Recently the Covid-19 virus has disrupted many lives in many countries around the world, with tens of thousands of deaths. But a few years ago around the world, there were over a million children dying each year due to diarrhea from unhealthy water supplies. No such problems in Australia, although plenty of urban waterways are not swimmable.
How are our creeks in this area? Very good, not pristine but still very good. How can we keep our creeks clean in this area? By:
• using low or nil phosphorus detergents
• maintaining our septic systems in good condition and pumping out when required
• keeping grazing animals away from waterways to prevent erosion
• using fertilisers sparingly and collecting livestock manure
At Still Creek Landcare and at other citizen science groups in the Hornsby area, we test creek water monthly and you can see our results for the last 11 years on our website.
This is part of the Streamwatch program, now administered by Greater Sydney Landcare Network. The Hornsby Shire Council also tests water quality at many sites. Currently Council and 4 local Streamwatch groups are jointly testing at 6 sites for 6 months to compare test results and then assess the accuracy of results to decide what to do next with this community citizen science monitoring and reporting activity. Currently, this joint work is suspended but will resume when normal life resumes.
For our water test results see stillcreeklandcare.com.au/our-catchment/waterquality/
Interested in doing testing? Contact Nick on 9653 2056 or stillcreeklandcare.com.au/
STILL CREEK LANDCARE NOTICE: FREE NATIVE PLANTS!
Our Trees for Weeds programs over the last few years have been very successful. So much so, that our generous benefactor once again has funded free local native plants to landowners who live in Hornsby Council’s rural area, or Hills Shire along Old Northern Road.
We want the plants to go to people who are getting rid of weeds on their properties and want to revegetate with native plants. If your previous plantings have not survived the Drought, Extreme Heat or been eaten, you are welcome to apply and restock your loses or increase your planting. We’re not excluding good projects like revegetating roadside nature strips, creating wildlife corridors or similar environmental activities.
If that sounds like you, contact Nick Chartorisky on 9653 2056 or at StillCreekLandcare@ iinet.net.au.
We will help you work out what plants would suit your property from the varieties available at the Nurseries we source from.
We will then deliver the plants and can provide advice on how to plant and care for them. In addition to the free plants we will supply some Terraform, an organic soil conditioner. Terraform helps in the early development and establishment of the plants.
The minimum number of plants will be 1 tray of 40 tube plants. Plants can include trees, shrubs or groundcovers. Trays and tubes are to be returned Still Creek Landcare when you have finished with them.
You cannot buy local native plants from retail nurseries, so this continues to be a special opportunity. The plants are top quality and ready to plant.
For more information about Landcare go to stillcreeklandcare.com.au or on Facebook.
