"LOVE" FOR THE PIONEER RESERVE ON NATIONAL TREE DAY 2023

National Tree Day 2023 was celebrated in Kongwak on Sat 29 July with a gesture of “love” directed toward the Kongwak Pioneer Reserve.

The “love” was in form of a community tree planting event hosted by Kongwak Hills Landcare Group, part of their "Love your Reserve" Community project which aims to engage the Kongwak community in restoring the declining health of the 41ha patch of significant remnant vegetation back to a place of self-sustainability. ​

Local sisters Marjorie and Nancy Scott attended the planting event, recalling fond memories from their childhood, camped out in the Reserve during Girl Guide outings. However, they were duly warned not to venture into the area by themselves, as “the bush was so dense it wasn’t safe.”
​Now, as one looks around, unfortunately much of the under and middle storey vegetation has died-back, leaving the forest sparse and exposed to dryness and proliferation of weeds.

Earlier in the year the Kongwak Fire Brigade carried-out a “cool burn” in the Reserve.
​CFA member Nick Stevens pointed out how it was carried out in a “mosaic” pattern and has stimulated regrowth that can been seen starting to sprout from trees and the forest floor. Combined with complementary tubestock planting, KHLG are hopeful that this might be the kickstart the vegetation needs to reverse the decline and eventually sustain itself. 

A total of 2100 indigenous tubestock funded by Planet Ark’s Seedling Bank and supplied by Wonthaggi Seed Bank & Nursery were planted and guarded by 45 volunteers. 
Included were Kongwak locals and “lovers”, members from the neighbouring Korumburra Landcare Group and South Gippsland Shire Council Environmental Department’s Chris Rankin and Eric Neville.
Sarah, a former teacher at Kongwak Primary School returned to the Reserve on the planting day. It’s a special place where she spent many visits with the school children alongside resident artist and cultural educator at the school in 2021 Cassie Leatham - a talented Taungurung and Dja Dja Wurrung woman of the Kulin nation, who shared her indigenous culture, stories and bushtukka knowledge on these visits. ​

Joel Kilgour from Bass Coast Landcare Network facilitated the planting site, while KHLG members prepared a “Bush Foods Feast” for lunch. It featured UrbanWolf’s renown gourmet snags with the bush twist of roo, mountain pepper and wattleseed, Kate’s native fruit and nut bliss balls and Grace’s Lemon Myrtle and Muntrie sponge cakes and River Mint Tea. 

Let’s hope the love given by its community today, continues the legacy of our Kongwak Pioneer Reserve for future community members to appreciate, experience and carry forward. ​

The “Love you Reserve” project was conceived and coordinated by Grace Couchman, with materials and comms artfully designed by Kate Davis and gratefully funded by the South Gippsland Shire Council 2023 Community Grants Program and Planet Ark’s Seedling Bank.

A special mention to ABC Gippsland, South Gippsland Sentinel-Times, Phillip Island & San Remo Advertiser and Bass Coast Landcare Network for your interest and featuring our project on your platforms.

Project funded by the South Gippsland Shire Council 2023 Community Grants Program and Planet Ark’s Seedling Bank.