Keeping our city green

RECENTLY, I had the pleasure of teaming up with Geelong Cats players and other club members to plant more than 1,000 native shrubs, grasses and trees along the Moorabool River.

As the planted seedlings grow, they will provide essential habitat for reptiles, birds and insects as well as for larger animals such as koalas.

Importantly, the planting will also improve water quality and drainage, and reduce bank erosion.

Council is responsible for managing 112,000 street trees and 51,491 park trees as well as the trees along rural roadways and in reserves, including those along our waterways and bike trails.

So far this year, there are 1,635 trees planned for planting across the region and 910 of these will be planted on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Across the Bellarine, we are blessed with many beautiful parks and reserves.

Our nature reserves are places of rich biodiversity and provide essential ecosystems for native wildlife.

Since European settlement, up to 95 per cent of our municipality’s indigenous vegetation has been cleared.

What’s left is fragmented, and these remnants are often interspersed with housing, industrial and agricultural land.

The recently formed Yellow Gums Nature Reserve in Ocean Grove supports some extremely important indigenous plant and animal species.

Formerly a cattle farm, this 9.3-hectare reserve is home to one of the last large populations of Bellarine Yellow Gums.

It also provides important habitat for wildlife, particularly the critically endangered Swift Parrot, which is known to visit in winter to forage on eucalypt blossoms.

Council’s Nature Reserves Team manage this reserve for threats, such as weeds, and to maintain its high habitat values.

By focusing on our region’s ecosystems and nature reserves, we contribute to biodiversity locally and across Australia.

There are some fantastic groups working alongside Council to support this work.

If you’d like to be more involved, you could consider joining Ocean Grove Coast Care or the Geelong Field Naturalists Club.

For more information on our programs, visit www.geelongaustralia.com.au/environment.

Finally, the Electric Homes program is back for 2024!

Last year’s program helped more than 300 households move away from gas and save money in the process.

Replacing gas appliances with efficient electric alternatives is kinder on your your wallet, has health benefits and is better for the climate.

Households in the Greater Geelong region will be provided with the opportunity to install and upgrade solar systems, battery systems, heat pump hot water systems and split heating and cooling systems.

This program has been designed by Geelong Sustainability, a not-for-profit community organisation.

For more information or to register, head to electrichomes.com.au

As always, I value your input and support. If you would like to address any issues, please email me at [email protected]

Cr Elise Wilkinson

Bellarine Ward,

City of Greater Geelong