Moruya Microforest Celebrates 1st Birthday
Did you know hidden in sheltered gullies in the Eurobodalla are remnants of Dry Rainforest? Sounds like a contradiction, I know. The dry just means they occur in areas of lower rainfall.
According to the NSW Government there’s only 100 hectares left and this Endangered Ecological Community is threatened by clearing, overgrazing, fires and climate change.
In 2023, Moruya resident, Edwina Robinson, Founder of The Climate Factory set out with a group of volunteers to build an urban microforest of Dry Rainforest species. Supported by horticulture teacher, Wendy Jones from NSW TAFE they visited remnants that occur on private properties on Francis St, Moruya.
Dominating these communities is the mighty Ficus rubignosa (xxxxx Fig) and Myrtus communis (Grey Myrtle). Underneath these trees are a mix of Dendrobium orchids and ferns.
Armed with their plant list Jones and her horticulture students grew some of the plants for the microforest. And the remainder of the plants were sourced from growers South Coast Flora and the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens.
The microforest consists of 500m2 of garden beds underpinned by a water harvesting system. Once the forest is finally planted, it will consist of 1500 native trees, shrubs, climbers, ferns, orchids, grasses, wetland and pollinator plants.
The lush microforest nestles on St Johns Commons on the corner of Page and Campbell Streets, Moruya under the watchful eye of a pair of Plovers.
Underneath the forest is an extensive water harvesting trench that holds water deep in the ground at a plants’ roots where it’s needed most. This will help future-proof the rainforest for when heatwaves and drought return
We celebrated the Moruya Microforests first birthday at the quarterly St Johns carboot sale at the weekend.
Our vision is to see more Endangered Ecological Communities like Dry Rainforest and Littoral Rainforest built throughout the Eurobodalla. Get in touch with The Climate Factory if you have a project in mind.