happening around and about local lyster bushland

There's a lot going on in the bushland areas in the Lyster Ward, here's a snapshot of some of the current range of activities. I acknowledge and thank our environmental volunteers whose efforts are the key to the success of many of these projects and they contribute many volunteer hours to improving our local environment.

Belgrave to Lysterfield Bike Trail

Yarra Ranges is working with Melbourne Water and Parks Victoria on constructing the linking trail from Belgrave through Birdsland, Melbourne Water’s retarding basin (the lakes at Birdsland) and Parks Victoria’s existing trail network to Lysterfield Lake Park.

This project includes the newly constructed Monbulk Creek footbridge at the entrance to Birdsland on Mt Morton Rd, the linking trail to the Wellington Road/Lysterfield Road traffic lights and the upgrade of Melbourne Water’s Blackwood Forest Trail.

It's a great example of a range of land managers working together to maximise project outcomes.

Belgrave Lake Park Revegetation/Weed Control Project

There's a lot of weed control works going on at Belgrave Lake Park, funded through the Urban Fringe Weed Management initiative and Melbourne Water’s Corridors of Green Program. This project is in its third year starting with extensive woody weed removal and trad removal along the Monbulk Creek. It's been terrific to see more than 3,000 plants be part of a revegetation program, planted by both contractors and volunteers (some on Awesome Ornithorynkids day).

Birdsland Reserve Pest Animal Control and Nest Box Program

There's been some fox control activities taking place in conjunction with Parks Victoria, in its third year and exploring new techniques like soft jaw trapping.

Thirty nest boxes have been installed in two sections of the reserve, the Monbulk Creek corridor and old growth tree section of the ridge paddock. Ongoing monitoring of all locations has revealed up to 80% of boxes are in use. This project has been jointly funded through the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group Caring for Country grant and Council’s budget.

Here I am with Yarra Ranges Environmental
Achiever of the Year, Vicki Boyle, a powerhouse
in the environmental volunteering stakes.
Nest boxes provide our local arboreal
mammals with housing options.
Many habitat trees have been removed
over time leaving nowhere for these
creatures to call home.

Bushland Management Plans for Hazelvale Valley Reserve, Bellbird Street Park and Birdsland

The Bushland Management Plans set priorities for bushland management for all these important reserves situated along the Monbulk Creek, they span between 2 to 5 years and are a collaboration between Shire contractors and our dedicated environmental volunteers.