Bushcare aims to increase native biodiversity, reduce the spread of invasive weeds and manage the impact of fire brought on by invasive buffel and couch grasses. The Bushcare team recorded a threefold increase in native species at monitoring tree sites since the project began in 2019.

Protecting special places and native species

Many areas around Alice Springs have high cultural significance to local Indigenous custodians, as well as being home to many rare and threatened species. They are under threat from wildfire, which is largely due to the spread of buffel grass.

The Bushcare team worked with Senior Aboriginal people to identify trees of cultural and ecological significance. Works undertaken includes scoping, vegetation surveys, treatment and clearing of grasses through slashing and spraying and monitoring of regrowth around trees for follow up treatments.

Arid Edge Environmental Services, in partnership with Tangentyere Council, provides training in conservation techniques and employment opportunities to local Aboriginal people, with a goal of establishing a local workforce that can be utilised for ongoing fire, weed and land management of the area.

Since 2019, the Arid Edge Bushcare Team has treated a total of 8.35ha of country with 249 trees protected.

Ilparpa Valley (pictured above), a site of national botanical significance, is home to 55 flora species needing conservation. The southern slopes of the MacDonnell Ranges, a National Heritage Site, is home to threatened species such as the black footed rock wallaby and central rock rat. The Bushcare Team undertook conservation work across these special places.

This project has been assisted by the Northern Territory Government Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security through the Aboriginal Ranger Grant Program: Conservation and Land Management Fund. This project has been completed in Partnership with Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation.