Current Projects

The Victoria Plains Landcare Management Committee employs a landcare coordinator in conjunction with the Moore Catchment Council to manage the projects and carry out project roles.

• Building Sustainable & Profitable Resource Management - CLC Project

  In February 2000 the LCDCs and the Shire submitted to the Natural Heritage Trust a Landcare Coordinator Project for a further 2 years. The project involves demonstrations and trials across the Shire and has funding of $178,900.

  Trials and demonstrations include perennial pastures, river restorations, native grasses, use of smoked water, direct seeding, weed management, farm forestry, rush and sedge trials and saline zone production trials.

  The project aims to support group development, provide information on sustainable practices, monitor the condition of the local environment and promote the area as suitable for investment and research.

• Perennial Profit Project

  The $197,000 project 'Promotion of Sustainable Change' provided incentive funding to encourage the planting of perennials across the Shire of Victoria Plains and Liebe group. The State Salinity Council funded project- also termed the Perennial Profit Project - has seen some 2,000ha of lucerne planted across these two regions, with a further 214ha of subtropical perennial grasses and 240ha of summer crops. A survey prior to the commencement of the project established that the cost of establishment was the greatest barrier to adoption of summer crops and perennials. The project is managed by a joint Committee with Liebe Group and Shire of Victoria Plains representatives plus Department of Agriculture and State Salinity Council representatives.

  Incentives that provided funds for 30% of the establishment costs were available for lucerne, summer crops, subtropical perennial pastures, non-woody and other woody perennials. In Victoria Plains 40 farmers have adopted perennials as a result of the project and in the Liebe area 26 farmers have incorporated perennials into their system. The principal reason for farmers planting perennials is to lower the water table. CSIRO bores monitored on Ian Wright's farm, Glentromie at New Norcia indicate that lucerne uses 223mm of water in 12 months compared to 116mm for a canola crop.

• Saltland Rehabilitation Project

  This NACC project, 'Reconstructing stable saline ecosystems' is also managed by the Shire of Victoria Plains.

  The $120,000 State Salinity Council project sets out to mimic natural saltland ecosystems and involves four sites at Piawaning, Three Springs, Buntine and Tardun. These demonstration sites encompass biodiversity and production values associated with recovering and productively using salt-affected land.

  On all of the sites, 20m wide corridors of indigenous trees and understory species were planted during August 2001 to provide habitat for wildlife as well as drawing water tables down.

  On three of the demonstration sites, 60m wide bays of pasture that is tolerant of waterlogging and salt will be established in 2002. Water tables are being monitored regularly, with future monitoring to address productivity issues such as emerging trees and pasture plants and eventually the carrying capacity of stock. Fauna surveys will indicate the birds using the biodiversity corridors.

  Raised beds

  A fourth site at Buntine is looking at the effectiveness of Raised Beds in recovering salt affected land for cropping. Three raised beds, 75m wide were cropped to Calingiri wheat in 2001 and compared to conventional cropping controls. The potential of Raised Beds could not be gauged in 2001 owing to the dry season. Lack of rainfall hampered establishment of the Calingiri wheat and meant salts were not leached from the Raised Bed, suggesting a minimum rainfall is necessary to flush salts from the root zone. Soil salinity, as well as ground water levels and quality continues across the four sites.

  • www.avonicm.org.au/

• Rural Towns Program

  Currently awaiting approval from the Commissioner of Soil and Land Conservation is the construction of an integrated drainage system in or near the Piawaning Townsite to increase the efficiency of water flow in the catchment.

  The first surface drain starts in the CALM Nature Reserve with a T-drain, which will then proceed under the Toodyay Bindi Bindi Road through a new culvert system, behind the CBH complex, then back under the Toodyay Bindi Bindi Road through a new culvert and down into the existing waterway south of the town.

  The second surface drain will start just above the Waddington Road also in the CALM Reserve and under the road then through in a south-westerly direction to the existing waterway.

• Seed Bank & Orchard

  Located at Wyening is the project to produce our own native seed from a seed orchard. In partnership with this the seed bank for native species will provide for deposits and withdrawals of native seed to be used in revegetation projects.

  Each LCDC and Catchment Group also has projects they continue to work on.