Thursday, November 7, 2019

Hooked on a feeling!

CVA volunteer kneeling in saltmarsh along Chipping Norton Lakes southern shore to plant seedlings

Volunteers are revegetating Chipping Norton Lake to feed fish in the Georges River.

Thousands of baby Sporobolus plants have been planted along the southern foreshore of Chipping Norton Lake by Conservation Volunteers Australia, with the help of Georges Riverkeeper and Liverpool City Council.

Georges Riverkeeper Manager, Beth Salt explains: “Sporobolus virginicus is a plant that snails, crabs, prawns and fish love to eat and is the basis of the entire food web of the river! But it’s a plant that rarely grows from seed. In order to rehabilitate disturbed areas where land reclamation removed the natural vegetation, Sporobolus seedlings have to be hand-planted to revegetate the saltmarsh.”

Regional Coordinator for CVA Greater Sydney, David Jones, says: “Think of Sporobolus as a gracious host, putting on an all-you-can-eat buffet for all the crabs, prawns and fish living in the Georges River! By reintroducing Sporobolus at 6 key sites, we’re hoping to help build the foundations of a stronger food web and to restore the river system for all to enjoy.”

Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller is thrilled that Chipping Norton Lake was selected as a planting site.

“We’re looking to improve the catch and release recreational fishing potential of the area and welcome projects that give nature a helping hand,” Mayor Waller said.

The volunteers will continue planting throughout the Georges River catchment over the next few months. Interested in joining in? Register via the following link: https://bookings.conservationvolunteers.org/project/fishy-business-at-little-salt-pan-creek

This Project has been assisted by the NSW DPI Fisheries’ Recreational Fishing Trust’s “Habitat Action Grant Program”