Stick & Stones revisited
Ongoing maintenance is critical to ensure our hard work and effort doesn't go to waste!
Community Participation - LP016-002
The issue
Its easy to get caught up on the excitement of a project idea, planning the project, submitting grant applications and then finding out you have been successful. Then the fun work begins, as we rehabilite erosion sites and see the immediate channges to worn out surfaces. The volunteer hours, the landholders local insights and the expert guidance, all come together and at the end of it we submit a final report. Despite the project being wrapped up, our efforts should not end here....monitoring and maintenance is what is often lacking!
In 2013, on a property outside of Mudgee, a project called Sticks & Stones was instigated with the creation of a demonstration site for low cost, small scale erosion management techniques led by Craig Sponholtz and Cam Wilson. Craig specialises in re-establishing ecosystem services to improve and restore land productivity. A major outcome of this demonstration site was that it provided hands on experience for landholders who helped Craig and Cam with over 20 volunteers working on the site.
The solution
Since 2013, little maintenance work had been done on the erosion control structures. In June 2020, we had a farm walk to revisit the site and see what was happening. We found that some of the structures had done their job brilliantly, but in other spots, there had been knock on effects that created new (but smaller) issues. We identified how we could easily solve the issues with a load of stones and a few hours work.
The impact
Over time everything needs some care and attention. Revisiting projects is critical to ensure they continue to be the solution and not become a new problem.
A small volunteer working bee will be held at the site to provide the maintenance needed to ensure that the structures continue to do their job.
This site continues to be a great learning tool and demonstration site for landholders, even though its now 7 years since the project was undertaken.
Key facts
- It's easy to complete a project, fill out the report and see it as done and dusted but we can't walk away.
- Revisit your prject site on a regular basis.
- Minor on-going work will keep your site in good nick.
- Remember to take photos to recall how it was.