Environmental Projects – Bushfire Recovery

Throughout the past twelve months, the Rotary Club of Bendigo South has been working in conjunction with many other Rotary Clubs from across the various districts to undertake an environmental project aimed at replanting native vegetation in Gippsland which was wiped out by last year’s tragic bushfires.

What started out as a casual conversation between incoming presidents that year (of Bendigo South and Bairnsdale Sunrise RC’s), turned into a full-blown project between Clubs.

The project has involved successfully obtaining from the Rotary district many items needed to successfully propagate native plants, including greenhouses, tubes and tree guards. Throughout the course of many Club working bees, the native plants have now reached a stage where they are ready to be planted, and pending any further lockdowns, should be in the ground in Gippsland sometime in July/ August of 2021.

The loss of native trees and vegetation was tragic in Gippsland, and as well as the emotional toll taken on residents and farmers, also had an impact on shade trees, shelter belts and wild-life corridors as well as the adverse effect on the remaining farm stock.

Such a project has allowed for fellowship between members of other Rotary clubs (sometimes if it was by Zoom!) and the farmers who can share their stories as they work beside a Rotarian who cares.

Our native revegetation project has been a practical hands-on opportunity with an environmental theme. The results will remain for many years to come.

For its work on this project, the Rotary Club of Bendigo South received a district award for services to the Environmental Avenue of Service.

Please have a look at some of our photos in the animation below, as well as our award from Rotary District 9800.