Victorian Landcare Magazine - Spring 2024, Issue 88
Farmers in Victoria’s southeast are seeing a wide range of benefits – and not just environmental – in an ambitious project created to reverse the loss of native vegetation and, potentially, a number of local flora and fauna species.
Six years ago the Bass Coast Shire had less than 15 per cent native vegetation coverage and more than 150 local flora and fauna species were classified as under threat or endangered. The alarming statistics spurred the local council into action, and by 2018 it had developed the Bass Coast Biodiversity Biolinks Plan in partnership with Bass Coast Landcare Network (BCLN).
The biolinks project provides landscape connectivity by linking remnant patches of indigenous vegetation with wildlife corridors. This promotes biodiversity by encouraging the movement of wildlife and increasing genetic diversity in breeding populations. The project also has positive agricultural outcomes for the farmers who partner with BCLN.
Already BCLN has engaged more than 100 farmers to plant more than one million trees, with 55 farmers signing up in the past year after seeing the project’s success.
According to Paul Speirs, a BCLN Board member and Ryanston farmer who has been revegetating his property with wildlife corridors for almost 35 years, there are many good reasons to get involved in the biolinks project.
“If you are using the term sustainable agriculture, this is the very basis of it. It’s right for the landscape, it’s right for protecting vital assets on your farm, the water and the soil and it’s right for all the other animals which used to inhabit these areas which didn’t have a chance because there was no habitat left.
“As an animal welfare issue, it’s worthwhile doing revegetation because it looks after the animals on both sides of the fence – your stock and the wildlife. Steep slopes are often not good pasture and can be dangerous for cattle, so through creating biolinks all our creek lines and steep slopes have been revegetated and now I have more grass than my cattle can eat – they are very happy cattle,” Paul said.
Already BCLN has engaged more than 100 farmers to plant more than one million trees, with 55 farmers signing up in the past year after seeing the project’s success.
According to Bass Coast Shire Council’s Coordinator for Land and Catchment, Diana Whittington, 2022 was a bumper year for the project.
“We wanted to plant about 85,000 plants and ended up planting about 320,000. It was an unexpected outcome, but the network was so successful at getting landholders on board, they were able to increase their number of plantings. Farmers see what other farmers are doing and see the benefits of shade and shelter and getting the biodiversity back in the landscape and they want to get involved,” Diana said.
Above: A drone image showing the flourishing biolinks on Paul Speirs’ Ryanston property in 2022.
BCLN executive general manager Dave Bateman believes farmers derive multiple benefits by increasing vegetation coverage and broadening species diversity on their properties. These include:
• Increased shade and shelter for livestock;
• Enhanced paddock design due to fencing off creeks and gullies which improves animal welfare;
• Improved waterway resilience to flood risk and climate variability;
• Reduced sediment run off entering waterways;
• Increased erosion control;
• Improved living and working conditions on farm.
Due to the sheer size of the plantings and quick growth of indigenous plants in the region, native vegetation coverage is increasing by around three per cent a year. The project is on target to increase the native vegetation coverage in Bass Coast to at least 30 per cent.
Due to the sheer size of the plantings and quick growth of indigenous plants in the region, native vegetation coverage is increasing by around three per cent a year.
Dave Bateman said its ongoing success is due to farmer support and the host of volunteers taking part in planting days.
“Because the project enables revegetation across a widespread area and different properties in a planned way, the majority of the plantings in the biolinks project are completed by volunteers including Landcare members, school students and corporate groups,” Dave said.
“BCLN organised the biggest planting in our history as part of this program in 2018 with 200 school students planting 20,000 plants in a session. It was a remarkable achievement.”
Above: Dave Bateman (left) talks wildlife corridors with Ryanston landholder Paul Speirs.
To support volunteers and maximise on-ground works, BCLN has leveraged funding from Bass Coast Shire Council to engage additional partners including Greening Australia, DEECA, West Gippsland CMA, Melbourne Water and the Federal Government’s 20 Million Trees Program.
Sarah Vella is the Communications and Engagement Coordinator for Landcare Victoria Inc. and a contributor to the Landcare Farming Innovations in Agriculture Series.
For more information on the Bass Coast Biolinks Program email info@basscoastlandcare.org.au