Busy at Barrett Street for World Environment Day

Planting and conservation season is in full swing with the cooler weather, and volunteers can get their hands dirty at another community busy bee to celebrate World Environment Day.

Nature Conservation Margaret River Region is teaming up with the Friends of Barrett Street Reserve to plant local native species at Barrett Street Reserve this Sunday, June 4 from 10am-12noon. This special spot near the Margaret River needs all hands on deck to plant hundreds of native seedlings and protect them from weather and wildlife.

Plus, there’s a free afternoon tea for all volunteers at The Hairy Marron bike café when the work is done.

“What better way to spend World Environment Day than planting along the beautiful Margaret River,” says Nature Conservation’s Friends of Reserves officer Mandy Edwards. “World Environment Day is actually the following day but we’re honouring it a day early to coincide with the weekend and give as many volunteers as possible the opportunity to give back to our local environment.”

Barrett Street Reserve is a strip of riparian or riverfront bushland that extends from the Old Settlement near Bussell Highway to just east of the Barrett Street Weir. “This stretch of reserve delights the senses with its towering karri trees, aromatic karri hazel and sounds of the flowing river nearby – so it’s well worth caring for,” says Mandy.

Dedicated volunteers have been looking after the reserve by planting, weeding and keeping watch, with a deep knowledge of the area built up over many years. “But unfortunately some areas of bush have been trampled as people try to access the river in inappropriate places, sometimes causing large areas of vegetation loss and erosion,” says Mandy. “This reduces habitat for wildlife and soil lost from erosion enters the river causing siltation and turbidity, which in term lowers water quality and impacts aquatic fauna. We will be planting local native species to combat this by closing informal access and reinstating habitat.”

For catering purposes please register your interest by emailing [email protected]. Meet at Rotary Park. Please bring your own gloves, mallet and spade if you have them, as well as closed shoes, sun protection and water.

Nature Conservation’s Friends of Reserves program is funded through the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River’s Environmental Management Fund.