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Lower Mountains Bushcare groups
As part of ongoing community engagement, one of our more important resident stakeholder groups are the Bushcare groups.
To my understanding (following a brief discussions several weeks ago with a female staff member) Bushcare groups tend to be small groups of dedicated residents that live very close to the patch of bush that is being tended to.
Unlike trail work that tend to be relatively big bang (ie, larger groups of trail workers knocking off relatively large sections of track with lots of heavy labour) ... Bushcare is more focused and deliberate (ie, small areas that are totally cleared of all weeds as an example).
The word "dedicated" was used to describe bushcare ... however, I think trackcare and bushcare have this in common.
Anyway, Knapsack has a dedicated Bushcare group (according to the PoM) and I know there are other lower mountains groups.
Reps have been discussing attempting to engage these groups both as part of broader familiarization, education and goodwill type activities, but also to provide local volunteers.
I'd like an indication of interest for anybody thinking of volunteering for their local bushcare group, in addition to our trackcare program.
Feel free to post or prolly better PM.
If you are already a volunteer or have family and friends who are involved ... I'd appreciate if we could have a chat.
Cheers
Al
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I like to know more about these groups like how often do they work etc
There is plenty of info about all the groups here; http://www.weedsbluemountains.org.au/ Just select the lower mountain townships and it will show when they work.
I think getting these groups to see that mountain bikers are advocating sustainable, environmental use of the local reserves (like bushwalkers) is crucial to getting long term support for authorised tracks. Going along and understanding the issues from their perspective is a great way to achieve this.
Last I heard the Knapsack group was not doing anything for a while. Dunno if they've started up again. The above website that waratah mentioned should give an indication I hope. That would be the group to get on to.
I checked out the Buchcare web site and found this
This also appears to mainly represent the Gully and not so much the reserve. I could not find another group representing the reserve itself.
Probably worth contacting them and feeling them out. See what they do and just try and get a good relationship or level of understanding with them.If we can befriend one bushcare group word will get around that the riders aren't all about shredding stuff up but do care about the envirnments where we ride.
If there isn't one for the reserve so much it will probably end up being the riders who end up inheriting this responsibilty.
Neil are you on here now ??? (BTW "My name is Earl" is one of my favs ... Crabman would have been prime dude
)
Thanks for the additional info above ... still looking for some vollies where possible ... we have two people that will be talking to some of the groups, but would be good to have several more peeps attend on a semi regular basis.
Im sure I could put my hand up.
Hopefully once we establish the tracks we can heave some one from the local group come out and give us an overview of the goals for the area, and now knowing that we are in the are more frequently what we can do do help, perhaps with our extra mobility we will be good "spotters" for weed infestation. Having the maps available will no doubt help lots with getting the sites quickly identified and dealt with.
I think following on from the workshop ... there is definite opportunity to use bushcare ... or better track care with a weed eradication aspect along with a sustainable trail maintenance scheme, as a good tool to win support, grants, and access.
definitely op at Mundee ... and I believe given the knapsack group is disbanded we should look into taking it on.
JP
any chance you could have a chat with Vickii to find out when they are having their next bushcare group weekend ??
Neil
could we discuss further what you found out re: establishing a group in Knapsack. (PM or email hich ever is easiest).
Thanks
Al
As per previous posts there has been a Buschcare group work on Knapsack but it is not currenlty active. Apparently the numbers dwindled down until there was only the co-ordinator.
To re-start this group someone would need to nominate themselves as the co-ordinator. The co-ordinator needs to be there on most occasions the group meets and in conjuction with Council Officers leads the activities of the group by determining which areas are worked on. As well as a co-ordinator Council would need to see a number of interested people - at least 1/2 doz. Council allocate one of their Bushcare Officers to work with the co-ordinator.
I, and a number of other people I know, are willing to join a Knapsack bushcare group. But I'm not willing to make the commitment to be the co-ordinator (maybe when the kids have left home in 10yrs).
I don't think there is much value in going along to another Bushcare group to learn about the activities: Council will provide any instruction we need once a group forms.
Is it at all possible to may be absorb the Bushcare at Knapsack into BMORC's operation and incorporate it into track maintenance and bush regeneration as a once a month basis and still get the support from Council etc, guess I was looking at it from a two bird one stone point of view. Pardon the pun.
From what I can gather about bushcare it is a lot more detailed.. lots of removing introduced weeds and stuff.. clearing an area of these imposters and then moving on to the next section. Really painstaking and on the surface quite a thankless task... so really respect to them!!
What I think council will be expecting of us is a lot of bush regeneration which I think most riders would find a lot more satisfying.. its sort of inverse track building in a way.
Personally I think at this stage a bushcare group would be a nice and appealing thing to do politically and image wise, but I don't think there would be enough interest by riders, especially seeing in all likelihood we will be using riders as slaves for regeneration work and building. So if we can be potent and interested in serious bush regeneration, at this stage I think that will be enough.
With greater interest shown in the area maybe a new bushcare group will get started by locals and some riders which would then be ideal.