Working together to help unique wattle

One of the state’s rarest wattles has been given a significant boost with more than 350 seedlings planted near Burrowye, 100kms east of Wodonga. “Narrow-leafed Wattle (Acacia linearifolia) is extremely rare in Victoria,” Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Natural Environment Program Officer, Glen Johnson said. “About six trees were first discovered in the Mount Lawson State Park in 2014 by Parks Victoria Ranger Kelton Goyne. Later surveys by DELWP found 34 more trees scattered across private property neighbouring the State Park.” “This was the first record of Acacia linearifolia in Victoria,” Mr Johnson said. The nearest population is over 100 kilometres to the north in The Rock Nature Reserve in New South Wales. Botanists from Melbourne’s Royal Botanical Gardens think the Victorian Narrow-leafed Wattle is a remnant of a once broader range of this species, providing a living link to the natural history of the Upper Murray region. DELWP’s Biodiversity On-Ground Action initiative has provided funding for the collection and propagation of the wattle seed, which was overseen by Parklane Nursery in Wangaratta. ”Last week, DELWP and Parks Victoria staff, along with local community members and volunteers, planted the bulk of the new seedlings into existing stock-fenced remnant vegetation on the Houston family’s Burrowye property, with a small number added to the existing stand in Mount Lawson State Park,” Mr Johnson said.
“Having the community and landholders like the Houston family and their staff actively participating in protection works in partnership with DELWP and Parks Victoria is a great model for recovering threatened species like this wattle. “Tree guards will protect the new plants from grazing by introduced animals such as rabbits and deer, while each guard is individually labelled so that the survival and growth of every new seedling can be tracked and monitored.”
To find out more about how DELWP and Parks Victoria are working with the community to protect and enhance the environment visit https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/biodiversity/biodiversity-on-ground-action