Concern for the environment

Members of the broader community wish to be more involved in on ground ‘Clean & Green’ environmental enhancement activities as demonstrated in the “Strategic Rehabilitation of the Ross River Project”. This desire is part of a larger worldwide movement to take better care of the environment as it became increasingly obvious that pressures exerted by population expansion and ‘industrialised economies’ were damaging the natural resources that support our existence.

Over the last ten years revegetation activities have moved from the realm of the conservation movement and individual landholders into the wider community with support from Federal, State & local governments. Programs such as the Decade of Landcare and the Natural Heritage Trust have played a significant role in promoting revegetation activities and other environmental remediation projects. Townsville City Council can see the benefits for the region of involvement in greening initiatives and the value adding likely to result for the community from an inflow of resources to complement the efforts of Council.

Communities and business are acknowledging the importance of the connections between our natural resource base, the economy and social well-being. The flow on benefits have sparked broader community interest in volunteer activities, particularly those that enhance the environment, promote economic activity and, as a result, improve social outcomes.

Townsville is part of the Dry Tropics region and, as the name suggests, has a climate that requires respect. Greening the urban environment helps ‘soften’ the effects of the climate adding to the ‘livability’ of the region and helping repair some of the damage caused by urban and commercial activities.

On (date), Townsville City Council Mayor, Cr. Tony Mooney, announced the funding of $1,000,000 over the next two years for the greening of the City of Townsville. Cr. Mooney also identified the great revegetation work by the community on the Ross River and hopes that similar community involvement will result through the ‘Greening Townsville’ program.