Changing of the guard – Building Bioblitz knowledge and understanding the importance of endemic flora and fauna in the local landscapes.
The issue
Landcare groups spend thousands of volunteer hours restoring habitat. Telling the stories of their efforts and storing maps and surveys of a group are sometimes forgotten about until there is no sign of the records. As people get older and Landcare groups fold and change there is a need to store information built up by groups. Information such as roadside surveys and locations of plantings are important to the new up and coming members to maintain the threads of the group. New Landcarers have little knowledge of the threads that have gone on before them if the information is not stored and accessible.
The solution
The Landcare group secretary of Eastern Riverina Landcare (Sandra Doughty) invited the old Landcare group of Milbrolong (near Tootool) to the Bioblitz where flora and fauna were surveyed. They told us about the work they have done over the years in the district. Proof of the work was evident in surveys and photos of a bygone era housed in a large plastic box they bought with them. Stories were told on the day about works done on Crown Land to reduce erosion and build biodiversity. People of all ages were there to listen and gain knowledge of the Tootool Wetland. This box will now be stored in the local museum for all to access.
The impact
Landcare groups in the Riverina have changed a lot over the years with smaller groups folding leaving the larger area groups to start. Eastern Riverina Landcare is now the larger group that was once made up of Mangoplah, Lockhart, Osborne and Milbrolong. The works of the smaller groups are very valuable and have improved biodiversity and habitat in many of the small towns in rural farming areas. Locating the sites and having knowledge of their background assists in understanding country and endears people to the area in which they live. It also allows for the linkage of flyways and habitat corridors when they are mapped.
Case Study: Bridging the Landcare knowledge gap with a Bioblitz
LEP23_036_LLC3_6
Author: Kathy Tenison