A well placed fence can do wonders

Posted on 6 June, 2014 by Connecting Country

the ‘fence affect’ on jan’s grassy plot is pretty evident here!

It’s not quite on the scale of Mount Rothwell, but Jan Hall’s property at McKenzies Hill is making a difference at a local biodiversity level by ‘fencing in’ a raft of plants to protect them from the heavy grazing of rabbits, wallabies, kangaroos and sheep. Exclusion Fencing was the topic for our latest Workshop Session on Sunday June 1 2014 and Jan’s property, which has a number of types and sizes of exclusion plots, was a perfect setting for the session.

Peter Morison (ex DEPI and Land for Wildlife) shared his considerable expertise and experience, outlining the role of exclusion fences in conservation projects and the practicalities of building and maintaining them, including monitoring the results.

And if you want to completely ‘fence in’ or at least protect your block from future land use changes or development, then a Covenant could also be the way to go. Parts of Jan’s property are covered by a Conservation Covenant through Trust For Nature which means these areas will be protected and conserved for perpetuity under a legally binding agreement. This gives Jan confidence that all her work in excluding pest plants and animals and bringing back biodiversity won’t be in vain.

damp but undeterred; peter outlines fencing

To read more about the session, access resources on the topic and see photos from the (slightly damp) day, visit this page. You’ll also find workshop participant Kerrie Jennings’s views on the day.

For more info on the 2014 Workshop Program, email janet@connectingcountry.org.au.