University honours commitment to biodiversity through community events in Wagga Wagga

Charles Sturt University honoured its commitment to allocate 20 per cent of university land to biodiversity enhancement, as part of National Tree Day in 2023. The university partnered with Wagga Wagga City Council, and more than 120 community volunteers helped to plant 1,000 native seedlings, in a new biodiversity corridor at Charles Sturt’s Global Digital Farm in Wagga Wagga.

This activity builds on a decade-long effort, during which Charles Sturt has planted more than 25,000 native seedlings. The university has also used the Wagga campus and farm to connect native vegetation at a local landscape level, improving habitat, food sources and movement corridors for native species.

“Active regeneration of previously cleared land is one way we can improve the biodiversity of our landscape by increasing its value as habitat to native species,” said Charles Sturt Sustainability Manager, Mr Ed Maher. “Research conducted by our institution has shown it’s a win-win scenario: vegetation diversity in areas such as tree corridors and road reserves can provide agricultural benefits by boosting populations of beneficial insects that prey on pest species,” Mr Maher said.