Projects improve threatened Coolibah-Black Box area

29 Jun 2023

A five-year program to minimise threats to, and regenerate areas of Coolibah-Black Box woodlands of the Darling Riverine plains and Brigalow Belt has completed more than 26,000ha of weed treatment and more than 7,000ha of soil erosion works.

The 50 projects have been primarily located from Brewarrina to Wilcannia along the Darling Riverine Plain, but also included other areas of the threatened Coolibah-Black Box Woodlands in the Western Region.

On-ground works have improved the condition, reduced threats and increased connectivity, giving the Coolibah-Black Box woodland community greater capacity to withstand and recover from factors such as extended periods of drought and altered flooding regimes

Team leader, Natural Resource Management Jennifer Azevedo said the project identified known threats to the condition of the woodland and ways in which Local Land Services (LLS) could work with landholders, including managing invasive species such as African Boxthorn, establishing soil erosion works, and running local workshops.

Protecting the threatened ecological community of the Coolibah-Black Box from threats is critical in protecting the community into the future, Ms Azevedo said.

Throughout the project, LLS staff conducted on-ground monitoring of project sites. Although dictated by seasonal events, short-term comparisons between year-one and year-three sites for water ponding works show an improvement in groundcover of approximately 30%.

The project has assisted knowledge sharing in local Aboriginal communities, supporting the Yarning Online OnCountry, KurraPurra Pila weaving workshops held in Brewarrina, Bourke, and Wilcannia.

The project also raised community awareness of the Coolibah-Black Box woodlands through case studies, interpretive signage and media.

This project is supported by Western Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.