Future Drought Fund

Boosting drought resilience in the Lower Loddon Landscape: If you look after nature, nature can look after you

Ecologists conducting baseline monitoring at a wetland control site
February 2023

The Wetland Revival Trust is working on a new project to restore wetlands on private land along the lower Loddon River floodplain. 

This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, through the Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes grants program. 

The wetlands are being restored as a means of increasing the drought resilience of farms. Ironically the start of the project was delayed by flooding of the Loddon River in October last year, which inundated all the project wetlands. 

Many traditional European farming methods used in Australia damage the natural capital on which they rely to be sustainable, including soil, native vegetation, biodiversity and hydrology and create land degradation issues including erosion, increased soil salinity, decreased soil health, poor water quality and species extinction.

Poor health of trees at River Red Gum wetland in Murrabit West
Poor health of trees at River Red Gum wetland in Murrabit West
The health of the Red Gums has begun to improve with the October 2022 Flood | River Red Gum wetland in Murrabit West
The health of the Red Gums has begun to improve with the October 2022 Flood | River Red Gum wetland in Murrabit West

This project will trial and monitor the impact of ecological restoration practices at a landscape scale that will restore and maintain natural capital by re-instating more natural hydrology, increasing soil carbon and moisture holding capacity, restoring native vegetation cover and health, and providing biodiversity refuges. 

As Jo Bear, one of the farmers involved in the project said, “if you look after nature, nature can look after you”. 

Our partners in this project include the farmers who have offered to help restore their wetlands, local Traditional Owners, Deakin University’s Blue Carbon Lab, the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Murray Darling Wetland Working Group and the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

 

Ancient Red Gum in wetland in Murrabit West - before flood
Ancient Red Gum in wetland in Murrabit West - New growth post October 2022 flood

“If you look after nature, nature can look after you”

 Jo Bear, Participant Farmer

Purple-spotted Gudgeon from the Bear's wetland
Gudgeon wetland at Bear's property
This project received funding from the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund.