Sunbury residents gathered on Sunday for a community planting day to boost available habitat for bees and butterflies.
The three and a half hour wildflower planting took place on July 30, at Sunbury Fields to celebrate National Tree Day and native grasslands.
The event was run by Hume council and included all the materials, education about indigenous cultural and ecological burns, as well as light refreshments.
Council urban biodiversity officer Melissa Doherty said council is working hard to manage and restore grassland reserves.
“Native grasslands have become so threatened with extinction, that every patch that can be protected and conserved is crucial,” Ms Doherty said.
“[Council is] weeding and doing ecological burns, along with planting more species of indigenous plants.
“This National Tree Day event will create wildlife habitat for the local kangaroos, and native bees and butterflies.”
With native bees only able to fly about 350 metres, wildflowers need to be dotted over people’s gardens and across the neighbourhood.
These bees are attracted to blue flowers, while butterflies love daisies, and native grasses, wattles and native peas are great food plants for caterpillars.
Council’s community planting events are free, child-safe, and focus on revegetating open green spaces, and improving local biodiversity issues.
Zoe Moffatt
