Introducing Basalt to Bay Landcare Network

Basalt to Bay Landcare Network formed in late 2007, to coordinate Landcare activities across the Hopkins/Moyne catchments. A unique feature of the network is that it is independent of government agencies such as the Catchment Management Authority, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Department of Primary Industries and local government. Although we work closely with all these groups. The key role of the network will be to share knowledge, work collaboratively across Landcare groups, address natural resource management issues, help develop and coordinate funding applications and assist in the development and implementation of environmental projects. It’s ultimate aim is to help local Landcare groups work together towards bring about large scale landscape change in the Hopkins/Moyne catchment, linking environmental on ground works from one side of the Western District to the other.

8 Local Landcare groups/networks from Glenthompson to Warrnambool, have united under a common umbrella, to attract corporate, philanthropic and government funding, after years of having to do it themselves. Over the last few years the amount of public funding for on ground works has decreased significantly, leaving many Landcare groups in the area struggling to survive and with limited opportunities to do environmental work.

Basalt to Bay Landcare Network is a community driven initiative, which will consolidate the motivation, skills, knowledge and wisdom of individual Landcare groups. As a collective it is anticipated that it will have greater pulling power for funding and subsequently provide local Landcare groups with a new lease on life and greater opportunity to achieve large scale landscape change.

South West Victoria has some of the most beautiful landscape in the country but despite this the natural environment is in a poorer state than many other areas. Local environmental agencies and individual Landcare groups have identified a number of significant environmental issues in the region, including : a lack of native vegetation for biodiversity, ongoing threats to native flora and fauna, a lack of habitat for threatened species, poor condition of waterways, poor agricultural effluent management, erosion and salinity.

Basalt to Bay’s plans over the next 5 years are to : plant 1,225,000 trees, protect 450 ha of remnant species, treat 455 ha of weed species, erect 380 km of fencing, support 570 properties in natural resource management projects, invest $3,785,000 of in kind funds towards Landcare projects, utilise 130,000 hours of volunteer labour and develop projects over 60,000 ha of private and public land.