A CARTOON worm is being used to spearhead a campaign to involve the community in identifying “significant” trees on the Mornington Peninsula.
While it can’t be said that Wilbur is providing backbone to the photographic endeavour, he is nonetheless being used to support Mornington Peninsula Shire’s efforts to increase the number of trees on its significant tree register.
Photographs of “favourite trees” posted on the shire’s website will be considered for the register.
There is also a three-level tree spotter puzzle to involve all the family in highlighting “the environmental importance of trees and the major role they play in the visual beauty of the peninsula”.
The focus on trees follows last month’s Green Wedge Summit and the release for public comment of the Mornington Peninsula Green Wedge Management Plan.
The mayor Cr Bryan Payne said trees play a major role in the “liveability” of the shire’s major urban activity centres, townships and coastal villages.
“Access to trees, green spaces, streetscapes and parks promotes greater physical activity and reduces stress while improving the quality of life – a well-known concept acknowledged by medical authorities and town planners,” Cr Payne said.
Green wedge-zoned areas on the peninsula covered 51,204 hectares, about 70 per cent of the shire.
“More than 80 per cent of the land within the green wedge is in private ownership – some 4939 lots – which collectively have an important role in the environmental management of the green wedge area,” Cr Payne said.
“One of the largest trees nominated to the national big tree register is a 30 metre high, 150-year-old oak with a five metre circumference trunk off Old Moorooduc Road, Tuerong.”
The Green Wedge Summit on Friday 22 June at Main Ridge attended by over 120 residents focused on the importance of maintaining the environmental, agricultural, tourism and social integrity of the area with balanced planning and policies.
Cr Payne said the Significant Tree Spotting program enables community members to photograph their favourite tree on their mobile phone anywhere within the shire and text it to treespotter@morpen.vic.gov.au
Wilbur Worm’s Online Tree Spotter Puzzle is at greenwedge.mornpen.vic.gov.au/puzzle/
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 3 July 2018
