FRIENDS OF BUSHY PARK WETLANDS ANNUAL REPORT
TO JUNE 2002
Members:
Our small but enthusiastic committee of Peter Campbell, Kim
Cunningham, Rosemary Cowen, Margaret Junor and myself have had
a very busy and satisfying year with various activities concerning
Bushy Park Wetlands. Apart from attending the 6 committee meetings,
they have put in a lot of work on our activities listed below.
I would like to thank them and everyone else who has helped
in any way during the last 12 months.
Bird Hide: After
18 months of hard work by many people, the Bird Hide was officially
opened by the Mayor of Monash, Councillor Geoff Lake at 2pm
on Saturday 20th April 2002. The Friends of Bushy Park Wetlands
would like to thank members of the following groups for their
help with this major project: The Friends of Dandenong Valley
Park, Parks Victoria Staff, Holmesglen TAFE carpentry and plumbing
students, Green Corps members, the Screw Pile and Path Contractors,
Students from Camelot Rise Primary School and Cubs from 2nd
Glen Waverley Scouts. Full details are available at -
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~fbpw/opening.htm
Feature Articles:
Every 2 months I have written
an article for the Friends of DVP Newsletter, the Information
Shelter and our Web Site. Topics covered were Butterflies, Lizards
and many of the Birds, which inhabit Bushy Park Wetlands.
Working Bees: During the year we had working bees to weed,
spread mulch or plant at our Native Gardens at the end of Highbury
Road and at the bird hide. We had a working bee to fix some
lids on the duck nesting boxes and another for pricking out
plants. We also had many working bees at the bird hide, to mow
the grass, cut the track, spread gravel for the track and oil
the timber of the bird hide.
Activities: Because of our contribution to the bird hide
project, our other activities were scaled down, but we did manage
to conduct a Water Watch, Frog Watch and a Weed Identification
Seminar.
Community Grants
2001: In 2001 we received a grant for Mulch
which has been spread at our Native Garden at Highbury Road.
Visitors to the Bird Hide will also notice that 2
Display Boxes have been installed, one of the which
holds a giant Wetlands Bird Poster.
We would especially like to thank Kim Cunningham and Jaci Oxer
for their contribution to the Poster.
Community Grants
2002: We have just been told that our two grant applications
for 2002 have been approved. During the last half of this year
we will be purchasing and erecting 24 Bat
Nesting Boxes in trees along Dandenong Creek and
monitoring their use every few months. In early 2003 we will
be constructing a Floating Pontoon for
Birds at the Southern Lake. The Pontoon will be moored
in front of the Bird Hide, to hopefully attract birds and give
visitors a closer look at our feathered friends.
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