Young seedlings, tree guards and hardwood stakes in Jaques Park, South Bathurst continue to be pulled from the ground and thrown into the creek or stolen, and some of the remaining planting holes have been replanted with exotic species.

Council has described the situation as an act of "environmental vandalism" and called on people to report any instances of this that they come across.

This can be done by contacting council's recreation section on 6333 6285 or sending an email to council@bathurst.nsw.gov.au.

Manager of recreation Mark Kimbel said the vandalism has been a disappointing setback for council and community volunteers, as they have been working hard to rehabilitate the riparian vegetation zone along Hawthornden Creek at Jaques Park.

What was once a highly degraded site dominated by invasive riparian weeds and devoid of natural vegetation has been completely transformed.

"Over the last twelve years, significant environmental rehabilitation works along Hawthornden Creek have been undertaken including activities in the section of the creek transecting Jaques Park," Mr Kimbel said.

"The works have involved the removal of weed species such as poplars, willow, and blackberry."

READ MORE: Poplar trees to go, making way for new plantings in Jacques Park

Community volunteers and as well as students from South Bathurst Public School have been heavily involved in this ongoing project since 2010, helping to revegetate Hawthornden Creek whilst also learning about the benefits of habitat rehabilitation.

A range of native trees, shrubs, rushes and grasses have been planted along the creek including river sheoak, yellow box, silver wattle, river bottlebrush, swamp tea-tree and native grasses.

The plant species that have been chosen are local to the Bathurst region and, once they have matured, will provide habitat for wildlife and stabilise the bank to reduce erosion.

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