SCA provides $3,400 grant for Whites Creek revegetation
Council’s efforts to rehabilitate the section of Whites Creek downstream of Cosgrove Park in Moss Vale have gained $3,400 funding support from the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA).
The rehabilitation project is an extension of the revegetation work through Cosgrove Park that has been undertaken by the Moss Vale Landcare Group with support from Wingecarribee Shire Council and the SCA over the last ten years.
Residents of the area have seen a major transformation take place since early July with the infestation of Privet and Willows along the creek from Cosgrove Park to Lapwing Place being felled and chipped into mulch.
Site works commenced in April when contractors poisoned the Willows and Privet. However, as some re-growth is still expected, contractors will be spraying the weed re-growth for the next year in preparation for revegetation works planned for spring 2013.
Revegetation of Whites Creek is part of Wingecarribee Shire Council’s River Health and Wetlands Strategy which aims to enhance the habitat value of our watercourses by establishing a mix of native trees, shrubs and groundcovers to stabilize the creek banks and improve downstream water quality.
Acting Chief Executive of the SCA, Sarah Dinning, said the SCA’s support is offered under its Catchment Protection and Improvement Grants Program. The program offers funding to community groups for projects that protect and improve water quality through riparian and environmental restoration, or for projects that educate the community about protecting catchments and water quality.
“Community groups in the catchments can play an important role in protecting their local environment as well as the water supply for more than four and a half million people,” she said.
“The SCA’s Catchment Protection and Improvement Grants Program acknowledges that contribution.”
Council reminds all interested volunteers that the Moss Vale Landcare Group holds two working bees a month where volunteers spend a morning working together to maintain existing revegetation areas. One of these is held on the fourth Friday of the month and the other is on the second Saturday of the month. New volunteers are always welcome and anyone interested should contact Council’s Environment and Sustainability Branch on phone 4868 0772 for further details.