The Port MacDonnell Landcare Group recently celebrated its 50th birthday at Dingley Dell.
The 50th celebrations were well attended by past and present members who were welcomed by president Peter Feast followed by a history of achievements presented by Ian Black.
The inaugural secretary Bev Perryman cut the cake and founding members Bev and Bruce Perryman and Don and Barbara McBain were present on the day.
The group was originally formed in 1973 to protect and promote new growth of the rare Dingley Dell Gums at Clarke Park and on the Council Reserve.
Initially the group was active in planting trees in the streets of Port MacDonnell and along the foreshore.
In 1978 40 hectares of council reserve containing the trees was fenced off and became known as Germein Reserve.
Germein Reserve is still managed by the group today and has extensive walking trails and boardwalks for public use.
A more recent extension to the reserve has resulted in wetland protection and enhancement.
The slopes of Mount Schank were revegetated with native trees in the 1980s resulting in 3,500 trees being established, with help from the Mount Gambier Field Naturalists and Allendale East Area School.
Over the years the group has rehabilitated and revegetated three disused quarries and supported landholders in their funding applications for tree planting or bushland protection.
In the last 10 years the group has worked with landholders to create corridors and windbreaks between existing pieces of bushland to facilitate wildlife movements and provide livestock shelter.
