Abstract - or what this site is about .
About The Friends
Sherbrooke Forest description
Newsletter and project diary
A Forest Slideshow
Indigenous vegetation
Fungi
Indigenous fauna
Pest animals
Weeds
Weeding methods
Survey method
Bibliography
Frequently Asked Questions
Links to obtain further information about FOSF .
Other Useful Links
Acknowledgements
Abstract - or what this publication is about .
Friends of Sherbrooke Forest is a group of volunteers which works with Parks Victoria to restore a degraded urban park to its original condition. Restoration is based on weed eradication backed up by surveys of indigenous flora and fauna. This site includes lists of native and introduced flora and fauna found in Sherbrooke Forest. The " Newsletter " page highlights some of the work currently being done by the group .
About the Friends
To start with , here`s a photo showing a major part of our work ie " inactivating " weeds .
Roots of weedy trees like Holly & Sycamore Maple must first be uncovered before drilling them and filling the holes with herbicide . This lot will need about 10 or 12 holes ! Velpar pack on ground at right holds herbicide and is fitted with a gun-like injector that delivers a predetermined dose .
The Friends of Sherbrooke Forest Inc. was formed in 1980 primarily to help the then Forests Commission to restore and maintain an urban forest threatened by a suburban setting which inevitably generates pest plants and animals.
The number of members is about 50 , and the main activities are:
Eradication of weeds--up to six times per month . We usually have 5 - 15 members at our weeding " parties "
- at 0930 on the second Wednesday in the month
- on the fourth Saturday in the month, at 1330 .
- at 0900 on Tuesday mornings --except the second Tuesday in the month .
The venues for Wednesdays and Saturdays are listed on the Newsletter page of this website . (see link to the Newsletter at the end of this page . )
The venues for the Tuesday session vary from week to week and can be ascertained by contacting the Webmaster (see link at the end of this page .)
Newsletter
Our activities are listed in a newsletter called "Forest Focus" which is produced about three times a year.Most of the current one is recorded in the next page of this site . Anyone interested in joining any of these activities would be most welcome. We particularly need more hands on weeding days .
Newletters have been produced since 1980 so that now we are up to No 116 . Previous publications have been digitised and may be obtained by emailing the Webmaster --link at end of this page .
Vegetation surveys
The first survey programme was concluded in 2001 after some 16 years . The data ,which includes both indigenous plants and weeds , has been entered into a database and can be used to pinpoint weeding sites or to describe locations of specified plants .
Publication of forest information
A booklet entitled "Weeds of Forests, Roadsides and Gardens" was researched and brought to publication stage by FOSF members. It was published by the then Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands in 1985 and reprinted in 1989. Unfortunately, this publication is now out of print but is available on CD on application to the Webmaster .
A second publication about the indigenous flora and history of Sherbrooke Forest has been printed recently . See Newsletter , the next page on this site .
Committee meetings
A committee of 9 meets bimonthly to discuss matters of interest e.g mail to and from interested parties [students, friends groups, government officials etc] progress of work, future weeding and survey sites
Water Watch
We have recently ( 2003 ) undertaken Water Watch , an activity which monitors the condition of Monbulk Creek near the Trestle Bridge in Selby ,and at Hardy Creek near the junction of
Monbulk Creek. Further details can be obtained by contacting the Webmaster --see link below .
Attracting new volunteers .
In the past , we`ve tried letter drops , ads in the local papers and on Parks Victoria notice boards , displays at various meetings , running seminars and producing this website which has been on the web for about 5 years . None of these methods have produced significant results so that we still have a core of workers enlisted from around this area some 26 years ago , not as spry as we used to be , and worried that the work we`ve done over the years will eventually be obliterated because of neglect . We suspect that our best target is - like most of us -the retired folk around the Sherbrooke area who might be interested in preserving this magnificent forest remnant . Easy to say but hard to do !
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS?
If so , you`ll find a form at the end of the Newsletter page on this website . [ See link at the end of this page . ]
Sherbrooke Forest
Sherbrooke Forest is located some 40km east of Melbourne [Australia] in the Dandenong Ranges. At an altitude of 300 m, it has a rainfall of about 1200 mm per annum. This forest is an 800 ha remnant of wet sclerophyll forest characterised by Mountain Ash, [the tallest flowering plant in the world] and various ferns. Beneath the canopy there are a number of other Eucalypts, Acacias, Olearias , Sassafras and Pomaderris at heights of 15 to 30 m. Below these levels, in quite subdued light, is a range of shrubs including species of Coprosma, Pimelia, Hedycarya and some tree ferns. At ground level one finds various grasses , creepers and ground ferns .
The most famous of the indigenous animals is the Superb Lyrebird.
Its calls. are best heard in the breeding season i.e during the winter months. Of the other birds, the kookaburra and crimson rosella are the most prominent. Non-avian animals include the wallaby , wombat, possum and echidna.
Please notify the
Webmaster
if you encounter any problems with this site,or would like further information about the Friends of Sherbrooke Forest.
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Next page ----" Newsletter "
This page was last updated on 20 January 2008
Copyright © Friends of Sherbrooke Forest Inc. 1999
Acknowledgements