Governor enjoys planting event

Heysen Trail partnership a winner

Bushcare goes to Flinders Uni

Spring 2013 Issue 128

Contact usReLeaf is a production of Trees For Life.

Editorial/Advertising: Tania Kearney (ph: 8406 0500 or taniak@treesforlife.org.au) Production/Graphic Design: Image and Substance Printing: Finsbury Green

Want to advertise?Advertising space is now available in ReLeaf. Phone 8406 0500 or email taniak@treesforlife.org.au for advertising rates.

Cover Photo: White plumed honeyeater in Square-fruited mallee (Eucalyptus calycogona) tree by Kelly Kirkland, of Balaklava.

Trees For Life5 May Tce, Brooklyn Park 5032 Ph: 8406 0500 Fax: 8406 0599 info@treesforlife.org.au www.treesforlife.org.au

What’s on…Now - Call for volunteer

growers

Sept 6-14 - TFL @ Royal Adelaide Show

Sept 8 - Big Weed Front at Karinya Reserve

Sept 11 - Intro bush regen w-shop @ Pt Noarlunga

Sept 18-19 - TFL @ Riverland Field Days

Sept 19 - BFL Advanced w-shop (Plant ID) @ Stirling

Sept 21 - BFL Advanced w-shop (Plant ID) @ Eden Hills

Sept 24-26 - TFL @ Yorke Peninsula Field Days

Sept 25 - Seed collection w-shop @ Belair

Sept 28 - Intro bush regen w-shop @ Mt Barker

Oct 2 - Seed collection day @ Monarto

Oct 9 - Intro bush regen w-shop @ Victor Harbor

Oct 11-Nov 9 - Growers w-shops

Oct 17 - Trees For Life AGM @ Brooklyn Park office

Oct 19 - Intro bush regen w-shop @ Burnside

Oct 24 - BFL Advanced w-shop (Grass ID) @ Brooklyn Park

Oct 26 - BFL Advanced Workshop (Grass ID) @ Eden Hills

Nov 1 - Intro bush regen w-shop @ Stirling

Nov 15 - Grow Your Own w-shop

Nov 17 - Distribution Day (most depots)

Nov 20 - Intro bush regen w-shop @ Brooklyn Park

Dec 4 - TFL Members Christmas Party

Note: See Page 8 for ‘Come n Try’ bush regeneration activities. For more information or bookings phone Trees For Life on (08) 8406 0500.

General NewsPresident’s Message

Our thanks to solar panels sponsor, Green Switch.

Solar readings

Have your say on the future of YOUR Tree Scheme

Maureen Redfern has retired from Trees For Life. With her departure goes a large slice of corporate memory and someone who leaves an indelible

mark on the organisation and the South Australian environment. A staff member since 1989 Maureen nurtured the Tree Scheme from its earliest days and managed its development into our flagship program and a South Australian icon. Not bad for a Victorian farmer’s daughter and someone who started with us as one of the early pioneering volunteers. The Tree Scheme has not only contributed significantly to the revegetation of South Australia but has become our talisman through its ability to engage the community and provide those increasingly elusive links between town and country.

But Maureen was a whole lot more than a highly competent program manager; her contribution to the corporate culture of TFL has been considerable. She and I had some interesting exchanges over the years but our relationship always remained honest, frank and respectful; we share the same core values and have similar aspirations for the organisation and what it can do to right the wrongs done to our native vegetation and environment. As Maureen said at the time of our 20th anniversary, “the need for widespread plantings is so plain, everyone can see it but very few do it … the leadership will have to come from groups like Trees For Life”. Over a decade and millions of seedlings later the challenge still remains and Maureen leaves the Tree Scheme well recognised throughout the community and sufficiently robust to develop and adapt to changing needs, processes and technologies. Thank you Maureen and we look forward to seeing you back as a valued volunteer.

Great though the contribution of the Tree Scheme has been to the revegetation of SA, we need to find new ways of improving the program’s effectiveness and also its appeal to both volunteer growers and landowner recipients of the seedlings. What’s worked so well for over 30 years needs to be rejigged to remain workable and marketable in different social times. The environmental challenges remain, even more acute than in the 1980s; we know we have a winning formula for community engagement but we must continue to adapt and change to suit the times. Our values remain the same but our processes need to be constantly reviewed to ensure currency and relevance. Feedback and suggestions from members, stakeholders and supporters are always welcome and form an integral part of our ongoing review process. Please contact any board or staff member if you have any constructive thoughts or you can always email me on dm_mitchell@bigpond.com

I’ll close on a sad but somehow uplifting note. Some weeks ago, along with several staff and volunteers, I attended the funeral of Lois Moore - one of our stalwart seedbank volunteers and a dearly loved member of the TFL family. Both in the formal proceedings and the subsequent natter and chatter with family and friends it became evident how important her volunteering with us (and other organisations) was and how many friends she made. RIP Lois, you are greatly missed.

DAVID MITCHELL AM

Help us grow

Growing season is fast approaching so we’re again calling on volunteers to help us

grow native seedlings for landholders and revegetation projects. All materials are provided and we guide you every step of the way. To find out more call us on (08) 8406 0500.

A bird in the hand …

You may have noticed we have a different themed ReLeaf cover this edition. In the past we have

solely featured images of native plants but we received so many great photographic submissions for our 2014 TFL Calendar that we decided to feature one on our September cover.

The photo was taken by one of our long-term landholders, Kelly Kirkland. In 1998 the Kirkland family won a Commonwealth Bank IBIS award for their region for outstanding efforts to integrate wildlife conservation with successful commercial and sustainable farming practices. Part of their property, named ‘The Plantation’, is now a thriving habitat for a myriad of bird-life, insects, lizards and mammals.

Trees For Life Spring 2013 Number 1281 2

Farewell and thank you Maureen

Trees For Life recently farewelled our longest-serving employee and Tree Scheme Manager,

Maureen Redfern.Known as a ‘quiet achiever’,

Maureen became a dedicated volunteer in the mid 1980s, taking on coordination of a local branch of TFL in 1985 and helping to raise seedlings for planting projects all over SA. She coordinated the branch for two years before being appointed as a staff member in 1989.

Since then the program has grown more than 31 million native trees and shrubs through the massive efforts of our volunteers encouraged, trained and coordinated by Maureen and her team. Through her dedication and skill Maureen built the program into what is now one of the largest volunteer-based revegetation programs in the world.

Trees For Life President David Mitchell said: “TFL owes a lot to Maureen and so does South Australia. The Tree Scheme has been our flagship program for many years and Maureen has been a strong part of our moral compass. Thank you Maureen and we look forward to seeing you as a regular volunteer.”

TFL Chief Executive Officer Greg Boundy said Maureen had made a “fantastic contribution” to Trees For Life and the South Australian environment generally over the years. Her contribution would stand the Tree Scheme in good stead for many years to come, he said.

Maureen will continue as a dedicated and passionate volunteer in coming years – in amongst her enjoyable travels!

Trees For Life farewells former Tree Scheme Manager Maureen Redfern.

All invited to our AGM in October

Members are warmly invited to come to the Trees For Life Annual General Meeting

which will take place at the Brooklyn Park office on Thursday, October 17, from 6pm.

Nominations for the following Board positions are now open: President, Secretary and three Ordinary Board positions.

Nominations close at 5pm on Tuesday, September 17, after which time profiles of all nominees will be posted on the TFL website. Current financial members are eligible to nominate for a position on the Board and to vote.

If you are unable to attend the AGM you can nominate another financial member as your proxy to vote on your behalf. Appointment of a proxy must be in writing and on the official TFL form. The proxy forms will be available on line or from the office seven days before the AGM. The member and their proxy must be registered with TFL not less than 48 hours before the meeting.

A member may act as a proxy for a maximum of three other financial members. Everyone is invited to attend the AGM which gives people a good chance to meet Board members, staff and other members for a friendly and informative evening. Those wanting to attend are asked to RSVP to the office on (08) 8406 0500.

General News General News

Growing a great future is the goal of the State Government’s SA Urban Forests Million Trees Program, which is dedicated to planting three million local native trees and associated understorey across metropolitan Adelaide by 2014.

TFL Works: Professional Conservation and Revegetation

Services

Call us for 2013-14 quotes. Phone Matthew Endacott on (08) 8406 0500 or

email matthewe@treesforlife.org.au

On-ground work - Bush regeneration, Roadside management, Fuel reduction,

Seed collection and PlantingManagement plans - Mapping, Data

recording, Recommendations

South Australian Governor His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce helped Willunga and Tatachilla students at a planting event recently. As part of the visit, representatives from both schools explained to the Governor how they were helping the environment.

Governor a hit with enviro students

Wet and cold conditions didn’t dampen South Australian Governor His Excellency Rear

Admiral Kevin Scarce’s enthusiasm at a recent Trees For Life planting day.

The event was organised by long-term Trees For Life member Paul Rosser, from the Willunga TFL group, and held on members’ Andrew and Sharon Beckmann’s property in Myponga.

As well as local TFL members attending, the Governor worked alongside Envirokids from Willunga and students from Tatachilla Lutheran College’s Eco Classroom in helping to get more than 650 native seedlings planted on the property.

Before starting the planting, representatives of each school explained to Governor Scarce what they were learning about the environment and why it is so important.

The Governor has been a strong supporter of Trees For Life in recent years, hosting an open day and receptions at Government House, as well as being a volunteer grower in 2010-11.

His enthusiasm for the environment and easy-going manner – as well as eagerly getting his hands dirty along with the students - made him a popular visitor among all attendees of the planting event.

Our largest planting event ever at Maslin Beach

By the time the Million Trees crew arrived at Blanche Point, the sun had risen over the horizon and the

rain was gone. We began organising the plants and tools for the largest planting event we had ever run.

To the eager volunteers from the Toyota Landcruiser Club who arrived early, it would have appeared like a well organised machine, but in reality we had almost 150 volunteers registered for the event and over 17,000 plants to get into the ground; we were run off our feet a little bit as the event was three to four times larger than normal. On top of it all, it was National Tree Day - a special day for people who want to plant trees and for organisations likes us who want to get the community involved in this rewarding work.

At around 10am we had managed to have everything laid out and ready to go, just in time for the arrival of 52 members from the Tzu Chi Buddhist Group. They had helped us last National Tree Day at Belair National Park and were very keen to be involved again.

The morning went quickly and putting several thousand plants into the ground had created the rumble of many hungry stomachs. At 12.30 word spread quickly amongst the volunteers that lunch was ready and it wasn’t long before everyone was mingling and socialising around the marquee with slices of pizza in hand.

The afternoon continued at a slower pace but by the end of the day we managed to get in 14,000 plants.

A magnificent effort by all involved! Before the Tzu Chi Buddhist Group left, they said a prayer that we were told would help the plants grow, be healthy, and promote peace in the world. It was an amazing moment to see 50 people sing a Buddhist prayer for the natural environment.

Another special moment on the day was the appearance of a fairly tame pied cormorant. The special moment here for me was the fascination and enjoyment it brought out in the people as it waddled amongst the volunteers. People stopped what they were doing and came over to see the bird and take photos. It was a reminder of just one of the reasons why we go out into nature; these unique moments that fascinate us and make us smile.

The planting site at Maslin Beach, top, and the large group who volunteered to help plant the 14,000+ seedlings.

Trees For Life Spring 2013 Number 1283 4

New eucalypts book of SA released

South Australia’s Dean Nicolle has released his new Native Eucalypts of South Australia book.

The book features every native eucalypt species and subspecies that is currently known in the State (103 in total) and a wealth of information regarding the identification, distribution, ecology and uses of each eucalypt. Other information includes images of the habit, bark, buds, flowers and fruits; seedling painting by Ian Roberts; distribution and habitat and notes on interesting populations and trees.

Designed and written for those with no botanical training, but also catering for the professional, this book will be valuable for all those interested in appreciating, identifying and growing South Australia’s native eucalypts.

Native Eucalypts of South Australia retails at $35 and can be purchased through Trees For Life on (08) 8406 0500 or www.treesforlife.org.au

Dean Nicolle with his new book.

Students finish growing projects

August saw the conclusion of the Schools Big Backyard Project for 2013, sponsored by the West

Beach & Districts Community Bank. Trees For Life’s chosen schools,

Alberton and Hendon primary schools completed their school growing projects by enthusiastically planting out the seedlings they had raised during the year.

TFL’s Grower Coordinator, Jennie Howe, had been facilitating these two schools to propagate and maintain their own seedlings during the school year with regular school visits and practical educational workshops on growing native plants.

The Year 6 class at Hendon Primary School were kept busy throughout the year tending their native seedlings proposed for an indigenous low shrub, water wise garden. They grew Native lilac (Hardenbergia violacea), Running postman (Kennedia prostrata), Wallaby grass (Austrodanthonia setacea), Coastal umbrella bush (Acacia cupularis), and Fragrant saltbush (Rhagodia parabolica), which have now been planted out around the school perimeter to improve aesthetics and provide local habitat.

On National Schools Tree Day, Alberton Primary students planted out their 300 native coastal seedlings in the Semaphore sand dunes (see photos Page 12).

The students took a keen interest in tending to their seedlings in their School Community Garden, which included Knobby club rush (Ficinia nodosa), Native pigface (Carpobrotus rossii), Elegant spear grass (Austrostipa elegantissima) and Fragrant saltbush (Rhagodia parabolica).

If you are interested in your school participating in the Schools Big Backyard Project for next year, please register your interest by emailing jenniferh@treesforlife.org.au

Tree Scheme

Wholesale tubestock - Local provenance Professionally grown

The Trees For Life nursery staff grow tubestock orders in forestry tubes for large scale revegetation projects using only local

provenance seed, ensuring high survival rates.

Either order from our local provenance species lists, provide seed you have collected from your local vegetation or speak to us about your

special requirements. Given notice in season, we can collect and grow seed and cuttings to order. Minimum order 1000 seedlings.

Phone 8406 0500 or email nursery@treesforlife.org.au for further details.

Tree Scheme

Our Seedbank Manager Bruce Smith, above left, and nursery assistant Kat Hill travelled to Hawker recently as part of a Federal indigenous initiative. Bruce and Kat held a seed collection workshop and talked about the various stages of revegetation to representatives from nine Aboriginal groups in the region, from Quorn to Hawker. Several of our Trees For Life staff travel far and wide to help educate communities as well as undertaking on-ground works in many regions of the State.

2013 Growers Workshops

If you are a new grower or have grown before and want to improve your skills, book in to one of our Growers Workshops. Landholders growing their own seedlings can book into the Grow Your Own workshop below.

Fri October 11 10am-12noon

Sat October 12 10am-12noon

Sat October 12 1-3pm

Fri October 18 10am-12noon

Wed October 23 5.30-7.30pm

Fri October 25 10am-12noon

Sat October 26 10am-12noon

Sat October 26 1-3pm

Wed October 30 5.30-7.30pm

Fri November 1 10am-12noon

Sat November 2 10am-12noon

Sat November 2 1-3pm

Wed November 6 5.30-7.30pm

Fri November 8 10am-12noon

Sat November 9 10am-12noon

Sat November 9 1-3pm

2013 Grow Your Own WorkshopFri November 15 10am-1pm

Bookings are essential. Please phone (08) 8406 0500.

Free workshops to help growers and landholders

If you are a new grower, or if you have grown before and would like to improve the quality of your seedlings,

Trees For Life invites you to attend one of our free growers workshops.

We will teach you the essential steps of growing native seedlings the TFL way, including correct tube filling, and transplanting. All workshops, sponsored by SA Power Networks, will be held at the Betty Westwood Nursery in Brooklyn Park and run for two hours.

New Grow Your Own WorkshopThe Tree Scheme will also present a new workshop specifically tailored to meet the needs of landholders who have ordered seedlings through TFL and plan to grow and plant out their own in the coming season. The Grow Your Own Workshop will include growers workshop information, but will also provide information on the necessary preparation for planting out on properties.

Surrounded by like-minded property owners you will acquire the skills to raise and maintain strong, quality native seedlings from seed and the knowledge to adequately ensure your seedlings thrive once in the ground. The three hour workshop will cover the following topics: growing your own seedlings, what’s involved; practical tasks: tube filling, sowing the seed & transplanting; preparation for planting your own seedlings; site preparation – weed control, ripping etc; safeguarding your seedlings from predators; how to plant.

The workshop is exclusively open to TFL landholders growing their own seedlings, especially those growing for the first time. There is just one Grow Your Own Workshop scheduled at this stage but additional workshops will be set depending on demand.

Twenty one years of support and it’s still an electrifying partnership! SA Power Networks has been a sponsor of The Growers Handbook since 1992 and last year extended its support to cover the cost of running our propagation workshops.

Heysen Friends and TFL regreen trail

Last year Trees For Life presented the Friends of the Heysen Trail with a certificate recognising the

organisations’ 20-year association.In the 1990s the Friends group

formed a ‘Greening Committee’ and undertook some significant plantings along the Heysen Trail south of Kapunda. And while those original plantings remain a lasting testament to their efforts, the committee fell by the wayside after a few years.

The Greening Committee was resurrected last year as a result of the musings of two Friends of the Heysen Trail members, Steve Clift and Trevor Barns, as they trudged along some of the barren sections of the trail.

Last year was the first time in several years the Greening Committee had undertaken any planting. The committee bought 350 trees from surplus stock held by Trees For Life and these were planted at Hiskey’s Hut, which is on the Heysen Trail about nine kilometres west of Georgetown in the North Mount Lofty Ranges.

The committee also placed two orders with Trees For Life last year - each for 500 trees to be planted in the Northern Mount Lofty Zone and the Goyder Zone.

“We arranged for Mark Hall, who has been raising Trees For Life seedlings for over 20 years, to grow the trees for the Northern Mount Lofty Zone. Mark is also member of the

Friends of the Heysen Trail,” Friends spokesman Neil Nosworthy said.

The committee’s Goyder Zone order was allocated to TFL members Pamela and Vlad Humenuik, who also happen to be members of the Friends of the Heysen Trail.

Pam and Vlad Humenuik produced 600 seedlings which were planted along the Heysen Trail near Worlds End south of Burra in the beginning of June.

Mark Hall grew 750 seedlings for the Friends group and these were planted along the Bundaleer Channel about three kilometres east of Spalding in the middle of June.

Neil said in future years, the Greening Committee hoped many areas of the trail would benefit from tree planting and other environmental improvements. The committee was currently focused on planting on public

lands such as road reserves, however it was interested in working with local landholders to plant trees where the trail crossed their properties.

“We also see the trail as a wildlife corridor particularly for birds. We want to ensure that local species are used which is one of the main reasons for involving Trees For Life. In the long term we would like to ensure that the natural environment along the trail is well maintained including the removal of feral plants and weeds.”

Trees For Life members are invited to participate in a day on the Heysen Trail as part of the Warren Bonython Memorial Walk on Sunday October 6.

For more information about the Friends of the Heysen Trail phone 8212 6299 or email on heysentrail@heysentrail.asn.au.

Walkers plant trees at Worlds End, south of Burra.

Trees For Life Spring 2013 Number 1285 6

Bush For Life Bush For Life

2013 Come & Try bush action events

If you are interested in a group activity through Bush For Life, eight more Come & Try Bush

Action Team events have been scheduled. Phone (08) 8406 0500 to book or find out more information.

Thursday Sept 12 @ Houghton

Saturday Sept 28 @ Flagstaff Hill

Thursday Oct 10 @ Mt Pleasant

Friday Oct 18 @ Aldgate

Tuesday Nov 5 @ Cudlee Creek

Tuesday Nov 19 @ Upper Sturt

Wednesday Nov 27 @ St Agnes

Thursday Dec 5 @ Golden Grove

Saturday Dec 14 @ Hillbank

Bugs help fight weed infestationsSUE BRADSTREET

When I first became involved in the Bush For Life program, my property was partly

covered in dense infestations of Gorse and Montpellier Broom – it seemed an insurmountable task and difficult to believe the property could ever be clear of it.

I began approaching the problem differently – working in the best bushland first, removing the isolated plants and closing my eyes to the big problems behind me.

I noticed that something else was working in my favour. The semi-parasitic native creeper Slender Dodder-laurel (Cassytha glabella) was climbing over the dense infestations of Gorse. Great blankets were forming over the plants, helping suppress the weeds. Later there was evidence that introduced biological controls Gorse Spider mite and Gorse seed weevil were present.

All of these agents and some drought years have meant that the large patches of Gorse are diminishing without me even having to lift a finger. The change in these areas is happening slowly, reducing the time required for follow-up and allowing the native plants to regenerate. My efforts remain focused in the best bushland.

Last year Trees For Life’s Bush For Life staff attended a training session on biological control agents with Phil

Cramond, Biological Control Coordinator with the Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges NRM Board. Phil has been working with a number of the biological control agents appropriate for the weeds we have in South Australia.

We looked at an infestation of English Broom where the English Broom Gall Mite had been released and helped transfer it to another site nearby.

Biological control agents are available for Blackberry, Boneseed, Bridal Creeper, Montpellier Broom, English Broom, Gorse, Horehound, Salvation Jane, Thistle species, St John’s Wort and Skeleton Weed.

They are a long-term management tool, generally for large or inaccessible populations of weeds, and undergo strict quarantine and testing before release. They are just one of the tools we might use to help restore bushland.

English Broom Gall Mite has now been released on Bush For Life sites in Mylor and Hahndorf with plans to establish other biological controls elsewhere this year. Talk to your regional co-ordinator if you think it may be appropriate for your BFL site.

Any releases of biological control agents needs to be arranged with the relevant NRM Board, to ensure they are registered and all agencies involved in bush restoration are aware of them.

A new resource is also now available from NRM offices: Ivory,S. and Mantel,S. (2013) A guide to Weed Biological Control in South Australia.

Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges NRM Biological Control Coordinator Phil Cramond holds a training session with Bush For Life staff on biological control agents.

A smart move … bushcare goes to Flinders UniMARK ELLIS and SAMANTHA BUXTON STEWART

Some great pieces of bushland are hidden away in the most obvious places!

Flinders University campus covers more than 176 hectares of the hills face zone and contains important remnants of nationally endangered Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa)woodland. Given that Flinders University is a seat of learning and research, has a multitude of keen enquiring minds and its campus contains these gems of biodiversity, a partnership with Trees For Life through our Bush For Life program seemed a smart move.

Discussions with Barnaby Smith, Flinders University’s Sustainability Officer and Trees For Life has led to a partnership between the two organisations, aiming to get Flinders students, staff and friends involved in the ecological restoration works on campus.

A location was chosen for a new Bush For Life site in the southern section of the campus, up behind the carparks and down toward the creek which runs into the Sturt River catchment. This part of the campus contains quite an extensive remnant of Grey Box grassy woodland, however it’s sometimes hard to see the woodland for the trees - the olive trees that is - which have invaded much of the open woodland.

Past land uses of grazing and woodcutting haven’t helped and although there are more than 26 species found in the understorey on the site, often it is sporadic in nature with weed grasses making up the bulk of the ground layer biomass. However occurrences of species such as Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra), good Irongrass (Lomandra densiflora) patches and plenty of other native grasses, lilies and herbs make the site perfect for Bush For Life’s minimal disturbance methods.

The Flinders University Land Management team is also active on the site, implementing a long-term management plan to restore the area’s biodiversity values and manage the fuel risks on the site.

Workshops and on-ground eventsOur first job was to get some volunteers involved. Enter from stage left Flinders University Graduate Samantha Buxton Stewart (who just happens to be our local BFL Regional Coordinator) and Harry Chambis who presents Bush For Life’s Introduction to Bush Regeneration Workshops. After much promotion at University O Week stalls and campus flyers, a full day workshop and site visit was held on Campus in April 2013. A few weeks later the first on-ground event was held with enthusiastic new volunteers from Flinders Uni getting stuck into drilling and filling feral olives to make way for natural regeneration of the woodland species.

This pioneer group of volunteers, all Flinders University students, did an amazing job of their first go using this method. In fact, they enjoyed it so much that they have chosen to volunteer on the site on a regular basis. They will need a lot of help though so we will be looking for more volunteers to follow in their footsteps!

Calling Flinders GraduatesMore on-ground events are planned by Samantha later this year and into the future. If you’d like to get involved in the restoration of this site phone us on 8406 0500 or email bfl@treesforlife.org.au

Samantha, second from right, with the Flinders University recruits.

The Flinders University Grey Box grassy woodland site, much of which has been invaded by feral olive trees. More volunteers are needed to help manage the site.

Trees For Life Spring 2013 Number 1287 8

TFL Carbon Direct Seeding - TFL Works

Revegetation of Wakefield River well under wayBRETT OAKES

The TFL Works team travelled to Balaklava in May to participate in a Wakefield River revegetation

project. Organised through the Northern

and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board, the funding initially came through Caring for our Country framework but is now part of a six-year Biodiversity Fund.

It aims to replant sections of the Wakefield River with native species, so that eventually the river acts as a green corridor, linking existing patches of bushland together.

It is also hoped that the native vegetation, once re-established, will help to reduce erosion on the riverbanks, and improve general water quality. Initially, five locations have been chosen for revegetation, of which Trees For Life has participated in planting three, along with other environmental groups.

Being in Mallee country, the plants used for revegetating the river include many of the more durable species such as Eucalyptus porosa, Allocasuarina verticilata and Acacia ligulata, but also many smaller, uncommon species like Goodenia albaflora and Chrysocephalum semipapossum. The different species will form a multitude of canopy layers and diversity, also helping reduce the need for intensive weed control in the future. The TFL Works’ Balaklava visit involved digging, planting and tree-guarding more than 1800 native seedlings over a five day period, on a few properties that lie along the Wakefield River east of Balaklava.

The last day of the trip coincided with the NRM and local council’s community planting and information day, organised for volunteers who wanted to help with the project and attend various workshops. Most of the volunteers were part of the local community, many of whom owned land that encompassed the Wakefield River and were keen to help revegetate it. Several school groups also attended. After a week-long job and pleased with our efforts, we headed home exhausted but feeling good about what we’d achieved.

Full steam ahead for Point Yorke project DAVID HEIN

As reported in the September 2012 Releaf edition last year, Trees For Life secured a biodiversity grant

from the Federal Government for a large project on Southern Yorke Peninsula.

The six-year project aims to revegetate 131 hectares of marginal agricultural land and restore 61 hectares of bushland on two adjoining properties at Point Yorke.

In the intervening period lots of work has been happening: planning, seed collection, invasive species weed and vermin control and now finally some revegetation on the previously cropped areas.

Thanks to support from our wonderful volunteers and also the efforts from Trees For Life staff, more than enough seed was collected over the summer and autumn of 2012-13 to seed our first area of 33 hectares. The seed mix was very diverse with all targeted species accounted for (see seed list adjacent).

On July 24, 25 and 26, the 33 hectares was direct seeded with our V-Blade direct seeding machine. Soil conditions were excellent with abundant moisture, even on some of the more sandy areas. Previously there had been some areas of exposed soil that were drifting but we had a local farmer put a cover crop on

these problem spots and they have now covered well. The direct seeding went well with 75 kilometres of rows completed over the 33 hectares.

A small hand direct seeding trial was also conducted using 0.4 grams (large and fine) of seed per spot over 78 spots. The purpose of the trial was to see how the seed spots would germinate compared to our normal sowing method of sowing seed continuously.

If the results are successful it is planned to modify all of our direct seeding machines to be able to sow intermittently - which will result in a large reduction in seed usage and many different options in plant spacing.

Southern Yorke Peninsula speciesCoastal umbrella bush (Acacia cupularis); Coast golden wattle (Acacia leiophylla); Coastal wattle (Acacia longifolia sophorae); A Wattle (Acacia nematophylla); Drooping sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata); Sweet bursaria (Bursaria spinosa); Scrubby Cypress pine (Callitris canescens); Coastal white mallee (Eucalyptus diversifolia); Red mallee (Eucalyptus oleosa); Mallee box (Eucalyptus porosa); Kingscote mallee (Eucalyptus rugosa); Dryland tea tree (Melaleuca lanceolata)

Direct seeding at Point Yorke and inset, the team collecting Scrubby Cypress pine (Callitris caneascens) seeds.

Elderton Wines - a history of excellence and sustainabilityDENNIS HAYLES

When Trees For Life set about creating a program dedicated to carbon storage

in bush revegetation sites, we weren’t reinventing the wheel. We had the staff, equipment and expertise to carry out such projects.

What we sought was partners; individuals, families and businesses with something in common; a desire to bring about beneficial change in their environment in response to a changing climate, and preparedness to take action driven by social conscience.

Elderton Wines came on board immediately in late 2006 and were our first South Australian winery to take such action. They are now our second largest on-going sponsor of Trees For Life’s Carbon - Undo the Damage Program.

HistoryThe vineyard that is today known as Elderton in Nuriootpa was first planted in 1894 by early German settlers. In 1916 it was purchased by Samuel Elderton Tolley who built himself a sprawling homestead on the Estate whilst continuing grape production. In 1975 the descendants of Mr Tolley decided to place the vineyard on the market but there was no interest and it slowly became more derelict.

In 1979 Lorraine and Neil Ashmead purchased the property with the rambling old homestead, while neglected, looking ideal for a growing family. The Ashmeads worked tirelessly to salvage and restore a phenomenal treasure of a vineyard.

And so, in 1982 Elderton began producing wines from the Estate. The vision of the founders shone through and Elderton is today celebrated as a major reason for the rejuvenation of the Barossa, producing world class wines from Barossa heavyweights like Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Elderton is also now a leader within the wine industry with regard to environmental sustainability. They have implemented initiatives in the winery to minimise their environmental footprint and promote

a sustainable work place, such as:• Carbon - Undo the Damage: Since

November 2006 Elderton has provided funding to Trees For Life to establish 15,318 trees to remove almost 3500 tonnes of CO² from the atmosphere. These sites are spread across the State at Flaxley and Bugle Ranges in the Adelaide Hills, Moorlands and Mannum in the Murray-Darling Basin, and Leven Beach on Southern Yorke Peninsula.

• Solar Power: A major solar panel grid was erected on the winery in September 2010. The system, comprising 168 panels, helps to reduce the winery’s CO² emissions by around 55 tonnes annually.

• Revegetation: Elderton works in conjunction with the Barossa Council and the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board in regenerating the banks of the

North Para River where it flows through the Estate.

• Water: Elderton is self-sufficient most of the year, harvesting rain water and the winery’s effluent system recycles 100 per cent of the water that travels through it, totalling around 5ML of water annually.

Recent times have seen hardship in the wine industry, with over supply, a high Australian dollar, growing overseas competition and the global recession. However Elderton remains at the forefront in harnessing the benefits of innovative economic decision making complementing, not competing with holistic environmental policy inside and outside their farm gate.

Elderton’s support of Trees For Life has seen carbon sequestration projects established from the dryland banks of the Murray River at Mannum, left, to the high rainfall hills of Flaxley, right.

Elderton owners, from left, Cameron, Lorraine and Allister Ashmead.

Trees For Life Spring 2013 Number 1289 10

2013 Intro bush regen workshops (B1)

If 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 an Introductory Bush Regeneration Workshop. Phone 8406

0500 to register for workshops.

Wednesday September 11 Pt Noarlunga

Saturday September 28 Mt Barker

Wednesday October 9 Victor Harbor

Saturday October 19 Burnside

Friday November 1 Stirling

Wednesday November 20 Brooklyn Park

2013 Advanced BFL workshopsIntroduction to plant identification:

Thurs September 19 Stirling

Introduction to plant identification:

Saturday September 21 Eden Hills

Grass identification and management:

Thurs October 24 Brooklyn Park

Grass identification and management:

Saturday October 26 Eden Hills

2013 seed collection workshop (SC1)Wed September 25 Belair NP

(Workshop will be held in the Long Gully Volunteer Centre from 9am)

2013 group seed collection day (SD1)Wed October 2 Monarto

Seed collection day starts at 9am. Car pooling will be arranged. Phone Bruce Smith on (08) 8406 0500 for more information.

For Members For Members

Birds of a feather make a great 2014 TFL calendar

Well there’s no doubting that birds are a favourite when it comes to nature. Our 2014

Trees For Life calendar, themed Birds in the Bush, received more submissions than any previous calendar.

Needless to say choosing the final 13 was incredibly difficult. We had many past photographers again submit their work, but also welcomed several new ones.

And the birdlife itself? Everything from finches, kestrels, Tawny Frogmouths and galahs to egrets, honeyeaters and of course the beautiful Scarlet Robin (pictured below). Thank you very much to all who took the time to submit their wonderful work. It was a very great pleasure looking at them all!

To order your calendar see the insert in this ReLeaf or check our website.

New location for Christmas party

It’s nearly time to dust off the Christmas baubles and tinsel and start planning the myriad of

Christmas events you’ll be invited to this year.

At the top of your festive calendar schedule should be the annual Trees For Life Christmas party, which is being held on Wednesday December 4 between 5.30-7.30pm.

This year instead of having the party at the rear of our Brooklyn Park premises, we’ll be holding it on the cool lawns of the Lockleys Primary School Oval (the same location as our birthday celebrations). If you are able to attend please RSVP by Wednesday November 30 to (08) 8406 0500 or email info@treesforlife.org.au and don’t forget to let us know if you have special dietary requirements.

Hope to see you all there!

Tree Day planting events fun in SA

Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day was celebrated in late July, with several affiliated

communities getting their hands dirty for the environment. Trees For Life held workshops for students at Bunnings, organised the Schools Big Backyards planting at Semaphore and were involved in events at Argo deli in Norwood and the Adelaide City Council’s planting day.

Alberton Primary School students plant seedlings at Semaphore on Schools Tree Day as part of their Big Backyards Project.

Our Lady of the River Berri students Joshua and William help Big River Toyota’s Mark Rudiger plant TFL seedlings on Schools Tree Day.

Want to help our planting team?

Trees For Life’s volunteer planting team also held a planting event at a landholders’ Hope Forest

property near Willunga on National Tree Day.

The volunteer planting team only has a few more events to undertake before the end of the season, according to coordinator Bunti Pellen.

If you’re interested in participating, contact Bunti on (08) 7329 2889 or 0429 016 335 (please don’t call after 7pm Sunday-Thursday) or email bunti@adam.com.au

Trees For Life’s volunteer planting team on the Hope Forest property recently.

Trees For Life Spring 2013 Number 12811 12

Your membership supports us all

Each year we receive great feedback from landholders throughout the State, many of

whom comment that without Trees For Life’s extremely affordable Tree Scheme, they’d never be able to properly revegetate their properties.

Our ordering scheme has always been incredibly affordable because it is subsidised by you, our wonderful members.

Thanks to your $45 membership, we are also able to continue the vital work of bushland conservation and other revegetation efforts.

Being a not-for-profit community organisation, we rely heavily on memberships and donations as well as sponsorships and Government funding to continue our work.

So even if you are a landholder who has accessed our Tree Scheme previously but no longer require native plants, by continuing your membership you are still helping South Australia’s environment, and helping to keep our Tree Scheme costs low to help other landholders.

Thank you for your on-going support.

Trees For Life thanks retiring seedbank volunteer Judy Bateman.

End of a wonderful era in our seedbank

For more than 21 years our Trees For Life office had the pleasure of hosting two wonderful volunteers

in our seedbank area – Lois Moore and Judy Bateman.

Every Tuesday the ladies would come to the office (often with home-baked goodies in tow) and spend most of the day sorting and cleaning seed, weighing and labelling them. They became very close friends and a vital and wonderful part of the TFL family.

Very sadly, our lovely Lois passed away in June after a short illness.

Volunteering without her offsider wasn’t the same for Judy and some weeks later, she decided to say goodbye to her weekly volunteering and focus on other environmental efforts.

Over the years both Lois and Judy saw staff come and go, the organisation grow and change premises, and always made time in their busy lives to help us.

We will miss their happy faces and laughter and we look forward to still seeing Judy at various TFL events. Thank you to two beautiful ladies; you will always be part of our family.

A spectacular Scarlet Robin at Millbrook Reserve. Photo by Joan Stratford.

DisclaimerTrees For Life takes no responsibility for the services or products featured in its quarterly magazine, ReLeaf.

Find us on:

Perpetual Sponsor

Sponsors and Supporters Service Directory

Trees For Life

Trees For Life, 5 May Tce, Brooklyn Park 5032Ph: (08) 8406 0500 Fax: (08) 8406 0599info@treesforlife.org.auwww.treesforlife.org.au

Trees For Life Board

President: David MitchellVice President: Michael CainTreasurer: Hanne DamgaardSecretary: Nathan DaniellBoard Members: David Grybowski, Meera Verma, Megan Antcliff, Megan Harper, Natasha Davis and Warren Hilton

Trees For Life Contacts

Chief Executive Officer: Greg BoundyOffice Manager: Lisa AdamsBush For Life Manager: Mark EllisDirect Seeding Manager: David HeinTFL Works Manager: Matthew EndacottTFL Carbon Manager: Dennis HaylesSeedbank Manager: Bruce SmithSponsorship Manager: Glenys Perri

Trees For Life Rural

Gawler: Sylvia Nieuwenhuizen 8406 8419Noarlunga: Graham Greaves 8386 1018Willunga: Julie Turner 8556 2401; Paul Rosser 8557 7483Mt Gambier: Briony Schleuniger 8724 9759Mt Pleasant: Ruth Charlesworth 8524 6661Clare: Dean Schubert 8843 4317Strathalbyn: Jo & Sue Scheiffers 8536 8053

Natural Resources Contacts

Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges: Kym Good 8273 9100 Alinytjara Wilurara: Matthew Ward 8303 9667Eyre Peninsula: Annie Lane 8682 5755Kangaroo Island: Bill Haddrill 8553 4300Northern & Yorke: Lynne Walden 8636 2361South Australian Arid Lands: Trevor Naismith 8648 5194South Australian Murray-Darling Basin: Hugo Hopton 8532 9100South East: Tim Collins 8724 6000

Environmental WarriorsTrees For Life fee based services by our professional staff

For government, business and private landholders:• Bushland management• Fuel reduction control• Roadside vegetation management• Woody weed control• Bulk seed collection• Revegetation and bushland buffering• Tubestock planting • Tubestock grown to order• Direct seeding using locally

collected seed• Site visits and land management advice

Call TFL on (08) 8406 0500 to arrange a quote

Trees For Life’s IT Manager is:

treemax.com.au

Revegetation Products:• Tree Guards• Stakes• Planting Mats• Planting Tools

Erosion Control:• Jute & Recover• Synthetic Products• Coastal Erosion• Sediment Control

Proudly an Australian Manufacturer

Providing Our Customers an ExtensiveRange of Environmental Products.

Contact us for all your revegetation and erosion control information4 Capelli Road, Wingfield. Adelaide. Tel (08) 8162 5855 - s.amber@geofabrics.com.au

Welcome to our new Conservation Sponsor

We are pleased to announce that we have a new Conservation Sponsor,

UrbanVirons.  For more than 35 years UrbanVirons

has provided horticultural maintenance, weed control and tree care services in South Australia. Clients include many local councils, industrial and commercial properties, community housing complexes and the grounds at Government House.

UrbanVirons Director Leon Whitehead believes it important to support our community where they have the opportunity to do so, and as part of their business commitment to giving back, UrbanVirons has chosen to become a Conservation sponsor. 

The financial support of UrbanVirons helps support two fully trained Bush For Life volunteers care for a valuable patch of remnant bushland. These remnants are extremely vulnerable to weed infestation and require patient care to create the ideal conditions for natural regeneration which is superior in every way to any revegetation planting, no matter how well planned

it is. Bush For Life sites are conserving South Australia’s unique flora and fauna, so the support of UrbanVirons is an investment in our State’s environmental future. Welcome aboard!

Support Foodland - they support us

Foodland really and truly are ‘The Mighty South Aussies’ and have been proud sponsors of Trees For

Life for more than 17 years.  Foodland are committed to

supporting South Australian suppliers and farmers to ensure we have a huge range of local products on the shelves to choose from. 

It’s not all about discounts and vouchers - the focus is on quality, range and supporting South Australian businesses and in turn, our community. 

Foodland has numerous charitable partners and Trees For Life is extremely proud to be their only environmental partner. 

We encourage all of our members to support the businesses that support us and shop at Foodland. You’ll find stores located all around the State.

Argo Espresso On The Parade

A huge thank you to Daniel and the team for their

support on the National Tree Day weekend. Daniel purchased a stack of native seedlings and donated them to schools in the area PLUS he matched dollar-for-dollar money raised from donations and sales.

Thanks to Argo, an extra 1000 native seedlings will be planted in South Australia, helping it to be an even more beautiful place to live. What a great guy and a great example of what individuals and small businesses can do to help make a difference. Love your work!

New client for TFL Carbon Program:Sustainable Focus has joined our TFL Carbon Program.Sustainable Focus offsets one tonne of carbon for every solar panel it installs and to date has offset the equivalent of 26 tonnes (130 trees) through the TFL Carbon Program. Well done to this environmentally-conscious business!

Trees For Life Spring 2013 Number 12813 14

Thanks to Cara from Brahma Lodge for sending in your completed froggy dot-to-dot. He looks very happy in his unpolluted water.

Thank you Aimee, of Tintinara, for posting in this lovely colourful Australian picture and poem. If you would like to share your art with us please post or email it to bessh@treesforlife.org.au. We would love to see how creative our Kids Branch readers are.

When extinction isn’t forever

Can you imagine spending 15 years of your life dedicated to rediscovering an ‘extinct’ animal?

That is exactly what wildlife photographer John Young has done. This year his search for Australia’s only nocturnal parrot, known (unsurprisingly) as the ‘night parrot’, has paid off. He has managed to capture this fat, ground dwelling bird on film, providing the first living proof of this widely thought to be extinct animal in over 100 years!

Grasses vital for our beloved wombats

You may know that the floral (plant) emblem of South Australia is the Sturt’s Desert Pea, but did

you know that we also have a fauna (animal) emblem? This prestigious title belongs to a furry, burrowing marsupial known as the southern hairy-nosed wombat.

Although this species is not listed as threatened, recent observations have indicated that southern hairy-nosed wombats in the Murraylands region of SA are suffering. Landholders have noticed an increased number of wombats in poor condition. They have been found to be very thin, with skin and liver damage, and it is thought that their suffering may due to a lack of suitable food.

A wombat’s diet consists largely of native grasses, however such grasses have been found few and far between in areas where sick wombats have been seen. Instead, introduced weeds have been found. Some of these weeds are actually harmful the animals, as they contain chemicals (produced naturally by the plant to deter insects - clever really!) which the wombats have not evolved to tolerate. It would seem then, that replacing toxic introduced weeds with native grasses is a really important step to preserving this Aussie icon.

With National Threatened Species Day approaching it is a good time to consider how we can help protect our native wildlife.

National Threatened Species day is held on September 7 each year with the aim of encouraging the community to become involved with conserving Australia’s native species. This particular date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the death of what is thought to have been the last Tasmanian tiger, which died at Hobart Zoo in 1936.BESS

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