Funding available to protect grassy woodlands

A new project which aims to protect threatened Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands and Buloke Woodlands in north east Victoria will have significant benefits for the environment.

DSE Senior Biodiversity Project Officer, Matt Looby, said the two-year project will protect more than 1200 hectares of threatened woodlands and raise community awareness of conservation issues. “Grassy woodlands have been greatly reduced in their extent and quality because of clearing and are now considered threatened at a national level,” Mr Looby said.

“Only 10 percent of the original grassy woodland vegetation remains in north east Victoria.”

Through the project eligible landowners will be assisted with funding to help protect woodlands through altered fencing, if needed, and management payments for controlled grazing and pest plant and animal works.

To be assessed for eligibility sites will need to be more than five hectares in size and support either of the threatened woodlands. A field officer will visit nominated sites and determine eligibility.

Buloke woodlands occur on the plains and often with Grey Box. Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands occur around Wodonga, Tallangatta, Bethanga, Rutherglen, Warby Ranges, Everton, Dookie, Thoona, Euroa, Violet Town, Alexandra, Merton and Bonnie Doon.

“Many people recognise these woodlands as the scattered trees on grazing land on the lower  slopes and foothills of north east Victoria,” Mr Looby said. “Unimproved land with native grasses is a key indicator. When you think of grassy woodland, you think of the quintessential Australia bush landscape.”

Mr Looby said the key benefits will be the conservation of the threatened woodland vegetation, keeping an iconic landscape and the protection of a range of threatened fauna species.

The project is supported by the North East CMA in collaboration with the Goulburn Broken and Murray CMAs, Australian National University, Trust for Nature and the Nature Conservation Trust NSW. It is funded by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program.

For further information about the Grassy Woodlands project contact Matt Looby at DSE Wangaratta on (03) 5723 8673 or Dave Smith at DPI Benalla on 5761 1514.