Improving Box-Ironbark forests

BIOLINKS Alliance held a successful public tour of Spring Plains Nature Conservation Reserve last weekend.

The tour was part of a knowledge-sharing program related to a Goldfields Forest Restoration Project taking place over the next few years.

The project is a large-scale effort to implement innovative, science-backed techniques to improve the health of Box-Ironbark forests and other important ecosystems in the Central Victorian Goldfields.

“Sunday was a great success,” said Biolinks Alliance communications officer Sarah Thomson.

“We had about 40 people attending with a few people sending apologies at the last minute due to fuel prices.”

The event comprised of a three-hour walking tour of Spring Plains Nature Conservation Reserve.

“Biolinks Alliance has conducted intervention works at the reserve to accelerate repair of the damaged Box-Ironbark forest,” said Ms Thomson.

“These include ecological thinning, contour ripping, ponding and some re-seeding and revegetation.

“Peters Gully, where works were undertaken, has been monitored by our team since initial works took place in 2023, as well as our control site, Whites Gully, in the same reserve, where no work was undertaken.

“Although this method of forest restoration is not a quick fix, works will continue over a long period.

“We are seeing positive signs so far of improved regrowth in the understorey in the work site compared to the control.

“We have also found some interesting species in Peters Gully which hopefully shows that our efforts to improve habitat are bearing fruit.

“Biolinks Alliance will now kick off a major project along with City of Greater Bendigo, Trust for Nature, Bush Heritage and others.

“This will expand these ecological restoration techniques to 450 hectares of private covenanted land across the Central Victorian Goldfields.”

Works will be implemented on Trust for Nature covenanted properties in the region.

Anyone interested in events on demonstration properties can contact Biolinks Alliance at [email protected].