Ring the Bell
Ring the Bell
Rescuing the Bell River junction: Focusing on rehabilitation, to promote, educate, create and activate ongoing innovative staged solutions for restoration.
Making a Difference -
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The issue
The junction where the Bell River flows into the Macquarie River in northern Wellington is a problem area for massive man-made erosion. Humans have pulled the vegetation from the Bell’s riverbanks, which has sped up the water and it has been cutting cliffs away ever since, thanks also to the concrete rip-rap structures which have caused more harm and no good.
At another vantage point near the Bell Junction, acres of land have been washed away by the speeding up of the Bell River, thanks to various human interventions and unmitigated flood events.
The solution
The Ring the Bell project was a huge success, with more than 100 people taking part in four Natural Sequence Farming (NSF) field day/workshops, and also a facilitated dinner event with guest of honour Peter Andrews.
Peter Andrews gave a presentation and took questions, before using the local riverbank and some rudimentary tools (shovel, mattock, bucket and a piece of hose) to show how his system of rehydrating the landscape works.
He also placed a dry saucepan on a BBQ and showed how quickly it became red-hot with no water in it, and how quickly that heat was moderated when water was added – these practical demonstrations had a profound impact on the crowd.
The tour included a stop at a rudimentary leaky weir, which Peter Andrews had advised the Arboretum to install many years ago, showing the positive impact it’s made to the surrounding landscape.
The impact
This project has had by far the most profound impact of anything John Ryan has done as a Landcare worker in the past five years, and it’s sparked a meeting with Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, who is keen to hear back from MML about how he can potentially help fund any NSF projects into the future.
It has also attracted the interest of Dubbo Regional Council, and the mayor is currently looking at ways for that organisation to get involved to assist in bringing this futurist industry to the region.
The leaky weir impressed all those in attendance because when the locals explained why it had made such a positive impact, and showed that positive impact on the ground, it was extremely obvious how such small and inexpensive ameliorative techniques can fix so much of what has been degraded.
Key facts
- A $4 million grant application submitted directly to Federal Agriculture minister David Littleproud at his request.
- Local landholders, covering more than 50,000 acres, banded together to become part of a major project - submitted directly to the Prime Minister and Federal Agriculture Minister.
- Peter Andrews’ books were distributed to be shared around – ensuring the learning, conversations and awareness raising will continue.