Annual Landcare Report-Robyn Gill

2015 was a big event in Landcaring in Coal Point as the 20th ANNIVERSARY of the formation of the group – one of the earlier groups in Lake Macquarie. Our special environment of 13 reserves received even more attention with 2 community events to add to the usual and growing “on the ground” effort.

By the time we were ready to celebrate our 20 years of effort in November the “locals” had put in 1098 hours of on-ground work by working weekly and 1300 plants for the year 2015. Lake Macquarie Council, as part of their contribution to the TSLS Project, provided plants. Efforts to total our 20 years of landcaring hours were collated by John Sharples and the group has recorded approximately 10,000 hours.

2015 was the 4th year of the 6 year project Threatened Species last Stand. The dimensions of the programme have provided for community participation in varied ways from

backyard surveys where community members were interested to spotlight and daytime walks. A volunteer team, with a professional Bush Regenerator as leader, from Trees In Newcastle make a much valued contribution to the work.

Our NATIONAL TREE DAY planting for the year has made a great contribution to CAREY BAY WETLAND - the first and last of the reserves noticed in our home “patch” as we travel. It appears so much better maintained and maintenance is so much easier as a result.

Our workday lunch and the community TRIVIA NIGHT in November in the hall were a fitting way to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of our landcaring efforts- we made use of one of the reserves and the Progress Association hall in ways that the farsighted people who appreciated the reserve and built the hall would have been happy with.

We are also able to celebrate that the very special RIDGE RESERVE at the centre of our environment is still growing - enlarged by council buyback of land where offered by landholders (rather than reduced in the way some such special places seem to be). The recent Hazard Reduction/Asset Protection burn in a surprisingly diverse area of the ridge ends a long time of hoping that it would be given priority and gives us hope that significant restoration can happen there.