Volunteer dune rehabilitation crucial to coastal health

30th July, 2018

Volunteers are a huge asset in maintaining our local environment. Perth NRM is calling for new volunteers to add to our already committed groups to ensure the continued health of Perth’s natural spaces.

Community volunteers, with the support of Perth NRM and the City of Fremantle, have undertaken numerous dune planting programs over the past four years, helping to stabilise vulnerable coastal dunes of the Fremantle area.  The recent winter storms in Perth have resulted in extensive erosion to protective dune systems in Port Beach, however, the erosion could have been worse.

“If volunteer plantings had not been implemented over recent years, dune losses would have been far greater” said Craig Wilson, Perth NRM’s Coastal and Marine Program Manager. “The value of volunteer hours, spent weeding, matting and planting dunes along our coastline is highly visible during storm events”

Over 12,000 native seedlings have been planted in the coastal dunes of Perth in the last twelve months with winter plantings currently underway across southern and northern beaches. Perth NRM work with coastal community groups to help facilitate corporate and volunteer plantings days.

During recent Volunteer Week celebrations, Perth NRM committed to helping community members find their local group and undertake environmental volunteering. “We believe that removing barriers to entry, like finding your local volunteer group, may increase volunteer numbers in the community” said Perth NRM CEO, Mr Paul Bodlovich. “We have been pleased to assist a number of individuals and families join groups across Perth as a result of the campaign”.

“Coastal councils around Australia are facing the increasing threat of coastal erosion due to more frequent and severe storm events” said Mr Wilson, “Perth NRM will continue to work with the City to coordinate community involvement in the dune restoration program”.

A number of opportunities encouraging community volunteers to engage in rehabilitation and restoration work on coastal dunes in the southern metropolitan area can also currently be found on Perth NRM’s events page

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