Project summaries - Restoration and Rehabilitation - community grants
| 2011 Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation - community grants |
|---|
| Organisation | Project title | Amount $ |
|---|
| Armidale Tree Group | Restoring the grassy bit - woodland restortion in New England | 99,205 |
| Ballina Coast Care Incorporated | Angels Beach - beachfront parade precinct corridor rehabilitation | 14,983 |
| Berry Landcare Group | Restoration Illawarra sub-tropical rainforest - Bundywallah Creek | 22,500 |
| Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group Inc. | Rehabilitating endangered lowland subtropical rainforest | 100,000 |
| Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc. | Riparian restoration to protect biodiversity of the Brunswick River | 99,715 |
| Clarence Landcare Incorporated | Protection of Nymboida River biodiversity | 92,155 |
| EnviTE Inc. | Wompoo Gorge lowland rainforest corridor restoration | 100,000 |
| Gilgandra Local Aboriginal Land Council | Regenerating woodland of cultural and environmental significance | 93,636 |
| Gwymac Inc. | Linking conservation, kids and community at Ross Hill, Inverell NSW | 40,461 |
| Hastings Landcare Inc. | Comboyne corridor conservation and remnant rescue stage 1 | 99,976 |
| Hastings Landcare Inc. | Establishment of Hastings-Macleay land for wildlife project | 60,240 |
| Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council | Restoration of 'The Jali Lands' at Wardell | 100,000 |
| Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council | Restoration of the Jali Seven Mile Beach heath and wetland stage 2 | 100,000 |
| Liverpool Plains Land Management Inc. | Restoration of koala habitat in Gunnedah: facing new threats | 99,400 |
| Mount Gibraltar Landcare and Bushcare Group | Mount Gibraltar forest EEC regeneration of old quarries sites | 99,700 |
| Nambucca Valley Landcare Inc. | Valla Swamp sclerophyll rehabilitation | 53,600 |
| Nature Conservation Trust of NSW | Restoring high conservation value habitats and corridors in NE NSW 2 | 100,000 |
| Nature Conservation Council of NSW | Using fire as a restoration tool in Cumberland Plain vegetation | 87,647 |
| Orara Valley River Care Groups Management Committee Inc. | Connecting riparian rainforest corridors in the Orara Valley | 100,000 |
| Seven Oakes Drainage Union | Seven Oakes sustainable floodplain management - Clybucca | 99,904 |
| Shortland Wetlands Centre Limited | Hunter wetlands community Ramsar site improvement (phase 2) | 92,128 |
| South West Rocks (SWR) Community Dune Care Group | Restore 50 hectares of dune system and do follow-up weed control at SWR | 98,650 |
| The Susan and Elizabeth Islands Recreation Trust | Susan Island remnant lowland rainforest restoration | 100,000 |
| Upper Clarence Combined Landcare Inc. | Riparian restoration of 11 kilometres of high conservation value Nogrigar Creek | 98,615 |
| 24 Projects | TOTAL | $2,052,515 |
Armidale Tree Group
Restoring the grassy bit - woodland restoration in New England
$99,205
The New England tableland bioregion supports large areas of grassy woodland and forest ecosystems, including endangered ecological communities. While there is a healthy tree cover in many parts of the region, the structure and diversity of the grassy strata of these woodland communities is usually poor. This project will restore 90 hectares of modified grassy woodlands using a combination of assisted regeneration, direct seeding of forbs and grasses and seedling transplant. Community group and industry capacity will be strengthened in seed collection and production, native grass seeding and nutrient management. The project will also raise awareness of grassy woodlands.
Ballina Coast Care Incorporated
Angels Beach - beachfront parade precinct corridor rehabilitation
$14,983
A severely degraded 2.3ha coastal precinct will be rehabilitated following 20 years of neglect through political disputes. This restores the last segment of an otherwise continuous two kilometre coastal vegetation corridor, permanently removing a major source of weed reinfestation affecting adjacent restored precincts. A suite of coastal weeds will be sequentially controlled in dunal, Banksia woodland and littoral rainforest ecosystems, plus a trial of approaches to controlling secondary morning glory infestation after primary bitou-bush removal. Reintroduction of selected local species will assist natural regeneration where vacant spaces develop. A skilled contractor will undertake four stages of integrated weed control with 12 month follow-up, in partnership with monthly working bees by community Dunecare volunteers with oversight by Indigenous custodians.
Berry Landcare Group
Restoration Illawarra sub-tropical rainforest - Bundywallah Creek
$22,500
The project goal is to restore the remnants of Illawarra sub tropical rainforest, which is classified as an endangered ecological community in NSW, within the Bundywallah Creek catchment. The project is a partnership between the Bundywallah Bushcare Group, Shoalhaven City Council and two private landholders. Due to past land management practices these high value conservation remnants have become degraded due to land clearing and over grazing. This project will assist the bushcare group and landholders to undertake regeneration works that will restore the biodiversity of these valuable sub tropical rainforest remnants.
This multi-stakeholder project involves controlling threats posed by weeds to the biodiversity, condition and survival of endangered lowland rainforest of subtropical Australia (LRSA) at 35 remnants identified as priority repair sites in the Border Ranges Rainforest Biodiversity Management Plan (BRRBMP). It will enhance the habitat of more than 70 threatened species and the resilience of LRSA to climate change and other threats. 500 days of weed control will be carried out (234 funded by the ET) by professional rainforest regenerators using best practice methodology. The project also involves engaging and educating the community at field days and the Big Scrub Rainforest Day and via our group's publications and website. Running this project will enhance the capacity of Big Scrub Landcare, our partners and other landholders to protect, enhance and restore the environment.
Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc.
Riparian restoration to protect biodiversity of the Brunswick River
$99,715
This project will implement the Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc (BVL) 2004 strategy and 2011 river reach planning to restore endangered ecological communities along the Brunswick River and its tributaries. Bush regeneration techniques undertaken at strategic iconic urban sites will transform the existing landscape of woody weeds into its 'pre-settlement' state of lowland rainforest/swamp oak floodplain forest. BVL is working in partnership with local council and state government to redress the degradation of the riverbanks using best practice methods. The high visibility of the project area will provide clear examples of stream bank repair to raise public awareness of ecological restoration. On completion, this work will improve water quality, increase biodiversity and strengthen partnerships with stakeholders for the improvement of environmental conditions on the Brunswick River.
The Protecting Nymboida River biodiversity project involves 24 private properties, Aboriginal land and seven public land holdings and aims toward protecting and enhancing remnant riparian vegetation of the Nymboida River. This is key habitat for the nationally endangered eastern fresh water cod and at least five other threatened flora and fauna species. The project will increase landholder and wider community awareness of riparian management and the threatened species it supports. Professional bush regenerators will be engaged to assist landholders/managers to undertake weed control of invasive weeds which threaten to smother and kill the river's important diverse vegetation.
EnviTE Inc.
Wompoo Gorge lowland rainforest corridor restoration
$100,000
Bush regenerators and landholders will restore critically endangered lowland subtropical rainforest linking Nightcap and Goonengerry National Parks. This will extend works undertaken in a previous project funded by the Trust. The properties are located in a narrow gorge between the parks forming a significant wildlife corridor. The site provides habitat for 27 threatened species with a further 60 known to occur in a five kilometre radius. Implementation of systematic bush regeneration works will stimulate natural regeneration in this highly resilient site and improve the health and connectivity of vegetation improving native flora and fauna habitat and enhancing resilience to climate change and other threats. Weeds, particularly lantana, are restricting natural regeneration and growth of native species. Field days will showcase works and develop community awareness.
This project aims to rehabilitate native woodland at a culturally significant site by mechanically clearing invasive native scrub, controlling invasive weeds and vertebrate pests, and reinstating appropriate cultural burning regimes. The combination of these activities will allow natural regeneration of vegetation and the reintroduction of native fauna, particularly woodland bird species. Traffic will be controlled through regenerating vegetation by the installation of roads and pathways. Pathways will be covered and edged with chipped and whole logs cleared as part of this project. Additional plantings of culturally significant species not regenerated through the reintroduction of fire will be undertaken. Signage to educate the community regarding cultural burning and plant species and their significance to Aboriginal people will be installed.
Gwymac Inc.
Linking conservation, kids and community at Ross Hill, Inverell NSW
$40,461
This project will see 82,100 square metres of grassy box woodland, an endangered ecological community, conserved and restored through a cross community partnership. This important ecosystem will be protected from critical threats through controlling invasive species and adverse human impact on the site. This will involve a systematic approach of active and passive measures, including trapping and weed eradication as well as a comprehensive community capacity building program. An innovative feature of this project is the incorporation of a primary schools ‘Enviro Day’ at the site, increasing knowledge and awareness of endangered ecosystems among young students. Long-term, the project will nurture community ownership and stewardship of the site through volunteerism, working bees and capacity building activities.
Hastings Landcare Inc.
Comboyne corridor conservation and remnant rescue stage 1
$99,976
This project will abate threats posed by weeds to corridors at Comboyne Plateau, a former Gondwanan Rainforest refugia. An 85 hectare section of high conservation value coast to ranges climate change corridor will be protected and enhanced and two 'stepping stone' habitat remnants enhanced improving the habitat for more than 20 mobile threatened species. Restoration of remnant vegetation and connectivity within intensively farmed, over cleared landscapes are priority activities in regional, state and federal biodiversity plans and the Comboyne Community Plan. This project will continue recent work, implementing strategic restoration planning and will promote community ecological awareness through a range of engagement activities.
Hastings Landcare Inc.
Establishment of Hastings-Macleay land for wildlife project
$60,240
Land For Wildlife (LFW) is a voluntary conservation program facilitated in the Hastings-Macleay region by Hastings Landcare on behalf of the Community Environment Network. The program supports private and public landholders to protect and enhance valuable wildlife habitat whilst pursuing wider land management objectives. The project aims to implement the LFW program with a particular emphasis on increasing landholder commitment to conservation through the development of greater knowledge and understanding. The project will use various methods to achieve this aim including provision of information and advice, assistance with land management planning and access to training and skill development.
The project will enable ongoing restoration and management of 815 hectares of high conservation value vegetation including a range of endangered ecological communities and heath vegetation on the Jali lands around Wardell. The land is held by Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC). Jali LALC has been developing a pool of trained and accredited bush regenerators to help manage their land holdings. They are well advanced in negotiations to develop an Indigenous protected area with the Federal government. This project will provide for mentoring in project implementation, co-ordination by a senior Indigenous regenerator and follow up control of environmental weeds, installation of priority infrastructure, follow up ecological burning as required and the establishment of a formal monitoring and evaluation program on a site which has outstanding conservation values.
Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council
Restoration of the Jali Seven Mile Beach heath and wetland stage 2
$100,000
The project will continue to restore and protect 290 hectares of high conservation value wet and wallum heath and SEPP 14 wetland at Seven Mile Beach north of Lennox Head. The land is held by Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council. EnviTE trainers and bush regenerators have been working with the Jali community to provide them with skills necessary to manage their land into the future. Accredited training in Conservation and Land Management (CLM 2/3) has or is being provided and the restoration crew has made excellent progress restoring the site. Further funding will allow an extension of works into areas not previously worked. It is intended that this area receive an 'ecological burn' to promote regeneration within an area 'locked up' by exotic and naturalised native grasses (from the original dump site).
Our successful Trust-funded program 'Restoring koala habitat in Gunnedah' demonstrated that koalas use tree plantings. The new threats are heatwaves and mining. Our 2008-11 study showed that koalas died during heatwaves. The proposed mining of the Liverpool Plains will reduce koala habitat. Restoration efforts need to be redirected to provide a safe haven from heatwaves, and compensation for habitat loss. Our project will assess koala use of trees to redirect future plantings. The goal is to keep the flags flying in the main street of Gunnedah which proclaim it to be the ‘Koala Capital of the World’.
This three year project is the most difficult and final stage of the 18 year restoration of Mount Gibraltar Reserve. It is to remove weeds and allow natural regeneration of the endangered ecological community of Mount Gibraltar forest in the heavily disturbed and degraded quarried area including the steep rock spoil slopes. Contractors will work on the difficult sites matched by volunteers on the safe sites. In conjunction a three year feral animal control project will be undertaken to secure the biodiversity habitat in this important east-west corridor stepping stone.
This project will restore and protect 16 hectares of coastal habitats and corridor including swamp sclerophyll forest endangered ecological communities (EEC). The project site is an extremely good example of a swamp sclerophyll forest EEC having been protected from grazing and fire. The main threat to this EEC are invasive plant species including those colonising from adjacent urban area. This project will harness the combined experience of Landcare, Nambucca Shire Weed Office, NSW NPWS Rangers, Northern River Catchment Management Authority ecologists and the community to conserve, restore and ensure the future health and sustainability of this locally rare and high conservation value coastal community.
Nature Conservation Trust of NSW
Restoring high conservation value habitats and corridors in NE NSW 2
$100,000
Professional bush regenerators will restore high conservation value ecosystems on three properties protected by Nature Conservation Trust (NCT) Trust Agreements (conservation agreements). Habitat for threatened flora and fauna, and endangered ecological communities is threatened by weeds. At Limpinwood lowland rainforest, key habitats and wildlife corridors are being impacted by vine weeds and woody weeds. At Chillingham maidera vine, lantana, coral berry and devils figs are threatening lowland rainforest and wet schlerophyll forest in a wildlife corridor. At Uki riparian rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest is being degraded by camphor laurel, lantana, ochna and privet. All landholders are committed to biodiversity conservation. A partnership between NCT, EnviTE and landholders, involving community education, will restore habitat for threatened flora, fauna and ecosystems.
Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Using fire as a restoration tool in Cumberland Plain vegetation
$87,647
Using an adaptive management framework, fire will be investigated as a control tool for three priority weed species in Cumberland Plain vegetation. The controlled application of fire will be monitored for its ability to restore ecosystem health in these endangered ecological communities compared to, and in conjunction with, other bush regeneration techniques. The field trial will directly restore the area under investigation and guide future management of weed-impacted remnants of Cumberland Plain through its publication in the 'Prescription guide for the use of fire for managing priority weeds in Cumberland Plain vegetation'. The guide will also provide a summary of work conducted on these three species in other vegetation communities and detail minimum standards for monitoring regeneration to inform adaptive management in other locations.
Connecting riparian rainforest corridors in the Orara Valley encompasses on ground works for the regeneration of lowland subtropical rainforest on floodplain which is an endangered ecological community in the NSW North Coast Bioregion. This precious rainforest exists in degraded vegetation corridors along Orara River, Urumbilum River, Bucca Bucca Creek and their tributaries. The riparian zone vegetation corridors connect to well forested hill slopes under National Park and State Forest tenures. The river system forms habitat for the endangered eastern freshwater cod; numerous bird species including bush hen, wompoo fruit dove, and rose crown fruit dove which benefit greatly from landscape scale biodiversity conservation. The project supports increasing landholder participation in the greater Orara River rehabilitation project.
Seven Oakes Drainage Union
Seven Oakes sustainable floodplain management - Clybucca
$99,904
The project engages five neighbouring landholders (covering over 650 hectares), who are members of the Seven Oakes Drainage Union, to implement wetland and riparian management on the Clybucca floodplain on the mid north coast. Building on previous natural resource management initiatives and significant landholder engagement across the Clybucca floodplain, this project will support farmers to achieve on-ground outcomes that reinstate natural wetlands, reduce acid formation, provide habitat for significant biodiversity, protect riparian zones, improve water quality and provide farmers with opportunities for sustainable wet pasture grazing regimes. This project will provide the opportunity to implement significant on-ground works identified in existing Catchment Management Authority management plans to achieve landscape scale outcomes for wetlands.
The project aims to improve the health and biodiversity of the only community owned RAMSAR wetland system in Australia. The three year program aims to continue to improve the ailing health of the Melaleuca swamp forest, an endangered ecological community and breeding area for four species of egrets; continue to rehabilitate and revegetate the wetland to improve biodiversity; ongoing release of native fauna on site and provide valuable research opportunities to university and TAFE students. The key to this program is the co-ordination by the site manager.
Smoky Cape to the Macleay River is an 800 hectare, 12 kilometre critical wildlife corridor. Back Beach (65 hectares) is the final major weed infestation yet to receive primary weed control. Removing bitou bush and lantana, weeds of national significance, plus other highly invasive weeds will restore this section of the degraded environmental corridor. Natural regeneration beneath the existing Tuckeroo canopy will lead to the re-establishment of the endangered ecological community, littoral rainforest, which occurred on this site prior to disturbance, and occurs on the adjacent island and dunes. Targeted weed removal across the entire corridor will prevent future environmental degradation by weeds.
Bush regenerators will be contracted to restore lowland rainforest on Susan Island including Reserve Trust land and the adjacent nature reserve. Located on the Clarence River in Grafton, Susan Island is of high conservation value covering 90 hectares of which 23 hectares is remnant subtropical lowland rainforest. This is the last remaining viable sized stand of this community type in the Clarence Valley. Implementation of systematic bush regeneration works will stimulate natural regeneration and improve the health and connectivity of vegetation improving native flora and fauna habitat. Weeds, particularly vine weeds and lantana, are restricting natural regeneration and growth of native species. Field days will showcase works and develop community awareness of the significance of subtropical lowland rainforest and the threat posed by weed infestation.
Upper Clarence Combined Landcare Inc.
Riparian restoration of 11 kilometres of high conservation value Nogrigar Creek
$98,615
The exceptional environmental values of Nogrigar Creek are threatened by the invasion of cats claw vine and other environmental weeds. Contractors using bush regeneration techniques will remove the weed threat, commencing at the head of the catchment and progressing along 11.1 kilometres of stream over three years. Landholders value the catchment, and all weed sources including homestead gardens will be treated. Early intervention will take advantage of natural ecosystem resilience to aid rapid recovery of the high conservation status riparian vegetation communities and the maintenance of near pristine aquatic habitat which supports the endangered eastern freshwater cod.
Page last updated: 12 September 2012
