Our catchment community caring for our country
The efforts of landholders and volunteers in the Wakefield River region is having a positive flow-on effect on our environment, according to Natural Resources Management Water Officer for Northern and Yorke, Jennifer Munro.
Ms Munro says a native vegetation survey of the region – conducted thanks to a Native Vegetation Council research grant - found good levels of native vegetation along the Wakefield River, including a number of threatened species.
"The survey showed that the 25 kilometre section of riparian habitat between Undalya and Balaklava was in pretty good condition, with permanent flowing water and numerous permanent pools," she says.
The healthy river system is partly thanks to the community efforts of landholders, volunteers and students involved in the Australian Government Caring for Country-funded project, which has seen almost 100 hectares of revegetation on private and public land, fencing, off-creek watering points and weed control undertaken along the catchment since 2011.
Other initiatives included an Education Environment Day with local schools at Rocks Reserve near Balaklava and an information day at Balaklava.
The Wakefield River project was undertaken in collaboration with Greening Australia, Trees For Life, and in partnership with the Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council and Wakefield Regional Council.
Ms Munro says while the project has now officially wrapped up in the Northern and Yorke region, the efforts of the community continue to be supported through the Australian Government Biodiversity Fund project (Four Catchments) 2012-2017.
"This includes the Wakefield River catchment and continues to work within the same 25km stretch, as well as properties upstream on the Wakefield River," she says.
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