Recently a large group of Sutton residents set off on a walk around the Sutton Reserve, led by Alison Elvin, the ecologist from Wildscapes Rural in Yass. 

The Sutton Reserve is in dire need of rehabilitation.  Alison has produced a Management Plan outlining the key issues to be addressed in managing the rescue of the Reserve.  Key to proceeding further is the need for Sutton Landcare and others to establish a legal entity that would serve as the Crown Land Manager – this process is proceeding (albeit slowly).

Alison’s Management Plan covers many aspects – including:

• the need to establish a close working relationship with the local Ngambri and Ngunnawal Aboriginal Land Council.
• identifying biodiversity hotspots within the Reserve,
• creating an invasive weeds map, and an Integrated Weed Management Strategy to control priority weed species.
• strategies for dealing with feral animals,
• revegetation strategies including the use of climate-ready species and creation of a much-needed middle story layer,
• planning for public amenities (marked entry points, walking trails, logs as resting places),
• educational opportunities such as interpretive signs
• projects that can be undertaken by students from Sutton school.

The Plan also includes specific infrastructure recommendations such as replacing gates with bollards (to allow free pedestrian access but only authorised vehicular access) and continuous perimeter fencing.

Finally, fire management is a key consideration – cool burns to reduce excessive ground cover, removal of some undesirable species, reducing the overall fuel load (a fire safety measure for the village), and use of fire to re-invigorate some desirable species such as kangaroo grass, thus creating space for orchids and other forbs to re-emerge.

Alison pointed out that of the whole 12 Ha Reserve site, the 2-3 Ha closest to the school are the “Crown Jewels”, a rare example of box-gum grassy woodland containing more than 100 identified species of native plants, and many mature trees with nesting hollows, a veritable “Hilton Hotel for native birds” (Alison’s description).

If you wish to know more, please contact Sutton Landcare at [email protected]

This month, well known Sutton identity Lawrie Nock stepped down as treasurer of the Yass Area Network (YAN) after 11 years of diligent service.  Before that, Lawrie served as treasurer of the Sutton Landcare Group for more than a decade.  Lawrie’s financial expertise and general voice of reason have been invaluable in both roles and will be sorely missed. 

On behalf of YAN, Alison Elvin presented Lawrie with a bespoke hat rack on Sunday 29 October at the Little Sutton Bakehouse – an impressive and useful memento of his outstanding contributions.

YAN is the umbrella organisation providing guidance, and sometimes funding, for five regional landcaring groups, including Sutton Landcare Group.  YAN wishes Lawrie well as retired-treasurer and hopes to see him at many future landcare events.

Our four Landcare nurseries have been buzzing with activity as our volunteers sow the seeds which will be destined to be planted out in autumn 2024.

Murrumbateman and Yass Landcare’s dedicated volunteers have been chipping away at the task over the last month. Carefully sowing, taging and watering in thousands of tubes..

Yass Landcare Nursery volunteers working at the Yass Landcare Community Nursery behind the Mens Shed in Yass

Murrumbateman Nursery; Behind the fire station in Murrumbateman

Bowning Bookham Landcare’s Wattle Valley Nursery had a wonderful group of volunteers get stuck in and sow the 4000+ tubes in one morning.

You can see a short video of their sowing day Sowning Seeds For Our Future here.

Bowning Bookham Landcare Seeding Day at the Wattle Valley Nursery

While Bowning Bookham’s Bango nursery have seen Judy & Graham sow thousands of tubes themselves over the last month.

Bowning Bookham Landcares Bango Nursery

The job doesn’t stop at the end of sowing. Over the coming months there are many tasks to be done from thinning out the growing seeds, weeding and in some cases resowing seeds that haven’t germinated. Then across summer it’s the regular watering and care taking of the plants to make sure that over 12000 ‘Climate Ready’ plants are set to be planted out in the autumn.

If you would be like to contribute to our growing and thriving landscape by tending to these plants over the coming months please email Sarah [email protected] who will put you in touch with your local nursery manager.

More information on our nurseries can be found on the YAN Native Plants Nurseries page

A keen group recently came together for a unique and enriching experience - the Aboriginal Plant Use and Native Plant Propagation Workshop hosted by Yass Landcare. With workshops from Aaron Chatfield of Dreamtime Connections and Blake Cannakle, native plant propagation expert, this event aimed to foster a deeper connection with the land and its indigenous plant heritage while also promoting awareness of our native plant resources.

Aaron Chatfield a Gamilaroi Man with deep connections to Ngunawal people and Country, led the group through an insightful journey into the world of native plants. Participants learned about a vast array of edible and medicinal plants that have been a part of Aboriginal culture for generations. Some of the featured species included the native raspberry (Rubus Parvifolius), native mint (Prostanthera lasinathos), and the Bulnie Lily (Bulbine bulbosa). These plants have not only served as nourishment but also as traditional remedies for various ailments.

The workshop delved into the fascinating practice of using plants in hunting, an essential skill for indigenous communities. Participants discovered how plants like the Austral Indigo (Indigofera Australis) were used for fishing and how the sound of the blowing through the Lomandra grass could be utilised to "whistle up" snakes. Weaving techniques using native grasses and tree sedges, like the Red Stringy Bark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha), were explored, showcasing the ingenuity of Aboriginal people.

To further immerse themselves in Aboriginal culture, participants had the chance to familiarise themselves with traditional tools such as the boomerang, woomera, spears and bundi sticks. These tools have various, and some unexpected uses in hunting and gathering and showed the remarkable innovation of Australia's indigenous peoples.

Of course, no workshop is complete without a shared meal. Participants enjoyed morning tea with freshly baked wattle seed biscuits and peppermint and raseberry tea, which provided a delicious and culturally rich experience.

In addition to the cultural aspect of the workshop, Blake Cannakle took the lead in teaching the group about the biology of soil and the critical role it plays in plant propagation. Participants got their hands dirty as they were introduced to various propagation techniques, including smoke treatment, scarification, surface sowing, lightly covered sowing, heat treatment, and cutting. Drawing on our surroundings participants were encouraged to wandering through the native plant gardens where they were shown the best way to take cutting for propagation.  This hands-on experience was invaluable in understanding the intricacies of nurturing native plants.

As the workshop came to a close, everyone left with a tray of six different native plants, ready to be cared for and grown at home. This tangible connection to the land and its indigenous heritage will continue to foster appreciation for Australia's unique flora and the significance of preserving Aboriginal knowledge and practices.

The Yass Landcare Aboriginal Plant Use and Native Plant Propagation Workshop provided participants with a holistic experience that combined cultural enrichment, ecological education, and hands-on learning. It emphasised the importance of understanding and preserving indigenous practices and maintaining a strong connection with the land. In doing so, it echoed the principles of sustainability, biodiversity, and respect for the earth—a message that resonated deeply with all those who attended.

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The workshop is funded under the “Working Together” Program which aims to increase opportunities to consciously develop stronger connections and partnerships between Landcare groups and Aboriginal Communities.

The “Working Together” Aboriginal Communities Engagement Program is an initiative made possible by the NSW Landcare Program. A collaboration of Local Land Services NSW and Landcare NSW Inc. supported by the NSW Government.