Landholders protecting threatened communities

The 'bush capital' got its nickname for good reason, with plans early on to retain natural and rural landscapes around the developing urban areas.

As a result, private or undeveloped land in the Australian Capital Territory still contains a large percentage of endangered ecological communities.

Funding

Rural landholders who are considered "biodiversity rich" are being encouraged to care for their natural assets through tailored incentives. These are funded on a matching basis with $231,000 from the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust and driven by Greening Australia ACT. The ACT Government has also provided in-kind contributions.

Project manager Susie Wilson of Greening Australia ACT said while financial incentives were attractive, a better enticement was a healthier environment through protecting, restoring and linking remnant vegetation.

"This will benefit threatened ecological communities and species such as the endangered Natural Temperate Grassland, Yellow Box-Red Gum Grassy Woodland and the endangered Grassland Earless Dragon," Susie said.

Activities

By the end of 2005 landholders on 14 sites in the ACT had taken up biodiversity incentives and started working on the sites, replanting 27 hectares of native vegetation and protecting 11 hectares of riparian habitat. By the end of 2006, 29 sites were involved.

"Landholders committed to maintaining a minimum of 70 per cent ground cover for twelve months of the year on their land and to increase stubble retention practices and minimum tillage," Susie said. "By protecting native vegetation cover and conserving riparian zones farmers are also reducing erosion and enhancing biodiversity."

Achievements

One of the 14 biodiversity incentives taken up was at Stony Creek Reserve, on the city side of the Murrumbidgee River. This area was linked with a series of small to medium vegetation corridors totalling 40 hectares, including 240 hectares of existing reserve to the Pinnacle Nature Park. Several properties joined in with the planting to link high conservation woodland remnant areas within forestry land on Mt Stromlo and along the Molonglo River Corridor.

In mid-2005, major vegetation links were established from the highly valued Yellow Box, Red Gum Grassy Woodland on Castle Hill, in south west ACT, into the Murrumbidgee River Corridor. Once the area was fenced, a 30-metre wide corridor was protected.

Another significant site is Narrabundah Hill on the fringe of the western suburbs, which has seen community volunteers plant 4,000 tube stock with 22 species including three wattle species, four eucalyptus species and grasses.

More information

1. Susie Wilson, Greening Australia ACT & SE NSW: (02) 6253 3035 or swilson@act.greeningaustralia.org.au

Australian Government NRM Team
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
1800 552 008 (toll-free)

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NRM, NHT and NAP are jointly administered by the Australian Government departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts