Bushcare Beachmere : going local from the ground up
I have been wallowing in school community garden duties so this project had been put on the back burner. But with the garden now completing its second term it's time to go bush.
Here's the proposal:
That we set up a Bushcare Group for a section of the Conservation Park ( 'Brooks Park' -- north side of town) that is bordered by Campbell Parade.
WHAT DOES BUSHCARE DO?
Bushcare activities are organised through the Moreton Bay Regional Council by the councils' Bushcare officers. Bushcare is a partnership between Council and the community in caring for the region’s natural environment. There are over twenty Volunteer Bushcare groups active throughout the Moreton Bay region. Locally, the Bayside Drive Bushcare group has been caring for its patch for the past 3 years.
Bushcare group activities can include:
- Plant and weed identification
- Encouraging natural regeneration
- Tree planting
- Mulching
- Weeding
- Habitat creation
THE CONSERVATION PARK
The ecosystems at the Conservation Park (see map above) is a good example of what were our neighborhood's original pristine environments. The area targeted is particularly rich in plant species mix and habitat range with bird life not seen elsewhere in town.
The northern open section lends itself to planting out and with whatever other activities we may take on, the interaction offers a great collective opportunity to learn about our local bush areas -- now so much displaced and under constant threat -- with guidance and supervision from Council Bushcare officers.
The entrance to the section of the park is roughly opposite number 33 Campbell Parade.
WHAT TO EXPECT...
Any one keen to volunteer will need to register with the Council as a volunteer. You can volunteer online -- but you can also register on the day we first come together.
Once we gather and ensure we are all registered volunteers we work out a calendar of activities -- especially frequency -- in consultation with the Bushcare officer.
HOW DO WE BEGIN?
To kick start this project we need a core group of locals who are willing to commit to participating in an ongoing Bushcare program. Sessions will be outdoors, of course, and may last for a couple of hours each time. Manual labour will be required but then many hands will make light work of that.
I'm keen to encourage folk to flag their interest over the next fortnight so that we can arrange an initial gathering of participants onsite some time in October. So, at this stage, I'm asking for anyone keen to participate to either:
- ring me on 07 33331805 (Dave Riley); or
- email me at ratbagradio@gmail.com; or
- if you know me, bail me up when you see me about town.
- &/or register as a Bushcare volunteer with Council.
I'd also appreciate an indication of your preferred availability: weekdays or weekends.
I'll post notifications of any local Bushcare events here on Beachmere Blog.
From my point of view...
From my point of view...
I spent this morning walking the patch with local Bushcare officer, Chris McCarthy, while we explored the area and considered the Bushcare options. I learnt heaps during our stroll and I think the area can serve as a very instructive interaction that can impact on our community more broadly. The area is beautiful and despite the easy access is rich in species mix. I think this project is exciting and whatever may be its impact on the park area itself, any participant is going to learn identification and intervention skills that can be utilised in preserving other stands of bush around town. There's also the prospect that we can develop the location as a learning environment.