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The
LINCS Project
Planting
for recreation and conservation benefit
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Contents
This
case study is available as a PDF file. You will
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A community
project called the Linear Network of Communal Spaces (LINCS) Project has
supported community groups to manage and conserve patches, or “remnants”,
of vegetation and reserves around the Ballarat Region. Remnant vegetation
around waterways, such as rivers and creeks, are particularly vulnerable
to neglect. These remnants generally have recreation and conservation
value, so are important both socially and environmentally. Through tree-planting
and rehabilitation programs waterways around the Ballarat Region, such
as the once degraded Yarrowee River System, have undergone a transformation
over the last twenty years, partly assisted by the co-ordination of LINCS.
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“The
LINCS vision is one of green spokes radiating out from the urban
hub of Ballarat: a network of linear parks along our waterways,
roadsides and former rail lines to provide recreational opportunities
and important corridors for wildlife and to link public reserves
and open space” (LINCS Strategy, 1995)
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In the beginning…
Would you
like this over your back fence?
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Why
did the Yarrowee River get so degraded? Ballarat began as a mining
town, which meant that much of the landscape of Ballarat was stripped
of vegetation and dug up. If you can imagine a big mud pile with hundreds
of tents, cottages and crude roads winding this way and that –
that would be much of Ballarat in the 1800’s. Over time, Ballarat
grew into what we know today. But patches of remnant vegetation along
the Yarrowee became dumping grounds for smelly household, garden and
industry waste, and unfriendly weeds became the dominant type of vegetation
– not something you would like to gaze upon from your lounge
room window! This is what it looked like in the 1950’s: |
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The “Band
and Albion Mine” was located on the Yarrowee River.
This picture was taken in the late 1800’s. What effect
did this “alluvial” mining have on the vegetation
along the river, back then and today?
(Photo courtesy Gold Museum Ballarat)
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And
then…
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529 KB
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The Yarrowee
River during a 1950's winter a sea of snow covered blackberries.
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It was World
Environment Day, 1982. A handful of people gathered around a small section
of the Yarrowee River facing the thick impenetrable tower of weeds strangling
the native vegetation. They stood together with spade and plant in hand,
ready to renew this patch of “remnant” vegetation. For ten
years, this “Friends of the Yarrowee” community group, with
assistance from volunteers through unemployment schemes and the “Australian
Trust for Conservation Volunteers” restored sections of the river
making it a passable and attractive walk.
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Yarrowee Flora
Reserve and walking track
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In 1991 the
Ballarat City Council developed the Ballarat Region Conservation Strategy.
The strategy responded to the community’s efforts to maintain and
bring into the picture Ballarat’s natural heritage, spinning into
motion the LINCS Program.
LINCS
began with the community, works with the community and
for the community.
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The formation of
the LINCS Project
The Ballarat
City Council funded a LINCS coordinator, Tim D’Ombrain, to work
for two days a week. Tim was responsible for seed collection, plant propagation,
planting ground cover, shrubs, trees and aquatic species, and working
with community groups to maintain sites along the Yarrowee River and its
tributaries. A major part of this coordination was running planting programs
that involved schools in the revegetation of the Yarrowee River System.
Mt Clear Primary School became involved, although they had already been
working on one section of the river system, Canadian Creek, through a
Canadian Creek Revegetation Project.
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Canadian
Revegetation Project initiated by Mt Clear Primary School,
and involving the Mt Clear Secondary College
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The
LINCS Strategy (constructed in 1995) documents the goals and intended
actions of the LINCS project, and includes a “Masterplan”
for the river system to ensure a coordinated approach to rehabilitation.
In 2000 the LINCS program continued as the LINCS Expansion Project
funded as a partnership with the Corangamite Catchment Management
Authority, staffed by Council work crews, and supported by Central
Highlands Water and the Department of Natural Resources. The four
person “LINCS Catchment Crew” led by Kurtis Noyce made
up the management of the LINCS Expansion Project.
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LINCS
Catchment Crew (Photo coutesy Kurtis Noyce)
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Would
the LINCS project have been as successful without the combined
knowledge, strength and resources of the community and such
organisations?
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The
crew worked in conjunction with a number of groups to rehabilitate
the Yarrowee River and tributaries:
- Ballarat
community groups, such as Landcare groups, "Friends of"
groups, schools;
- City
of Ballarat Lakes and Waterways Crews;
- Parks
and Environment staff; and
- Central
Highlands Water Education and Environment Team.
In
2002 the four person team was reduced to two due to limited funding.
However, their important work continues into 2003.
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The
shield with the LINCS symbol protects the plant in a
number of ways; perhaps the most important way is by
announcing to the community that something precious
is inside.
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The initial
goal of LINCS was to ensure that the works of different community groups
were planned and documented. Why is it so important to ensure a coordinated
approach to such rehabilitation attempts?
Imagine this,
a few families, like those standing at the Yarrowee River on World Environment
Day in 1982, have tidied up one section of the river. Another group further
up the river system completes some works.
Another authority
or member of an organisation decides to do further works that actually
demolishes the work already completed as this other organisation has a
different purpose for those sites.
Yarrowee North 2001
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We want…
THIS
to
grow to…
THIS
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Yarrowee North 2003
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To ensure
that the community’s efforts are not wasted, the LINCS project set
up a “Yarrowee River Master-Plan”
as part of the Yarrowee River Plan in 1995 LINCS Strategy. This involved
an “Adopt-A-Site Program”. Sections of the river system act
as sub-catchments that different community groups can adopt. The Master-plan
outlines priority actions for different sections of the river system,
such as access paths, weed control, revegetation, erosion control, signs
and facilities, and pest animal control. The Master-plan was constructed
in consultation with members of the local community and staff from various
Local and State Government authorities. This way, the various stakeholders
responsible for managing the river system and interested community members
were able to work together to ensure a coordinated approach.
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1,964KB
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Double
click to view the Yarrowee Flora Reserve section of the Masterplan
(From Ballarat Environment Library CD ROM, 2001)
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LINCS
provides a well-planned approach so that community groups work within
a coordinated program. They also provide:
- the
plants and materials;
- knowledge
of how to do it right; and
- support
through “events” to make sure the community’s
contribution counts.
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| In
2003, 150,000 aquatics have been planted in 2 wetlands: the North
Gardens Wetlands and the Yarrowee/Redan Wetlands. |
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LINCS continues
to work actively with the community through many “events.”
From 1992 to 2000, thirty to forty thousands plants were planted every
year during 40-50 events. These events include:
1. Green
Schools Program
2. Adopt-a-site Program
3. Community Nursery on Ring Road
4. Support for Landcare Groups
5. Data Collection
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1. Green
Schools Program
School children are involved in a number of activities,
including planting trees and other plants and monitoring water quality.
But most importantly, these activities are presented in a way that
helps the children understand why such activities are valuable.
Two LINCS facilitators and a Waterwatch officer from the Central
Highlands Water are generally involved; people from the Regional
Waste Management Group and Creswick Landcare Centre have also been
involved.
In
2003, 1,200 school children have been involved from 50 schools.
A group generally comprises of about 50 students who, over a two
hour session, split into groups and rotate around three facilitators
who run separate activities that focus on: biodiversity, macro-invertebrates
and tree planting. The aim is to achieve maximum benefit through
targeted and practical education.
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2. Adopt-a-site
program
Sub-catchments along the Yarrowee Master Plan can
be "adopted" by interested groups, who can then be active
participants in the rehabilitation of their site. One example of
this is a section of the Specimenvale Creek that has been adopted
by the "People for Pryor Park", located on Eureka Street.
This is Crown land once covered in Pine trees. The group meets about
three or four times a year, and over the last 15 years they have
worked to revegetate the streamside, eradicate weeds, and erect
noticeboards.
Other
organisations have become involved in the adopted sites, for instance,
the Australian Koala Foundation
(AKF) has jointly adopted the Warrenheip Gully with interested residents.
AKF supply additional knowledge and materials to support the residents
in maintaining an appropriate habitat for koalas.
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Chair
erected by the “People for Pryor Park”
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3. Community
Nursery on Ring Road
The Community Nursery supplies the plants for LINCS.
To make running of the Nursery sustainable and to involve the community
further, members of a community group called the “Wendouree
West Renewal Project,” supplies time and effort to assist
in propagation of plants in exchange for plants to support their
Renewal Project. This monthly event involves 3 or 4 people and is
also important for demonstrating proper propagation and planting
techniques for those involved.
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4. Support
for Landcare Groups
Support for Landcare Groups is one of the major roles
of the LINCS Project. LINCS has had a strong relationship with the
Leigh Catchment Landcare Group from the beginning, supporting planting
programs by supplying plants and demonstrating rehabilitation techniques
(such as planting techniques, weed eradication). LINCS facilitators
also provide information to Landcare Groups about responsible landuse
and management practices to ensure that the big picture of catchment
management is considered.
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5. Data collection
It is important to collect data to be able to determine
whether what you are doing is making a difference. Obviously, the amenity
value of a site has improved if a path allows passage through
an attractive, low weed infested area, especially if that site was once
an impenetrable wall of noxious weeds. Photos serve as an important visual
data source.
Also important
is having some quantification of the effects of rehabilitation; this means
providing evidence that what the community is doing is having a positive
impact on the river system. The Soap Understanding Day Survey (SUDS) was
developed in consultation with Waterwatch
to collect data on a range of water quality parameters, including
phosphorus levels, salinity (EC) and turbidity. Landcare groups, University
of Ballarat, and students involved in the Green Schools Program play a
valuable role in data collection at 150 points along the Yarrowee River
system. Collection of this information is a major part of the Waterwatch
program.
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Conclusion
The LINCS
project has had a huge impact on the co-ordination of the community’s
efforts to improve the environment in the Ballarat region. It is about
working together towards a common goal, where both the environment and
the needs of the community can intersect for the betterment of both.
LINCS
“Linking people to community spaces to ensure a coordinated
approach to environmentally beneficial outcomes”
(Kurtis Noyce, Team Leader of the LINCS catchment
crew, August 2003)
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Useful
Resources and Contacts
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Acknowledgements
- Kurtis
Noyce, Leader of the LINCS catch crew, City of Ballarat
- Jenny
Burrell, past teacher of Mount Clear Primary School, Mount Clear
- Tim
D’Ombrain, visionary for environmental protection and education
in Ballarat
- Gold
Museum Ballarat, for information on mining history
Photos by
Linda Darby unless otherwise stated
Content
coordinated by Ben Quinney,
University of Ballarat. | CRISCOS Provider No 00103D| Disclaimers
| Guestbook
Date researched: September 2003 | Case study initially
prepared: January 2004
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