Grants Program; with in-kind contributions from the Council’s involved. Stakeholders include Brunswick Valley and Tweed Landcare Incs, NRCMA, local land management agencies, Council staff and environmental groups.

Contact information: John Turnbull, Bush Futures Project Manager, Tweed Shire Council, PO Box 816 Murwillumbah NSW 2484 (02)66702732 jturnbull@tweed.nsw.gov.au
http://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/BushFutures/

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Posted in Bush regeneration, Community involvement, New South Wales, Planning, monitoring & assessment, Urban ecosystems