At the foot of the Great Dividing Range, landholders from across northern NSW gathered near Tenterfield for Mulloon Institute’s latest Landscape Rehydration Bootcamp in early November.
Funded by Northern Tablelands Local Land Services (NT LLS) and hosted by Granite Borders Landcare Committee, the three-day, hands-on workshop focused on restoring the natural movement, storage and cycling of water through agricultural landscapes.
Led by Erin Healy, Annabel Manning and Brooke Cunningham from Mulloon’s Landscape Planning team, the workshop blended theory, practical in-field training, learning activities and on-ground construction. Over the course of the week, participants learned how water, plants, soils and landforms interact and gained skills and knowledge in implementing management interventions and in-stream structures to regenerate landscapes and make a lasting difference on their properties.
Day One introduced the fundamentals of reading a landscape, understanding the water cycle, property mapping skills and analysing a catchment. Practical, hands-on activities and site visits at the host property in Sandy Flat helped participants gain an understanding of functional and dysfunctional landscapes and how to assess the health of a waterway on their property.
On Day Two, the focus shifted from acquiring to applying knowledge. Having learned how to assess a landscape on day one, participants were tasked with repairing issues using Mulloon Institute’s Landscape Rehydration Toolbox. After a detailed morning session learning the ins and outs of designing management interventions such as contour banks and in-stream structures, participants took part in the popular “Tough Mudder” challenge. Tasked with repairing erosion on miniature flow lines, groups built and trialled miniature interventions to test their understanding of design and implementation to slow water and restore landscape function. In the afternoon the group returned to the host property to learn how to survey a stream using a laser level and how to apply that data to in-stream structure design.
Day Three saw the group assist with an on-ground construction session to treat a significant gully erosion site at the host property. With a focus on ‘bringing it all together’, participants learned how to construct several different interventions including a brush contour, in-stream brush ramps, brush mattressing and a rock ramp. Alongside the build, participants learned specific skills for treating erosion on sodic soils and rebuilding soil function.
After three days of sharing knowledge, testing ideas and getting their hands dirty, participants left inspired to return home and apply their new skills to their own properties. Armed with practical skills, clearer property visions and a deeper understanding of how water moves through their land, they returned home ready to design and build healthy, functional landscapes that hold water, nurture biodiversity and support resilient landscapes… but first perhaps, a well-earned nap.
Special thanks to our wonderful property hosts Roberta, Sandra and Ian, the amazing Kathleen and Chey from Granite Borders Landcare and of course Andrew Walsh from NT LLS, who made this fantastic event possible.
Pictured right: Team Tenterfield: Erin, Roberta, Annabel, Brooke, Sandra, Ian and Andrew.
Click on photos to enlarge.
