Landcare have their own nursery in the industrial area of Port Macquarie and dedicated volunteers spend time every Monday growing plants from seeds.

Estelle Gough, project manager for Landcare Port Macquarie, said the nursery plays an important role in the Landcare operation.

“Our nursery is where the magic happens, our plants come as seeds collected by members of the community or by our volunteers and then we grow them into plants ready to get planted in the community,” Mrs Gough said.

“We are constantly growing a range of different plants to cater to the wildly diverse ecosystems in the area and our turnover is quite significant which keeps us busy but happy.

“From our nursery the native plants we grow get planted by conservation groups and locals who are wanting to promote native flora regeneration along with supplying plants for Hastings Landcare projects.”

Landcare Port Macquarie have worked continuously since starting in 1997 and have expanded works to 14 Port Macquarie-Hastings council bushland reserves and now look after an area of around 86 hectares.

Volunteer Suzanne Halloran said she enjoys volunteering in the nursery because it is good to help the community.

“I volunteer because I want to give back and because it gets me out of the house, and I love working in the nursery,” Ms Halloran said.

“It is a social morning and no two weeks are ever the same, we are always planting or transplanting seedlings and organising orders to be sent out.”