Planting rows with native bush in the background

Kalaamaya Country

Warralakin, WA

This 180-ha project is located on an ex-farming property in the Wheatbelt region of WA. The property was purchased by the Bush Blocks Guardians (a local conservation group) in 2021 with the aim of preserving the region’s unique biodiversity.

We are working with Dr Geoff Woodall and the Noongar Budjar Rangers to restore native vegetation to cleared parts of the property to provide habitat for a range of woodland species and extend an existing Nature Reserve. The project will also connect areas of existing bush, creating wildlife corridors for native fauna, including the endangered Malleefowl.

All of the trees will be grown from seed collected from the property, ensuring the plants are adapted to the local environment. We will be planting the site in stages and look forward to monitoring the progress of the restoration for years to come.

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HA
PLANTED
K
Seedlings Planted
Species
Planted

Project overview

  • Planting type: Biodiverse carbon
  • Region: WA Wheatbelt
  • Planted: 2023
  • Size: 180 hectares
  • Seedling count: 60,320
  • Seed weight: 21 kg
  • Partners: Bush Blocks Guardians (BBG) and Noongar Budjar Rangers (Wheatbelt NRM)
  • ERF registered: No
  • Legal permanence: 100 years

Latest news

Monitoring and INfill

September 2023

Dr Geoff Woodall returned to the site to monitor seedling survival and seed germination. Given the tough winter, the results were very positive. The first comprehensive monitoring assessment is scheduled for Autumn 2024. Next winter, we will plant an additional 70 hectares in the north paddock and infill any patchy areas from the 2023 planting.

Man standing in planting row with bucket full of seedlings ready to plant

Planting

July 2023

Over a two week period, the Noongar Budjar Rangers and the team from Workpower hand-planted more than 60,000 seedlings across the planting area. All seedlings were grown from seed collected from the property and were grown out at Wongan Trees Nursery and Boola Boornap Nursery. The planting area was divided into five polygons based on soil type and the seedling mix was allocated accordingly.

Red tractor with soil ripping trailer in between planting rows.

Site preparation and direct seeding

June 2023

Dr Geoff Woodall ripped and direct seeded the first 60 hectares with a biodiverse mix of native seed, all of which had been collected from remnant bush on the property.  Lines were ripped at approx. 6m intervals, allowing space for future infill between rows. The seed mix included several Acacia, Allocasuarina, Hakea and Dodonaea species.

Western Australian native seeds in metal hot room drying out

Seed collection

Spring – Summer 2022/2023

The Noongar Budjar Rangers (Wheatbelt NRM) and the team from Cape Life undertook several seed collection trips in preparation for the upcoming planting season. Branches and seed pods were collected from remnant bush on the property, dried and processed. The pure seed was then taken to the nurseries for seedling grow-out. Using local provenance seed helps to preserve the native biodiversity of the area and improves the chance of seedling survival as the plants are adapted to the local conditions.

High angled drone shot of cleared planting area with pockets of remnant vegetation

Site assessment

February 2022

An initial site assessment was conducted by Dr Geoff Woodall, Jess (CPOZ) and the Bush Blocks Guardians in February 2023. The assessment identified two main areas for planting – the ‘north paddock’ and the ‘south paddock’. The team surveyed the surrounding remnant bush to identify key species for the planting mix.

What we planted

Acacia Illustration

Acacia

14 species
pioneer species
nitrogen fixing​
angiosperm (flowering) species

Illustration of an Allocasuarina

Allocasuarina

4 species
nitrogen fixing​
hardwood tree
frost-tolerant

Eucalyptus Illustration

Eucalyptus

9 species
high survivability in nutrient-poor soils
fast maturing tree
utilised for canopy cover

Illustration of a Hakea

Hakea

2 species
hardy shrub
often prickly (excellent nesting habitat)
fire-adapted germination

Melaleuca Illustration

Melaleuca

9 species
tree form
salt-tolerant
fire-adapted (for seed promotion and survival)

Native species illustration

Other

5 species
all native to the area
mid-storey and canopy cover
habitat for native fauna

Project gallery

High angled drone shot of cleared planting area with pockets of remnant vegetation
Part of the 180-hectare area identified for planting.
High angled drone shot of cleared planting area with pockets of remnant vegetation
View over the southern planting paddock.
View looking from a rocky outcrop over native woodlands
View looking east towards Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve.
cleared dry and sandy area with low weeds
Part of the ‘northern paddock’ identified for planting.
Four men standing next to a ute in a paddock
The Wheatbelt NRM Noongar Budjar Rangers during a seed collection trip.
Lady wearing a black jumper and jeans standing next to a large flowering acacia tree
Ebony (CPOZ) next to a flowering Acacia tree during a seed collection trip.
Close up of a light purple flower with green leaves in the background
A flowering Hakea invaginata in the remnant bush next to the planting site.
Collection of plant seeds (Hakea invaginata) spread out on a grey tarp on bare ground next to two vehicles.
Hakea invaginata seed collected and laid out to dry.
close up shot of native seed (Allocasuarina acutivalvis)
Drying Allocasuarina acutivalvis seed pods.
Western Australian native seeds in metal hot room drying out
Native seeds drying out in a the hot room.
Shane (Cape Life) with a seed laden Acacia yorkrakinensis.
Bags of native seed and plant material in a large open shed
Bags of seed drying in the on-site shed.
Lady holding a clipboard inspecting rows of seedlings
Jess (CPOZ) inspecting some of the Warralakin seedlings at Wongan Trees Nursery.
Greenhouse with rows of native seedlings in trays
Thousands of healthy seedlings at Wongan Trees Nursery.
Drone shot over bare paddock with ripped lines ready for planting native trees
View over the southern paddock, ripped and ready for planting.
sandy brown planting rows with weeds between.
Freshly ripped lines ready for planting (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Close up of a line ripped through sandy brown soil
Close up of one of the many rows ripped, seeded, and ready for planting (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Ute tray full of native seedlings.
Trays of Eucalyptus loxophleba ssp. supralaevis loaded onto the ute for planting.
close up of mixed seedling trays on dirt ground
Seedlings trays ready to be planted.
People standing near ute and seedlings looking at the cleared planting area
Jess (CPOZ) and the Noongar Budja Rangers (Wheatbelt NRM) assessing the planting area.
A line of red buckets on the ground filled with mixed native seedlings with a ute in the background
Kidney buckets loaded and ready for planting.
Man standing in planting row with bucket full of seedlings ready to plant
Workpower staff planting seedlings with a pottiputki.
Person collection seedlings from tray and putting them into a bucket off the back of a ute.
Loading up a kidney bucket with seedlings.
close up shot of a variety of Western Australian native seedlings
Seedlings trays organised by species.
Boy putting seeding down a planting device tube from a bucket of seedlings.
A Eucalyptus seedling being placed into the pottiputki.
Person wearing a black hoodie using a tree planting device to plant native trees in a bare field
One of the Noongar Budjar Rangers using a pottiputki to plant seedlings.
Three people standing around a ute full of empty seedling trays
The Workpower ute loaded up with empty seedling trays.
Finger pointing at ground showing small seeding emerging
Seedlings emerging from the direct seeding.
A healthy Eucalyptus seedling in a planting row
A healthy Eucalyptus loxophleba seedling a couple of months after planting.
View over a planting row with remnant bush in the background
Late afternoon sun over the planting rows (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Bare paddock with lines ripped for tree planting
Late afternoon sun over the planting rows (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Planting rows with native bush in the background
Late afternoon sun over the planting rows (Photo: Peter Ewing).
High angled drone shot of cleared planting area with pockets of remnant vegetation
Part of the 180-hectare area identified for planting.
High angled drone shot of cleared planting area with pockets of remnant vegetation
View over the southern planting paddock.
View looking from a rocky outcrop over native woodlands
View looking east towards Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve.
cleared dry and sandy area with low weeds
Part of the ‘northern paddock’ identified for planting.
Four men standing next to a ute in a paddock
The Wheatbelt NRM Noongar Budjar Rangers during a seed collection trip.
Lady wearing a black jumper and jeans standing next to a large flowering acacia tree
Ebony (CPOZ) next to a flowering Acacia tree during a seed collection trip.
Close up of a light purple flower with green leaves in the background
A flowering Hakea invaginata in the remnant bush next to the planting site.
Collection of plant seeds (Hakea invaginata) spread out on a grey tarp on bare ground next to two vehicles.
Hakea invaginata seed collected and laid out to dry.
close up shot of native seed (Allocasuarina acutivalvis)
Drying Allocasuarina acutivalvis seed pods.
Western Australian native seeds in metal hot room drying out
Native seeds drying out in a the hot room.
Shane (Cape Life) with a seed laden Acacia yorkrakinensis.
Bags of native seed and plant material in a large open shed
Bags of seed drying in the on-site shed.
Lady holding a clipboard inspecting rows of seedlings
Jess (CPOZ) inspecting some of the Warralakin seedlings at Wongan Trees Nursery.
Greenhouse with rows of native seedlings in trays
Thousands of healthy seedlings at Wongan Trees Nursery.
Drone shot over bare paddock with ripped lines ready for planting native trees
View over the southern paddock, ripped and ready for planting.
sandy brown planting rows with weeds between.
Freshly ripped lines ready for planting (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Close up of a line ripped through sandy brown soil
Close up of one of the many rows ripped, seeded, and ready for planting (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Ute tray full of native seedlings.
Trays of Eucalyptus loxophleba ssp. supralaevis loaded onto the ute for planting.
close up of mixed seedling trays on dirt ground
Seedlings trays ready to be planted.
People standing near ute and seedlings looking at the cleared planting area
Jess (CPOZ) and the Noongar Budja Rangers (Wheatbelt NRM) assessing the planting area.
A line of red buckets on the ground filled with mixed native seedlings with a ute in the background
Kidney buckets loaded and ready for planting.
Man standing in planting row with bucket full of seedlings ready to plant
Workpower staff planting seedlings with a pottiputki.
Person collection seedlings from tray and putting them into a bucket off the back of a ute.
Loading up a kidney bucket with seedlings.
close up shot of a variety of Western Australian native seedlings
Seedlings trays organised by species.
Boy putting seeding down a planting device tube from a bucket of seedlings.
A Eucalyptus seedling being placed into the pottiputki.
Person wearing a black hoodie using a tree planting device to plant native trees in a bare field
One of the Noongar Budjar Rangers using a pottiputki to plant seedlings.
Three people standing around a ute full of empty seedling trays
The Workpower ute loaded up with empty seedling trays.
Finger pointing at ground showing small seeding emerging
Seedlings emerging from the direct seeding.
A healthy Eucalyptus seedling in a planting row
A healthy Eucalyptus loxophleba seedling a couple of months after planting.
View over a planting row with remnant bush in the background
Late afternoon sun over the planting rows (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Bare paddock with lines ripped for tree planting
Late afternoon sun over the planting rows (Photo: Peter Ewing).
Planting rows with native bush in the background
Late afternoon sun over the planting rows (Photo: Peter Ewing).
High angled drone shot of cleared planting area with pockets of remnant vegetation
High angled drone shot of cleared planting area with pockets of remnant vegetation
View looking from a rocky outcrop over native woodlands
cleared dry and sandy area with low weeds
Four men standing next to a ute in a paddock
Lady wearing a black jumper and jeans standing next to a large flowering acacia tree
Close up of a light purple flower with green leaves in the background
Collection of plant seeds (Hakea invaginata) spread out on a grey tarp on bare ground next to two vehicles.
close up shot of native seed (Allocasuarina acutivalvis)
Western Australian native seeds in metal hot room drying out
Bags of native seed and plant material in a large open shed
Lady holding a clipboard inspecting rows of seedlings
Greenhouse with rows of native seedlings in trays
Drone shot over bare paddock with ripped lines ready for planting native trees
sandy brown planting rows with weeds between.
Close up of a line ripped through sandy brown soil
Ute tray full of native seedlings.
close up of mixed seedling trays on dirt ground
People standing near ute and seedlings looking at the cleared planting area
A line of red buckets on the ground filled with mixed native seedlings with a ute in the background
Man standing in planting row with bucket full of seedlings ready to plant
Person collection seedlings from tray and putting them into a bucket off the back of a ute.
close up shot of a variety of Western Australian native seedlings
Boy putting seeding down a planting device tube from a bucket of seedlings.
Person wearing a black hoodie using a tree planting device to plant native trees in a bare field
Three people standing around a ute full of empty seedling trays
Finger pointing at ground showing small seeding emerging
A healthy Eucalyptus seedling in a planting row
View over a planting row with remnant bush in the background
Bare paddock with lines ripped for tree planting
Planting rows with native bush in the background