MEDIA RELEASE – CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: NAMBUCCA VALLEY COMMUNITY RALLIES AROUND RAINFOREST RESTORATION

Nambucca Valley’s subtropical rainforests and threatened species including Koalas, Tiger Quolls and the Grey-headed Flying Fox are on the road to recovery thanks the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants funded Bushfire Recovery in the Nambucca Valley project.

Headlined by Nambucca Valley Landcare, the project focussed on habitat revegetation, strategic erosion control and riparian fencing across seven private properties in the severely burnt forested headwaters of the Nambucca River’s southern catchment. With the support of Nambucca Council and local landholders, Nambucca Landcare planted 3,200 native trees and sedges, installed 1,200m of fencing and partnered with local Indigenous groups Mujaay Ganma and Jaanymili Bawrrungga to grow First Nations engagement in local bushfire recovery.

“The Kian Road fire was a shocking and extremely distressing event for community. Nearly every hill and ridge south west of Bowraville see was fire scarred. To be able to restore this environment and support the community through landcare activities was a real privilege,” said Nambucca Valley Local Landcare Coordinator Logan Zingus.

“One of our biggest successes was regenerating areas of subtropical rainforest and endangered ecological community. Most of these species haven’t evolved with fire the way eucalypt forests have, and a fire of that intensity may have set it back 400 years. Combined with other forms of degradation- weed infestation, erosion and impacts of uncontrolled stock access, chances of natural regeneration were slim.”

“The environmental outcomes have been fantastic, but it’s not just about charging in, doing the job and walking away- it’s about long-term investment in the community at large. For us, that involved working closely with other community organisations and engaging local people to do the works, getting them back on their feet, empowered and employed to support their individual and community recovery,” said Mr Zingus.

Although Bushfire Recovery in the Nambucca Valley has had an incredible impact on community resilience and the health of the catchment, like many recent landcare projects, the work was heavily impacted by increased rainfall and severe flood events.

“We’ve been jumping from one natural disaster to the next. During the final six months of the project groundwork was very limited due to the flooding. For some of the sites, the access completely washed out twice so getting to the property was physically impossible,” continued Mr Zingus.

“While the floods created additional pressures, it was really important to make sure that the people affected by the bushfires remained focus for this recovery project. We were lucky that despite the challenges we had flexibility in delivery and significant community investment so we could eventually get out there and help,” said Mr Zingus.

Despite the setbacks community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and with further work planned for the future, Landcare NSW CEO Turlough Guerin says he couldn’t be more pleased with the results.

“The work of Nambucca Valley Landcare and their partners is a fantastic example of how investing in community projects can support substantive, long-term outcomes,” said Mr Guerin.

“A University of Melbourne study into the social impacts of post-disaster environmental work suggests landcare-led projects provide key benefits to fire affected communities by building resilience and stronger connections. This is really reflected in Nambucca Valley Landcare’s work which has proved crucial to the long-term recovery of the local community and environment.”

“The fantastic accomplishments of this project and the wider Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program have highlighted the value of local environmental protection projects in supporting the recovery of bushfire-affected communities and environments. The success of this landcare-led model shows our movement is well placed to be on the front lines when tackling future natural disasters,” said Mr Guerin.

About the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program

The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is a $14 million program funding community-driven projects across bushfire affected areas of Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. Together the 111 projects funded by the Program benefitted over 100 federal and state listed threatened species and ecological communities, including 16 mammal species, 16 bird species, 9 frog species, 34 plant species and 16 threatened vegetation communities.

Supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat, the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is managed by a partnership between the National Landcare Network, Landcare Australia and the Peak Landcare State and Territory Landcare organisations.

For further information, visit the Program Website: https://landcareledbushfiregrants.org.au/

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosie Rayns, rosie.rayns@landcareaustralia.com.au, 0401 991 792

Further project information:
Nambucca Valley Landcare received over $49,800 to undertake revegetation, strategic erosion control and riparian fencing across seven private properties in the severely burnt forested headwaters of the Nambucca River’s southern catchment. With the support of Mujaay Ganma and Nambucca Valley Council they planted 3,200 trees and sedges, installed 1,200 metres of fencing and held 6 community engagement events.

The project has had ongoing impacts in the health of the catchment. Through wider, more diverse and protected riparian zones that have been planted with a range of riparian trees and excluded from grazing through fencing, the waterways can again provide habitat for both terrestrial and aquatic animals. Erosion has also been reduced and water quality enhanced, with a range of recreational and cultural benefits also apparent through improving the landscape.

MEDIA RELEASE – GROWING RECOVERY: MID-WEST IN BLOOM FOLLOWING DISASTER RECOVERY EFFORTS

Critical habitat in New South Wales’ mid-west is on the road to recovery thanks to the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program.

Launched by Watershed Landcare to address large scale fire damage resulting in habitat loss, species decline and erosion, the Growing Recovery in the Mid-Western Region project has seen 10,000 seeds for native trees, shrubs and groundcovers collected, propagated and planted by nearly 100 local volunteers.

“Due to seasonal conditions following the fires our community nursery received a massive increase in requests for local plants, but we were struggling with a reduction in our seed stores because of the ongoing drought,” said Watershed Landcare Local Landcare Coordinator Claudia Wythes.

“Thanks to the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants funding we were quickly able to get to work collecting local providence seed and propagating tubestock to ensure we could meet the needs of fire affected landholders and provide them with species diversity at all levels of vegetation.”

“The range of local plants available was incredibly important because we wanted to both help revegetate biologically diverse habitats and to ensure stronger, more sustainable regeneration to help build ongoing resilience in the face of future disaster events.”

The project was a roaring success with plants distributed across 70 sites- but for Watershed Landcare and their partners it was important that the project’s focus extended beyond improving environmental outcomes to ensuring they were reinvesting in their community. As part of the project, they held three workshops and ten working bees to build local capacity for the high number of revegetation projects in their region.

“We were blown away by how eager the community was to come together to restore and rehabilitate local environments. Everyone was eager share and learn new skills during the farm and hands on experience in seed collection and plant propagation too.”

“We’ve also been able to expand our impact by hosting a visit to Merriwa Landcare to share knowledge gained from the project and support local communities to take action on their patch,” said Ms Wythes.

With Merriwa Landcare now keen to start their own project and with plans in place to reconnect with Watershed Landcare in 2023, Landcare NSW CEO Turlough Guerin saying he couldn’t be more impressed with the results.

“Community involvement in activities such as the Growing Recovery in the Mid Western Region project are crucial in ensuring that the projects Landcare delivers have long lasting impact. The trees they grow today will be the species that will weather the next event,” said Mr Guerin.

“Projects such as this also ensure that community members are supported and empowered to have the resources they need to move forward together.”

“The fantastic accomplishments of this project and the wider Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program have highlighted the value of local environmental protection projects in supporting the recovery of bushfire-affected communities and environments. The success of this landcare-led model shows our movement is well placed to be on the front lines when tackling future natural disasters,” said Mr Guerin.

About the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program

The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is a $14 million program funding community-driven projects across bushfire affected areas of Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. Together the 111 projects funded by the Program benefitted over 100 federal and state listed threatened species and ecological communities, including 16 mammal species, 16 bird species, 9 frog species, 34 plant species and 16 threatened vegetation communities.

Supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat, the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is managed by a partnership between the National Landcare Network, Landcare Australia and the Peak Landcare State and Territory Landcare organisations.

For further information, visit the Program Website: https://landcareledbushfiregrants.org.au/

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosie Rayns, rosie.rayns@landcareaustralia.com.au, 0401 991 792

Further project information:
Watershed Landcare received over $54,500 in funding from the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program to increase community capacity for revegetation projects and support large scale propagation of native plants in the New South Wales mid-west in partnership with Mid Western Regional Council, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Royston Petrie Seeds and Merriwa Landcare.

The project saw 10,000 trees, shrubs and groundcovers planted over 70 sites, supported 10 working bees and engaged 98 volunteers over 520 volunteer hours.

MEDIA RELEASE: TAILOR MADE FIRE RECOVERY PLANS KICK-START LOVE OF LANDCARE IN UPPER MURRAY

Fire recovery for native flora and fauna in the Upper Murray has transformed into a long-term community passion project thanks to Holbrook Landcare’s Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants funded Fire Recovery in the Upper Murray project.

When the Dunn’s Road and Green Valley fire decimated critical habitat and exacerbated threats faced by key threatened species, Holbrook Landcare knew key gaps in the Landcare-led Murray-Riverina Ecological Fire Recovery Strategy needed to be addressed- starting with working with partners including Mountain Landcare and Snowy Valleys Council to improve community engagement and grow local interest in conservation, wildlife and landscape recovery.

“The Upper Murray is incredibly important for our unique and threatened wildlife. We knew we needed a whole of community approach so we could understand the impacts of the fires not only in ecosystems within our national parks but on private land as well,” said Holbrook Landcare Project Officer Kylie Durant.

“The community response was overwhelmingly positive. Not only has Mountain Landcare increased their membership by 300 percent but our citizen science conservation project has taken off and we’ve had reported sightings of Platypus, Gang Gang Cockatoos, Greater Gliders and Long-nosed Bandicoots.”

Improving community resilience was also a major focus, with Holbrook Landcare and their seven partners working with local landholders to develop individual recovery plans to match both the needs of the surrounding environment and individual capacity.

“We knew that co-design actions with landholders would contribute to bigger picture recovery for critical species and ecosystems, so it was important for us to be able to work in close partnership with them to produce impactful, tailor-made recovery plans.”

“Through the support of the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program we were also able to offer local landholders with seed funding to kick-start recovery and improve the resilience of fire affected native plant and animal species on their properties. This has been a huge success with five landholders already going on to propose their own on-ground projects to improve wildlife recovery,” said Ms Durant.

The project’s popularity has now led to a major community program being launched with Snowy Valleys Council, Mountain Landcare and Rotary Tumbarumba for the rehabilitation of Paddy River Falls Picnic area with Landcare NSW CEO Turlough Guerin saying he couldn’t be more impressed with the results.

“The work of Holbrook Landcare and their partners is a great example of how investing in community projects can support substantive, long-term outcomes,” said Mr Guerin.

“Projects such as Fire Recovery in the Upper Murray are crucial for ensuring sustainable recovery and reflect what a University of Melbourne study suggests: landcare-led projects support fire affected communities to build resilience and stronger connections.”

“The fantastic accomplishments of this project and the wider Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program have highlighted the value of local environmental protection projects in supporting the recovery of bushfire-affected communities and environments. The success of this landcare-led model shows our movement is well placed to be on the front lines when tackling future natural disasters,” said Mr Guerin.

About the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program

The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is a $14 million program funding community-driven projects across bushfire affected areas of Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. Together the 111 projects funded by the Program benefitted over 100 federal and state listed threatened species and ecological communities, including 16 mammal species, 16 bird species, 9 frog species, 34 plant species and 16 threatened vegetation communities.

Supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat, the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is managed by a partnership between the National Landcare Network, Landcare Australia and the Peak Landcare State and Territory Landcare organisations.

For further information, visit the Program Website: https://landcareledbushfiregrants.org.au/

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosie Rayns, rosie.rayns@landcareaustralia.com.au, 0401 991 792

Further project information:
Holbrook Landcare received $61,500 in funding from the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program to provide additional support to the implementation of the Landcare-led Murray–Riverina Ecological Fire Recovery Strategy, engage individually with fire affected Landholders to build customized ecological plans for fire recovery, and bring them together for support and capacity building via Mountain Landcare, schools and community groups.

The project was conducted with the support of Mountain Landcare, Snowy Valleys Council, Group Captain’s Riverina Highlands Rural Fire Service, Charles Sturt University, Murray LLS and Soil Conservation Service, Rotary Tumbarumba and Woomargama National Park Volunteers. It saw 16 site visits to 12 landholders and 10 working bees conducted, as well as 97 volunteers engaged over 292 volunteer hours.

MEDIA RELEASE – SEEDBANK SUCCESS: LOCAL SEEDBANK PREPPED AND READY FOR FUTURE DISASTER RECOVERY

The Far South Coast Landcare Community Seedbank have expanded their output and are ready to support critical disaster recovery projects thanks to the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program.

Spearheaded by Far South Coast Landcare Association (FSCLA), the Ramping up the Seedbank project successfully boosted the seedbank’s capacity through an intensified period of seed collection, processing and storage, ensuring it could meet the increased demand for local provenance seed and support biodiversity conservation in the region.

“We’ve run the seedbank for 22 years and it really is an invaluable community resource for helping landscapes recover with locally-adapted species, giving them the best chance of survival as they grow,” said Jean Bentley, FSCLA Programs Manager.

“Following the Black Summer bushfires we were inundated with requests for seed and we knew we needed to find a way to rise to the challenge.”

“Thanks to the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program we were able to hire a new seedbank project officer and train up members of four different local Landcare groups in native plant identification and native seed collection and processing. Not only have they been able to take these newly learned skills back to their groups, they are now able to now look out for and collect native seed that can be grown and used in their own projects,” said Ms Bentley.

But the project hasn’t always been smooth sailing- like many landcare projects in the area, periods of intense rainfall resulted in unexpected hurdles that FSCLA and their partners worked together to overcome.

“Our biggest challenges in seed collection this last year have been the environmental conditions. We went from many years of severe drought into an overabundance of rain and the trees didn’t respond well to that,” said Merryn Carey, FSCLA Seedbank Co-ordinator.

“Feeder roots shrivel up and die due to years of drought and bushfires, and then they get hammered with too much rain and start ‘drowning’. We thought the trees were recovering well but then we noticed they were dropping their leaves and dropping their seed crops over all those wet months. This project has been an absolute rollercoaster ride,” said Ms Carey.

Despite the substantial challenges, a record amount of seed was collected over the early summer period, with the project successfully engaging the local community in understanding local native plants, propagation and seed collection. Landcare NSW CEO Turlough Guerin said he couldn’t be more impressed with the results.

“The Ramping up the Seed Bank project is a great example of how investing in community projects can support quick and effective action,” said Mr Guerin.

“Projects such as this are crucial in developing sustainable recovery for the environment and the community. They really reflect what a recent study by the University of Melbourne has suggested: landcare-led projects support fire affected communities to build resilience and stronger connections.”

“The fantastic accomplishments of this seed bank project and the wider Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program have highlighted the value of local environmental protection projects in supporting the recovery of bushfire-affected communities and environments. The success of this landcare-led model shows our movement is well placed to be on the front lines when tackling future natural disasters,” said Mr Guerin.

About the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program

The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is a $14 million program funding community-driven projects across bushfire affected areas of Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. Together the 111 projects funded by the Program benefitted over 100 federal and state listed threatened species and ecological communities, including 16 mammal species, 16 bird species, 9 frog species, 34 plant species and 16 threatened vegetation communities.

Supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat, the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is managed by a partnership between the National Landcare Network, Landcare Australia and the Peak Landcare State and Territory Landcare organisations.

For further information, visit the Program Website: https://landcareledbushfiregrants.org.au/

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosie Rayns, rosie.rayns@landcareaustralia.com.au, 0401 991 792

Further project information:
Far South Coast Landcare Association (FSCLA) received over $18,300 in funding from the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program to increase the capacity of the Far South Coast Landcare Community Seedbank with the support of Panboola Wetland Volunteers, Bega Valley Shire Council, Barrabaroo Landcare, Black Duck Foods, South East Local Land Service, Tura Mirador Landcare, Towamba Valley Landcare, Merimbula Lake Landcare and Bega Valley Seed Savers.

This project has expanded FSCLA’s ability to collect, store and distribute local provenance seed for use in rehabilitation and recovery planting, with seed specifically being provided for projects to augment and enhance key koala habitat in the region. Given the long storage life of many species of seeds collected the project will continue to bring benefits and meet the needs of future local revegetation projects.

The complete project collected 107 species of native seed, supported 3 events and engaged 24 volunteers over 65 volunteer hours.