Once upon a time, a group of farmers, mostly neighbours, started planting trees. Why?
They were concerned about the lack of vegetation on their lands and had come to realise that planting trees saw improved conditions for their stock.
Shelter belts and windbreaks meant stock required less feed to maintain body weight and resulted in better conditions for newborn lambs and recently shorn sheep in cold, wet and windy weather.
They didn’t keep their success a secret and set about community awareness, forming a group called “Roslyn Trees on Farms”.
These farmers eventually became Roslyn Landcare Group in 1995.
Their vision had grown to include “preserving areas of remnant vegetation by regeneration and maintaining the native flora and fauna in the district.
To link remnants with wildlife corridors that lead to major forest areas.
To provide habitat for native species, including threatened species, and to reduce the risk of salinity and soil erosion and improve water quality
Many in the area are now seeing the results, not just for protection of pasture and livestock, but in aesthetic appeal and the reintroduction of bird life to the area.
(By Mark Selmes - Roslyn Landcare Media Officer via Crookwell Gazette).
