Volunteers get outside and grow for National Tree Day
Heavy overnight rain did little to dampen the enthusiasm of volunteers who turned up to take part in Saturday’s National Tree Day Wingecarribee community planting event at Mittagong Creek in Bowral.
National Tree Day is an annual event organised by Planet Ark with each region given the option of scheduling the day to suit their local conditions.
The site chosen for this year’s planting was along the upper reaches of Mittagong Creek between McDonald and Bowral Streets.
Council’s Natural Resource Officer Paul Marshall said the day attracted a variety of volunteers.
“This year we had over 30 volunteers attend despite the wet ground and overcast weather,” he said. “We had a great cross section join us including veteran Bushcare volunteers, first-timers, the young and young-at-heart.”
“Special thanks are in order for the immediate residents and the volunteers from the Guides who joined us for the morning’s activities.”
Mr Marshall said the event was a fantastic way for community volunteers to make a positive contribution to the local environment and their own health.
“The day was a great opportunity for volunteers to get out in the fresh air and do something good for the environment,” he said.
“We’re pretty confident they even had a bit of fun in the process.”
This year the team of volunteers planted and guarded 1,000 native sedges and rushes along the creek bank in a bid to improve the creek’s water quality and protect the surrounding banks.
The site chosen for the plantings has been a major focus of creek rehabilitation efforts by Council over the past few years. Works already undertaken on site include the poisoning and removal of woody weeds such as Black Alder and Willows and the installation of in-stream erosion control structures.
Additional planting is planned for December when students from Frensham School will return to plant a further 2,000 plants.
Following their efforts members were treated to a barbeque lunch provided by the Lions Club of Bowral.
The rehabilitation of Mittagong Creek is part of Council’s ongoing River Health and Wetlands Program. The program is supported by the Environment Levy and sponsored by South East Local Land Services and WaterNSW.
National Tree Day Wingecarribee is supported by Southern Highlands Motor Group as part of Toyota Australia’s sponsorship of National Tree Day.