An army of green-thumbed volunteers is celebrating two decades of caring for the environment in Lake Macquarie.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Lake Mac’s Landcare partnership, pulling together the efforts of more than 200 groups across the city, as well as Lake Macquarie council.
Coordinator Jason Harvey said it had seen local grassroots groups restore, rehabilitate and conserve huge tracts of land.
He added Lake Macquarie Landcare’s recognition in 2016 as the best Landcare partnership in Australia demonstrated the initiative’s ongoing success.
“Without our amazing volunteers, this organisation would not exist,” Mr Harvey said.
“We are indebted to them always, but [last] week – being National Volunteer Week – presents the perfect opportunity to show our thanks.”
Lake Macquarie’s 800-plus Landcarers contributed more than 16,400 hours of work in 2018, worth almost $1 million to the city.
They cleared an estimated 163,000 square metres of invasive plants such as bitou bush and lantana, replacing them with 11,300 native seedlings.
“We have groups right across Lake Macquarie working on foreshores, sand dunes, creek lines and bushland reserves,” he said.
“They are an excellent way to get out and do something for your local community, to meet new people and to learn new skills.”
Visit lakemacquarielandcare.org for more information.
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