NSW’s Hawkesbury Community Nursery as one of Australia’s first Bushfire Recovery Nurseries

 

FNPW has awarded one of three Bushfire Recovery Nursery grants to Hawkesbury Community Nursery, located in Windsor, NSW.

In partnership with global non-profit, One Tree Planted and French beauty brand, L’OCCITANE, this is the first stage in FNPW’s mission to plant one million trees over the next five years in response to the horrendous 2019/20 bushfires.

The grant awarded to Hawkesbury Community Nursery will extend its capacity to 45,000 trees, which will be a major step in supporting the recovery of Wollemi National Park and the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, 80% of which was devastated by the recent bushfire season. Funding will also be allocated to provide leveling and drainage to the expanded area, nursery benches, water supply tanks, a plant trailer and other essentials required for long-term productivity.

The Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Patrick Conolly welcomed the Bushfire Recovery Nursery grants which would benefit not only the Hawkesbury Community Nursery, but the wider community as well.

Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Patrick Conolly said: “Our local area has experienced first-hand the effects of the bushfires and fortunately, we have a well developed volunteer program to support the regeneration of our local flora and fauna. This grant will see us widen our scope beyond the Hawkesbury region to offer even more support as our country regenerates.”

Currently, the Nursery produces around 20 – 30,000 native plants endemic to the Hawkesbury region and supplies these to numerous revegetation and restoration projects. Trees grown in the nursery will include Forest Red Gum, Grey gum, Black She-oak and Mountain Blue gum to support threatened species such as the Koala, Yellow-bellied Glider and Glossy Black Cockatoo.

Mr. Ian Darbyshire, Chief Executive Officer for the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife said: “Hawkesbury Community Nursery will play a significant role in our mission to restore our national ecosystem. Tree planting is essential for the regeneration of our future and plays a vital role in restoring natural habitats, native vegetation and wildlife rehabilitation efforts across Australia.”

FNPW has awarded grant funding to three nursery locations to date including Hawkesbury Community Nursery, NSW, Greening Australia, ACT, and Yankalilla Community Nursery, SA. Trees will be planted in national parks across Australia, as well as other public and private lands affected by bushfires.

Since 2015, FNPW has also worked on its initiative “Plant a Tree for Me’ in response to the progressively degrading environment. A donation of just $10 will plant and maintain one tree in the Bushfire Recovery project.