Understanding and Communicating the Story of Tona Wetlands

Completed by National Centre for Sustainability (Sunraysia Institute of TAFE) for the

NSW Murray Wetlands Working Group

 

 

1.  INTRODUCTION

The National Centre for Sustainability is a project development and management group of the Sunraysia Institute of TAFE. Since its conception (2003) it has developed a strong partnership with Russell Elliot and Tona Station. Its key focus is encouraging and supporting change for sustainability through research, education and demonstration.

Russell has directed Tona Station towards the pursuit of sustainable landscape management and has completely destocked the property. This partnership offers much for both parties. For Tona Station it brings a progressive partner that has access to much knowledge and resources, and makes these resources available for the development of both Russell and Tona. For SIOT Tona Station offer a natural classroom for Conservation and Land Management students to participate in the development and implementation of real works, supporting their development along with teachers and other partners. The property also provides a living laboratory for research, and will evolve into an important model and demonstration property into the future.

The Murray Wetland Working Group funding initiative was a timely and generous event that has allowed the NCS team and students a “real” project to develop and manage. Importantly it makes significant contribution to better understand wetlands in the region, to build this knowledge base for Tona station and its future, and has produced educational materials that will assist in raising community understanding and awareness of these precious resources.

This report is based on a basic overview of the project outcomes. It aims to minimise duplication of information contained in the associated booklet “Understanding and Communicating the Story of Tona Wetlands”.

This booklet should be referred to in order to better understand the work put into this project and the outcomes achieved.  

2.  AIMS OF THE PROJECT

• to better understand and manage wetlands of Tona station for ecological reparation
• to utilise this comprehensive understanding of the actions, functions and elements of Tona station wetlands to further community understanding and education

 

 

 

3. PROPOSED PROJECT OUTCOMES

1. Complete a physical, biophysical and cultural audit of the wetlands
2. Design a discovery plan to lead monitoring, surveying and assessment phases
3. Develop a threat management plan
4. Implement threat management works
5. Develop a research and trialling program
6. Integrate planning and works to produce informative understanding and management booklet/guidelines

4.  ACHIEVED PROJECT OUTCOMES

4.1 Outcomes 1 & 2 - Complete Audit/Design Monitoring and Assessment Tools

An audit has been carried out over the wetland zones of Tona Station. The audit included:

Cultural Survey

• The identification of Cultural sites through ground searches, local knowledge, and predictive modelling and ground truthing.
• Key sites (burial) have been registered through NSWNP&WS and protection fenced. Tona station is destocked but pig invasion and disturbance to burial site lunettes is of concern and exclusion fencing has been established
• Local Barkindji people have been involved in the search and information program
• This process is ongoing with new sites discovered being entered on a property register.

Aquatic survey

• A survey of water salinity along the anabranch traversing the property
• Information search implemented
• An aquatic survey of the life forms present in the anabranch
•  Year 1 results taken and documented. Long term database established

Vegetation Survey

• Mapping of key floodplain vegetation communities
• Establishment of floodplain/wetland survey sites to assess floristic changes under destocking and changed wetlands function (lack of flooding, water mounding, etc)
• Year 1 results taken and documented. Long term database established

Wildlife survey

• General study of target area undertaken
• Information searches implemented
• Wildlife audit guidelines developed
• Year 1 results taken and documented. Long term database established

The above audit programs and survey were developed and implemented with the involvement of NCS staff, CLM Diploma students and Russell Elliot. These auditing programs are now built into the annual TAFE and student activities, both in the execution of annual surveys (autumn and spring) but also the management and interrogation of audit data. It is intended that this database will remain at TAFE and remain active, forming a component of the Tona annual report.

4.2 Outcome 3 - Develop a Threat Management/Abatement Plan

• Threat Management Plan developed (see attached document)
• Monitoring systems in place and works undertaken

 

 

4.3 Outcome 4 - Implement Threat Management Works

The establishment of the Threat Abatement Plan has ensured that short term and long term assessment of threats is in place. The plan contains a suite of monitoring systems which are in place across the Tona landscape. These systems provide much of this short and long term assessment of the threat status and the effects of the threat. The plan also contains key action responses to the level of threat measured. By the nature of the threat much of the threat interception and abatement works are not undertaken on the floodplain, rather on the surrounding landscapes. Examples include the control and/or management of sedimentation onto the wetlands (eroding from surrounding dunes and ridges) and the control of rabbits (warren habitats on higher sandy ground adjoining the floodplain).

Works carried out to date in response to threat abatement include:

• Rabbit control (poisoning, ripping)
• Pig control (trapping, shooting)
• Fox control (shooting)
• Building of erosion barriers in lower erosion gullies
• Restructure of scalded erosion pans (discing and seeding, and brush silt trapping)
• Revegetation of degraded dunefields (direct seeding, planting)

Rabbit control has been undertaken according to the Threat Management Plan with improved results through strategic targeting, notably increasing control levels in areas of revegetation.

Pig control has been more opportunistic (migrating in from neighbouring properties) but recording sitings and control actions will build a profile for more targeted works into the future.

Fox control has also been opportunistic with dedicated spotlight nights to find and destroy foxes moving onto the property.

These works have been successfully undertaken.

The erosion control programs are at a small scale initially as we assess the best erosion control methods for Tona (gully barriers, discing/seeding, and brush silt traps). The project required planting of 2,500 tree/shrubs and the direct seeding of 10 kgs of native seed into erosion prone areas. Native pant seed was collected from Tona and surrounding areas over late 2004 and early 2005. Some 5,500 native plants were successfully grown at the TAFE nursery. These were planted in spring 2005 across the highly erodable Belvedere dunefields where most of the floodplain siltation originates from. Also 25 kgs of native seed (10 kgs collected, 15 kgs purchased) was sown over the hill, and broadcast over erosion control sites (barrier works) throughout winter to support stabilisation. Initial assessments show that seeding and planting outcomes have been effective but losses were experienced by prolonged dry periods on these degraded soils, as well as some heavy seed germinant loss with the regional outbreak of Heliothis grubs. Planting and seeding by TAFE diploma students will continue until stabilisation and habitat restructure is achieved. This ongoing process has immense educational opportunity and value for TAFE and students.    

4.4 Outcome 5 - Develop a Research and Trialling Program

At commencement of project

A key research and trail program was developed at the commencement of the project. The key focus of the initial research included:

Property ecological recovery audit - measure and value

The establishment of a property wide audit program (with additional resource support) to capture the range of ecological recovery outcomes from longer term destocked rangelands. Identifying these recovery assets, and their value to the catchment and community, would add weight to the development and establishment of long term financially based “stewardships” to protect important wetlands and rangelands affected by agricultural and other influences, at the same time offering rangeland managers a sustainable income and enterprise to their historic farm programs. 

 

Performance of the Threat Management Plan

This plan would be assessed in conjunction with the ecological recovery audit in order to develop a complimentary threat management system that would maximise the level of stewardship outcomes. Stewardships need to be long term (20 years+), financially valued to engage farmers and support land use change, and be more than a fencing off project – an actively managed landscape recovery that will yield high level catchment services.

Development of best practice methods

This process is underway with a number of trails in place including:

• Improved seed collection methods – notably harvesting of saltbush species
• Improved seed germination through seed research and seed treatments (undertaken at TAFE)
• Trailing differing direct seeding timings and sowing programs (revegetation programs)
• Rehabilitation of scalds
• Design and effectiveness of gully erosion traps

These best practice investigations are aimed at improving the effectiveness of the Threat Abatement Plan, and general land and water protection/rehabilitation actions on rangeland landscapes.

Introduction to Barkindji Biosphere program

The initial research and trialling program has been significantly enhanced with the involvement of the Barkindji Biosphere program and RIRDC (Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation). Additional research and trail studies planned for Tona station include:

• Establishment of bush tucker trials and value adding including on farm milling of native seeds
• Captive and rangeland native animal breeding (food and recolonisation outcomes)

The above research directions are ambitious and needy. We are far from a point of sustainable land and water use. Tona Station with its initial support from MWWG will make a significant contribution to this future goal. Improving the level of understanding of the opportunities and the health requirements of floodplains and wetlands will support these directions.

4.5 Outcome 6 - Integrate the Outcomes of Project to Produce an Education Tool

We are extremely pleased and proud of the educational document being produced from this wetlands project journey. A great number of people (property owners, government agencies and individuals, teachers, students, and volunteers) were involved in this project. The booklet attached to this report represents the culmination of the planning, the investigations, the discussions, and the works undertaken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  COMMUNICATING THE STORY

5.1 Dissemination of educational booklet

As per contract agreement 100 copies will be produced for use by MWWG.

An additional number of copies will be produced for dissemination through Tona Station. Russell Elliot will disseminate copies through the Lower Anabranch Landcare Group and dissemination through the Anabranch Elders Group which meets on Tona Station to advise on Indigenous matters.

Copies will be included in the TAFE Library and all NCS and TAFE project partners will be provided with a copy.

Copies will also be distributed to local primary and secondary schools with an offer of class presentations to support adoption of information and to link Tona Station to the possibilities of student visits.

5.2 Continuation of wetlands auditing

The auditing program is built into the annual study program for Diploma level Conservation and Land Management students. This information, coupled with a range of annual data gathering exercises, research project and trials will inform the annual Tona 2005 Annual Report.

5.3 Tona 2005 Annual Report

The NCS is currently working with Russell Elliot to develop the Tona 2005 Annual Report. This report will focus largely on the wetland project. This report will also be distributed to all partners and associates.

6. Other Information

Flooding trials

One of the identified activities in the project was the undertaking of small flooding trail/s to provide insight into land and wildlife response. This artificial process had many limitations but SIOT were keen to undertake the small research application. SIOT, working closely with Russell Elliot responded to a number of initial offers made by representatives of the LMDCMA. These were:

• Support for undertaking a larger flooding project, namely the flooding of a small billabong at the southern end of the property, and
• Approval to use Tona water allocation to undertake the trial

 

Based on this support SIOT invested a great deal of time and money in preparing for this event. A number of activities were initially undertaken including:

• The installation of 3 piezometers to assess groundwater responses
• A grid assessment of the billabong elevation to develop 3D imagery and tracking of the filling and drying processes
• UM35 mapping of the site to better understand soil profile salinity and water levels, and
• Comprehensive auditing of the environmental assets on site

As you are aware the original support processes were not realised and the flooding trial abandoned on advice from DPINR.

To this end we are extremely disappointed with the outcomes and the retracted offers and support.

However, the investment we have made will not be lost. The site has been earmarked for study should a flooding event happen in the near future. The information gathered from this investigation and preparation process will be of service for student studies and activities.

PROJECT EXPENDITURE REPORT (05/06)

Item	Expenditure	Comments
Project Management - Management - Cadetship	10,000 6,000	While the project was conventionally managed by experienced personnel, paid roles were given to talented Diploma graduates (2) to further their project management skilling. Both of these people have now been placed in NRM jobs in the region.
Salaries -  Consultants - Labour support	4,000 2,500	Consultants were used in the leadup phase to billabong flooding. Three sub contracts were let. They included cultural site and indigenous land management advice (Brian Hunt Jnr and Snr), Landscape profiling (GPS, 3D image for flooding monitoring), and EM imaging of billabong zone to provide flooding advice to MWWG/DIPNR (soil profile/salinity), Labour support funding was used to pay for installation of rip lines across the Belvedere dune (22 Kms of riplines) and hire costs for direct seeder/water cart etc
Consumables -  Plants/seed -  Survey supplies -  Booklet development	6,500 4,500 5,500	5,500 plants were grown at TAFE. Expenditure was incurred in the hire of glasshouse and greenhouse facilities, soil. Fertilizers and purchase of hyco cell trays. These will now support ongoing plant development and floodplain protection works on Tona and other landscapes that TAFE will develop under property learning partnerships. Additional seed was purchased from a collector in the area to support extended planting program. Additional survey supplies were required and included fyke nets, a range of smaller aquatic nets, pitfall trap supplies, and water and soil quality testing equipment. The booklet costs were greater that expected but the resultant product has exceeded expectations and will be a valuable regional resource.
Operating/travel - Operating/Travel support	12,000	Operating and travel costs were incurred in the form of vehicle costs and bus hire fees, hire of trailers and purchase of  camp supplies to allow overnight monitoring (camp cooker, gas light, small UHF walki talkies for night safety and group communication),
Infrastructure -  Piezometers -  Monitoring sites	2,500 1,000	Piezometers (3) fitted by DIPNR in preparation for flooding analysis. Monitoring site expenditure included purchase of posts, paints, tapes, measure tapes, installation of pit holes, auger holes and soil pits.
TOTAL	54,500	59,950 (inc GST)

Assessment of matching funds

Labour support	Provided by TAFE staff and students, landholder and volunteer time (5 volunteers for 10 days) All costed @$100/day	$75,000
Equipment support	Provision of TAFE equipment (computers, communications, general nursery tools and outdoors safety equipment/supplies	$5,000
		$80,000