Thanks to all the Land for Wildlife members who ordered koala seedlings earlier in 2022! Our little seedlings had a tough time growing this year, but we managed to give away over 1200 eucalypt seedlings in November for planting in the Wingecarribee.
Keep an eye out for an announcement about another tree giveaway early next year!
Did you know most koala habitat is on private land? That's why it's so important to do what we can to maintain and create habitat for koalas and other wildlife in our own backyards. Planting trees is just one way to do that.
What's Happening in Private Land Conservation?
In November I attended some conferences to learn more about research and other activities happening in the private land conservation space!
Here are some of the take homes
Insectivorous birds and scattered paddock trees La Trobe University
Insectivorous birds may have the potential to regulate insects pests on agricultural land
Insectivorous birds will move further into a paddock (and away from remnant bushland) if there are scattered paddock trees
There were more birds species and higher bird numbers (and therefore more insects likely to be consumed) in paddocks with scattered trees compared to paddocks with no trees
More birds were found closer to vegetation remnants overall
How do we encourage the activity of these insect-loving birds?Protect existing remnants on your property, look after your scattered paddock trees, and maybe plant some new ones!
Roadside verges and ecosystem functions University of New South Wales
Not surprisingly, roadside verges were found to have greater carbon stores, more vegetation coverage, plant diversity, habitat complexity, and tree recruitment compared to adjacent paddocks
These ecosystem functions increase with road verge width
Narrow strips of remnant vegetation (along roadsides or throughout properties) are therefore critical for the environment and broader ecosystem function
NatureFix
NatureFix is a nature connection app based on the latest science in the field!
The app combines nature connection routines and geolocation technology
Gary Kadwell is a fourth-generation farmer who is passionate about combining nature conservation with farm planning and management
Some of Gary's incredible accomplishments include creating extensive natural wetlands, fencing off remnants, adding shelter belts, and reconnecting habitat
Not only is this fantastic for conservation but these changes have led to increases in farm productivity! It's really a win-win
You can watch this 5-min clip about Gary's land stewardship or read morehere
Did you miss the K2W Annual Forum? Not to worry! you can watch a quick snapshot here
Wishing you all a great Christmas and New Year break. See you in 2023!
Casey Taylor
Environment Officer – Private Land Conservation and Koalas
This Land for Wildlife newsletter is exclusive for Wingecarribee LFW members. If you are interested in participating in private land conservation on your land - please send in an expression of interest to join!
