TINformation August 2011
Open Day
TIN’s Annual Open Day celebrating Landcare Week, Biodiversity Month and the International Year of the Forest is happening on Saturday September 10th between noon and 4pm around our community nursery at Parry Street.
The nursery will be overflowing with an abundance of biodiverse beauties in bloom and bursting forth in bud. A bargain or two will be on offer to add to your part of the growing green corridor, uniting flora and fauna across the urban landscape and beyond.
Some rather special plants that will be on sale include: Doryanthes excelsa - Gymea Lily, Blandfordia grandiflora - Christmas Bells, Helichrysum collinum - Paper Daisy, Grevillea sericea - Pink Spider Flower and Grevillea buxifolia - Grey Spider Flower.
Open Day Beauties
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Doryanthes exclesa |
Blandfordia grandiflora |
Grevillea sericea |
Grevillea buxifolia |
There will also be some half price plants: Syzygium smithii, Syzygium paniculatum, Eucalyptus, Callistemons and selected sedges.
There will be two passionate powerhouse presenters delivering talks throughout the afternoon. At noon Tom Clarke from the Green Corridor Coalition will be sharing the joys of ecosystem biodiversity across the landscape. On the hour from 1pm Louise Duff will be revealing the mysteries of habitat gardening covering the various plants and conditions needed to grow a rainforest bushfood garden, a seaside bushfood garden and a native cottage garden.
The pocket garden in front of TIN will be this year’s planting project with some infilling of the understorey being undertaken. All the planting equipment will be provided.
The Newcastle Community Arts Centre is also celebrating the day with their local artist’s Open Studios. The Black Box Theatre will be hosting children’s art activities throughout the afternoon courtesy of Koodles for Kids and there will be a BBQ to keep the engines fuelled.
All in all a fun afternoon is in store, celebrating the products of people’s passions with the chance to purchase a plant or two.
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Reframing our Perceptions of Tree Risk by Fee Mozeley
Tree risk is a growing urban issue and is not confined to Newcastle or more specifically, Laman Street. In an article by Sharon Lilly (2011), titled ‘Perceptions of Tree Risk Assessment’ published in the International Society of Arboriculture’s (ISA) Arborist News, Lilly points to key factors that are contributing to this urban issue. For Lilly, these factors include:
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A lack of clear visual tree assessment standards.
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That professional arborists often vary significantly in the their assessment of tree risk.
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That fear of litigation can, and often does, lead to the unnecessary removal of trees.
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And that the perception of risk differs within society and among arborists, and perceived risk from trees is often much, much greater than statistics bear out.
Lilly (2011) also highlights the progressive work of the National Tree Safety Group (NTSG) in the United Kingdom. This group has identified five key principles that can be used to inform guidelines for tree risk assessment and to help negotiating this growing urban issue. The principles are:
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Trees provide a wide variety of benefits to society.
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They are living organisms and naturally lose branches or fall.
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The risk to human safety is extremely low.
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Tree owners have a legal duty of care.
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Tree owners should take a balanced and proporation approach to tree safety management.
The article concludes by encouraging arborists to “embrace the challenge of helping risk managers to strike a reasonable balance between tree benefits and risk. Although evaluation of tree benefits is not a part of the tree risk assessment process, it is an integral and essential part of the tree risk management process” (2011, 10).
Third party determination may be the circuit breaker for the issue of the Laman Street trees. It is hoped that such a judicious process would take into account the many benefits of the trees in question and provide balanced consideration of the actual risk posed.
Reference: Lilly, Sharon., ‘Perceptions of Tree Risk Assessment’ in International Society of Arboriculture’s (ISA) Arborist News, June 2011: 10-11.
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Short but Sweet
Louise Duff has recently taken up a new position after a relatively short but incredibly productive period as TIN’s General Manager. She is now the Hunter Region’s Coordinator for Wetlands Care Australia and will be working on projects to conserve wetlands and protect migratory shorebirds.
We are all appreciative of the energy and enthusiasm with which Louise embraced her role at TIN over the last seven months. In that time she implemented a range of improved administrative systems and management procedures, oversaw the renovation and re-fitting of the offices and made a variety of contributions to TIN’s growth and development .
Our sincere thanks go to Louise for giving so much of her time and talent to TIN and we wish her all the best in her new role.
You can catch up with Louise at TIN’s Open Day, Sept 10th where she’ll be presenting some talks on habitat gardening and no doubt our paths will continue to cross in working to achieve our respective organisations’ mission in the region.
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Busho’s Blog
Dear Diary… today was as good as it gets. Tracing morning glory runners at Bagnalls Beach is picture perfect. The waves a-whooshing and dolphins a-porpoising and the sunshine warming the bod. Following the Morning Glory runners adding a scrape or two of brush-off has made the world of difference to this popular dog spot. We’ve been working on this site for a few years now mainly dealing with garden escapes and something must have rubbed off on the locals.
On the way back out of the bush we spied two mature locals looking rather suspicious and hesitant…usually the sign of a dumper caught in the act, they were lugging a hefty tub, but in it was a lovingly grown Cabbage Tree palm. These were renegade regenerators and it brought a smile to our dial… a bit of advice offered on the size of the hole and it turns out this isn’t the first Livistona australis to be released back into the wild.
Dear Diary…today was as good as it gets. The excitement started to build as soon as we packed 
our spare set of clothes, worked out who wanted waders and picked up the gumboots. A romp in Mambo swamp is a great work out, sweeping through the Gahnia groves chasing Ludwigia longifolia. We’ve seen it invade a wetland and take over the shallows, but it is with pride in our hearts and a song in our voice that we work in the knowledge that we are making a difference to its spread around Salamander Bay. Shazza found the biggest Ludwigia root we've seen in a while..it was very satisfying. Today we even got the thumbs up from a local Phascolarctos cinereus-Koala , it saw us coming and gained some elevation in a Melaleuca quinquenervia to check out our technique.
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Would you like to become Seed Savvy?
TIN is looking for 10 volunteers who would like to become seed savvy. A hands-on workshop style program will be offered over the seeding season, October - February. The days will involve field trips to collect seed and then processing the seed to store it.
TIN prides itself on supplying local native plants from across the region, helping to protect and preserve the unique gene pool that supports diversity and the ability for plants to adapt to changing environments.
To provide the variety of plants, TIN folk collect seed, process the seed for storage, store the seed for the future and then propagate the seed when required. Volunteers contribute to all aspects of this labour intensive practice.
There is a wealth of knowledge to be shared and gained on all aspects of the seed-to-plant process thanks to a recent NRMA Community Grant.
If you would like to register your interest in participating contact volunteer@treesinnewcastle.org.au or talk to Ngaire, TIN’s volunteer coordinator.
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Landcare 4 Youth
The Landcare 4 Youth project is cruising along with an end of year planting celebration in the wind and some signage being produced to recognise the youth Landcarers across Lake Macquarie and Hunter Water chipping in with some support for Newcastle schools.
L4Y can now service some schools in the Newcastle area thanks to Hunter Water who have recently provided funding for plants, grounds assessments and planting advice. If you would like to gain some support for your planting project contact education@treesinnewcastle.org.au.
The Term 3 networking meeting was an opportunity to share resources, funding opportunities and ideas that were gathered at the World Environmental Education Congress.
Some online resources that have been discovered include:
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Habitat Heroes…saving the planet one game at a time is an online game that takes the heroes around the world.
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The Queensland Museum’s Wild Backyards program provides guides on planning and conducting biodiversity assessment, collecting, displaying and identifying insects.
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The Green Lane Diary is fostering global values shift towards a sustainable and secure future. It’s a curriculum linked program that raises awareness about the stresses on our planet and how sustainable living can make a difference. A diary is available to encourage people to Think + Act + Share =Change
Lake Macquarie City Council is offering another round of Environmental Sustainability grants to support community driven projects that improve the local environment. Up to $3000 is available for not-for-profits, schools and clubs within Lake Macquarie. Applications close 4.30pm on Monday 19th September.
If you’re in Lake Macquarie and your school, club or youth organisation has a landcare site that youth are caring for and you would like to be considered for a sign please let us know.
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I do love to be beside the seaside…landcaring
TIN’s Landcarers will continue to cruise the Newcastle coast in search of rogue bitou bush and other Weeds of National Significance thanks to the support of Newcastle City Council’s Community Assistance Program.
If you would like to lend a hand landcaring TIN coordinates a volunteer crew to go out to various coastal sites across the 
City.
TIN has been restoring biodiversity along the seaside strip from Nobbys to Glenrock for nine years and much of the initial work is now in need of secondary and tertiary maintenance.
NCC’s support will enable worrisome weeds such as Lantana, Turkey Rhubarb and Bitou Bush to be kept at bay. Bitou bush throws out huge numbers of seeds which remain viable for years and the only way to keep on top of it is by returning to manage the ‘outbreaks’.
By removing the weeds the local plant’s chances of survival are improved and coastal plant communities such as the Themeda grasslands on Seacliffs, an Endangered Ecological Community, can continue to flourish.
To become a volunteer you’ll need to attend an induction. These are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, September 14th at 9am is the next one. Ring to register on 4969 1500.
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What happened at the WEEC?
Three TIN staffers recently had the opportunity to attend the World Environmental Education Congress thanks to sponsorship from the Hunter-Central Rivers CMA , the Coal Point Progress Association and some generous supporters.
TIN hosted a debriefing session at the Wetlands Centre which brought together those with an interest in environmental education.
An outcome of this meeting was to reintroduce semi-social sharing sessions on topics of interest. If you would like to keep up to date with the environmental educators network in our region, Hunter & Central Coast ECOEDGE has a facebook page
Some thoughts and notes from the WEEC were compiled by Suzanne Pritchard and can be read at the Coal Point Progress Associations blog
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Sunday 4th September Awabakal Wildflower Walk- anytime between 10am -3pm
Wednesday 7 – Friday 9 September, 10am – 2pm. National Landcare Week – Lake Macquarie Landcare Week Workshops.
Saturday 10 September noon-4pm Open Day at Trees In Newcastle & Community Arts Centre
Saturday 10 September, 8am – 2pm. Lake Macquarie Landcare Mini Muster Celebration & LMCC Native plant giveaway.
Sunday 11 September, Sustainable House Day, www.sustainablehouseday.com.
Sunday 11 September, 1-3pm. Open Day at Mandalong property
Friday 30th September 10am-3pm Biodiversity Day at Blue Gum Hills Regional Park
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