By Kerrie Dash, Landcare Coordinator SPSB Group.
Landcare groups lend a hand for Schools Tree Day 2024 – fostering a love for nature and the next generation of landcarers
Established in 1996 by Planet Ark, National Tree Day has grown into Australia’s largest tree planting and nature care event. The last Friday in July is dedicated to Schools Tree Day, a great way to teach and inspire students on how to love and care for the environment.
What is Schools Tree Day?
Schools Tree Day focuses on students and young people. The initiative provides an opportunity for kids to get their hands dirty weeding and planting native trees, shrubs, and grasses.
On Friday 26 July this year, Landcare groups Mambo-Wanda Wetlands and Soldiers Point-Salamander Bay (SPSB), joined Tomaree High School in a joint weed-and-plant event. Head Teacher Science, Lisa Burton, brought along 25 keen environmental enthusiasts for the day.
Getting started
Seaview Crescent in Salamander Bay was selected for the event. It is adjacent to Bannisters and is a busy koala highway. And as the site is part of the current SPSB Landcare Action Plan, it was a great opportunity to have the extra help. The EcoNetwork Habitat Planting Guide was used to select 7 species appropriate for the site. We estimated that around 100 plants would be sufficient, and included a selection of native grasses, shrubs and flowering plants. Some plants were sourced from the Ngioka Nursery in Nelson Bay, and the remainder from Hunter Indigenous Plants.
The students arrived at 9am on a cold winter’s morning at Seaview Crescent, Salamander Bay. The area is adjacent to Bannisters and is a busy Koala highway. SPSB Landcare Coordinator Kerrie Dash welcomed everyone and outlined the day’s activities which included weeding in the morning, planting after lunch, followed by watering in and mulching.
Margaret Lamond gave a brief history of the site, referring to the plaque at Johnny’s Well which is located near the waterfront. The history of this well goes back to the arrival of sailing ships into Salamander Bay. Johnny was a local Worimi Aboriginal who kept this natural fresh water point accessible. Margaret and her husband Walter, had an early role in the establishment of Landcare groups on the Soldiers Point Peninsula and the Mambo-Wanda Wetlands in the Port Stephens area.
Experienced bush regenerator and animal handler, Sue Johnson, spoke to the group about the work involved. Targeted weeds, including exotic grasses, made up the majority of weeds, such as Buffalo, Couch and Winter Grass. There were also many Murraya seedlings and plenty of Bidens pilosa (Cobbles Pegs), Solanum nigrum (Blackberry Nightshade), spread over the site. These weeds compete strongly with native vegetation and are likely to negatively impact on native animals including insects.
Kathy Brown, another very experienced Landcare volunteer, provided excellent support getting the students involved in the work across both areas, helping them to identify weeds and asking questions to get them thinking about the work being carried out.
Kassia Klinger from the SBSP group, along with Tomaree High School Communications Officer Jo-Anne Williams, took photos to record the day. The morning’s rain clouds had cleared by late morning, and in the afternoon sun the site was looking much improved. A great outcome for the community and the environment!
Bannister’s, the Cheeky Dog was kind enough to provide morning tea and lunch for all participants. The day ended with students back on the bus by 2pm.
All in all, a fun and rewarding experience for the students and Landcare volunteers. For most of the students, it was a good introduction to the work of Landcare, and we trust that they gained some understanding of the value of caring for the environment.
The future of Landcare
The Landcare movement in Australia has been actively restoring the landscape for over 30 years. As Landcare volunteers, we want to keep building good community and environmental values in the next generation of Landcarers. This is why we intend to keep supporting the annual Schools Tree Day initiative.
If you would like to get involved in Landcare, check out the Port Stephens Council volunteer page to find your local area group – we would love to hear from you!