The Werribee River Association is thrilled to be one of the Victorian State Governments Green Links Grant recipients.
With the Victorian Government investing $10 million to deliver environmental restoration across the state, Green Links focuses on improving the health of waterways, improving habitat for native wildlife and providing green spaces for communities.
With support from Parks Victoria (in an on-going 14-year partnership), the Association will be undertaking two years of on-ground restoration work at Werribee River Park.
Located on the west side of the lower Werribee River, Werribee River Park is a large conservation reserve that provides habitat for a diversity of native wildlife; including threatened bird species, and is home to many large, magnificent River Red Gums.
While there have been recent plantings throughout the park as a part of the More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West initiative, the ground layer of the park is heavily degraded and dominated by highly invasive exotic species. This project will see the planting of 9,000 indigenous shrubs, grasses and ground covers across 1.5 hectares of the park.
Maryann Weatherill, the Regeneration Manager for the Association, said “Along with reintroducing local species and reducing exotic species, this project will recreate vegetation structure along the riparian of the river, increase the biodiversity of the park and enable greater ecosystem functioning with benefits for native wildlife and the river.”
With the Association running the monthly volunteer group the Friends of Werribee River Park, from April though to September, there is the opportunity for the local community to be involved in this exciting project and help to get some plants in the ground.
For more info on how to get involved, or on the project, please contact admin@werribeeriver.org.au
Photo of WRA staff, John Forrester and Lisa Field, meeting with State Treasurer, Tim Pallas MP, to discuss how this funding would improve the environment.