The community is being called on to help grow the critically endangered rainforest by planting 1,000 trees at the Wilsons River tidal pool on Friday, September 20. 

Hosted by Rous County Council (RCC) and Big Scrub Landcare (BSL), the morning aims to restore the Big Scrub while providing valuable information on how to create healthy vegetated riverbanks. 

The field day is part of the 2019 Big Scrub Rainforest Day and is open to landholders, students and members of the general community. 

Tree planting will be followed by a free barbecue brunch and a guided walk. 

People will have the opportunity to review nearby restoration work and learn how to establish endemic natives in frost and flood affected areas. Best practice weed control and bush regeneration methods will also be discussed. 

Managed by the region’s bulk water supplier, Richmond County Council (RCC), the Wilsons River tidal pool project aims to protect water quality in the river while improving agricultural productivity and biodiversity. 

RCC Natural Resource Management Planning and Delivery Coordinator, Anthony Acret, said the field day is a unique opportunity to see broadscale bush regeneration firsthand. 

“In partnership with landholders along the Wilsons River, we have been linking restoration projects between Lismore and Boatharbour Nature Reserve, which is one of the last significant remnants of lowland subtropical rainforest in the region,” he said.

“Every kilometre of riverbank replanted brings us closer to cleaner water at the source and a natural process that improves drinking water. 

“As part of the 2019 Big Scrub Rainforest Day, this is an opportunity to bring the community together and encourage careful stewardship of the land.”

The Wilsons River tidal pool planting site is located 3.5km north of Lismore on Bangalow Road, near the Lions Car Park. 

Tree planting starts at 8.30am, followed by a barbecue brunch at 10.30am and an hour-long guided walk at 11am. A shuttle bus will be provided from the meeting point at Lions Car Park. 

Bus bookings are essential and can be made by calling Rous County Council on 02 6623 3800 or by emailing council@rous.nsw.gov.au. 

This event is part of the 2019 Big Scrub Rainforest Day which features 16 activities across four days from September 19-22 and includes a second community tree planting, guided rainforest walks, science and ecology talks and activities for the whole family. 

Visit www.bigscrubrainforest.org for the full program.

About Rous County Council 

Rous County Council (RCC) is a multipurpose county council delivering bulk water, weed biosecurity and flood mitigation services to the Northern Rivers of NSW. RCC’s constituent councils are Lismore, Ballina, Byron and Richmond Valley: 

• Bulk water: The regional water supply authority. It provides water in bulk from its principal supply sources at Rocky Creek Dam and Emigrant Creek Dam servicing around 100,000 people. 

• Weed biosecurity: The local control authority for weed biosecurity. Operations cover an area of more than a million hectares including Kyogle and Tweed shires, which are serviced by agreement with those councils. 

• Flood mitigation: The flood mitigation authority across the local government areas of Ballina, Lismore and Richmond Valley. 

RCC also operates Richmond Water Laboratories in Lismore, providing professional sampling and analytical testing services for water and soil to NSW councils, private industry and the public.

The laboratory is National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited. 

www.rous.nsw.gov.au / www.waterlab.com.au