Jane Holroyd
You can't kill community spirit!

Upfield Urban Foresters rally together to save plants from the Moreland-Bell Level Crossing Removals.

You can't kill community spirit!

Planting at Anstey and Brunswick Stations

Over the course of about 4 hours on Sunday 11 September 2016....an extraordinary thing happened...a swarm of enthusiastic individuals collected rubbish, weeded, lay down newspaper and mulch and planted a whole set of beautiful little plants...here is a list of what when in!

Paul Kelly and Uncle Kev Carmody know a thing or two....From little things, big things grow.....can't wait to watch them grow....

ANSTEY STATION:

Acacia acinacea                                                      20

Acacia melanoxylon                                             8

Brachyscome basaltica                                      35

Carpobrotus modestus                                      6

Chrysocephalum apiculatum                            12

Chrysocephalum semipapposum                   12

Clematis microphylla                                           16

Correa reflexa                                                        12

Corymbia maculata                                              6

Dicantheum sericeum                                         22

Dodonia viscosa                                                     8

Einadia nutans                                                        14

Enchylaena tomentosa                                       16 

Eucalyptus leucoxylon                                        1

Eucalyptus torquata                                             1

Lomandra longilfolia                                            25

Nicotiana suaveolenis                                         18

Pelargonium austral                                             14

Poa labillardieri                                                      50

Senna artemisiodes                                             15

Wahlenbergia communis                                   20

331 plants

 

BRUNSWICK STATION

Acacia acinacea                                                      18

Acacia melanoxylon                                             10

Brachyscome basaltica                                        22

Carex appressa                                                      8

Carpobrotus modestus                                      6

Chrysocephalum apiculatum                            10

Chrysocephalum semipapposum                   10

Clematis microphylla                                           12

Correa reflexa                                                        21

Corymbia maculata                                              6

Dianella admixta                                                    20

Dicantheum sericeum                                         20

Einadia nutans                                                        12

Enchylaena tomentose                                      36

Eucalyptus polyanthemos                                 1

Eucalyptus torquata                                             2

Ficinia nodosa                                                         8

Lomandra longilfolia                                            48

Nicotiana suaveolenis                                       6

Pelargonium austral                                             12

Senna artemisiodes                                             10

Solanum laciniatum                                              3

Wahlenbergia communis                                   14

301 plants

We'll get images of these plants up and on the website one of these days.

Amazing work everyone!

Planting Day on 11 September 10-12am

FULP PLANTING DAY (BRUNSWICK)

(https://www.facebook.com/events/1741940382725706/?ti=icl)

Sunday 11 September, 10am - 12pm

Brunswick Train Station

We will be following on from the work conducted a couple of weeks ago with more weeding, mulching, planting and watering. There is an absolutely wonderful habitat being created at this location, if you're on Facebook, check out some of the gorgeous photos and stories from the previous Planting Day.

 

FULP PLANTING DAY (ANSTEY)

(https://www.facebook.com/events/1778955172352924/?ti=icl)

Sunday 11 September, 10am - 12pm

Anstey Train Station

We will be focusing on the eastern side of the railway line garden bed, trimming bushes, weeding, mulching, planting and watering. This one will be breaking new ground, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the outcome of this one.

At each station we will have an expert sharing their knowledge about weeds and natives, so we make sure the goodies are kept in the ground. There will be mulch delivered to each site and it is hoped we'll have a good number of hands helping out across both stations - each has about 400 plants to get in the ground so there's plenty of work to do.

 

Thanks for being a part of the beautification of the Upfield Line - your time and commitment is what makes it all worthwhile.

 

Remember those gloves.

 

Regards,

The FULP Team.

Interested in getting involved in planting?

Next Meeting

On Sunday 28 August 2016 a group of people interested in talking about planting/work around Anstey Train Station are getting together at Steam Junkies at 10am (the Commons).

Sunday 28 August, 10 - 11am

Steam Junkies

7 Florence St, Brunswick

The Anstey crew are keen to talk and share knowledge about the Anstey Station project and environs.

Next Planting Day

Planting Day - Brunswick Train Station

Sunday 11 September

10am - 12pm

Please bring gloves! 

VicTrack - Stationeer Grants

If anyone was interesting in becoming a "Stationeer"  - here is some information and contacts you might find useful!

Stationeer VicTrack grants now open

VicTrack has generously made funds available to assist established Stationeers groups with their beautification projects.

Keep Victoria Beautiful (KVB) will be managing grants on behalf of VicTrack.

Details of the grants are as follows:

Maximum Grant $700.00

Grants can be used for:

  • Mulches/coverings
  • Planter boxes
  • Murals
  • Plants
  • Water tanks

 

If projects require approval for the new work, KVB will work with the appropriate rail manager/s to obtain these approvals

Important dates

  • 9 September 2016 applications close
  • November 2016 applicants advised and successful applicants receive funds
  • 31 December 2016 progress reports including photos are required
  • 31 March 2017 progress reports including photos are required
  • 30 April 2017 projects must be completed
  • 30 April 2017 final project report including photos and a financial acquittal must be provided.

 

Other information

VicTrack will determine the successful applicants.

Should all grant funds not be allocated, higher grant requests will be considered.

To apply for a grant Stationeers groups must supply details of the project including: nature of the works, the location, estimated costs, contact person and the benefits that will follow from the project.

All submissions are to be either sent to Keep Victoria Beautiful, PO Box 16105 Collins Street West 8007 or emailed to info@kvb.org.au .

For further details please contact Gary Mogford KVB phone 0438 354 837 email, gmogford@kvb.org.au

Gary Mogford | Program Manager
Keep Victoria Beautiful
PO Box 16105 Collins Street West; Melbourne 8007 Vic.
E| gmogford@kvb.org.au M| 0438 354 837  W| kvb.org.au

 

Metro trains - whipper-snipping

So we've discovered one of the problems....Metro employs people with whipper-snippers to cut down the vegetation.....as part of their "Clearance Plan".

This year (2016) they cut down 10 small trees between Munro and Reynard Sts.

In Northcote in 2015 it appears they cut down a whole vegetable garden plot at the Merri Train Station.  The Leader Newspaper reports that over 30 people were involved in planting and were devastated by the loss. Furthermore, Metro Trains apologised and offered to pay for re-planting.

Metro's Pauline O'Connor was reported to say:

“Stationeers groups play an important role at many of our stations and we support the great work they do to beautify our stations and improve the community amenity,”

The people with whipper-snippers have said things like, "Personally, I like the trees, but we have to keep trees more than 3 metres from the tracks."  And "we are doing this to prevent a fire hazard."  Others have said, "If the trees/plants are obviously being looked after, we leave them alone."

From the Clearance Plan, the issue seems to be keeping tree branches from the high voltage power lines.

So...if this is the case one would think that...low vegetation within 3 metres (herbs/vegetables), and trees from three metres should be ok.

This is not what happened at Merri Station though....and the trees between Reynard and Munro sts were further out than 3 metres...  So what is going on?

I'll get in contact with Metro Trains...follow up on the Northcote story..... and report back.

 

Survival

The survival chances of an urban guerilla tree are poor.  The main threats are lawn-mowers, removal by non-tree enthusiasts, removal and replacement with something smaller by council (Council love those low growing grivilleas...nice flowers.... but zero shade qualities). Trees get hacked, pulled out and discarded by baked and concrete jungle enthusiasts, sawn off at the trunk, ring-barked.  Sometimes they are poisoned and very occasionally they die of drought.

The main cause of death is human intervention.  

If we are to survive on a rapidly heating planet...we need a different approach to trees and growing food and vegetation in the city.  

On a practical note the areas of the Upfield Urban forest that are doing best are those covered in tree-growth and vegetation and where flowers outgrow the weeds.  It looks like working intensively on small pockets has the highest chances of success.  Well done foresters.  Please get involved...everyone!