Revegation Practice and Glyphosate

Recently I raised some concerns on fb regarding the current practices used for revegatation work along creek banks in my local area.

Basically, the practice is to use a glyphosate based product to spray the area to be replanted, and perhaps repeat this at intervals.  Once cleared, the young plants used in the revegatation process then have a better chance of becoming established.

What concerned me about this, other than the fact that I believe the use of chemicals in such a way is not a sustainable practice and is in fact somewhat contradictory to the idea behind the revegatation process, was that we may be doing more harm than good.

National Tree Day Planting with Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery

We had a fantastic day of planting at Birdsland Reserve on Sunday, in support of National Tree Day (NOT I should add, of Planet Ark!), and were really pleased at the turnout - particularly as it was raining for most of the time!

Thanks go to the SDCN Committee, in particular Garrique Pergl for organising it, and of course to Andrew Van Vloten of Parks Victoria who voluntarily came on his day off to supervise the planting.

I also wanted to thank the other Parks Vic volunteers who came along, especially Sandy who, like me and my DH, had to carry a toddler and try to keep a 4 year old (kinda...) dry.  Sandy was a bit more organised and remembered the snacks, which her boys very kindly shared with our girls - lifesaver! :)

A final thank you to members from SDCN, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Cr. Samantha Dunn and family and numerous other non-member volunteers who turned up on the day - often with small children in tow!

Here are some of the pics from the day.  More will appear on the Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery facebook page and website very soon!

Getting started...

Andrew Van Vloten (Parks Victoria) and Garrique Pergl (SDCN)
looking  pleased at how the day is going!

Cr. Samantha Dunn shows that persistence pays off when a
stubborn stake won't go in
Give it what for Sam!

Sea Shepherd volunteers are regular attendendees of SDCN planting days.
Keen, friendly, cheerful (no matter what the weather) and hard working:
You're welcome back any time!

...the end
For this year! :)

Thank you to everyone who allowed me to take pics of them and their children and consented to their use.  I have opted not to include pics of any of the children here, as I specifically asked permission for those to be used by SDCN or Parks Victoria.  If anyone was there would like to see the pics I took of their family, then please get in contact and I would be happy to send them on. :)