What has been happening with the Cross property planning project?

By Jacinta Christie, Project Co-ordinator

Nicole Maher, Project Officer, has been busy with property visits and assisting with on-ground works funding applications.  To date, a third of all landholders have applied for and received funding for their on-ground works in the following areas: biodiverse plantings, protection and enhancement of existing remnants and invasive species management.  

Project steering committee meeting 6 November 2013. L to R: Peter Orchard (Graham Centre), Maria Thomson and Marion Benjamin (MLi), Jacinta Christie (Project Coordinator), David Tooke (Humula cross property planning group), Sky Bellamy (Junee Area Landcare Network), Nicole Maher (Project Officer). Photo Ted Wolfe.

Works being undertaken by landholders as part of the project include:

• Fencing out and planting along creek lines and eroded gullies
• Planting tree lines
• Erosion control
• Adding trees to existing tree lines
• Controlling foxes and rabbits
• Planting scattered paddock trees
• Fencing off and enhancing existing remnant vegetation patches
• Fencing and planting around dams
• revegetating with understorey in existing remnant vegetation

In the last few months the project has offered workshops and training on dung beetles and biological weed control and held three family Night Stalks, at Eurongilly, Humula and Book Book.  In addition 30 sites  were surveyed for flora and fauna over September and October.  The results from these surveys will be presented by Alison Elvin from Natural Capital at Christmas gatherings of each group in December.

» Jacinta Christie, Project coordinator, jchristie@murrumbidgeelandcare.asn.au

» Nicole Maher, Project officer, nmaher@murrumbidgeelandcare.asn.au