Record number of volunteers get more than 700 seedlings into the ground at Australind community planting day

There was a record turnout to a community planting day in Australind, with more than 700 plants going into the ground.

The Leschenault Catchment Council drew 52 residents to its third planting day this year at the Clifton Park Foreshore on June 29 to help restore the banks of the Collie River.

It was the largest ever turnout for the event, with the platoon of planters getting 720 native species into soil in just one hour.

A spokesperson for the organisation said its dedicated volunteers worked hard and did an incredible job to get all the plants in the ground at such a pace.

They were especially grateful to the community volunteers who have attended multiple planting days this season, alongside the Friends of Clifton Park volunteers and the LCC’s Danju Aboriginal Field Crew who helped auger 700 holes in the soil prior to the plantings.

The Leschenault Catchment Council has been working on foreshores across the region in the past month as part of its Leschenault Estuary Connect Program, with community planting days, clean-up days, citizen science opportunities and educational workshops.

Biodiversity project manager Katrina Zeehandelaar-Adams said it had been great getting the public involved and building a community.

“One of the greatest benefits of the Leschenault Estuary Connect program is in the opportunity to bring together the community to get involved in estuary management, something that we’ve found has been lacking in past programs,” she said.

“We hope the long-term impact of these opportunities is that we see community connection and ownership of the estuary and how that plays out in improving its overall health.”

The volunteers primarily planted reed species last week as part of ongoing efforts to enhance foreshore vegetation, improve water quality and provide more habitat for natives.

The LCC’s next community planting day will also be the final event of the season. It will be at Pelican Point on July 14 from 9am to 11am.