Patanga

An intentional community

Wildlife refuge

Patanga is a National Park's and Wildlife Service registered wildlife refuge. In becoming a wildlife refuge we are making a public declaration of our commitment to the protection of our endangered and/or diminishing local flora and fauna.

Patanga is divided into three main areas:

• private, eg. house sites and gardens;
• agricultural, eg. livestock paddocks, and flats; and
• regeneration areas, eg. the creek, riverbank, gullies and steep hillsides. The regeneration areas make up approximately 50% of Patanga.

Patanga was a cattle, corn and potato growing property until the early 1970’s. It has also been logged at various times. Its full history is unclear. What we do know is that the regeneration areas have been regenerating for at least 30 years.

The biodiversity breakdown of Patanga is as follows:

• 13% - rainforest and permanent creek
• 15% - Wet Schlerophyll forest
• 15% - Dry Schlerophyll forest
• 5% - Riparian
• 52% - Agricultural

Our aim is to:

• protect and restore the natural environment;
• recognise and accommodate natural processes;
• develop the property and use its resources in an ecologically sustainable manner; and
• keep a balance between human settlement and wildlife corridors.

On a day to day basis, this involves:

• preserving the regenerating rainforest, wet and dry schlerophyll forests and riparian zones by encouraging natural regeneration of local indigenous species, and by taking part in revegetation projects;
• controlling feral animals;
• controlling weeds and introduced plant species;
• maintenance of fire trails around the perimeter of the property;
• provision of a mobile fire-fighting unit and fire hydrants in situ;
• no 'controllel burns' except when requested to do so by rural firefighting authorities;
• no grazing domestic livestock within regeneration areas;
• fencing domestic aminals out of waterways;
• no firewood collection within regeneration areas;
• no ownership of cats or dogs (visiting animals must be suitably restrained).

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