Community planting days
What is a community planting day?
On community planting days, residents come together to plant trees, shrubs and groundcovers and do maintenance work to improve creek environments and parks.
A planting day usually runs for 2 hours and is often followed by a community barbecue or other refreshments for everyone involved. They are a great way to meet your neighbours while doing something positive for the environment.
Planting days are hosted by Council and local friends groups across Merri-bek between April and November.
Benefits of community planting
There are five creeks in Merri-bek. The two main creeks are Moonee Ponds Creek and Merri Creek. The Merlynston, Westbreen and Edgars Creeks are smaller creeks that run off Moonee Ponds and Merri Creeks.
More plants along our creeks encourage animal and bird species that left the creeks after urbanisation to return. The Sacred King Fisher bird, Growling Grass Frog and Flame Robin are just a few of the species that have returned to use the creek corridor for habitat. More plants also improves air quality, provides shade and means less erosion on creek banks.
Upcoming community planting days
Friends groups and management committees
Council also supports local community groups, such as friends groups and creek committees, to undertake activities to improve the habitat and biodiversity of creeks.
Friends groups are made up of volunteers and their activities include:
- community planting days
- picking up rubbish and litter
- talks, walks and tours
- campaigns against major threats to creeks
- community education and planning, and
- water quality testing.
In the Merri-bek area there are three friends groups:
Creek management committees are also involved in projects that care for local creeks, including the running of community planting days.
Moreland Council is a member of the Moonee Ponds Creek Co-ordination Committee and the Merri Creek Management Committee.