THE wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of a team of teenagers when they experienced their first taste of bush regeneration at Katoomba in December.
The team were helping remove weeds from important bushland and swamp areas at the Katoomba Christian Convention Centre as part of their bid to complete the gold Duke of Edinburgh award.
Armed with bush regeneration toolkits provided through funding from the National Landcare program, the 17-year-olds removed invasive weeds such as agapanthus and ivy that were threatening the nearby swamplands.
Greater Sydney Local Land Services is supporting the ongoing bush regeneration of the Katoomba site, overseeing a range of projects and supporting the convention Ccntre team through funding applications and on ground support.
Land Services officer Jen Schabel said it was a great chance for city kids to get out and give back in a bush environment.
“This is part of a bigger bushcare project we have on this site to improve the condition of the swamps and to help the thousands of visitors each year better appreciate the natural values of the local area. We’ll be setting up some interpretive signage for visitors in coming months here to explain the significance of the native environment to visitors at the site,” she said.
Christopher Dart travelled from Brisbane to take part in the event.
“I’ve never been to Sydney before and aside from helping mum in the garden I’ve never done anything like this before. Even though it’s freezing here compared to home it’s been a great way to finish off the week, I found it very rewarding,” he said.
The event was run in conjunction with Sydney Coast Walks.
