200 TREES were planted on Boambee Headland on Friday, 27 May in a progressive collaboration between GeoLINK Consulting, Council’s Coastal Works’ Bush Regeneration team and Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare (CHRL).

Having suffered a significant loss of trees, vegetation and reduction in birdlife after the devastating October hailstorm, Boambee Headland was proposed by CHRL and accepted by GeoLINK’s Coffs Harbour team as the most worthy local site for the company’s carbon offset program.

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“GeoLINK is aiming to make the company carbon neutral and rather than buying credits via an external carbon offset organisation, we saw this as a simple offset method with great local benefits,” Jessica O’Leary, an Ecologist at GeoLINK in Coffs Harbour told News Of The Area.

“We’re hoping this particular site will be one we can expand on…planting another 200 trees again next year and so on.”

Barry Powells, President, Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare prepared a report about the Boambee Headland site, an area he and fellow Landcare volunteers have been working on at least once a week since the hailstorm.

Aaron Hartley from Coastal Works’ Bush Regeneration team chose hardy coastal varieties of plants which provide forage resources (nectar and pollen) for locally occurring animals including birds, bats and insects.

“There’s Rock Fig and Three-veined Laurel, the fruits are edible and the birds love it.

“Tuckeroo, great bird fodder and a super hardy coastal salt tolerant species.

“Pink Bloodwood, another good nectar species and Coastal Banksia, a good pollen and nectar resource for birds, Flying-fox and insects and a hardy coastal species,” said Jessica.

“To attract the Glossy Black-cockatoos we are planting Black She-oak, an Allocasuarina and key diet species for Glossy Black-cockatoos,” said Barry.

“The Glossy Blacks had frequented the headland before the hailstorm but have not returned since the She-oak cones were stripped away by the golf ball-sized hailstones.”

“This coastal site is a TEC – Threatened Ecological Community – a Littoral Rainforest,” said Aaron.

“We’re planting species to fit the existing community.”

Fifteen Landcare volunteers and thirteen GeoLINK staff joined the planting team on the headland on the beautiful sunny Friday, feeling positive about the area’s restoration and return of birdlife.

“We are very appreciative of the contribution from GeoLINK and Council’s Bush Regeneration team, unsung heroes, to reconstruct the area after October’s storm,” said Barry.

“We have years of long term planning in the pipeline for the rehabilitation of the rainforest here – this kind of restoration takes at least one generation.”

If you would like to become a Landcare volunteer at one of the other 40 Landcare sites around Coffs Harbour, please contact CHRL on 66511308 or CHRL@coffslandcare.org.au.

By Andrea FERRARI