Wildlife corridor in the valley

Ask any farmer what they think about the willow and they'll tell you. Ken Hamer is no different, especially when it comes to their effect on water flow and quality.

Getting rid of willows has been an essential part of a Queen Charlotte Vale Landcare Group project to develop a wildlife corridor running over nearly 26,000 hectares across 120 landholders' properties.

Ken was one of the landholders involved in the project.

Funding

Funding came from the Australian Government with additional financial support from state and local government and landholders.

Activities

Ken said the wildlife corridor was an on-going project with no end date.

"The wildlife corridor runs throughout the valley and will eventually end up at Mt Evernden, or Rockley Mount to the locals," Ken said. "But even when it's completed it will require maintenance to keep it up to scratch."

Project participants are committed to fencing off areas on their properties and planting native trees and shrubs. These efforts have a two-fold effect. The trees prevent erosion and ease salinity, while also offering a more balanced ecosystem and improving water quality.

Willow trees were a big issue for the Landcare group and they used a process known as the cut-stump method to get rid of the tree.

"This method involves cutting the willow tree down and then instantly spraying it with round-up," Ken said. "Then you remove the bit you cut off and stack it on the bank. This ensures minimal soil disturbance and allows the grass to grow back.

"Previously we were asked to poison the willows, wait for them to die and then fell them. The problem with this is that when the dead tree falls it smashes into lots of small pieces."

Achievements

Ken said the biggest improvement the Landcare group has noticed since they began the project is that the water quality of the creek has improved markedly.

"We monitor the creek along with students from Kelso High School," he said. "Since we began restoring the banks with native trees we are seeing the return of Platypus and native fish, like Perch."

More information

• Ken Hamer, local landholder: (02) 6337 2383

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

DEWHA  | DAFF  | australia.gov.au  | NAP  | NHT 
Caring for our Country is an Australian Government initiative jointly administered by the Australian Government departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts