SAAL board funds community-driven projects
Dunjiba Community Council will map Buffel Grass infestations around Oodnadatta and support community members to take an active role in its control.
Training will be provided in safe work practices with chemicals and tools, use of monitoring systems and plant identification to help deliver management of pest species and conservation of native grasses.
This project is just one of 21 funded in the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board’s Grassroots Grants Program for 2025/26. Each of the region’s seven districts are represented in the funding.
Funding has also been provided to support camps and workshops; town park revitalisation; treatment of rabbit warrens: establishment of bush food gardens and planting of native vegetation; weed control, cat trapping; and monitoring and removal of feral animals.
A perimeter fence will be installed at the Copley Botanic Garden to protect the garden, plants and irrigation from feral animals and kangaroos and ensure its long-term success. The garden, established in 2020 was damaged by feral horses and wandering sheep and cattle, which destroyed plants and damaged irrigation equipment in the past 12 months.
At Witchelina, south of Marree, two bird-only watering stations will be developed to provide heatwave refugia with shade for native birds. Kangaroo and goat proof, they will include a corrugated iron roof to collect water in a storage tank and a solar pump to supply water from the tank to an elevated trough. Remote cameras will be installed to monitor use. This grant value-adds to a larger project that is assessing the importance of rocky habitats for native birds on the Nature Foundation property.
SA Arid Lands Landscape Board chair Douglas Lillecrapp said all funded projects address one or more of the board’s key priorities and align with the goals of the Grassroots Grants program. These include community capacity building, pest and weed control, biodiversity protection and monitoring, along with land and water management.
“It’s great to see applications for projects to protect native vegetation and manage pest species across many different districts,” he said.
“Plans to plant out the Superb Groundsel in Quorn’s Bush Food Garden is an important step to protect the species classed as vulnerable across the country, but endangered in South Australia due to its limited footprint in the Dutchman’s Stern Conservation Park.
“Cat trapping and removal at Arkaba Station will support the expansion of the Idnya (Western Quoll) population that is monitored through the board’s Discovery4Recovery project.
“I’m also encouraged by the number of landholders looking to form partnerships to care for Country and educate future generations to do the same.”
This was the sixth round of the Grassroots Grants, an annual funding program that was introduced with the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.
For more information on who received grants and more details of the projects now underway, visit www.landscape.sa.gov.au/saal
