Redland City Council has taken to the great outdoors to educate people about local waterways, hosting a waterways restoration field trip on Sunday 23 November 2014.
Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the field trip, run through Council’s successful Waterways Extension Program, gave practical advice about restoring waterways on private property.
“We are fortunate enough to be working in partnership with many property owners to improve waterways health in our region, particularly our priority areas of Eprapah and Hilliards catchments,” Cr Williams said.
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“During the field trip, people visited three local properties where the owners are actively restoring their waterways and farm dams.
“This included Craig and Julie Whyte’s property at the headwaters of Eprapah Creek where significant restoration work has happened since they joined the Waterways Extension Program three years ago, including revegetation, erosion control and the installation of floating wetlands on their dam.
“The properties visited are local success stories and the field trip was a wonderful opportunity for others to learn more about bank stabilisation, revegetation, controlling pest weed and animal species and floating wetlands.”
Council’s environmental spokesperson Cr Lance Hewlett said the field trip was just one example of the strong partnerships Council and property owners had formed to protect local waterways.
“The waterways extension program began in 2009 as a way of connecting Council with people who owned properties with creeks, dams, ponds and gullies,” he said.
“Since then, around 80 properties have voluntarily signed-up to be part of this program, which equates to more than 850 hectares of land being covered in key catchment areas.
“During this time, more than 185 projects have been undertaken to improve local waterways health. In the last two years alone, more than 15,000 riparian plants have been planted.
“It is a great success story for the Redlands, showing what can be achieved when stakeholders work together to take on challenges.”
For more information on the Waterways Extension Program and Council’s other environmental initiatives, visit the Redlands IndigiScapes Centre website www.indigiscapes.com.au
Photo: Council’s Waterways Extension Officer Dale Watson with property owner Craig Whyte.
