Landcare has a
long history of tree planting and creek care as part of catchment management.
While this may be the view of the role of Landcare and significant promotion of
this work has occurred regarding value to the catchment, not enough has been
made of its value to land holders.
Riparian
buffers, typically a strip of land adjacent to waterways and within natural
land drains such as valleys and hollows, are planted or maintained with
vegetation ranging from trees and shrubs to low growing grassy groundcovers.
These strips filter runoff by slowing water movement of soil particles, manure
and other nutrients that may enter waterways and pollute downstream. Further,
these strips hold valuable water resources and contribute to groundwater
replenishment.
Value to
landholders is returned in ‘ecosystem services’ to our properties, livestock
and community.
Windbreaks
provide significant shelter and protection, modifying ambient temperatures in
both summer and winter to benefit animal welfare. Habitat can lead to pest
suppressive landscapes, where the buffer zone provides year round habitat to
beneficial fauna that use pests on our properties for food. A greater
understanding of this attribute provides significant value in reduced pesticide
use.
Support of
nectar and pollen for pollinators such as bees is a growing concern with over
80% of our food crops production requiring pollination to reach yield
potential. This includes our vegetable and flower gardens.
All of us
concerned with the landscape, must become more landscape literate and support
better land care outcomes for our community benefits. Maintaining and promoting
riparian buffer strips and windbreaks is one method with a multitude of value.
Darren Cribbes
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with local Landcare:
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