UGLN Farm Dams for Wildlife Project
UGLN recently completed their very successful Farm Dams for Wildlife project. The project helped to rehabilitate, revegetate and permanently exclude stock from 14 farm dams on 9 properties across the Upper Goulburn region.
It helped to increase aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity and habitat, improve water quality and repair degraded soils in and around the 14 dams.
The project also demonstrated sustainable farming practices to other local farmers and the wider community.
With the assistance of local school students and Landcarers we built 10 nesting boxes for native birds and mammals and installed them on trees near some of the dams.
Studies have shown that providing stock with clean water from fenced off dams virtually eliminates the risk of stock and production losses caused by diseases like Salmonella and Leptospirosis and toxic blue-green algae.
During a Landcare field day this year water samples were taken from a fenced-off dam, a dam with a newly-constructed restricted access point, and a fully open dam.
The first sample demonstrated the high biodiversity benefits of excluding stock from dams. As well as being exceptionally clear, it contained highly sensitive macro-invertebrates (including mayflies) and huge tadpoles.
In contrast, the other samples had high turbidity and contained macroinvertebrates that have a high tolerance for poor water quality.
Fencing off farm dams also prevents animals dying or getting injured from drowning or being stuck in mud.
Fenced dam with access point for sheep to drink.
The project was funded by the Victorian Landcare Grants.
For more information about enhancing farm dams click here.
