Upper Goulburn Landcare Network Details
Facilitator: Chris Cobern
Description:
Connecting our rural and urban communities through education and collaboration leading to positive environmental and regenerative action outcomes is the vision statement of Upper Goulburn Landcare Network (UGLN).
To achieve the vision UGLN works alongside their Landcare and Community NRM groups with a strong focus on biodiversity management, monitoring and improvement, disaster recovery, pest plant and animal control and environmental education in schools. UGLN works collaboratively with Government agencies, schools across the region and landholders.
The Upper Goulburn Landcare Network at a glance in 2023/24
A motivated and connected community leads to positive change
The Upper Goulburn Landcare Network area were successful with three Victorian Landcare Grants from the State Government providing $46,900.00 for Engagement events, Revegetation, Pest animal control, Pest plant control, Fencing and Nest boxes. The UGLN network works across the catchment in collaboration with the Landcare groups. Yea River Catchment Landcare group was successful in a nest box grant included in this calculation.
Upper Goulburn Landcare Network Case Study
Upper Goulburn Landcare Network looked across their landscape and saw the declining health of the iconic paddock tree. The Paddock tree is a critical feature, providing hollows for breeding, a food source for birds, bats and aboreal mammals and a sanctuary for animals as they cross the country in search of food, water or mates. The focus of this project, with funds from the Victorian Landcare Grants, was to protect isolated trees on farms by fencing them off and planting understorey as a means to support the biodiversity, reduce the soil compaction, prevent ringbarking by stock or deer and provide additional food and safety as a stepping stone across the paddocks for small birds and mammals.
The Paddock Tree Project was very popular with the members of Upper Goulburn Landcare Network with over 40 large paddock trees, including Grey Box, Red Box, Yellow Box, Candlebark and Red Gum, protected and enhanced. While the focus was on the large trees, there were many small-medium trees included in the fenced off areas providing additional value as succession planning for the older trees is needed.
Upper Goulburn hope to roll out this type of project into the future and include many more landholders in the project, promoting the future of paddock trees into the future.