Native Vegetation Heritage Agreement
The Native Vegetation Heritage Agreement is an area on private land dedicated to conserving and restoring indigenous biodiversity. It is established through an agreement between the landowner and the Minister for Climate, Environment, and Water, based on a recommendation from the Native Vegetation Council (NVC). This agreement helps protect and restore native biodiversity.
Landowners receive support to take care of their properties, which is crucial for building resilience to climate change. For more details, you can visit Heritage Agreements through the Department for Environment and Water.
The Barossa Council has two sites included under the Native Vegetation Heritage Agreement:
- Altona CSR Landcare Reserve
- Tanunda Native Pine Woodland
Another site in Eden Valley has been approved by the Native Vegetation Council and is waiting for the Minister's endorsement:
- Jutland Water Reserve
Altona CSR Landcare Reserve
In 2005 the Altona CSR Landcare Reserve was nominated for heritage listing. Volunteers from the Williamstown and Lyndoch Landcare Group have spent over 20 years working hard to manage the site for conservation. The site contains several walking trails to explore the reserve.
Tanunda Native Pine Woodland
The Native Vegetation Council (NVC) granted this Council Reserve Heritage listing in 1999. This site comprises 40-50 native species of which eight have a conservation rating for the region.
At present, Trees for Life (Bush for Life) volunteer teams manage the site and this is supported by us. Furthermore, the Tanunda Woodlands Volunteer Group manages The Tanunda Urban Forest Project buffers the core Native Pine woodland and enables the local schools and wider community to view the landscape through a climate lens, thereby promoting the local cooling effect of greenspace and woody vegetation.
Jutland Water Reserve
The Jutland Water Reserve forms part of the Marne River catchment and covers an area of 4.3ha. This small parcel has several regional threatened plant species and one with state conservation rating, and provides critical habitat for native fish, several species of amphibians, the State listed Rare Diamond Fire-Tail Finch, Rainbow Bee-eater and the Brown Tree Creeper.