Envirotrust grant 2013 – 2018 – bush regeneration

Tilligerry Habitat applied for a 6 year NSW Government Envirotrust grant in 2012 for work across Tilligerry Peninsula and was successful in receiving $250 000 to fund bush regenerators working with community groups on crown and council land. Work started in 2013 and will be completed in March 2018.

The partners in the grant are Tanilba Bay Parks Reserves and Hall Committee (working on Tanilba Bay Sailing Club), Tilligerry Habitat Association (Tilligerry Habitat Reserve and surrounding council land), Tilligerry Tidy Towns Landcare (Halt the Advancing Pine Army behind Mallabula Sportsground, Lemon Tree Passage Environmental Protection Zone and Helen Avenue Bushland- the last 2 crown land), Mallabula Parks and Reserves (Rookes Point), Lemon Tree Passage Parks and Reserves (Gibbers Point, John Parade, Lilli Pilli and Conroy Park) and Port Stephens Council (financial management).

The grant involves volunteers working with paid bush regenerators to remove weeds and share skills so that the projects can be maintained at the end of the time and community education in caring for and understanding the environmental values of bushland and the animals it supports.

Bush regenerator teams used are Worimi Green Team, BARRC Bushland and Rainforest Regeneration Consultants and Trees in Newcastle. In the first photo Worimi Green Team workers show how a 1 sq m quadrat is used to identify and quantify the weeds in this case 67% of the plants so that improvement can be measured in five years. (NOTE: photos to be added shortly)

Fran Corner