Phase two will build on the relationships and work already accomplished in this catchment to protect and improve water quality and riparian outcomes.

Hayden Burgess, program coordinator and ROC member, said they were delighted to have received the funding “from our friends and investors at the NSW Environmental Trust to continue the work we started in our Yass River Linkages Phase One project”.

”It’s a good investment of funds to be focusing on riparian outcomes, but we’ll also be looking at the entire Yass River catchment,” he said.

ROC considers Yass as an important water-supply catchment and it focuses on reducing sedimentation, regenerating structurally complex riparian vegetation, and boosting biodiversity.

With an engagement approach targeting fish habitat, ROC will continue to work with NSW Department of Primary Industry Fisheries to conduct fish surveys and examine the possibilities of bringing native species formerly found in the Yass River, back into the waterway.

Mr Burgess said as well as the funding from the NSW Environmental Trust, project partnership with the Australian River Restoration Centre was key.

Other project partners of ROC are Greening Australia, Yass Area Network of Landcare, South-east Local Land Services and the local community.

Mr Burgess also said they aimed to conduct further work at Yass Gorge.

“This project will be contributing further there to continue the rehabilitation work. It’s one of the jewels in Yass,” he said.

During the next two years, ROC will aim to achieve the following:

“We would love to hear from any landholders living along the Yass River who might like to get involved in this second phase of our project,” ROC stated on its website.

Incentives for fencing, alternative water, re-vegetation and some weed control (complementary to on-ground works) will be provided to enable landholders to better manage riparian zones within a framework of sustainable agriculture.

The map below shows the region ROC is covering.