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A Trail of Trees

Members of the community are invited to help revegetate sections of the Bass Coast Rail Trail

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 8th October 2001 - Back to News

Jenny Churchill, Arts and Leisure Coordinator with Council, and Matt Bowler from the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority at the Bass Coast Rail Trail.

Members of the community are invited to help revegetate sections of the Bass Coast Rail Trail to improve the area for both human and animal trail users. Bass Coast Shire Council and the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority are encouraging community groups and members of the local community to help plant native plants along the trail during two tree planting days.

Matt Bowler, Biodiversity and Conservation Project Officer with the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, explained that one tree planting day will be held in Kilcunda on Sunday 14 October at 9.30am at Lionels carpark. The other will be held at a later date at the Lower Powlett section of the rail trail. The planting project emphasises the enhancement protection and creation of native vegetation corridors on or adjoining public land along former rail lines.

"A few local community groups have already put up their hands to help out with the revegation of the trails, but we would certainly welcome more people to help with this project," said Matt. "We want to plant 3,000 plants along the trail over the two days."

"Rail trails are not only terrific recreational facilities for humans, but they also act as wildlife corridors through acres of farmland," said Matt. "Because they are public land, very often they contain the only remaining vegetation when areas have been cleared for farming."

"We want to increase this vegetation and need help from the community to make the rail trail even better," he said.

People interested in helping with the planting in Kilcunda and Lower Powlett should contact Jenny Churchill, Council’s Arts and Leisure Coordinator, on (03) 5671 2211 or 5951 3311. Landowners with land near any of the former rail lines in South Gippsland who are interested in planting trees or fencing off remnant vegetation should contact Matt Bowler on (03) 5662 4555.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: basscoastshire@gippslander.com

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