Friends of Mount Majura (FoMM) July 2010 newsletter (pdf)
• Working bee – Sunday 18 July
• National Tree Day community planting – Sunday 1 August
• Tree walk – Sunday 22 August
Dear Friends
The preparations for the National Tree Day 2010 have started and the first planting holes are dug. The National Tree Day (Sunday 1 August) will be our main planting event as it was in the past two years. This year we will extend our 2009 work. We will be planting mainly shrubs (mid-storey vegetation) along the drainage line close to the Hackett reservoir and at the adjacent sites that we cleared from horehound. We will add some clumps of Silver Wattle and replace some of the tree seedlings that were damaged by grazing.
In the past two years ADFA cadets prepared the planting holes. The help was greatly appreciated by students of the Blue Gum School who held a National Tree School Day event in 2009 and by the mums and kids and elderly folk at the main planting event. Unfortunately the cadets aren’t available this year. Therefore I hope a number of energetic people will turn up at our working bee on Sunday 18 July, mattock at hand and be prepared to dig; there’s still horehound if you prefer weeding.
Please consider becoming a steward or Planting Buddy on National Tree Day. Ideally you would have experience with planting in the field – but this is not a must; you would arrive an hour before the event starts for instructions and a refresher on how to plant. Your task will be to help and direct participants to ensure the plantings are done at a high standard. This scheme worked well last year – most of the seedlings are thriving. Please contact me at admin@majura.org or ph 62477515 if you can become a planting buddy so that I have an idea about the numbers.
There will be an opportunity to refresh your planting skills on Sunday 11 July from 1pm onwards at the old sheep camp on Mt Majura ridge (view this map). The plan is to plant a small number of local shrubs and ground cover plants (Native Boxthorn Bursaria lasiophylla, Spiny-headed Mat-rush Lomandra longifolia, Purple Twining Pea Hardenbergia violacea) to increase the diversity and provide habitat. The planting holes have been prepared and water will be on site. So, why not enjoy a Sunday afternoon walk topped up with some planting activity? Please bring gloves and perhaps a trowel if you have one; there will be a couple of trowels available.
Local ecologist Michael Doherty will be guiding a Tree Walk on Sunday 22 August. The walk through various types of woodlands will culminate at the site with remnant snow gums on Mount Ainslie. You will learn to distinguish between eucalyptus species and find out how trees have adapted to environmental conditions such as soils, fire and drought. A pocket Guide to Eucalypts of the ACT and a leaflet with a commented list of local tree species list will available for a gold coin donation.
Warm regard
Waltraud
Ph: 62477515
Email: admin@majura.org
Working bee – Sunday 18 July
When: Sunday 18 July, 1-4pm
Where: meet at Hackett reservoir off Rivett French Streets
What: preparation of planting holes; removal of horehound
Bring & Wear: sun protection, enclosed foot wear, gloves – rubber household gloves with long cuffs are best for horehound weeding, mattock for digging, trowel or similar for weeding.
There will be some tools and gloves for those who don’t have them as well as warm up drinks, muffins & Timtams to recharge your batteries.
National Tree Day 2010 community planting – Sunday 1 August
When: Sunday 1 August 1-3pm, Planting Buddies please arrive at 12 noon
Where: meet Hackett reservoir off Rivett French Streets in Hackett
Bring: gloves, bucket, trowel or mattock for final site preparation; please write your phone number on items so that we can reunite them with owners if they are left behind
Tree walk – Sunday 22 August
When: Sunday 22 August, 2-4pm
Where: Meet at Kellaway St / Phillip Ave nature park entrance
Enquires: ph 62477684 or email jlruxton@gmail.com
