The National Parks Association of the ACT and the Canberra Bushwalking Club recently joined forces to help improve the tree cover of the Murrumbidgee River.
Working under the direction of two ACT Parks rangers, nine volunteers, planted over 200 trees – a mixture of Red River gums, Mana Gums, Red-leaf Wattles and River She-oaks –near Casuarina Sands.
The work party was part of an important wider program – Restoring the Upper Murrumbidgee River Program – to restore the riparian areas along the river..
The Australian, NSW, and ACT governments signed a 5-year, $20.2 million funding agreement in December 2024 to improve river health.
The aim of the funding agreement is to improve the health and sustainability of this neglected stretch of river upstream of Lake Burrinjuck and downstream of Tantangara Dam.
On average, less than 10 per cent of inflows at Tantangara Dam are released downstream into the upper Murrumbidgee, affecting river health and threatening drinking water supplies to communities along the river.
Funds are being used to carry out on-ground river restoration, such as tree planting, and better science and monitoring.