Awabakal/Worimi Country
In collaboration with Local Land Services (LLS) & National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), Hunter Region Landcare Network facilitated another successful Bell Frog Habitat Planting session on Saturday, May 7th.
It was a beautiful morning for planting – blue skies and a coastal Autumn breeze kept our volunteers cool as they exerted themselves at Ash Island National Park, continuing the habitat planting East, down Bell Frog Way.
We had a significant percentage of repeat volunteers at this event- lured back by the chance to learn more about Kooragang Wetlands….and the free lunch!
David Kennedy, a long term Landcare volunteer for Local Land Services (LLS) provided information and examples of local fossils, a passion of his. It was a wonderful reminder of Australia’s ancient ecologies and the origins of Newcastle’s iconic coal formation.
Boyd Carney from National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) informed volunteers of the history of the project, the significance of Salt Marsh Community & its ongoing conservation, as well as the use of local tidal habitat by residential and migratory Shorebirds.
Volunteers reported “satisfaction knowing we have contributed to the corridor of habitat” and they “enjoyed having the national parks person there, giving a different viewpoint.”
It is valuable to contextualise and connect the conservation projects and efforts within the Park and communicate this to volunteers. The protection and conservation of Salt Marsh has positive effects for a variety of species; It’s a reaffirmation that conservation functions like ecology – where habitat, flora and fauna are interconnected.
This project is supported by funding from the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
