The McLaren Vale Biodiversity Project (MVBP) is a joint initiative of community (Friends of Willunga Basin), Government (Natural Resource Management) and industry, represented by those willing to put in and make a difference. The Project aims to preserve and protect the environment, agricultural land use and the biodiversity of the Willunga Basin region.

Field Days are held on a monthly basis which see the team and regular volunteers come together to remove feral vegetation from creek lines and roadsides and replace them with endemic species. The working-bee runs for about two hours and generally ends with a snack, a cold glass of wine and time to socialise with other Biodiversiteers.

The Shingleback team have a strong working relationship with, and are a proud winery partner of, the McLaren Vale Biodiversity Project. Together we have developed an ongoing sustainability and biodiversity plan for our Davey Estate Vineyard in Whites Valley, McLaren Vale. Part of this plan involved holding two full Planting Days in the winter of 2019, where a 4Ha area around the creek-line was planted with a range of beneficial, insect-attractive, native plants.

The Shingleback Planting Days saw upwards of 200 wonderful volunteers, who included friends, family and community lovers, plant 24 endemic species around the creek line. This work was all done at a landscape scale, working on areas of significant remnant native vegetation and creating corridor linkages. Two main plants were the ‘Rhagodia-salt bush’, which will eventually spread along the banks and out-compete the weeds, and the ‘Dodonea viscosa’ – commonly known as a Sticky hop bush, which is a great middle story plant. (see here for full list of plants). The team maintained these plantings throughout their establishment phase and are thrilled with the results.

Recognition: the MVBP won the McLaren Vale Regional Business Awards in both 2016 and 2018 and was a Finalist & State Winner in the 2019 “Australian Government Partnerships for Landcare”. It is a perfect example of how a community led project can promote tangible change within a region and it can be easily replicated anywhere else across the landscape. Shingleback is very proud to be a part of such a hard-working and dedicated community and we look forward to seeing what the future brings.