Demonstration Site – Dam/Wetland Restoration.

Two farm dams on this property are being fenced out and restored as wetland habitats.  Some supplementary planting of tube-stock will occur to increase plant diversity and the exclusion of stock should also enable remnant indigenous species present on the site to reproduce. The project aims to provide improved water quality and valuable habitat for local frogs and waterbirds. It will also provide valuable cover for other local fauna moving from the surrounding forest to drink in the sheltered environment.  A link to adjoining areas of native forest will also be incorporated into the project, to encourage and allow safe movement of species as well as being of benefit for the stock and pastures on the property by acting as a shelterbelt, providing shade and filtering the winds.

This dam is being converted into valuable habitat by fencing out stock and allowing natural regneration with carefully chosen supplementary indigneous plants species to achieve a range of benefits for wildife and water quality.

This is the second dam on this property being improved for its wildlife habitat. It has had some recent repair work and there is less topsoil for new plants to grow in, but the long term aim is to also improve its habitat value.

Both wetland restoration sites willl link to the adjoining forest area via a corridor that will be established by a mixture of fencing out existing remnant vegetation and replanting. This will provide a safe passage for wildlife looking to use the wetland habitat as well as act as a shelterbelt, protecting livestock from the weather.

Shelterbelts

Native shelterbelts can be a great addition to a property and can provide multiple benefits both for the productivity and health of your property as well as providing habitat and links for wildlife. There are numerous resources on how best to design shelterbelts and help is always available from your local Landcare network. Design considerations include where best to site the belt to maximise its value and effectiveness. Shelterbelts can also be designed to help protect property from fire, if they are planned strategically they can be effective in slowing wind speed and filtering out burning embers from the air. Planting with indigenous (local native) species offer advantages over using exotic species like Cypress, which can be toxic to stock, offer little habitat value and not as effective at slowing down the wind. More information can be found in the following brochure that is available here or by contacting Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network.

New Shelterbelt – burnt in the fires but now recovering

Creating Practical Shelterbelts using Native plantings