Southern New England Landcare

Project Profile

Issues

From humble beginnings, Southern New England Landcare has grown to be a local champion of natural resource management and worked extensively with landholders to protect the long-term future of the region’s natural health.

Project Detail

Southern New England Landcare (SNEL) has been nominated for a National Landcare Award for its work repairing locally significant parcels of land in the region.

With a strong focus on community engagement, SNEL has developed and implemented a range of sustainable natural resource management activities and programs over the past 15 years. From humble beginnings, three local Landcare groups joined together to create strategies and projects to assist in the long term viability of their region. Recent SNEL projects include The Engineered Woodlands project, the Land, Water & Wool Best Management Practices project and The Methods to Manage Mistletoe project.

The Engineered Woodlands project was designed for wide-spaced tree plantings integrated with traditional agriculture with income-producing trees. In 2007, 16 landholders from the New England North West became part of the project as demonstration and trial sites with sites ranging from ten hectares to 40 hectares in size. The project is recording various physical indicators of tree, soil and pasture health over the next several years. It has produced four Information Sheets for landholders on the topics of Establishment, Design, Carbon Trading and Economics of engineered woodlands.

The Land, Water & Wool Best Management Practices project began with a number of field days and workshops to assist farmers develop project proposals. Ninety proposals were received and 85 were funded.  Project outcomes included: 36 kilometres of stream bank and 263 hectares of riparian vegetation protected with 45 kilometres of fencing; off-creek watering systems established on 15 properties; 1041 hectares of remnant vegetation protected; 97 hectares of vegetation established and 197 kilometres of fencing erected to protect these works.

The Methods to Manage Mistletoe project saw a steering committee of approximately six landholders engage Associate Professor Nick Reid at UNE to help them undertake research into how to save paddock trees ‘at risk’ of death due to mistletoe infestation. On farm trials and field days culminated in a “Methods to Manage Mistletoe” booklet being published.

Through strong community participation and engagement and the development of innovative projects and programs, SNEL is continuing to protect and nurture the vital natural resources of its region.

The Southern New England Landcare project is one of 88 finalists in the National Landcare Awards to be announced in Canberra on 24 June 2010. Commencing in 1991, the Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals and groups that make a valuable contribution to the land and coast where they live and work.

Photography

Southern New England Landcare