Friends of the Forest is a passionate environmental group who has partnered with Somerset Regional Council to revitalise and rehabilitate a tiny but important road reserve of remnant forest known as the Greenhide Reserve.
This great program delivers community revegetation opportunities in partnership with the local council.
Invasive weeds that were choking the area are being removed, including Cat’s Claw creeper, Dutchman’s pipe, lantana and castor oil.
The koala habitats being planted as part of this project have an impressive 85% survival rate. The trees are not only important for koalas, but also the many other native species that call the area home.
The native trees are now established and are progressively stabilising the riverbank to prevent soil erosion and mitigate future flooding events.
The revegetation stabilises the riverbank, reducing future flood risk by planting up the lower bank area that had been washed away from previous flooding.
The project helps protect the many flora and fauna which call the reserve home. This includes significant species such as:
The locally driven project creates a lasting legacy for families, communities and the environment.
Educate the community in activities which benefit the native flora and fauna.
Friends of the Forest have an active social media presence. If you'd like to see what else they do or want to find out how you can get involved, click here to connect to their Facebook page.
Knowing the ecological benefits of the Reserve, when Friends of the Forest reached out to Somerset Regional Council in 2018 seeking environmental initiatives, Greenhide Reserve was suggested as a project to address invasive plants and to carry out regeneration work to prevent further degradation.
This little-known forest is located between Moore and Linville in the Somerset region on Dungibara land. The Reserve is less than two hectares in size but its ecological value packs a significant punch. Bordering the Brisbane River, the forest is a rare, western example of lowland subtropical rainforest which thrives here thanks to the accumulation of rich alluvial soils.
The Reserve had previously been left by the wayside and was overgrown with weeds choking the area.
Due to its location, Greenhide Reserve is susceptible to flooding, and has been damaged by significant erosion, pulling away the edge of the forest.
In response, Friends of the Forest planted up the whole lower bank area that had been washed away with native plants. This was facilitated through a Highways & Byways ‘Healing Our Land, Healing Ourselves, Together’ grant and the Somerset Recovery and Resilience Team (Conservation Volunteers Australia). These trees are now established and progressively stabilising the riverbank to prevent soil erosion and mitigate future flooding events.
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Friends of the Forest volunteers, the revegetation work carried out by the active team of volunteers has had a significant impact for the local endangered ecological community.
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Healthy Land & Water
Level 11, 240 Queen St
GPO Box 735
MEANJIN (BRISBANE)
QLD 4001
Australia
Healthy Land and Water Ltd
ABN 91 115 662 989
