The issue

Ken Ikin's 600 hectare "Cloverlee" property in Bannister (near Goulburn) has patches of valuable remnant vegetation - including Yellowbox and Redgum - which have been impacted by stock over years. This has reduced the bushland's potential for natural regeneration and has damaged existing vegetation.

The bushland on the property was also found in isolated patches with little connectivity or opportunity to act as a wildlife corridor.

The strategy

The project aimed to develop a management plan with the landholder that made the property more productive and provided benefits to local biodiversity. The project fenced off 1.5 hectares of Western Tableland Dry Forest and 1 hectare of Frost Hollow Grassy Woodland from grazing cattle. While a further 2.2 hectares of previously cleared land was revegetated to improve biodiveristy and connect patches of remnant bushland.

The Hawkesbury-Nepean CMA provided $10,590 for the work and the landholder constructed the fences, planted trees and controlled weeds as his in-kind contribution. Local native plants were sourced by a nearby landcare group from seed they had collected locally.

HNCMA perspective

John Reynolds, HNCMA Catchment Coordinator, believes this is a great showcase project in the local Bannister area. "Ken is a great ambassador for this kind of work, because he can see the benefits to not only the environment, but to the production value of his land," says John.

Landholder perspective

Landholder Ken Ikin intends to fence off more of the creek and extend the native corridors. Ken says as a young farmer he was not too interested in environmental issues, but now he sees the benefits of looking after his property and "putting something back". "The motivation is not financial, but rather a desire to the preserve the flora and fauna on his land."  "It is so much nicer to look at now, and I know that more and more animals and birds will come to the property, which is a good thing for the future," says Ken.

The results

The project:

• Constructed 2090 metres of fencing
• Revegetated 2.2 hectares of previously cleared land to create wildlife corridors
• Planted 1030 tubestock
• Controlled weeds in 2.5 hectares of remnant bushland