Moor-a Seeds with Greenjobs Success

Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 Moor-a Seeds with Greenjobs Success

Recently, NACC NRM’s Biodiversity Project Officer Kahree Garnaut travelled south to Moora to celebrate the successful completion of the Greenjobs seed collection project, titled ‘Perth Region Carnaby Habitat Seed Collection and Job Creation’! This initiative was a collaboration between Moore Catchment Council, NACC NRM and Perth NRM.

Seed was obtained from 26 native species such as Flooded gum (Eucalyptus rudis), Coastal Blackbutt (Eucalyptus todtiana), Sandplain Woody Pear (Xylomelum angustifolium), various Melaleuca species, and the beautiful orange bottlebrush, Eremea beaufortiodes. Provenance seed collecting techniques were used, meaning that the location of collected seed is noted so that during seeding for revegetation, seed containing the genetic material from the local area can be used.

Ian Pulbrook from Greenoil Tree Nursery led the seed collection efforts with a team of local Yued Noongar people employed through this Greenjob initiative. The Greenjobs team processed the collected seed material through various drying, heating, and extractive procedures, enabling the seed to be isolated from its casings and chaff, to be stored for later use with the State Government’s Environmental Revegetation and Rehabilitation program.

Moore Catchment Council Executive Officer Helen Watkins says local Elder Fred Mogridge shared the various cultural significance and traditional uses of the plants being collected, throughout the duration of the project.

“Fred is a stalwart supporter of sharing traditional Aboriginal culture amongst the local community – both Aboriginal and wider community, and this project has achieved both,” said Helen.

“Fred also congratulated Moore Catchment Council on putting together a project which brought local Aboriginal people together to work and learn on country.”

NACC NRM Biodiversity Project Officer Kahree Garnaut caught up with those employed by the project, supporting stakeholders, and local farmers who are working with Moore Catchment Council with revegetation efforts, to celebrate successful completion at the Moora Race Club.

Kahree says Moora’s community went above and beyond to employ local Aboriginal people to get back on country and collect seed, which will later used to heal Country through native revegetation.

“Farmers in the area are working together to create and connect revegetation belts, creating habitat and movement corridors for native wildlife,” said Kahree.

During the course of the event, Greenjobs employees were recognised for their contribution to the project’s completion in a certificate award ceremony, presented by Helen Watkins.

“This project could not have been achieved without the help of the Yued team leaders Fred Mogridge and Julian Ryder; Rachel Walmsley for scoping out the various properties and supervision when needed; Sarah Mason, Wayne O’Sullivan and Richard McDowell for picking and processing training; and especially the help and local seed processing knowledge of Ian Pulbrook,” Helen said.

Than you to Moore Catchment Council for being the driving force behind this project and NACC NRM look forward to supporting the Moore community with more projects in the future!

This project was made possible by the State Governments Greejobs Plan, part of the WA Recovery Plan.

Kahree Garnaut – Biodiversity Project Officer

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

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To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

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In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

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We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

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