75+ dedicated volunteers turned out to support our first community planting day of the season at Guildford Meadows (Mandoon Moitch) on Saturday 13 June. Planting close to our well established 2018 planting area, we were blessed to be surrounded by abundant wildlife and small birds chirping in the trees. We even witnessed a large flock of Carnaby's black cockatoos flying low directly above our heads!
This year we've shifted our planting plan for Guildford Meadows. In recent years we have planted new areas with wider spacing, prioritising shrubs and canopy species, but we are now trialling an alternative approach. Plants are packed in much more closely together (25cm) and the rip lines are farther apart but they span a smaller total area.
This planting style aims to make maintenance easier and increase survival rates. Weed pressure is a large determinant of plant survival. While their presence is beneficial to soil health, they out-compete the native plants and present a significant fire risk if not managed. With wider spaces between planting lines, we can get vehicles in to control weeds, and a water trailer in summer heatwaves.
This approach also incentivises the use of native grasses, sedges, small shrubs and ground covers, which are often under represented in restoration projects, further increasing the biodiversity of the ecosystem.
Huge thanks to everyone who took part - your support means the world to us!
