Big Scrub Landcare shows the way

Last week I was up in the Northern Rivers of NSW for the tenth Big Scrub Rainforest Day.

This community landcare event has become an institution - a full day of landcare talks, walks, activities and information. The organisers believe - and I agree - that this is probably the biggest community landcare education event in the country. Hundreds of people come out to Rocky Creek Dam in the hinterland behind Byron Bay to see the results of 25 years of rainforest regeneration on the site. They come from all over southeast Queensland, northern New South Wales and beyond to join the festivities and discover practical ways they can help the environment.

The day kicked off at 7am with bird watching walks through the peaceful remnant of rainforest at Rocky Creek Dam. This remnant has been protected and expanded by Rous Water over the past 25 years. Following a welcome to county by the Widjabal Elders, visitors could wander around the workshop tents to learn the latest techniques in weed control, seed collection, plant propagation and rainforest regeneration techniques. They could also learn about gardening with local native plants, growing cabinet timbers.

It's an iconic event because it shows very clearly how one community has worked together to protect something incredibly precious. The Big Scrub is the name of the rainforest that once covered the whole district. It was 75,000 hectares in size, and was the largest continuous expanse of lowland sub-tropical rainforest in Australia.

Cedar cutters took out the magnificent red cedars, the land was cleared for agriculture and development and now only 1% of the Big Scrub remains, in scattered remnants. The Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group has brought the owners of these remnants together to protect and expand this unique biodiversity. There are now 300 members, making it the largest landcare group in the region.

Matthew Reddy and I both were invited to address the gathering. Matt found there was great interest in Landcare CarbonSMART and the potential for people rehabilitating the Big Scrub Rainforest to get an income through selling the carbon rights in their plantings to raise money for more rehabilitation. I made the offer to Tony Parker, long time group president, that Landcare Australia will work with the group to sell the carbon rights from plantings and by doing so, raise funds for this important ongoing work.

Congratulations to Tony and the Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group team for an inspiring event. You can find out more about the group at http://www.bigscrubrainforest.org.au/aboutus.html