The Western Australian Government has upped  work on the State’s five-year Healthy Rivers action Plan (HRAP), following the planting of two million native seedlings along the Swan Canning Riverpark area.

 

 Environment Minister Bill Marmion told State Parliament today that the revegetation activities to reduce nutrient loads entering the rivers were among many river protection activities being undertaken in partnership with local governments, landcare groups and thousands of community volunteers.


“In 2011-12 alone, collaborative activities under the HRAP to reduce nutrients in the rivers included 74 on-ground projects, with more than 781,000 native seedlings planted and some 70ha of weed control,” Mr Marmion said.

 

The $40 million HRAP initiative commenced in 2008, with the funding allocated to protect the environmental health and amenity of the Swan and Canning rivers.

 

Releasing the Swan River Trust’s achievements report for the HRAP’s fourth year,  the Minister said more than $7.7million was invested by the State Government in HRAP programs and activities in 2011-12.  Another $7.2million was invested (cash and in-kind) by local governments, community groups, industry sponsors, Natural Resource Management groups and volunteers.

 

The HRAP is delivered through eight programs that form a ‘catchment to coast’ approach to reducing contaminants from catchments; intercepting pollutants from tributaries and drains; and applying river intervention techniques such as oxygenation to improve water quality.