Award winning Landcare
Award winning Landcare
Fire recovery Landcare Group goes from strength to strenth
Capacity to Deliver -
LP040-006
The issue
Allendale Landcare group carried out immediate on-ground recovery actions in response to the Black Summer wildfires in Blackheath, NSW. However, without monitoring the response of the vegetation, it was felt that the resilience of the area would remain unknown as knowledge was not being captured regarding the vegetation response.
The solution
Allendale Landcare, facilitated by Eva Johnstone, applied for and successfully won a suitable recovery grant from the Local Council in order to engage a qualified botanist to do vegetation plot monitoring. In addition to this, funds were included in the grant to purchase equipment suitable for monitoring nest boxes installed post fire.
From July 2021 three vegetative plots will be laid out across the 8.8 acre property and monitored seasonally for 12 months. Volunteers will be invited to carry out the monitoring to increase their capacity in native species identification.
After the life of the grant ends (12 months) it is hoped that a proforma will be available for the Landcare group to continue monitoring the vegetative response for years to come, with their new plant ID skills.
The impact
The work of fire recovery response monitoring is important due to the fact that there is little information known in this field. Fires occur frequently in the Australian landscape but the scale and intensity of the Black Summer fires was a first. Some scientists are predicting that the next great extinction will be due to more and more wildfire disasters across the world, all due to climate change. If we do not know what species of plants and animals respond following these fire incidents, then we will be less able to recover our landscape in the aftermath, and less able to adapt to climate change.
Learnings
Landcare champions need to be recognised for their efforts, like Allendale Landcare - being awarded special mention at the Regional Landcare Awards.
Where there is a need and desire, support and resourcing needs to be met from the local Bushcare or Landcare support network.
Landholders achieve more resources and support by approaching and partnering with a number of Bushcare and Landcare supporting organisations.
Key facts
- Landcare groups are capable of cutting edge achievements if driven by an ambitious landcare champion.