Silverlake Reserve gets a fresh start after giant pine scale devastation

The City of Tea Tree Gully has replanted the reserve with native trees and shrubs, added new pathways and created a nature play area featuring carved timber animal sculptures.

The work gives the reserve a fresh purpose while creating new opportunities for local families to enjoy nature and connect with the outdoors.

Council worked with children from nearby Dernancourt Kindergarten to shape the nature play area, inviting them to share ideas about how the space could look and feel. Council’s horticulture team also hosted a planting morning with the children, helping them take part in the reserve’s renewal.

Students from Kildare College followed up with a nature workshop, adding another opportunity for young people to learn about the natural environment.

Giant pine scale is an invasive insect that feeds on the sap of pine trees, weakening and eventually killing them. The infestation at Silverlake Reserve led to the loss of its pine forest, prompting Council to rethink the site and its future.

The reserve’s transformation gives the community a renewed outdoor space to enjoy, while rebuilding a native habitat for local wildlife and helping nature recover after the loss of the pine forest.

Find out more at City of Tea Tree Gully.

Image credit:  City of Tea Tree Gully