Benambra-Dinner Plain-Omeo Landcare Group has planted close to 6,000 indigenous tree and shrub species across 25 sites to improve the health and ecological condition of rivers and wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin as the catchment in that part of East Gippsland, runs towards the Basin, not the 90 Mile Beach.
BDPO Landcare Group commenced the Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program in May 2022, having secured funding from the Department of Agricultural, Water and Environment.
Over 16 months, the small but dedicated and hardworking group planted 5,971 native and endemic trees, shrubs and grasses, built 5,727 meters of stock-proof fencing to protect the plants for years to come and undertook more than 80 hours of earthworks to repair and mitigate erosion.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester attended a celebratory event, marking the official conclusion of BDPO Landcare Group’s Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program.
“There’s an old proverb that the ‘best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the next best time is now’, which could be the motto for our local Landcare volunteers and coordinators,” Mr Chester said.
“They undertake practical environmental work, including planting shelter belts, restoring eroded gullies, removing weeds, and generally working to improve productivity and biodiversity with the aim of passing on their land and the environment in better shape for future generations. I love their work across Gippsland.”
The 5,971 newly planted trees address land degradation caused by past land clearing, mining, agricultural activities, and natural causes such as bushfires and drought and will have long-lasting benefits.
“Practical environmental work has long-lasting benefits in improving water retention, infiltration, water recovery, water quality standards, adaptive management and soil stabilisation,” Mr Chester said.
“And as one farmer told me, “I just like having the birds around too!”.
“More than 200 hours of volunteer labour went into the program with plenty of in-kind contributions, meaning the grant delivered great value for money to Australian taxpayers,” Mr Chester said.
“It was a genuine community effort with a total of 85 individuals, including 55 school students and teachers, and 30 landholders and their family members, actively involved in the planting.”
BDPO Landcare Group’s Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program participants said their involvement in the program has made them feel more connected to their local Landcare group.
“It is great to see this new group of farmers becoming involved in revegetation and environmental restoration”, program participant Alison Burston said.
“So many people have planted, who many may not have if not for this program.”
Mr Chester committed to doing everything he could to secure additional funding for future stages of work at BDPO Landcare Group’s celebratory event.
“Governments should be backing Landcare groups with recurrent funding because the momentum built by volunteers results in a better environment and improved productivity on agricultural land,” Mr Chester said.
“Well done to Landcare coordinator Lisa Crisp for her passionate advocacy and organisational skills, and congratulations to all the participants on a job well done.”
