ReLeaf September 2018

Spring 2018 Issue 147

KI family reaps reveg rewards Regenerate moves to the coast New Carrick Hill project announced

President-CEO Message

TFL: encouraging more people to take action for the land we love

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e are enjoying working together while our hardworking CEO, Natasha Davis takes extended leave to embark on an outback adventure with her family. We wish her a safe and memorable holiday and look forward to her epic tales when she returns midOctober.

Protecting and restoring our state’s vegetation is as much about people as it is about the environment and this is reflected in our tagline: Take action for the land you love. At Trees For Life we are fortunate to have the support and involvement of over 7,500 South Australian individuals, families, businesses, and corporations; each making a significant contribution in their own way.

New partners We would like to welcome our new partner ElectraNet whose sponsorship allows us to continue the 50% discount offer to landholders affected by the Pinery fire on the price of Tree Scheme seedlings and tree guards. This is the third year Trees For Life has been able to provide this subsidy and, as community and landscape recovery continues in the region, the support is as important as ever.

We have also accepted the opportunity to be a charity partner with the OTRGive program. OTRGive is an ongoing donation program where customers choose where corporate donations are given.

By working with a large company like OTR, Trees For Life can reach more South Australians to spread the message about protecting and restoring nature; including people who otherwise would not be aware or involved in environmental protection. The money raised will be used directly to plant native seedlings. While some concerns have been raised about this partnership, we believe in working with organisations to influence change. This has been an explicit part of our conversations with OTR and working with a business that is owned and operated in South Australia creates a greater opportunity to do so. (See STOP PRESS announcement on Page 2).

Community engagement A constant focus for our efforts is to seek out new and innovative ways to engage people with nature and support them to take action. An example of this has been our Regenerate Program which combines wellbeing outcomes for individuals through bushcare.

A new partnership with the Burnside Village will also see Trees For Life hosting two short nature walks and a family day for local community members. These events will help people get to know their local bushland in a safe and accessible setting.

Place your order for summer sown species

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an’t find the species you’re looking for through our Tree Scheme?

Our nursery grows to order a wide range of native plants with local provenance well-suited to urban gardens, green and coastal spaces, school gardens, council reserves, conservation remnants and farms.

We also supply revegetation and conservation projects across the state with professionally grown tubestock at a competitive price.

Our deadline for receiving project orders for summer sown species is 30 November.

Choose from our species list or send us your requirements for suggestions and a quote on (08) 8406 0500 or email info@treesforlife.org.au.

Large-leaf Bush Pea (Pultenaea daphnoides) is one of the summer-sown species available through our nursery.

Contact us ReLeaf is a production of Trees For Life.

Editor: Tania Kearney (ph: 08 8406 0500 or taniak@treesforlife.org.au) Printing: Finsbury Green 100% Recycled.

Carbon Neutral IS014001 Environment Management Systems.

Find us on: Want to advertise?

Advertising space is now available in ReLeaf. Phone (08) 8406 0500 or email taniak@treesforlife.org.au Cover Photo: River Reds on the Murray by Paul White - www.paulwhitephotos.com.au

Jeanette Gellard President

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Vicki-Jo Russell Acting CEO

Trees For Life Spring 2018 Number 147

Trees For Life 5 May Tce, Brooklyn Park 5032 Ph: 8406 0500 Fax: 8406 0599 info@treesforlife.org.au www.treesforlife.org.au

What’s on…

TFL Threatened Flora Officer Erica Rees, left, with Bush For Life Manager Amelia Hurren, right, and Banrock Station’s Christophe Tourenq, at one of the spiny daisy sites.

Threatened flora funding ends

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unding for Trees For Life’s Threatened Flora Program has ended after eight years.

But Bush For Life Manager Amelia Hurren is hopeful funding to continue this important work will become available in the future.

Over the last eight years Trees For Life has been running recovery programs for 10 threatened plant species in the Northern and Yorke region in partnership with Natural Resources Northern & Yorke, Department for Environment & Water, Banrock Station, Threatened Plant Action Group, Native Orchid Society of South Australia and National Trust SA. Three recovery teams, comprising local community, conservation, state and local government representatives, have helped guide the implementation of recovery plans designed to increase the size, resilience and distribution of populations of these threatened species. A local team led by Erica Rees, based in the Mid-north, has also been undertaking threat abatement, monitoring, community and volunteer engagement and planning from Mount Remarkable to Halbury and on the Yorke Peninsula.

Many highlights have been achieved including: • Translocations of selfsustaining populations of Spiny Daisy on secure sites at Banrock Station, National Trust SA property, Wilabalangaloo and Meldanda - managed by Mid-Murray Landcare to ultimately reduce the need to manage highly threatened populations on roadsides;

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On-ground work at 43 sites has resulted in a dramatic reduction of threats, such as weeds and snails; • Volunteer effort estimated to the value of $60,000 each year for the life of the recovery program; • Excellent working relationships with all the land managers of these threatened species including businesses, councils and private landholders; • Awareness raising, for example the Spiny Daisy Recovery Program has been featured in a new book Recovering Australian Threatened Species: A Book of Hope. 2017. Garnett, Latch, Lindenmayer & Woinarski (Eds).

Amelia said as with all threatened species, the fact the landscape had been so heavily modified by extensive clearance and weed invasion meant recovery efforts would need to be maintained long-term to continue to improve their chance of survival.

“Many of these species are only found in the Northern & Yorke region of South Australia and unless we continue to care for them, they will be lost from the planet,” she said.

Funding for the Threatened Flora Program was provided by the Australian Government (Biodiversity Fund; National Landcare Programme) through the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board.

Unfortunately however, this ended on 30 June.

Amelia said until further funding was secured, our partners would continue to manage translocated populations and volunteer efforts will attempt to hold the line for these species occurring on Bush For Life sites.

12 Sept

Seed collection w-shop (Belair NP)

14 Sept

Intro to Plant ID w-shop @ Stirling

16 Sept

Intro to Plant ID w-shop @ Stirling

21-22 Sept

Riverland Field Days

30 Sept

Grower registrations close

6-7 Oct

APS Plant Sale

13 Oct

ABC Gardeners Market

13 Oct

Bushcare w-shop @ Mitcham

13 Oct

Clare Show

18 Oct

TFL AGM

18 Oct-Nov 3 Volunteer grower w-shops 24 Oct

Seed collection w-shop (Black Hill NP)

25 Oct

Intro to Grass ID w-shop @ Brooklyn Park

27 Oct

Intro to Grass ID w-shop @ Brooklyn Park

18 Nov

TS Collection Day

19 Nov

Bushcare w-shop @ Victor Harbor

28 Nov

TFL Xmas Show

30 Nov

Nursery orders for summer close

Bush Action Team activities on Page 4. For more information on any of the above events, phone Trees For Life on (08) 8406 0500.

TFL helps with OTR cup decision

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TOP PRESS! OTR has updated its practice and can once again accept ‘keep cups’ in its stores.

This follows ongoing discussions between Trees For Life and OTR management through our partnership with its OTRGive program.

If you haven’t yet done so, you can still support Trees For Life with each purchase made through the OTR App. Find out more about the keep cup decision and how to download the OTR App – and support SA’s native flora and fauna – on our website.

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Dream comes true with lunch in the forest Jennie Teasdale*

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n the 1850s, early British settlers felt the only way forward on Kangaroo Island was to replicate the agricultural model of their homeland.

So they cleared the land of native vegetation and continued to slash and burn it with a view to running stock and planting crops. Our property was not spared. We could count the number of remaining trees on the fingers of one hand.

Sheep and feral goats ensured that the understorey no longer existed and native grasses had disappeared.

We bought a tract of this denuded land to live out our commitment to revegetating the planet.

Just as the new millennium became a reality, we began planting tiny seedlings - Melaleuca lanceolata, Eucalyptus diversifolia, Acacia paradoxa, Allocasuarina verticillata and Templetonia retusa - on our newly acquired, almost treeless, 53 hectare property on the shores of Pelican Lagoon.

Because these infant trees had been lovingly nurtured by Trees For Life volunteer growers, we felt it was our responsibility to plant and care for them to adulthood.

In the beginning we knew little about revegetating, but by talking to people who did know, by reading, and by not being afraid to ask for advice, we worked out what seemed best for us. Each year our expertise grew, as did our trees. This is what we did.

After the first significant autumn rains in April-May each year, we started planting our Trees For Life tubestock.

We carefully found a place to suit each seedling in our rocky landscape.

There needed to be enough good soil in a place that would be naturally watered by rain, mist and dew. A stake was hammered in, the soil generously loosened and the well-watered seedling carefully planted after its roots had been gently teased out.

The turned soil was pressed firmly round those baby roots. A handmade protective netting guard, covered with green plastic, ensured that the wild southerly winds and the marauding kangaroos, wallabies, and possums

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The Teasdale’s Kangaroo Island property on Pelican Lagoon.

The family’s long-awaited Sunday lunch under the trees.

A young Hamish plants one of the earlier seedlings in 2008.

would find it difficult to injure the plant.

Although we were very slow planters when we began, we were determined to get it right. Thankfully our efficiency increased with the passing years.

As we planted we chatted. It is very satisfying planting trees outside in the weather, whether it is wild and windy, showery, sunny or crisp and cool.

Gloved hands got as dirty as trousered knees, but at the end of a planting day we’d look back over our newly planted and protected trees with immense satisfaction. And to our delight, as the years passed, we realised that approximately 90% of our trees were growing and growing well.

Together with some direct seeding, we have planted over 10,000 trees.

Our emerging forests were given names like Birnam Wood, the Ancestral Forest and even more outlandish titles to celebrate planters and special visitors.

In those early years we dreamed together that one day our children

would find a loving partner and that we would have grandchildren. We smiled as we pictured them playing in our forests, climbing trees and building cubbies. We imagined a Sunday lunch with a big family table, places for them all, ourselves and their parents. It would be a special party lunch to celebrate the trees in the forest.

On a lovely 2018 summer’s day we did just that.

We found a secluded, leafy copse in the forest we call Back of the Beach. We set up a table and chairs, made sure that it had a place for every family member and began preparing a party meal to remember. And it was. The long leisurely meal over, satisfied grandchildren dispersed to climb trees and play in the forest, while we sat in the shade chatting. As we sipped our wine we raised our glasses in a toast

Trees For Life Spring 2018 Number 147

to our amazing Trees For Life forests.

*Jennie and Bob Teasdale have been TFL members since 2000.

Trees For Life Workshops

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f you are interested in becoming a volunteer on one of our Bush For Life sites, or would like to learn more about managing your own bushland, then come along to a Bushcare Workshop. Phone (08) 8406 0500 to register for workshops.

Bushcare Workshops Saturday

13 October

Mitcham

Monday

19 November

Victor Harbor

Advanced Bushcare Workshops Start From Seed Kits are available at Trees For Life. In the kits you can specify plant species to provide habitat for butterflies such as this Common Grass Blue.

Confirm your orders - or get a kit

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he 2018 Tree Scheme order season has closed and the team is busy allocating seed and volunteer growers to your order.

If you ordered through the Tree Scheme this year you should have received a letter confirming the details. If you have not received confirmation please contact us so we can make sure your order in on track.

Sometimes orders get lost on their way to us and we have introduced the early confirmation letter to pick up any glitches before volunteers get their materials.

Growers and self-growers will hear from us in the next few months. If you have any questions about your order contact the Tree Scheme team on (08) 8406 0500.

Introduction to Plant ID Introduction to Grass ID

14 September

Stirling

16 September

Stirling

25 October

Brooklyn Park

27 October

Brooklyn Park

Bush Action Team Days Wednesday

12 September

Fairview Park

Friday

14 September

Lobethal

Thursday

18 September

Woodcroft

Thursday

20 September

Aldgate

Saturday

22 September

Lower Mitcham

Tuesday

2 October

Murray Bridge #

Thursday

4 October

Kersbrook *

Saturday

6 October

Cromer

Wednesday

10 October

Belair

Friday

12 October

Kuitpo

Friday

26 October

Nangkita

Thursday

1 November

Hindmarsh Valley

# Funded by the Australian Government * Sampson Flat Bushfire Recovery Project funded by Adelaide Hills Council

Didn’t place an order in time?

Not able to place an order in time but still want to grow seedlings to plant next year?

Start From Seed Kits might be the answer.

Start From Seed Kits cost $60 and are available throughout the year. You can choose up to two different species each kit and request plants with specialist butterfly and bird habitat value.

To purchase Start From Seed Kits contact our office on (08) 8406 0500 or info@treesforlife.org.au.

Regenerate to focus on coastal therapy

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egenerate, Trees For Life’s innovative program that connects people with nature to help improve their mental and physical wellbeing, recently received funding for its third year.

The Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges NRM Board recognises the importance of Regenerate, which encourages people to engage with nature, learn about local biodiversity and undertake gentle exercise and purposeful activity in a bushland setting.

This year, we will include priority metropolitan coastal bushland sites, bringing together volunteers, coastal protection and the positive effects of spending time by the sea.

Trees For Life will continue to partner with mental health service providers who, through recent feedback, say they and their clients have benefited greatly.

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Pinery giveaway on again in 2019

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Paddock Tree Project Field Officer Angela Cullen and below, one of the bird species targeted for conservation through the project, the Diamond Firetail.

3000 new trees planted through PTP

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hase three of the Paddock Tree Project has ended, with 3000 new trees being planted.

Around 800 replacement trees were also planted to cover earlier plantings that hadn’t survived.

Thanks to our partners at the Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, the project is now moving into its fourth phase with a focus on maintaining the trees we have planted during the first three years.

Over the next year, we will also investigate ways to partner with other organisations to continue and expand the Paddock Tree Project into the future.

The aim of the project is to help provide habitat to declining woodland birds in the region, including the Diamond Firetail, Brown Treecreeper, Red-rumped Parrot, Thornbills and Robins. The project also helps farmers improve shade and shelter for stock on their properties.

rees For Life is again providing native plants to landholders affected by the 2015 Pinery fire.

In partnership with the Landscape Recovery group (formerly Pinery Fire Vegetation Recovery Committee), Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges and Gawler Rotary, Trees For Life will grow 4000 plants at our Westwood Nursery for a plant giveaway at the Barossa Bushgardens in May 2019. A further 7800 plants will be grown by our volunteers and Start From Seed Kits will be given to local schools in the Pinery area so they can grow plants for the giveaway through NRM Education. Trees For Life will also be supplying discounted tree guards for the giveaway. Our thanks to ElectraNet for supporting this project, enabling us to again offer a 50% discount on all plant and tree guard orders to Pinery landholders.

May sale a huge success - thanks!

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hanks to all our members, supporters and social media followers who supported our May Garden Plant Sale.

Our team was thrilled with the response and the enthusiasm for native plants over the three days. We also received lots of positive feedback on the nursery upgrades and some good ideas for next year.

Congratulations to the nursery staff and volunteers for their hard work.

Trees For Life Works Professional conservation and revegetation services Revegetation, bushland and coastal regeneration, bushland management, brushcutting, mapping and site management Phone (08) 8406 0500 or email info@treesforlife.org.au

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Trees For Life Spring 2018 Number 147

Grower registration and workshops

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he Tree Scheme would not be possible without our skilled and committed volunteer growers.

Growing for the Tree Scheme is a great opportunity to learn something new and give to South Australia’s environment, all from the comfort of your backyard.

If you have brown thumbs and haven’t grown before - never fear - our free grower workshops and handbook walk you through every stage of the process and provide tips for great results.

Our volunteer grower brochure outlines what you need for successful growing such as direct sunlight in your backyard. You can find the brochure on our website.

If you would like to volunteer for the 2018-19 growing season there is still time to register before 30 September.

Growing workshops will be held: • Thursday (am)- 10am, 18 & 25 October, 1 November • Thursday (evening)5.30pm, 1 November • Friday (am) - 10am, 19 & 26 October, 2 November • Saturday (am) - 10am, 20 & 27 October, 3 November Places are limited and bookings are essential on (08) 8406 0500 or email info@treesforlife.org.au.

Seedpods from the Elegant Wattle (Acacia victoriae).

Want to be a seed collector?

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rees For Life works with a network of volunteers to maintain one of the most valuable native seedbanks in the state.

To support this network Seedbank Manager Rohan Cleeves runs regular seed collection training workshops.

At the workshops participants learn to identify, collect, clean and store a range of local native seeds.

They are educational, motivational and always lots of fun.

Upcoming workshops are scheduled for 12 September (Belair National Park) and 24 October (Black Hill Conservation Park).

For more information email rohanc@treesforlife.org.au.

The project – ‘Woody Weeds Be Gone’ – is supported by the SA Government and was voted on by local members of the community through the Fund My Neighbourhood grant process.

TFL Coordinator Sam BuxtonStewart said the woody weed removal has begun, mainly focusing on olives within the Carrick Hill boundary, in July. The native bushland is predominantly Grey Box Grassy Woodland, which is an important nationally endangered habitat containing some unique native flora species.

Bush For Life volunteers have been caring for this bushland site for two years and this project will tackle the weeds which are beyond the scope of volunteers.

The on-ground work is expected to be completed in late June 2019, with the brochure about the site and its many flora species to be launched at the community event next year.

‘Weeds be gone’ in Carrick Hill project

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rees For Life and Carrick Hill are working together to remove hundreds of woody weeds, create an interpretive brochure and run a community engagement activity focused on the native bushland on the property.

Some of the species at Carrick Hill Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo and Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa).

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This stunning panoramic image of our beautiful River Murray - and the front cover image - have been kindly sent to us by professional Waikerie photographer Paul White. We have also featured some of Paul’s stunning shots in past TFL calendars. To see more of his work, visit www.paulwhitephotos.com.au

Collection day on November 18

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ave you registered to grow for yourself or a landholder this year?

Our fantastic network of volunteer depot mangers will be working hard in November operating Tree Scheme collection depots across South Australia. This year most, but not all, depots will be operating on Sunday 18 November from 9am to 1pm.

Please note that some growers will be affected by a change to their depot location so ensure you get the right address. And unfortunately a change in the way our soil can be transported means we have had to close some metropolitan depots.

We apologise to those of you who may have to travel a little further to reach your nearest depot but we have tried our best to minimise disruption.

Registered growers for 2018 will receive instructions mid-October, either by post or email, depending on your selected preference. If you have some extra time on collection day, why not consider lending a hand to your local depot manager. Their contact details will be included in your instructions. Contact the Tree Scheme team with any questions on (08) 8406 0500.

Our Xmas show is all about you!

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e would love you to join us for our annual Christmas drinks, volunteer and supporter

recognition event on Wednesday 28 November.

Our annual event gives the TFL Board and staff the chance to thank you for your valuable contribution to the organisation over the past 12 months and to celebrate our collective achievements. This year’s event will again be held at the Thebarton Community Centre between 5.307.30pm. The centre is located on the corner of South Road and Ashwin Parade, with entry to the carpark from South Road. The awards ceremony starts at 6.15pm. Please RSVP with dietary requirements by 23 November on (08) 8406 0500.

All invited to our AGM in October

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rees For Life members and supporters are invited to attend our AGM on Thursday 18 October.

The meeting will be held at our Brooklyn Park office from 6pm, and is a great way to hear about highlights from the past year and learn more about future priorities for Trees For Life. This year, our end of financial year presentation will feature some of the new projects we have initiated over the past 12 months in urban Adelaide and the state’s south-east.

If you are interested in a position on the Board, please note that nominations are required in writing by 5pm on Tuesday 18 September. Contact Jeanette Gellard on 0429 990 063 or jeanette.gellard@skymesh.com.au for more information.

Please RSVP for the AGM on (08) 8406 0500 or info@treesforlife.org.au.

Refreshments will be provided.

Trees For Life Spring 2018 Number 147

Lottery to change

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rees For Life is blessed with many supporters who help our cause by purchasing tickets in our annual lottery. We also have an army of supporters who collect a book of tickets and sell them onto their family, friends and colleagues.

In recent years we’ve made a few changes to the look and feel of the lottery and those changes have been received very positively by our supporters. The 2019 lottery marks the last of those big changes and we are excited about the future of this important fundraising event.

TFL is very conscious of the need to reduce waste and reduce our use of paper-based products. So, after many years using a paper-intensive format, we are taking the 2019 lottery into the clouds.

You won’t be receiving the usual book of tickets this year; instead, tickets will be available online on our website early next year!

Many of the same great prizes will be offered, including our $10,000 Cash Splash 1st prize, and some wonderful travel options, together with old favourites like wine and choccies.

We hope you will continue to support our lottery in its new format.

PS: Not online? Don’t worry, we can still take your ticket order over the phone & post them to you.

5 May Tce, Brooklyn Park, SA, 5032. (08) 8406 0500 www.treesforlife.org.au