Around 3,000 seedlings were planted by community volunteers last week at the Australian Wildlife Sanctuary to support local wildlife and regenerate catchment lands.

The heritage-listed wildlife sanctuary in Bargo was badly hit by the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, which destroyed a significant amount of bushland on the property.

The native trees, shrubs and grasslands, which included 1,000 koala feed trees, were planted to restore and reconnect habitat for local wildlife, while also providing an important source of food for the sanctuary’s resident animals.

The community planting event was organised by Greater Sydney Landcare as part of a project between the Great Eastern Ranges and Amazon Web Services to restore the health and resilience of important catchment lands in the Wollondilly Shire.

The planting brings the number of seedlings bedded in key locations in the region to over 15,000, along with many hectares of weed and erosion control to improve water quality and output and build resilience.

“Prior to the fires, the sanctuary served as an important corridor for koalas, glossy black-cockatoos and other wildlife. These new seedlings will help to re-build that corridor while providing a rich source of food and habitat for nectar-dependent animal species and others living here or passing through,” said Vanessa Gimellaro, project lead from Greater Sydney Landcare.

The species planted on the day included black sheoaks, hakeas, banksias, wattles, bottlebrushes, hop bushes, cheese trees and other natives suitable for the area.

“The new vegetation will also improve water infiltration, ensuring that more water stays in the catchment for longer.”

Vanessa says that they have been delighted with the support that local communities have shown for the project throughout.

“This is one of several planting and Landcare events that we have held, and each time, there has been a great turnout from local communities who really want to lend a hand.”

Brad Wilson, Managing Director of the Australian Wildlife Sanctuary, says that they are excited to witness the positive impacts of the new plants.

“They will serve as an essential food source for the koalas in our care, while also regenerating an area of the sanctuary destroyed by the 2019-20 bushfires. We are especially grateful to all the volunteers who dedicated their time and effort to this project, demonstrating a shared commitment to the environment and the future of our wildlife.”

“This initiative not only strengthens our ecosystems but also fosters a deeper connection between the community and the natural world. As we watch this area and others flourish through the project, we look forward to ongoing efforts like this that will continue to benefit both our sanctuary and the incredible creatures we strive to protect,” said Brad.

The project is part of AWS’ commitment to being water positive by 2030, returning more water to communities and the environment than is used in the company’s data centre operations.