Restoration November 2013

A second sweep of the creek has been completed and planting is well under way as we space trees to build upper and middle canopies with fill from scrubs and smaller plants. All the plants are native to our area and are provided by Bushnuts from Tallebudgerra. Bushnuts are also responsible for the initial push into the creek and did a great job of targeting weeds and preserving regrowth trees.

We have over 400 trees to plant including forest floor plants. Each tree is protected behind a tree guard and surrounded by a weed mat. We are being sure to plant only as many as we can maintain with regular watering. Before planting is possible the creeks have to be cleared of all its debris of Kroften Weed, lantana and glycine vines. It is going to take us longer then we first thought.

We have taken some photos to try and illustrate our progress.

Interestingly, we estimate that by clearing the creek while preserving young regrowth trees we are in fact managing three trees for every one we plant i.e if we plant 500 trees our total would more realistically come in at 1500 trees.

Currently all the northern side of Christmas Creek Road is planted. The type of tree planted is from a list of plants you can find on the plant list we made with Bushnuts. We will have our work cut out to stay ahead of the weeds if we hope to get to the southern most point, some 200m from Christmas Creek. Always rocky the creek can be very challenging and, as it widens out to nearly 50m in some parts, there are plenty rocks. But beautiful as the rocks, trees and creek combine in natural ways to form stunning micro landscapes.