MORE than 3300 new native Aussie trees are sprouting at Little Para Reservoir near One Tree Hill, as part of efforts by SA Water to improve the area’s healthy natural ecosystem.

Partnering with the Kersbrook Landcare Nursery in Williamstown, the revegetation project aims to improve the environment of the reservoir’s reserve while providing a longterm solution to  combat the spread of invasive Coolatai grass.

SA Water’s vegetation services specialist, Shaun Kennedy, said prior to SA Water ownership, the land was sheep grazing pasture that had left the area vulnerable to weeds.

“Coolatai is a highly invasive grass weed that has overrun native vegetation and presented a real headache for the local environment, and we’ve been investigating the most effective way to manage  the weed sustainably,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Noticing that Coolatai does not flourish under trees and shrubs, our local team helped plan a big revegetation effort to provide shade and habitat at the reservoir’s reserve using locally-sourced native plant species to reconstruct a Peppermint Box and Blue Gum Woodland ecosystem.

“Revegetation efforts like this are critical to maintaining the health of our catchments including the quality of water supplied to our customers.”

SA Water has previously worked with the Kersbrook Landcare Nursery on other catchment revegetation work, including the Millbrook grassy woodland restoration project, growing more than 20,000 native seedlings comprising over 80 plant species.

Built in the 1970s with a capacity of approximately 20 billion litres, Little Para Reservoir primarily functions as a balancing storage for water diverted from the River Murray.