Rivers of Carbon – Boorowa

Why Boorowa?

The Boorowa River flows through the Hilltops region of NSW which is in the Upper Lachlan catchment. Working with private landholders and the community, this project will connect past River of Carbon work undertaken through our Yass, Grabben Gullen and Crookwell projects. It also builds on work Rivers of Carbon Program Manager Lori Gould completed as part of the Boorowa River Recovery Project.

Our vision for RoC Boorowa is to protect six kilometres of stream and forty hectares of land so that water quality, biodiversity and habitat connectivity in the region can be improved. The work will contribute to threatened species conservation, including species such as the Southern Pygmy Perch and Superb Parrot.

The Boorowa River is also an important source of water for the district, providing water for agricultural enterprises, recreation, cultural connections and the town. In recent decades the river has been under threat from declining water quality caused by erosion, salinity and vegetation clearing. This project will address some of these issues by working with farmers to fence water courses, plant native vegetation, establish off stream troughs and remediate erosion sites to improve water quality and biodiversity outcomes.

What have we been doing in Boorowa?

People are at the heart of our work at Rivers of Carbon. Working closely with seven farmers and their families, we have been:

• Planting lots of trees and shrubs
• Working with farmers to fix erosion
• Talking to community partners and engaging volunteers
• Supporting Landcare and buying local tubestock
• Installing alternative stock water to remove livestock from stream and river banks
• Bringing back diversity and supporting threatened species

Thanks to everyone involved in the project so far. Every fence, trough, tree, volunteer hour and conversation about diversity is building a brighter future for the Boorowa River!