The Merri Paddle

SPECIAL PROJECTS: MERRI PADDLE 

The Merri Paddle is a working group of the Friends of Merri Creek (FOMC) which has been established to enable community participation in environmental initiatives in the Merri Creek catchment. Its long-term objective is to see the return of the platypus to the Merri Creek after an absence of 40 years. Its purpose is to engage community involvement in care for the Merri Creek and environs and to work with FOMC and other stakeholders to address issues affecting local environments.

It is the only community-led group which focussed specifically on instream aquatic ecology of the Merri Creek.
Local Rotary Clubs are interested in his group as an environmental and sustainability initiative to monitor and find ways to improve the aquatic environment of local waterways, The pressure of urban spread in Melbourne’s north is having a very negative impact upon water quality of the Merri Creek and its subsidiaries.

Achievements so far:
– inclusion of members from Rotary clubs of: Pascoe Vale, Coburg, Preston and Moreland in the group.
– Establishment of partnerships with other allied environmental groups i.e. Melbourne Water, Local councils, Water Watch.
– Creation of a team of citizen science volunteers (including Rotary members) to assist with water quality evaluation of the Merri Creek
– Citizen science groups in conjunction with Water Watch
– Creek bank and environs litter clean-up and audits
– Field trips for environmental DNA presence and water quality testing
– Plogging is a fitness and environmental trend that combines jogging (or running) with picking up litter. The term originated in Sweden in 2016 and is a blend of the Swedish phrase ‘plocka up’ (meaning pick up) and the English word ‘jogging’.