Forgot your password?
New user?
History and Priorities
Background to the history of the group and the priorities of the region.
The Lismore Land Protection Group (LLPG)
|
The area around Lismore has many natural depressions, wetlands, lakes and waterway systems. The most notable of these being the RAMSAR lakes, Lake Corangamite, Lake Gnarpurt, Lake Milangil, Lake Terangpom and Lake Colangulac. Other important features on the landscape are Lake Round, Lake Tooliorook, Deep Lake and Mt Elephant. The many waterway systems within the Lismore area directly feed these lakes of international significance and therefore the quality of these systems need to be maintained and in many cases improved. The area is also part of the Victorian Volcanic Plains and has some of the most threatened Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) with <1% of its original grasslands remaining. The area has been listed by the Federal Government as one of the 15 Biodiversity Hotspots in a recent paper. There are numerous threatened species including the Corangamite Water Skink, the Growling Grass Frog, Brolgas and the Spiny Peppercress to name a few. The Lismore district is also a major agricultural area producing fine wool, sheep, beef, and more recently it has become a significant cropping area. With this change in land use we are seeing an increase in the area of land affected by secondary salinity and problems in our waterways like algal blooms as a result of nutrient runoff. Erosion is also a problem in a number of the tributaries, with a deepening and widening of the channels, resulting in an increased load of sediments entering and affecting the lake systems. Last Years Outputs The LLPG was formed in the early 1990s to service a growing need in the region for Landcare related activities and was originally established to service the needs of the farming community to help establish tree plantations as wind breaks for stock. Since inception the organisation and its participants have come a long way and through grant support the group now tackles a vast array of projects over a 132,000 hectares area to
In 2002 - 2003 the LLPG members undertook major environmental projects totalling over $600,000 of which $300,000 was from government grants. The grants included the employment of a full time project coordinator and resulted in the following outputs. There were 30 ha riparian zone revegetated, 10 ha salinity recharge revegetated, 18 hectares salinity discharge revegetated, 10 ha remnants protected, 50 kilometres of fencing along waterways (both sides) and 25 km of waterway fenced off from stock. All up 140,000 trees and 40,000 native grasses were planted in these areas. Current Outputs This year the group is projected to achieve 15 km of waterways fenced, 85 ha revegetated or fenced off for improved management, 5 hectares of threatened species habitat or remnant vegetation protected and managed, and 30 hectares of saline area revegetated with deep rooted perennial pastures and break of slope Landcare plantings. All up over 100,000 trees and 20,000 grasses will be planted. Partners & sponsers The LLPG has many partners and sponsers. The main partners are the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, The Corangamite Shire, the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Depatment of Primary Industries, Conservation Volunteers and Green Corps. LLPG also works with other groups namely Mt Elephant Committee, the Cundair Duverney Landcare Group, the Lesley Manor Landcare Group, Trust for Nature, International Student Volunteers and more. The main Funding bodies for which we are most greatfull are
|
