Members of the Mansfield and District Fly fishers Club, the Australian Trout Foundation and Up2Us Landcare Alliance worked alongside staff from the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Mansfield Shire to plant more than 500 trees and shrubs along the Delatite River near Mansfield recently.
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Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Acting Riparian and River Channel Manager Jim Castles said re-establishing native riparian vegetation, including trees, shrubs, grasses and ground covers, would help improve the health of the river.
“Like many of the upper Goulburn streams, the Delatite River has an east-west orientation and is exposed to the hot summer sun as a result,” Mr Castles said.
“We know that native riparian vegetation plays an important role in shading streams and keeping waters cool. We know that native riparian vegetation plays an important role in shading streams and keeping waters cool. The Delatite River has an east-west orientation (like many of the upper Goulburn Trout streams) and is exposed to the hot summer sun as a result.We approached the Mansfield and District Fly fishers Club for some assistance with this project and they were very keen to help out.”
“Members of the Australian Trout Foundation and the Up2Us Landcare Alliance were also more than happy to assist on the day, so a group of 20 people meant we were able to get the trees in the ground really quickly.”
Mr Castles said the trees and shrubs would eventually result in an increase in instream habitat (snags), and would also provide leaves for aquatic insects to eat.
“Over time the trees will grow large enough to provide shade and will result in a natural supply of large timber branches and leaf litter to the stream, which will provide important habitat and food for fish,” Mr Castles said.
“Many reaches of the Delatite River have been cleared of native riparian vegetation and the stream has been lacking shade and an input of leaf litter from native tree and shrub species as a result, so this work is a very important step towards rehabilitating the River.”
The Delatite River is listed as a priority stream in the Goulburn Broken Waterway Strategy (2014-2022).
This revegetation project is an important component of the Goulburn Broken CMA’s Protecting Rivers of High Community Value Project, which is part of the Victorian Government funded On-Ground Works Program.
The Delatite River is listed as a priority stream in the Goulburn Broken Waterway Strategy (2014-2022).
This revegetation project is an important component of the Goulburn Broken CMA’s Protecting Rivers of High Community Value Project, which is part of the Victorian Government funded On-Ground Works Program.
For further information about this project contact Jim Castles on 0427 053 700 or email jimc@gbcma.vic.gov.au