Three Landcare nurseries within the Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups (YAN) completed sowing of local, and what we call 'admixture' seed - seed that is from hotter-drier and cooler-wetter regions during October 2020. This is a major milestone of YAN's Climate Ready Project.

The Climate Ready sowing consisted of Eucalyptus melliodora (Yellow Box), Acacia deanei  (Green wattle) and Dodonea viscosa (Hop bush). All seed was purchased from the Greening Australia seed collecting network. The 'local' seed was sourced from localities including Captains Flat, Cotter, Weston Creek, Boorowa, Bookham and Yass. The admixture seed came from regions within western NSW and Qld and Vic - some localities included Lithgow, Coonabarabran, Holbrook, Urana, Henty, Tomingley, Elginvale, Mathoura, and Moree. Further detail on this project can be found here.

The Bowning-Bookham Bango nursery team sowed Acacia deanei subspecies paucijuga (Green Wattle) earlier this month in preparation for Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups' Climate Ready trial.

Two thousand tube stock were required to be sown for the purpose of the trial. One thousand tubes were sown with locally sourced seed from a Bookham property. A second group of 1000 tubes filled with native potting mix were sown with seed from hotter drier and cooler wetter regions. Such regions included Tomingley, Henty and Hillston, western NSW regions. All seed for this Climate Ready project is sourced from Greening Australia, Aranda branch. Further details on this project is available here.

A small group of volunteers assisted the Wattle Valley nursery manager sow 2000 tubes of native climate ready seed. Wattle Valley was responsible for sowing Dodonaea viscosa (Hop Bush) which was sourced by Greening Australia and their regional seed collecting network. The Yass Area Network (YAN) Climate Ready trial required locally sourced seed and seed from hotter drier and colder wetter regions. Local provenances included Mt Stomlo, Weston Creek and Pierces Creek ACT. Seed from hotter drier regions and colder wetter regions was obtained from Hattah-Colyeambully, Wodonga, Urana, Bobundara and Ironmungy.

When grown, this seed will be planted at two trial sites one in Murrumbateman and the second at Kangiara.  Further detail on the YAN Climate Ready project can be found at this link.

The climate in the Yass Valley area is getting harsher, less predictable and more extreme. The Let’s Try It program is all about doing something locally to make a difference to the impact of climate change on our places and community. The program aims to support the Yass Valley community to respond to the changing climate