MTHENRYPENINSULA CONSERVATIONGROUP NEWSLETTER
PLANTING SEASON IN FULL SWING!
We’ve been busy on the Peninsula in the second half of the Term 2 – it’s definitely time for another update before kicking off Term 3. Time flies when you're having fun!
We’re now in the middle of Makuru, and this season is certainly living up to its reputation as the coldest and wettest time of the year. Unfortunately, we had to cancel one Saturday bush care afternoon and postpone two Junior School bush care events due to wild weather, which understandably disappointed many eager Junior School students. However, the boys certainly made up for lost time on the remaining days!
After spending the first few weeks of Term 2 preparing this year’s revegetation site – repairing and maintaining the access track and clearing weeds – the time finally came to plant our native seedlings The boys have installed over 200 seedlings already, with more yet to come!
Our bush carers learned how to gently tease seedlings out of their small pots by tapping the top edges of them, in order to keep the delicate rootstock undisturbed. They also became experts at erecting our green tree guards, which we are reusing from previous years We were so impressed by how attentive students were during planting sessions and how well they collaborated to share tools and equipment.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mt Henry Peninsula Conservation Group
Ms Izzy Streckhardt - izzy streckhardt@aquinas wa edu au
This year, we’re planting our native seedlings quite densely to help them form a thriving plant community, both above and below ground This approach will also make it easier to monitor for weeds and hand-water over summer.
We have been using the quiet period over the school holidays to carry out scheduled weed control across the Peninsula While the boys are doing a phenomenal job hand-weeding, managing nearly 12 hectares of Bush Forever bushland also relies heavily on engaging suitable and reliable contractors.
We’re fortunate to have received another SALP (Swan Alcoa Landcare Program) grant, which is funding this winter’s weed control program
As the old saying goes, “One year's weeds, seven years' seeds. ” That’s why it’s crucial to carry out effective weed control every year to keep invasive species at bay and give our native flora the best chance to thrive
Since bush care sessions for students only run during the cooler months, we rely on external volunteers to assist with occasional hand-watering and other bush care activities over summer.
If you're a parent or friend of the College and would like to get involved, please contact Ms Izzy Streckhardt to learn more about becoming an MHPCG volunteer!
above: Junior School students busy planting native seedlings
JUNIOR SCHOOL BUSH CARE
While classes 5W and 6B unfortunately had to postpone their bush care afternoons due to very blustery conditions on their scheduled days, class 5B got stuck straight into mulching and raking to help maintain our access track, and class 5R were lucky enough to do some planting!
All the boys collaborated beautifully and showed great care around our native plants We can already see some future Middle Schoolers bush carers in the making to hopefully join our after school program!
above: Class 5B busy mulching the access path
above: Class 5R installing native tubestock seedlings.
AFTER SCHOOL BUSH CARE
By the second half of Term 2, our Thursday after-school bush carers operated like a well-oiled machine. After putting in the hard work over the first weeks to prepare their planting site, the boys found it very rewarding to finally get stuck into digging holes and putting our native seedlings into the ground, which were ready to establish their deep roots with aid of the winter rains.
Attendance numbers were great throughout the term and when we had fewer bush carers during the last week of term, the boys certainly rose to the challenge of installing 90 plants between them!
above: Students holding a ‘snake’ of empty pots of the 90 native seedlings they proudly installed.
Our bush carers coordinated themselves exceptionally well to share tools and equipment, checking seedlings were planted at the required depths and tree guards were installed correctly. They also ensured that all tools were packed away in a neat and tidy condition ready for the next term
We are very much looking forward to Term 3 kicking off! Weeks 1-4 are fully booked, however limited spots remain for the second half of the term, so sign up via SEQTA if you’d like to join!
above: Bush carers installing native seedlings and erecting tree guards.
SATURDAY BUSH CARE
Our Week 6 Saturday bush care session was a true success with 20 students volunteering their afternoon to help conserve our bushland. The session was split between hand-weeding our revegetation site in preparation for planting and maintaining the track, and the boys certainly earned their well-deserved afternoon tea!
Unfortunately, Week 8's session had to be cancelled due to strong weather and the risk of a thunderstorm All students who had registered as ‘coming’ will still be awarded their two hours of Service Learning for the cancelled session.
above: Transporting mulch from our mulch pit to eroded sections of the access path.
Shout-out to our fantastic teacher volunteers:
A heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our reliable and dedicated teacher volunteers Ms Pederson, Mr Kostecki and Ms Trew (left to right in adjacent image), who have been joining our Thursday afterschool sessions and Saturday bush care sessions
Your support in keeping an extra eye on students and ensuring everything runs smoothly is truly appreciated.
We couldn’t do it without you, so thank you for generously volunteering your time to help our Bush Care Program thrive!
We rely on the generous support of external sponsors to acquire native seedlings and without them, our bush carers wouldn’t have any new plants to put in the ground–their favourite activity of the year!
This year, the City of South Perth donated 200 seedlings to the MHPCG. Their annual contribution forms the ‘bread and butter’ of our bushland revegetation efforts. These seedlings provide a reliable baseline of native species that naturally occur and thrive on the Peninsula, with high success rates after planting
A big thank you also to SERCUL (South East Regional Council for Urban Landcare) for donating a wonderful variety of 40 native plants to Aquinas College as part of the Phosphorus Awareness Project (PAP), proudly supported by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
SERCUL’s PAP initiative highlights the impact of fertiliser run-off on our waterways and promotes the use of native plants that thrive in local soil conditions –helping reduce nutrient pollution. While planting natives serves many purposes, this environmental benefit is a vital part of the bigger picture
above: students during an after-school bush care planting session with the seedlings donated by SERCUL ... AND A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SEEDLING SPONSORS!
We received an incredible selection, including three types of local banksias, as well as wattles, hakeas, kangaroo paws, grass tree seedlings, and several other species. SERCUL thoughtfully matched each plant to those naturally found on the Mount Henry Peninsula, ensuring they support local biodiversity.
We’re also looking forward to receiving 50 more seedlings from Perth NRM later in July, as part of their Schools Tree Day Grant, which the MHPCG successfully applied for We aim to plant these during Week 1 of Term 3, in celebration of National Tree Planting Day
All of these plants provide essential food and habitat for native wildlife - including endangered Black Cockatoos-and are helping us restore and nurture native bushland right here on campus.
WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN HAPPENING?
Sustainability Committee Update: Bin It Right!
The student-led Sustainability Committee meets fortnightly to tackle environmental issues at the College, including managing recycling and ‘Containers for Change’ bins.
Unfortunately, our latest sort of the white-top Containers for Change bins revealed heavy contamination - so much so that everything had to be sent to landfill. (We’ll spare you the photos…)
Unlike general waste bins, which are emptied every couple of days, our Containers for Change bins are only cleared twice a term. That means any incorrect waste sits there for weeks, creating a messy and unpleasant job for our student volunteers who sort them
Please take a moment to choose the correct bin. We need to get this right! In general, we have two bins in the outdoor areas: White-top bins: Eligible drink containers only. General waste bins: For everything else.
Your care supports both the planet and the students who sort these by hand. Plus, the funds raised help power our sustainability projects!
ONLY eligible ‘Containers for Change’ containers with the 10¢ symbol-nothing else, please!
On a brighter note: The paper bins from classrooms had minimal contamination (just a reminder –no tissues, please!)
Thanks to your efforts, six 120L wheelie bins of paper were diverted from landfill and sent off for recycling Great work, everyone – keep it up!
Have you considered bringing your eligible cans and bottles with you during the school run to support our sustainability initiatives?
Our collection cage is conveniently located at the Hockey Pavilion car park.
WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
The Mt Henry Peninsula Conservation Group continues to offer three regular Bush Care Sessions for Term 3; Junior School Bush Care, Thursday After-School Bush Care and Saturday Bush Care.
Junior School Bush Care will be undertaken Wednesdays afternoons Classes will continue to rotate over Term 3 to give as many kids as possible the opportunity to contribute. This will include sessions which had to be postponed during Term 2 due to heavy rain.
Thursday After School Bush Care (3:15-4:30pm) runs weekly as part of our Service Learning Program
Term 3 blocks are fully booked for weeks 1-4, with limited spots remaining for weeks 6-10, so sign up on SEQTA asap if you’d like to join.
Saturday Bush Care will continue to run fortnightly from 1:15-3:30pm during Term 3. Participation will count two hours towards Service Learning hours and there are still limited spots remaining, so get in quick!
Upcoming dates for Saturday Bush Care:
Saturday 2 August (Term 3, Week 2)
Saturday 16 August (Term 3, Week 4)
Saturday 30 August (Term 3, Week 6)
Saturday 13 September (Term 3, Week 8)
Students are encouraged to sign up via SEQTA on the Service Learning Page, as we have moved away from physical sign-up sheets.
You can ask your tutor, Mr Rich or Mr Richards for help, if needed.
Any Parents, Guardians or MHPCG Volunteers who wish to attend, or would like to find out more, please email Mount Henry Conservation Group Coordinator Izzy Streckhardt on Izzy.Streckhardt@aquinas.wa.edu.au
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mt Henry Peninsula Conservation Group
Ms Izzy Streckhardt - izzy streckhardt@aquinas wa edu au
