Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Great Eastern Ranges (GER) have announced a collaboration to enhance the health and functioning of important parts of the major water catchment that supplies Greater Sydney. The two-year project plans to restore the local environment in key locations in the Wollondilly Shire to improve water yield and quality, boost biodiversity and enhance the resilience of local communities to the impacts of climate change.

Once the project is completed, it is expected to deliver an additional 32 million litres of water each year to the Sydney catchment. This is AWS’s first water replenishment project in Australia, and a part of how AWS is working towards returning more water to communities than is used in its operations by 2030.

The project will engage landholders, community groups and local government to improve, expand and reconnect habitats for local wildlife and manage key threats that suppress natural regeneration and reduce water quality and output, such as weeds, erosion and excess sediment. Weeds that spring up in the aftermath of fires, for example, prevent growth of biodiverse habitats that support a broader range of native species, and can consume large quantities of water, reducing the amount of water available to meet community needs.

These areas were severely impacted by the Black Summer bushfires that swept through New South Wales in late 2019 and early 2020. Project activities on the ground will further benefit local communities by building landholder capacity and resilience through workshops and other events; the establishment of new Landcare groups; and the creation of a community wildlife trail. On-ground works will be led by Greater Sydney Landcare in collaboration with key community members and the Wollondilly Shire Council. The wildlife in the affected area that the project is looking to support include the glossy black cockatoo, koala, platypus and grey-headed flying fox.

“This initiative with AWS will play an essential role in restoring important catchment land and helping local communities in areas that were devastated by the Black Summer bushfires such as Buxton, to heal and rebuild,” said Gary Howling, chief executive officer for Great Eastern Ranges.

“A key objective of the project will be to not only provide immediate environmental, social and cultural benefits to the Wollondilly Shire and beyond, but also to build the resilience of our communities and wildlife in the face of future climate disasters.”

“As part of our water positive commitment, AWS is investing in water replenishment projects to expand community water access, availability, and quality by restoring watersheds and by bringing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services to water-stressed communities,” said Jenna Leiner, Asia Pacific (APAC) sustainability lead for Amazon Web Services.

“At AWS, we are committed to being water positive by 2030, returning more water to communities and the environment than we use in our data center operations. In addition to water replenishment, we are also focused on water efficiency, recycling and reuse as part of this commitment. While our projects are focused on water sustainability, we are humbled by the opportunity to collaborate with GER and its local partners in Greater Sydney on a project that will also benefit the biodiversity, wildlife and communities in the area.”

“It is wonderful to see large corporations giving back to their community and we need to see more of it! Picton has been hit with floods and the damage to the creek and vegetation has been significant,” said Judy Hannan, Member for Wollondilly.

“I am very excited to see the rejuvenation and planting at the back of Picton Sportsground, Buxton and Thirlmere that is taking place with the support of Amazon Web Services and Great Eastern Ranges in partnership with Greater Sydney Landcare and Wollondilly Council.”

Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould said that the activities that Council and Greater Sydney Landcare will be delivering as part of the GER-AWS project will greatly benefit the community, local biodiversity and water quality.

“About 12,000 local native plants are going into the Picton showground site alone, along with weed management. I appreciate the investment into these local creek restorations to support local wildlife and the broader community in the Wollondilly Shire, as we continue to recover from the bushfires, storms and floods of recent years.”