Lowland rainforest is listed as endangered and protected under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act and also the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Now, an epic five-year project to restore six dry rainforest remnants in the Chambigne area has just been successfully completed by the Clarence Environment Centre’s bush regeneration team, thanks to a $345,000 grant from the NSW Environmental Trust.
Five of the project’s remnants are located on Clarence Valley Council’s “Rockview” property, part of the regional water supply’s land acquisition for the Shannon Creek dam, with the sixth remnant located in the adjoining Chambigne Nature Reserve.
All six had been under serious threat from invasive weeds, predominantly Lantana, which needed to be painstakingly removed to reduce disturbance. However, with work still to begin, the entire area was reduced to ashes in the 2019 bushfires.
While most of the remnants suffered significant damage, the fire, combined with the severe drought conditions at the time, actually killed much of the Lantana on the periphery and surrounding areas.
This led to a rethink, and the launch of an ambitious plan to expand one small quarter hectare remnant, across steep slopes and gullies, to measure more than 20 hectares.
Most of that area had once been rainforest but was cleared for grazing early last century. However, over the last 50 years or more it had been largely neglected, allowing it to become invaded by a variety of weeds with Lantana forming an almost impenetrable barrier.
The bushfire changed all that, consuming not only the Lantana, but most of the regenerating rainforest. However, it opened up the area for the weed team which has been able to keep on top of the weeds and allow nature to take over.
The natural regeneration that occurred was amazing, starting with a dense cover of Acacia, now standing over 5 metres and providing shade for a wide range of emerging rainforest trees and shrubs.
The biggest challenge now is to keep fire out for a prolonged period and obtain ongoing funding to ensure the good work isn’t wasted.
- John Edwards
Published in the "Voices for the Earth" column in The Clarence Valley Independent , August 14, 2024.
