William Bay National Parks Association has been recognised as the community group that only downs tools in driving hailstorms in the depths of winter.
The association was announced the winner of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions/Parks and Wildlife Service outstanding service community group award last month at the DBCA headquarters in Kensington.
The award recognises the group’s efforts in propagating and planting 5000 seedlings, the equivalent of $38,000 of paid work, on the William Bay coastline.
The plantings were mostly to revegetate the area disturbed during recent major works at Greens Pool, Elephant Rocks and Madfish Bay.
The coastal rehabilitation project is the focus of the association which has been running for 20 years.
At the presentation, WBNPA president Janet Pattinson and Andrea Endacott received a long service award, both having clocked up 20 years each.
Janet became involved in the association after a boobook owl flew into her son’s car late at night and she registered to care for all kinds of birds.
In the past the association’s focus has been weeding, conducting flora and fauna surveys and maintenance and staff support for the national park.
Recently local plant species have been propagated from spring to autumn with planting of these in winter.
From November 2020 to June 2021 a core groups of about a dozen volunteers contributed 800 hours of work.
Plans are to continue propagating and planting over the next four years aiming to put about 8000-10,0000 seedlings in the ground.
Parks and Wildlife Service Frankland District staff nominated the association for the award.
Over the years the volunteers have helped the DBCA achieve its nature conservation and recreation objectives.
WBNPA is believed to be Denmark’s most active and longest-serving community group in contributing towards a nationally and internationally recognised national park.
A member says the value to mental health the work creates cannot be measured.
Apart from winter storms, a knee or hip replacement is the only hurdle to work.
This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 13 January 2022.
