Carp: Pest to Fertiliser - Bourke Community Garden
Utilizing a pest in the river to create an organic fertiliser
Capacity building - LEP23-021-09
The issue
Known as a pest to our river system (Darling/Baaka River) the European Carp has had a negative impact to the river by competing for food with the native fish, destroying their natural habitats and causing major erosion to the river banks. The community garden is managed by Regional Employment Development Institute (REDI.E) and works closely with their partners Bourke Aboriginal Community Centre, Royal Botanical Gardens Community Greening Team, University of NSW and the University of Sydney. Together they were hot composting and improving soil for the community garden and this is where it was identified they were using a product called “Charlie Carp” which was purchased from garden outlet stores as a fertiliser. It was quickly learned that the pest fish is readily available in the Darling/Baaka river. All that was needed was to go fishing. The carp harvest began.
The solution
A meeting was called by REDI.E and activities were planned to involve the community to participate in the catching (fishing) of the Carp. They also engaged with the locals schools and “Ain’t Caught Nuffin” fishing club to help form a tournament “The Carp Muster”. There was fishing gear and transport provided for those who needed this extra support. The Carp that were caught were brought back to the community garden by the tip truck where the majority were added to a hot compost where it is a 4-6 week process to slowly break down the fish with some other additives. The rest of the carp were directly added under trees and 100 were placed in an area where the Kids’ Corner garden was to be established.
The impact
There has been an activity established to be able to utilise the carp for a community benefit.
The feedback from the Community Greening Team is that the quality of the soils has improved immensely with the produce being some of the best organically grown since establishment. This produce is made available to members of the public free of charge.
As an added benefit to the thriving garden it has provided the members of the community a greater purpose to go fishing and provided the gardens with what used to be waste on the river banks to now the best fertiliser on the market.
Key facts
- Increased community engagement
- Improved waterway for the Darling/Baaka river
- Providing free nutritional produce to the community