Wetlands Australia National Wetlands Update 2012
Issue No. 20, February 2012
ISSN 1446-4843
Swamp tea-tree forest conservation supported by landholders
Powerlink Greenworks
Cassie, Lachlan and Anthony Buchanan. The Toogoolawah farmers have five to six acres of remnant endangered Swamp Tea-tree on their property which prompted them to sign up for the Powerlink GreenWorks Conservation of Endangered Swamp Tea-tree Forest Communities project (Marc Grimwade)
The endangered swamp tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) characterises one of Australia's most critically endangered forests. Confined to South East Queensland, only eight per cent of the original vegetation remains today.
Powerlink GreenWorks is a Queensland environmental partnership initiative between landholders, community organisations and local, state and Commonwealth government. Through the regional natural resource management organisation, SEQ Catchments, it has initiated a special project to improve the condition and extent of endangered Swamp Tea-tree through fire, weed and land use management on private and public land. The project has involved the first-ever fine-scale mapping (1:25,000) of the vegetation community by the Queensland Herbarium as well as property management planning, one-on-one advice and financial assistance which has helped landholders to identify threats and better manage their swamp tea-tree forests.
Toogoolawah cattle and lucerne farmers Anthony and Cassie Buchanan are among the local landholders to sign up to the project. They understand the significance of the swamp tea-trees on their 44 hectare property. In the process of taking conservation measures, they were rewarded with other benefits, including more shade for cattle, wind buffer zones, fire hazard mitigation and improved property aesthetics.
For further information visit:
- Powerlink Greenworks Projects – Conservation of endangered swamp tea-tree, or
- SEQ Catchments – Swamp Tea-Tree Forest project overview
