Landcarers are planting thousands of trees to boost wildlife corridors and safeguard the future of threatened birds and wildlife in the community of Luskintyre, near Maitland.

The initiative, made possible thanks to a $38,000 grant from the Landcare Led Bushfires Recovery Grants Program, is being guided by the recently-formed Luskintyre Landcare group.

More than 10,000 trees and native shrubs will be planted by 30 volunteers to increase habitat and food resources for all native species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects that have been displaced by land clearing or bushfires and who depend on the diverse vegetation structure.

To date, the landcarers have spent 300 hours on the job.

“The project site closely borders habitat that is used by the threatened Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot,” Luskintyre Landcare president John Schultz said.

“Further plantings of suitable species will give more habitat to help the survival of these birds and other wildlife.

“When early explorers arrived in this part of the Hunter Valley, it was richly timbered.

“But, then the Luskintyre area was logged and cleared for agricultural use.

“It is now largely bare of trees and shrubs, and ephemeral waterways are also devoid of natural species because of grazing management.

“Increased urbanisation in the Maitland LGA, one of the fastest-growing in the state, hasn’t helped either, pushing wildlife to its limits with reduced habitat and food sources.”

However, the trees should make a difference.

Already, 6,000 have been planted, including local species such as spotted gum, ironbarks, hakeas and wattles.

The grant will help extend two existing wildlife corridors, revegetating two areas of the Hunter River and create stepping stones across nine farms, covering approximately 15 hectares.

Trees will also make soils richer and more productive for the participating farms.

“Because of the coronavirus pandemic, each property owner has been planting out their own trees with no outside help,” Mr Schultz said.

“As restrictions have lifted, more volunteers have been able to get involved.”

He said the project had really brought the community together.

“In the 18 months since forming our group, our numbers have doubled, with new members joining each month,” Mr Schultz said.

The Hunter Region Landcare Network provided support in establishing the organisation, sourcing funding and getting projects off the ground.

They offered landholders with volunteer teams to help plant the trees, too.

The $14 million grants are supporting projects in regions affected by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20.

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