Brendan is saving our rivers. I have always had a keen interest in the natural environment, spending many of my childhood days in the bush and small creeks around the family farm. It was from here that I first gained an appreciation of the unique aspects of the wheatbelt landscape and the crisis it was in. I took this interest further through high school then on to study Biological Science at Murdoch University.
Rivers are a central part of the human psyche and the Australian environment.
In the wheatbelt of Western Australia, many of these river systems have become degraded due to land uses within the catchment. The situation is slowly changing and I am one of the lucky ones assisting in the restoration of our rivers and riparian areas. My role is to develop and implement riparian revegetation programs throughout the Avon catchment. This is achieved through providing advice to landholders and the general community on the most effective techniques and species for their area. There are many challenges with river revegetation due the harsh environmental constraints encountered within this area.