The Healthy Soils, Healthy Rivers program has wrapped up for another season marking the eighth year of support for landholders and community groups from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to manage nutrients in the Swan-Avon Catchment.

The program began in 2015 with a series of projects run over three years to explore nutrient-use efficiency in agricultural systems which contribute large amounts of nutrients to the Swan-Avon system. Forty-four landholders were engaged, over 750 soil samples taken, 4km of riparian fencing erected and several workshops were run during this period of the funding.

In 2019, the focus changed to supporting community groups to rehabilitate riparian areas. Over the last four years, 6 community groups have been supported in 8 different projects. They include Toodyay Friends of the River, the York River Conservation Society, The Friends of the Dale River, WA College of Agriculture Cunderdin and the Gabby Quoi Quoi Catchment Group who have collectively planted 18, 000 seedlings, conducted 30 ha of weed control and erected 4.7 km of fencing to protect and rehabilitate riparian areas. In the most recent round of funding, community groups have also installed nesting boxes to augment habitat for native animals including bats and possums.

Wheatbelt NRM acknowledge the efforts and passion of landholders and community groups for their commitment to improving the water quality of the Avon River under this funding and thank DBCA for their support.