A small but enthusiastic team of volunteers have polished off the planting of the last 50 native trees, mostly redgums and apple box, in the Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group's (UOVLG) 'Winter Planting Program'.
The workshop on Sunday, 24 August, involved some tidying of tree guards and the retrieval of damaged corflute guards and stakes along the Ovens River banks near the Buckland confluence site at Porepunkah.
"Many thanks to all our volunteers for a productive winter season, with well over 3000 trees, shrubs and Indigenous grasses planted in riparian areas from Harrietville to Porepunkah," UOVLG vice president, Martyn Paterson said.
"Our objective was to remove woody weeds such as willows and box elder, blackberries, tran, caper spurge, hemlock, honeysuckle and other invasive weeds species on crown land and riverside reserves, to re-stablish the tree canopy and native understory to help restore wildlife habitat.
"There's still plenty more work to do but our focus moves on to maintenance and weed control over spring and early summer.
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"As a volunteer organisation we rely on strategic partnerships and the energy and enthusiasm of volunteers to complete these tasks.
"New member are always welcome...no experience necessary and locals are encouraged to take out an annual Landcare memberships of $20 ($30 for a family) which goes to help fund our work.
"A focus this year has been on planting food trees, such as wattles and apple box, to support the nationally endangered Gang-gang cockatoos which thrive in our valley.
"This is coupled with our 'ring of steel' Indian myna bird traps maintained by volunteers throughout the valley.
"These birds are a declared pest species; one of the top invasive bird species in the world, they are found in numbers in Myrtleford, Wangaratta and many other towns in the North East, so far with success.
"These mynas are rarely if ever seen in the Upper Ovens."
There has been maintenance work done by Landcare group volunteers on plantings on both sides of the river at Porepunkah and at Porepunkah Park, Mill View near Freeburgh, Back Germantown Road and at One Mile Creek.
Over the last five years, there have been an estimated 10,000 trees planted at these riparian sites by Landcare and other partners such as NECMA, Parks Victoria, Alpine Fly-fishers, Australian Trout Foundation, Alpine Shire Council, Bright P-12 College, Porepunkah Primary School, Wandiligong Primary School, HVP, Bright's Community Bank and private landowners.
For more information about the UOVLG, visit: https://upperovenslandcare.org.au/
