Council awarded grant to protect vegetation

Image: Mount Barker District Council Environment and Natural Assets Team Leader Rhys Gogel with Macclesfield Bushcare Group members Sue Bradstreet and Anne Welsh at Day Paddock.

Native Vegetation Heritage Agreements are formal arrangements between landowners and the South Australian Government to permanently conserve, restore and protect areas of native vegetation important for wildlife, the environment and cultural heritage.

The six Council-owned reserves now protected by Heritage Agreements include:

• Day Paddock, Night Paddock and Stone Reserve in Macclesfield
• Yantaringa Reserve in Hahndorf
• Coppin’s Bush in Littlehampton
• Stringybark Reserve in Jupiter Creek

Council’s General Manager of Infrastructure and Environment Phil Burton said Heritage Agreements were sought for the six sites due to their size, quality of native vegetation and habitat value.

“The natural environment defines the character of the Adelaide Hills and these Heritage Agreements will help ensure the reserves are permanently safeguarded so animals and plants can thrive now and into the future,” Phil said.

“Under this agreement, 96 acres of Council-managed native vegetation across Mount Barker district will be protected – an area roughly the size of 25 AFL football ovals.

“A key environmental objective in Council’s Community Plan is to protect and restore native vegetation and wildlife habitats across Mount Barker district and we thank the Native Vegetation Council for providing us with critical funding to help achieve this.”

Council’s Environment and Natural Assets Team Leader Rhys Gogel said the funding will be used to develop and implement five-year management plans specific to each reserve.

“A key aspect of the Heritage Agreements is to make sure future activities are low impact, and carefully managed, to maintain the ecological integrity of these reserves so native vegetation can flourish long term,” Rhys said.

“We now have additional financial support to work with local conservation groups and fast-track the protection and restoration of these valuable local ecosystems.”

Council’s Heritage Agreement applications were unanimously supported by residents as well as the Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board and local environmental volunteer groups Bush For Life, Friends of Yantaringa Reserve and Macclesfield Bushcare Group.

Macclesfield Bushcare Group volunteers have been caring for remnant vegetation on Council reserves in the township for more than 35 years and Chairperson Sue Bradstreet said members were pleased the state government had granted protection for three local areas.

“These reserves support a wide variety of native plants, including rare species, and help provide habitat for animals but they’re also facing threats from weeds, human degradation, domestic and feral animals as well as a warming climate,” Sue said.

“This recognition will result in long-term protection and ensure there’s an ongoing long-term funding commitment for coordinated pest plant and pest animal control, ecological restoration and habitat rehabilitation.”

The Heritage Agreements are scheduled to be registered on the land titles of the six Council-owned reserves by March 2027.

This project has been assisted by the Native Vegetation Council through a Heritage Agreement Incentive Payment.