Catch up, chat and share a cuppa at upcoming catchment planning meetings

Badgebup and Carrolup landholders of all sizes are being encouraged to attend the Katanning Landcare Catchment Planning meetings in March.

Katanning Landcare officer Ella Maesepp said that the meetings will be a place for landholders to get together to consider the broader region that their land is a part of and for neighbours to develop a shared vision for the future.

“We’ll be looking at things like native vegetation where native animals are moving across the landscape,” Ms Maesepp said.

“Is there connectivity across properties and bushlands, how do animals cross the land?”

Connectivity is a key concern of the meetings.

“What happens at one person’s place affects the next person’s place,” Ms Maesepp said.

“Also if you can show that you have a handful of farmers who are all on the same page and collectively want to undertake a project it will have a greater impact in regards to funding applications.”

In 2018, Dayton Creek and Jinkers Hill started catchment plans and set land management goals. As a result, big funded projects were undertaken for the benefit of the land and the ecosystem.

“It’s been really positive for them, Dayton Creek has reached one of their goals already,” Ms Maesepp said.

“We all sat together in the room, and we all said we wanted the same thing and we went out and did it.”

The aim of the March meetings is to modernise catchment plans in the region in line with changing approaches to farming and the environment.

“We’re now dealing with climate change and carbon credits,” Ms Maesepp said, “We’re a lot more aware of soil health, so now it’s about coming back together fresh.”

The meetings will explore ways landholders can work together.

“The more landholders there, the better,” Ms Maesepp said. “I really would encourage people to come along.”

Lunch will be provided at the meetings.

“It’s not like if you turn up you’re going to be given a job and sent out fencing next week,” Ms Maesepp said.

“It’s about developing a vision, what do you want your home and your farm to look like in ten years?

The Badgebup meeting will be held on March 21 at the Badgebup Hall from 12-1.45pm.

The Carrolup meeting will be held at the Carrolup Hall on March 23 from 12-1.45pm.

Interested landholders can RSVP by calling Ms Maesepp on 9821 4327.