Action on the ground helping to restore Wye River and Separation Creek
November 3, 2016
A combined effort is behind an impressive list of achievements for managing weeds at Wye River and Separation Creek following December's bushfire.
In response to a need for quick action on weed control in the fire-affected parts of the townships and surrounding area, a working group made up of community and government agency representatives formed to coordinate work and set short-term goals for managing vegetation on public land in Wye River and Separation Creek.
The Wye/Sep Vegetation Restoration Committee (WVRC) includes representatives from Colac Otway Shire Council, Southern Otway Landcare Network (SOLN), Wye to Wongarra Landcare Group, Parks Victoria, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, VicRoads, Corangamite CMA, Otway Coast Committee and the Flora, Fauna and Beachscape (FFB) work group. The FFB is a sub group of the Community Resilience Committee to assist post fire community recovery.
The Southern Otway Landcare Network, with support from the WVRC, manages on-ground works and meet monthly to coordinate the project and discuss future opportunities. WVRC representatives have contributed funds, local knowledge, expert advice, and other resources to enable short term works to take place and take the opportunity to try and get on top of weeds after the fire and not let the weed problem get worse.
In addition to achievements on the ground, the environment recovery work has also been an opportunity for engaging with the community to enhance relationships and promote resilience.
The WVRC developed the Wye River and Separation Creek Bushfire Vegetation Restoration Short-term Scope of Works to coordinate works in 2016. The works for the April-December timeframe include weed control of target species in priority locations, revegetation on public land, monitoring on-ground works, developing a Landscaping your coastal garden for bushfire booklet, providing plants and bird habitat boxes to community members, and coordinating numerous community environment events.
WVRC member and Wye to Wongarra Landcare Group member Rex Brown said the WVRC was the most successful committee he had ever worked on.
Council's Environment and Community Safety Manager Stewart Anderson said the collaboration of all the groups and agencies involved to get the work done on the ground in a timely manner was impressive but there was still a large amount of work to do. He said the groups were now looking at a longer term strategy.
People can check the WyeSep Connect website and WyeSep Connect Facebook pages to keep up to date on environment and community activities and events at Wye River and Separation Creek.
WVRC members Yvonne Sheppard and Joanne Tyler
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