Sustainability on Horse Properties

So back in November I went along to a free Equine Land Management seminar and planned a follow up with more information from the ever helpful Melbourne Water.

For those who have stream river frontage on their property and are interested in making it more sustainable, help with regards to information and funding are available!  Take a look at Melbourne Water’s Stream Frontage Management Program.

The program “provides funding for fencing off of waterway frontages, weed control, revegetation, off stock watering etc for landholders in the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment from Werribee and Wallan in the West to Whittlesea in the North, to Healesville in the East and Tarago River in the South East and the Mornington Peninsula and Phillip and French Islands.”

Note: if landholders are interested in participating in this program, they need to submit an expression of interest form to Melbourne Water PO BOX 4342 Melbourne 3001 and an assessor will come out to the property to determine what type of grant they require and if it will be a long term project.

It is possible for ongoing funding to be provided each year that it is required and that the landholder applies for.  Melbourne Water points out that many benefits can be gained to the property and wildlife by fencing off waterways yet if animals require access to the creek for water, this can be part funded through off stock watering such as tanks, troughs and piping.  This does however exclude funding for pumps.

Fencing off waterways can allow for:

• natural regeneration
• the possibility of weed control and revegetation
• the creation of a habitat corridor for native wildlife
• the provision of shade for stock and better quality pasture
• the prevention of erosion of the waterway banks

“More native vegetation along the banks and top of bank of the waterway protects the bank, holds the soil together, provides habitat for fish, platypus and waterbugs (fish and platypus food) and provides good water quality by filtering the creek water.”

For those not in the areas listed above, consider contacting your local Catchment Management Authority or council in case there is funding available to local landholders.

*Thanks to Rachel of Melbourne Water and the rest of the gang at MW for the provision of such info!

“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.”

tag: property design, property management, pasture maintenance, pasture management, Melbourne Water