Connected Corridors
Connected Corridors
Native vegetation protection and regeneration
Showing the Difference -
LLCI017-004
The issue
The Corowa Landcare district is a highly productive mixed cropping (dryland and irrigation) and grazing agricultural area. Native vegetation in the area has been significantly cleared resulting in small, fragmented and isolated remnants, which are under threat from grazing, paddock tree clearing, weeds & pests.
Murray Local Land Services through its NSW Murray Biodiversity Management Plan has identified the central area of the Murray region (incorporating the Corowa Landcare district) as a priority area to restore native vegetation to increase the extent and condition of native vegetation and improve the connectivity of vegetation.
The solution
Murray Local Land Services approached Corowa District Landcare to partner in a Connected Corridors – native vegetation connectivity project from 2016 to 2018. The Connected Corridors project is funded by both the Australian and NSW Governments and aims to improve native vegetation connectivity in the NSW Murray catchment.
The project provided the opportunity to support landholders in the Corowa District Landcare area to activity manage native vegetation on their properties. The focus of activities was on improving native vegetation connectivity by increasing the size of remnant native vegetation and establishing vegetated corridors to connect remnant native vegetation patches.
Activities that were supported included: the establishment of mixed local native vegetation by means of direct seeding and tubestock planting, natural regeneration, fencing and water points to improve grazing management, pest animal and weed control to assist revegetation success and natural regeneration. Support was also provided to assist landholders to monitor & manage native vegetation and wildlife on farms.
All landholders participating in the project have developed and committed to 10 year contracts which detail the specific management actions and responsibilities to improve biodiversity on their project sites.
The impact
Landholders in the Corowa Landcare district are actively managing over 450 ha of land to improve native vegetation extent, condition and connectivity.
This partnership project between Corowa District Landcare, Murray Local Land Services and local landholders will increase the long-term abundance and distribution of local native plant and animal species, by providing habitat and allowing the movement of animals and plant seed through the landscape.
Additional benefits from the project include: stock shade and shelter, biosecurity buffers for property boundaries, habitat for beneficial crop pollinator insects.
Key facts
- Over 450 ha of native vegetation planted & managed
- Native vegetation connectivity
- Wildlife habitat
- Partnerships