Our Team Visits the Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group
On Friday 28 October 2022, our team travelled to Busselton Western Australia to visit the volunteers of Ludlow Tuart Restoration Group and learn more about what they do. Holger Topp, former President of the group, was our guide and graciously shared his knowledge with us.
It’s difficult to explain the sheer scale of their conservation efforts unless you see them in person. Acres and acres of replanted forest, community involvement, recording of stories, and the loving restoration of an entire historic settlement.
FOREST RESTORATION
Their work to restore the forest includes growing and planting Tuart seedlings, arum lily and weed eradication, creating habitats for wildlife like birds and possums, and getting local schools and volunteers involved in planting and conservation. Their newly restored office establishes a place for people to learn and meet, and a new greenhouse provides a great place to cultivate seedlings.
What do they plan to do in the future?
- Within the next 45 years they plans to restore the tall tuart forest canopy allow ecosystem dependent biodiversity to return.
- Manage threats, Human, animal, plant, insect and pathogen.
- Forest protection and conservation
- Provide facilities to support, protect, breed and reintroduce dependent biodiversity, jobs and growth.
Develop multifaceted tourism with links to estuary and RAMSAR listed wetlands bird sanctuary.
LUDLOW HISTORIC SETTLEMENT AND MILL
Many who have visited Busselton might not even know about the Ludlow Forestry Mill and Settlement, originally established in 1918. It was once a vibrant little town nestled among the trees. The Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group are working hard to reclaim items stolen from the site over the years, and undo the damage from vandalism with the hopes of creating a place the community can be proud of.
What do they plan to do in the future?
The Heritage Council listed mill and settlement buildings will undergo significant conservation restoration. The masterplan includes a tuart forest education centre, cafe, nature playground and nature trails, Indigenous tree arboretum and native plant nursery. The surrounding remnant forest will be rehabilitated with understory vegetation previously found on the site, restoring the biodiversity and providing fauna habitat.
The former school building will be repurposed as a community hall and the main workshop, a function centre for major events. The settlement cottages and gardens will be restored back to their authentic era of construction, providing tourist accommodation, together with new single quarters and a nature based campground.
LEARN MORE
Want to learn more? Please visit their website or Facebook page.
