GeoCatch’s popular Bay OK program will continue after the organisation received funding for five years from the federal government’s National Landcare Program.
Bay OK aims to reduce nutrient runoff from urban gardens by encouraging low nutrient and water-wise gardening practices.
The program has run for almost 10 years, delivering informative gardening workshops, establishing Bay OK demonstration gardens and developing gardening resources for keen and new gardeners.
Bay OK project officer Lisa Massey said she was thrilled by the funding boost.
“Bay OK is one of GeoCatch’s iconic programs linking our actions at home with the health of Geographe Bay,” she said.
“The new funding will continue with popular gardening workshops and tackle the issue of urban fertiliser use with a couple of new initiatives that will begin in the New Year.
“Working with home gardeners is important as we all need to do our bit to protect the long-term health of Geographe Bay.”
GeoCatch will undertake a community gardening survey to determine the current fertiliser use of gardeners in the Geographe catchment and identify high risk locations for nutrient runoff.
This will help target new initiatives to reduce nutrient runoff from urban gardens.
The Bay OK funding to GeoCatch is part of a broader program being coordinated by the South West Catchments Council to improve water quality in the Vasse-Wonnerup wetlands.
For further information on the Bay OK program and GeoCatch’s projects, visit geocatch.asn.au.