COURTNEY MOANE
This Saturday green thumbs from around the South East will head to the Gold Coast hinterland as part of the Gold Coast Biggest Tree Planting Day.
Organisers hope volunteers will plant 15,000 native trees at Numinbah Valley during the fun-packed annual one-day event.
The event, which is being co-hosted by the Gold Coast Catchment Association and Seqwater at the Numinbah Valley Nurture Refuge Offset, is intended to educate and raise awareness about restoring natural areas along the coast.
Gold Coast Catchment Association executive officer Rosalinde Brinkman said the event was “a great occasion” for people to get together, have fun, connect with nature and “walk away with the skills and knowledge required to inspire involvement in local environmental initiates”.
“Tree planting events [like this] make such a real difference in restoring natural habitats, particularly this year as we add to the linkage between several national parks” Ms Brinkman said.
The Numinbah Valley Nurture Refuge Offset is part of the Numinbah Conservation Area, which is a 593-hectare area owned by the City of Gold Coast in an effort to promote conservation.
The land joins with Springbrook and Lamington National Parks, providing a vital connection for local flora and fauna to flourish.
In 2011, Seqwater established the environmental offset as a means to counterbalance the impact of vegetation becoming inundated as a result of the Hinze Dam upgrade.
“Countless hours have been spent replanting trees and shrubs [in the area], reducing weed growth and transforming degraded farm sites and riparian zones into functioning ecosystems,” Seqwater field manager Mitchell Thomas-Carr said.
“It’s great to have the support of the Gold Coast Catchment Association and the wider community in helping improve the offset site,” he said.
As well as the mammoth planting of 15,000 trees in just one day, the event will also feature live music, food trucks, wildlife shows, Indigenous workshops, native plant sales and kids’ nature art and craft activities.
The free annual Gold Coast Biggest Tree Planting Day takes place on August 24 from 11 am to 3 pm at 2804 Nerang Murwillumbah Road, Numinbah Valley.
For more information, visit www.goldcoastcatchments.org.