A south-east metropolitan environmental group has celebrated planting 120,000 native plants and bushes between Roleystone and Thornlie but said it could not have been done without the help of volunteers.
The Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group was formed 20 years ago and its Green Army to this day maintains native vegetation in the Canning, Southern and Wungong River catchment areas.
In October the group announced it had managed to place 120,000 plants across those areas this year alone.
Landcare community officer Shane Hunter helped plant some of them and said it was great to have had community support getting to the figure.
“A lot of these natural areas are facing huge threats by urban development,” he said.
“It’s important we identify key areas and do our best to look after them.”
Mr Hunter said at Fancote Park in Kelmscott the group had been planting trees with students for several years and the effect on the area had been noticeable.
“The insects and the birds are moving in so over time as the ecosystem develops we hope to see a few more animals like possums and maybe bandicoots moving into these places,” he said.
The area was previously maintained as grassland but since native plants were introduced water usage and pollution has dropped and river water quality had improved.
Mr Hunter said it had a huge benefit to the environment.
Over the years schools across Perth have been involved in the program and Mr Hunter said it was important to get children involved in preserving bushland.
“It’s fantastic to see kids get so excited to come out and do this,” he said.
“It is a real hands-on activity and you can really make those connections about why it’s so important when we do this sort of work.
“When the students see rubbish in the water it is a great way to show how their actions impact the environment.”
City of Armadale bushcare supervisor Dan Walker said empowering residents to feel more of a connection with bushland in their community was an important way to ensure it was preserved for the future.
“It’s about educating the community and giving them a sense of ownership,” he said.
“Once you get them down here they get excited about it and tell their friends and families.
“It’s a passion we have, a passion for the environment.”
For more information call Narelle Mewburn on 9394 5622 Monday to Wednesday or 9397 3206 Thursdays and Fridays.
