IT was a weekend of volunteering for 20 students from The Big Lift at The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) when they came to Berry to work.
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Founded on the philosophy of ‘Paying it Forward’, The Big Lift is a student-run, volunteer organisation that offers students the opportunity to jump on board a bus and complete various volunteering projects throughout regional Australia.
These activities have included painting, gardening, cleaning and simple construction tasks.
The Big Lift, with a focus on community engagement, works closely with towns to provide help where it is most needed.
This is the second time UTS students worked with Berry Landcare volunteers and landowners within the Berry Corridor and this time they planted around 250 native plants and shrubs.
Additionally, another 150 existing native seedlings were maintained and their stakes and guards restored by the UTS students.
Three properties within the Berry Corridor benefited from The Big Lift students with the aim of connecting wildlife corridors to existing bushland and other adjacent project sites.
The native trees and shrubs, when established, will provide habitat and food for a range of endangered and common native wildlife species including the greater glider and long-nosed bandicoot.
Berry Corridor runs from the escarpment at Barren Grounds Nature Reserve down to Seven Mile Beach National Park.
Organiser and Communications Student Rachel Nordon said it was a learning experience for the team.
“The project gave students an insight into the local environmental conditions and taught them about the importance of connectivity conservation for native animals in the Berry Corridor,” she said.
“Students connected with the local Berry Landcare members and landowners and learnt about the positive impact volunteering can have for organisations who need assistance”.
Chair of Berry Landcare, Jim Jefferis, said the weekend was a success.
“We (Berry Landcare members and the landholders) and the UTS students thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and I believe we all made another great contribution to the Berry Corridor,” he said.
Berry Corridor is the focus of the Berry Bush Links project which is funded from the NSW Government’s Environmental Trust Bush Connect program.
The Big Lift is sponsored by the University of Technology Sydney (Student Services Unit, Faculty of Health, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), Activate UTS, ResMed, LendLease and Construction Sciences.
UTS Big Lift hopes to continue their relationship with the Berry Community in future years. Landowners that would like more information about funding support under the Berry Bush Links project should contact davidr@npansw.org.au .
