Lane Cove National Park, in the New South Wales state capital Sydney, has received an environmental lift as up to 150 people from 15 companies learnt new skills at a Landcare Australia Corporate Volunteer Challenge Day.
The corporate volunteers learnt how to spot the difference between weeds and natives and help regenerate an ecosystem under pressure from peri-urban settlements.
At the same time they did their bit to stop popular garden plants spread by birds, wind and rainwater from threatening native plants and wildlife.
As a result at least 1300 indigenous seedlings were planted, staked and had tree guards put on and as they grow on will provide an extra half a hectare of small bird habitat.
The volunteers swapped office work for spreading about 50 cubic metres of mulch to help the plants establish and to condition the soil for future planting.
More than a hectare of privet and lantana was removed as well as other garden escape weeds such as asparagus fern and spider plant.
This included the removal of the last remaining mature privet from a half-hectare patch of bushland that was previously densely infested.
Corporate volunteers, National Parks and Wildlife Service staff and contractors have worked this area over the past seven or so years.
NSW leading corporations are donating willing employees for the day, from the event sponsor Konica Minolta, to strong Landcare Australia Corporate Environmental Volunteering (CEV) supporter Telstra, as well as Jemena, Deutsche Bank and Qantas.
The event came after the Landcare Australia CEV program, which is supported by the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife and the NSW Government’s National Parks and Wildlife Service, won a Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Sustainable Cities award recently.
Some 3000 corporate volunteers have participated in Landcare activities through this program in the past 12 months, 1000 of them in Sydney, which is the most active area for Landcare Australia’s CEV program.
Landcare Australia CEO Tessa Jakszewicz said CEV played a vital role in the revegetation and conservation of bush and coastal areas nationwide.
“These events make a noticeable difference, at our previous event at Middle Head, weeds from an area covering 1.0ha were cleared and more than 500 hours of bush regeneration activities undertaken,” Ms Jakszewicz said.
“Weeds in national parks such as Lane Cove pose a big problem, threatening food supplies, altering the ecosystem and potentially taking over.
“To keep on top of the issue, significant resources would be needed, but in an environment of strained budgets, volunteers play a crucial role.
“Landcare Australia is always on the lookout for workplaces that can spare some employees and cover the cleanup expenses at least once a year, include us in their workplace giving financial donations or sponsor projects or grants.”
Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife CEO, Susanna Bradshaw, said: “The Foundation is proud to work with Landcare Australia to smooth the way for corporate volunteers to make a big impact by caring for our much- loved national parks.”
It’s easy to become involved in Landcare and you can go to the website http://www.landcareonline.com.au/ to find out more.