Gippsland Plains covenantor, Simon Kennedy, is rolling out an innovative scheme to help covenanters offset carbon emissions. He is offering to grow seed collected from covenanted land at his Gippsland Plains Nursery for other covenantors. When the seedlings are ready, covenantors can collect the tubestock and plant it on their protected land. Simon is offering 1000 plants annually to be shared amongst interested covenantors and recommends seeds from trees and larger shrubs be used due to their greater carbon uptake ability.
This generous service is being offered on the understanding that landowners will be able to provide seed from their own property, collect the grown seedlings from Simon and most importantly plant seedlings on covenanted land only to ensure long-term protection and conservation. Seed should be labelled and come from at around 10 individual parent plants to ensure genetic diversity. Borrowed materials such as tubes and trays are to be returned or delivered to a depot for easy collection. Simon plans to trial this service for five years and review its progress for carbon uptake.
Any covenantors interested in taking part in this project can register interest by emailing East Gippsland Stewardship Officers Kate Allen or Clare Manuell or call the East Gippsland office on (03) 5153 0457.
