JETTY Dunecare group and local bush regeneration contractors have greatly improved the state of the vegetation at Coffs Harbour’s North Bank, opposite the boat ramp on Jordan Esplanade.
The work is the result of funding provided through the City of Coffs Harbour Environmental Levy Program.
The team has undertaken weed control and revegetation works on the slope and planted more than 900 native ground covers, with the plants supplied from native seed propagated and grown by Jetty Dunecare group.
“It was extremely hard work due to the steep slope and the weed infestation from many years of neglect,” Jetty Dunecare president Desnee McCosker said.
“We were lucky to get rain to aid our revegetation efforts, but it also made for a slippery place to work at times for the contractors and volunteers.
“We are so proud of our achievements in one year and are grateful to the City of Coffs Harbour’s Environmental Levy for the small funding to facilitate our efforts in caring for Country and improving our local environment.”
The project has increased the biodiversity and resilience of the site through the control of Weeds of National Significance (WONS) and locally invasive environmental weeds, including many species of grasses, vines and annuals that are hard to control.
The ecological restoration works have complemented the recent amenity improvements with the upgrade of the boat ramp facility and associated landscaping works.
“North Bank forms one small part of a very big picture.
“Jetty Dunecare group are restoring and protecting the biodiversity of 108 hectares of native vegetation along an intact coastal corridor connection approximately 7.5km in length located between Boambee Creek and Coffs Creek,” project coordinator Justin Couper said.
The project area contains vegetation of high conservation value and ecological significance with three threatened ecological communities and many threatened species located within the coastal corridor.
By Andrea FERRARI
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