Landcare Australia
Heat and drought climate testing native eucalyptus trees lands nearly $200k bushfire recovery funding from Landcare
Coinciding with the release of the IPCC report, Australian National University has joined forces with Landcare volunteers in a series of temperature and drought trials, testing the climate resilience of native Eucalyptus species.
Working together with Upper Snowy Landcare Network, researchers are focusing on species from the woodlands and forests of South-East Australia impacted by extreme conditions attributed to climate change, including the Black Summer Bushfires.
Using high resolution real-time imaging technology, 700 Ribbon Gum and Snow Gum seedlings sourced and collected by Upper Snowy Landcare Network members, will be tested for heat and drought tolerance in climate chambers at the Australian National University's Plant Phenomics facility.
With $180,000 funding from Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants, it's hoped these trials will find Eucalyptus genotypes that can cope with the new local climate – and lead to replanted and restored native habitat which can survive increasing extremities of climate change.
"We're at a moment where we can break down and decipher the genomic sequencing of these native tree species which make up our natural habitats. This can help predict how they adapt and impacted by climate factors, soil types and other environmental factors that vary across landscapes," explained Margaret Mackinnon, Chair, Upper Snowy Landcare Network.
"Dieback has been a huge issue in regions across the Snowy Mountains and we have many farmers and landholders here who have requested help in restoration. But there have been examples where, upon receiving 1000 seedlings, they ask 'Are they going to die? Where did you get the tube stock? Are they going to be any good?'"
Running the trials, Justin Borevitz, Professor at ANU's Research School of Biology explained with the seedlings collected and on-ground knowledge shared by members of the Upper Snowy Landcare Network, they can learn which species, populations or families have the best shot at long-term survival, which can maintain diversity and better regenerate in ever harsher conditions.
"From the testing and trials done in the climate chambers at ANU, which can replicate and stage extreme climate conditions, we can interpret the most resistant. It gives us a better chance of success," Prof Borevitz said.
"The grant will allow a systematic, large-scale scientific evaluation of climate-specific performance of a large number of genotypes sampled from across their full environmental and geographic range."
Prof Borevitz added the evaluation will be undertaken for two keystone species of the bushfire-impacted tableland-mountain environments which are both suffering from climate change-related dieback.
"After learning which are the good seedlings to work with and which are the bad, we can return the best seed lots to Landcare who can distribute them to landholders and get them in the ground, with hopefully a better future potential. All going to plan, it will generate climate-specific predictions of genotype performance for any given restoration environment, increasing the odds of survival for our native habitats."
This information will be released to practitioners via the Sydney Royal Botanic Garden's 'Restore and Renew' web tool in order to maximise the chances of success of post-fire restoration programs.
Funded by the Australian Government, the $14million Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants are supporting projects in regions impacted by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020.
Training communities to monitor and recover critical mangrove habitat on the NSW south coast, the restoration of Macquarie Perch habitat in alpine waterways, and helping Greater and Yellow-bellied Gliders in South-East Queensland are additional projects among 111 new bushfire recovery Landcare grant projects.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the new projects are part of a $14 million Morrison Government commitment to deliver on-ground activities to aid in the recovery of native wildlife and habitat in seven regions severely impacted by the Black Summer bushfires.
"Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network are co-ordinating the grant projects, located in the worst bushfire impacted areas - from South-East Queensland to the NSW north and south coasts, the Blue Mountains, Australian alpine areas, East Gippsland and Kangaroo Island," Minister Ley said.
"The work builds on a broad range of projects already being carried out by Landcare and other community groups in the wake of the fires.
CEO of Landcare Australia Dr Shane Norrish said: "The large network of Landcare and other community groups are essential to the local recovery effort, and the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Program is supporting over a hundred great projects to restore significant areas of native habitat and assist recovery of threatened species."
CEO of the National Landcare Network Jim Adams said: "The support of Landcare Networks, Groups and others by the Government to continue the important work they do is very welcome and has provided Landcare and communities in the fire affected regions with much needed encouragement to deliver environmental outcomes and build community resilience."
To date, the Morrison Government has committed $200 million for wildlife and habitat recovery through the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund. A list of the 111 Landcare grant projects can be found at landcareledbushfiregrants.org.au
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