Fire Wise planting project helps communities prepare for future bushfires
A community nursery powered by volunteers is working to strengthen the resilience of the local Fleurieu Peninsula landscape.
The recent Deep Creek National Park fire on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula – the worst fire emergency in the area since the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983 – is a stark reminder of the impact bushfires can have on communities and the environment.
The event also highlighted the role local action plays in reducing fire risk and supporting recovery after a fire has passed.
On the Fleurieu Coast, a community nursery powered by volunteers is growing tens of thousands of native plants each year to strengthen the resilience of local landscapes.
Located within the District Council of Yankalilla area, the Fleurieu Coast Community Nursery is supporting revegetation projects while contributing to new research into plants that can help reduce bushfire impacts.
The work forms part of the Fire Wise project, delivered through the Landscape Resilience program run by the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife. The program operates across 10 local government areas in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales and examines how indigenous plants with lower flammability can improve the resilience of homes, gardens and natural landscapes in bushfire-prone regions.
Launched in 2018, the Fleurieu Coast Community Nursery focuses on growing local native plants for coastal revegetation. These plantings support biodiversity, rebuild habitat and assist species recovery across the region.
You might like
Funding from the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, Green Adelaide and the District Council of Yankalilla has allowed the nursery to expand significantly. Today, around 20 volunteers from the Fleurieu Environment Centre help propagate approximately 40,000 plants each year for projects across the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Southern Coastal Conservation Officer Corey Jackson said the volunteers are central to the nursery’s success. “We grow around 40,000 plants each year, and most of that is made possible by volunteers,” he said.
The nursery produces a wide range of indigenous plants suited to the Fleurieu Coast environment. Many of these plants are used in coastal revegetation projects to restore native vegetation, improve wildlife habitat and stabilise fragile dune systems.
Through the Fire Wise project, the nursery team has expanded its focus to investigate plants that may also help reduce bushfire risk.
The project explored and tested a range of local species to understand how they behave during bushfires. Volunteers and researchers compiled the findings into a Fire Wise plant guide to assist councils and the community when choosing plants for gardens, landscapes, properties and revegetation plantings.
Jackson said the work took on new significance after the Deep Creek Fire earlier this year.
“Different types of vegetation burnt differently,” he said. “Because of the grant, our volunteers were able to research the plants that survived the fire and put together a booklet that lists all the Fire Wise plants.”
Observations from the fire showed that some native plants can slow the spread of fire or regenerate quickly after it passes through.
“We’ve had a big focus on native grasses, and in photos we can see how the fire actually went around them,” Jackson said. “Some of them did burn, but they re-shot soon after.”
The project also highlighted the role residential gardens can play in the spread of weeds and fire risk.
Jackson said community awareness is an important part of the program. “One of the biggest findings was that many of the weeds we fight in the environment come from people’s gardens,” he said.
To support local residents, the nursery team runs regular community workshops and events. These include seed collecting days, plant propagation sessions, revegetation planting activities and educational seminars on native gardening.
The workshops help residents choose appropriate plants for their properties and understand how native vegetation supports wildlife, reduces weed spread and strengthens landscape resilience.
The work also delivers important environmental benefits for local species. Revegetation efforts across the Fleurieu Coast are helping restore habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife while rebuilding plant communities damaged by fire, weeds and historic land clearing.
With thousands of plants grown each year and a growing network of volunteers involved, the Fleurieu Coast Community Nursery continues to play an important role in restoring the region’s natural environment and preparing the landscape for future bushfire challenges.
This article was brought to you by InDaily and LGA South Australia.
Stay up to date with the latest LGA South Australia news and updates from your local council at Local Councils | Where everything comes together.
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
