A six year project on the banks of the river has been completed by the Dubbo Rivercare Group Inc, but the volunteers aren't stopping there.
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Formally known as Dubbo Bushcare, the group has provided thousands of volunteer hours towards the Protect, Repair, Connect project, funded by the NSW Environmental Trust.
Over the past six years the $250,000 project aimed to connect priority habitat sites within 100 kilometers for the endangered trout cod while also enhancing skills and raising the profile of the bushcare group.
As part of the project the volunteers have re-snagged six priority sites for fish habitats and fenced 15km of the river to restrict stock from accessing and eroding the riverbanks and provision of an alternate watering point.
They have also removed 50 hectares of woody weeds from riverbanks, planted 1600 trees, installed five interpretive signs and removed five tonnes of rubbish.
The mustard coloured trailer, and its band of volunteers can be found parked along the river at various sites every two weeks.
While some volunteers are intent on collecting the rubbish before it found its way into the river, others can be seen planting native trees and shrubs, watering and weeding and controlling noxious woody and invasive weeds.
The group is focused on a number of sites including the Troy Bridge Travelling Stock Route, Golf Links Creek, Tamworth Street, Sandy Beach, Shibble Bridge, Regand and Sir Roden Cutler Parks.
The location of each working bee is specified in the Dubbo Rivercare calendar which is prepared in January.
During 2019 the group conducted 22 working bees along the river on 12 different sites.
In 2020 Dubbo Rivercare hopes to develop long-term environmental planning with Dubbo Regional Council, for the river and associated floodplain areas.
The group said it values the cooperative relationships with council as well as the Inland Waterways Rejuvenation Association's (IWRA), River Repair Bus, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Western Paddlers, Dubbo Field Naturalists and Conservation Society, the Department of Education and Local Land Services.
The group are calling for more members of the community to join their team and make a difference to the local environment. Anyone who joins will be provided with on site training and identification skills and will work on tasks which they consider suits their individual preferences and capabilities.
All working bees are conducted on weekends.
More information can be obtained by emailing dubborivercare@gmail.com or via the Dubbo Rivercare Group Facebook page.
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