The Yarrahapinni to Killiekrankie (Y2K) Bush Connect Project is a major bushland connectivity project in priority locations across Hickeys Creek in Macleay Valley and Taylors Arm in Nambucca Valley. The Project is funded by the NSW Environmental Trust as part of the Bush Connect Program, which seeks to achieve long-term outcomes for the NSW environment within the Great Eastern Ranges corridor. The project is delivered through Macleay Landcare and Nambucca Valley Landcare, with support from Nambucca Shire Council, Kempsey Shire Council, Local Land Services, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and NSW Forest Corporation.
The Y2K Project aims to extend and improve the condition of native vegetation to connect Ngambaa Nature Reserve, Ingalba State Forest, Collombatti State Forest in the east, to New England National Park, Thumb Creek State Forest and Mistake State Forest in the west, further expanding the Great Eastern Ranges Corridor, which stretches 3,600 km from the Victorian Alps to the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland.
Connectivity, or ‘corridors’ between native vegetation is vitally important for wildlife, as it allow animals to move between habitat areas. This movement is crucial to the long-term viability of wildlife populations, including for daily foraging in local patches, seasonal migrations, once-in-a-lifetime migration events to seek new territories, and multi-generational range shifts in response to climate change.
The Y2K project provides funding to landholders for revegetation, fencing, off-stream watering, environmental pest and weed management and related activities over a six years to increase the connectivity of important habitat for a number of threatened species and ecological communities.
