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On 19 June 2005 the Somers
Foreshore Reserve was a scene of great celebration with sunshine
breaking through the clouds in the afternoon to welcome Greg Hunt
MP, Member for Flinders, Rosie Buchan MP, Member for Hastings
Districts and MPSC’s Councillor Brian Stahl, as well as many people
from the village and representatives from State and Local
Government and local organizations.
SFC
Chairman Peter Striclkand (left) with Mornington Shire Mayors Brian
Stahl and Reade Smith (right)
Do you remember? It was a
fantastic day filled with balloons, food, speeches and great
community spirit.
One year on, thanks to the
many, many hours of volunteer labour (and the donations of money
and kind from local volunteers and towns people) and with the help
of financial support from Esso/ BHP and donations of skill, time
and expertise from Brett of Vitols Constructions and Hans of
Fortuyn Excavations - and the expert advice and support of DSE -
and thanks to the weather that has been remarkably kind, Somers’
people are walking the path on the Eastern Cliff tops and seeing
the promised indigenous grassy heath habitat corridor beginning to
join the She Oak stands!
The sea of bags that a year
ago lined the south side of the path, a line that gradually spread
along the path, is gone and it has been replaced by small Tea Trees
in flower and Kangaroo Grass showing elegant red heads. Poas,
lilies and Native Raspberries have replaced the weeds and the
little creatures are already showing their gratitude.
The Swamp Rats are building
their runs out from the remnant vegetation and into the new
plantings. Blue Wrens are venturing out from the Blackberry
thickets and hopping around picking insects out of the mulch and
from the plants. Pairs of Eastern Spinebills are hunting for
nesting sites and hundreds of very quick, very small brown birds
are flitting and darting through the re-establishing
corridor.
Water Skinks are endangered.
Hopefully with more planting to increase the density and
biodiversity of the area and with the placing of more fallen timber
through out the corridor the developing sustainable habitat will
become a safe refuge for the Water Skinks. That would be just
fantastic and would fulfil the Government policy of ‘net
gain’.
There is still much work to
be done but the area is already a wonderful tribute to the very
dedicated volunteers and to the experts and generous financial
supporters. Thank you all so very, very much from the Reserve and
Somers residents.
An Envirofund application is
with the Commonwealth and hopefully this will be successful.
Planting will then return to top gear in autumn 2007!
A Catchment Management Grant
has been won to remove weeds, mostly Blackberry, from two small
areas of the slopes off the Eastern Cliff tops. A contactor will
shortly be ‘knocking down’ the Blackberry. This method is being
employed now so as not to disturb the birds that will shortly begin
breeding in the thickets. ‘Knocking down’ involves slashing the
vines down to ground level. The vines will reshoot in spring but
the resulting growth will be soft and will require much less
chemical to kill in January. This means less cost but also, and
more importantly, less damage to the environment.
And who will see the first
Chocolate lily flowering on the Foreshore Reserve?
article: 28 June 2006
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