Over 400 native trees have been distributed to 18 properties in the Gunning region this year, thanks to Gunning District Landcare and a $20,000 Biala Wind Farm Community Fund grant.
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Building on the success of its 2022 project, Gunning District Landcare applied for the community grant to extend their tree planting initiative.
Landholders were offered 1-50 trees per property, with weedmats and guards, and these were quickly taken up.
Protecting new paddock trees from stock and other animals is the key to success. Part of the grant was used to purchase rolls of tough steel mesh.
A working bee on May 13 had participating landholders coming together to cut up the steel, collect their guards, seedlings and weed mats.
Organisers said it wasa great opportunity for like-minded landholders to meet one another.
The seedlings for the landholders were eucalypts that had been propagated by the Yass Landcare Nursery.
Encouraging landholders to provide steel posts and contribute towards the cost of the guards meant the grant funds could stretch even further. This approach also gave the landholders a greater sense of investment in the project and the trees they will establish.
A spokesperson for Landcare said that scattered paddock trees are vital in the Australian landscape, for wildlife, ecological health and productivity.
Gunning District Landcare is proud of its Paddock Tree Project and is incredibly grateful to the Biala Wind Farm Community Grant for making it possible in 2023.
"It is very rewarding to see the wind farm's community contribution invested in something as important as planting native trees," Derek Powell from Biala Wind Farm said.
"Applications for the next Biala Wind Farm Community Fund round will open on 28th of August and I encourage community groups to start thinking about similarly worthwhile projects they can put forward."
More than $90,000 is available from the Biala Wind Farm Community Fund each year. For more information about eligibility and how to apply visit https://bialawindfarm.com/community/community-fund/ .
