By Colin Spencer, Environmental Officer, City of Bunbury
The City of Bunbury is really blessed to have a number of well forested reserves, but unfortunately a distressing number of trees within them are sick, dying or recently dead. A growing number of residents within our community were expressing concern over this and wanted to know what to do to help save their trees.
In response we invited a panel of experts from The Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health to give presentations and practical workshops on native tree decline in the south west. Three workshops were conducted: one for year ten students; one for professionals; and another for the community. All workshops were well attended.
The workshops generated some very positive results:
• Within two weeks of the workshops a number of students from a local high school started treating trees in one of our reserves. They will conduct experiments to determine how long it takes for different species of tree to absorb phosphite injected into a tree using stem injection syringes. We hope to be able to generate enough quality data to generate some useful information. Any advice welcome please.
• Within one week a friends group commenced treatment, for the first time, of declining tuart trees in their reserve; and
• I commenced discussions with horticultural supervisors about having staff treat trees within parkland areas.
Some of the challenges I have faced include:
• Raising the profile of tree decline.
• Making people realise that they can apply horticultural treatments to native plants too!
• The provision of phosphite treatment kits;
• Administration of phosphite treatment kits;
• Collection and management of data;
• Influencing professionals as they seem to be the most hesitant to take action, perhaps it is because of competing interests and commitments; and
• answering these recent questions:
1. Does it really work? How long does it take? My staff are busy.
2. How much does it cost?
3. What is the shelf life of mixed phosphite?
4. What concentration of phosphite should be injected into different tree species?
5. Can we use manual drills?
6. What are typical symptoms of trees that can be saved using phosphite and nutrients?
Some of these questions I could answer others not.
What is satisfying for me is that injecting trees with phosphite seems very appealing to the general community. If I can get some of our staff hooked it will be great. It means that people, even teenagers are getting into the bush and doing something for it, other than planting trees. In the process, they advertently become aware of other ways of helping the bush such as weeding.
Interestingly our advertising campaign focused on native tree decline which unfortunately de-emphasised the presentation on restoration ecology which contained some fantastic practical advice on restoring tuart forests.
Thanks to all the workshop presenters. Keep up the good work.
