What a Fantastic Day!

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What a Fantastic Day! Christmas Awards and Wood Fired Pizza hat a fantastic day! The 2012 15th W Bushcare Landcare Awards was at the Grants Update 2 Hawkesbury Community Nursery, Mulgrave. You Dear Editor 3 couldn’t of asked for a more beautiful day with home made LMO Introduction 3 wood fired pizza. It was hard to tell if there was more talking or more eating going on. HIMAG 3 There was more than 60 Councilor Mayor Kim Ford, with the Hawkesbury Community Psyllids in Western Nursery Volunteers with speeches by John Jose. people, comprising mostly of Sydney 4 the Bushcare and Landcare - Redbank Creek Recovery plant regeneration dictate volunteers, with Parks staff, Team the rate of weed removal Michael Pattison and Jutta • 10 Years Long Service and planting is always a Ignore the Symbol 4 Hamilton, HNCMA staff – Ian McEwan & Elizabeth last option, the 3 R’s (retain, Vanessa Keyzer and Huw Chellingworth regenerate, replant) - now Hawkesbury Bushcare Evans. Attendees were as • Environmental Group of that’s another story. Calendar 5 cheerful as ever. Councillors the Year – Nursery consisted of Mayor Kim Ford Volunteer Group/ Well after all the and Councillor Jill Reardon, Hawkesbury brouhaha of more pizza, Kids Corner 6 with apologies recieved from Community Nursery pavolva and pancakes, Mary Lyons-Buckett. A big • Environmental Volunteer of we had a few pictures and Woodbury Reserve 7 thanks goes to those the Year - Linda Anderson some more speeches, but Councillors who attended. then we got down to the nity National Tree Day 8 John Jose undertook a gritty. A Bushcare / Landcare While munching on a few stirring speech on behalf trivia and boy didn’t we all slices pizza, we got the ball of the Community Nursery get competitive. Now I think Who is HRCC 8 rolling with the awards. Marty Group and Hawkesbury everyone who participated Gauci, Vanessa Keyzer and Bushcare and highlighted a was a winner, so thank you Hawkesbury Bushcare Mayor Kim Ford presented the quote from Joan Bradleys, for getting involved, giving it Voluneeter profile 9 awards. Those who were ac- book “Bring Back the Bush”. a go and coming along. To knowledged for their past and those who couldn’t make it present efforts included:- “Help the bush to help itself, and everyone else, see you Local Land • The Multi Tasker Young for the sight of fresh new all in 2013. Amalgamations 9 Achiever Award - Rebecca native plants regenerating Sullivan of their own accord is a joy Thanks for your feedback, Alive 10 • For outstanding Achievement for all”. nominations and in Environmental Community suggestions in making this Awareness, training, This for me had to be one of day another one to be World Wetlands Day 10 participation, involvement, the most encapsulating remembered. Without you attention to detail, innovation, moments of the day, as this this day would not be Floating Landcare 10 collaboration, inspiring driven is what Bushcare is all about, possible. passion and focus for the undertaking bush regen; natural living environment working from good bush along Redbank Creek. areas to bad, letting native If you are interested in being involved in any of the Hawkesbury Bushcare sites, or would like to contribute to this newsletter, please contact Council’s Community Bushcare Officer on 4560 4525, or email: [email protected]. We would love to hear from you. Grant Update from Land Management Officer - Michael Pattison $600,000 project to protect and restore has been secured with the HNCMA council reserves along the Hawkesbury providing $8,000 and Council investing a River. Sites include Cattai Bridge Reserve, further $6,500 to protect the critically Charles Kemp Reserve, Churchills Wharf endangered Shale/Gravel Transition Environmental Trust Reserve, Deerubbin Park, Green Hills Forest. Burial Ground, Half Moon Farm, Chain of Ponds Reserve Hawkesbury Park, Howe Park, Navua Woodbury Reserve The three year Environmental Trust Grant Reserve, Riverside Drive, Skeleton Rocks, $8000 from the HNCMA and $6000 from for Chain of Ponds reserve is now South Creek, Swallow Rock Reserve Council has been committed to the complete. A team of contract bush (Argyle Bailey) and Yarramaundi Reserve. ongoing regeneration and protection of regenerators have been undertaking the the Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands at rehabilitation works alongside the Chain of The main aim of the project is to Woodbury Reserve, Glossodia. Ponds Bushcare Group. In that time implement ongoing bush regeneration approximately 2272 hours of contract bush activities to promote the recovery of regeneration, 796 hours of volunteer bush native vegetation and improve the regeneration, and 114.5 hours of volunteer condition of our bushland reserves and supervision has been completed. riverbank. Some sites will require Applications Pending revegetation works to ensure bank stability Roadside Vegetation Implementation Excellent progress has been made in and reduce the risk of erosion. Many of controlling those weeds that threaten the Project River Flat Eucalypt Forest. The recent the sites have active volunteer bushcare The Land Management Section is warm weather and rain has induced a new groups so the activities funded will submitting an application to the Local flush of annual weed growth and Council enhance the work of these groups. Government & Shires Association to has committed funding for this financial implement priority actions of the Council’s year to maintain control. Roadside Vegetation Management Plan. The project aims to protect and conserve Little Wheeny Creek Restoration Project threatened flora species located in high Council has been successful in our conservation priority roadside vegetation. application to the Environmental Trust for a HNCMA three year project to protect the Chain of Ponds environmental values of Little Wheeny The HNCMA has provided $10,000 of Creek within Singletons Reserve (Mill Rd) funding towards the ongoing restoration at and Diamond Hill Dr Reserves. These Chain of Ponds Reserve. Matching funds Reserves hold pristine vegetation that has from Council this will see the project been predominantly protected by geophys- continue and allow follow up work to UWS ical aspects of the landscape. protect areas treated during the The Land Management Section are Environmental Trust project. supporting an interesting application by a Ongoing engagement and education of UWS research lecturer to explore the local landholders will protect investment in Singletons Reserve (Mill Rd Reserve) species richness and composition of rehabilitation activities and ensure the A $15,000 grant has been provided for belowground communities in Cumberland success of the project for years to come. Singletons Reserve to extend the works Plain Woodlands and determine if outside the zones of the Environmental restoration of highly degraded sites also Trust project. This will allow works to restores the belowground communities. progress into the transition woodland and Should this be successful, information will compliment those of the Trust project. be provided to educate us all about these communities and their role in a healthy Biodiversity Fund Oakville Reserve ecosystem. Hawkesbury River Restoration Funding for the continuation of bush Council has been awarded a six year, regeneration works at Oakville Reserve Editorial Hello Bush Regenerators, Green thumbs, Indian Myna Hunters and frogs, birds, nest box building and plant those who like the bush and dislike weeds with a serious vengeance. propagation. This issue bids farewell to Nicola Booth and welcomes aboard Michael The native bee workshop was a real Pattison. Now I don’t want to split hairs over these two Land buzz and if you would like to make your Management Officers; but a sincere thanks to Nicola and all the best own native bee hive go to Blue-Banded Bee, photo in her new role at Ryde Council. Mick, as we all call him, has hit the www.beesbusiness.com.au or from www.aussiebee.com ground running, and we are a lucky to have another focused Land www.aussiebee.com.au for some great Management Officer at Council. ideas and instructions. 2012 has been action packed with Indian Myna Trap Building Thank you again to all the volunteers for the work you have put into workshops, as well as Seed Raising and Native Bee workshops. the bushland reserves throughout the Hawkesbury. Keep up the great work! Let me know what you would like to learn about the natural environment and we’ll try and get a workshop organised. To all you, your family and friends have a nice and safe festive season. A few things thrown around include fungis, as opposed to fun guys, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See you in 2013! 2 - Volume 14 - Issue 1 WEED ALL ABOUT IT Land Management Officer Dear Editor Introduction Dear Editor, Hi to all the community groups, “Weed All About It” is title of this, our Bushcare Newsletter and volunteers and friends of the we the converted faithful (vollies) read on as we have done for Hawkesbury Bushcare program. years. On two occasions recently friends have said “John, I saw a pic of you in some weeding paper” that was at the library My name is Mick Pattison and I etc. It then occured to me that our newsletter title, whilst it may am the new Land Management be a clever play on words, fails as a turn on title to the casual Officer at Council. I started in late browsers of Mr and Mrs Stringbag in the library or wherever the September so I have met some of mag is placed. Surely if we are to entice people to read our rag, you at the Nursery and Bushcare become interested in bush regen and then hopefully join us, we party. For those of you I haven’t met, I look forward to meeting need a more alluring title. you over the coming year. Michael Pattison Would the T.V.
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