More than 1200 new trees were planted in planting days held on July 29 and 31, which involved roughly 100 students from Marian College Myrtleford, Numurkah Secondary College and Sacred Heart College Yarrawonga.
Public volunteers also attended to plant on July 31.
Two further planting days are planned for Sunday, August 28, which is open to the public for a “final push”, and Monday, August 29, for students from St Bernard’s Primary School, Wangaratta.
Winton Wetlands restoration manager Dr Lisa Farnsworth said the latest planting drive helped achieve important wetland revegetation efforts, which would help restore the land’s ecological balance.
“Apart from the direct benefits coming from the plants themselves, this work is helping support native bird and animal populations,” Dr Farnsworth said.
“We couldn’t get it all done without the fantastic contributions that are being made by local schools and members of the public.
“We’re now within reach of hitting our 2000 new trees target for volunteer planting in July and August, as long as we can get enough helpers on board for the final public planting day.”
Merriwa Industries, a local packaging firm and social enterprise, is working to plant another 5600 trees and shrubs.
The planting event series is being funded by the Environmental Protection Authority under a scheme where convicted polluters pay for environmental restoration work.
Particle board manufacturer D&S Henderson was ordered by the Benalla Magistrate’s Court to pay for the Winton Wetlands revegetation work, instead of paying an $80,000 fine.
The company and its director David Henderson were fined after the Benalla manufacturing facility exceeded its licence limits for airborne emissions and did not notify the EPA of the breaches.
The wetlands’ management committee worked alongside the EPA and Merriwa Industries, Park Lane Nursery, Goulburn Broken Catchment Authority, the Regent Honey Eater Project and the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation to develop a suitable project.
Other EPA funding package items include more seeding by Regent Honey Eater Project members and more aerial seeding over summer 2022/23.
An Indigenous planting guide will also be developed and made available to the general public.
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