Over 140,000 will be planted in Barker by June 2020 thanks to a funding boost from the Coalition Government for new revegetation projects that directly help recover threatened ecological communities or threatened species.
Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP was delighted to announce funding for the local projects:
- Coorong District Council in partnership with Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan (CTLAP):
$100,000 for Revegetation in the Coorong & Tatiara to plant 55,720 trees to help restore critical habitat within the Coorong and Tatiara Districts of South Australia. It will restore 117 ha of habitat within the RAMSAR listed wetlands, enabling 61,180 plants to be planted across a number of private properties. It will also restore 34 ha of Grey Box Grassy Woodland by planting trees and associated understorey. This will enhance existing vegetation and connect integral remnant vegetation through creating corridors which will in turn provide areas of refugia for local native wildlife, in particular threatened species such as the Orange-Bellied Parrot, the Southern Bell frog, Malleefowl, and Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.
- The Trustee for Nature Glenelg Trust:
$110,000 for Mount Burr Swamp revegetation to plant 43,710 trees. The project will restore 5.72 ha of wet heath (wetland fringe) and brown stringybark (E. baxteri)/manna gum (E. viminalis ssp. cygnetensis) forest through revegetation and natural regeneration. The area to be restored will enlarge an existing 600 ha area of high quality native vegetation protected within Marshes Native Forest Reserve (NFR). Marshes NFR provides verified habitat for no less than six nationally threatened fauna species, including the Southern Brown Bandicoot, Growling Grass Frog, Southern Bent-wing Bat, Australasian Bittern and South-eastern Red-tailed Black-cockatoo. The project will expand and enhance habitat for these species.
- Trees for Life Inc.:
$56,254 for Steinfield Mallee Woodland Restoration to plant 19,000 trees. This Project will revegetate 40 hectares of Mallee Woodland habitat that supports the nationally threatened Regent Parrot, Red-Lored Whistler and Mallee Fowl. The project will create an important stepping stone habitat, facilitating movement and survival needs and creating a refuge for these threatened species and other regional fauna and flora species. This habitat will be restored using direct seeding methods.
- The Trustee for Nature Glenelg Trust:
$110,000 for Eaglehawk Waterhole revegetation to plant 23,000 trees. Eaglehawk Waterhole is a 684 ha former farm which includes 510 ha of previously grazed and partly cleared woodland habitat. It is a key feeding and roosting site for the nationally endangered SE Red‑tailed Black-cockatoo (RTBC).
This project expands on previous plantings by infill planting and direct seeding to restore woodland habitat structure and diversity within a further 270 ha degraded portion of the property. It will emphasise tree species for the RTBC (Brown Stringybark and Buloke) and associated threatened or rare understorey plants.
The plants will be grown in the Nature Glenelg Trust operated community nursery in Mount Gambier. Seeds will be collected from the property with the support of community volunteers.
“Many people in Barker are passionate about the environment and keen to help restore habitat that is threatened or supports threatened species,” Mr Pasin said.
“This Coalition Government investment will help these fantastic organisations to deliver real outcomes, further securing the future of Australia’s unique landscape and its threatened native species.
“I look forward to seeing the benefits these projects will bring to our local community, native species and our environment as a whole.”
Delivered under the third and final round of the 20 Million Trees Program, the projects will help see the Coalition Government deliver on its commitment to plant 20 million trees across Australia by 2020.
For more information on the projects funded, please visit: http://www.nrm.gov.au/national/20-million-trees
CONTACT: 8531 2466
