In April 2005 Greening Australia partnered with the ACT Government to deliver the ACT Rescue project over the next three years. The focus for ACT River Rescue was to implement riparian habitat recovery activities along priority streams in the ACT to address biodiversity and water quality. Works included fencing, erosion control and provision of alternative stock water, weed control (willows) and revegetation.
ACT River Rescue provided funding for 61 projects on rural leased land and public land managed by Parks Conservation and Lands. The $505,500 on ground investment was matched with an in-kind contribution from land managers of $871,320. Approximately one quarter of this funding was allocated to revegetation activities within bushfire affected areas within the Lower Cotter Catchment to reduce erosion and sediment inputs into the Cotter Dam, one of Canberra’s main water supply reservoirs.
Caves quarry before revegetation 2009
Caves quarry revegetation 2011
Community involvement played a major role in the project, and in addition to the high landholder contributions, many vounteer planting and seed collection days were held to underpin project work. To find out more about Greening Australia, visit their website.
Greening Australia’s Green Team revegetating the Cotter Catchment