Landcare but on the water! Sea grass and fish, a whole of catchment approach to making things a whole lot better.

This week, Gerard spoke with Michael Hobson from the Yarram Yarram Landcare Network about the recent grant it has recieved under the Federal Governments, National Landcare Program 'Smart Farms, Sall Grants' initiative.

The The Corner Inlet Broadleaf Seagrass Restoration Project will plant 5 hectares of Broadleaf Seagrass (Posidonia australis) using scuba divers at a site off Port Albert, Victoria. This project will be delivered via an existing partnership between the Yarram Yarram Landcare Network, the commercial fishing industry of Corner Inlet and the University of Western Australia. Thisre storation technique will involve harvesting shoots from healthy donor meadows of Broadleaf Seagrass and transplanting the material to a site nearby in a checker-board arrangement. Over time, the plants will spread as the seagrass coalesces along the ocean floor. It complements our existing efforts to restore 200 hectares of broadleaf seagrass at other sites on Corner Inlet using sandbags to aid seagrass growth. By heading underwater, the team will be able to restore broadleaf seagrass year-round as opposed to a two week window during summer that they are currently limited to.

It's a fbulous project and Michael is an articulate advocate for both this project but also the wider impact of Landcare.

Topics discussed:

1. The emergence of declining sea grasses in Corner Inlet
2. Methods employed to regenerate the area
3. The importance of the land based Landcare projects to the success of this on water project.

Links mentioned in this episode: Video looking at Sea Grass Restoration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y14gzf4-YA4 WGCMA Corner Inlet Connections Project Page https://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/our-region/projects/corner-inlet-connections

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