The first year of the Tyenna River Recovery Program has attracted support from Willow Warriors volunteers, funding bodies and local landholders. The program is off to a flying start to achieve its 10-year aims of eradicating crack willows and restoring native vegetation to cleared sections of the riverbank, with the Willow Warriors helping to complete almost two years of planned works in a single season. The program is currently working near Maydena, the Westerway Raspberry Farm and surrounds.

Despite COVID social distancing putting the work of the Willow Warriors on hold in March, the Derwent Catchment Project used the drill and fill control method along tributaries and the Tyenna River near Junee Road. The control work will be followed by tree felling later in the year. Further willow control was done in a Derwent Valley Council reserve at Maydena with the removal of large willows followed by native planting along the creek line. Arborists were needed to control a section of difficult willows along Gordon River Road at Pillingers Creek.

The next Willow Warriors working bee in Spring 2020 will focus on planting areas at the Westerway Raspberry Farm.

This work has been made possible in part by the Fisheries Habitat Improvement Fund and is outlined in the Tyenna River Recovery Plans.

For more details about the Tyenna River Recovery Program, or to join the Willow Warriors, get in touch with Magali from the Derwent Catchment Project on: magali@derwentcatchment.org or 0424 277 226.