It’s raining smiles at the Learning Hub

You little ripper!

LOOK at the Mt Pleasant Learning Hub.

The rain came and the small-scale, low-cost interventions installed at the Hub did what they were designed to do…. hold water in the landscape.

The photograph (left) shows work just beginning on one of the earth weirs. Hover the mouse over it to see the end result, making everybody smile so broadly. The pictures were taken when construction began in September, then 10 days after rain in February.

These interventions, engineered by the Mulloon Institute, are expected to restore landscape function through increasing rainfall infiltration and improving water tables (landscape rehydration), while recognising that ground cover and productive pastures are key to maintaining land and gully condition.
Four log and rock weirs were constructed on site, as well as an earth weir and level sill bywash.

The works were carried out in September and October and took five and a half weeks to complete.

Build it and they will come…

SINCE 100mm of rain in February, and with water lying about, a profusion of life has appeared on site at the Mt Pleasant Learning Hub.

Sharp-eyed Nature photographer, Mt Pleasant grazier GARLONE MOULIN, enjoys taking beautiful photographs of the welcome newcomers.

Here is a small selection.

 

The aim of the landholder-driven Hub is to implement and ground-truth techniques that support the restoration of landscape function for efficient farming practices.

It is also a meeting place for landholders, scientists and industry to come together to learn about building healthy soil, the importance of microbial activity in the soil and grazing management practices to enhance those aspects of the environment.

For further information about the Learning Hub, read earlier Grit stories:

  1. Mt Pleasant demonstration site
  2. The Learning Hub