Paddock Tree Project
Large paddock tree at Glenburn
The Upper Goulburn Landcare Network has recently completed a very successful project to protect paddock trees.
Planting at Strath Creek
Funding was offered to landholders in the Upper Goulburn region for fencing and planting of understorey around paddock trees. Funding was also available for mistletoe control where needed.
Forty Four large trees of mostly Grey, Red and Yellow Box, a couple of large old Redgum and dozens of small & medium trees have been protected as part of the project.
Paddock Tree site at Molesworth
Nest boxes built by the Flowerdale Men’s Shed for Sugar Gliders, Phascogales and native birds were installed on trees at all sites.
Nest box installed on a tree at Alexandra
Nest Box at Merton
A 20 minute Bird survey was also carried out in the vicinity of the paddock tree sites. Recording all bird species and numbers seen and heard. This will be repeated over the years and as the understorey establishes we should start noticing an increase in diversity especially of the smaller bush birds.
We also ran a very well attended Bats of the Upper Goulburn Region presentation and survey with ecologist Rob Gration.
Bat presentation at Yea
Rob releasing a bat
Coming up our final activity will be a talk by mistletoe expert and the Regent Honeyeater coordinator Ray Thomas.
This project was funded by the previous Federal Government’s Community Environment Grants.
This is what can happen to unprotected trees.
Chris Cobern.
Great outcome guys, well done.
We are trying to keep the balance right and while you protected these great old habitat tress my neighbour is in the process of getting a permit to remove about the same number. Forget the picture of the stock trashing a tree, down on the floodplain they just get taken out!
Keep up the great work.