St Albans volunteer Helen Rzesniowiecki is determined to preserve Brimbank’s native grasslands. 89487 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By VANESSA VALENZUELA
PLANTING seeds and pulling weeds is all in a day’s work for Helen Rzesniowiecki.
The mother-of-three from St Albans is a volunteer member of the Friends of Iramoo, a group of residents who are passionate about native grasslands and sustainability in Melbourne’s West.
The group aims to protect local flora and fauna by assisting with grassland restoration, and also holds regular walking groups and community events to raise awareness of environmental issues in Brimbank.
“It’s about engagement with people and getting them to understand about the grasslands and their importance and getting people to fall in love with them,” Ms Rzesniowiecki said.
The hard-working mum joined Friends of Iramoo more than five years ago and spent her nights writing grant applications after the kids were put to bed.
Despite knowing very little about plants and flowers, Ms Rzesniowiecki decided to get outside and lend a helping hand to look after the Victorian Volcanic Plains grasslands.
“The group is quite diverse and they are involved in a lot of different things. The people were always enthusiastic about what they were doing and how they were going to accomplish things” she said.
Ms Rzesniowiecki said with less than one per cent of native grasslands left in Australia, it is vital that residents band together to protect the native vegetation.
“It’s really important because they have existed for hundreds and thousands of years. They are really vulnerable because people don’t understand the value of them.”
When she isn’t working out in the field, Ms Rzesniowiecki also volunteers her time to the St Albans History Society and the Friends of the Black Powder Mill.
“As a young person I was involved in youth groups and involved in community activities back then. From that, I became involved with other things happening in the community,” she said.
“It’s just a part of the way I live. I don’t see it as giving up my time. I just do it. I do it because I can.”
Ms Rzesniowiecki is the first nominee for the Star Volunteer of the Year Award.
Each week a different volunteer will be profiled and a winner of the inaugural award will be announced 8 January next year.
Do you know a volunteer? Please send details to star@starnewsgroup.com.au
