24-08-2023
By PAM KENSIT
On Sunday the ABC presenter Simon Marnie visited the Upper Lachlan Shire for an Outside Broadcast for ABC 702 from the beautiful hills above the Lachlan River. His broadcast was prompted by a mass planting of trees on Moorlands, a sheep farm at Biala. Planting on this property has been a regular event over the last twenty plus years.
In recent years it has become apparent that Superb Parrots, a species listed as vulnerable, were nesting on Moorlands. This prompted Mac Cobden, a researcher from ANU, to investigate. Mac has now completed his field work for his PhD using nests on Moorlands and in other locations. He climbs the trees (Superb Parrots nest in hollows of gum trees), monitors egg numbers and hatchling weights. Mac also attaches tracking devices to the birds and takes DNA samples. The findings from this research are significant.
Organisations including Greening Australia and Planet Ark have tapped into Mac’s knowledge in their quest to save the Superb Parrot from extinction. This has prompted a plan to plant 6,000 native trees and shrubs at Moorlands each year for the next 3 years. Birdlife Australia are involved and are conducting the monitoring of all bird species numbers in this location.
Previous planting of paddock trees to aid the Superb Parrot were conducted at Moorlands starting in 2013. These plantings were helped by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage as part of their Save Our Species project focused on those species most vulnerable to extinction. However, given the scale scale of the planting, landowner, Vince Heffernan, has sought help from volunteers to plant some of these tubestock. Volunteers have come from far and wide, hence it was a great opportunity to showcase our Shire on ABC radio with Simon Marnie interviewing some local producers.
A nature group in Southwest Sydney, Oatley Flora & Fauna, have been previously involved in planting trees in the Shire in recent years and have co-ordinated volunteers from as far as field as Victoria to help this season. Senator David Pocock organised a team from Canberra to help plant last weekend. Additionally, Rotary, through their adopt-a-tree initiative, are playing a major role in the project.
The plan seeks to replicate the density of the grassy woodland that once covered much of this landscape.
“This is not a forest”, says Vince Heffernan.
“Rather we are planting for around 30% canopy cover when all plants are mature. It is critical we have a mix of shrubs with the trees at a ratio of four to one.
This understorey is very diverse: a dozen acacia species, lots of flowering shrubs including bottle brush, Banksia, Grevillea, Tea Tree, Dodonea, Hardenbergia, Bursaria and many more. These are vital for year-round flowering that gives both habitat and food for native insects, bats, reptiles, mammals, marsupials, and birds including the Superb Parrot.
“Such diversity brings balance back to the landscape and adds great resilience in this time of warming climate.”
Once established, these paddocks will be grazed by the sheep on Moorlands as per usual.
The Upper Lachlan Landcare Group has run similar incentives on a far smaller scale with many land holders in the Upper Lachlan. A partner project between Upper Lachlan Landcare, Southeast Local Land Services, Gunning District Landcare, and Upper Lachlan Shire Council engaged local ecologist Tony Saunders to undertake the extensive and comprehensive research and prepare the Upper Lachlan Habitat Connectivity Prioritisation Plan (ULHCPP).
The ULHCPP identifies areas where revegetation projects may provide maximum conservation benefit to enable a deliberate and strategic approach to habitat connectivity efforts.
As a Shire we are pulling our weight when it comes to sustainability.
In the Upper Lachlan there is an active Grazing Group which encourages sound ecological practises. They comprise graziers who come together to share ideas, knowledge, and experience and they support land management practices that deliver better outcomes emotionally, environmentally, and economically.
The Gunning Landcare Group are actively involved with the preservation of the Southern Pygmy Perch. Southern Pygmy Perch (Nannoperca australis) is a small native freshwater fish that was once widespread in the Murray Darling Basin.
It is now limited to a very small number of sites and in 2008 it was declared to be Endangered in NSW.
Several of the sites where it still occurs are within the Gunning area. Gunning District Landcare was very concerned about the conservation of the species, and in 2017 commissioned a Local Action Plan. Among the recommendations in the Plan is the need for on-going monitoring of local populations.
As a Shire we are proud of the work done to preserve the landscapes. We are proud of the fact that as a shire we reach ten of the United Nation seventeen Sustainable Development goals. We are fortunate in the sheer nature of our surrounds lends itself to reaching these goals.
As a community we need to continue to care and preserve our local fauna and flora and support our Landcare communities.
For all those interested in learning more about our local birds, McComas Taylor (co-author of Field Guide to the Birds of the ACT) will present a talk at the Crookwell Library from 1.30 to 2.30pm – Friday 1st September 2023.
An afternoon tea will follow the talk giving patrons an opportunity to chat informally with Mr Taylor. For information for this free event please call P:0447 242 474 or Email: coordinator@upperlachlanlandcare.org.au.