TRIP REPORT : Workbee, Druce property, Pinehaven

 Saturday 24 April 2004 :   Workbee, Druce property, Pinehaven

It has always been a privilege to visit this planted native forest painstakingly won from pine forest over many decades.   We had the same feeling of privilege on this workbee organised at short notice by the BotSoc “Community Service” brigade (in the words of an enquiring neighbour).   Helen made us very welcome as we set about our chosen tasks.   When we arrived, Ian was already wielding a mighty axe to split logs for firewood.   Dave and Chris decided they would clear the hill track dug by Tony from solid clay decades ago, and still in beautiful condition except for abundant, enthusiastic, native seedlings attempting to colonise it.   Jeanette and Barbara M. made considerable headway with an isolated patch of Tradescantia fl uminensis in the orchard.   Barbara C. and Patricia barrowed mulch from an enormous pile on the berm, while Sheelagh and Gordon attacked patches of gorse, Spanish heath and pine seedlings.   We all thought it remarkable that there were so few weeds on the property, testimony to the success of Tony’s “living laboratory”.   There will be other opportunities to join the BotSoc “Community Service” brigade because the Pinehaven workbee is likely to be included annually in our programme from now on.

Participants: Ian Atkinson, Barbara Clark, Dave Holey, Chris Horne, Gordon and Sheelagh Leary, Barbara Mitcalfe, Jeanette Skinner, Patricia Tankersley.

Barbara Mitcalfe