Mobile Land Care Group (MLCG)
The Pajero Club Mobile Landcare Group is
open to all Pajero Club members. The purpose of the group is to combine our
love of 4WDing, camping and the bush with a desire to assist the
environment. The group is affiliated with Landcare Australia.
What is Landcare Australia ?
Landcare Australia is a uniquely
Australian partnership between the community, government and business to 'do
something practical' about protecting and repairing our environment. More
than 4,000 volunteer community landcare groups - including bushcare and urban
landcare, rivercare, coastcare and sustainable agriculture groups – are
tackling land degradation in every corner of Australia.
For more information go to :-
http://www.landcareonline.com
What is a Mobile Land Care Group ?
Most Landcare groups tend to be
associated with a specific geographic area. For example they may look after
a certain river or forest, a specific area on the coast or a type of environment
such as native forest.
Mobile Landcare has the emphasis on Mobile.
Rather than focus on one particular area the group will travel to remote
locations to assist with varying projects from replanting, weed control,
flora and fauna surveys and ecosystem reconstruction.
The idea is to combine our recreational
activities with environmental outcomes. Often our role will involve
supporting local groups with projects and as well as “getting our hands
dirty”, we are involved in providing logistic support such as transporting
volunteers into remote locations, providing radio communications on large
projects or moving equipment around to locations only accessible by 4WD.
What has the Group undertaken so far ?
Following in the footsteps of the Land
Rover Owners Club of Victoria’s MLCG, the group was formed in early 2005 with
its first project being a supporting a restoration of the McHarg Ranges near
Bendigo. Over 500,000 native seeds were disbursed and over 1,500 tube stock
trees planted with the MLCG team providing logistics and transport for over
100 volunteers and their equipment. This was part of the initiative to make
the Commonwealth Games Carbon neutral.
The group is also active in the
restoration of the Alpine moss beds near Falls Creek, and is working closely
with Parks Victoria in eradicating weeds such as Sallow Willow trees from the
moss beds as well as building weirs to restore damage caused by fire, cattle
etc. This is a multi year project with enormous benefit for the
bio-diversity of the high country, Victoria’s waterways and rivers and the
whole environment on the high country plains.
Mobile
Landcare 2008/09 Annual Report
Due to the Pajero Club’s involvement in
the Rural Response, the past year has been quiet for the Mobile Landcare Group.
We had the Mt Toolebewong Landcare (Healesville) trip in July, where we
removed a number of dumped vehicles and did some weeding. The day got some
great coverage in the local papers, and we have had some positive feedback
from people not normally associated with 4WD Clubs. We also spent a day in
the Lurg Hills (Benalla), checking nest boxes for the squirrel gliders, this
is an ongoing project.
Nancy & Peter Miller continued the
Club’s long association with Bluff Spur Memorial Hut at Mt Stirling, leading
the annual woodchop in March before the snow season. For those who have not
done this trip before it is a great weekend in spectacular high country. Keep
a look out for it in March/April each year.
Fred Farrugia is again coordinating the
Pajero Clubs involvement in the annual Rotary Tree Planting at Broadford for
8th & 9th August.
MLCG is a great way to enjoy the bush and
visit some normally inaccessible places, while helping the community and
environment. We look forward to more trips as Rural Response activity winds
down.
MLCG Calendar of events
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What’s in it for me ?
By combining our 4WD and camping
recreation time with specific environmental initiatives there are numerous
benefits:
·
Working closely with Landcare groups and
particularly with Parks Victoria has greatly improved our knowledge and
understanding the bush we love so much. It’s one thing to drive through a
valley and admire it. It is a whole other level to spend a weekend studying
it closely with a Parks Victoria Ranger to guide you and explain how the
whole ecosystem works. You will never look at the bush in the same way
again!
·
Landcare activities are often especially
suitable for a family 4WD trip as there is much more time out of the vehicles
and the trips are normally base camp trips. There is much more for children
and teenagers to see and do.
·
The trips are always highly social and
friendly. These trips are a great way to meet other club members.
·
The trips are often combines with other
MLCG groups or Landcare or Parks Victoria groups. This is a great
opportunity to meet like minded people for all walks of life.
·
The trips are often to some of the most remote and scenic parts of
our national parks and are often on tracks normally reserved for management
vehicles only so not everyone gets to go where we go.
·
Certain trips are eligible for grants which
may mean a petrol allowance is paid, or a BBQ may be provided etc.
The MLCG trips are all also Pajero Club
trips, so normal club insurance, support etc. applies.
How can I get involved?
Any member of the Pajero Club is very
welcome and encouraged to participate in any MLCG trip and/or the planning of
the program.
You can contact the MLCG club officer
Robyn Burke either by introducing yourself at a meeting, emailing her on burkes2@bigpond.net.au
or by phoning her after hours on 03 9762 1264 or 0407 329562. Alternatively,
you can book into any MLCG trip as advertised in the Club magazine, web site
or on E-Trips.
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MLCG
group moving volunteers to remote locations – McHarg Ranges (Pic 1)
MLCG
group moving volunteers to remote locations – McHarg Ranges (Pic 2)
Mountain
Stream at Toowonga Huts – Bogong High Plains Weekend
Parks
Victoria Ranger Kevin Cosgriff with a Sallow Willow seedling. If left to
grow, these trees kill everything under them completely destroying the
delicate moss beds they are invading.
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