Can you provide help for fire effected areas?

Dear All,

Some time ago we were eager to help  nature in fire effected areas.

At that time it was just too early  to get ‘down to earth’. We have had in the meantime the appeal for garden tools, as the  analysis of the effect of the fires on the land was 

still going on.

Today, I am very happy to ask for your involvement in supporting an area of 100 acres in St Andrews. It is the property of St Andrews Landcare member, Sue Aldred and family.

They have  a covenant on the property. The whole area has been burned. I remember it in a different way as I spent a weekend there in 2007 as part of a Manningham group,learning how to survey Native Fauna.

But the bush comes back! Epicormic growth can be seen on all euc species. Lomandra longifolia and l filiformis, grass trees (xanthorrhea minor), some lilies emerging (chocolate and/or vanilla), geranium sp, acacia seedlings (various sp), some burgan re-sprouting, bracken, goodenia, oxalis (the good one!), sheep’s burr, buttercups (ranunculus lappaceus), gahnia radula, one tree fern!

But also weeds.

There are several ways we could help Sue get over the first hurdles:

• Cut burned burgan and create soil erosion barriers
• Spray burgan to keep it under control
• Weeding of Flat weed or cat’s ear by hand to protect  other native species emerging
• Planting approx. 300 plants and erect a provisional fence around them (instead of single guards)

This is a great chance for us to lend nature a hand to recover quicker and to help other Landcare groups.

According to all the other activities planned by the groups over the next months the weekend of 27/28 June 09 is still ‘free’. I suggest a morning or afternoon ( meet at 9.00 am or 12.30pm respectively). It will take us 20 minutes to get there. We could car pool from Warrandyte.

Could you please advise by return e-mail your preferred time and number of people attending.

Please send this mail to your group members and ask them to advise me directly if they would like to help.

After I have received feedback in the next 4-5 days I will advise the final time, address and meeting point for car pooling.

Thanks for your quick response.