Project update – May
Planting days off to a great start
The 2018 community shrub planting days got off to a great start under blue skies on Sunday 20 May. A big ‘thank you’ to the 45 volunteers who launched into planting 750 shrubs across three plots. We were very impressed by the enthusiasm of the planters and their efforts to help restore the shrubby layer in the Box Gum Woodlands and Dry Forests at Ginninderra.
Our planters of all ages enjoyed coffee and hot chocolate from the Our Dream Café and a barbecue lunch catered for by the Evatt Primary School P&C. After lunch, everyone had the opportunity to visit some of the plantings from 2017 and see how well the shrubs had survived and grown over the past year.
Last days to register for 2018 planting day
The second planting day is on this Sunday 27 May. There are still some spots available, however you will need to register soon to ensure your place.
This is also a great opportunity to visit CSIRO Ginninderra, find out more about the area and vision and be part of the woodland restoration initiative. This year we’re aiming to plant ‘dry forest species’ that will attract a wide range of native birds. We are building on the fantastic efforts of all the community volunteers who planted more than 3500 shrubs in 2017.
Reconciliation at Ginninderra
We are excited to announce that for the 27 May Ginninderra planting day we will be joined by Ngunnawal elder and custodian, Wally Bell, who will give the ‘Welcome to Country’ before providing insights into Indigenous history and heritage of the immediate landscape, and broader Ginninderra catchment. Together, with the efforts to restore native vegetation and wildlife, this event will mark the opening of National Reconciliation Week on the long weekend, during which the ACT will celebrate its first ‘Reconciliation Day’.
Community participation and engagement
Our Project Team has been busy sourcing the plants and planning all the arrangements to make this month’s planting days possible. This year, we have again joined forces with the Ginninderra Catchment Group (GCG), as well as community partners to provide a barbecue lunch, mobile coffee and hot chocolate van, and on-site transport.
Over the past month we had the opportunity to present an update to the GCG and answer their questions about the Ginninderra site and the project. We greatly value the ideas, input and collaboration with GCG and its associated Landcare, Waterwatch and Frogwatch groups. This growing partnership is reflected in activities like the grassland restoration trials and community shrub planting days.
We also hosted a site visit for ACT Equestrian Association (ACTEA) members Christine Lawrence, President; Beth Stone Secretary; and Warren Hudson, ACT Section Coordinator for the Bicentennial National Trail. ACTEA represents equestrians in Canberra and the local region, and has been talking with CSIRO for some time about the plans for Ginninderra.
The site visit provided an opportunity for ACTEA to experience the property and learn more about CSIRO’s vision for a vibrant and sustainable community. We were able to learn more about horse riding in the Canberra region and, in particular, the value of the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT), as a significant route connecting different parts of the ACT with each other and other parts of Australia.
With the BNT being so close to Ginninderra, we appreciate the active interest and input from ACTEA and look forward to further conversations as the project unfolds.
Contact us:
If you would like to know more about the Ginninderra project, visit www.ginninderraproject.csiro.au or email us at enquiries@ginninderraproject.csiro.au.