The future of Mount Canobolas as a major environmental and recreation area is under threat from a proliferation of English ivy, blackberries and other weeds.
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This Sunday the community gets its chance to fight back by joining a major working bee aimed at slowing down the rampant growth of English ivy after an intense growing season.
Event organiser Robert Alford said about 20 people were already signed up to join the working bee but he hoped more people in the community would come out and support the efforts.
The event has already brought together environmentalists and mountain bike riders who have been opposed over plans to open mountain bike trails at the base of Mount Canobolas.
Mr Alford said both groups would be represented.
“I’m pretty sure that we’ve got 20 at least,” he said.
Mr Alford has support from politicians on various levels with local member Phil Donato attending, Cabonne council keen to send representatives and he said he had spoken to National Party leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro about the problem.
Mr Alford said he met Mr Barilaro at a National Party event in Orange last Saturday.
“I got some time with him.
“I’m quite enthused about what he said he could do.
“I put the hard word on him to find extra funding for National Parks.
“He gave a very positive response about what he might be able to do.”
Mr Alford said funding was critical to getting the weeds cut out and the area maintained by National Parks and Wildlife Service officers.
“If you going to have these areas you have to look after them.
“If enough people talk about the problem now, we might get funding. It’s all about funding.”
He said working bee participants would meet at John Williams Park, opposite the Mountain Tea House from 9am on Sunday and would be instructed in how to cut the ivy.
“We are making a hit to slow it down.”
He said that on his latest visit the ivy was strangling native growth in the Devils Hole area.
“There are a whole lot of shoots at ground level,” Mr Alford said.