The Mingaan Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation, Capertee Valley Landcare and Central Tablelands Local Land Services are working in partnership to ignite interest in traditional cool burn land management techniques to increase biodiversity.
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More than 60 participants from Landcare and Aboriginal organisations took part in a workshop at Glen Davis property 'Gnamperi', with some travelling from as far away as Lithgow, Mudgee, Orange and Dubbo to learn more.
Greg Ingram, senior land services officer (Indigenous Communities), said the aim was to educate Aboriginal community members and landholders about traditional burning methodologies and techniques.
"We want to gain a better understanding on how to use fire as a cultural land management tool," he said.
Central Tablelands LLS carried out a cool burn on a site at Yetholme in autumn 2018 with the aim of improving habitat for the rare purple copper butterfly. Follow up monitoring found increased regeneration of the native blackthorn bush bursaria spinosa - exclusive food source for the butterfly.
"At the sites that were burnt the bushes now have more fresh green foliage, which is more palatable for the butterfly larvae, and easier for them to climb on to when they crawl up from the ground at night to feed," Senior LLS officer, Allan Wray, said.
"The cool burn workshop held this year at Capertee was also an opportunity to promote and share Wiradjuri culture with a 'welcome to country' and a smoking ceremony delivered by the Wiradjuri Astronomy group, along with a bush tucker lunch and a performance by the Woongadine traditional Wiradjuri dancers."