News from the STEP garden
By Wurmbea
Many people have asked us why STEP has partnered with the Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens? Our relationship with the Arboretum began in 2006, when the ACT Standing Committee on Planning and the Environment commenced public consultations for Shaping Our Territory, with a view to formulating future planning controls for the ACT.
15 March 2009 will be the first open day at the Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens giving members of the public an exciting opportunity to experience the unique 250 hectare park, just five minutes from the centre of Canberra.
The task of preparing for the planting 12 species of Eucalyptus trees and 541 trees in total on Block 100 has commenced in accordance with the Arboretum’s landscape architects’ (Taylor Cullity and Lathlean’s) planting design.
In stage 1, twelve different tree species and a total of 541 trees, will be planted in autumn 2009.
Geoff Robertson has devoted many hours to researching a planting plan for the STEP concept. Geoff has prepared a draft tree planting plan for the STEP garden using David Keith’s NSW Vegetation Classification.Basically he has noted the dominant and associate trees for the ecosystems of the Southern Tablelands to devise a plan to show what trees to plant and where. Meanwhile Sarah Sharp has been working on an ACT classification framework. When this is available Geoff will check the STEP design for compatibility with the ACT framework. Later this design will be developed further for the understorey components of the garden. To find the plan go to Eucalypts of STEP.
For our first issue, we have chosen as our feature, Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora), which is one of five key species, in the endangered ecological Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland.
Sunday 15 March at 10.00 am
The Southern Tablelands Ecosystems Park Inc (STEP), invites members and friends to join with Jon Stanhope MLA, ACT Chief Minister, and the Friends of the International Arboretum and Gardens, to celebrate STEP’s first ceremonial planting at Block 100 in the Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens (CIAG) at 10am on Sunday 15 March.
On 3 January STEP was very pleased to receive a gift of seeds for E. viminalis and E. dives from ACT Greening Australia . Thank you GA for your support. Especial thanks to Brian Cumberland.
A new committee was elected at the STEP AGM on 1 December 2008. Thank you to the outgoing committee members for their support over the past year and to the new for their commitment to STEP.
First newsletter for Friends of the Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens (CIAG)