Andrew Wood, Bulletin 2/2022, April 2022

Society’s 7th Annual Biodiversity Lecture

Nature and the built environment are sometimes uncomfortable bed-fellows. Plants growing on the viaduct at Wentworth Park (photo: Phil Young)

Professor Dieter Hochuli from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney and leader of the Integrative Ecology Group has accepted our invitation to present the Glebe Society’s 7th Annual Biodiversity lecture. It will be held as usual at Benledi, Glebe Library, commencing at 6 pm on Wednesday 25 May 2022.

The title of the lecture is: How nature survives and thrives in urban environments, and why it matters for the future of our cities. Professor Hochuli says, ‘I’d hope to do this with special reference to Glebe and surrounds, talking about some of the ways we promote different parts of biodiversity through planting, how some components of biodiversity are doing just fine without our help, and how some of the ecological services provided by urban nature are central to sustainability and quality of life in cities.’

The lecture will be followed by a glass of wine and nibbles, and bookings should made via Eventbrite.

News from our bushcare groups

Last month, City of Sydney held an induction training session for the Environment Management Plan (EMP) for the Orphan School Creek Reserve, which was attended by seven members of the Orphan School Creek Bushcare Group and several other Council contractors and staff who work in the Orphan School Creek Reserve. The training provided instruction into safe techniques for working in the Reserve, which is a remediated site and capped to prevent exposure to heavy metals and hydrocarbon compounds such as ash disposal from the former Children’s Hospital incinerator. Having undertaken the induction training volunteers can now work in previous fenced off areas of the site.

The Group will hold a planting day at 9.30 am on Saturday 23 April 2022 and all members and friends are welcome to attend – please contact Judy Christie (0437 693 372) if you are coming.

The Glebe Palmerston and Surrounds Landcare Group reports that after damage caused by a burst water pipe, native flora are still to be replanted at the Lombard St end of the park. Further, in the upper Palmerston section, there is a need for the City to clear fig debris from the footpath (which is making it slippery), to install an additional light and to remove and replace a dead tree.