Landcare responding to landslides
In a rapid response to the Northern Rivers disaster Landcare mobilizes to support landholders affected by landslides
Collaborations - LP022-17
The issue
The extreme rainfall events in February and March 2022 resulted in widespread landslides and devastating impacts across the Northern Rivers. Numerous landholders had internal roads cut off, fences wiped out, paddocks disfigured, hillsides slumped, and forested areas collapsed. This was beyond the scale experienced within living memory leaving affected people completely shocked and perplexed as to what can be done to address the damage.
With the spotlight through this disaster largely on the flooding impact in high population zones, the devastating impacts of landslips in rural areas was largely missed by the media and fell through the cracks of the recovery grants and services.
The solution
The Border Ranges Richmond Valley Landcare Network and Richmond Landcare Inc formed a partnership to mobilise on this issue and within a few weeks mustered together a suite of experts to speak to landholders affected by landslides at a forum held at the Southern Cross University. This event was attended by nearly 200 people and amplified the need for further support to this issue.
With a rapid turnaround provision of funding from the Northern Rivers Community Foundation, BRRVLN was able to facilitate 28 site inspections with geotechnical engineers and soil conservationists to help landholders understand the dynamics of the landslips, the ongoing risks and the potential for remediation.
This included a field day demonstration of hydro-mulching to support rapid cover to a landslide affected area to stabilize the slope and reduce the risk of further sheet erosion.
The impact
This disaster has brought attention to a poorly recognized element of land management and has highlighted the need for resources and expertise to be made available to landholders to better understand landslip risk, adapt land use towards prevention and know where to turn for advice when landslips occur.
Collaborations between all Landcare networks across the Northern Rivers are now underway to expand the Landcare response to this need with a new major project about to launch.
Key facts
- Countless landholders impacted by landslides/slips during the 2022 Northern Rivers disaster
- Landcare organizes a landslides forum attended by 187 people
- Site assessments and reports provided by erosion experts to 28 properties