Coastal weeds targeted in Lorne habitat project

INVASIVE weeds will be removed from Lorne Foreshore and community conversations will begin for restoration of the town’s habitat in the first steps of an ongoing renewal project.

Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority is continuing its Restoring Lorne’s Habitat program this winter, with locals invited to attend in-person events to find out more about the project.

The land manager will target Coast Tea-tree weeds at the foreshore from Otway Street starting in August, in the second of five scheduled yearly winter removals of the plant.

GORCAPA will also revegetate impacted areas with indigenous species during spring.

The authority indicated that coast tea-tree can outcompete native plants if left alone due to its fast growth, reducing habitat value for animals including small mammals.

GORCAPA environment manager Alex Sedger MacDonald said the works aimed to “create a healthier coastal ecosystem for indigenous plants and animals”.

“We’ll remove Coast Tea-tree, a weed that doesn’t belong in the Otway ranges bioregion, in stages over the next few years, following our Coastal Vegetation Strategy which reflects best practice science.”

Meanwhile, the authority will also seek feedback from Lorne residents about the vegetation removal through in-person events this weekend and an online survey.

GORCAPA said the events will help shape how it informs locals about restoration works and shares opportunities to participate in revegetation activities.

“We know that some community members are keen to better understand why we undertake habitat restoration,” Sedger MacDonald said.

“We’d love to hear feedback and questions about this work and invite interested locals and visitors to join us for a community conversation today (June 23) or on Saturday (June 24) at the Lorne Community House at 10.30am.”

“For those who cannot make the community conversations, we are also gathering community feedback through an online survey and all interested community members are encouraged to have a say.”

The online survey is open until July 10.

For more information or to participate in the survey see GORCAPA’s website.