As communities take the first steps towards recovery from the devastating new year bushfires, TAFE Digital has offered a unique fee-free course to locals to help them rehabilitate scorched bushland.
The fires tore through millions of hectares of land across NSW, leaving landholders, authorities and community groups with the painstaking job of helping manage an explosion of noxious weeds during the rapid regrowth phase.
TAFE Digital is offering the fee-free Statement of Attainment in Bush Regeneration to communities in a bid to assist them in helping revitalise impacted land.
TAFE Digital conservation and land management teacher Kelly Upton, who has worked in bush regeneration for more than 25 years, said managing the changing landscape was a critical part of the bushfire recovery process.
"After the recent rainfall in bushfire-affected areas, the bushland is starting to regenerate and with that comes seed germination and a lot of weeds and new species, which can have a profound impact on biodiversity," Ms Upton said.
The course offers three units - how to identify different plants; bush regeneration and controlling weeds. The bush regeneration unit is hands-on and project-based, allowing students to go out on an impacted property and document basic bush regeneration practices.
Ms Upton said the bush regeneration industry was booming and the course was also an ideal "taster" for those pursuing a career in bush regeneration.
"This is an employment growth area and will continue to be, with plenty of jobs in local councils, NSW Government agencies like NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and private enterprise ," she said.
For more information about studying bush regeneration, phone 13 16 01 or visit www.tafensw.edu.au
