STAFF from Hillview Quarries joined members of the Habitat Restoration Fund to plant 100 trees in Arthurs Seat State Park.
The trees planted on land managed by Parks Victoria above the Hillview Community Reserve, Dromana were paid for by a seven-year grant from Hillview to the restoration fund.
The Habitat Restoration Fund was started in 2006, “by a group of people who wanted to take a more hands on approach to preserving their local environment”.
“The quarry crew offered a combination of enthusiasm, dedication, horticultural skill and area expertise to the job in just two hours, under direction of the Habitat Restoration Fund,” Greg Fitzgerald, who heads the fund’s board, said.
“Habitat restoration in our natural bushland requires a long-term view approach and thanks to Hillview Quarries and the Ross Trust, this seven-year grant was awarded in 2018 to the Habitat Restoration Fund for works in this Parks Victoria site.”
Mr Fitzgerald said the long-term grant “allows for a comprehensive management plan to assess the site for weeds, identify restorative flora species, grow the appropriate species, organise weed removal works in preparation for planting and plan for ongoing maintenance”.
In 2018, weeds such as blackberry, watsonia, pittosporum, cape ivy, Spanish heath, tree tobacco and boneseed removed from the creek line.
Weed control had continued to enable the Wednesday 19 May plantings of coastal manna gums, manna gums, swamp gums and peppermint on the sides of the creek line and path.
“Too often grants are short-term and focus in on only one element of bushland restoration – this is ineffective to repair the damage to our environment and our diverse habitats suffer,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
He said the relationship between the Habitat Restoration Fund and Hillview Quarries started in 2011 “and has consistently achieved positive outcomes for the state park”.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 1 June 2021
