Andrea, biodiversity champion, how does your nature strip grow?
Describing herself as an enthusiastic nature lover, rather than a horticulturist, Andrea recently participated in Monash Council’s Nature Strip Planting project.
Like many of us, Andrea was saddened to see a loss of habitat and the reduction of our tree canopy. She thought she might, one day, move to the country and regenerate degraded land but acknowledged that this idea was a little too ambitious.
Andrea’s journey started six years ago when she found a dead blue banded bee under her clothesline.
“I want to protect our native pollinators and other invertebrates," she said. "I realised that little creatures without backbones (invertebrates) are, in fact, the backbone of nature.”
Last year, Andrea completed the Nature Stewards course, where she met many wonderful people and discovered that 30 per cent of all Melbourne’s public green space is nature strips.
After learning that the City of Monash issued nature strip planting permits, Andrea said: “everything fell into place, I could fulfill my dream here in Glen Waverley and it would be achievable.”
“It didn’t matter that it was a 14m x 2.3m drop in the ocean because it would be a steppingstone to other habitat and might encourage other people to do the same,” she said.
In planting her nature strip, Andrea chose plants that would attract insects as well as selecting different coloured flowers and foliage shapes. With the help of friends, she selected her plants and completely removed the existing grass, weeds and roots from her nature strip. She then planted indigenous seedlings, a process that required many long days and just as many helpful hands.
Andrea now has a thriving nature strip that provides habitat corridors and lots of food sources for all sorts of wildlife vital to our ecosystem.
To make sure nature strips are safe and accessible, no raised or loose objects are allowed to be used on the street. However, in her backyard garden, Andrea has been able to place rocks, old terracotta pipes and logs as habitat and shelter for any insects and lizards that may visit.
Andrea’s next step is to “source a poster to put on the fence, which identifies all the little creatures that might visit the nature strip - butterflies, moths, beetles, worms, skinks, pollinators and more”.
“This will encourage curious minds walking past to expand their knowledge of the little local wildlife,” she said. “It’s living around us, not just in national parks.”
Help us create a more sustainable Monash. Find out more and get planting now: www.monash.vic.gov.au/nature-strips
JOIN OUR NATURE STRIP PLANTING PROJECT
Ever thought about beautifying your nature strip?
Nature strips can be more than just grass; they can be attractive little gardens right outside your front fence.
If increasing biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and beautifying your street while reducing time spent mowing sounds appealing, take part in our Nature Strip Planting Project.
Make sure to read the planting guidelines and complete the application process for a planting permit, before commencing works on your nature strip.
Read and apply online: Nature Strip Planting Guidelines and Permit
Join the Project and receive two (2) vouchers once your permit application has been approved:
- 50 free indigenous seedlings from Greenlink Nursery, Box Hill (for up-to-date opening hours and seedlings available, visit Greenlink Box Hill)
- $50 voucher to a local garden centre, Daisy’s Garden Supplies Ashwood (for store information and to see range of products and services available, visit Daisy's Garden Supplies | Ashwood)
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