Palerang Mayor Pete Harrison says the help of a Green Army team at the Greenways at Bywong and Wamboin will be a boon for local volunteers.

Mayor Harrison recently joined Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor and Palerang Council Environmental Services Coordinator Simon Holloway at areas at Bywong and Wamboin where a Green Army team will help rehabilitate erosion gullies and remove invasive weeds.

“Where local volunteers have been limited in terms of time and resources, the Green Army will engage up to nine young people to tackle the problems head on and for up to six months. There’ll be a lot achieved,” Mr Taylor said.

Mayor Harrison said the network of local Greenways were an integral part of the recreational infrastructure of the communities. “They are used by casual walkers, hiking enthusiasts and horse riders alike. One of the goals of the rural residential settlement of the Bywong and Wamboin areas was the rehabilitation of what have been described as ‘clapped out sheep paddocks’. This has been achieved to remarkable effect in the past 40 years by individual land holders, but has been limited on the Greenways network to what can be achieved by just a small group of dedicated volunteers.

"Having the help of the Green Army is a tremendous boon to these local volunteers because it will deliver a sustained effort over several months,” Mayor Harrison said.

Mr Taylor said that Round 2 of the Green Army programme had allocated funds for a further five projects in Hume, including the Greenways project, bringing the number of projects in Hume to eight.

“This is all about giving young people the confidence and skills to take the next step toward ongoing employment,” he said. Anyone interested in joining the Green Army can apply through the appointed Service Providers, listed at www.environment.gov.au/land/green-army/service-providers

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor with Palerang Mayor Pete Harrison and Palerang Council's Environmental Services Coordinator Simon Holloway at the Greenways at Wamboin.