Hindmarsh Landcare Network's annual planting weekend is back on for 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, with organisers inviting all in the community to come and contribute.

Established in 1997, the Hindmarsh Landcare Network works on revegetation in the west Wimmera region, with an aim to re-connect the Little Desert and Big Desert parks through planting corridors.

Hindmarsh Landcare Network facilitator Jonathan Starks said the group was excited to be back out and planting in the area after such a long break.

"We are excited this year because we had two years of lockdowns where we couldn't host our community planting weekends. So great excitement to be out finally again this year," he said.

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"We have two sites, one site we are putting in 10,000 trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses. On another site just nearby Dimboola we are putting in 1500 plants to enhance the habitat for Malleefowl at that site."

Mr Starks said the group's annual planting event typically attracts upwards of 120 volunteers from as far afield as Melbourne.

Volunteers gather in the morning and are provided breakfast by the group, after which they are taken by bus to the site for a busy day of planting and education.

Mr Starks said planting vegetation corridors between the two desert parks provided native species with more habitat, and increased their chances of survival and distribution, among other environmental benefits.

"In the process of clearing land for agriculture and building towns, they broke a connection for the movement of wildlife between the two deserts," he said.

"This quite visionary group had the idea to reconnect the Little Desert by filling in the gaps essentially.

"It is both to allow the movement of wildlife again. Birds use vegetation corridors to move between, but also we tend to forget about reptiles.

"They can't move as fast or as far as a bird, being terrestrial, but nevertheless, they still need that connectivity across the landscape."

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Research has shown that the revegetation efforts have assisted the survival of species such as the Malleefowl - but beyond this, the works also benefit farmers in the region through the creation of shelter belts.

"Quite a lot of farmers recognise the importance of breaking up paddocks, or protecting paddocks with shelter belts," he said.

"Both to protect stock, but also help cut down moisture loss from paddocks over a distance.

"Shelter belts are something a lot of farmers are interested in putting in. You can make a shelter belt function as a biodiversity corridor as well."

Anyone interested can get involved by visiting Hindmarsh Landcare Network's website, or by calling Jonathan Starks on 0429 006 936.

Mr Starks said the event would be a good opportunity to meet like-minded people and contribute to the preservation of the Wimmera's ecosystems.

"If they want to come along with like-minded people to plant some trees, plant some shrubs and make a difference to the landscape," he said.

"Enjoy a social weekend and just learn a little bit about the Wimmera if they aren't from this area.

"If they are from this area learn a little bit about what landcare can do and how they can get involved. Making a difference and helping the environment."

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