Case Studies

Friends of Onkaparinga Park

Monitoring Site

Onkaparinga Park in the Onkaparinga Hills (Onkaparinga Catchment).

Information about the group

Friends of Onkaparinga Park (FOOP) have a membership of more than 150 people, with five of those members nominated to complete the water monitoring and macro testing. The group have been involved with Waterwatch for more than six years. Their enthusiasm and passion for their local environment is shown with members of the group in the Park everyday either weeding, planting or waterwatching.

Why they got involved in Waterwatch

For over seventeen years, FOOP has been committed to looking after the Park. Waterwatch has provided them with a new way to monitor and assess their on ground works and establish a good picture of the health of their local ecosystem. Members attend training workshops held by Waterwatch to increase their knowledge and skill base and to gain maximum benefit from their work in the park.

Achievements or activities

Achievements

• Planted more than $100,000 of tube stock in the park over 10 years (most of which was lost in the fire in the park in January 2003).
• Award winners of the 'Friends of Parks' groups for 2 years.
• Award winner from the KESAB awards.
• Award winner from the Waterwatch SA awards.
• Award winner from the City of Onkaparinga Environmental awards.

Activities

• Hold sausage sizzles and other fund raising to gain much needed funding to continue the work in the park.
• Conduct regular water monitoring and macro monitoring at each of their four sites within the park.
• Implemented a weed program - mostly bridal creeper and have gained numerous grants to enable the work to be completed.
• Participate in the EPA Frog Census
• Participate in fox baiting to removal ferals.