The Mant Street Mob

November 5th, 2010

This is the media release about our newest Council Community Environment Volunteer Program group. Isn’t it just wonderful when people roll up their sleeves and get involved instead of just simply being an armchair critic!

04 November 2010

 A new Community Environment Group joins the team

The Mant Street Mob is the latest to join the Community Environment Program set up by the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

 “There are 12 of us, all residents of Mant Street hence our name,” Point Vernon resident Stan Walker said.

 “We’ve been here nine years and if I’d known about the program earlier I would have joined earlier.”

 On the group’s first working bee in the Mant Street Nature Reserve, which includes areas of the Point Vernon foreshore, the volunteers filled three large trailers with weeds in two hours.

 Weeds included Easter Cassia, Prickly Duranta, Corky Passionfruit, Stinking Passionfruit and groundcovers Mother of Millions, Ground Asparagus and Purple Succulent (Callisia).

 Stumps were removed to reduce the risk of injury and some dead branches in visible areas have been removed. The volunteers also picked up large pieces of cement, plastic bags, cans and bottles.

 “Weeds are sensitively cleared to reduce competition and encourage natural regeneration,” Fraser Coast Regional Council Community Environment Program Officer Marc Russell said.

 Attracting birds back to the area is very important for the group.

 “Once we’ve cleared the weeds we will plant natives in some areas to attract birds,” Mr Walker said.

 “And because we lost some old trees with nesting hollows when the Gatakers boat ramp was upgraded we plan to build nesting boxes.”

 The boxes would be used by a range of wildlife including parrots, owls, gliders, possums and microbats.

 There are 17 CEP groups across the region including ones at Urangan and Toogoom which are looking for members and a new group about to start at Pialba and possibly a second group at Point Vernon.

 Council provides training in occupational health and safety, weed and native plant identification, management techniques and project prioritisation as well as seedlings.

 Anyone wishing to carry out works in foreshore areas should join a CEP group to ensure projects are approved as much of the vegetation in these sensitive areas is protected under local or state legislation, Mr Russell said.

 If you would like more information, or would like to join a CEP group contact the Council’s Community Environment Program Officer Marc Russell on 4197 4644.

ENDS

The Mant Street Mob hard at work

The Mant Street Mob hard at work

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