A Canning River foreshore revegetation initiative by a community conservation group has been hit by the theft of more than 160 plants.
The native seedlings were among about 3000 planted over four days by more than 30 volunteers from the Canning River Residents Environment Protection Association (CRREPA).
The volunteers planted the seedlings at four sites along Riverton Drive, Rossmoyne after site preparation by the City of Canning’s natural areas team.
Two days after the first planting 60 plants were taken and 15 days after planting the fourth site another 100 plants were taken.
Some planted at sites last year were also pulled out of the ground and left behind.
Both thefts are believed to have happened during the night sometime in June.
CRREPA president Stephen Johnston said the thefts were a direct attack on the community’s commitment to restore and maintain native vegetation along the foreshore.
Mr Johnston said this work was not only vital to provide habitat for native birds but also to help protect the southern bank of the Canning from erosion.
He said this was not the first time people had interfered with foreshore revegetation projects.
“A number of plants at one of our revegetation sites in Rossmoyne have been poisoned over a number of years and in 2005 vandals struck at a planting by CRREPA and students from the Queen of Apostles Primary School near the end of Beatrice Avenue, Shelley.”
The Department of Parks and Wildlife said pruning, removing or poisoning vegetation on public land was illegal and offenders could be fined a maximum penalty of $5000 per offence.
Anyone with information can call their riverpark unit on 9278 0981.
