By PETER DOUGLAS
NEVER underestimate the power of community people to make significant change.
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt emphasised this message when announcing more than $1 million funding for fuel reduction and revegetation projects across the Dandenong Ranges.
Mr Hunt visited the region on Monday 23 May, to announce grants to 23 local groups, which included various landcare and friends groups, and environmental associations.
One of the key funding announcements included $230,000 to StopPitt, which aims to help control the spread of pittosporum within the Dandenong Ranges.
During his visit to Menzies Creek, Mr Hunt toured a study site which has been decimated by pittosporum.
He used the opportunity to pay tribute to all groups committed to keeping the Dandenong Ranges beautiful.
“Never underestimate the power of small community people to make lasting and significant changes,” he said.
“What you have here in the Dandenongs is one of Australia’s great natural treasures and you know (the region) better than anyone; you are the custodians, the carers; you know about the challenges of … all the different invasive species.
“(Pittosporum) is the European carp or the crown of thorns in the hills.”
Mr Hunt said the Dandenong Ranges deserved federal assistance, which would, in turn, help the helmeted honeyeater, the Leadbeater’s Possum and other threatened species.
“The honeyeater and possum (are) magnificent native species, threatened and vulnerable,” he said.
“We need to remove the threats and to encourage habitats that are going to encourage the recovery the species.”
The Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority will deliver the grants under the Federal Government’s three-year, $3 million Dandenong Ranges Environmental and Bushfire Reduction programme.
Mr Hunt also paid tribute to his colleague, La Trobe MP Jason Wood, who, he said, had advocated passionately for the funds.
Mr Wood said the projects would improve life for many of the communities in the Dandenong Ranges including Sassafras, Emerald, Cockatoo, Belgrave, Gembrook, Clematis and Ferny Creek.
“The Dandenong Ranges is a vital part of Victoria’s tourism industry with a thriving community,” he said.
“These projects will help to protect that industry, while improving biodiversity and reducing the bushfire risk to visitors and residents,” Mr Wood said.
Jeff Walker from StopPitt said the community shouldn’t underestimate the destructive power of pittosporum.
“Sweet pittosporum, or ‘Pitto’, is an invasive weed tree which prevents competition and totally destroys diversity – no orchids, no wildflowers, no other plants,” he said.
“It will replace our eucalypts unless it is controlled.”
Mr Walker said the StopPitt group emerged after a citizen science project with Grade 6 students from the Menzies Creek Primary School.
This led to a research paper with Professor Ros Gleadow from Monash University.
Professor Gleadow is the World Expert on pittosporum and predicted in the 1980s this situation would develop.
In addition to the announcement, Mr Hunt made a re-election promise of $400,000 for two new Green Army projects in the Dandenong Ranges, with a focus on threatened species.
This includes the Helmeted Honeyeater Habitat Restoration Project and Leadbeater’s Possum Project.
