Bushcare
Current happenings
The final meeting for 2011 was held at North Coral Crescent on Saturday 10th December focussing on eradication of Bitou and Asparagus Fern and sundry other weeds. In fact we did not quite get our work finished despite the hard work of the 9 people attending, leaving the Bitou to next year. We also did some tentative identification of a Bitou look-alike that is a native and put off pulling out ‘Cassia’ until we can confirm the identification.
Subject to consultation with Council, the restart for 2012 will be on Saturday 3 March at the Lagoon, meeting at the easement next to 65 Diamond Rd. I have proposed to Council that 4 people including a qualified poisoner, be assigned to North Coral Crescent to finish off the Bitou and the remaining Asparagus Fern (not that the job will be finished for ever). The survivors from North Coral Crescent will repair to the Lagoon for morning tea.
I have also registered as Coordinator for Clean Up Australia on Sunday 4 March and look forward to Bushcare support for this activity.
Stephen Parsons
About Bushcare
Bushcare Pearl Beach, with the support of Gosford City Council, works to maintain integrity of the flora on several agreed sites throughout Pearl Beach through a programme of eradication of weeds and plantings. We meet at 9.00am on the first Saturday of every month (other than January and February because of heat and safety concerns) at a designated site for a 2 hour Working Bee, often followed by a morning tea. Tools and gloves are supplied but volunteers should bring water and sunscreen and a hat. Long trousers and long sleeves are recommended.
The site is usually selected one month in advance through consultation at the end of the Working Bees. We have a very active membership drawn from an extremely wide range of interests. Members are reminded or advised one week in advance of the next Working Bee through email or by the raising of the Bushcare sign on the community direction board at the corner of Pearl Beach Drive and Diamond Road. Working sessions are attended by a Council Bush Regeneration Officer or a qualified regeneration contractor.
The Coordinator is Stephen Parsons, 57 Diamond Road, Tel 43423943 or 0448751595. Official Bush Regeneration Registration forms are available from me on request. The benefits from joining Bushcare include receipt of advice of coming events such as plant identification nature walks (in Spring), early morning bird observation and botany workshops run or sponsored by Council.
We have end-of-season pizza and drinks in November and Council puts on a Christmas barbeque and other events at Kincumba Mountain.
Stephen Parsons