Landholders protect grassy woodlands in northern Victoria

Landowners in northern Victoria are taking binding measures to bestow lasting protection on pockets of rare native bushland.

Since the early 1990s, Victoria's peak body for the protection of native bush on private land, Trust for Nature, has developed conservation covenants with about 80 landholders in the Goulburn Broken region.

The agreements cover about 3,500 hectares of land, including areas of highly endangered natural grasslands and grassy woodlands that once covered large tracts of northern Victoria, from Rutherglen in the east across to Swan Hill in the west.

Once in place, a conservation covenant cannot be reversed. Conservation values of the land are then permanently protected from threatening activities, such as subdivision or further clearing.

Funding

Since 1999, Trust for Nature has received assistance from the Australian and State Governments to help safeguard and restore the region's native bushland. The organisation also obtains funding from public donations and philanthropic trusts, plus ongoing support from the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority.

Activities

Trust for Nature's Goulburn Broken Manager Dr Doug Robinson said the organisation used a range of methods to protect threatened vegetation.

As well as encouraging private landholders to put covenants in place, the organisation also buys land it believes is worth protecting.

Protection of endangered habitats called 'perched bogs', situated on the granite plateau of the Strathbogie Ranges is one of Trust for Nature's priorities in the region.

"These bogs are unique and highly threatened," Doug said. "They form when groundwater bubbles to the surface through cracks in the granite. Unfortunately, while they provide habitat for hundreds of different species, they're under threat from private land clearing, water diversions and weeds."

He said efforts to protect bogs were being carried out with the support of the Goulburn Broken CMA, with three areas containing bogs already covenanted and another five being negotiated.

Achievements

Doug said the amount of land covenanted in the Goulburn Broken region may soon nearly double, with a further 69 covenants nearing completion.

"The work we do really just starts with the covenant," Doug said. "After an agreement is reached, the long-term monitoring and management of the land then begins under our stewardship programme.

"Landholders are provided with a lot of support through regular site visits, to develop and put a management plan in place."

More information

1. Doug Robinson, Goulburn Broken Regional Manager, Trust for Nature: (03) 5761 1558 or dougr@tfn.org.au
2. Trust for Nature 
3. Goulburn Broken CMA 

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