More than 40 people came together in mid-July to plant 5500-plus seedlings on a cattle farm in the Denmark area.
Farmer Marino Bocuzzi has been working with Shaun Ossinger, from the Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee, since mid-2019 to revitalise a stretch of perennial creek on his property that flows into the Denmark River. With unrestricted access to the creek, cattle had reduced the once free-flowing creek to a muddy mess with very little understorey vegetation (vegetation that sits closest to the ground).
As a part of Regional Estuaries Initiative’s Water in the Landscape strategy, Marino and Shaun constructed an alternative water point, stock crossing and fencing to exclude stock from the creek. With the cattle removed the team of enthusiastic local volunteers, ranging in age from two to 72, planted native seedlings across more than a hectare.
“Marino was concerned about increasing the risk of fire by planting out the creek so we selected natives with low oil content,” Shaun said.
“Farmers like Marino want to do the right thing by the environment and it’s fantastic to hear that he is already seeing the results of our hard work. He’s told me that the water is once again flowing crystal clear through the creek.”
Further funding for revegetation and fencing will be available into the future through Healthy Estuaries WA. Contact your local catchment group for more information.
