Restoration cases in agricultural landscapes

Maintaining and improving indigenous habitats in our utilised landscapes and aquatic ecosystems is of very high importance to the survival of plant and animal species that cannot be supported by reserves alone. Maintaining and rehabilitation indigenous ecosystems in these areas can also provide essential ecosystem services to society.

Examples occur along the full spectrum from programs (where agricultural lands are being restored to at least a substantial degree based on local indigenous ecosystems) to rehabilitation and mitigation (to improve biodiversity values and protect ecosystems from harm). In between these two ends of the spectrum lie projects that integrate nature conservation into a farming landscape.

Note: Some of the following examples also include a mix of the three categories as part of an integrated whole.

Examples

Where the goal is full recovery and improved linkages at a large scale:

• Monjebup North, Gondwana Link WA
• Peniup, Gondwana Link, WA
• Regent Honeyeater Project, Lurg, VIC
• Big Scrub landcare rainforest program, NSW
• Donahy’s Corridor rainforest linkage, QLD
• Grassy Groundcover restoration projects, Vic and NSW.

Restoration - integrated into agricultural landscape

• Monjebup North, Gondwana Link WA
• Peniup, Gondwana Link, WA
• Regent Honeyeater Project, Lurg, VIC
• Big Scrub landcare rainforest program, NSW
• Donahy’s Corridor rainforest linkage, QLD
• Grassy Groundcover restoration projects, Vic and NSW.

Where the goal is full recovery at property scale

• Thiaki reforestation project, QLD
• Rocky Creek Dam rainforest regeneration, NSW
• Mt Annan, Cumberland Plain Restoration, NSW
• Ridgefield multiple ecosystem services experiments, WA

Where goal is substantial (but not full) recovery – while retaining agricultural or other use

• Marra Creek waterponding, chenopod shrublands, NSW
• Travelling Stock Routes, NSW
• Barrabool sheep station, NSW
• Clarence floodplain management, NSW
• Sea to Hume Dam Fishways, NSW, VIC, SA, QLD
• Cooks River Naturalisation, NSW
• Sea to Hume Dam Fishways, Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

See also: Landcare movement (all states). Since the the mid-1980s, some 4000 Landcare groups have formed all around the agricultural regions of Australia, with some government funding support.  Many groups have been highly successful in achieving more sustainable farming practices to improve soil and water on farms and substantial numbers of trees and shrubs have been planted in agricultural area, improving ecosystem function. http://www.landcareonline.com.au/?page_id=1151

Coastcare (all states). Modelled on Landcare, in the mid 1990s, the Coastcare program was rolled into the Australian Governments’ Natural Heritage Trust Clean Sea Program, with funding of groups starting in the mid 1990s. There are now around 2000 Coastcare groups working to protect and rehabilitate dunes around the country.  http://www.coastcare.com.au/about

Photo: Donahys Corridor, Atherton Tablelands, linking Crater Lakes National Park and Wooroonooran National Park, Queensland (Photo TREAT).