As we head into summer, La Nina controls the weather so one day it is warm, the next cold, but regular rain is the norm. Not something to complain about unless you are a crop farmer trying to harvest, or in the case of Mulloon Creek Natural Farms, trying to install new infrastructure and repair roads. Our last 12 monthly rainfall is almost double the long-term average so quite a change from just two years ago when we had record numbers of drought months!
[Image: Woodland ridge blooms (Dillwynia glaberrima) at the Home Farm]
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Soil carbon sequestration critical to being carbon neutral in 2050 |
Rehydrating and regenerating landscapes speeds up the soil carbon sequestration process, helping Australia to reach carbon neutral by 2050.
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Rehydration and restoration |
We've formed a new partnership with the National Landcare Network to deliver catchment-scale restoration and rehydration pilots across the country.
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An insightful snapshot into our work over the last year as we expanded across Australia and continued growing our team.
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We were invited to attend the World Soil Day breakfast at Old Parliament House by the National Soils Advocate the Hon Penny Wensley AC.
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Vale Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison |
Yuin Elder, Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison, passed away on 11 December 2021. He was 85 years old. Uncle Max was a great friend to the Mulloon Institute, and especially to our founders Tony and Toni Coote. Uncle Max visited Mulloon Creek many times. As a water dreamer, he appreciated the importance of our work. He will be very much missed.
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Mulloon Rehydration Initiative |
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Banksia Awards - Finalists! |
We’re super excited to announce that our flagship project, the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative, is a top three finalist in the Banksia Awards’ NSW Biodiversity category! The Banksia Awards are the most prestigious sustainability awards in Australia and the longest-running sustainability awards in the world.
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Rehydrating the Mulloon catchment |
Creek works have been on pause while we watch the flood waters pass under the bridge. But this hasn’t stopped the planning and it hasn’t stopped the planting. We aim to get about 2,000 plants in this summer along both the creek and the ridges.
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Volunteer tree planting day |
Despite the damp and muddy conditions with fairly consistent drizzle, 20 hardy souls helped us plant 200 trees on the hillside site, including many fast growing wattles.
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TMI’s Science Advisory Council have submitted a paper to the 'Ecological Management & Restoration' journal on the MRI monitoring program, project history and the aims and objectives of the extensive monitoring program.
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Mulloon Creek Natural Farms |
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Mulloon Creek Natural Farms continues to experience well above average rainfall this year, close in fact to double the long-term average! Egg collecting has been increasingly difficult with multiple boggings and the team look forward to drier conditions to allow for infrastructure upgrades.
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With lockdown lifting over the last couple of months, Mulloon Consulting has become increasingly busy, with activities underway in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.
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Another three properties have been assessed as part of the ‘Landscape Rehydration Trial & Demonstration in the WA Wheatbelt’ and plans are underway to present at the ‘Talkin’ Soil Health Conference’ in York, WA on 17-18th March 2022.
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The wet season has well and truly arrived in Townsville but that doesn’t mean work has stopped. Instead Sam Skeat and Joe Skuse have been busy delivering workshops and preparing for what is sure to be a full-on 2022.
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Lance Mudgway presented at the field days held at Aileron Station in October by Landcare NT and the Centralian Land Management Association in October, and a practical workshop for Territory NRM is inspiring landscape rehydration at Old Cameron Downs Station.
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ANU Environmental Field School
With the farm flooded out, this year's ANU Environmental Science Field School invited the Mulloon Institute on-campus for a critical thinking workshop.
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Learning about landscape rehydration
TMI’s Education team are developing a suite of new Landscape Rehydration courses, bootcamps and skills workshops, set to launch in 2022.
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Modelling landscapes
Imaginative students and staff from Australian National University and the University of Wollongong have taken a deep dive into the art of model-making, kick-starting our citizen science project.
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Brushpacks at Capertee
Landscape Planner Joe Skuse recently led a highly successful workshop in the Capertee Valley, NSW on assessing the health of land, tackling erosion and rebuilding fertility using simple techniques.
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Holistic Management, Mulloon NSW, 26-27 April 2022
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I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Resilience and our Annual Report. Much thanks for the support of our followers, donors and collaborators – we need you all to help expand our much needed work out across Australia.
Our offices will be closed from Friday 24 December 2021 and we will return from Monday 17 January 2022. Have a great Festive Season, we are looking forward to a busy and exciting 2022!
Cheers,
Gary Nairn AO
Mulloon Institute, Chairman
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