Bees play a vital role in the recovery process after bushfires and droughts.
Australian Pollinator Week (8—15 November 2020) acknowledges our important and unique insect pollinators during our southern spring (November). It is a designated week when community, business and organisations can come together to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and support their needs.
The Australian Pollinator Week online platform went live this week, following a three-month program rebrand. With the goal of growing pollinator awareness and outreach activities across Australia, the event platform boasts a fresh new image for Australian Pollinator Week.
“We wanted to develop a clean new look with a simple logo that could become synonymous with all pollinators” said Dr. Megan Halcroft, Founder of Australian Pollinator Week at this week’s launch. “So It seemed appropriate for pollen to become the central focus”.
Whilst the origins of Australian Pollinator Week are deeply rooted in a love for native Australian bees, Australian Pollinator Week seeks to be a celebration of all pollinators. Whether they are insect or non-insect pollinators, Australian Pollinator Week seeks to grow community understanding of the importance of caring for pollinators and the ecosystems where they live.
“At the heart of Australian Pollinator Week is community”, said Fiona Chambers, CEO of Wheen Bee Foundation who funded the program rebrand and online platform. “This is very much a grass roots initiative that enables communities to connect, have some fun and learn”
Australian Pollinator Week runs from 10-17th November 2019.
Making a wise and considered choice of garden planting in the Eurobodalla will help the recovery process for our birds, bees and pollinators.
Eurobodalla Council hosts regular plant swaps where you can exchange environmental weeds from your garden for free native plants.
They also offer free Bush-Friendly Garden packages to help you make your garden the most bush-friendly it can be.
Bush-friendly gardens:
reduce water usage
are low maintenance
provide flowers all year round
suit Eurobodalla's climate
attract birds, butterflies, lizards and frogs.
Free bush-friendly garden pack and visit
Council offers free support to residents who want to make their gardens bush-friendly. Their package includes a voucher for the nursery at Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden, and a home visit from Council's environment professionals to identify plants in your garden that could potentially escape into local bushland, what to do about them, and other great tips to make your garden more sustainable.
During the garden visit the Council officer can suggest appropriate plant alternatives and answer any of your bush-friendly gardening questions.
Hundreds of residents have already taken advantage of this offer and are doing their part to help make Eurobodalla Shire more bush-friendly.
Plant swaps
Residents are invited to our plant swaps at markets and public events to swap environmental weeds from home for free native plants.
Environmental weeds such as African Daisy and Asparagus Fern spread easily, are highly invasive and require resources for their removal that would be better spent elsewhere. Unfortunately, many weed outbreaks start unknowingly in people's backyards. Plant swaps are all about getting to the source of many of our weed outbreaks, and giving you a great alternative for your garden.
By exchanging weeds, you remove a seed source that would have spread into local bush or farm land, and you become part of the sustainable movement that protects and enhances local bush land.
Get involved
Find out when our next plant swaps are coming up on Council's events page.
To take part, simply remove environmental weeds from your garden, put them in a bag, and bring them to the Eurobodalla Council plant swap. You will be given up to four native plants (depending on volume of weeds surrendered) in exchange.
Eurobodalla residents can also book their free garden visit with staff at the stall. This involves a visit from Natural Resources Team staff and advice on how to make your garden bushland-friendly, as well as more free native plants!
How you can help
Ways that you can help make your garden bush-friendly by doing a few simple things:
removing invasive flora (weeds) such as those listed on the invasive flora page
mulching garden beds to help retain water and nutrients
avoid watering in the heat of the day
keep pets inside from dusk to dawn so that native animals do not suffer from predation.
More information
If you need more information about our free bush-friendly garden pack or plant swaps, please contact the Natural Resources Team on 4474 1000
