Farmers and property owners have been involved in an innovative project that is significantly reducing fire risk in the Adelaide Hills by replacing combustible phalaris with low fuel load native grasses.
Developed following the 2019-20 Cudlee Creek bushfires, the Protecting Farms from Fuel Loads and Water Loss project has removed phalaris on roadsides, property frontages and some internal fence lines.
LCS Landscapes has led the project and commercial manager Tom Atkins said the tall-growing phalaris had been replaced by shorter native grasses like bluegrass, bread grass, wallaby and chloris which are summer active - meaning they are green and less combustible in summer.
He said when phalaris was the dominant species on a roadside, the fire fuel load was increased dramatically.
"When you've got a fire front coming through and embers spread, phalaris is highly combustible and fuels the bushfire and the pace it burns at," Mr Atkins said.
"This dry state is prone to easy ignition by embers proceeding the actual fire front carried by the wind greatly threatens stock, property and lives."
LCS has three native grass seed production areas, totalling five hectares, at Kersbrook, Piccadilly and Oakbank, where 11 species are grown in paddocks and on matting.
Seed is harvested using vacuums and seed catchers, cleaned and either planted or stored for future use.
After spraying out areas of phalaris, a hydroseeding truck is used to mix seed with a paper or woodchip product and then cast the mix onto the target area.
Mr Atkins said as well as preventing seed loss from the wind, the mix has the added benefit of preventing soil erosion.
One of the 15 property owners involved is Bronte Gabb, who was running a small cattle herd near Woodside when the Cudlee Creek fire roared through.
While his cattle survived the blaze by finding shelter in a gully, some neighbouring producers weren't so lucky.
Much of Mr Gabb's internal fencing was destroyed and it left his cattle without any feed.
He said the project to reduce fuel loads could give property owners more time to react in the event of a bushfire by slowing down the firefront and potentially reduce property and livestock damage because of the reduced fuel load.
A small paddock fronting his property and the adjacent roadsides have had phalaris removed and replaced with a native grass mix.
He believes the project is worth replicating across much of the Adelaide Hills.
As part of the project, participants have also received bushfire sprinkler systems for their houses and infrastructure.
LCS is applying for another grant to replicate the project through other parts of the Adelaide Hills where phalaris has overtaken roadsides.
