Lakes Community Nurseries Meeting 18Th April 2013 Ace Space Milang 1:00Pm

Lakes Community Nurseries Meeting 18Th April 2013 Ace Space Milang 1:00Pm

Lakes Community Nurseries Meeting 18th April 2013 – Ace Space Milang 1:00pm

Attendance: Amelia Graham (Chair), Kerri Bartley, Tony Randall, Will Miles, Aaron Cheesman (GWLAP), Richard Owen, Andrea Clarke, Jennifer Fontanot (HILG), Helen Fenton (FCG), Lynton Keen (NRC), Deb Melville (Milang), Tamara Ward (Alexandrina), James Thiessen (DEWNR), Jill Dennis (Clayton Bay)

Apologies: Robert Mrongovius (Raukkan), Leah Sullivan (GWLAP)

Previous Minutes: Minutes from Feb and March meetings passed by Deb & seconded by Helen.

Actions from previous meeting:

1. Jo to distribute details of site visit day and coordinate field trip with Amelia.

Done

2. Jo to collect information on roadside collection sites from each nursery and submit to Alexandrina Council .

Jo will start this process when she returns from leave

3. Jo to forward thank you letter to GWLAP board members.

Still to be sent

Nursery Reports:

FINNISS:

  • All plants looking good and consolidating trays
  • Mostly short on cuttings, especially Correa
  • Started propagating cuttings in Oct last year which was too late and will look at doing them in Aug this year

CLAYTON:

  • Irrigation and pallets installed in the hold station
  • Power will be connected in 4 weeks
  • Fertilising regularly
  • Jill will finish up at Clayton on May 6th

MILANG:

  • Irrigation installed in new growing area
  • Short on Vittadinia, A. elegantissima, A. flavescens, Xanthorrhoea & Lomandra
  • Have two new access areas
  • Jill settling in well

ALEXANDRINA:

  • Final stocktake inspection on Monday & getting ready
  • Short on a few species, quality of stock is good
  • Austrostipa germinating now (Autumn) need to consider this for future propagation

HILG:

  • Andrea Clarke appointed as the new nursery manager. Previously worked at Alexandrina Nursery
  • Nursery handover has been happening over the past 3 weeks
  • Plant sale days: 4th & 5th May
  • Formulating a draft list for 2014 to guide seed collection
  • Planting started, very dry at Shadows and ground hard. Planting team of 12 people, uni students and land care members
  • Goolwa Rotary Club planting on HI, will liaise with Richard

NRC:

  • Final inspections scheduled for May 6th & 9th. Have a surplus of 20,000 plants
  • Rupia contract finished & bagging up extra
  • Three teams on HI dropping Allepo’s, 8 weeks work
  • More training for 8 people, four people from Raukkan (chainsaw training)
  • Plants looking good, some becoming pot bound
  • Having to hand water as some plants have grown above the sprinklers

Nursery QA Inspections:

Table of dates passed around.

No one available for inspection at Alexandrina on Wed 8th May.

Planting site visits:

Amelia talked about the day and it was very informative and feedback was positive. Aaron put notes together for everyone to take home. Richard did a tour of Grey paddock and provided notes. Group would like further training in soil testing, possibly on eastside. Tony suggested late spring is a good time and Richard agreed it would be better after planting has finished. Tony discussed two types of soil workshops:

1) Soil pits – look at physical and chemical properties of soils. Afternoon in classroom discussing erosion mitigation. Need a site and Richard suggested Shadows but will need to get heritage clearance. Tony suggested 4 to 5 pits around the island.

2) Soil survey – How to conduct these in the field, applies to site planning. Half day in the field & half day in the classroom.

James commented that it is good to get background information on sites that have been used for agricultural purposes as a lot of reveg sites are on retired ag paddocks. Laboratory analysis is expensive & it is ideal to analyse 5 horizons in each pit. Richard would like to learn which plants suit certain sites.

Projected numbers 2013/2014 propagation:

Nurseries asked to submit numbers so we can determine totals being grown for community & commercial components of the project. Numbers each nursery will grow for the community revegetation component as follows:

HILG: 40,000

CLAYTON: 25,000

RAUKKAN: 24,000

FINNISS: 10,000

MILANG: 50,000

MELALEUCA: 120,000

Total plants = 269,000

Melaleuca have the potential to grow 40,000 for commercial. Lynton indicated that NRC will grow up to 50,000 plants to make up the balance to fill the commercial tender.

Lynton suggested CNN submit a commercial bid as a simulation exercise. Discussion on opportunities for future planting/propagation projects as local landholders will need plants if successful with various funding opportunities.

*Action: Deb to talk to Jane & Lynton to discuss commercial tender

Workshops:

  • Still places available for the tender application training. Lynton expressed interest in attending the workshop

Any Other Business

  • Starting date for planting in mid May
  • MDCA will start planting on 27th May, Reece to attend site manager training
  • Richard voiced concerns about Commercial nurseries repeatedly collecting seed and cutting material on HI, potentially exhausting supplies in some areas. Don’t know who is involved or if they have proper permits.
  • Aaron working on 2014 sites and identifying seed requirements
  • HILG planting a native windbreak to replace woody weeds previously planted as windbreak
  • James commented that survivorship monitoring will soon commence on every site from 2012
  • Jill reported there will be 1,500 - 1,800 A. pinguifolia planted this year

Meeting Closed 2:40pm

Next meeting:

  • Thursday 16th May 2013 at 1.00pm at the Ace Space Milang.

*Note: Nursery managers can attend an informal get together at 12:30pm prior to the meeting at the Ace Space.

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