Community
5 February, 2025
Farm biodiversity captures community interest
HEYTESBURY District Landcare Network’s (HDLN) flourishing biodiversity program boasts another successful year as landholders seek growing interest.
Each year the Corangamite Catchment Authority provides the HDLN with a grant to support private landholders who wish to take on biodiversity practices such as regeneration of native vegetation, preventing erosion on their properties, protecting waterways and creating stock shelterbelts.
The HDLN provides advice, support and seedlings from their nursery as well as arranges direct seeding for the grant recipients.
Volunteer and HDLN secretary Regina Mudge said they have had a significant increase in interest for the program from landholders this year which has resulted in the program being oversubscribed four-fold.
“We are funded to cover 10,000 seedlings and one hectare of direct seeding, however we received expressions of interest for 37,540 seedlings and 7.38 hectare of direct seeding,” she said.
“This is a wonderful testament to our local farmers and landholders in their efforts to ensure they consider the health of their natural assets.
“This not only improves biodiversity but also demonstrates to consumers their responsibilities for environmental stewardship.
“We are keen to source the shortfall in funds to meet the demand for the larger number of plantings for 2025.”
In 2024 the HDLN hosted a variety of workshops to promote farming innovations that will benefit soil health, reduce fertiliser and pesticide use, and reduce carbon emissions, among others.
Ms Mudge said they have held these workshops in all sorts of places, including at the beach and in local schools.
“We are already working on the projects and workshops for 2025,” she said.
“We updated our strategic plan for 2024-2028 to meet the changing needs of our landholders and our environment.
“There has been a growing interest in agroforestry, sustainable farming practices and zero-carbon farming.
“There is much research that is becoming more convincing in showing the benefits of biodiversity practices on farm with improved soil health, water quality, management, pasture quality and yield, and animal productivity.
“We are very interested in considering what you might like us to do.”
While the efforts of the HDLN support and benefit larger landholders, they also aim to support the local community and smaller landholders with their own gardens, farms and public land spaces.
Besides funding for a land care facilitator, the HDLN is compromised entirely by volunteers and members of the community.
They are seeking enthusiastic community members to assist the nursery on Tuesdays from 9am-3pm with everyday maintenance.
Currently the nursery is located at 109 Bailey Street in Timboon, however Ms Mudge hopes that will change.
Due to growing demand to meet production needs for seedlings the HDLN has recently started looking for a new nursery site to expand.
“We also want to make plant sales available to the general public,” Ms Mudge said.
“The ideal site for our nursery would include an office, shed facilities, reliable water supply and would be located in the southern half of the shire.”
Interested volunteers should contact the office on 5598 3755.
“Please feel free to contact us about any land care or local environmental ideas or issues,” Ms Mudge said.
“We are all eager to help and support. No experience is required.
“It’s a great place to have a chat and mix with some like-minded people while gaining some new skills.”
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