As I went for a walk in our beautiful Bicentennial Park the other day, I was extremely disappointed to see that both sides of the creek were widely sprayed to kill all green growth within several metres. This is already causing bank erosion, allowing sediment to flow straight into the sea not 50 metres away.
Spraying may save a few dollars in labour but the damage it does is long-lasting and of incalculable cost.
What is the point of re-vegetating sites like Twin Creeks and then spraying the top soil so that it ends up in the bay? The tree roots become exposed then die and the river banks disintegrate, causing flooding.
This damage is not in isolation, it is happening to so many other creeks. I can’t understand why council is still using this practice when it is so obviously harmful, not only to our sea grasses and sea life but to all the tiny and essential creatures and plants that need riparian habitats to survive and help maintain a healthy ecology. What happened to the good old whipper-snipper used very occasionally?