Esso Long Island Point Community News
January 2015
Western Port Seagrass Partnership gets planting
The Western Port Seagrass Partnership recently completed
part one of a three phase project aimed at protecting the
eroding coastlines around Western Port.
A volunteer lends a hand at the
mangrove planting activity
The “mangrove planting program” is a partnership project
with key funding and land management agencies, sponsors
and the community, with the lead being taken by the
Western Port Seagrass Partnership, in conjunction with
Parks Victoria, the responsible agency for this coastline.
Western Port Seagrass Partnership Secretary, Doug Newton
said his organisation greatly appreciated the funding
provided by the Esso and BHP Billiton Joint Venture
contributions program to help with resources for the planting
project.
“The grant allowed us to purchase specially imported
“mudders”, a unique footwear attachment to help our
volunteers walk easily over the deep sloppy mud flats that
typify the areas where the mangroves are being planted in
Western Port. It has also provided for much needed safety
equipment for our volunteers” said Doug.
Initial works over January included planting 450 seeds and
300 plants, with a further 2,000 plantings in April.
The planting activity is conducted in accordance with an
approved experimental design that will help protect the
coastline and also provide valuable information about the
most effective ways to establish mangroves along eroding
coastlines. Apparently the findings to date strongly suggest
seedlings need protection from storms, so all seeds and
seedlings have been planted inside PVC tubes.
Look closely to see the footwear, or
“mudders”, in action
All the seeds for the project have been collected by
community volunteers from around Western Port.
The return leg
Esso Australia Pty Ltd (“Esso”) is a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd.
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