Many hands in Port Neill foreshore restoration
A section of the Port Neill coastline has had a make-over with about 1,500 coastal seedlings planted by local school students, community members and members of the Green Army.
The restoration work was made possible after the Port Neill Progress Association made a successful funding bid to the Australian Government National Landcare Program; and the District Council of Tumby Bay provided machinery to help prepare the site.
Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula (NREP) staff helped coordinate the various groups involved, including students from Port Neill Primary and Tumby Bay Area schools.
NR EP Coastal Management Officer Rachael Kannussaar said the plantings will help stabilise the section of coastline.
“The restoration will reduce the impact of storm events, and prevent the loss of sand,” she said.
“The planting of local native species will also improve the connection between existing areas of native shoreline vegetation.
“The work at Port Neill follows other successful similar projects at nearly coastal towns where plantings have helped to stop dune erosion.”
Tumby Bay-based Natural Resources Officer Geraldine Turner said it was great to be involved in a project in which so many different parties came together to achieve a good environmental outcome.
Tumby Bay Council and NR EP staff worked with the Green Army to lay jute matting on the bank and install fencing.
The Green Army then prepared the site and helped the community and school children plant a range of coastal plant species which the students had propagated last December.
The Eastern Lower Eyre Peninsula Landcare Management Committee helped both schools upgrade their plant nurseries which enabled the seedlings to be grown successfully.