Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority has merged with Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Authority

This major natural area restoration program has grown from small local neighbourhood efforts to become a unique movement involving more than 6000 volunteers across the Sydney area, supported by government agencies at the NSW and local level.

Starting in the 1980s, the Sydney Bushcare movement was spurred by committed individuals and small groups taking action to restore damaged natural ecosystems within their neighbourhoods.

Winning the support of local governments and state agencies, it has now expanded to become a large and sustained movement across Greater Sydney.

Most local governments in the Sydney Metropolitan CMA area manage Bushcare volunteer programs, with more than 6000 volunteers registered to work in regular (usually monthly) Bushcare groups. There are an estimated 1000 Bushcare sites across Greater Sydney, with more than 20 years ongoing community involvement at some sites. So far 868 sites have been mapped and details can be viewed on the SMCMA website at Find a Volunteer Group.

The technical focus of Bushcare typically involves weed removal in a manner that enables natural regeneration, ensuring systematic follow up until native resilience is reinstated and weed resilience minimised. The land managers support such programs with additional inputs to address causal factors such as weed dumping, drainage and fertility problems and inappropriate fires regimes.

Restoring sites at the urban bushland interface, especially in species-rich or endangered ecological communities, requires considerable skill and experience.

An important aspect of Sydney Bushcare is the training provided to volunteers. Modules from Land Management and Conservation accredited courses have been especially tailored for Sydney bush regeneration volunteers.

Ecological outcomes. The program dovetails into NSW or Local Government's own extensive and professional programs of bushland management and restoration. On-ground results generally reach a high standard of native vegetation recovery at a far wider range of damaged sites than could be achieved within government budgets alone. Some examples of outcomes of Bushcare programs can be seen in the following case studies.

Environmental outcomes: Improved condition and extent of nartive vegetation. Increased capacity of community and land managers to engage in natural resource management.

The SMCMA supports Bushcare in the Sydney region and beyond. A key role is administrative management of the Volunteer Coordinators Network (VCN) which meets quarterly in Sydney for professional networking and sharing of ideas.

The SMCMA coordinates strategic events that promote Bushcare among the broader community, such as annual stall at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Every two years the SMCMA publishes a survey of volunteer hours worked in the catchment on on-ground projects and has an ongoing role assisting new volunteers to join local bushcare groups.

The SMCMA facilitates and assists with events and activities for volunteers  including hosting an annual Community Forum which provides an opportunity for Bushcarers across Sydney to get together and share experiences.

Bushcare.org.au is a helpful resource for anyone interested in Bushcare. It helps to connect individuals, local groups and organisations involved in Bushcare, and shares the latest news, upcoming events and useful resources.