Cowra Council Takes Out Roadside Vegetation Award
Mick Callan
Cowra Council has been declared the winner of the Roadside Environmental Management Award in Division A at the recent Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards.
The awards ceremony was held at the Dockside Function Centre, Cockle Bay on Tuesday 1 December, 2015. The awards celebrate the environmental achievements of Councils across New South Wales with a range of award categories.
Cowra Council was recognised for the development of a Roadside Vegetation Management Plan. The plan is based on a comprehensive survey identifying vegetation types along all roads and incorporated into a GIS database. A set of management guidelines and training programs have been rolled out to staff to encourage greater awareness and understanding of the importance of the vegetation along roads.
Roadside vegetation is of great ecological value as it is often the only remnant native vegetation in an otherwise cleared landscape. Additionally, roadside vegetation provides crucial habitat linkages across the landscape as a source of fauna transit and spread of native seeds and propagules.
Congratulations to Cowra Council on winning this award and for implementing such an important project to conserve and enhance roadside vegetation within the Cowra Local Government Area.