Statewide

Quorn Community Landcare Group takes out inaugural Landscape SA Excellence Award

Quorn Community Landcare Group takes out inaugural Landscape SA Excellence Award
Pictured at the Landscape SA Award presentation L-R are Eleanor Pratt Executive Officer Landcare Association of SA, SAAL Board member Tim Flowers, Quorn Community Landcare Group President Tim Connell and Secretary Andrea Tschirner, SAAL Board members Kurt Tschirner, Sanchia Treloar and Scott Michael.

A community landcare project improving biodiversity outcomes in the Flinders Ranges has taken out the inaugural Landscape SA Excellence Award.

The Quorn Community Landcare Group received the award for its Reviving Biodiversity in the Ranges Project, which is helping improve native vegetation and habitat for threatened species in the region.

The group has established a bush food garden and Thutha native grass patch in Quorn, re-vegetated yellow-footed rock wallaby habitat at Warren Gorge and undertaken cactus control using the biocontrol cochineal on landholder properties in the project area.

The bush food garden has provided a source of cultural knowledge and opportunity to experience local bush foods, tools and medicines, for both the Nukunu Nation and the general public.

The Thutha native grass patch acts as a seed bank of eight local native perennial grass species which are significant in an Indigenous, pastoral and ecological context. The patch is designed so that seeds can be easily harvested for seed trials and restoration activities on landholder properties in the area.

The Quorn Community Landcare Group has been instrumental in bringing a wide range of partners together, along with the broader community, to achieve the great on-ground outcomes.

The group has 25 members, engaged more than 50 participants, including those interested from a pastoral, cultural and ecological perspective and contributed more than 280 volunteer hours.

The award included $5000 that will be invested back into the work of the Quorn Community Landscape Group.

The project has involved close collaboration between partners including the Quorn Community Landcare Group, Flinders Ranges Council, Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation, Upper North Farming Systems Group, the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board and local landholders.

The Landscape SA Excellence Award recognises individuals, organisations and projects that achieve whole of landscape outcomes, and exemplify the importance of partnerships across the state needed to deliver great results for our landscapes and communities.

The award complements the State Landcare Awards, focusing on small-scale local action that is driven by a small number of individuals or groups.