2022-11-03
The Victorian Greens have today thrown their support behind the Melbourne Pollinator Corridor, an exciting vision for a connected corridor of pollinator-friendly gardens in Melbourne’s south, to boost native bees, birds and biodiversity in our inner city.
Over several years, dedicated volunteers from the community-led Heart Gardening Project have created much loved pollinator-friendly gardens throughout Melbourne’s South, building community and connection to nature along the way.
Now the project is seeking funding to expand these vibrant gardens into one continuous green link from Westgate Park in Port Melbourne to Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, to support the movement of pollinating insects – including native bees, butterflies, flies, wasps, and beetles – across inner Melbourne.
Deputy Greens Leader and Environment spokesperson Ellen Sandell today joined MP for Prahran Sam Hibbins, Albert Park candidate Kim Samiotis and Southern Metropolitan candidate Katherine Copsey to announce a $1.2 million election commitment to support The Heart Gardening Project and their vision for thriving people and nature in our inner city.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens Deputy Leader and Environment Spokesperson Ellen Sandell MLA:
“Our state’s biodiversity is under threat. Plants, animals and insects are in decline, with 2000 Victorian species now facing extinction.
“The Greens and I are proud to get behind The Heart Gardening Project and their brilliant work enriching nature in our suburbs with pollinator-friendly gardens.”
Quotes attributable to Greens member for Prahran Sam Hibbins MLA:
“Being in the inner city, we depend so much on urban nature to enrich our lives. During lockdowns, our communities flocked to local parks and gardens, and there’s so much more the state Government can do to support urban nature.
“The Victorian Labor Government continues to allow the destruction of Victoria’s forests, rivers and grasslands for private profit, and is failing to fund the urgent programs Victoria needs to tackle invasive species and ensure the recovery of threatened plants and animals.”
Quote attributable to Greens candidate for Southern Metropolitan region Katherine Copsey:
“As we push the government to close coal fired power plants and stop drilling for gas, we also need to turn our attention to repairing the devastation of climate change on our environment and building climate resilience in our cities.”
“The Heart Gardening Project’s proposal to enhance local biodiversity is based on local science and includes input from over 20 scientists. It’s exactly the kind of community-led nature project that Governments should be throwing their support behind.”
Quote attributable to Greens candidate for Albert Park Kim Samiotis:
“Loss of biodiversity is environmentally devastating, but it’s also a major concern for our future. We all depend on a healthy environment for food, water, shelter, health and wellbeing.
“Electing more Greens to the Victorian parliament means we’ll be able to push the next Government to invest in the environment, both here in Albert Park and across the state.”