The Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland (ILGW) is a Critically Endangered Ecological Community
The Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland (ILGW) is one of the rapidly declining peri-urban woodlands in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region. Only 12% of this woodland remains, and it is highly fragmented and vulnerable to degradation and further clearing for development.
The Save our Species (SoS) Guardians of the Grassy Woodlands project aims to increase community awareness and foster intergenerational guardianship of this special ecosystem. The project includes actions everyone can take to restore and connect remnants of this threatened plant community.
Our partnership has partner has included a variety of activities.
Restoration
We have been identifying private landholders in our network and referring them to DCCEEW for support to protect, maintain and regenerate ILGW on their land. Support available includes including fauna surveys, pest animal control, weed removal, fencing and planting.
Vegetation
Our nursery network is growing 2,000 Lowlands Grassy Woodlands species for restoration of Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland.
Education
We launched the project in the area with a Talking Landcare event, part of our evening education series. We developed an educational brochure featuring plants of the grassy woodland and advice on where and how to grow them.
Community events
Illawarra Nature Festival 2024 & 2025
Stream Hill Community Day 2025 & 2026
Landcare Illawarra joined these public events. We hosted information stalls and interactive seed bomb making sessions. The seed bombs contained local ILGW grasses, herbs and forbs, and were another opportunity to educate young people and their families about the species
Previous posts on the project
