Fencing underway at King’s

Paul and Joel fencing on a steep slope, Grey Box trees in background.

The 22^nd of October saw the start of our first fence line in the Strath Creek Biodiversity Project.

Allan Stafford from Benalla, who is well known locally as being part of the UGLN Fire Recovery Team overseen by Chris Cobern, has been seconded along with his co – worker John to work with us on the three sites that need fencing in the Strath Creek Biodiversity Project.

John hails from the northern suburbs of Melbourne and has put a tremendous effort into the fire recovery as a volunteer. Now he is doing the same with our project also as a volunteer.

The site that these two are working on is very prominent in Strath Creek and will be quite visible to passing traffic as revegetation gets under way in the planting season next year.

This site is a hill top and steep slope facing east that will be revegetated using mechanical direct seeding by Janet and Justus Hagen on the top of the ridge, with volunteer planting of trees on the slopes. There has already been extensive corridor planting with some assistance from members of the Strath Creek Landcare Group on this property over past years. The owners of the property Joel and Susan King and their family have shown great commitment to their local Landcare group and the Strath Creek community through their environmental and social involvement.

Don Todd helping at King’s.

On the 7^th of November, Strath Creek Landcare stalwarts; Don Todd and Paul Michael volunteered to join Allan and Joel and Project Officer Steve Joblin to put in about 350 metres of fencing across a very steep slope. We were assaulted by rain and bush flies on a humid day. These guys were a great bunch to work with and typify what Landcare is about; social cohesion and connection, a good meal and a few laughs while caring for the land that sustains us.

Apart from hanging a few gates, the fencing on this project ended today and was a good warm up for moving on to the next challenge; ‘Hidden Valley’ at the rear of the Three Sisters in Flowerdale. (SJ)