Friends of the Earth’s River Country Campaign and local Friends of Nyah-Vinifera Forest group alongside Wadi Wadi Traditional Owners have collaborated and received a Threatened Species Grant from the Victorian Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning.
Volunteers have been out in the Nyah-Vinifera Regional Park getting skilled up and surveying the health of the forest flora. People were trained in plant and weed identification, quadratic surveying and cultural sensitivity in the Park. Being out in the forest, seeing it come back to life with water and learning from Traditional Owners about their land is a massive privilege.
Even the kids have been getting into it, identifying plants and making their own herbariums. This knowledge of our local threatened plant species and bush foods is so important to learn and pass on.
Unfortunately, Parks Victoria is severely under-resourced by the Victorian Government, so local community groups are taking initiative and doing the work the Government should be resourcing. Keep donating and supporting the River Country Campaign to empower locals to protect their forests.