In this Issue
Keeping Cats Safe at Home Project
Connecting to Nature Update
Farewell to Linda Thomas
Resolving a Bushcare Challenge
Vale Chris Watson
Sandstone Plateau Vegetation
Green Waste Processing
Sustainable Disposal of Weed Waste for Bushcare
To view the online Gecko use the link below
https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/documents/gecko-newsletter-autumn-2022
Last year local volunteers removed 1.6 tonne of rubbish from bushland and parkland sites, most of which included drink containers, plastic food wrapping, packaging materials and plastic bags.
You can get involved by finding a local park or area that needs cleaning or by joining an existing Clean Up site near you. Once registered, you will be sent a free Clean Up kit including bags, gloves, information and promotional materials.
For further information on how to get involved and find a local site near you, please visit the Clean Up Australia Day website www.cleanup.org.au/
Another great reason to come along to the Threatened Species Day at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, in Katoomba (Saturday 7th, September).
View the awarding winning Powerful Owl’s nest made during a series of Waste To Art community workshops held across the Blue Mountains. The sculpture is made from waste fabrics, to highlight that Australians are buying 27kg of new clothes annually and over 20kg ends up in Blue Mountains residents’ garbage bins each year.
At the Regional Waste to Art Community Exhibition held in Oberon recently the Blue Mountains entry was awarded first prize in the Community 3D category. A fantastic result as the exhibition featured about 120 artworks, from 14 NetWaste councils, that were all made from everyday rubbish.
Waste to Art aims to encourage the whole community to rethink their own waste and promote a low waste lifestyle. By taking action to Reduce, Reuse and Repair over buying new, it saves resources like water and energy that go into manufacturing new items.
Our collective efforts do make a difference and also help threatened species like the Powerful-Owl which is found across the Blue Mountains in old growth forests.
Well its that time of year when the seed heads of Agapanthus are forming. The plants by themselves are not too bad as they hold the soil together so in some instances where the soil is unstable they are best left and deheaded.
On the other hand the seed can travel down creeks into the areas of bushland and take root on creekbanks and unusual places like gutters. The root fragments can be spread in the movement of soil and dumped plants can survive for years and take root where they are left.
Agapanthus growing in the gutters of a house Photo courtesy of Lachlan Garland
Agapanthus are tough plants so they have been used extensively on edges and next to drains. All of these drains and run off lead into the bushland. So if we remove the seeds the plants can not move into the surrounding bushland.
Agapanthus planted next to a road edge photo courtesy of Lachlan Garland
Here is the factsheet with step by step instructions on how to make a hot compost that has the capacity to kill weed seeds.
The factsheet was complied by Lyndal Sullivan after many requests for her system.
Here is the fact sheet with all of the instructions on how to construct a hot compost that can kill your weed seeds.
Please click on the link: Composting
Does anyone have surplus containers that are around this size?
We are looking for a bulk load of herbicide bottle holders as our supplies have run out. If you have any that we can collect either bring them along to Bushcare and if you are not an active member of a group at the moment call us at the office and we will collect.
P: 4780 5528
Thanks for keeping us from having to eat lots of pancakes!
Gecko Winter 2014 PDF: 819 KB