Powerful Partnership to Preserve State Forest

South East Queensland electricity distributor, ENERGEX, has donated nearly $10,000 to help combat weed infestations in the Mt Glorious and Mt Nebo areas.

(PRWEB) November 20, 2007 -- South East Queensland electricity (http://www.energex.com.au) distributor, ENERGEX, has donated nearly $10,000 to help combat weed infestations in the Mt Glorious and Mt Nebo areas.

ENERGEX recently handed a cheque for $9,900 to the Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious Environmental Protection Association (MEPA) to assist the group of dedicated volunteers to reduce the number of weeds spreading into the region's native bushlands.

Chinese Elm, Cat's Claw and Privet are just a few of the weeds threatening the surrounding area and ENERGEX's Environmental Manager, Dr Jan Green, said the money would be used to ensure MEPA have the tools to protect one of the most beautiful regions in Queensland.

"This donation is about working with members of the local community to ecologically safeguard a part of the south east that is not only visually stunning, but is also an essential natural nursery to many thousands of native species of flora and fauna," she said.

"Anyone who has travelled between Brisbane City and the Brisbane Valley via Mt Glorious knows what a spectacular part of the world this is and ENERGEX is very proud to do its part in the area's preservation process."

Dr Dominic Hyde has been a local in the Mt Glorious area for nearly a decade and is a member of MEPA, a group that has been working in the area - and raising environmental awareness (http://www.energex.com.au/environment/) - for over two decades.

He said that the ENERGEX funding along with assistance from other stakeholder groups would support the hands on work he and many other volunteers carry out to protect the 42,000 hectares of mountainous country from unwanted species of plant life.

"Left unchecked, many of these weeds have the potential to choke out local native species of plant life that are also the natural food to native animals," he said.

"With the assistance of ENERGEX we can continue to scientifically identify, survey, control and eradicate weeds particularly along the 80 kilometres of roads and service easements running through the forest.

"Essentially this is a great partnership between a passionate local community, ENERGEX and other stakeholders to ensure a very important part of the south east is preserved for future generations to enjoy."

About ENERGEX

ENERGEX is a leading Australian electricity company (http://www.energex.com.au/network/CityGrid.html) delivering a world-class range of expertise, products and services throughout Australia and overseas.

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