New BAT Bus

Funding for BFL, Direct Seeding

Order seedlings

Children nurture nature

Carbon farming

Winter 2012 Issue 123

Trees For Life Winter 2012 Number 123

President’s Message General News

Time for a change at the helm for Trees For Life

Elsewhere in this edition you’ll find a call for nominations to serve on the Trees For Life Board. Part of the process this year will be directed towards identifying a successor

to ‘yours truly’ as I will not be seeking re-election when my term expires in 18 months’ time at the AGM in October 2013.

By then I will have served more than 13 years as President and my judgment is that TFL will be ready for a change, some fresh ideas and renewed leadership vigour. My time in the chair has been a great experience surrounded by some wonderful people and all in all a tremendous honour. But it’s time to move on.

Why the need to identify a successor given that my final curtain is still 18 months away? We currently have an excellent Board full of diverse talents but our consensus is that we should try to maximise our options in terms of the leadership of the organisation.

We are about to go through a period of generational change and would prefer to do so in a planned way rather than relying on luck. The search is already underway to find a suitable replacement for Carmel Dundon who, after six successful years, completes her time with us as CEO. Carmel leaves in November this year. The Board’s view is that we should also be trying to identify the next President or at least suitable candidates to enable the transition to be as seamless as possible. The CEO is a paid position appointed by the Board while the President is voluntary, must be a TFL financial member and is appointed at the behest of the membership.

What is required of the President and what should they bring to the position? In my view there’s not a simple formula and each incumbent will be different in style and performance. Consider ex-presidents Burr Dodd, Andy Sutherland, Karen Possingham and myself and you’ll find a quartet of quite different individuals. One characteristic, however, predominates: a passionate commitment to TFL and its aims. In addition we’ll be striving to find someone with a big picture perspective, someone who can bring enthusiasm and a fresh set of ideas to TFL. They will need a strong appreciation of the strengths and cultural values of the organisation and have ideas to build on them. The keys to our success are members, volunteers, staff and supporters; we pride ourselves on our integrity, professionalism and practicality.

It’s my judgement that the time’s right for a modicum of renewal. With the right leadership, constancy of vision and some different approaches, we can recapture the pioneering spirit of the 1980s but harness it to a thoroughly modern, progressive and successful organisation. The challenges of operating in the not-for-profit sector are many and varied and require imaginative solutions - which is why we continue to diversify our income streams and develop new services to supplement our flagship Tree Scheme and Bush For Life program. If you’re interested give me a call on 8251 1088 or alternatively an email on dm_mitchell@bigpond.com and I’ll happily share a few more thoughts with you.

By DAVID MITCHELL, TFL President

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: Azolla filiculoides Water Fern by Peter Watton

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

TFL member and one of the Bush Action Team (BAT) bus donors, Tom Pearce, left, cuts the ribbon from the new bus, watched on by the BAT team Randall Bates, Paul Cullen, Jenna Currie and Matt Endacott.

Call for Board nominations

If you’d like to increase your involvement with Trees For Life, consider nominating for a position on

the Board.Positions up for re-election at the

AGM on October 18 are Vice President, Treasurer and three Ordinary Member positions.

A TFL Board nomination form appears on Page 12 of this ReLeaf edition. Simply fill in the details and send it back to us here at TFL.

Solar readings

Oh Joy! A new BAT Bus

The arrival of our new BAT bus was a great cause for celebration. The member appeal to help us

replace the bus attracted great interest and support and we were able to raise $43,000 towards the cost.

This is a truly amazing effort and we sincerely thank each of the 291 members, including The Harvey Foundation, who made a donation. We were pleased to invite TFL member Tom Pearce, who kicked off the campaign with a significant contribution, to represent all the donors at a symbolic ribbon cutting ceremony.

At the ceremony Tom said he hoped the bus would reflect our volunteers’ attributes in being reliable, dependable, it would keep going and work well in all sorts of situations!

The new bus is roomy and has good safety features so our volunteers can ride easily and safely to their bushcare sites.

We would also like to thank CMI Toyota at West Terrace for committing to servicing the vehicle for us at no charge. This is a wonderful gesture that will help keep our funds directed to important environmental work.

TFL gets $418,000 in biodiversity funding

Two Trees For Life programs have been granted more than $418,000 from the first round of the Federal

Government’s Biodiversity Fund.The Direct Seeding Program

will receive $341,300 for a six-year restoration and revegetation project involving properties at Point Yorke on Southern Yorke Peninsula, while the Bush For Life Program will receive $77,500 to work with private landholders on high value biodiversity sites.

An estimated $47 million was granted to projects throughout South Australia under round one - $2.6 million in the first year. SA received the second largest funding allocation after NSW. 

This is a much needed boost for biodiversity conservation in South Australia. 

A large number of projects within NatureLinks corridors have been funded, including some of our high profile projects such as WildEyre and Living Flinders. Congratulations to everyone who received funding under this round.

For more information on the Direct Seeding project, see page 9.

Our thanks to solar panels sponsor, Green Switch.

What’s on…June 5 - BFL Workshop

@ Strathalbyn

June 5 - World Environment Day: TFL @ Botanic Gardens

June 16 - BFL Workshop @ Norton Summit

June 17 - BAT ‘Come n Try” @ Hallett Cove

June 21-22 - BFL Advanced Workshop @ Brooklyn Park

June 28 - Seed Collecting Workshop @ Belair

June 30 - BFL Workshop @ Brooklyn Park

June 30 - BAT ‘Come n Try’ @ Blackwood

July 5 - Group Seed Collecting Day @ Murray Bridge

July-Nov - Nursery Tubestock orders open

July 12 - BFL Advanced Workshop @ Brooklyn Park

July 14 - BAT ‘Come n Try” @ Enfield

July 19 - BFL Workshop @ Elizabeth

July 25 - Group Seed Collecting Day @ Myponga

July 27 - National Schools Tree Day

July 28 - BFL Workshop @ Brighton

July 29 - National Tree Day

Aug 3 - BAT ‘Come n Try’ @ Belair

Aug 4 - BFL Workshop @ Tanunda

Aug 14 - BFL Workshop @ Aberfoyle Park

Aug 17 - Tree Scheme landholder orders close

Aug 24 - Seed Collecting Workshop @ Robe

Sept 11 - BAT ‘Come n Try’ @ Cherry Gardens

For more details on workshops, see page 12

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Trees For Life Winter 2012 Number 123

Trees For Towns project enters final phase

We’re currently in Phase Three of our inaugural Trees For Towns project – or as we

like to call it, the fun end of our special community based project.

During the next few months all the hard work put in by our fantastic 30 communities will come to fruition in the form of community planting days and celebrations. Each community group will be planting 1000 seedlings, resulting in 30,000 native seedlings being planted throughout the state.

A couple of groups have already held their planting days, while most are busy preparing their planting sites.

Port Broughton was the first to get its planting underway in May, teaming up with Year 9 students from Port Broughton Area School and Friends of Broughton Beach South.

Minda Inc planted its seedlings on May 14, with the help of Brighton High School students.

Many groups are choosing to involve schools in the planting and so have chosen to plant on or close to Schools Tree Day or National Tree Day in late July.

The Berri Lions Club group will focus on planting up a riverside patch of land called Martin’s Bend with Glossop High and Berri Primary school students for National Tree Day, with the local Metropolitan Fire Service team on-hand to help supply water and create a fun atmosphere for the kids.

We hope to bring you some wonderful community photographs from the Trees For Towns plantings in the September issue of ReLeaf, as well as a wrap-up of what has been an extremely worthwhile and rewarding environmental project for South Australia.

General News

200,000 seedlings to be planted this winter – come and help!

The SA Urban Forests Million Trees Program planting events have been finalised for 2012, with

200,000 plants - many grown by Trees For Life volunteers - set to be planted this year.

Community planting days will be held on Saturdays, giving members of the public an opportunity to help protect, conserve and enhance Adelaide’s native vegetation. The scheduled events are:• Para Woodlands (near Gawler) –

June 23• Port Willunga - July 7• Craigburn Farm (Blackwood Park) –

July 21• Gawler Buffer – July 28• Belair National Park (National Tree

Day) – July 29• Tainmundilla Adelaide Parklands

(National Tree Day) – July 29• Onkaparinga River National Park –

August 4• Onkaparinga River Recreation Park

– August 25To find out more about these and other events, visit our website at www.milliontrees.com.au and click on the Calendar of Events link.

By planting three million local native plants across the Adelaide metropolitan area by 2014, the program aims to help improve local biodiversity, improve air and water quality, reduce water use and help create a healthier local environment to benefit residents, visitors and future generations. The goal is to restore

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.

approximately 2000 hectares of native vegetation and increase the public’s environmental awareness through active involvement and education.

Thank youIf you would like to join the Friends of the Urban Forests and find out more information about the Million Trees Program or if you would like to get involved, please visit our website, phone 8278 0600 or email info@urbanforest.on.net.

The Million Trees Program would also like to say a big thank you to all the Trees For Life volunteers who have helped grow many of the seedlings that will be planted this year.

Le Fevre joins schools program

Le Fevre High School has joined our Schools Big Backyard Program.The first of four workshops was

held on April 27, involving 12 Special Ed students and six school staff. Many of the students are undertaking a SACE unit on growing plants and this project will help to consolidate their horticulture skills.

The Le Fevre students will grow 300 seedlings, comprising 11 native plant species such as grasses, rushes, groundcovers and small shrubs. The seedlings will be planted around a pond area, within the garden perimeter and fill in any spaces in the raised garden beds throughout the school grounds.

Our second participating school, Alberton Primary School, held its second workshop on March 28. Having achieved an excellent germination rate the students were guided through the steps of thinning out by removing all but the strongest seedling from each tube and using small excess seedlings for transplanting into empty tubes.

The final step was to sort each box of seedlings by height so that small seedlings are not shaded by the tall seedlings.

Further workshops will be held in June and August.

Le Fevre teachers and students fill tubes during their first Schools Big Backyard workshop.

Above: Flourishing seedlings grown by the Naracoorte group, left, and the Wallaroo group, at right. The seedlings will enhance specific areas within their townships.

New-look ReLeaf

You may have noticed a slight change to the look of ReLeaf.Some of you might remember

our major change to the colour A4 ReLeaf in 2007, implemented through a new relationship with graphic design company Fusion.

We have recently taken another step and entered into a wonderful new partnership with one of Adelaide’s

Donors help fund much-needed database

Thanks so much to the 53 wonderful members who gave a donation through our annual

Major Donor Appeal in April. The $11,130 raised will be

directed towards the acquisition of an information and membership management system that will replace our 21 year-old database.

While it is always hard to direct funds away from on-ground works and into administration, the need to replace the old system is now so critical that failing to act represented a considerable risk to Trees for Life.

The new system will be introduced in two stages over the next twelve months.

The second stage will revolutionise our interaction with you and you with us. You will be able to log in to our website and update your details, see your current membership, donation and volunteer status, get information relevant to your interests and set your communications preferences which will hopefully reduce our mail costs and ensure you only hear from us when you want to.

Easy accessVolunteers will also be able to lodge site reports from home making it easier for us all to map our environmental progress.

This member interaction component has received a welcome injection of $20,000 from the John T Reid Charitable Trusts and we thank them for their assistance.

The next donation appeal is the End of Financial Year Appeal which goes out this month. If you don’t receive an invitation to contribute but would like to, please let us know.

fastest growing graphic design companies, Image & Substance, which will now be overseeing ReLeaf. The creative team at Image & Substance has added a few new little touches to ReLeaf which we love – and hope you do too.

And rest assured that ReLeaf still retains its green paper credentials, printed by the fantastic team at Finsbury Green.

Get your school to go green

Trees For Life is again partnering with Messenger Press for the Greenest Class competition which

will run from July 23 for a six-week period.

Get your school involved in the “I helped Grow a Tree’ fundraiser - for every $2 raised we will grow a tree to help regreen the landscape, and for every $100 raised your class will receive a box of local mixed native plants for your school ground.

Visit the Trees For Life website for more information about how your school can get involved.

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Trees For Life Winter 2012 Number 123

Tree Scheme

Time to place your orders

The Trees For Life ordering season is now open, so landholders wanting seedlings to plant in 2013

should place an order with Trees For Life before August 17.

Trees For Life’s local native seedlings are provided at well below cost thanks to our sponsor SA Water and our members contributions. You can choose to grow your own seedlings or request that they be grown to order by a volunteer grower.

Ordering Trees For Life seedlings is as simple as 1, 2, 31. Ensure your financial membership

is current to January 1, 2013 2. Fill in the zone order form and pay

a $55 materials and supply fee3. Receive your materials in November

2012 if you are growing your own seedlings.

Planning aheadMost regions throughout SA have experienced good rainfall in the past 12 months and this augers well for vegetation - whether it be existing vegetation or new seedlings.

The soil moisture is good and, coupled with the use of local provenance stock, will hopefully result in fantastic success rates.

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.

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.

Orders taken between July and November of each year for delivery the following May. Phone 8406 0500 or email info@treesforlife.org.au

for further details.

Don’t forget that maintaining a consistent and regular planting regime will ensure a successful revegetation project over the long term.

Choosing plants is made easy with a species listThe TFL species list includes a height and shape classification of each plant, what soil type it is best suited to and a description of its possible uses, including windbreak, shade, firewood or shelter. If preferred, we can choose species to suit your property for you.

These seedlings are not only native to SA, but grown from seed collected within the TFL zone into which they will then be planted. This means they occur naturally and are adapted to local conditions, therefore having a higher survival rate. They are

also water efficient, pose no risk of becoming weed species and provide homes for local fauna.

Matching growers and landholdersEach year we receive requests from landholders who would like to be matched to a particular volunteer grower.

We are happy to accommodate requests and are pleased to see successful grower/landholder relationships develop and thrive. We do ask, however, that a few guidelines be followed:1. The nominated grower is a member

of Trees For Life2. They fill out a volunteer grower

form stating that they want to grow for you

3. They must be offering to grow the same number of boxes that you have ordered

Similarly, if volunteer growers want to grow for a particular landholder, the landholder needs to place an order before August 17.

We also ask that landholders and volunteer growers discuss the joint arrangements between themselves before putting forward their names to us. If you need to know more, for example, someone’s membership number, don’t hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to receiving your orders and assisting in your revegetation of rural South Australia.

Ready to plant? Here’s some tips

With the volunteer growers’ job now complete, it is the turn of the landholder to finish off

the cycle by planting the tubestock. Here are a few tips to ensure you get

great results.• Transport: when transporting your

seedlings it is important that you carry them in a covered vehicle so they don’t suffer wind damage or dry out.

• Holding: before planting, keep your seedlings up off the ground, well watered and in full sunlight. Protect them from snails, caterpillars, grasshoppers, dogs, footballs and other hazards, and keep them weeded.

• Too tall? if your seedlings are too tall you can cut them back to about 15cms. They will grow bushy and be stronger than tall spindly ones.

• Watering: just before planting your seedlings, water them well.

The next step Cut the tube to remove the seedling. Make the incision at the bottom of the tube and slit the tube right up to the top.

This is the best way to remove seedlings from the soft plastic TFL tubes and results in least disturbance to the roots. Sharp blades obviously work best, but please take care and prevent cuts to hands by wearing leather gloves. Don’t give this job to very young members of the planting team.

Once cut, open the tube right out, and remove and plant the seedling in the prepared hole. Backfill with friable soil, firm down and water if possible. When planting, try not to lose any soil from the roots but don’t discard the seedlings if this happens – just make sure to backfill soil firmly around the roots.

Left: As you can see by these photos we had people of all ages grow and deliver some fantastic seedlings for back-up this season. A huge thanks from us all at TFL for doing such a great job - and we’re sure landholders throughout the state are very appreciative of your hard work.

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Trees For Life Winter 2012 Number 123

Justifiably proud of what they’ve achieved at the Research Road Bush For Life site near Strathalbyn are Maggie Hincks and Dean Mortimer.

Littlehampton Primary School students work on the Coppin’s Bush site.

Bush For Life

Anne Kirk is glad she took the plunge and attended a Come & Try event.

Children nurture nature at LittlehamptonBy Angela Cullen, BFL Regional Coordinator

Coppin’s Bush, Littlehampton, is the latest addition to the Bush For Life sites in the District

Council of Mount Barker. The four hectare remnant of South

Australian Blue-Gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp leucoxylon) open woodland site was established as a flora and fauna reserve in 1979 and became a Bush For Life (BFL) site in August last year.

This old quarry site, where old-growth blue-gums were once felled and the understorey cleared, now contains at least 114 native plant species. It is a special place with a walking trail where the community can come and enjoy the local wildlife and see what plants existed in the area before the land was cleared for agriculture, industry and housing.

Weed controlTrees For Life began contract bushcare work on the site in 2006. Our work has included the primary clearance of gorse, broom, sweet pittosporum, cotoneaster, Cootamundra wattle, hawthorn, bridal creeper, watsonia and ivy across the entire reserve, and large areas of periwinkle have been controlled. cocksfoot, pentaschistis, phalaris and perennial veldt grass has also been treated. This has allowed for the substantial regeneration of native bushland plants and has also

significantly reduced the bushfire fuel load. 

Friends groupOne advantage of the Coppin’s Bush site is that it came with a ready made group of carers - a ‘Friends’ group which consists of a few local residents along with staff and students from the nearby Littlehampton Primary School. A BAT earlier this year enabled BFL staff and volunteers to work alongside school students and staff in continuing the follow-up treatment of gorse and broom.

I am delighted with the teachers who take the time to bring the children into the bushland where

they learn about local flora and fauna and its associated threats, as well as participating in its care.

Helping the children understand and appreciate the natural world - and allowing the bush to imprint itself upon them - will help ensure that areas of bushland such as this will survive and thrive.

If you are interested in helping care for this or other sites within BFL, phone 8406 0500 and speak to Emma or email bfl@treesforlife.org.au

(A big thank also to the District Council of Mount Barker for its ongoing support of the BFL program.)

Road regeneration a win for the environmentBy Sue Bradstreet, BFL Regional Coordinator

A site of significant indigenous flora is again bursting with vitality after many years of degradation.

In June 1996 when the Research Road Bush For Life site was established about 6km south of Strathalbyn, it

was still being used as a vehicle track. The heavily rutted two-wheel track -

suitable for dry weather use only - was subjected to indiscriminate and illegal use by people through all seasons, including rubbish dumping, firewood collection and ‘bush-bashing’.

Despite the poor visible condition of the site, environmentally it has always been significant - a diverse Eucalyptus fasciculosa Open Woodland with mallee eucalypts, a shrub understorey, sedge and herbaceous groundcover and native grasses. The site also contains many rare and vulnerable species including the nationally vulnerable Olearia pannosa ssp. pannosa (silver daisy bush) and supports a number of bird species.

One of BFL’s diligent volunteers, Jac Dittmar, initially worked on a 1400m section of the road reserve, removing bridal creeper, broad leaf weeds and weed grasses.

When Jac moved from the area Dean Mortimer and Don Truran continued to care for the site and now Dean and Maggie Hincks have made it their special project, visiting the site on a weekly basis.

Intense lobbyingAfter intense lobbying from the volunteers and Trees For Life, the Alexandrina Council closed the road to motor vehicles in September 2008. A decision to let the track regenerate by itself instead of ‘ripping’ the track to fill in the ruts and promote germination has since paid dividends.

There is now a proliferation of native species. The ruts have filled with leaf litter and have encouraged the germination of Austrostipa sp. (spear grasses) and Austrodanthonia sp. (wallaby grasses).

Many Melaleuca acuminata and Melaleuca lanceolata seedlings are germinating and thriving in bare patches. Acacia pycnantha, Acacia hakeoides, Bursaria spinosa and Eucalyptus sp., Enchylaena tomentosa, Einadia nutans ssp. nutans, Clematis microphylla var. microphylla, convolvulus sp., vittadinia sp. are also germinating.

Winning battleThe largest weed problem is Asparagus asparagoides (bridal creeper) which blankets the site in the cooler months. Treatment with bridal creeper rust began in 2004/2005 with wider and more intense applications applied every year from 2008. In the last couple of years rust has established itself over a large proportion of the site with very little flowering and fruiting of the bridal creeper detected during 2011 - mainly due to Maggie’s thorough work.

Through careful and consistent work, most of the broad-leaved weeds have also been removed, with only isolated germinations being detected. These weeds included Scabiosa atropurpurea (pincushion) and Marrubium vulgare (horehound). One other prolific weed, Oxalis pes-caprae (soursob), has yet to be targeted for control.

Rabbits re-entered the site early in 2006 and by mid-2008 had bred up to occupy 15 locations on site. They caused significant damage to the native vegetation until baiting took place in March 2010. The increase in native grasses since then has been amazing.

“About September last year we were walking along the site and for the first time it felt like we were winning – most of the bridal creeper was suffering from rust, the rabbits were gone, the natives were flourishing and self-sown seedlings were springing up over the tracks,” Maggie said. In summary, a site of significant indigenous flora is again bursting with vitality after many years of degradation due to exotic plants, feral animals and irresponsible human behaviour. Four significant events have had the greatest effect on this turnaround: the road closure, the control of rabbits, the spread of Bridal Creeper rust and most significantly, the love and care for the site by Maggie and Dean.

Last time on the site we watched a kangaroo using the track and I’m sure it also joins me in saying ‘thank you’. Thanks also the Alexandrina Council for its ongoing support of 18 Bush For Life sites.

Come & Try days: I tried, I liked, I’ll come back

Late last year Anne Kirk rolled up her sleeves, took the plunge and booked into one of Bush For Life’s

‘Come & Try’ days.She admits it was a “slightly

daunting” move, but one she is very glad she took.

Anne wasn’t a member and had not heard of the Bush For Life program.

Having retired from regular hockey playing a year earlier, Anne felt it was time she got more active again. After reading an email about different environmental volunteering opportunities, Anne “bit the bullet” and set about gathering more information. With her full-time work and only weekends available, it was a Saturday ‘Come & Try’ BAT in October that stood out as the opportunity she’d been looking for.

Reassurance that she didn’t need to know anything about bush regeneration before attending also helped. Anne’s experience at the Hallett Cove Come & Try day was a positive one.

“I’m making a difference and being active ... I didn’t realise I’d have such fun,” she said.

After attending a few more Come & Try days, Anne decided she wanted to take the next step and become a Bush For Life volunteer, so booked into an Introductory Bush For Life workshop.

She is now a group activities volunteer and hopes to get to an

activity every month. This suits her because there are weekend options available, and she gets to browse the quarterly Group Activity Schedule, mark off the ones she wants to attend, then book in around her own busy schedule.

Anne said that group activities appealed to her because “I get to see different areas that I wouldn’t usually get to see, meet different people of all different age groups and know I’m making a difference.

“I’m glad I came to Come & Try’s first before doing the workshop… it gave me more confidence.”

And her advice to others? “If you’re thinking about doing it, just do it!”

BFL is holding four Come & Try BATs per quarter so anyone can participate. These will be published in ReLeaf’s ‘What’s on…’ column on Page 2.

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Trees For Life Winter 2012 Number 123

Direct Seeding - TFL Works Farnill, TFL Carbon

Grant set to restore and revegetate Point Yorke propertiesBy David Hein, Direct Seeding Manager

A grant application, submitted by me and Direct Seeding Officer Dennis Hayles to the Federal

Government’s Biodiversity Fund for $341,300, has been approved.

The grant will be used to revegetate 131 hectares of marginal agricultural land and restore 61 hectares of bushland on two adjoining properties at Point Yorke on Southern Yorke Peninsula.

This will be completed over a six year period.The project outcomes include:1. Establish 131,000 local provenance

plants of multi-storey structure using Trees For Life (TFL) direct seeding and TFL tubestock

2. Restore and buffer 29 hectares of existing remnant vegetation on the properties

3. Restore and buffer 1.7 kilometres (approximately 30 hectares) of

coastal vegetation on the southern boundary of the properties

4. Restore and buffer 1.3 kilometres of roadside vegetation on the northern boundary of the properties

5. Reconnect existing coastal vegetation to remnant vegetation to the north of the properties with a 1.5 kilometre wide corridor

6. Control vertebrate pests ie. rabbits and foxes, to ensure the success of the project and reduce their impact on local biodiversity

7. Impart knowledge and skills of environmental issues including revegetation, restoration and invasive species management to local groups

8. Liaise with and support the land owners in long term management and further enhancement of their properties including further tube-stock revegetation of additional species that will broaden the biodiversity of the plantings

This is a landscape changing project and while there will be many challenges to achieving the goals set, I think that with input from other TFL programs and our dedicated volunteers, it will be very successful.

TFL acknowledges and thanks the Federal Government for providing funding for this important project.

Farnill news

Work is ready to start in earnest on developing the Farnill Biodiversity Research site at

Flaxley. A detailed site management plan

has been drafted and we already have a core group of six volunteers who will form the inaugural Friends of Farnill team. If you want to join this group it is not too late.

We are working to a five year plan so even if you can’t start now you might like to register for future participation.

It is envisaged that the Friends of Farnill will meet on site once a month (excepting January and February) on a predetermined day to work under the guidance of Olga Farnill and a TFL staff member.

The work of the volunteer team will be supported by on-ground works from our TFL Works team and some corporate volunteer events. If you want to be part of this really exciting initiative register with our front desk or email your details. (see page 1 for contact details)

Will you make your fortune through carbon farming?

In the Autumn ReLeaf Suzanne Dickey of Finlaysons outlined the general opportunities presented by the

Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI). Landholder members may be

wondering whether this represents a financial windfall.

Our advice is that planning a carbon planting for the open carbon market is still a very speculative venture. You will have to consider a number of upfront costs such as planting, maintenance, legal, auditing and registration costs against a possible sale price for your carbon credits from around year five.

Once you have earned your credits you will still need someone to retail them for you and that will incur additional fees. While the price of carbon is set for the next three years what will happen to it after that is anyone’s guess.

Our advice would be to plan your planting first and foremost for biodiversity but keep in mind the requirements of a carbon planting. We can advise on that.

TFL members Doug and Olga Farnill have given us a wonderful legacy gift: 50 per cent ownership of their 25 hectare property. Signing the official paperwork recently with Doug and Olga are TFL President David Mitchell (front left), with Direct Seeding Officer Dennis Hayles and TFL Vice President Michael Cain.

Team helps endangered Spiny Daisy

The TFL works team recently travelled to Hart in South Australia’s Mid North to help

our Threatened Species Officer Erica Rees weed a Spiny Daisy site found there.

The Hart site contains one of just five existing populations of the critically endangered Spiny Daisy (Acanthocladium dockeri) in SA.

The daisy, presumed extinct in NSW, is a low blue-grey shrub which grows to about 0.5 metres in height. The leaves and branches are covered in a whitish to blue-grey fur and the flowers are small and yellow.

Despite regular flowering, the Spiny Daisy produces very little viable seed and no seedlings have ever been observed in the wild.

Photo by Rob Fairweather

There may be opportunities for you to access some Biodiversity Fund grant monies to establish a planting over the next few years. Once again, we would be interested in assisting with this.

With your planting established you can later decide whether it is financially feasible to take the next step to register the planting and claim any carbon credits.

The CFI allows for multiple sites to be registered as a single carbon forest so TFL landholders may be able to opt in with some existing plantings.

Once TFL has obtained its Recognised Offset Entity status we will offer this service to members if we consider it financially worthwhile to all parties.

Keep reading ReLeaf for further updates.

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Trees For Life Winter 2012 Number 123

Congratulations to our Willunga Trees For Life group, which celebrated its 25th birthday in April. Above left: Julie Taylor from the SA National Trust Willunga Branch presents a National Trust SA certificate to Willunga TFL coordinator Julie Turner in recognition of 25 years of outstanding volunteering in the Willunga region. Right: The magnificent Willunga TFL birthday cake.

Member Pages

Get out and enjoy life with the Entertainment Book

Trees For Life is selling copies of this year’s Entertainment Book.The book contains hundreds of

valuable offers – receive up to 50% off

Farewell to long-term TFL members

Our condolences go to the family and friends of Sue Harrap, Ernie Broad and Elizabeth Heinrich

- three long-term Trees For Life members who recently passed away.

Sue gave a lot of time to TFL and was a very well-known and liked member. She was a bushcarer, volunteered at the nursery, helped with data entry and even helped in admin at our front desk late last year.

Ernie was a member of the Gawler Trees For Life branch who, for many years, helped out at the boxing up and depot days.

Elizabeth Heinrich was one of Trees For Life’s original members. Her husband Noel said he would be continuing her membership in her honour.

Food security the focus of Lolo’s new book

Trees For Life’s very own Lolo Houbein has released her eagerly-awaited sequel to One Magic

Square – Outside the Magic Square.Outside the Magic Square considers

issues of food security and offers solutions at the street, neighbourhood and global levels.

Mixing gardening advice and food plot design with discussion of pressing issues like global warming, dwindling oil supplies and the future for farmers and GM foods, Lolo challenges everyday people to mobilise for food security.

Her book is also a practical guide, with tips on how to lay out your salad plot or vegetable garden, enrich your soil and maximise your harvest.

Outside the Magic Square is illustrated with an abundance of colourful photographs and enriched with anecdotes from individuals who have made the change to healthy, responsible living.

Outside the Magic Square is available at most book stores. Congratulations Lolo on another wonderful achievement!

2012 Bush For Life 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 For Life workshop. Phone 8406 0500 to register

for workshops.

Tues June 5 Strathalbyn

Sat June 16 Norton Summit

Sat June 30 Brooklyn Park

Thurs July 19 Elizabeth

Sat July 28 Brighton

Sat August 4 Tanunda

Tues August 14 Aberfoyle Park

Sat September 15 Murray Bridge

2012 Advanced BFL workshopsBrushcutter Use & Maintenance June 21+22 Brooklyn Park & Field

Broadleaf Weed Control in Grassy Ecosystems Jul 12 Brooklyn Park

Basic Plant Identification Sep 20 Stirling

Basic Plant Identification Sep 22 Eden Hills (Karinya)

Grass ID + Management Oct 25 Brooklyn Park

Grass ID + Management Oct 27 Eden Hills (Karinya)

2012 seed collecting workshops (SC1)Thurs June 28 Belair

Fri August 24 Robe

2012 group seed collecting days (SD1)Thurs July 5 Murray Bridge

Wed July 25 Myponga

Car pooling will be arranged for the group seed collecting days. Phone Bruce Smith on (08) 8406 0500 for more information.

Help conserve The Cedars

Back in 1988 a small group of keen environmentalists decided to form a volunteer group to protect and

regenerate the remnant native bush at The Cedars, home of the late Sir Hans Heysen near Hahndorf.

Sir Hans purchased most of the 150 acres of land at The Cedars for the sole purpose of saving the trees which were being cut down at an alarming rate.

After many years, the property was being invaded by woody weeds and much of the once pristine native bush was under threat. Trees Please! volunteers have been holding regular working bees since 1988, eradicating weeds and planting thousands of local native trees and shrubs.

Visit the web page to see some interesting ‘before and after’ photos, www.treesplease.org.au

The main volunteer activity is weed removal, but seed collecting and the raising and planting of seedlings is also a part of the overall project.

Volunteers meet in the car park at The Cedars every Thursday morning at 10am (weather permitting) and work until midday, followed by an informal lunch under the trees.

If you would like to get involved with the activities of Trees Please! contact Trevor Curnow on 8388 1011.

TFL Board Nomination FormNomination form for: Vice President, Treasurer, Ordinary Board Member

I nominate myself/the person below for the position of:

..............................................................................................................................

Name of Nominee ...............................................................................................

Membership No ..................................................................................................

Signature .............................................................................................................

Nominated by .....................................................................................................

Membership No ..................................................................................................

Signature .............................................................................................................

Dawn or dusk for 2013 calendar

It’s that time of year again when we call for submissions for our much-loved annual Trees For Life calendar.

We’ve chosen South Australian Flora at Dawn or Dusk as the theme for the 2013 calendar and now call on entries from all TFL members.

The theme lends itself to spectacular imagery and we also encourage you to try and include some native SA wildlife in your shots where appropriate, as photographs featuring birds, insects and animals are extremely popular. Once again, photographs must be a minimum of 300dpi and in landscape format.

Reduced versions can initially be emailed to taniak@treesforlife.org.au

Entries close July 31, 2012.

and 2 for 1 offers for meals, events, accommodation and much more; all valid from now until June 1, 2013!

And for every $65 book sold, $13 will go towards TFL’s fundraising efforts!

Phone 8406 0500, call in or order one on-line through ‘Shop’ at the TFL website www.treesforlife.org.au

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Trees For Life Winter 2012 Number 123

Service DirectorySponsors and Supporters

Caramel now TFL’s largest small business sponsor

Caramel Computers has always had its heart in the Barossa but its soul in ensuring the business

runs with a minimal environmental footprint and where possible, tread lightly through their business practises by using green energy and sustainable products.

Where it is not possible Caramel Computers chooses to give back through Carbon Offsetting and since 2006 has supported Trees For Life (TFL) with the initial website and through IT support.

Director Samuel Gilbert has remained true to his values and desire to see “more trees in the ground” through his support of TFL.

In taking that next step, TFL is absolutely delighted to announce that Caramel Computers has committed to provide 100% IT infrastructure and Help Desk support to TFL as a major sponsor for a three-year term.

This is an extremely generous gift, as it means the funds ordinarily spent in this area can be re-channelled towards landscape restoration through revegetation. This sponsorship will make Caramel IT Management the largest small business sponsor in value of goods and services to TFL.

Caramel will ensure TFL’s infrastructure is online and properly maintained, as well as providing unlimited remote and on-site support. The smooth operation of any organisation’s IT is an extremely important investment and if not managed correctly can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars in down time, lost data and productivity.

TFL is thrilled to be aligned with Caramel, a progressive and innovative company which pioneered managed IT services in 2009, being voted SA’s number one managed service provider in Feb 2012 and continuing to lead the way in business optimisation technology - all of which will revolutionise the manner in which businesses use IT to improve their productivity and efficiency. If you are considering a team to support your business we highly recommend the superior services of Caramel IT Management - maximum response, preventative network maintenance and critical software security updates on servers.

Phone Caramel on 1300 559 100, log into the website at www.caramel.com.au or visit the office at 10 Gawler Street, Nuriootpa.

Disclaimer

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

Find us on:

Image & Substance provides design services to TFL

Image & Substance is thrilled to have recently joined Trees For Life as a sponsor, providing design services,

including this newly revamped edition of ReLeaf you are currently enjoying!

Image & Substance is an award winning advertising and design agency built on an energetic team of individuals, passionate about the principles of design and sustainability. Founded in 1995, Image & Substance merges creative vision with strategic thinking.

The agency crafts well considered branding, advertising, web and design solutions for clients such as the Adelaide Festival, Veolia Water Australia, Adelaide City Council and the Cockatoo Island Film Festival, to name a few.

The team at Image & Substance is dedicated to the environment, promoting sustainability and encouraging clients to use environmentally friendly paper stock and printing processes.

An alliance with an organisation dedicated to the environment, like TFL, was a logical step for the agency and it looks forward to assisting TFL into the foreseeable future.

A big thank you goes to BJ Ball, which discounted the cost of the cyclus offset 100% recycled paper used by Finsbury Green to print this edition of ReLeaf.

Perpetual Sponsor

Trees For Life, 5 May Tce, Brooklyn Park 5032

Ph: (08) 8406 0500 Fax: (08) 8406 0599 info@treesforlife.org.au www.treesforlife.org.au

President: David Mitchell Vice President: Michael Cain Treasurer: Hanne Damgaard Secretary: Nathan Daniell Board Members: David Grybowski, Megan Harper, Warren Hilton, Jonathan Lambert, Natasha Davis and Megan Antcliff

Chief Executive Officer: Carmel Dundon Office Manager: Lisa Adams Tree Scheme Manager: Maureen Redfern Bush For Life Manager: Mark Ellis Direct Seeding Manager: David Hein TFL Works Manager: Sam Rudolph TFL Carbon: Dennis Hayles Seedbank: Bruce Smith Sponsorship: Glenys Perri

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

Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges: Kym Good 8273 9100 Alinytjara Wilurara: Trevor Naismith 8357 3880 Eyre Peninsula: Annie Lane 8682 5755 Kangaroo Island: Bill Haddrill 8553 4300 Northern & Yorke: Lynne Walden 8636 2361 South Australian Arid Lands: Geoff Axford 8648 5194 South Australian Murray-Darling Basin: Hugo Hopton 8532 9100 South East: Tim Collins 8724 6000

Trees For Life: 8406 0500 Blackwood Seeds (Fleurieu Peninsula, Mid North, Adelaide Hills & Murray Mallee): 8558 8288 Northern Lofty Native Seeds: 8566 3073 Provenance Indigenous Nursery (Adelaide coast, plains and hills): 8345 0300 Themeda (Adelaide Plains): 8431 5768 Fleurieu Natives (Adelaide Hills and South Coast): 8556 9167 Yorke Seeds (Yorke Peninsula): 8853 1120 Eucaleuca Native Services (South East): 8762 2061 Growing Bush (Southern Mt Lofty Ranges & South Adelaide): 0427 722 979 Alexandrina Community Nursery (Southern Fleurieu and South Coast): 8554 2555 Eyre Native Seeds (Eyre Peninsula & Far West): 8682 6233 Barossa Bushgardens (Barossa region): 0448 676 348 South Para Biodiversity Project: Yvonne Gravier - 0430 018 007 Indigeflora Nursery: 8326 2143

Alfred James: A tree is planted in memory of loved ones through the Memory Tree Program

Banner Hardware: Visit your nearest Banner Hardware store to apply for your ‘Advantage Card’. TFL members will receive a $5 voucher on joining and up to 10 per cent discount off purchases

Earth Greetings: Free book mark with every pack of Dreamscapes greeting cards purchased at TFL’s on-line shop (www.treesforlife.org.au). Every pack sold contributes to a tree being planted

Eco Direct: Invites you to try Australia’s leading eco nappy for free. Every pack of nappies sold helps TFL

Eco Pest Control: Donates $3.50 for every Termite baiting installation

Foodland: Support the businesses that support TFL - Shop at Foodland ‘The Mighty South Aussies’ and buy SA

JA Grigson Trading: Provides a contribution to TFL through our member sales

Soul Deal: Register for on-line daily deals, save money and support TFL through your purchases

Taking Care of Trees: Makes a donation to TFL for every tree they remove

Treemax: TFL members get special rates on tree guards and stakes (purchased direct through TFL)

Trees For Life Board

Trees For Life Contacts

Trees For Life Rural

Trees For Life NRM Board Contacts

Local Native Seed and Seedling Suppliers

Suppliers supporting TFL and Special Member Benefits

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Students at Highbury Primary School listen intently to TFL public relations volunteer Judy Mack, who gave a talk on the environment recently.

Did You Know?All animals leave scats (or poo), whether it’s a native animal such as a possum, or a feral fox or cat. Snakes, birds, lizards, even insects – if you start looking for them you’ll find scats everywhere.

Scats are a valuable way of finding out what kind of animals are around you and what type of habitat they live in.

Wombat scats are distinctively cube-shaped and are probably the most easily identified. They usually leave their scats on rocks, steps and other exposed places. This is apparently because the wombats like to use the rocks to wipe their bottoms!

Emma’s a budding bushcarer

Eight-year-old Emma looks like being a natural when it comes to bushcaring, judging by her intricate note-taking in the photograph below.

Emma is the grand-daughter of long-term bushcare volunteers Trevor and Anne Waterman, who spend a great deal of time on their site at Survey Hill, Prospect Hill. Emma spends time at the site when she stays with her grandparents and, as you can see in these photographs, not only takes a great interest in her surrounds, but also looks the part.

Keep up the great work Emma!

Top: Emma with BFL Regional Coordinator Angela Cullen. Above: Emma’s notes on one of the species.

Highbury kids lead by example

The environment is top-of-mind for many schools at this time of year, with World Environment Day on June 5, National Schools Tree Day on July 27 and National Tree Day on July 29.

Trees For Life public relations volunteer Judy Mack recently gave a talk on the environment to students from Highbury Primary School and the kids are now in the middle of a great fundraiser – both for us and the school’s grounds committee for the Highbury Environment Fund.

Students got together and decided to have a ‘Colourful Casuals’ day to celebrate World Environment Day, with participants bringing along a gold coin donation. Younger classes were pairing up with an older buddy class and together they were focusing on cleaning up some of the school grounds, having a picnic lunch and doing some artwork together. Congratulations to the thoughtful Highbury students and thank you for helping to raise funds for the environment through TFL!