Beechmont District Landcare Association
Fire danger and rapid urban development compromise the very few remaining fragments of pre-pioneer ecosystems on the Beechmont Plateau, one of which was severely impacted by the 2019 fire.
Beechmont District Landcare Association has started working to protect Spiny Crays, frogs, rare fungi and ferns by restoring ecosystem structure, biodiversity and resilience, to the riparian corridor on the Beechmont Plateau after receiving $12,600 as part of The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery project supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.
Beechmont District Landcare Association, President Susan Cully said: ‘Following the 2019 fires, we recognised the need to protect natural native regrowth from declared weeds, restore ecosystem structure, biodiversity and resilience to the Back Creek corridor and re-instate shade/temperature-regulating-flora lost in the bushfire. This work will also create a buffer zone to protect adjacent fire-damaged Lamington NP by limiting the spread of invasive weeds.’
Remnant flora and fauna conserved by this project will function as a repository of species needed to rebuild environmentally impoverished areas into the future. The Back Creek corridor is a vital refuge for wildlife, as seen during recent bushfire and drought conditions. There are small, perennial waterholes that never dry up. Flora and fauna protected by this project would potentially radiate and re-colonise throughout the Back Creek corridor.
The project will be using contract and volunteer labour to undertake natural and assisted re-vegetation strategies – securing recovery of terrestrial habitat for ground-dwelling mammals and reptiles. The focus will be on the unrestored southern extent of the reserve where weeds are dominating and native vegetation is more severely impacted. https://landcare.beechmont.org.au/