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Wagga Wagga City Council weekly newsletter
Saturday 5 November 2022 | Issue #420
Drive with caution
Council
Council crews manage impacts of flooding and storms ADAPTING TO CHANGING CONDITIONS: Council crews closed the Pomingalarna criterion track this week to provide vehicle access for Riverview Drive residents who had been cut off by flood waters. From left, Horticulturalist (Cycling Complex) Allen Eldridge and Team Leader Parks Operations (Open Space) Brodie Neville. Environment & Animals
SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY: Environmental Education Officer Christina Reid is part of the team recently nominated for a state award for Council's One Tree for Me initiative. One Tree for Me is now in its second year, with more than 22,978 seedlings planted so far. Environment Education Officer Christina Reid said the team was thrilled to be nominated. “One Tree for Me has been so successful because our local community Wagga Wagga City Council’s has embraced it wholeheartedly,” Ms Reid Environment Team is celebrating this said. week after being nominated for a “A large percentage of our available land Local Government NSW ‘Excellence is locked up in backyards and properties. in the Environment’ award. The more residents we have planting Council has been nominated in native seedlings on their land, the bigger the Communication, Education and difference we can make to our region’s Empowerment category for the One Tree biodiversity.” for Me initiative, which aims to see 65,000 Ms Reid said a key threat to biodiversity native seedlings planted throughout our is the clearing of native vegetation. local area over a six-year period – roughly Replanting this vegetation is an important one tree for every resident. step in repairing the damage.
Council’s One Tree for Me program nominated for state award
“This will create the habitat to support populations of native fauna by providing a foraging and shelter habitat and also create stepping stones for species to move throughout the environment,” Ms Reid said. “We’d like to thank every resident and every school who helped plant seedlings this year; it’s a whole-of-community approach that is going to make the difference.” The Environment team is already planning One Tree for Me seedling giveaways for 2023 and is seeking feedback from everyone who attended a seedling giveaway this year. You can take the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/ MKBYZK3 The Excellence in Environment Awards reflects the diversity of sustainability action being undertaken by NSW councils. Winners will be announced at the awards event on Tuesday 6 December in Sydney. For more information about One Tree for Me, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/ onetreeforme One Tree for Me Since the One Tree for Me program began in 2021, Council has: • hosted 8 free seedling giveaways across Wagga Wagga • hosted 2 community tree planting activities on community land • supported 64 preschools / schools through Planet Ark’s Schools Tree Day campaign.
Be a bright spark and DON’T dump electrical items in the yellow lid recycling bin! Electrical items can be delivered to the Gregadoo Waste Management Centre for a small fee or taken to a scrap metal dealer.
To learn more visit: wagga.nsw.gov.au/householdwaste
Wagga Wagga City Council crews have been working around the clock this week managing the cumulative impact of heavy rainfall and rising river levels. Council has been supporting lead agency the NSW State Emergency Service, Riverina Police and the NSW Rural Fire Service, where possible, and managing local road closures and infrastructure to help protect the community. Director Infrastructure Services Warren Faulkner said the team was well prepared ahead of this week’s events and used Council’s flood manual to systematically close roads and levee gates as the Murrumbidgee River levels rose. “We’re constantly monitoring water gauges in the river and tributaries upstream as well as the Bureau of Meteorology radar and forecasts to understand what and when the likely impacts for our road network will be,” Mr Faulkner said. “The flash flooding we experienced earlier in the week due to heavy rainfall added extra pressure onto the system, with some of our pumps needing extra time to catch up with the quantity of water. “We appreciate everyone driving carefully and ask residents to stay off the roads as much as they can over the next few days to help ease traffic conditions and allow emergency services to get through.” Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout asked motorists to remain conscious of other people. “Please drive to the conditions and do not under any circumstances go through flood water,” Councillor Tout said. “The signs are up for a reason, the roads are closed for a reason, it’s for everyone’s safety. We do not want to hear any stories of people driving through flood waters and getting into trouble. It’s something that can be easily avoided that will leave resources free.” Councillor Tout encouraged residents to continue looking after each other, especially those directly affected by flooding. “If you’re able to lend a hand to someone, please do it. We look out for each other and look after each other. That’s the sort of community we live in – people help each other out. “Keep calm, be measured, follow the advice and stay safe.” To stay up-to-date about local road closures, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/ flooding