Restoring habitat at Karlindy
Karst Kreun settled his property near Mansfield in March, 2021. The very next day he began planting.
His dedication to restoration of habitat is such that Karst planted 12,500 trees across the 48 ha property by himself in the following four years. The property – named Karlindy in honour of Karst’s late wife Lindy – is a vision of their shared passion for Australian natural habitat. Restoring habitat at Karlindy ensures a safe haven for species including the endangered Gang-Gang Cockatoo and the Platypus which is found in the Broken River running through the property. The revegetation complements the stately mature Red Gums and Yellow Box trees and their natural recruitment that are already welcoming hundreds of birds back to the property to feed and nest.
Picture : Penny Stephens. The Guardian Australia. 4th November 2024
This isn’t Karst’s first revegetation effort. His passion began when he was in grade 4, when Karst was given a Pink-flowered Yellow Gum that he planted and nurtured at home until it inevitably outgrew his childhood garden. Years later, with more space than that childhood Yellow Gum had, he returned another property near Mansfield to the bush, seeing native birds thrive in land restored to its native ecosystem. He recalls buying Karlindy with the intent to “do exactly the same”.
This time, Karst has support from the BushBank – Private Land Stream. The Victorian Government’s $31 million BushBank Program, delivered by Cassinia Environmental, supports landowners to restore habitat on private land. By partnering with BushBank, Karst has received funding to help revegetate the degraded former cropping land, making his dream a reality.
A wide variety of trees and shrubs have been planted by tubestock planting, including Banksia, Australian Indigo, and the larger River Red Gums, amongst others. To encourage the establishment of these native species, Karst has been reducing the presence of high threat weeds like blackberry and managing the overgrowth of grasses around plantings. His achievements will be protected in perpetuity by a Trust for Nature Conservation Covenant.
Karst believes that the land should belong to everyone. “In my view, the property is for the people, I’m just looking after it”, he shares. Local schools, teenagers in search of work experience, and the local landcare association, Up2Us, have all benefited from the newly thriving landscape. In revitalising the connection between land and local community, Karst wants to help young people find the same passion that he found as a boy. He recalls a young girl getting emotional as a Blue Wren perched near her, reminding Karst of his early love for the environment.
Signing up to the BushBank program means that Karst can continue his work at Karlindy, “You never stop planting on a project of this size!” he chuckles. Karst’s advice to those considering revegetation is simple, “Imagine what you would like the place to look like in a hundred years and plan. Then put one tree in the ground and keep doing it.”
The BushBank Program’s Private Land Stream plays a critical role in Victoria’s conservation efforts on properties like Karst’s. The program continues to seek private landowners interested in restoring their land and fighting climate change. For more information or to express interest, visit www.cassinia.com/bushbank.
