releaf summer 2011

Trees For LifeSummer 2011Number 121

Highlights of 30th Birthday

TFL helps landholders improve biodiversity

Trees For Towns gets underway

New salinity trial on Yorke Peninsula

2 Trees For Life Summer 2011 Number 121

Contact usReLeaf is a production of Trees For Life. Editorial/Advertising: Tania Kearney (ph: 8406 0500 or [email protected]) Production/Graphic Design: Fusion Printing: Finsbury Green

Want to advertise? Advertising space is now available in ReLeaf. Phone 8406 0500 or email [email protected] for advertising rates.

Cover photo: Blue Pincushion Brunonia australis, by Matthew Endacott.

Trees For Life5 May Tce

Brooklyn Park 5032Ph: 8406 0500Fax: 8406 0599

[email protected]

Trees For Life well equipped to face future challenges

As we celebrate our 30th anniversary it’s particularly gratifying to be able to report on another successful year and to record

my confi dence in the future of Trees For Life. It has by no means been an easy year and I doubt things will get any easier as community confi dence generally appears to stutter, social attitudes to volunteering shift and there is increasing competition for the available dollar. Nevertheless our organisation remains strong, is well staffed and continually fi nds practical ways to fulfi l the vision of our founders: “the revegetation of South Australia and the protection of its remnant vegetation”.

We are, however, operating in a very diffi cult and unpredictable environment. Not-for-profi t organisations are under increasing pressure and government requirements are making decades-old traditions of community involvement and volunteerism diffi cult to sustain. The political complexities and ambiguities of public policy are considerable and appear to be increasing. Even at the State level, engaging in natural resources management (NRM) processes continues to be a challenge and the ongoing integration of the State Department of Environment and Natural Resources with NRM Boards, while presenting opportunities, carries inherent risks. It would be disappointing if damage were to be done to the good working relationships established over recent years, particularly with the Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges and Murray Darling Basin Boards.

In terms of governance we have been well served by the Board throughout the year and received strong support and professional advice from our CEO, Carmel Dundon. The Board is comprised of a relatively young group of professionals from a diversity of backgrounds but each with a strong commitment to a healthy Trees For Life and an even healthier natural environment. The Board is determined to ensure that the momentum generated over the fi rst 30 years is maintained into the future and is discussing ways in which this can best be achieved.

In concluding, I affi rm that despite the challenges, Trees For Life remains healthy and well equipped to face the future. I am confi dent because we have a membership that is the envy of most community organisations, a relatively young Board with diverse talents, an outstanding CEO and excellent staff. We remain clear, focused and passionate about what we do. On behalf of my Board colleagues, I thank Carmel and the staff for their hard work and commitment throughout the year. My thanks to my Board colleagues for their support, enthusiasm and freshness of ideas. In particular I must thank Megan Harper for her several years’ service as Secretary and who has decided this year to stand as an ordinary member of the Board. Megan’s support and professional advice continue to be much appreciated.

None of our success would be possible, however, without your membership. I never tire of saying that Trees For Life is a family. In 1981 our Foundation members decided to do something practical to undo the damage done to the natural environment. Thirty years later we’re still here working towards that objective and with the continuing support of our members we’ll continue with that work for years to come.

By DAVID MITCHELL (Extract from Annual Report 2010–11)

Thanks to our TFL Visionaries

Thank you to our 626 TFL Visionaries who donated

$93,358 to our environmental programs last fi nancial year.

Your support funds on-ground revegetation and bush conservation work and helps build more resilient and sustainable ecosystems.

Office to close at Christmas

The Trees For Life offi ce and Betty Westwood Nursery in

Brooklyn Park will be closed during the Christmas break from 12.30pm on Friday, December 23, reopening Tuesday, January 3.

Board and staff of TFL wish all members and volunteers a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. We thank you all for your continued support in 2011 and look forward to your company in 2012.

Solar tracking

New year, new BAT bus

Thanks to everyone who has made a donation

towards a new Bush Action Team (BAT) bus.

Group Activities Coordinator Randall Bates has been researching brands and test driving vehicles and we hope to have a new bus by early 2012.

We haven’t raised enough to purchase the bus outright but we will still proceed with the purchase and cover the shortfall with a short term loan. Exciting times ahead!

What resources do you value?

The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources

Management Board is planning for the future and wants to know what natural resources you value in the greater Adelaide region.

Natural resources can be your local park, river, creek, trees, remnant vegetation, agricultural land, coastline, wetlands, swamps, wildlife or reefs.

Visit www.amlrnrm.sa.gov.au and click on ‘What do you value?’ This link will close on December 31, 2011.

President’s Message General News

3Trees For Life Summer 2011 Number 121

Cutting the 30th birthday cake at the TFL picnic are, from left, President David Mitchell, and Founders Jane Duguid and Kate Parkin.

TFL Carbon Operations Manager Dennis Hayles, left, organises the planting of a commemorative tree at TFL’s 30th birthday picnic by Founders Colin Digance and Gillian Middenway, and SA Environment Minister Paul Caica.

His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce and Mrs Liz Scarce watch on as TFL President David Mitchell addresses the special gathering at Government House, as part of TFL’s 30th Birthday celebrations.

TFL journey one to cherish and look forward toBy CARMEL DUNDONTFL Chief Executive Offi cer

Over the past year we have been both refl ective of our

past and strongly focused on our future. The 30th anniversary has provided an opportunity to look back and to remind ourselves where we have come from, what we set out to do as a community organisation, how we have developed and evolved, and to take the time to recognise those who have been a major part of that journey. At the same time, we have used the anniversary to give serious thought to where we need to go to ensure that we continue to meet our objectives.

Trees For Life has two main purposes. The most obvious purpose is conservation and revegetation. The second and equally important purpose is to support those in the community who want to do something practical themselves to help the environment. This second purpose requires us to maintain high levels of volunteer and member support and to extend the understanding of environmental issues and their solutions into the wider community.

The main focus of our 30th celebrations has been on the achievements of our members. Throughout the year we hosted a series of Open Days at revegetation and bushcare sites where members could meet each other and see fi rst-hand the difference they are making on their own or on public land. We also published a number of member stories throughout the year in ReLeaf culminating in a bumper Spring issue which left no doubt about the absolute dedication and vision of our members.

A sub-committee of the Board met to consider how best to recognise those early participants who are still with Trees For Life. The

result was the introduction of the Foundation and Gold memberships to acknowledge long term participation.

In considering how Trees For Life is to continue to grow its environmental impact, it is clear that we need to diversify our approach. We are incredibly fortunate that our volunteers commit so much time and stay active with us for years, but the truth is that recruiting new volunteers continues to be quite a challenge in this time-poor world. We are therefore looking at a mix of programs and approaches to achieve the vision of our members.

Our two volunteer based programs, Tree Scheme and Bush For Life are complemented by our professional programs TFL Works and TFL Carbon, our Direct Seeding Program and our wholesale nursery, Westwood. With this suite of programs we hope to increase the amount of revegetation and conservation achieved and to also provide better services to landholders wanting assistance to manage their land.

Our staff members are constantly considering ways to improve our on-ground achievements and to fi nd better ways to attract, train and support our volunteers. All funding and planning efforts are focused on these two key purposes.

With all our thinking and discussion about where we should be headed, it really has come down to four simple but important aims: to be more effective in our revegetation and conservation work by growing and strengthening our current programs and by developing fully integrated environmental services; to continue to build and support our volunteer and member base and to develop our staff and Board; to grow and strengthen the membership; and, to ensure we have the resources and a sound base to succeed in meeting our objectives well into the future.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our work since 1981.

From Annual Report 2010-11


Nursery volunteer Trevor Bright is filmed by Channel 7’s SA Life crew.

Another busy Million Trees year in 2011

The Million Trees Program has enjoyed yet another busy

year in 2011, with 70 sites across the Adelaide metropolitan area being planted by corporate groups, community groups and school students.

In 2011 the program highlights included:• despite the very ordinary

conditions, there was a big community turnout for a planting event at Craigburn Farm, showing the strong level of support and interest in this site;

• the three-day planting event involving schools, ETSA and the community at Para Woodlands near Gawler;

• National Tree Day events at Adelaide Shores, West Beach and Tainmundilla in the Adelaide Park Lands;

• the inclusion of DENR staff planting days, where groups from the planning, fi re management and coast and marine sections of the Department were hosted by Urban Biodiversity Unit (UBU) staff at some of the planting sites;

• the continued success of the Project Partnership (Community) and Grow a Great School Grant Programs with the UBU receiving many applications for the 2012 round of grants as well.

Wildlife program continues to grow

The Backyards for Wildlife program continues to grow. Not only have there been many people signing up, but a lot of people have been taking the brochures and booklets at our displays and asking questions on how to grow a Backyards for Wildlife garden.

As part of a grant provided by the State NRM Program, the UBU has created a series of fact sheets advising people about the different gardens that they can create using local indigenous plants that will attract suburban native wildlife. This series outlines 5 types of gardens including bush, contemporary, cottage, formal and courtyard gardens. Check out this new initiative on the Backyards for Wildlife website.

Once again, we would like to thank all Trees For Life growers who have contributed to growing plants for the Million Trees targeted projects and we look forward to your involvement next planting season. Log on to www.milliontrees.com.au or www.backyards4wildlife.com.au, to fi nd out more about the programs.

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.

Top media coverage thanks to Anna

Thanking and recognising our founders, members

and volunteers and raising our profi le were goals we set to celebrate our 30th year.

So, we were thrilled when highly experienced publicist Anna Tilbrook offered us an exceptional birthday gift, 12 months of her time.

Anna’s family have been TFL members for many years and on returning to Adelaide from interstate – where she worked for years as a publicist for many nationally-known companies – Anna decided she wanted to put her time to good use by volunteering her PR skills.

Working closely with our team, she spent many hours formulating story ideas and pitching them to various media outlets.

Over the past 12 months, Anna secured some extraordinary coverage for us including:

• An ABC 7.30 Report segment about the relationship between TFL growers and landholders and the value of revegetation, focusing on Port Vincent landholders Woolford and Marie Parsons;

• A profi le on long-term seedbank volunteers Lois Moore and Judy Bateman, by media identity Peter Goers in his Sunday Mail column;

• A feature on the Howe family representing three generations of TFL members, in SA Gardens magazine;

• The Tree Scheme program including a call for volunteer growers on Channel 7’s SA Life program;

• Our Schools Big Backyard project was featured on Channel 10’s Totally Wild;

• A feature on one of our main sponsors, Heide Hackworth from Earth Greetings in the Adelaide Magazine, and

• Several stories in local newspapers such as one on our volunteer planting team, under the direction of volunteer coordinator Bunti Pellen.Anna recently received a

Thank You Tree in recognition of her tireless efforts. Thanks Anna, from all of us here at TFL.

TFL’s Dennis Hayles and Allyson Parsons are filmed by ABC’s 7.30 SA crew.

General News


A birds’ eye view of some of the Roxby participants. The Whyalla group.

Landholders to benefit from new projectBy ALEX COOMBEBFL Projects Manager

A new project, funded by the Native Vegetation Council’s

Signifi cant Environmental Benefi t Grants, is underway to bring together Trees For Life programs in a way that will provide greater benefi ts for biodiversity on private land.

The project explores ways TFL can provide additional support to private landholders who want to improve biodiversity on their properties.

We are taking a whole-of-property approach to determine the best restoration opportunities by integrating our conservation and restoration services.

A monitoring program to examine bushland condition and bird populations in various landscapes within the project area is an important part of the project.

Habitat valueBy comparing the habitat

value of remnant vegetation with areas revegetated with tubestock or direct seeding we hope to develop advice that any landholder can use to plan their revegetation in a way that will best benefi t local fauna.

The Nature Conservation Society of South Australia’s monitoring program will be the fi rst to record the value of TFL’s on-ground work. This data will not only allow us to show the value of all the wonderful work done by our members, but it will also aid in setting goals when we set out to revegetate or regenerate an area.

The Rockleigh area, north of Monarto, was selected for the pilot project because of its high priority for conservation and due to the large number of private landholders in this area who are working to restore their properties to their former condition.

Participants range from new landholders to experienced revegetators who have planted thousands of TFL seedlings.

Robert Ahrens has previously focused on fencing and direct seeding the 30ha property where he and wife Jo live in Rockleigh, but has recently started to take a broader view.

After attending a Introductory Bush Regeneration workshop in Callington, Robert said “The workshop gave me a much better insight and understanding to come up with a bigger picture plan of action and it is much easier than what I was envisaging.”

Hands-onLocal landholders have

been getting involved in a wide range of activities, such as seed collection days, a bushcare workshop and fi eld days to show treatment techniques for controlling important local weeds.

By demonstrating the value of restoration work carried out in an integrated manner, the project aims to make it easier to acquire future funding for TFL to help private landholders with their conservation efforts throughout SA.

In the meantime, private landholders who are TFL members can attend workshops on seed collection, seed propagation, bushcare, plant identifi cation and can get involved in growing and planting seedlings through the Tree Scheme or in bush regeneration through the Bush For Life program by calling 8406 0500.

Ready, Set, Sow for Trees For Towns

Dozens of budding green thumbs throughout the

State have been learning how to grow - seedlings that is.

Local community members from Port Broughton to Loxton, Roxby Downs to Robe and Lochaber to Nairne are among 30 groups throughout South Australia who are part of Trees For Life’s inaugural Trees For Towns (TFT) project. A 30th birthday gift from TFL and funded by ElectraNet, the 30 communities will be supported to grow and plant one thousand local native trees or shrubs in or around their towns.

In the fi rst phase of the environmental project, community members attended propagation workshops run in their local area run by Trees For Life’s TFT’s Coordinator Martina Thompson.

Martina taught propagation techniques such as how to fi ll tubes with soil correctly, how to water effectively, different species of natives and how to thin, transplant

and care for their seedlings once they’ve germinated.

“Presenting local workshops has allowed me to visit and meet a diversity of people and communities that are already showing how enthusiastic and dedicated they are to the project,” Martina said.

“It’s been a special opportunity to meet these committed people.”

She said many attendees were fascinated by variety of seeds, the different species for different regions and facts like the smallest seed can grow the biggest tree.

The workshops took place throughout the State prior to the delivery of propagation materials to the 30 groups. The materials include boxes of soil, fertiliser, tubes, indigenous seed specifi cally chosen by the groups for their regions and a detailed instruction manual.

The growing season will take place between early December to April, with seedlings then planted out in the winter months.

We will keep you posted as to the progress of our 30 special TFT groups through coming editions of ReLeaf. Good luck everyone!

At the Loxton High School workshop. Napperby Primary School students.

General News


Oak-bush on the road to recovery?By PETER WATTONBush For Life Operations Manager

In August this year, the fi rst meeting of the Mount

Compass Oak-bush and Marsh Gum Recovery Team was held at Willunga.

It included a diverse group of very knowledgeable and experienced people from various state and local government agencies and community groups, including Trees For Life.

In 2008, the Federal Minister for the Environment approved the listing of the Mount Compass Oak-bush (Allocasuarina robusta) as endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is also listed as endangered in SA under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.

The Mount Compass Oak-bush is an erect, rigid shrub that grows between 0.2 and 3.5m tall. It has thin, smooth and rounded needles up to 20cm long, which are divided into 7-12mm long segments with 5-7 teeth that don’t overlap. The plants usually produce both male and female fl owers and have cones that have short or no stalks.

It can be diffi cult to distinguish from other species occurring in the same region, including Macklin’s Oak-bush (Allocasuarina mackliniana ssp. mackliniana), Stalked Oak-bush (A. striata) and Common Oak-bush (A. muelleriana ssp. muelleriana).

The species is endemic to SA, with a very restricted distribution in the Yundi, Mount Compass and Hindmarsh Valley area on the Fleurieu Peninsula. It generally grows in low-lying wet heath or open eucalypt woodland with a heath understorey,

often near the edges of swamps and watercourses in sandy loam soils.

There are currently 31 sub-populations of the plant, most of which number less than 20 individuals, with a total population of only about 1200 plants. Interestingly, the entire population is comprised of mature plants, so there is no natural recruitment occurring.

Most of the sub-populations are located in degraded roadside vegetation and are subject to a range of threats which are causing population decline. These include habitat loss and fragmentation, livestock grazing, roadworks, off-target herbicide spraying and weed invasion.

The aim of the recovery team is to prioritise, coordinate and implement activities designed to assist in the recovery of the species. These include actions in a plan that has been prepared by Joe Quarmby, Threatened Flora Ecologist for the Adelaide Region with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

There are good populations in or adjacent to two Bush For Life (BFL) sites situated at Hope Forest and Hindmarsh Falls. These are mainly threatened by weed grasses, Watsonia and some Blackberry and Montpellier Broom. Other herbaceous weeds present also compete for space and resources and may be impeding its regeneration.

The other species included in the recovery team’s mantle is the Marsh Gum (Eucalyptus paludicola), which has several good sub-populations on a BFL site at Minko Vineyard at Mount Compass.

Together with threat abatement work for all of the individual sub-populations, the intention is to increase the overall population by propagating and planting seedlings into existing and new locations. The Victor Harbor Council has already taken the step of planting 500 Mount Compass Oak-bush seedlings into the reserve at Hindmarsh Falls, adjacent to the BFL site.

Orchids… it’s best to Start with the Leaves

Help is fi nally at hand for those who have struggled to

identify an orchid when it is not in fl ower.

One of our dedicated bushcarers, Robert Lawrence, has now written a wonderfully simple and easy-to-follow guide to the identifi cation of orchids entitled Start with the Leaves.

Robert’s book features 50 orchids found in the Adelaide Hills as well as lilies, bulbs and some weeds that can be confused with orchids. It has eight easy-to-use categories of leaves, indicated by a distinctive icon and coloured pages for each leaf category. There are also photographs of each orchid showing variations within each species, as well as a life-size representation of each fl ower.

Also available is the updated, comprehensive CD South Australia’s Native Orchids by R. J. Bates, beautifully re-formatted by members of the Native Orchid Society of SA (NOSSA).

Because we know these resources will have wide appeal for many Trees For Life members and bushcarers, we are now stocking Start with the Leaves for $34.95 and the CD for $25. Phone the offi ce on 8406 0500 to order your copy. Sample pages are available for viewing on the website www.heritagebushcare.wordpress.com

Bush For Life


Collect weeds for a causeBy LEANNE LAWRENCEBush For Life Regional Coordinator

As bushcarers, we know there are thousands of weed

species in the bush. But while we are out there

diligently removing weeds, little is known about their distribution and abundance.

To ensure volunteers learn more about bushland weeds, Bush For Life is now working with the State Herbarium of South Australia on a new Weed Collection Project.

Under this project, which has been funded through a State NRM Community Grant, volunteers will collect weed specimens, thus helping to build an important plant collection for South Australia.

Collecting and submitting weed specimens can be as simple as pulling out a weed, squashing it in a plant press, recording information and sending it to Trees For Life or the State Herbarium. However, to be most valuable to Herbarium botanists, the weeds will need to come with a few standard notes such as collection site, habitat and dates.

Building up a comprehensive collection will enable us to broaden our knowledge of

weed species, their current and potential distribution and planning strategies for management of weed invasions.

TFL and the State Herbarium are holding workshops to train volunteers in weed collection methods. Trained volunteers will be provided with plant presses as well as useful references and fact sheets on weed collection and identifi cation. Volunteers may also visit the Herbarium to see the processes plant specimens go through before they are added to the collection.

If you are a bushcarer working on a Bush For life site or your own property and you are interested in fi rstly, identifying weeds that are on your site and secondly, collecting specimens, we’d love you to be a part of the Weed Collection Task Group. Please contact me at [email protected] or mobile on 0407 387 652.

Threatened Flora Project in Northern and YorkeBy MARK ELLISBush For Life Manager

Trees For Life is starting a new project in the Northern

and Yorke agricultural region to help manage 43 sites that contain nationally threatened fl ora.

Erica Rees has recently been appointed by TFL to work with the community and other non-government groups on this project.

Funded by the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board, it will primarily focus on nine species including Spalding Blown Grass (Lachnagrostis limitanea), Spiny Daisy (Acanthocladium dockeri) and a number of orchid species covered by the Lofty Block Threatened Orchid Recovery Project.

Fragmented vegetationThe project sites are

scattered throughout the Northern and Yorke area, often in isolated fragments

of native vegetation so characteristic of the region.

Over the past 10 years many of the sites have been actively managed by a range of dedicated volunteers and organisations, many of whom are still actively involved, including the Threatened Plant Action Group and the Native Orchid Society of SA. These groups will be important collaborators in ensuring a future for these species.

Erica joins the TFL team with a wealth of experience in managing native vegetation and working with the community.

One of Erica’s fi rst tasks will be to touch base with people who have recently been involved in conservation of these species. If you have been involved in any of these projects or sites in the past, or are interested in participating in the future Erica would love to hear from you. Contact [email protected]

Members of the newly formed Weed Collection Task Group analyse species.

Summer BATs set for 2012

We are again running weekly Bush Action Team (BAT) activities between February and March - weather permitting.

The Summer program will consist of a BAT activity every Wednesday, as well as some Saturdays and Sundays from February 1 to March 21. A full list of dates will be sent to all current bushcarers with our BFL Annual Feedback Questionnaire and you can book into whatever dates suit you. If you would like to register your interest before then, please phone 8406 0500.

2012 Bush For Life Workshops (B1)

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer on one of our BFL sites or want to learn more about managing your own

bushland then come along to an Introductory Bush Regeneration Workshop. Phone 8406 0500 to register.

Day Date LocationThurs February 16 StirlingSat March 17 Brooklyn ParkTues April 17 Mount BarkerMore 2012 dates will be in ReLeaf’s Autumn edition.

TFL’s new NY Threatened Flora Officer, Erica Rees.

Weed Collection Project funded by: Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Threatened Species Project funded by: Northern and Yorke Natural Resources

Management Board

Bush For Life


TFL staff, volunteers and HETA horticultural students boxed up 20 tonnes of soil (into 1000 boxes) at the Betty Westwood Nursery recently. Those boxes of soil, being transported to KI, Eyre and Yorke peninsulas and the Riverland, will grow approximately 50,000 seedlings this season.

Seed collection permits

Trees For Life issues seed collection permits for members who want them and have attended a workshop.

The latest round of annual permits were renewed in October. If you believe you need a permit but didn’t receive one

recently, please contact our Seedbank Manager, Bruce Smith. Similarly, if you would like your permit to cover

different zones or there is any other problem, please let Bruce know by phoning the TFL offi ce on 8406 0500.

Seed Collection workshops

In early 2012 we will be running two seed collection workshops in rural areas, and one near Adelaide.

Day Date Location

Wed February 1 Norton Summit(This workshop will be held at the Natural Resource Centre, which is just 14km from Victoria Square)

Thurs & Fri February 23-24 Berri(This workshop will be held at the Lions Club Shed on the Thursday, with a day of practical seed collection the following day)

Thurs & Fri March 1-2 Clare(This workshop will be held in the Stanley Flat Soldiers Memorial Hall - about 5km north of Clare - on Thursday, with a day of practical seed collection the following day)

Group Seed Collection DayDay Date LocationWed Februray 8 Uraidla (9am)

The tube filling device is a hit with Trevor’s five-year-old grandson Kieran.

Do you need help with planting?

The Fleurieu Trees For Life’s Volunteer Tree Planting

Team works on sites on the Fleurieu Peninsula, from the South Eastern Freeway to Cape Jervois and Callington to Yankalilla.

If your planting site is in this area then we may be able to help you.

Contact volunteer Bunti Pellen, Trees For Life’s Volunteer Planting Coordinator, from January 2012 to organise a time. The team plants from May to September. It is essential to book early as in previous years it has been extremely popular and places are limited.

Phone Bunti on (08) 7329 2889 or 0429 016 335 or email [email protected] (Please don’t call after 7pm Sunday-Thursday).

Thanks to our D-days helpers

Thanks again to all those who helped with our boxing up

and distribution days. The boxing up days were

strongly supported by many volunteers, HETA horticultural students and of course, Bill Caire who supplies the boxes and helps deliver them to far-fl ung destinations each year.

Our distribution days are also a mammoth effort to organise and would not be possible without the time and effort put in by our depot managers.

Just to give you an idea of what is involved, this year 46 depots distributed 12,900 propagation kits to 745 volunteer growers and 464 landholder-growers who will, over the summer months, raise 1481 combinations of species for 42 different zones.

Thanks to everyone for a job well done!

Volunteers help prepare the propagation kits at Bill Caire’s depot.

Tube filling device available

Long-term TFL member and volunteer Trevor Bright, has

designed a tube fi lling device to be used for our soft tubes.

It saves a lot of time and effort, with a box of well fi lled tubes only taking about 30 minutes to complete. The unit comes with funnel, stand, measuring cup and plunger for $25.

For more information phone Trevor on 0407 181 723 or email [email protected]

Tree Scheme-Seedbank


Workshops valued by growers

Each year before the opening of the growing season, the

Tree Scheme hosts a number of Propagation Workshops at the Betty Westwood Nursery, to equip TFL growers with the skills and confi dence they require to do the job right.

And that, of course, is the job of raising strong and healthy seedlings ready for planting out in various revegetation projects across the State.

Volunteer Grower Coordinator, Jennie Howe, said most participants came out of the workshops excited to start growing and were grateful they attended.

“After the workshop fi nishes I usually fi nd that new growers feel more confi dent and can’t wait to get started, and the experienced growers are often surprised to discover they have learned new tricks. The transplanting demonstration is often most interesting to experienced growers as many don’t realise that it is important to transplant when the seedlings are still only small (approx 1-3cm),” Jennie said.

This year we have rolled out 14 workshops, with more than 100 people attending overall. Presented by veteran propagation instructor Harry

Nursery Grown Tubestock 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.

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.

Orders taken between July and November of each year for delivery the following May.

Phone 8406 5000 or email [email protected] for further details.

TFL Tree Scheme Manager Maureen Redfern, far right, with officials at the planting of the 30 millionth seedling in Hawker.

TFL’s 30 millionth seedling planted in Hawker

Trees For Life’s 30 millionth seedling was planted in

Hawker in September.The seedling – a Callitris

glaucophylla (Northern Cypress pine) – was planted by Tree Scheme Manager Maureen Redfern as part of the opening of a new revegetation project in Hawker.

TFL has contributed most of the trees and shrubs for the Hawker project and representatives said they were honoured to have their site chosen for the planting milestone.

Offi cials attending the ceremony included Northern & Yorke Natural Resources Management Board’s Jackie O’Reilly, Flinders Ranges Council Mayor Peter Slattery and Hawker revegetation project Coordinator Cheryl McInnis (pictured above with Maureen Redfern).

Chambis, and Jennie, the workshops provide guided instruction and hands on experience on the more technical steps of growing seedlings, namely, fi lling the tubes correctly and steps for successful transplanting.

Workshops are run each year through October and November, before the start of the season in late November.

Here is what some attendees had to say about the workshops:

“The workshop was relevant, practical and hands on.”

“I learnt a lot! Thankyou!”“Very helpful.”Return grower: “It was very

helpful for reinforcing my knowledge, and I particularly found the transplanting demonstration useful.”

“The hands on experience is a very useful part of the training.”

We are pleased to announce ETSA Utilities will be the new sponsors of our propagation workshops in 2012. Thank you for your valuable support ETSA!

Tree Scheme


402 Deloraine Road, Kersbrook (access off Watts Gully Road).

Large 4 br home 2 bath with picturesque views on 13 acres.

Small vineyard, natural bushland, native animals and more room for revegetation. Abundant bore water. Idyllic living along Heysen trail.

$680,000-$690,000. All offers considered. View on realestate.com.au Phone 0433 513 255.

The mounding machine being trialled on Gus Taheny’s Yorke Peninsula property.

The mounding machine has a ripper that loosens the crusted saline soil and two large opposed discs bring soil together to form a mound above surface level.

Would you like salt with that?By DENNIS HAYLESDirect Seeding Offi cer

Last year I conducted a site visit to a landholder on

Southern Yorke Peninsula interested in TFL’s Carbon Revegetation Program.

Gus Taheny had 21 hectares of low basin country that had been cleared of its predominantly Melaleuca halmaturorum vegetation about 40 years ago and immediately went saline.

While the land did not comply with the requirements of the Carbon Program we started thinking of options to solve the salinity problem.

As a former Primary Industries employee, TFL Direct Seeding Manager David Hein had seen a specialised piece of equipment being used some years ago to address rising salinity at Cooke Plains, where land had rapidly turned from productive to unusable salt scalded wasteland.

The Western Australian designed ‘mounding machine’ has a ripper that loosens the crusted saline soil and two large opposed discs to bring soil together to form a mound which lies above the surface level, and a means to place salt bush seed into the top of the mound.

Rainfall leeches the salt downward and away from the seed bed, allowing the salt bush to germinate in time and establish in the mounded rows.

An application was made to the Native Vegetation Council’s Signifi cant Environmental Benefi ts Grants program and we were successful in gaining funding to trial a rehabilitation project on the site. This area is part of the Para Wurlie Catchment Basin area for the underground water supply to landholders and Southern Yorke Peninsula (SYP) towns including Warooka which do not have mains water available.

The overview of the project is to utilise the mounding machine to rip the soil and

create mounds at 4-5m spacings. This will allow leeching of salt downward and out of the mound over time.

Instead of sowing seed simultaneously with mounding, a seed mix of predominantly Melaleuca halmaturorum plus other local species will then be sown into the top of the mound in the following season (about 10 months’ time).

This will allow maximum time for leeching as native seed is inhibited from germinating in saline soil. Once germinated however, many species can establish successfully.

As the seed delivery system of the mounder is too rudimentary for placing accurate quantities of very fi ne melaleuca and eucalyptus seed, our disc direct seeder will be modifi ed to place the exact amount of seed into the raised mounds.

After establishing an agreement with the owner to hire the mounding machine, we towed it fi rstly to Murray Bridge for service, adjustments and testing, and then on to SYP.

In mid October, we travelled to The Pines on SYP and utilising Gus’s tractor, began on-ground works. Most of the basin area has 300-400mm of soil over solid limestone.

The machine worked quite well in this scenario and we were initially pleased with the results - until disaster struck.

The mounding machine had obviously undergone some major repair works in the past and it didn’t hold up well after hitting some large rocks and sheet limestone this time around.

Put bluntly, the many previously welded sections on the main frame supporting the ripper gave way, breaking the machine in half.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses however, we were able to collect together a generator welder, grinders, steel and equipment to carry out repairs in the paddock and were able to resume and ultimately fi nish the job on schedule.

A total of 35km of mounded rows were fi nally created across 21 hectares of land.

The severity of salinity on

the property ranges from bare scalded soil right through to normal weed grass pasture.

We will trial a range of species using this technique to ascertain where in the spectrum of salt affected soil type successful revegetation of different species can be achieved.

Photo-point monitoring and ongoing stem and species counts form an important part of this trial.

Our thanks and appreciation goes to the NVC and landholder Gus Taheny for their generous support and cooperation.

Priced for quick sale

Direct Seeding


The mounding machine being trialled on Gus Taheny’s Yorke Peninsula property.

Visionaries offset 1700 tonnes carbon

By the time we sit down to our Christmas lunch this

year, TFL Visionaries will have funded 10,000 trees planted for carbon sequestration through our carbon program.

Over their lifetime, these trees will absorb around 1700 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere, helping us all to breathe easier.

Our regular Visionary program gives donors the option of directing their donations to our carbon planting program.

Since introducing the option in 2007 around 100 Visionaries have chosen it. Their donations have helped support plantings at Monarto Zoo in the Mallee and at Levens Beach and White Hut on Southern Yorke Peninsula.

These Visionaries have the added bonus of being able to watch their plantings grow over the years by viewing the planting site reports posted on our website. These are updated every six months. Visionaries

are listed on these reports collectively as TFL donors.

If you want to participate in our carbon program you can make one off or regular contributions direct to TFL Carbon or indirectly through Visionary.

No matter which option you choose your funds will be directed into protected carbon plantings that you can watch grow over time.

Sowing seeds for the future

2011 saw TFL direct seed 55ha on Southern Yorke

Peninsula (SYP) SYP and 8ha at Waitpinga in new carbon plantings. We also carried out some remedial works of 14ha on the 2008 plantings that failed to meet projected targets due to the drought. In total we seeded 194km of rows using 105kg of local provenance seed collected by the TFL team and their trusty volunteers.

This year’s plantings will result in 63,000 trees which will absorb approximately 12,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

3500 seedlings planted at new Templers siteBy SAM RUDOLPHTFL Works Manager

Work is well underway on the two-year Templers

West Revegetation and Landscaping Management Plan TFL Works is contracted to do for ElectraNet. Throughout August and September, the TFL Works team planted just over 3500 local indigenous plants on the site.

Some initial delays resulted in a late start for planting,

however we were able to extend the season because of favourable weather conditions in late winter-early spring.

As part of the approval process for the new substation, ElectraNet had to provide plans for site remediation and screening through establishing local native species plantings. The objective of these plantings is to provide an environmental improvement for the local area.

Over the summer months, watering and weed control will take place in order to give the plants the best chance of survival.

In 2012 a further 1500 plants will be planted to help infi ll the existing plantings.

TFL Works Field Officer Paul Cullen prepares the ground for planting.

TFL Works Field Officer Brett Oakes undertakes some planting.

Direct Seeding Officer Dennis Hayles, with part of the SYP seed mix. About 75kg of seed was taken over to direct seed 55ha, worth an estimated $20,000.

TFL WorksTFL Carbon


Face painting was a big hit with the kids at the picnic.Fiona Johnson with Xanthe Endacott.

An appreciative audience in the main marquee.

The Botherers kept everyone entertained throughout the afternoon.

Lyn and Mike Bartlett, who launched Lyn’s Journal at the picnic.Youngsters Maddie and Christopher Maltby.

Members, volunteers thanked at 30th events

Trees For Life’s 30th Birthday was celebrated by two main events in September – a community picnic (photos this page) and a special reception at Government House (adjacent page).

The aim of both events was to recognise our Foundation and Gold members and thank all those who have been involved with TFL as members, volunteers, sponsors and donors.

A special thank you goes to His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce and Mrs Scarce, and Government House staff, for recognising Trees For Life’s 30th year.

Happy 30th Birthday everyone!

For Members


CMV Foundation Trustee David Crawford and Nicole Crawford with Mary-Anne Healy. Elizabeth Woodham and Kate Parkin.

Great prizes in TFL lottery

Tickets are now available in Trees For Life’s annual

lottery, with 45 prizes worth more than $24,000 – including $10,000 cash – to be won.

The lottery is our main fundraiser and last year helped raise more than $73,000 to support TFL’s on-going environmental programs.

We are hopeful this year’s lottery will be as successful, and thank all businesses and individuals involved in donating prizes.

Once again we have a fi rst prize of $10,000 cash, with second prize a $1200 Dot2dot fully installed Solar Irrigation system and third prize an accommodation package at the Birdsville and Innamincka hotels.

Other prizes include a 5400 litre water tank from Team Poly, a B&B stay at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and 4WD Ridgetop tour, a luxurious night at the Hilton with breakfast, accommodation at Wings Barossa Bird & Bush Retreat, Monarto keeper for a day, return travel to Kangaroo Island, termite inspection, worm farm and several gift vouchers covering home cleaning products, native plants, wine and dining.

As an added incentive, those who sell lottery books this year will have a chance of winning a dozen premium wines from Grosset Wines, valued at $570.

The lottery tickets are just $2 and can be bought from TFL members or the TFL offi ce. If you would like to sell some tickets, or want to purchase tickets, phone us on 8406 0500. The lottery will be drawn on February 7, 2012.

Tom Pearce and John Edmeades.Judy Bayly, Colin Digance and Rob Fairweather.

Clare Longhorn and Barbara Hardy.Dennis and Carolyn Slade with Paul Rosser, Andrew Allanson, Grant Good and Barbara and Geoff Moss.

Long-term Willunga members Faye Lush & Joyce West.

TFL Sponsorship Manager Glenys Perri, centre, with Heide Hackworth from Earth Greetings and Sam Gilbert, of Caramel Computers.

For Members

Trees For Life Summer 2011 Number 121

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

Perpetual Sponsor

14

Mt Bold project a success

SA Water staff recently planted 1000 Trees For Life

seedlings at Mt Bold.A massive revegetation

project at the site started in 2005, with SA Water acquiring 300 hectares of disused agricultural land and revegetating it. This has directly improved the quality of water which makes its way into the water supply following rainfall in the Clarendon Weir catchment area.

An estimated 900,000 seedlings have been planted to date, all of which have been propagated from the local native flora. The project has also seen around 100ha of degraded native vegetation restored through targeted weed control.

The new landscape is establishing very well despite the drought years of 2006 and 2007, according to SA Water Land and Natural Assets spokesman Shaun Kennedy.

“Each year more native fauna are using the revegetated areas such as the Southern Brown Bandicoot, Thornbills, Wrens and Echidna, to name a few,” he said.

“The project is close to other significant bush reserves and the revegetation has great potential to provide important

habitat to support many of our threatened species.

The project has also improved our approach to revegetation on a large scale with numerous trials of establishment methodology, site preparation techniques and improvements in horticultural understanding of local flora with over 45 species being grown in partnership with State Flora.”

The successful propagation and establishment of one species in particular – native cherry (Exocarpus cupressiformis) – is thought to be a first in South Australia. The native cherry is a very important habitat species for many small birds.

TFL Sponsorship Manager Glenys Perri joined the SA Water team on their planting day.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Trees For Life would like to acknowledge and thank

organisations who continue to show their support for the environment through TFL – both financially and in-kind.

This support helps us deliver our vital programs and also helps our incredible team of volunteers.

Lipman Karas Lawyers used this year’s City to Bay Fun Run to raise funds for us, with 62 participants involved. The team designed their own t-shirts and raised around $2487.

Jo Fort from The Outback Loop donated $2000 to TFL from a special Birdsville Races fundraiser. Thank you again for your invaluable support – it is very much appreciated!

Beer donation from Lion

A special thanks goes to Lion Nathan for again donating

some cartons of West End Draught for our volunteers to enjoy after a hard day’s work in the bush. The donation will be used to reward our Bush Action Team volunteers.

Order Xmas wine - and help TFL

If you want to stock up on some quality wines for

Christmas and New Year’s, Geoff Hardy Wines has a great TFL members deal. Not only will you get some beautiful wines, but $20 from every case sold will be donated to TFL!

For a full list of wines and prices, log onto www.treesforlife.org.au and visit our ‘shop’ section.

Orders and payment will only be taken until December 31, 2011, so get in quick.

TFL sponsor Eco-Direct is offering TFL members the opportunity to trial Australia’s leading eco nappy Moltex. Phone 1300 767 076 or order samples from www.ecodirect.com.au.Eco-Direct makes a contribution to TFL for every box of nappies sold.

Member Offers, Sponsors and Supporters


Years of hard work brings gully back to lifeBy JOHN CADDYEnvironment Coordinator, Rotary Club of Burnside & 1st Beaumont Scout Group

In the early 1990s David (as a member of the Rotary Club of

Burnside) initiated an environmental project in conjunction with the Burnside Council to revegetate a disused quarry and council rubbish dump within Chambers Gully Park.

Chambers Gully Park is located in the foothills off Waterfall Gully Road to the south east of the City of Burnside within the Cleland Conservation Park and the First Creek and River Torrens Catchment Areas.

It is primarily used for recreation purposes that include two local gun clubs and numerous walking trails.

The quartz and bluestone quarry was operational from 1912 to the 1950s after which it was used by the Burnside Council as a rubbish dump. When the disused quarry had served its useful life as a rubbish dump, Council capped the area with a layer of clay and ‘clean’ fi ll. The area lay wasted and denuded of vegetation for many years.

The projectFrom the inception of

the project the Rotary Club of Burnside undertook the propagation and planting of 200-500 seedlings annually and

the watering and maintenance of these young trees within the area with some technical and practical assistance from the Burnside Council, Green Corps and Trees For Life.

Council has provided seed collected from remnant vegetation indigenous to the area for propagation to ensure the biodiversity of the area is maintained. This has all been under the organisation, leadership and direction of David Harvey.

Since 2001 the Beaumont Scout Group (at the invitation of Rotary) has taken an increasingly active role in the project. All sections of the Scout Group (youth members aged 6 through 24, their parents and leaders) have been involved in the propagation and planting of seedlings.

The Scout Group undertakes this project as a community service, as well as providing youth members with education, training and hands-on experience in land, fl ora and fauna conservation, plant husbandry and environmental responsibility.

This community engagement through Rotary has enabled the Rotary Club and Council to source some fi nancial assistance with grants from Our Patch and the Mount Lofty Natural Resource Management Board.

These funds have also enabled council to control the growth and spread of pest plants in the area of revegetation.

In 2007 the revegetation of the Chambers Gully quarry site was completed, the result of approximately 16 to 17 years involvement and countless man hours of work by volunteers from Rotary, Beaumont Scouts, Green Corps and Our Patch.

Benefi tsThe revegetated quarry and

environs now provides new vegetation that is indigenous to the area, increased habitat for native fauna, reduced soil erosion and contamination of creek water in the catchment area and an aesthetically

The Rotary Club of Burnside, in conjunction with the 1st Beaumont Scout Group, recently nominated one of its members – who also just happens to be a long-term Trees For Life member – for a Thank You Tree award. David Harvey has been instrumental in helping turn a disused quarry-cum-rubbish dump into an important environmental site and helping educate children and many adults, along the way. This is his story …

pleasing approach into the park.The project has provided

an increased knowledge, understanding and awareness for our youth, of the benefi ts of environmental conservation, performing community service and the role of service clubs within our community.

David gets his hands dirty installing tree guards to protect the newly planted seedlings.

David Harvey, left, shows a group of volunteer planters how to remove the seedlings from the tubes.

Your Story ...


Maggie the m

agpie by Hannah

Did you know?

Did you know that Australian Magpies, such

as the Kids Branch’s own “Maggie”, sing one of the world’s most intricate bird songs?

Their carolling is often performed as a duet or as a choir, and has given rise to their uncommon nickname of “fl ute bird”. Magpies not only sing their own bird songs, but can also mimic songs of over 35 other bird species. They have also been known to copy the sounds of dogs, horses and even humans!

True or falseIn SA it is possible to distinguish adult female magpies from adult male magpies just by looking at them.

Studies suggest that some magpies have been shown to recognise individual humans.

Feeding bread to magpies is good for them.

Thanks to the wonderful students at Walkerville Primary School who undertook the Greenest Class fundraiser as part of the Messenger campaign last term.

Goodwood Primary School students also show they care for the environment by undertaking the Greenest Class fundraiser. Both schools receieved some local native seedlings from TFL for their wonderful efforts.

Hi Kids! Thank you to those of you who visited the Kids

Branch area at our 30th Birthday picnic.

It was a really fantastic day with lots of fun activities, including giant board games and Lego blocks, craft, ball games, face painting and getting close to some amazing Australian animals. It was a really special way to celebrate such a special anniversary.

Take a look at some of the great photos from our picnic below, as well as our craft corner at Womad’s Earth Station this year.

Thanks and congratulations also to several Adelaide primary schools who participated in the Green Schools fundraiser through Messenger newspapers recently. It’s great to see so many of you really wanting to

help the environment - there are some amazing projects taking place which certainly help grow a better future!

If your school missed out this year, we’ll be running the fundraiser in Term 3, 2012, so keep an eye out. Until next time, keep growing!

BESS

Snake handling at the 30th picnic. The cute wombat was a big hit.

Craft activities at Earth Station.

Snakes & Rabbits was a fun activity.

True – the upper tail & shoulder is white in males and grey in females.

True – during the breeding season, magpies may target/swoop certain individual people (often people who have mistreated them) over and over again.

False – bread is far from a natural food source for birds and can actually make them unwell.

Spectacular face painting.

The crafts kept everyone entertained.

releaf summer 2011

Documents

future of trees

healthy trees

production of trees

life summer

young board

yorke peninsula2 trees

board colleagues

community confi dence