The plan for Thursday, 25/7/2024 is to do prep for this year’s National Tree Day event a Community Working Bee scheduled for Sunday 28/7. There are two aspects:

• Strategically weed out some fairly open areas that could use in-fill planting ahead of the Working Bee.  The idea is to have additional planting work capacity available so we can deal with more people than expected turning up (it being National Tree Day).  
• I have asked for some mulch too. We think it would be a good idea to delineate the bed around the first large tree in from Pakenham Street on the northern edge of the track (south of the creek).  Other beds in the vicinity could use a mulch top-up in places. 
• Might be an idea to build up the triangle somewhat too – to make it more obvious.

We’ll meet near the Noticeboard close to the Pakenham Street entrance to the park:

Should be plenty of parking nearby in the carpark adjacent to the Bowls Club – as long as you miss the 9:00 school chaos.

Last Week

Last week we tended young plants from last year’s CWB-NTD event in Furness Park (the top NW corner). We’ve weeded around them in the expectation of spraying by Council. As often comes with that site, we enjoyed a very sustaining morning tea courtesy of Julie and Andy’s Marie’s student.

Conditions (last updated 17:45 24/7/2024)

Weather

General: Partly cloudy with a strong possibility of showers. Wet weather gear recommended.

Rain: There’s a 80% chance of rain early on Thursday (18/7) morning falling to 70% later. This will severely test our rain-free Thursday mornings record…
Storms/Weather warnings: Nothing that affects us.
Temperature: It should be a mild 12-14 degrees while we work – though feeling cooler due to the wind.

Wind: medium strength northerlies turning NNW(we will be partly sheltered).
UV: rising to 2 if the sun gets through the cloud.
EPA Air Quality: Good.

Risks to highlight

• Please bring water to maintain your hydration.
• Wear appropriate clothes for the conditions – a hat, long sleeves and closed-toe shoes. Wet weather gear would seem strongly indicated.
• Hi-vis clothes/vests are recommended – particularly when working around the main track as we will be.
• We will need to be careful of passers-by also.
• Hopefully, our mulch won’t get too heavy by getting wet. If it does, please reduce your barrow or bucket volumes to lighten the load.
• Hopefully the weather will deter and/or slow down the crazier cyclists.
• There are stumps, branches, lumps and bumps that may present trip hazards and eye-hazards under twiggy shrubs etc. We have some safety glasses in the PPE bag if you feel you need them.
• COVID, flu and RSV are still around again in a fairly big way it seems.  Please don’t come if you have any symptoms.
• Bull-ant bites have not been recorded there – but please be vigilant…