THE GREEN Army has been a transformative experience for the environment at Cattai Wetlands and the army members.
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Friendships have formed, knowledge gained and plenty of hard work carried out across the 26 weeks.
The army members have been in charge of enhancing wildlife habitats through weed removal, water quality monitoring and building a boardwalk extension to the wetland loop.
Darcy-Rose Harris was one of the team members.
She said although the job required "a lot of hard work" it felt great to return to their original sites and see native sapplings had started to shoot through.
This was her first time working so closely with nature, and she is hoping it isn't the last, as she now plans to take a course in botany.
The program was carried out by team leader Jenny Lewis and nine participants from the Manning area between the ages of 18-24.
Jenny said each of the participants were "fantastic" and thanked them for their enthusiasm towards the program.
A graduation took place at Cattai Wetlands for the group.
Greater Taree City Council mayor Paul Hogan and federal member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie congratulated graduates and presented each with a certificate.
Deputy major David West spoke passionately about former landholder John Hogg's decision to allow the area to become something so great for the area and Australia. "It would be nothing without you young people, you've been here building something the nation can be proud of," he added.
In his speech Dr David Gillespie reinforced his support of the Australian government's allocation of more than $700 million for the program over four years from July 1 2015.
The Green Army project at Cattai Wetlands is sponsored by Greater Taree City Council and run by the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers.
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