Wariparri

welcome TO WARIPARRI (STURT RIVER)

a ribbon of green from the

hills to the sea

We are a group of nature-loving residents who came together to grow a natural green corridor where we live, along the Sturt River (Warripari) on the Adelaide Plains.

For over a decade we have worked cooperatively with land managers, volunteers and other community groups to replant and connect local-native plantings around the river. We plant species endemic to the Adelaide Plains to create habitat, improve biodiversity, provide shade, shelter and fresh air to help cool our climate and keep our suburbs liveable.

OUR AIMS

Maintain, restore & re-establish local-native plant communities for biodiversity & climate resilience, along the lower Sturt River, wherever possible

Create a community of people who are willing and able to work together to care for and conserve the area in perpetuity

These aims to be carried out for the benefit and enjoyment of residents and visitors alike, now and in the future.

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a year in the life of friends of sturt river landcare group

seedling by seedling, season by season

Autumn

It's cool so we spot weed, spread mulch, prepare young seedlings we've grown or bought ready for planting, and wait for soaking rain.

Winter

With moisture in the soil, we rally hundreds of volunteers to plant thousands of seedlings and begin aftercare so the plants survive.

Volunteer weeding with knife. Pic S.Kerr

Spring

Everything is growing so we provide aftercare to new seedlings and maintain older planting sites with weeding and mulching.

Summer

It's sometimes too hot to work on-site, but it's a great time for seed collection, plant propagation, and community education.

A Green corridor

our goal is to connect green spaces

With much of the original Red Gum/Greybox woodland cleared for farming, then housing, and concreting of the river in 1969, it can be hard to imagine how we might create a green corridor here - but we've started! We aren't asking for whole reserves, rather that we restore what is left and connect up areas with biodiversity potential. A lot has already been done.

A walking & cycling path connecting existing plantings largely exists.

Seven native biozones have been planted into public parks by volunteers, with a further four planned for the future.

Remnant red gums and older biodiversity plantings, established by council work teams, can be linked in to the corridor.

Two wetlands and numerous existing 'deep soak' areas provide habitat areas for local wildlife.

Formal plans exist with City of Marion and City of Holdfast Bay.

Talks have begun with SA Water about restoring land inside the drainage channel where it makes sense to do so.

conservation & INCREASING CANOPY COVER is critical IN URBAN AREAS

did you know:

Loss of habitat

Less than 3% of the original Redgum/Greybox woodland of the Adelaide Plains remains. Fragments remain in public parks, along the drainage scheme, on wide verges and in private gardens.

Threats to species

Nearly half of all nationally-listed native animals and one quarter of our threatened plants are surviving alongside us in urban areas, often living outside national parks or conservation areas.

Loss of tree hollows

Pre-European forests had tall, mature trees yielding 10-15 hollows per hectare. Almost 20% of our birds, 42% of our mammals and 28% of our reptiles rely on tree hollows to shelter and raise their young.

Rainfall & run off

Large, shade trees capture up to 60% of rainfall in their canopy and root systems, reducing the volume of storm water entering our drainage systems and lowering the risk of flood.

Cooling shade

Planting local-native shade trees, such as eucalypts and sheoaks, in your garden lowers day time temperatures during extreme summer heat waves by 5-6 degrees.

Climate-resilience

Local-native trees, shrubs and grasses are more likely to withstand and adapt to the extremes of climate change because they evolved with drought, fires and floods.

Mental health

People who spend at least two hours in nature per week are consistently likely to report higher levels of well-being compared to people who spend less or no time in nature.

Immunity booster

Early exposure to a range of natural bacteria, fungi and algae - found in bushland and biodiversity sites - protects a child's health by boosting their immune system.

Live longer

Volunteer tree planters report lower levels of social isolation, while communities living near these sites have lower levels of cardiovascular and respiratory illness.

together we can

the community effort to regreen the river

seedlings established

planting seasons

volunteers

followers

Image: National Tree Day (2015) City of Marion.

wildlife in our suburbs

who's at home

in your suburb?

There is more to urban wildlife than noisy miners. While numbers are low, a surprising range of birds, mammals, insects and reptiles hang on in our suburbs.

Walk Wariparri quietly, at dawn or dusk, and you may be rewarded with a wildlife sighting. (Please keep your dog on a lead and don't disturb the animals.)

We keep records of animals we see and hear while volunteering. The wildlife pictures on this website represent a small sample of our recent records. We are grateful to volunteers Andrew Crouch, Svetlana Cook, Cindy Macardle, Pam Chant. Paul Gardner-Stephen, Paul Ellis, Sam Kerr as well as Matt Endacott, Alex Gaut and Sam Buxton-Stewart from City of Holdfast Bay for permission to share their beautiful photographs.

Roll your mouse over the images below for species & snapper details.