Community groups sometimes face obstacles and issues - such as funding, declining interest and membership, public liability insurance, and these pressures can lead to their eventual demise.
FoPC and FoGStV are presently in a very healthy state, as can be seen from the current level of
activity and involvement with various events.
Financially FoPC is very secure and our Curry Nights play an important role in this, as well as providing a popular social/educational function.
But to continue to do these things and to take on new projects, we need to address some structural issues
- and for FoPC to become a subgroup within FoGStV is one way to achieve this.
The high level of exposure we are currently experiencing through all these events will hopefully attract more people who share our ideals and aspirations, and want to participate more actively.
Andrew Winkler
National Tree Day saw an unprecedented flurry of activity at Pat Creek this year.
On the Schools Tree Day, over 150 pupils from Star of The Sea, West Beach and Warradale primary schools took part under supervision from students of Immanuel College, staff of KESAB and Our Patch.
| HERE'S HOW: The Urban Forest Biodiversity Program's Jock Conlon demonstrates how to put a tree guard around a seedling.
FoPC volunteer Michael Wilson and the CVA team had done a lot of site preparation, including digging the planting holes, and the high level of planning and coordination meant that the event ran very smoothly.
The Tree Day on the Sunday, despite starting out under low grey skies, soon turned sunny and achieved a best-ever attendance of 110 volunteers (not including FoPC, AAL and Rotary Club helpers). There were corporate teams from IAG insurance (46 strong) and URS environmental consultants. We hope to build on the contact with IAG for an on-going participation.
The Federal Member for Hindmarsh, Steve Georganas, West Torrens Mayor John Trainer and Councillor Garth Palmer also attended.
| GO FOR IT: Garth Palmer, John Trainer and Steve Georganas are handed a Melaleuca seedling by Michael Wilson
Around 3,000 plants - mainly shrubs, grasses and groundcovers - were planted. Because of the very dry winter, AAL will undertake initial watering to enable them to become established.
The large area planted will require an attention to weed control - but the dry winter has also meant that weed problems have been very low so far.
There has been some preliminary discussion as to whether FoPC should become a member of Friends of Parks Inc in our own right, or whether we could gain the same benefits by becoming a subgroup of the Friends of Gulf St Vincent, which is already a FoPInc member.
The latter course would set a precedent for other groups, eg the Tennyson Dunes Group, to also become subgroup members of FoGStV - thus fulfilling one of the initial aims of FoGStV in becoming a true network of community groups around the Gulf.
We have been offered the use of a room at the Grange Community Centre to set up our Environmental Resource Centre, and we have accumulated a modest surplus from our Curry Nights which we can use for various projects.
Because of our increased level and range of activities, we do need to attract new members and to encourage
involvement and participation with these projects.
Further discussions will take place and any input is welcome - but the ultimate decision on which structural model we adopt really does depend on the level of interest and willingness to be involved with committee meetings, events, etc.
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Curry Nights becoming more popular
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The July Curry Night again drew a record crowd - more than 60 people came to hear Prof. Anthony Cheshire speaking on 'Healthy seas'.
| POPULAR SPEAKER: Prof. Anthony Cheshire at the Curry Night
The next Curry Night will be on August 12th and there will be another on 11 November, with Prof. Chris Daniels speaking on urban biodiversity in Adelaide's coastal and western suburbs.
The kitchen at the new venue for these events (Henley Community Centre, 196A Military Road, Henley Beach) is better equipped than the one at our previous venue, but because of the increasing numbers we still need a larger pool of volunteers to assist with catering.
If you can spare even an hour or two to help, please call Andrew on 8234 1420 (after 7 pm, and please leave a message if I'm not home) or 8408 1277 on the actual day.
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Friends of Gulf St Vincent
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www.chariot.net.au/~littoral/fogsv/index.htm
The South Australian Living Arts festival is about to start and FoGStV members Ian Kirkegaard and Jim Douglas have been very involved with several SALA events to occur over the next few days.
On Saturday 5 August at 1pm, there will be the unveiling of the White-bellied Sea Eagle sculpture (by Indiana James and commissioned by the City of Charles Sturt) on the foreshore at Grange.
In conjunction with this event there will be the Sea of Flags - the FoGStV flag (designed by FoGStV members and Western Adelaide Coastal Residents Association members) has been adopted by the Cities of Port Adelaide-Enfield, Charles Sturt, Marion and Onkaparinga to indicate their shared respect for the unique marine life of the Gulf.
This is very appropriate considering the concern expressed by Prof. Cheshire in his recent Curry Night talk for the state of Gulf waters off the metropolitan coast. Nutrients and sediment have contributed to the degradation of reefs and loss of 40% of seagrass beds in the immediate vicinity of Adelaide, which he considers may not regenerate for another century. With increased urban sprawl to the south, he fears that the seabed as far south as Aldinga also faces degradation unless preventative measures are taken.
Ian and Jim have also been involved with another SALA event, Fishing Boxes and Jetty Culture, to be launched at the Henley Community Centre at 6pm on Monday 7th August. This project features wooden fishing boxes, based on those used by previous generations, being constructed by schoolchildren with the assistance of the local woodworkers group.
Planning for the next FoGStV community forum and AGM later this year is underway and Maslin Beach is likely to be the preferred venue.
Saturday 12 August: Curry & Casserole Night
Fundraiser for FoPC & the Western Adelaide Environment Resource Centre.
6:30pm Meal:Cost: $15 ($10 Friends, S/P/U)
8:00pm Guest speaker: Dr Douglas Bardsley
Senior Project Officer, Sustainable Landscapes, DWLBC
Topic: Climate change in the Adelaide region:
accepting the challenge of adaptation
(attendance at talk only is welcome Free)
To be announced: (We are currently looking for a new home.)
The purpose of the meetings is generally to discuss the work program for the coming workday and other on-going projects.
Workdays:
Pat Creek:
Sunday 6 August, from 10 am. Regular workday
Meet at the busstop (18B) on West Beach Road (west of Tapleys Hill Road,
opposite Atlantic Avenue and adjacent to the Creek and the silt ponds).
Henley & Grange Dunecare have workdays on the second Sunday of each month at the nursery in Atkin Street, Henley Beach, at 10 am.
CREATED BY:
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LINKED TO:
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 Ground Truth:
towards an
environmental history
of South Australia
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