Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Community bands together to replant trees
Sheer determination is essential if you're taking on tree planting projects in a drought. The Mid Macquarie Landcare Group combined with the Little River community has conducted several tree replants and finally found success where they had previously failed.
Funding
The successful tree planting project was funded with $30,000 from the Australian Government.
Activities and achievements
The group had previously received Landcare funding to plant trees. But the trees died - courtesy of the drought.
However, this failure didn't deter the community. Fifty growers became involved in the replant and planted 100,000 trees over a two-year period.
Central West Landcare Coordinator Don Bruce said of the trees planted, 50 per cent survived. The difference in rainfall in the areas and soil could account for the differences in growth.
"It was strange to see which trees grew," Don said. "West of Wellington, 12 months after planting, the trees there grew like wildflowers. They were about a metre to a metre and a half high."
"And yet, just 30 kilometres south of there, not one tree survived,"
Following the success of the replant many local farmers are eager to plant more trees.
"There are people who have the infrastructure in place and are now looking for more trees to plant. They want trees. Just trees; nothing else," Don said.
One of the lessons learnt during this replant is how to encourage people to become involved in tree planting.
"This time around, the trees were delivered to a central drop off spot," Don said. "Because they were dropped off, and didn't have to be collected, this encouraged growers to become involved in the project."
The replant covered the Mid Macquarie Landcare area; 200 kilometres in total from Dunedoo, north west of Sydney, to Gumble. And the trees - a mix of eucalypts, melaleucas and other natives - are in their early years and growing strongly.
More information
- Don Bruce, Central West Landcare Coordinator: (02) 6366 1601 Central West: www.cma.nsw.gov.au
See also
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