Southern Ports Community Investment Program grants funding to William Bay National Park and Green Skills

Volunteers have planted more than a thousand new plants at William Bay National Park thanks to support from Southern Ports’ community investment program. Southern Ports’ community investment program granted $4000 to William Bay National Park Association, helping the organisation buy materials and equipment to plant 1500 plants over winter. WBNPA president John Banks said that every year, the organisation’s volunteers propagate native plants from seeds and cuttings taken from the national park. “During winter, we plant these in locations throughout the park which the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions determines need to be revegetated,” Mr Banks said. “We’ve used the grant to purchase tree guards and stakes to increase the speed of planting and promote higher survival rates.” He said Southern Ports’ support of community organisations such as WBNPA was terrific. “We’d encourage any other organisation which undertakes a community service to take advantage of Southern Port’s generous community investment program,” Mr Banks said. Green Skills also received $2600 for a community environment engagement program at the Balijup Eco Sanctuary, which will run from August to March. Southern Ports regional manager Albany Paul McSweeney said he was proud to back local initiatives through the popular program. “Supporting both our community and our environment is incredibly important to us and it’s fantastic when we can combine the two through our community investment program,” he said. “We know in our community that there are many volunteers and grassroots organisations achieving wonderful outcomes just like William Bay National Parks Association with their revegetation program and Green Skills at the Balijup Eco Sanctuary.”