Connecting Country – 2016 Environmental Works Opportunity

Applications for New Projects Now Open

Connecting Country is a not-for profit community organisation which aims to restore landscapes and biodiversity across the Mount Alexander shire and immediate surrounds.

They have a program, ‘Connecting Landscapes Across the Mount Alexander Region’, which allows them to work with landholders and Landcare groups to enhance bushland on private land.  This program also allows them to undertake revegetation of indigenous plant species on private land.

Support they can provide is skilled labour (using their Works Crew) and financial contributions towards restoration and revegetation activities on part or all of your property.  Costs to the landholder are usually negligible.

Direct seeding lines winding their way through a property in Faraday as part of the Connecting Country on-ground works program. Photo:Bonnie Humphreys

They have capacity to take on new projects on private land during 2016 and 2017.  If your property or project area is found to meet the criteria, the activities that they support can include:

• Site management plans – With input and feedback from the landholder, their technical specialists will develop a plan for the property which identifies its environmental values (including flora lists), the threatening processes and agreed management actions.
• Bushland protection – They will support the management of existing remnant bushland areas, and also in younger vegetation areas that are naturally regenerating, by actions such as the installation and repair of protective fences, pest control and supplementary planting. 
• Revegetation of paddocks – Using specially-designed machinery, they will sow locally sourced indigenous seed (including Eucalyptus and Acacias) within your property.  They also provide tubestock plantings where direct seeding is impractical.
• Weed and Rabbit Control – Their works crew will assist landholders in the control of rabbits and environmental weeds using best practice methods.
• Grazing Regime Change – In some situations, they can support bushland protection and enhancement through stewardship payments for grazing regime change.

If you are interested in a project on your property or would like to know more, please contact Jarrod or Bonnie at Connecting Country on jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au or call 5472-1594. Alternatively, you can find an expression of interest form on the Connecting Country website here.