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Deep River Regeneration
The Deep River regeneration project has been undertaken by the O“Dea family to give something back to the soil and environment that has sustained our family since arriving at Windowrie in 1959.
It is an understanding that the family is a caretaker of the land, and an assurance that future generations will be able to enjoy the results of their careful land use.
This area has traditionally been used for grazing and has been cleared of significant vegetation for over 100 years. Habitat loss from these previous agricultural practices has been a major factor in the decline of many native plants and animals.
Rehabilitation and regeneration of lost or modified habitat will help many threatened species continue to survive in the wild. The project includes the planting of local native flora to provide food, shelter and roosting sites for the threatened species as well as regeneration to reduce the impact on native plants from weeds.
The initial project will comprise 24 acres (80,000 square meters) immediately surrounding the Windowrie winery. The project is planned to develop and expand over five years until the entire area has been restored to its natural habitat.
The first phase of the project is the setting aside of the area. This land has been locked up since July 2007. Cattle and sheep will never again be allowed to graze the area.
Soil Preparation
The land has been carefully prepared by ripping the soil in order to take maximum advantage of the natural rainfall. The ripping also allows root penetration into the soil which is heavily compacted following decades of grazing by livestock.
The ripping has been thoughtfully planned to follow the contour of the slope, ensuring there is no erosion of the site.
Planting
Initial planting of over one thousand trees was undertaken in June 2008. This planting was timed to coincide with the first bottling of the Deep River range of wines.
The species of trees were selected for their suitability to the region and to replace species that were known to originally inhabit the area. The habitat requirements of the local fauna was also taken in to account. The ability to generate carbon credits has also been taken into account when selecting species.
What's next?
Plans are now underway to mulch the trees in order to conserve water in the soil profile. The young trees will be monitored, with hand watering undertaken when necessary in the early stages to ensure maximum survival rate.
This web site will be updated with news and developments from the site, including the total proceeds from sales of the Deep River wines that are invested in the project.
Contact details
Interested in contributing or helping with this project?
Contributions are gladly accepted. Individuals, families and businesses are also invited to attend tree planting days and helping with maintenance of the project.
For further information please contact jason@windowrie.com.au
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the following businesses
LCMA - Cowra
Gloria Jeans Coffee
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