Biodiversity initiative

We are lucky to have significant wildlife corridors running through our community.

Complete an application to receive free indigenous seedlings to boost biodiversity and develop your school grounds or designated site.

Schools

Secondary, primary and pre-schools are encouraged to strengthen the biodiversity of their local wildlife corridors by planting indigenous species in their school grounds.

To be eligible, a school must:

  • be within our Banyule community
  • not have already received plants through this program in a current financial year
  • provide images of the site before and directly after planting, and again in 12 months on from the works
  • develop a management plan to ensure plants are given the best chance of survival.

Environmental community groups

If you lead an environmental community group within Banyule the biodiversity initiative can help you enhance a designated site with indigenous flora.

To be eligible, a group must:

  • have an existing friends of group associated with it
  • not have already received plants through this program in the current financial year
  • provide images of the site before planting, then at 12 and 24 months after completion of the works
  • provide a site management plan for plant care detailing the first 24 months at a minimum.

 

What you need to do

Step 1.Plan ahead and conserve

To give your plants the best chance for success, we recommend that your planting happens from autumn to late winter.

Spring is a great time to think about your next year project and to place your order, ensuring that local nurseries can provide what you will need.

Use only what you need: starting small conserves nursery resources and keeps your maintenance of the plantings easier.

Consider seeking advice from people who know about landscaping or revegetation to help you when deciding how many plants your site requires. Projects can expand over time.

Step 2.Create a year 1 and ongoing maintenance plan

This document must include detail on how you intend to:

  • maintain the site for weeds
  • dispose of weeds removed from your site
  • water and care for the plants, and who will do that work
  • accommodate any other site-specific detail.

Your plan for must consider ongoing weed management and disposal, and how often will you be visiting the site to make sure it is responsibly managed.

Take pictures

You must submit images of the site in your application.

Step 3.Submit your form

Complete your application

Step 4.Project consideration

Detail in your application will be carefully considered.

Once your application is approved, a biodiversity advisor will you email with information about your site's ecological vegetation community (EVC) and the species of plants that will best suit its revegetation.

You will also receive detail on the recommended number of plants needed to achieve your goal.

Step 5.Choose your plants

For a participating nursery to meet your requirements, please request:

  • a minimum of 10 plants per species for ground story plants, for example grasses, herbs and lilies
  • a minimum of 5 trees and shrubs per species.

Step 6.Contact the biodiversity advisor

Once you have chosen your plants, email your selection back to the advisor.

The advisor will make arrangements with your selected nursery, and an order confirmation will be emailed to you.

Step 7.Collect your plants

When you receive notice that your order is ready, head to the nursery you selected for pick-up and collect your plants.

You are responsible for transporting the plants to your site.

Contact

Contact a biodiversity advisor on 8673 4353 or environment@banyule.vic.gov.au with any questions.

Participating nurseries

VINC: Victorian Indigenous Nurseries Coop

113E Yarra Bend Road Fairfield

Phone: 9482 1710


La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary Indigenous Nursery

Latrobe University Wildlife Reserve, entry via La Trobe Avenue

Phone: 9479 1206

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