Section 4 - Landcare tackling the issues

The issues confronting Australia’s natural environment are huge and daunting. They include salinity; loss of biodiversity, native vegetation and soil; disappearing wetlands; and dying rivers.

The landcare movement is managing these issues in different environments and different situations around the country.

Some groups start by focusing on a single issue such as revegetation or controlling a pest species such as rabbits. Many of them have moved to a holistic approach— tackling many issues together and looking at the relationships between them.

This section highlights some of the issues that groups are working on and the approaches they are taking to deal with them.

^{Salinity is one of the major issues confronting Australia’s environment.}

Soil health

From weeds to worms

Group: Tuckombil Landcare Inc
Location: Near Alstonville, NSW
Formed: 1996
Focus: Soil health research

Two hundred years ago, Tuckombil in northern New South Wales was covered in dense rainforest, now known as the Big Scrub.

Today Tuckombil’s rolling hills are largely grass-covered, with a growing encroachment of forest and nut farms—and a steady invasion of weeds.

The area’s farming history includes dairying and horticulture. The crops that have endured and are being farmed profitably include macadamia nuts, avocados, custard apples, stone fruit and coffee.

In 1996, eight families committed to sustainable agriculture and natural resource management formed the Tuckombil Landcare Group.

The group believed that active participation in soil-health research, education, community capacity building and on-ground works in sustainable agriculture and rainforest regeneration were the keys to achieving their goals.

Securing funding through the Natural Heritage Trust, the group embarked on a three-year project—the Good Soil Project—with NSW Agriculture.

^{Neville Sloss prepares to do battle with the weeds.}

The project investigated the impacts of horticultural chemicals and practices on soil health on 15 farms growing a range of different crops.

The project’s success led to the Good Worm Projects five years on, in response to the many questions farmers asked about worms—indicators of soil health—during the Good Soil Project.

The combination of projects led to the Northern Rivers Soil Health Card, a soil-management tool developed by farmers for farmers.

‘On line since 1999, the Tuckombil Landcare website has been providing information about landcare, our group and its projects,’ said member Bonnie Walker.

Identified as a state-significant publication, the original website has been archived at the National Library’s PANDORA archive in Canberra.

‘Tuckombil’s population today is a kaleidoscope of origins,’ said Bonnie. ‘From their success in a range of pursuits, members of the Tuckombil community bring fresh ideas and a concern for the community and environment—as witness the landcare group.

‘This enlivens and enhances a tract of land that is as attractive as any on the north coast.’

^{In the thick of it.}

Vegetation

Bringing the district together

Group: Heffernans Creek Landcare Group
Location: West of Goulburn, NSW
Formed: 1996
Focus: Restoring native vegetation

Farmer Russell Erwin noticed in 1996 that native trees around his house in the Wollondilly Catchment were doing well, but nearby bush remnants were dying.

‘Land here has been cleared and grazed for over 200 years and the country reveals this uneasy history through dryland salinity, soil erosion, weed-ridden creeks and sparsely standing trees,’ he said.

With two neighbouring landholders, Russell decided to act. They formed Heffernans Creek Landcare Group and began fencing off bush remnants to protect them from stock and to encourage plant regrowth. Then they became interested in planting corridors of native trees and shrubs to link the remnants.

Gradually, other neighbours joined in, until about 20 families were involved.

‘We’re farmers, but we’re also concerned about land productivity, and our environmental work needs to complement primary production,’ said Russell.

^{Vegetation corridors are providing shade and shelter for stock and have taken the edge off the weather.}

‘The corridors are providing shade and shelter for stock and have taken the rough edges of the weather. We can lamb ewes up against the windbreaks now—before, the wind was awful. There’s also less salt scalding and, while the country remains dry, it’s no longer as bleak.’

Funding from the Natural Heritage Trust for fencing materials, native tubestock and to employ contractors to prepare the site gave the group a boost.

‘A little bit of encouragement really got people going, and added to our energy and motivation. The results have helped too, with more echidnas, platypuses and native birds now being seen,’ said Russell.

The group has established a nursery, and members collect seed from local native plants to replant on their properties. Although drought has affected activities in recent years, Russell remains optimistic.

‘The landscape changes have been positive, but overall our greatest achievement has been the change in local attitudes,’ he said.

‘Tree-planters used to be viewed as nutcases, now they’re accepted. We’ve helped bring the district together.’

^{Heffernans Creek Landcare Group nursery.}

Koala habitat

Koala homecoming

Group: Billyrambija Landcare Group
Location: West of Goulburn, NSW
Formed: 2002
Focus: Restoring koala habitat

Koalas were once plentiful around the Tarlo River, west of Goulburn, but land clearing, hunting, predators, disease and bushfires have taken their toll.

Until recently, no koalas had been seen in the area for more than 25 years.

Billyrambija Landcare Group formed in 2002 and now has more than 35 members committed to environmental rehabilitation of their properties along the Wollondilly River and around Tarlo River National Park.

After fencing remnant vegetation, planting wildlife corridors to link habitat areas and tackling weeds and erosion, the group was ready for the next step—joining with academics and students to reintroduce koalas to the Billyrambija area.

The Billyrambija Joint Venture is moving koalas from nearby koala populations when individuals appear to be at risk—usually after they’ve been picked up repeatedly by wildlife rescue groups.

^{Stepping out into new territory.}

The partners hope these koalas will breed and repopulate the park and eventually link up with other local populations.

The University of Western Sydney has been studying a koala population at Campbelltown for the past 15 years, and two of these animals, fitted with radio- tracking devices, were released into Tarlo River National Park in October 2006.

‘They’ve settled in better than I expected,’ said University of Sydney postgraduate student Melissa Farrelly, who is working with the landcare group to track and monitor the koalas. ‘They seem happy in their new environment, and they’re eating.’

The landcare group is excited about being part of the project and is enjoying the time out in the bush, keeping an eye out for the koalas.

‘We think we’ve already sighted another koala, so already we’re finding out more about them in the region,’ said group member John Jervis.

The landcare members aim to extend the koalas’ habitat by planting local feed trees such as ribbon gums, grey gums, swamp gums, broad-leaved peppermints and river peppermints in windbreaks and wildlife corridors on their properties. Eventually, this will allow koalas to move back into their former ranges.

Subsoil acidity

Looking below the surface

Group: Winchendon Vale Landcare Group
Location: North of Wagga Wagga, NSW
Formed: 1989
Focus: Subsoil acidity

Eight members of the Winchendon Vale Landcare Group near Wagga Wagga have begun a long-term program to deal with subsoil acidity, which is problematic in the region.

Working with the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), and with funding from the National Landcare Program, the group has verified the existence of an acid layer 5–15 centimetres beneath the soil surface, even though most paddocks tested had already been limed to correct surface acidity.

Members took soil samples from a range of depths on 32 paddocks in the area and collected information on crop and pasture rotations, quantity and frequency of lime application and how lime was incorporated into the soil.

The acidity level at the acid layer was high enough to affect plant growth and corresponded with higher soil levels of aluminium and manganese, which also affect plant growth.

The group is now planning a long-term approach to subsoil acidity by adding lime to the soil surface to achieve a pH of 5.5 or more. This will need to be repeated every 6–10 years to maintain a surface soil pH of 5.5.

The group identified several production benefits that could flow from remedying the situation—including increasing the early vigour of canola, improving the persistence of lucerne, nitrogen fixation from legume species and maintaining or improving productivity.

The group recommends soil testing at 0–10 centimetres and 10–20 centimetres to see if there is an acid layer, which can be hidden if a soil sample is taken only at the soil surface.

A full report of the project is available from the Murrumbidgee CMA or the Winchendon Vale Landcare Group by emailing kunari@wideband.net.au

^{Steve Turner and Ralph Billing taking a long-term approach to soil acidity.}

Weeds

A shared passion

Group: Willow Warriors and Friends of the Colo Landcare Group
Location: Northwest of Sydney, NSW
Formed: 2002
Focus: Removing willow infestations

Fred Wood and Joanna Willmott first met on a train a few years ago, and discovered a shared passion for landcare.

Fred was working with the Friends of the Colo Landcare Group in Wollemi National Park. Joanna was so inspired she also joined the group.

Together, with an enthusiastic band of landcare volunteers and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff, Fred and Joanna have worked their way down the Colo River eradicating willows.

‘This World Heritage area is steep gorge country and really hard to get to,’ said Joanna. ‘NPWS helicopters lifted us in, and then we’d raft down the river, treating willows.’

‘Landcare activities keep us fit and active as we bushwalk or travel by canoe or inflatable raft to hunt down and treat willows. We love exploring the dramatic gorges and forests of this beautiful wilderness area and doing our bit to protect it.’

After ridding the national park of some 5000 willows, the group continued working in the Colo catchment to prevent willow re-infestation. It also established a small nursery in the Blue Mountains and began collecting local native seed and growing long-stem native seedlings that could withstand the rigours of riparian planting.

^{Keeping fit and active with landcare activities.}

In 2005, a new Landcare group - the Willow Warriors - was born, having eradicated most of the willows along the Colo River, the group wanted to share its expertise in willow control, and started
looking for new projects. In 2005, a new landcare group—the Willow Warriors— was born.

Willow Warriors travel to other rivers in south-eastern New South Wale to help landholders with willow-control projects.

Group chairperson Jeff Cottrell keeps up with research on willow-mapping and eradication techniques and spends hours each month planning activities, organising gear and updating maps.

‘We enjoy paddling and whitewater activities and taking our experience of remote-access willow treatment to rivers throughout the state,’ said Joanna.

‘We’re committed to helping landholders eradicate invasive willow species from rivers by mapping willows for control programs and treating them in isolated sections of rivers.’

The group does follow-up monitoring and educates the community about willows and controlling them. Members have worked along the Colo, Grose, Hawkesbury and Wingecarribee rivers in the Hawkesbury– Nepean catchment, and are extending their activities to other catchments.

^{In a tight spot—Willow Warriors have become experts in dealing with invasive willows.}

Braving the elements

Group: Friends of Maatsuyker Island
Location: Off Tasmania’s southwest coast
Formed: 2003
Focus: Weed removal in a remote national park

Howling winds, annual rainfall of 1200 millimetres and a long, bumpy helicopter ride over a remote coast have not discouraged a hardy group of volunteers from tackling invasive weeds infesting Tasmania’s Maatsuyker Island.

Part of the Southwest National Park and Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Maatsuyker Island lies 10 kilometres off Tasmania’s southwest coast and is home to Australia’s most southerly lighthouse.

While its wet and windy climate may not be cosy for people, it provides a perfect home for seals, seabirds, skinks, a single species of marsupial mouse and a diverse flora.

Unfortunately, three destructive weeds— blackberry, montbretia and Hebe elliptica— have found their way to this unique site.

The weeds damaged burrowing seabird habitat by modifying the native vegetation under which the birds nest. Species affected include the short-tailed shearwater, and the threatened soft-plumaged petrel.

The Friends of Maatsuyker Island face major challenges with weeds. The island’s remoteness means it can be reached only by boat or helicopter.

Volunteers must be able to commit up to two weeks at a time or longer if the weather deteriorates. They must also remove weeds without disturbing wildlife, and in accordance with strict national park management guidelines.

^{Volunteers—a strong sense of commitment.}

Since 2004, volunteer groups have spent up to two weeks at a time on the island using approved control methods to eradicate weeds.

Methods include hand control (the Bradley method), brush cutting and strategic herbicide application. Group members have visited the island every year for follow-up working bees.

So far their efforts have been successful. About 95 per cent of the blackberry and 98 per cent of the montbretia populations targeted have been killed, regrowth has been minimal and short-tailed shearwaters are using their burrows again. Volunteers have also trialled a program to eradicate Hebe elliptica.

The group has undertaken other collaborative projects on the island, including a working bee in 2004 to repair culturally significant buildings, and an artistin- residence program in 2007, which members helped to initiate.

In 2008, the Friends produced an annotated digital database of images from the island’s last head lighthouse keeper, and produced a Maatsuyker Island calendar with another lighthouse group, the Friends of Tasman Island.

Away from the island, members give media interviews and public talks about its natural and cultural history, their projects and the caretaker program.

Unlike many Landcare groups that enjoy the daily benefit of the works they’re carrying out, Friends of Maatsuyker Island don’t see their worksite for 50 weeks of the year.

But they’ve made an active commitment to free the site from invasive weeds, and to keep this World Heritage site a special place.

^{Maatsuyker Island—only for the hardy.}

Rising to the challenge

Group: Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association
Location: Barkly Tablelands, NT
Formed: 1996
Focus: Weed management

A small community in the remote outback of the Northern Territory has shown what can be achieved when challenged with serious landcare problems.

Concerned about the effects of an invasive weed on a valuable wetlands area, the Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association (BLCA) mobilised the support of management and staff of a cattle station to deal with the problem.

Longreach Waterhole is a conservation reserve on Newcastle Waters Station in the centre of the Northern Territory, near the small township of Elliott. A waterhole on the reserve—Newcastle waterhole—connects with Lake Woods, a wetland of national significance that is important for waterbird migration, breeding and populations.

The invasive woody weed Parkinsonia aculeate—a weed of national significance and a major threat to biodiversity and production in the Barkly region—had invaded the wetland area of Newcastle Creek leading into the conservation area, resulting in the loss of habitat for native flora and fauna.

^{Station volunteers prepare to tackle a serious weed problem.}

The BLCA initiated a riparian restoration project to control weeds and promote revegetation of the banks with native species. The project involved poisoning weeds on about 700 hectares—a huge effort that took a team of 16 men from Newcastle Waters Station a full five days.

More recently, in preparation for control work on Parkinsonia across pastoral lands in the Barkly region, the BLCA has been mapping outbreaks along the Georgina River Catchment. Part of the Lake Eyre Basin, the area extends over 1590 square kilometres, with more than 2500 kilometres of watercourses.

The information being gathered by the BLCA helps land managers understand the pattern of infestation and its relationship to the landscape.

The association organised a workshop which led participants through a process for managing Parkinsonia on their properties in the long term. They learned how to identify key priority areas to treat, monitor outcomes and follow up to prevent re-infestations.

Land managers are now better equipped to choose the most effective combination of control measures for their own situation and potentially achieve a better result for their effort.

The project is an excellent example of community landcare at work in the Territory’s remote outback. But the community will not be able to rest on its laurels.

Parkinsonia management is a long-term proposition as seeds persist in the soil and germinate for many years to come.

Threatened-species protection

Rare parrot returns to old habitat

Group: Sue and Tom Shephard, Artemis Station
Location: Cape York Peninsula, Qld
Focus: Protecting threatened species and conserving habitat

As a boy, Tom Shephard often saw striking golden-shouldered parrots flying off their nests while he was mustering cattle on his family’s Cape York property. By the time he was 15, others had seen them too—and had also seen a way to make money from them.

Bird fanciers discovered the parrots in the 1950s, and would pay thousands of dollars for a pair.

Bird trappers looking to make easy money began arriving on the peninsula. When he came across cages of illegally trapped birds, Tom was incensed, and released them back into the wild.

By the 1970s the species was established in captivity, and trapping had nearly ceased. When the next wave of people arrived looking for the parrots—birdwatchers and conservationists —things had changed. It soon became clear that the parrots, once widespread on the peninsula, had survived in only a couple of areas, including around the Shephard family’s Artemis Station.

One reason for this was the family’s sensitive approach to land management over the near-century of their ownership. They looked after their native grasses and were careful not to overgraze.

They were against land clearing because of the dense regrowth that followed and limited the use of heavy machinery to reduce erosion.

^{Making a comeback: the gold-shouldered parrot.}

Following an ABC documentary and a two-year study of the parrots by the WWF, Tom and his partner Sue looked carefully at their management practices to see what more they could do to protect the parrot’s habitat.

They began using storm-burning as a management tool, which involves lighting fires to keep country open within the first few days of wet season rains, when lightning is likely to start fires.

Tom’s trials and demonstration plots showed fire could be used to keep the grasslands open without damaging canopy trees. This maintained the grassy habitat the parrots needed, and they began returning to deserted nesting sites.

The Shephards entered into an agreement in 1999 to designate a large area of the property as a conservation agreement area. Known as the Artemis Antbed Nature Reserve, this 2116-hectare area is fenced and being managed to integrate pastoral activities with conservation objectives. However, the Shephards’ intention is to manage the entire property this way.

Other cattle stations and national parks on Cape York are now adopting Tom and Sue’s management practices, and there has been a cultural shift in burning practices.

This article is based on ‘Tom and Sue Shephard, Winners of the Queensland Landcare Conservation Award 2007’ by Gabriel Crowley (www.landmanager.org.au/view/index.aspx?id=439200)

^{Fencing on Artemis Station is helping integrate pastoral activities with conservation objectives.}

Mine-site rehabilitation

Group strikes new gold

Group: Wowan Dululu Landcare Group
Location: Southwest of Rockhampton, Central Queensland
Formed: 1989
Focus: Mine site rehabilitation

Mining creates many pressures in communities. The pressures range from the urban development associated with increased population and expectations in small rural towns to the rural sustainability, environmental and social uncertainties associated with the mine’s presence.

The Wowan Dululu Landcare Group has been a special case within the landcare community, having had to deal with acid mine drainage in the Dee River, left over from over 100 years of gold and copper mining at the Mt Morgan Gold Mines.

The legacy of the historical mining practices is an open cut, which was threatening overflow and causing acid mine drainage. The first 18 kilometres of the Dee River downstream of the mine was severely affected.

Fish, molluscs and shrimp were absent and macro-invertebrate species were limited to insects. In one four-month wet period four major fish kills occurred.

The Wowan Dululu Landcare Group formed in 1989, but it was another seven years before its Dee River subcommittee gained the support of the Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association.

‘We began to campaign in earnest for mine-site rehabilitation,’ said local landowner and Banana Shire Council Representative to the subcommittee John Dunstone.

‘A critical milestone was obtaining funds from the Natural Heritage Trust to employ a landcare officer to investigate historical information, raise awareness in the community and politically, and conduct introductory scientific investigations.

^{(Left) Measuring turbidity (Right) Plant selection}

‘After prolonged pressure from our group, the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNM) finally began, in 2000, to plan the site’s rehabilitation,’ he said.

A water-treatment plant has now been built with partial funding from the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, through the Fitzroy Basin Association.

‘Trials have produced higher quality water than we expected,’ said DNM Rehabilitation Officer Chris McCombe.

‘In 2004 the Dee River dams remediation project has reduced the acute risk to downstream water quality by removing a substantial quantity of acid mine-drainage tailings, and unsafe dams.’

The state government’s 2007–08 budget allocated $3 million to the second stage of a lime-dosing plant, which includes a ‘water-polishing’ facility to make the system independent of fresh-water sources.

‘This will facilitate the release of pit water into the river system and reduce the possibility of pit-wall failure,’ said Chris.

‘As well as our mine-rehabilitation work, our landcare group is continuing to work on other aspects of our Action Plan 2002–07, including strategic weed eradication, river fencing and management, and grazing and cropping land sustainability.’

^{Revegetation, before … and after}

Biodiversity Realising lofty aims

Group: South Para Biodiversity Project
Location: Mt Lofty Ranges, SA
Formed: 1999
Focus: Protecting biodiversity on public and private land

A bold project based on the biosphere concept is helping protect biodiversity in the Mt Lofty Ranges.

A biosphere reserve includes one or more protected areas and surrounding lands, managed to combine both conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

The Mt Lofty Ranges Catchment Program Biodiversity Taskforce proposed declaring a large area in the northern ranges the South Para Biodiversity Project.

The site contains the largest linked areas of remnant vegetation in the ranges and supports 76 per cent of the region’s vegetation communities.

More than 30 per cent of the project area supports native vegetation, much of this in public-managed land.

The project’s aim is to buffer and enhance native vegetation by helping public and private land managers protect biodiversity on their property.

Already its activities have protected more than 700 hectares of remnant vegetation and 19 kilometres of watercourses by building fences and removing and managing stock.

Volunteers have propagated and planted more than 300 000 local indigenous tubestock and removed threats to biodiversity on 400 hectares by controlling weeds, using biological control agents and through feral animal-control programs.

They’ve also found three nationally endangered orchids and many other populations of nationally vulnerable and regionally rare plant species.

^{Volunteers help manage the Kersbrook Landcare Group’s native plant nursery.}

‘This really shows the critical importance of gaining access to remnant vegetation on private property to complement biological knowledge from public reserves,’ said project officer Tansy Boggon.

‘Our inclusive approach means the message about biodiversity goes well beyond the properties directly involved.’

The project’s success is built on forming partnerships and on the dedication of volunteers.

‘We also involve all landholders interested in conservation and provide an informative and fun environment,’ said Tansy.

Partnerships with key land managers are another important contributor to the project’s success. The Kersbrook Landcare Group, for example, operates a native plant nursery with support from regular volunteers. SA Water provides water, electricity and facilities for the site.

Other project partners, including South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage, Forestry SA, Friends of Para Wirra Recreation Park and local government, provide valuable support and contributions.

‘Biodiversity conservation is not all serious, so having fun and enjoying the bush is an important part of the project,’ said Tansy.

‘We hold workshops, barbecues and other community events where people can talk about the environment in an informal, comfortable setting.

‘This attitude helps retain volunteers because they’re able to have a great time, while doing their bit for the environment.’

Paying incentives for wildlife linkages

Group: Desert Uplands Build-Up & Development Strategy Committee
Location: Central-west Queensland
Formed: 1994
Focus: Biodiversity conservation

Farmers in the southern Desert Uplands of central-west Queensland are being paid to conserve wildlife in their pastures in an innovative project using market-based incentives.

Run by Desert Uplands Build-Up & Development Strategy Committee, the two-year Landscape Linkages project aims to provide continuous wildlife habitat between the Aramac Range in the west and the Great Divide in the east.

The project, which is being carried out in collaboration with Central Queensland University, CSIRO and the Environmental Protection Agency, with funding from Burdekin Dry Tropics, also aims to look after Box and Gidgee woodlands and the Ironbark range country.

Over 30 kilometres wide, the project area incorporates 85 207 hectares in parcels of land in 15 properties.

‘To participate, farmers had to agree to at least maintain and, in some cases, improve condition,’ said project coordinator Andrea Lingard.

‘We wanted to be able to reward people who had always managed their land well, but also to enable people to make changes that would improve biodiversity condition.’

The country had to be in reasonable condition for wildlife in order to be included in the project, with a good cover of native grasses, few weeds and little buffel grass.

^{Cutting grass in the Desert Uplands.}

It also scored highly if it was connected to other properties in the scheme. Box and Gidgee woodlands were rated most highly, but most of the country on offer was Ironbark woodland over spinifex.

‘Exactly what landholders were paid to do was largely up to each of them to decide,’ said Andrea.

‘We set up an auction system. Some landholders offered to maintain or introduce good management practices such as rotational grazing or reducing stocking rates. Others wanted to keep stock off the country altogether.

‘On average, landholders were paid about $2 per hectare a year for the land they contributed, with the first three rounds of payments being made at sign-on,’ she said.

‘Most of the landholders who have subscribed to the scheme are relatively new landholders and come with a flexible attitude to property management.’

‘The Landscape Linkages project has demonstrated that stewardship payments can be used successfully for conservation outside the formal reserve system.

‘Even in the first year, the Desert Uplands is in better condition for wildlife than it would have been without it.’

^{Desert Uplands monitoring site.}

Riparian restoration

Classroom on the river

Group: Upper River Torrens Landcare Group
Location: Adelaide Hills, SA
Formed 1989
Focus: Reviving the Torrens River

Born and raised in the Adelaide suburb of South Payneham, Bob Myers spent much of his youth in the 1950s exploring the unspoilt Torrens River in the nearby hills.

When he returned with his wife Wanda 20 years later, his memory was at odds with the gorse-infested, heavily grazed land he found bounding the river at Birdwood, near his property.

Bob undertook the huge task of setting it right. From 1979 to 1986 he carried out a long-term management plan to ‘give the land a chance’, systematically removing gorse, replanting native shrubs and grasses, fencing out stock from the waterway and excluding feral animals.

The Australian Government’s launch of the Decade of Landcare in 1989 accelerated Bob’s plan.

Bob and Wanda and four other families who had experienced similar problems with erosion formed the Upper River Torrens Landcare Group to restore the failing ecosystems along their section of the river.

First, the group set up demonstration sites, using pioneering soft engineering that stressed the importance of aquatic and semi-aquatic native grasses, sedges, rushes, reed bulrush and shrubs as the basis for rehabilitation.

^{Bob Myers talks to Mt Pleasant Primary School students about native grasses.}

Aware of possible opposition from some local farmers, Bob led the landcare group in winning over the community by example. A natural communicator and educator, he convinced farmers and small landholders to take on landcare's philosophies and practices.

So successful were the demonstrations sites that they became a drawcard to the local area.

Through their annual visits to Bob’s ‘classroom on the river, hundreds of individuals and groups, including primary school pupils and tertiary students, have acknowledged the transformation of the Myers’ property to an oasis of natural plant and animal habitat.

The site has also attracted interest from scientists and other landcare groups keen to emulate Bob's success.

Bob's achievements as an environmentalist are numerous, but he nominates the results that can be seen, enjoyed and appreciated along the Torrens River catchment at Birdwood as his greatest.

Community awareness

Seeing red

Group: Various
Location: Midlands region, Tas.
Formed Project period 1996–2003
Focus: Awareness about tree decline

Declining tree numbers in central Tasmania were enough to make a group of landcarers, school children and artists see red.

After several months of planning, they came together in May 1996 to make a statement—by painting a dead tree red. The tree was located just north of Antill Ponds, beside the Midlands Highway—in a part of Tasmania suffering from massive tree decline.

The red tree became a powerful symbol. The painting coincided with the release of research findings showing that tree decline was having a profound effect on the area’s ecology and beauty.

‘The idea of painting a dead tree red was to make the travelling public notice the landscape and open people’s minds to land degradation issues,’ said Maria Weeding from the Midlands Tree Committee.

‘The red tree gained notoriety, taking on nationwide importance. It symbolised the urgency of the declining quality of our rural tree landscapes.’

Landcare Australia used the idea to initiate a ‘landcare sees red’ program to highlight the issue of land degradation in agricultural areas. Posters and postcards of the red tree were printed and distributed to schools.

The red tree also featured in many newspapers and magazines, and singer Sharyn Lee recorded a song about it.

^{Carved letters on the original red tree site at Woodbury.}

A few months later tragedy struck when vandals burned the tree to the ground. The red tree had died a second death, but all was not lost.

Landcare Australia took up the cause and initiated the symbolic painting of a dead tree in each state to highlight the problem of tree decline.

Artist Ray Norman came up with the idea of creating and painting four giant letters spelling the word T R E E, to be erected on the original Tasmanian red tree site.

Students from Bracknell Primary School painted each of the carved letters red, and they were installed on site in March 1997.

Over time the maintenance and safety of the structure became an issue. In 2000, the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Sustainable Production Forestry established four trial plantations and a demonstration area—a symbol of new trees arising from the ashes of the original tree.

Before planting the new trees, the giant red letters were moved a few metres closer to the Midlands Highway and repositioned safely in a semi-vertical position against railing so motorists could still read them.

In 2003, Launceston artist Elizabeth Smith completed a work called MESSAGE TREE that captured the story, portraying the message of metamorphosis.

The site remains, as depicted in her art work. The plantation has grown, and the healthy trees planted by the CRC are now several metres high.

‘Each year the new trees grow, reducing the impact of the fading red TREE lettering,’ said Maria Weeding. ‘Perhaps this is the same message of change and renewal happening over time.

‘The new trees continue to thrive amidst the ongoing drought and challenging times for the Tasmanian Midlands environment, making this site something very special.’

^{The red tree—a symbol of the declining quality of treescapes.}

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