Land Management Services

Hunter Land Management specialises in Environmental Consulting and Rehabilitation.

We conduct land management consultation and implementation on vegetation, soil and water environments in the Hunter Valley region and surrounds.

We pride ourselves on being professional with a strong focus on meeting the needs of our clients. This is achieved through a thorough understanding of the specific requirements of the project at hand and endeavouring to meet all deadlines. Our staff are leaders in the field of land management which contributes to a proficient, cost effective service to our customers.

Hunter Land Management has professional affiliations with bodies such as Environment Business Australia (EBA) and the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) and regularly attends conferences and courses throughout Australia to ensure that the advice and projects undertaken by our business for our clients are at the cutting edge of the field of land management.

Hunter Land Management has displayed and continues to maintain a deep interest and commitment to the environment and natural resource management with the specific focus of our business being in the following service areas.

For more information, please contact Daniel Lewer on daniel.lewer@hlmaus.com.au or 0412 404 499 or click here.

  • Development of dynamic and practical ‘Weed Action Plans’ which provide a strategic approach to program, monitor and implement weed management activities on an annual basis;
  • Weed Spraying using herbicides applied in a safe and professional manner using qualified staff. We provide a range of plant equipment from 4WD mounted boom sprays to Quikspray units. We also have knapsacks and Splatter Guns for low volume applications in sensitive areas;
  • Fully qualified and experienced Bush Regeneration teams for rehabilitation and management of sensitive areas using low impact techniques, such as grubbing out, physical removal, solarisation and cut and paint herbicide application;
  • Weed control using alternatives to herbicide including techniques such as hand removal, slashing and steam treatment;
  • Our specialist equipment includes ATVs and an amphibious vehicle which permits weed spraying in areas which are other wise inaccessible by boat and 4WD;
  • All weed control activities are achieved using safe work methods, risk assessment and sound recording of information. All herbicide application is recorded and includes monitoring of weather constantly using portable field weather stations;
  • In the field recording of weed control using GPS units and development of weed control maps can also be done at the clients request.
 

Hunter Land Management (HLM) will help you achieve your revegetation objectives in projects of all sizes and locations. More specifically, our revegetation services include;

  • Revegetation planning and implementation for all purposes including natural area restoration, improved riparian habitat, erosion control, mine site rehabilitation, windbreaks, shadelots.
  • Advice on species selection, location, techniques, maintenance and possible funding sources
  • Techniques for revegetation include direct seeding, hydro-mulching, hiko’s, conventional tubestock, longstem tubestock and advanced plantings.
  • Our on-ground crews have the ability to collect and prepare seeds, propagate tubestock, prepare sites (deep ripping, slashing, burning and weed control), install irrigation, professionally plant tubestock,install stakes and guards (including water retention agent, fertiliser tablets, soil conditioners), installation of stock proof fencing and maintenance of sites (weed control, watering, pest control and replacements)
  • Specialists in riparian plantings (using longstem jetting and augering equipment) using Longstem Native Tubestock. Longstem Native Tubestock are deep planted making them more tolerant of temperature and soil moisture fluctuations. They are also anchored into the soil which reduces chance of the tree being washed away during times of flood.
  • Soil testing and remediation services for degraded and hard to revegetate areas suffering from high salt levels, poor pH, nutrient deficiencies or poor structure to ensure the best possible chance of success for your revegetation project

HLM have the skills and experience to undertake the design and implementation of all landscaping projects specialising in natural landscaping solutions. We can provide both hard and soft landscaping services for a range of applications including acreages, estate developments, infrastructure landscaping and council services.

This service is based on the many years of experience that HLM staff possess in all aspects of vertebrate pest management including:

  • Development of management plans meeting all legislative requirements to control declared and other pest species;
  • Rabbit and hare control using Pindone Baiting, shooting, fumigation and habitat destruction techniques;
  • Fox and wild dog control using 1080 baiting, den fumigation, soft jaw trapping and shooting;
  • Feral cat control using cage traps, soft jaw trapping and shooting;
  • Wild pig control using cage trapping, 1080 baiting and shooting;
  • Wild goat/deer/horse control using yard trapping and shooting;
  • Kangaroo management services using shooting techniques (NPWS and NSW Firearms Safety Council Accredited to fill tags) – further information on kangaroo management options can be found below;
  • Feral bird control programs such as Myna Birds using RSPCA approved cage traps and gassing techniques along with shooting for specific problem birds;
  • Monitoring programs including sand pad monitoring, dyed scats, spotlighting and aerial surveying;
  • GIS Mapping services which are used during vertebrate pest control to map areas of sign, property infrastructure, potential trapping and baiting sites;
  • All services involving firearms use (trapping and shooting) are provided with full insurance and accreditation;
  • Humane destruction of injured animals on an on-call basis also available for clients such as mine sites.

HLM has well maintained and modern equipment with all works undertaken in consultation with Local Land Services (LLS) and NPWS where applicable. Strict safety procedures are in place for all firearms use.

Spring Foxes Cub Dispersal

Foxes breed once a year in winter with breeding females usually having around three to four cubs. Every summer, young foxes disperse to find new territories and may move up to 30km away from their birth dens.

This will see an increase in sightings and road toll as these new foxes are not as “human aware” as older foxes. You will see young foxes around bins and buildings where you wouldn’t normally see foxes.

It is important to continue with 1080 baiting and other control programs in offset and native habitat areas to ensure any foxes which find this area “competition free” are controlled. If control programs are reduced over summer these dispersing juveniles may take up residence and threaten biodiversity values of these areas through predation etc.

Rabbit Warren Smoke Identification Unit

Trials conducted by the NSW DPI have shown that the use of a smoke identification unit (as pictured above) when fumigating rabbit warrens with tablets increases the overall control and effectiveness of the program by over 90%.

The smoke identification unit fills the warren with smoke, and as the smoke vents out of all openings allows identification of all entrances to the warren – see below image. Once these have been identified and blocked, fumigation works can commence and reduces the chance of fumigation gases from escaping the warren, increasing gas concentration within the warren and overall effectiveness.

Hunter Land Management’s pest officers are trained in the use of this specialised smoker and are able to provide a quote for any required rabbit control works.

Kangaroo Management

Historically HLM have conducted kangaroo cull programs to reduce numbers on numerous sites throughout the Hunter Valley, at full expense to the client. However HLM now have the accreditation to professionally harvest kangaroos to be sold to chiller operations for human consumption or pet food in place of the current “shoot and lie” approach. HLM endeavours to carry out Commercial Kangaroo Shooting so that the animals shot do not go to waste rotting in the paddock, and the meat can be sold to reduce the cost of this control.

In recent times the NSW government has changed the boundaries of the NSW Kangaroo Management Zones for Commercial and Non Commercial Shooting. The main point of interest is that the Lower Hunter Valley which falls under the Central Tablelands North, Zone 48, which has had its boundaries extended to include the Singleton LGA. This means that commercial kangaroo harvesting can occur in the Lower Hunter Valley, where previously it was in the non-commercial zone.

Kangaroo Control Options
HLM offer two options for the control and cull of kangaroos. The Non Commercial Option and the Commercial Option.

  • Non-Commercial Option : The kangaroo cull occurs on approval of the client and kangaroos are shot and tagged and left where they lay.
  • Commercial Option : HLM conducts the kangaroo cull, but the kangaroos are harvested and sold to chillers. Commercially harvesting kangaroos is a slower process than roo culling with only larger animals, mainly bucks being targeted. All Kangaroos have to be transported to the chiller after the shoot.

HLM Commercial Proposal
Whilst the non-commercial option is still available, HLM proposes to conduct future kangaroo shooting programs under the Commercial Harvesting system where possible, meaning that all kangaroos are shot, processed and sold to the chillers. Essentially the client will receive the same service as a non-commercial kangaroo cull but the meat would be put to use instead of rotting away in the paddock and providing food for feral species such as foxes and wild dogs.

Why HLM and not another Professional Roo Shooter?

HLM has been conducting Non Commercial Shooting for many years on and off mine sites, airports, army barracks and other industrial and rural locations within the Hunter Valley and NSW. HLM has implemented programs that have culled a total of over 10,000 kangaroos in the past 5 years. This has been done without a single safety incident. This experience together with our specialised vehicles and equipment enables us to get the job done right. HLM place a strong focus on safety when undertaking any works with firearms and implement Best Practice techniques in terms of the Humane Destruction of Animals. HLM has all the necessary insurance coverage to conduct the works.

HLM are able to offer alternatives in erosion control to conventional rock and concrete flumes that are more environmentally sustainable such as Large Woody Debris(LWD).

HLM can provide the following services:

  • All scales and types of riparian management including river, creek, gully, sheet and rill erosion.
  • All types of remediation techniques including LWD, erosion control construction techniques such as sediment basin design and soil loss calculations as outlined in “The Blue Book”, along with erosion control products such as geotextile, jute matting and hydromulching.
  • Use of computer programs to design erosion control structures such as Geomorphic Assessor and RAINER.
  • Design and construct service which allows HLM to both design all types of structures and supervise our experienced earth moving subcontractors through the construction stage.
  • Liaison with Catchment Management Authority’s and other government agencies in relation to permits and funding applications.
  • Floculation of sediment dams and installation of sediment fencing.

GIS Property Mapping:

  • is a powerful visual tool to highlight your project or properties points of interest to allow for easy planning and reporting.
  • Desktop and mobile GPS technology to develop accurate management plans based on raster layers such as aerial photography and topographic maps of your site.
  • An evolving database of your data showing details such as infrastructure and weed infestations, planned target areas, areas of completed work and any other relevant information – displayed visually, for future reference and monitoring programs.
  • Ability to develop and implement data collection forms to be used in Arcpad to substantially accelerate field data collection.
  • GPS tracking of our field staff and equipment providing a daily record of all site access compiled directly into a maintenance log.

We can provide these high quality GIS mapping services with the use of the following software programs:

  • ArcMap 9.2
  • ArcPad 7.0
  • NAVMAN wireless Online AVL 2
  • Garmin Mapsource

And the following equipment:

  • High performance desktop computers
  • iPAQ Portable computers
  • Trimble Mobile GIS mapping
  • Bluetooth and conventional GPS units
  • Rugged RAM Mounts for mounting to 4WD vehicles, quad-bikes, boat, ARGO and walking

Bushfire Management Services:

  • Prepare Bushfire Threat Assessments as required for building in bushfire prone areas;
  • Monitor fuel loads;
  • Establish or maintain Asset Protection Zones (APZ);
  • We have skilled and experienced staff in both the planning and implementation of Bushfire Management Plans;
  • Hazard Reduction burning.

Our Plant and Equipment includes:

  • 4WD with Slip on Fire Fighting units;
  • 4WD 95 HP Tractor with front end loader and Heavy duty Slasher for establishing and maintaining fire breaks;
  • 4WD Compact Tractor with front end loader and slasher.

Enhancement

  • Increase the ecological value of your site through the introduction of general or species specific habitat e.g: Introduce native sedges and aquatics to a dam along with organic matter and woody debris to encourage water birds and invertebrates.
  • Nest box advice, selection, installation including a GIS map of locations and ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure box viability and relevance.
  • Introduction of Woody Debris, Shelters, target specific feed species and system inputs into previously cleared or degraded landscapes using recycled and natural materials.

Access and Asset Maintenance

  • Slashing services including track maintenance, fire-break construction and maintenance, integrated chemical-free weed control
  • Boundary Maintenance including fence line maintenance, prevention of adjacent property weed encroachment, infrastructure buffer maintenance;

Transitioning and Maintaining vegetation in mixed use production and restoration landscapes

  • Wood chipping using our tractor mounted PTO chipper for onsite spread or offsite disposal;
  • Woody Weed Control using a combination of chemical and mechanical control techniques;
  • Design and implementation of Burning Regimes to Control Weeds, Reduce Fuel Load and encourage Natural Post Fire Germination of native species to promote natural regeneration of areas prone to a high woody weed load or previously grazed.

Hunter Land Management can provide the benefit of our working relationship with the following organisations to liaise on our client’s behalf to ensure efficient and effective outcomes for all projects:

  • Catchment Management Authorities
  • NSW Department of Environmental, Climate Change and Water (DECCW), including the National Parks Division
  • NSW Department of Industry and Investment (Mineral Resources, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry)
  • NSW Maritime Services Board
  • Local Councils
  • Livestock Health and Pest Authorities
  • Other specialised organisations

HLM has extensive experience in the development application process and requirements from all levels of government. We can supply, or source, all required environmental reports and surveys for developments (For example subdivisions and developments in difficult situations such as riparian areas), including:

  • Flora and Fauna Assessments (including associated assessments)
  • Review of Environmental Factors
  • Vegetation Management Plans
  • Erosion and Sediment Control Plans
  • Soil and Water Management Plans Bushfire Threat Assessments
  • Bushfire Management Plans
  • Pre-Purchase Inspections and Reporting