Milestone For Forest In The Making
Newcastle Herald
Monday February 16, 2004
AFTER six years of toil the Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation Project reached an important milestone yesterday with the planting of its 100,000th tree.
An ash tree, which will later be accompanied by a plaque, marks a significant point in the campaign to bring the north-western end of Kooragang Island back to some of its former glory.
The area was once rich in red cedar and ash trees but was extensively cleared for farming.
The 100,000 new trees are part of the rebuilding of a rainforest corridor and rehabilitation of river bank vegetation.
Project spokeswoman Sue Rostas said the work done so far is about 60per cent of the original goal, which was a 10-hectare section of rehabilitated rainforest.
``We'll continue while we have funding or until we have a decent rainforest corridor," she said.
She estimated that about 500 Green Corps members and volunteers had contributed more than 17,500 hours of labour to plant the trees.
Rehabilitation work at the wetlands received another boost yesterday with the State Government announcing a weed bait program aimed at protecting bird and fish habitats.
A large bait tank, to be built near Kooragang City Farm on Ash Island, will give anglers a free and reliable source of weed, which was often taken from the Stockton sand spit.
The surrounding area is a roosting spot for many species of wading birds and fisherman seeking bait often damage the fragile habitat.
© 2004 Newcastle Herald