The Goonellabah community are coming together this and next week in Upper Tucki Tucki Creek to plant 3,000 native seedlings as part of efforts to regenerate the ecosystem and support local wildlife.
Working together with The Living School, Lismore Nature Kids and Just St Community Group, Goonellabah Tucki Landcare are leading the tree-planting efforts across the fortnight to improve creek health and create a rich, biodiverse ecosystem.
"We saw an opportunity to better engage with the community on improving Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Gully," said Goonellabah Tucki Landcare Secretary Shaen Springall.
"It is an urban rainforest corridor that runs along Upper Tucki Tucki Creek in Goonellabah that includes a walking track and it has become very degraded over the years with the health of the creek suffering due to the surrounding development and resulting runoff into the creek. We are improving the creek health by widening the riparian zone and planting into open riparian areas."
The nature care efforts are being made possible by a grant from Planet Ark's Seedling Bank program in the lead up to the organisation's National Tree Day campaign. The program launched in 2019 with the goal of supplying native seedlings to schools and community groups participating in National Tree Day activities across the country.
"The Seedling Bank is our way of giving back to the thousands of Australian volunteers who roll up their sleeves each year to give something back to the environment as part of National Tree Day," said Rebecca Gilling, Planet Ark CEO.
"We have already directly supported 132 groups in their efforts to plant over 80,000 native trees, shrubs and grasses since the program's inception."
At Birdwing Butterfly Gully, Goonellabah Tucki Landcare are using the grant to fund the planting of thousands of native trees and grasses in an area that is home to threatened Platypus and the endangered Purple Spotted Gudgeon. The group, who have already planted almost 20,000 natives in the area over recent years, are also aiming to teach school children and community members the importance of regenerating this degraded riparian zone to improve creek health and create a rich, biodiverse environment.
"The creek is home to endangered species, the Platypus and Purple Spotted Gudgeon. They are barely surviving," said Springall.
"We want to see the endangered species thrive, not just survive. We want to attract more birdlife and wildlife to the area, with the ultimate goal of one day having the Wompoo Fruit Dove call The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Gully home."
