FIRE plus Direct Seeding

This experimental site , at Lurg , was designed by Ray Thomas. 2009.

Ray observed how an accidental bushfire rejuvenated parts of this property , improving the quality of the understorey and ground cover ( see top pics).

Some of the remaining remnant bush was burnt in autumn by the local CFA to simulate regeneration. We followed up in spring by seeding along the contour lines .

A mix of small shrubs and ground covers was sown .

The seed was collected by members of the Regent Honeyeater project. It was scarified with sandpaper rather than getting the boiling water treatment.

Like all Rays projects ,this site posed unique challenges. Ripping out burnt remnant daphne heath bushes with the seeding machine was a worry. The soil was very shallow and rocky. It was raining heavily while we were working.

Winton Raceway

11/11/2010 - After 11am on Remembrance Day.
The second part of our day with Ray and the Regent Honeyeater Project.

We had a little bit of seed left over from the previous site and Ray had an idea for where to plant it . The back of the Winton Raceway. We were adding understorey to enhance last years tree planting , filling in the gaps and squeezing between the trees . Ray led the way on foot , plotting a course through the bush . Andy was there to point out the small trees planted last year so that we would not squash them . Another 1 km was completed before the seed ran out .

I photographed a rare Datsun 180B its natural habitat at Winton.
(Note the camouflaged plumage of the wild Datsun )

Helping Regent Honeyeaters

11/11/2010

A day with Ray is always an adventure , this one was no exception .

It started at the Benalla DPI office with helping Ray & Andy scarify the seed with coarse sandpaper. Then off to a site near the newly decommissioned channel to Lake Mokoan just out of Benalla. Getting to the site was tricky , the grass was long and the tracks overgrown but Ray navigated us across the flood plain through the electric fences , past the lagoons and swamps into the unused roadway where we were to seed a bulk of the understorey species prior to a hand planting event with school children the next week.

The site had been sprayed ready for planting . Area=1.8ha

Riparian Forest- Red Gum woodland.

The soil was damp . The tracks were reasonably easy to follow - not too much squeezing between trees!

Regent Honeyeater Project .