More than 95 per cent of plant pest honeysuckle on the Yea River between the Yea township and the Yea Wetlands has now been controlled thanks to efforts by the community, volunteers and the Green Army.
Goulburn Broken CMA River Health Officer Kirsten Roszak said this fantastic result was a great example of persistence and co-ordinated effort.
“A community survey undertaken a couple of years ago highlighted ongoing concern about the presence of weeds along the Yea River, in particular, honeysuckle,” Ms Roszak said.
“Since 2013 weed control works have carried out and we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. To make sure we stay on top of this weed, we’re urging landholders to continue to monitor for new growth and carry out follow-up spraying if needed to ensure the investment in control efforts to date are long-term.”
Ms Roszak said the local Green Army, co-ordinated by the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network, had pulled dead vines out of the tree canopy opposite the wetlands and onto the ground to help speed-up breakdown of the vines.
"The vines are brittle and dry so this task was quite easy and it should be easy for landholders to undertake too. Removing the dead vines from the tree canopy also helps reduce fire risk as we head towards summer.”
The Yea River project aims to improve the river’s health and support native fish populations, particularly of threatened species such as the Macquarie Perch, through on-ground works and continuing community involvement.
Ms Roszak reminded landholders with river frontage that funding support was also available to protect and enhance the river banks by carrying out revegetation and fencing works.
To find out more about Goulburn Broken CMA river health programs please visit www.gbcma.vic.gov.au or phone 03 5736 0100.
This project is funded as part of the $222 million investment announced by the Victorian Government in Water for Victoria to improve the health of waterways and catchments over the next four years.