The Drought Employment Programme (DEP) formed the backbone of a recently completed initiative to plant 8000 indigenous seedlings along the Upper Broken River and the Blue Range and Bridge Creeks.
The Drought Employment Programme (DEP) formed the backbone of a recently completed initiative to plant 8000 indigenous seedlings along the Upper Broken River and the Blue Range and Bridge Creeks.
The revegetation project replaced poisoned Willow trees (which are listed in the top 20 noxious weeds in Australia) under the supervision of Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GB CMA) staff with the support of two crews of 10 DEP team members from Benalla and Mansfield.
Areas on properties to the east and west of the Broken River bridge on the Mansfield to Whitfield road were sprayed for weeds and planted out to the indigenous species. Some of the areas not planted to seedlings have now been direct-seeded.
The work was funded by the DEP, in addition to the Environmental Waterway Branch, giving landholders a vital opportunity to get involved without incurring any costs.
"Landowners were supportive and they obviously appreciate the pressing need to promote water quality and biodiversity in the region," GB CMA vegetation officer Barry Oswald said.
"This has been very important from the CMA's perspective and there is a strong link between this and the Victorian River Health Strategy and the "Our Water, Our Future" initiative.
"We are encouraging other landholders in the area to get involved with the programme and to consider developing similar programmes on the river frontages running through their properties. This is a great opportunity for them."
Works supervisor Geoff Brennan confirmed he was already negotiating with some landholders to extend the plantings.
"The response has been really promising," Mr Brennan said. "They understand the river needs to be planted back and while there has been some mixed feelings about removing the Willows the compromise of removing them as they die out has been well received."
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For more information, contact:
Barry Oswald on mobile: 0407 214 180 or
Dianna Malcolm at Impress Publicity on 0419 483 763.