Creating a new generation of paddock trees in the Limestone Coast

Trees For Life is offering landholders the opportunity to plant new paddock trees and protect existing trees across the south-east of South Australia.

Recent research has shown that paddock trees are declining in the south-east region and there’s a significant lack of recruitment of a new generation. The ‘Limestone Coast Paddock Tree Project’ aims to create a new generation of paddock trees in the region by enabling landholders to plant new native trees, and to apply best practice and cost-effective methods of sustainable agriculture to preserve existing trees.

Paddock trees are an icon of the Australian landscape and provide a number of significant benefits to sustainable agriculture, including shade and shelter for stock and carbon sequestration. They also provide important habitat for many species, including the endangered South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo.

Project Officer Kelsey Bennett said they’re looking for landholders who are interested in planting new trees and protecting existing trees on their property. Trees For Life can provide seedlings, guards, and fencing materials to participating landholders.

“We’re keen to hear from landholders who are interested in taking part in our paddock tree guard trial,” Kelsey said. “There are several different types of guards which we’re interested in trialling to determine their effectiveness in protecting seedlings against sheep and cattle grazing.”

While Trees For Life is encouraging participating landholders to plant and protect their paddock trees, assistance will be available to some landholders who require a bit of extra help. 

The project will run until October 2022, with plantings to be undertaken in May and June 2021 and 2022.

If you’re interested in taking part in the Paddock Tree Project, please complete the expression of interest form which can be found here, or phone 08 8406 0500 or email Kelsey at kelseyb@treesforlife.org.au to receive a copy of the form.

This project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board in partnership with Trees for Life, BirdLife Australia and Zoos SA through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.