Volunteer at Everglades Gardens!

What we do:
The National Trust is working to regenerate the bushland at Everglades Gardens, Leura. The main aims of the project are to help conserve a patch of local bushland and the important species within it. This work also helps to improve water quality in the creek because weed seed is kept to a minimum and the roots of regenerating native plants hold the soil together.
A Bushcare group has been working in the bushland since mid 2007. The group meets once per month and always welcomes new members. An experienced supervisor guides the volunteers who do some easy weeding activities and receive an opportunity to learn about bushland.

About the site:
Everglades Gardens contains a historical house and garden. Approximately ¾ of the property is beautiful bushland which can be viewed from the many walking paths. It is situated alongside the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park.

The local trees are mainly Blue Mountain Ash and Sydney Peppermint. The bushland also contains Blue Mountains Swamps and a section of Gordon Creek that leads to Gordon Falls. The Blue Mountains Swamps are very significant in the area as they have become quite rare. They form approximately 20% of the bushland at Everglades.

The Blue Mountains Water Skink is a Threatened Species lives in boggy areas in the region and is likely to occur at Everglades. Everglades is just upstream of another Threatened Species, the Dwarf Mountain Pine that occurs in only six known locations within the Blue Mountains.

How to Volunteer:
To join this Bushcare group, please contact the National Trust’s Bushland Management Department on (02) 9258 0176. 

Click here for information about Everglades Gardens

Volunteer at Ludovic Blackwood Memorial Sanctuary!

What we do:
A Bushcare group has been working at Blackwood since early 2004. The group meets twice a month and currently needs (and welcomes) some new members. An experienced Supervisor guides volunteers through the project activities that include weeding and updating the flora and fauna species list. Morning tea is provided. To find out more about the Bushcare group, please contact Elisabeth or Diana at the National Trust’s Bushland Management Department on 9258 0132 / 0176.

About the site:
The Ludovic Blackwood Sanctuary Memorial Sanctuary is a National Trust property in Beecroft Road, Beecroft. It contains an important remnant of Blue Gum High Forest, part of an old road thought to be part of the Old North Road and historical saw pits from the days of logging by local timber getters. Blackwood Sanctuary is a sheltered site with a small gully that contains majestic Blue Gums, Sydney Red Gums, Blackbutt eucalypts and a large variety of native understorey plants. However, the health of the bushland is threatened by a number of weedy vines and other weeds. The bushland in Blackwood is connected to other native vegetation in adjoining Mount St Benedict College and along Devlins Creek creating an important habitat corridor. Possums, native bees, Rosellas, an echidna and two Powerful Owls have been seen foraging in the area.

How to Volunteer:
To join this Bushcare group, please contact the National Trust’s Bushland Management Services on (02) 9258 0176.

Volunteer at Ahimsa!

What we do:
A new Bushcare group is starting at Ahimsa in October 2008. The group will meet once per month and currently needs (and welcomes) new members. An experienced Supervisor will guide volunteers through the project activities that include weeding and updating the flora species list. Morning tea will be provided. To find out more about the Bushcare group, please contact Elisabeth or Diana at the National Trust’s Bushland Management Department on 9258 0132 / 0176.

About the site:
Ahimsa is located at the end of Day Rd in Cheltenham, adjoining Lane Cove National Park. Ahimsa comprises 2 cottages and a meditation hut set in 1.3ha of typical Sydney sandstone bushland, dominated by Eucalypts and Angophoras. Post-fire germination in the last six years has resulted in dense growth of acacias, grevilleas and other shrub species with prolific winter-spring flowering. Local weeds and garden escapes are threatening to invade the regenerating areas.

Ahimsa (named for the Buddhist virtue of non-violence) was donated to the Trust in 1970 by Marie Byles, Australia’s first woman solicitor and also noted conservationist and author, to ensure the preservation of the bushland as a haven for future generations.

How to Volunteer:
To join this Bushcare group, please contact the National Trust’s Bushland Management Services on (02) 9258 0176.

Volunteer at Stella James!

What we do:
A new Bushcare group is starting work to conserve the bushland at the Stella James property in October 2008. The group will meet once per month at 32 Plateau Rd Avalon and currently needs (and welcomes) new members. An experienced Supervisor will guide volunteers through the project activities that include weeding and updating the flora species list. Morning tea will be provided. To find out more about the Bushcare group, please contact Elisabeth or Diana at the National Trust’s Bushland Management Department on 9258 0132 / 0176.

About the site:
A small stone house designed by Walter Burley Griffin overlooks 0.3Ha remnant of open forest bushland. This bushland contains the trees Spotted Gums together with Cabbage Palms. Scentless Rosewood, a Cycad known as “Burrawang” (Macrozamia communis) and several native vines are also found there. This unusual group of purplish and dark green plants make the dappled bushland look eerie yet beautiful.

The vegetation found at Stella James is called “Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest”. It is listed as an Endangered Ecological Community in the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act because only a very few small patches are left in the Sydney region.  The Squirrel Glider, another species listed as threatened is found in the area.

How to Volunteer:
To join this Bushcare group, please contact the National Trust’s Bushland Management Services on (02) 9258 0176.