Bob Shepherd, DAF, during his presentation at the Eungella Field Day.

Cluster Group tends to damaged rainforest

RAINFOREST at Eungella is still recovering from the impacts of the 2018 fires that roared through the region, and a dedicated group of landholders is taking proactive action to help the landscape recover.

More than 30 people attended Eungella Rainforest Cluster Group’s first field day, held in December, to discuss issues around bushfire recovery and restoration, including burnt forest management, erosion control and weed identification.

The field day was held specifically for bushfire affected landholders in the Eungella area.

It was conducted in three parts – an afternoon session that visited two sites, an evening session at the Broken River Mountain Resort conference room, followed by a dinner.

The purpose of the day was to: 

• Provide bushfire affected landholders with on-ground support and advice on how to manage their land using best practice during the restoration process.
• Provide and upskill the wider Eungella community with knowledge, resources and skills to sustainably manage their local environment.

The field day was well attended with 19 landholders from 15 properties, one of them a presenter on the day.

Project partners were represented by 11 people there on behalf of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, DNRM&E, DAF, Pioneer Catchment and Landcare Group, Queensland Disaster Recovery project, and NQ Dry Tropics.

Participants took part in a guided walk at the Sky Window with Pioneer Landcare’s Peter Alden who talked about the impacts of the 2018 fires in that area and the natural regeneration that has occurred since.

He also talked about weed and native plant identification.

A walk at Clarke Range Road provided landholders with an opportunity to discuss how best to manage burnt vegetation in gullies.

DNRM&E officers attended and advised landholders about what they could do regarding clearing under the Vegetation Management Act. 

DAF’s principal extension officer Bob Shepherd provided advice on soil and erosion management.

The evening part of the workshop included presentations from LDC project manager Lisa Hutchinson, on the LDC project and progress to date, Kerri Barden from DNRM&E on the Vegetation Management Act, and Bob Shepherd on soil and erosion management.

Bob Shepherd, DAF, talks about weed control  in the rainforest.