Projects Archive
Here's a list of some of our past projects!
Improved Grazing Management for Salinity and Erosion Control
Watershed Landcare Inc received $278,000 from the National Landcare Program for this project which raised awareness of the benefits of combining deep rooted perennial pastures, with intensive grazing management and strategic tree planting and regeneration of remnants for erosion and salinity control.
Waterwise Garden at AREC site, Mudgee
The Waterwise Garden was planted some years ago by the Mudgee Urban Landcare group and is maintained by some of the members. The aim is to demonstrate how to have a waterwise garden. Gardens don't have to be a blaze of shortlived colour to be attractive. Drought tolerant plants come in a variety of leaf form and colour, so with careful placement of plants the garden can look interesting all year round. As many of these plants are natives, an added bonus is attracting more birds to your garden. As well as choice of plants, mulching is a key technique to reduce water use. 
In addition plants can be "trained" or conditioned to be slightly more drought tolerant by slowly decreasing the amount of water. Australian grasses should also be considered as they make good lawns and can look attractive in rockeries. Not only are they waterwise but also they are "clumpers" rather than "runners" so there isn't the constant struggle of keeping them out of the garden beds. As regular gardens can account for 25% of domestic water, a waterwise garden an greatly reduce water bills. In addition the reduction in the amount of water going into the ground will help with Mudgee's salinity problem.
Revegetation for Biodiversity, Railway Reserve, Mudgee
In October 2001 a group of urban landcarers began planting at the Railway Reserve in Mudgee. Locals were using the vacant block of land as an illegal tip and it was an unsightly mess. A peppercorn lease was organised, the site cleaned up and planting began. Local native species were used and already the birds are coming back. On-going maintenance in terms of watering, mowing and weeding is being done by a dedicated group of volunteers.
Maintenance and planting days occur mainly in Spring and Autumn, if you would like to become involved in this project contact Wendy Arnott on 6372 6906.
Improving Natural Resource Values through Revegetation
Watershed received $24,700 from the NHT Envirofund for this project which was carried out on a number of properties throughout the Mudgee/Rylstone region. The aim of the project was to increase biodiversity, provide habitat for native animals and shelter for stock. 30% of the plantings were used to enhance completed revegetation projects by replacing plants that were lost in the 2002 drought. The remainder was used to increase the area of vegetation corridors existing on the properties of the landholders. Approximately 10,000 native grasses, shrubs and trees from local seed were planted. In total 10 kms of fencing was erected to protect the plantings. A Field Day was held at Munghorn Nature Reserve to teach species identification and the importance of native vegetation
Habitat Improvement and Riparian Restoration on the Cudgegong River
Watershed applied for this Envirofund Grant on behalf of the Cudgegong Catchment Committee. [The Cudgegong Catchment Committee (CCC) is a 355 Committee of Council that has been carrying out a large willow control project on the Cudgegong River.] The Willow Control Project aims to improve and enhance riparian biodiversity and habitat through revegetation and willow eradication through stem injection on the Cudgegong River. The wider project aims include to improve water quality, improve long term management of the riparian zone, and increase wider community awareness. The $27,141 (GST excl) grant provided funds for: - Stem injection of Willow species along a 6 km stretch of the Cudgegong; - Revegetation with native species along the Cudgegong River. The revegetation process, using local seed collected from native remnants, involved planting1890 trees as well as vastly increasing the severely depleted shrub component of the ecosystem by planting 4910 understorey species; and - 5km of fencing along the Cudgegong River, to provide protection of the river and revegetation works from stock.
Restoration and Willow Management on Lawson's Creek
This was another grant that Watershed applied for on behalf of the Cudgegong Catchment Committee. $14588 was obtained from Envirofund, with another $6800 contributed by MWRC for stem injection. This project aims to improve and enhance riparian biodiversity and habitat through revegetation and willow eradication along a 14 km stretch of Lawsons Creek. In total 3300 trees and shrubs were planted (grown from local seed collected from nearby remnants) and 4 kms of fencing erected to protect the riparian habitat corridor. This should result in improved water quality, native vegetation connectivity and biodiversity, as well as the prevention of accelerated stream bank erosion and improved long term management of the riparian zone, and increased wider community awareness.
Other completed projects:
- 04/05 NLP – Improved Grazing Management for Salinity and Erosion Control ($278 050)
- 05/06 Environmental Trust - Creating Environmental Capacity in the Cudgegong (Lawson Creek) ($100 100)
- 2006 Community Water Grant Round 2 – Restoration & Revegetation along Redbank Creek ($12 272)
- 2007 Community Water Grant Round 3 – Restabilising Redbank/Oakey Creeks ($49 320)
- 2007 Central West CMA Round 5 – Best Practice Environmental Management in the Upper Catchment ($357 673)
- 08/09 Central West CMA – Supporting Landcare Staff Program ($57 959)
- 08/09 Central West CMA – Small Grants for Community Groups ($1 595), purchased a microscope for Microscope Club