Yarra City Councillors joined the local community to plant over 4000 native shrubs at Kevin Bartlett Reserve in Burnley to celebrate National Tree Day and improve biodiversity.

Planting activities were focused on improving shrubs along the Monash Freeway fence. These shrubs play a critical role in supporting native bees and butterflies and providing habitat for small woodland birds.

Community efforts contributed to the restoration of an endangered group of plants called Plains Grassy Woodland. This is an endangered vegetation community with less than 1% of its original area left intact.

The Plains Grassy Woodland includes groundcover plants like Wallaby and Kangaroo Grasses and shrubs like Rock Correa, Gold Dust Wattle, Hop Goodenia and Twiggy Daisy Bush.

Despite its inner-city location, the City of Yarra has a vibrant natural environment with a number of important wetlands, valuable bushlands and a high diversity of plants and animals.

Across Yarra there are at least 430 different plant species, including 7 threatened species. Over 200 of these species are indigenous (local) to the area. More than 278 animal species (birds, mammals, reptiles, frogs and insects) rely on local habitats for food and shelter.

Community events like National Tree Day contribute to several of Yarra’s Nature Strategy goals, including increasing the diversity, connectivity and resilience of the natural environment and encouraging people to appreciate and actively enhance Yarra’s natural landscape.

Read more about how we’re supporting biodiversity and wildlife in Yarra.