By Margaret Maccoll
More than 120 volunteers gathered on McKinnon Road last Saturday morning to plant 1500 trees which marked the beginning of a 60 hectare project to regenerate former timber plantation land back to natural bushland, thanks to a $160,000 grant from the Body Shop.
Queensland Koala Crusaders president Meghan Halverson and Noosa Landcare business development officer Rachel Lyons worked together to obtain the funding which included $90,000 from the Body Shop UK Biobridge project and another $72,000 from the Body Shop Australia through the sale of koala hand towels and hand bands.
Rachel said the project was one of three in the world chosen for funding by the Biobridge project that aims to build wildlife corridors across the world and at Noosa plans to plant more than 12,000 eucalyptus trees to help the threatened koala population to thrive again.
In addition Peppers Noosa has raised another $30,000 towards tree planting in an ongoing project that donates $2 from each person attending a conference at the resort.The 60ha site is the first area of a 2400 ha timber plantation stretching from Pomona to Noosa River being purchased from HQ Plantations through a partnership between Noosa Council, Noosa Parks Association and the Queensland Government.
Rachel said plantation timber had been harvested from 300ha of the Ringtail State Forest and the land receded and weeding and tree planting would help restore it. Rachel said tree planting events generally only attracted about 20 people and they were concerned no one would attend but were overwhelmed with the response.
“It shows the level of support in the community for the project,” she said.
Among the tree planters was the Bebendorf family who have been watching the project’s progress and waiting for the opportunity to become involved.”We go past everyday and can watch the trees grow,” Laura Bebendorf said.
Noosa Landcare spokesman Phil Moran said the organisation would be doing ongoing maintanance including weed control on the site.
“This agreement is the most significant acquisition of land for the environment I will see in my life time,” he said.
