Local community members and landholders of Jurien Bay, Bagingarra, Eneabba and surrounding towns are now prepared and ready to take significant action to preserve and enhance the health of the natural bushland in their area.
Brought together by NACC on 25 September, experts provided information and demonstrations for improved understanding of local and threatened flora and fauna, ecological corridors and the local geology. Presentations included management strategies to control invasive species, and to help community and landholders repair and protect the bushland in the area.
The Northern Agricultural Region contains bushland that is home to many endemic and threated species of mammals, reptiles and birds. According to speaker Dr Mike Bamford, Wildlife Ecologist the area from Leeman to Kalbarri, is a major reptile biodiversity hotspot with 109 species. “This could quite possibly be the richest reptile assemblage in the world!” said Dr Bamford. He explained that bushland management of the area is crucial for the survival of these species.
Rodger Walker and Philippa Schmucker, NACC’s Natural Resource Management Officers based in Jurien Bay, provided action plans and a way forward at the field day through free one-on-one technical advice and information regarding NACC’s bushland management incentive projects.
“NACC’s Hidden Treasures project provides financial assistance to landholders for fencing valuable bush on their properties and NACC’s Rivers and Wetlands project offers financial assistance to landholders for fencing, revegetation, weed control, stock crossings and alternate watering points where eligible,” said Ms Schmucker.
Warradarge landholder, Gary Dring said, “We had salt scalding in a few bush areas. We looked into tree planting, but decided it (would be) best to fence (the area) and leave it to rehabilitate naturally. The farm is definitely in better health now than when we first arrived over 25 years ago, in part due to fencing and natural rehabilitation”.
Ms Schmucker said “the Dring’s Hidden Treasures site was a good example for wildlife corridor discussion as it has landscape connectivity with adjoining vegetation and it links between the Warradarge Nature Reserve in the south and the South Eneabba Nature Reserve in the north”.
NACC plans to have similar field days right across the Northern Agricultural Region to help people to better understand and protect the natural bushland in their local areas.
