This blog article is the 3rd part of the series. If you missed part two, you can read it here!

Written by Mark Allaway and Heather Falloon.

Land restoration

The Global Tree Initiative (GTI) Australia brings you the third and final chapter of Mark Allaway’s land restoration journey at ‘Stone Jug’ in Central Victoria, on Dja Dja Warrung Country.

Restoring Australia’s land is as much about looking forward as it is about respecting the past. At ‘Stone Jug,’ the legacy of the land’s unique ecosystem is central to Mark’s rewilding efforts. After understanding the land’s physical and cultural significance and establishing low-lying vegetation, this final chapter turns to the giants of the landscape – the tall canopy trees.

Mark shares, “I want to explore the importance of planting tall canopy trees and protecting mature trees in the landscape. My focus is on native hardwood trees in the Australian environment, which have been evolving for over 300 million years.”

These towering trees are vital to ecological health, and their preservation and regeneration represent acts of environmental stewardship for generations to come.

“Eucalypts often occur in open woodlands with understorey shrubs and are adapted to regenerate following seasonal fires by producing prolific seed yields” explains Mark.

These trees primarily belong to the Myrtaceae family, which includes the flowering gums of the Eucalyptus genus. This genus encompasses more than 800 identified species, thriving in diverse ecotypes ranging from coastal areas to alpine regions. Their adaptability and long lifespans, often exceeding 500 years under favourable conditions, make them vital to land restoration efforts.

However, these trees are more than just part of the scenery. They are pillars of life, deeply woven into Australia’s cultural and ecological tapestry. Indigenous Australians have always understood this, using Eucalyptus trees for fuel, tools, shelter, ceremony, defence, hunting, harvesting, and artwork. Mark emphasises, “they should be a central part of our thinking about restoration and repair in the long-term, as we re-establish the ground cover and layer species underneath our big trees, in the short term.”

These ‘gum trees’ give the characteristic form and appearance of many Australian environments and have been the iconic subject of artists and photographers alike. The romanticised images of the colonial past show very large, mature, and time-worn old trees, widely spaced and showing signs of broken limbs and branches.

Droving into the light (Hans Heysen, 1921)

Ironically, it is the damaged branches that are the key to a healthy landscape and ecology. One of the remarkable features of tall Eucalyptus trees is their ability to provide habitat hollows. These hollows, formed through natural processes and wood-burrowing birds and insects, become nesting sites for countless species.

On our ‘Stone Jug’ property, the iconic River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), which are approximately 200-300 years old, demonstrate this process. Wind and drought have caused branches to die, initiating a natural hollow formation process. This is often aided by wood-eating termites, borers and burrowing parrots like Galahs and Crimson Rosellas. As the dead limbs fall away, they leave behind a ‘heal scar,’ where decaying wood creates hollows. Birds then modify these hollows by chewing through the rotting wood to create a nest site.

Hollows begin as dead limbs, birds assist with the formation over time

The development of habitat hollows is a slow process. From seedling to hollow-forming maturity, it may take over 150 years, creating intense competition among wildlife for these precious spaces.

“Supplementing the natural system with artificial nesting sites is an essential factor in building a healthy population of different species,” advises Mark.

“At ‘Stone Jug’ we have at least 10 species of nest-breeding birds and other mammals such as Tuans (Brushtail Phascogale) that must find a suitable hollow to reproduce. We place nest boxes on some of our younger trees to provide breeding sites whilst we wait for the tree hollows to form. Hopefully, my children’s children will continue this work to ensure the birds and animals can survive.”

Left: Crimson Rosella in our nest box. Right: Tuan (Brushtail Phascogale) that lives at Stone Jug.

Protecting existing large mature trees is essential for sustaining a healthy environment and providing vital breeding habitats. Hollows in old trees act as “wildlife hotels,” offering shelter, breeding grounds, and food sources in nature. Despite looking untidy and unhealthy, a single tree may have breeding locations for as many as ten animals.

“Our new plantings cannot replace this valuable asset overnight. We fence off some of these old trees to protect them from grazing animals, while the new plantings are being established to replace them. We have planted a small group of Bluegums (Eucalyptus bicostata) for firewood collection of dead limbs, but even after 25 years, no hollows are forming, so we must protect our old trees now for the future health of the environment.”

Left: River Red Gum at Stone Jug (200+ yrs old). Right: Blue Gum Plantings (25 yrs old, >25m Ht)

Mark explains, “Habitat restoration and protection is a lifetime’s work, across many generations. If we want a sustainable environment, we must protect what we have now, as we restore the natural system back to health. Every tree counts! The animals and birds are depending on us!”

The Djaara people understood the interconnectedness of plants, animals, and seasons, living in harmony with the land for over 30,000 years and passing their knowledge through generations. Mark’s restoration work on ‘Stone Jug’ echoes this timeless wisdom. By restoring the land from the ground up, we honor its history, nurture its present, and safeguard its future, ensuring the song of the land continues for generations to come.

Thank you, Mark, for your unwavering dedication to restoring the land and inspiring us all to care for it with the same compassion and commitment!