20 Sep 2017 Myrtleford Times, Myrtleford VIC (General News) by Jamie Kronborg MYRTLEFORD Landcare and Sustainability Group has been given a $18,585 grant to keep threatened flora thriving on Reform Hill. The group last week secured a Victorian government community biodiversity grant to shore up the wild habitat of stony bush-pea in one of just three places where it is known naturally to occur. Pultenea lapidosa is classified as vulnerable and found endemically only on Mount Tambo near Omeo, Mount Samaria near Benalla and Reform Hill above Myrtleford. The Reform Hill population includes more than 1500 plants on just half a hectare. The shrub grows to about one metre in height and has clusters of yellow pea flowers with red centres at the end of stems in late spring and early summer. Wangarattas Park Lane Nursery has helped to propagate the species and Myrtleford P-12 College students have worked to establish more of the pea on the hill. Upper Ovens Landcare Group has also been given $31,500 for riparian conservation and connectivity work at the confluence of the Ovens and Buckland rivers in Porepunkah. Victorian Environment Minister Lily DAmbrosio said the biodiversity grants helped volunteer and community groups to expand and protect local habitats. Support has been made available for activities that help communities better understand and manage local native species and natural environments. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) said the grants contributed towards the governments statewide Biodiversity 2037 plan. Many Northern Victoria communities are already hard at work protecting and restoring Victorias unique natural environment and these grants will further assist in the protection and enhancement of local biodiversity, she said. Caption Text: HABITAT: Myrtleford Landcare and Sustainability Group has been awarded $18,585 to maintain Reform Hill habitat for the stony bush-pea. IMAGE: Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.