Local environment events – April 2017

Environmental DNA Testing – 6 April

A very interesting talk on the use of environmental DNA testing of water ways as part of riparian protection works to be held in Drummond on 6th April, hosted by Malmsbury Landcare.

DNA Talk Poster*

Geology of Bald Hill Reserve – 27 May

A “Geology of Bald Hill Reserve” workshop with Phil Dyson is to be held on Saturday 27th May 2017.

Macedon Ranges Shire Environment Events

The shire have some interesting events coming up in April including land management workshops, a bird count in the Cobaws, and an evening about conservation covenants on bush blocks. CLICK HERE to check them out.

Prickly blitz: Sunday 26th March Working Bee

Join us for our once-a-year blitz at the 3ha ‘envirofund’ site on Five Mile Creek – just upstream of the children’s park*. Massive amounts of poplar were removed over a decade ago, with follow-up plantings of close to 4000 native plants and 21 exotic trees and the addition of granitic paths. Tasks for our March Working Bee include cutting and poisoning of gorse, blackberry and willow regrowth, plant guard removal and maintenance, whipper-snipping in plantings.
* Please note this a changed location from what is provided in our annual calendar.

  • When: Sunday 26 March 2017
  • Time: 9am till 12 noon
  • Where: Five Mile Creek between Pyke St to Bowen St
  • Parking: on site at Wood St – next to Badger Removals
  • Bring: secateurs, gloves, whipper-snippers, sun protection, gumboots for creek access, suitable protective work clothing.
  • Provided: Our tool trailer will be on site and morning tea is provided (please RSVP to help with catering).

Newcomers are very welcome. For further details and to RSVP contact woodendlandcare@gmail.com or call 5427 2312.

Once covered by poplars, this is the envirofund site today – a Woodend Landcare success story.

Woodend Landcare: February 2017 News

Sunday 26 February Working Bee: Willow Attack

This important tidy up is to tackle the willow regrowth after our funded willow blitz last year. Controlling the spread of this weed of national significance is crucial for healthy waterways. We hope to target Five Mile Creek from Romsey Road downstream to the new Shirley Park bridge. There are some larger multi stemmed willow clumps requiring cutting off, poisoning and carting away which will need quite a few hands. We will also do the same to any small willows starting at the Romsey Rd end of the creek and working downstream. Other tasks include plant guard removal and maintenance, and whipper snipping in plantings.

  • When:  Sunday 26 February 2017
  • Time:  9am till 12 noon
  • Where: Meet at the weir on the North East edge of Ruby McKenzie Park in Tennyson street.
  • Parking:  Tennyson St or Ruby McKenzie Park
  • Bring:  secateurs, gloves, whipper snippers, sun protection, water bottle and durable clothing and boots
  • Morning tea is provided and the tool trailer will be onsite

All welcome. The working bee will be cancelled if the day is total fire ban. For further details contact woodendlandcare@gmail.com or call David on 5427 4117.

Twilight Working Bee Success

Friday evening on the 3rd of February was a ‘I love my town’ kind of night in Woodend. Delightful weather, purposeful work at the landcare working bee, and loads of friendly faces – what more could you want? David, our tireless Working Bee Coordinator, said; “I was really pleased with the turnout, the work done and the socialising afterwords so a great bee to kick off the year.”

A huge thanks to everyone who came along – and especially those who attended their first Woodend Landcare working bee. We truly appreciated having some new faces to meet and lend a hand. And we got a stack of work done – rubbish along the creek was cleaned up, blackberries removed, oak saplings eradicated from our plantings, long pasture grasses whipper-snipped, and a dangerous overhanging tree limb was cut up. A horde of happy kids helped, played, climbed and thoroughly enjoyed the BBQ lovingly prepared by our catering team. Check out the photos below from the evening… we are super impressed by how huge the poa grasses from our 2016 Trees for Mum and 2015 community plantings are now!

Property Planning Workshop

Sun 26 March to Sun 9 April | 9:00AM to 4:00PM | Tylden Hall

Learn how to manage your property and plan for a sustainable agricultural business. This three day workshop will give you the tools to prepare a farm management plan specific to your property with ‘one-on-one’ guidance from an expert facilitator, including a visit to a local farm. CLICK HERE for more information and to book.

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“Power” Tools to Effect Change Workshop

Saturday 18 Feb | 1.30-4.30 pm | Woodend Neighbourhood House

Fellow Landcarers, Alice Aird and Helen Scott, have asked us to share the details of a community workshop coming up in February:

“As you know, last year was a busy one for many of us working for change in our Shire. Encouraged by the success of reinvigorating democracy and electing a progressive Council, there is an appetite among the community for building and maintaining momentum for social change. If you are curious or interested, diarize this first  workshop of a series on the theme of boosting community campaigning and collaboration in and around Macedon Ranges: “Power” Tools to Effect Change.  This workshop will outline practical and versatile tools relevant for those interested in environmental issues like climate change, sustainability, food localisation…or anyone working for social and policy change. If anyone would like information explaining more about the workshops contact Alice Aird at airda@bigpond.com and Helen Scott at orseda@bigpond.com.”

Quarry Road Wildflower Poster

For those that have not seen it, we are proud to share our new wildflower poster. CLICK HERE to download a copy.

quarry-rd-poster

Woodend Landcare: January 2017 News

Twilight Working Bee – Children’s Park

  • When: Friday, 3 February 2017
  • Time: 5:00–7.30pm
  • Where: Children’s Park + Campaspe Park
  • Parking: plenty in shady Campaspe Park (north side of creek)
  • Bring: secateurs, gloves, whipper snippers
  • Eat: BBQ and drinks provided
  • Tasks: Spring planting maintenance including; watering, weeding, plant guard and rubbish removal, whipper snipping

Click here to download the working bee flyer. Please note this event will be cancelled if a Total Fire Ban or over 35°C. RSVP to Kate on 5427 2312 or katedaniel.home@bigpond.com.

Bee3

This happy crew thoroughly enjoyed last January’s twilight working bee – we hope to see you again this year! Photo: Sandy Scheltema.

Basic First Aid and Defibrillator Training

  • When:      Saturday 4 February 2017
  • Time:        9:30am–12pm
  • Where:    Woodend Neighbourhood House, Forest St
  • Wear:       comfortable clothes – kneeling required
  • Cost:         $10
  • What:        Basic first aid, CPR and defibrillator training

Click here to download the defib training flyer.  Places are limited; please RSVP to Kate on 5427 2312 or katedaniel.home@bigpond.com.

first-aid

Vegetation of Quarry Road

Quarry Road is one of the best areas for viewing wildflowers in Woodend. On the 14th of November 2016, ecologist Karl Just inspected the roadside and rail reserve on the north side of Quarry Road in Woodend. The aim was to document the type and condition of the vegetation. While a detailed plant survey was not undertaken, a preliminary list of vascular plant species observed was compiled.  The site contains at least two threatened species, including the endangered Eucalyptus aggregata (Black Gum) and the rare Geranium sp. 3 (Pale-flower Crane’s-bill). Last Spring the sheer number of local grassland species present was impressive. You can view Karl’s report by clicking here.

wildflowers-quarry-rd

Woodend Landcare 2017 Events Calendar

Click here to view, print or save our 2017 events calendar.

Upper Campaspe Landcare Network News

Click here to view the December 2016 Upper Campaspe Landcare Network Newsletter.

Woodend Landcare 2017 Calender

A huge Merry Christmas to all of our supporters! Here is the ultimate gift to help fill some details into your new diaries and calender’s – Woodend Landcare’s 2017 Events Calendar. Click on the following link to see what we have in store. Our first event for the year is a twilight working bee and BBQ on Friday the 3rd February 2017. More details to come in mid January. In the meantime, enjoy the summer break!

Woodend Landcare Calendar 2017