Landcare is all about partnerships, between individuals, communities and organisations.

Watershed Landcare have recently launched a project which supports land managers and the community with improving and managing the health of our landscape.

The Landcare Driving Sustainable Land Use project aims to restore or improve landscape function and productivity on farms in the Watershed Landcare district by encouraging farmer innovation and change in two key areas: grazing management and farm trees/revegetation.

The project will contribute to increased groundcover and perenniality of pastures, improved soil health, improved ecosystem function and support the knowledge and capacity of local landholders.

Funding for this project is provided by Central Tablelands Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and focuses on protecting and enhancing our natural environment through the delivery of best management practice.

The partnership with Central Tablelands LLS will enable us to meet common goals; working together to enhance our natural resources and build productive, profitable and robust communities in the Central Tablelands.

The Driving Sustainable Landuse project will contribute $21,300 to on-ground works that enable better grazing management and increase vegetation in the landscape, with individual landholders eligible for funding of up to $5,000 to conduct work on the land they manage.

Six landholders will be undertaking projects in the Mudgee district.

Some of the on-ground works funded under the project include subdivision of paddocks to enable better utilization and management of pastures and planting of native vegetation corridors to increase trees in the landscape and help manage wind and provide shelter for stock and wildlife.

Landholders will be utilising project funds for materials and labour for fencing to exclude/better manage livestock, tube stock, direct seeding, tree guards, etc. and to install troughs and alternative water sources for livestock.

The project works are due to be completed by November 2016.

This project is supported by Watershed Landcare through funding from the Central Tablelands Local Land Services and is part of the NSW Government’s Local Landcare Coordinators Initiative, supported through the partnership of Local Land Services and Landcare NSW.