Worth Saving

There are several areas of natural or remnant vegetation within the town boundary of Drouin.

With the very obvious pressure of development requiring more and more land on which to construct more and more dwellings, the struggle to hold on to these precious little blocks of verdant habitat and air-cleaning vegetation is mounting.

One such example is in Roberts Crt.

Roberts Crt bush location - Drouin

The Roberts Crt block of remnant bushland provides a barrier between the industrial zones to the north and west and the residential areas to the south and east. Not just a screening barrier protecting residents from the visually-uninviting industrial activities but also helping by absorbing noise and air pollution. 

Ghania sp and tree fern - Roberts Crt Drouin

This particular block of bush also plays a role in absorbing storm water run-off. Located in the depression of Stony Creek, the vegetation helps by mitigating the effects of flooding and the absorption of stream pollutants.

Lycoperdon Pyriforme fungus - Roberts Crt Drouin

The benefits of urban vegetation are well documented worldwide – human health and well-being, identity, visual attractiveness, biodiversity, mitigating the urban heat island effect, improving air and water quality, sequestering carbon, providing habitat, etc.

 

Eastern Yellow Robin - Roberts Crt Drouin

The Friends of Drouin’s Trees believes that even small patches of urban bush are valuable enough for their preservation and conservation to be reflected in the planning policies of Baw Baw Shire.

Further reading:

The Benefits of Urban Vegetation, a study of the scientific research and method of analysis – Plante and Cité, 2014.

The future of the “other Australia” within our smart cities, Dr Peter Fisher explores the relationship between the environment and urban technology and how nature imprints on our major cities – Independent Australia, August 2018.