by Basil | Sep 16, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Appreciating some magnificent contributors to our Denmark-Kwoorabup community
Here Green Skills takes the opportunity to thank and appreciate those volunteers and groups who support the Denmark Community Garden and who are consistently marvellous. This is a tribute to them and all the many quiet people who give heaps to our town and our world. Thank you
Support to establish the garden has come from Green Skills, the Denmark CRC, Kwoorabup Denmark Transition Town Network, the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, the Denmark Community Windfarm Group Sustainability Fund, Metroof, Thornton’s Hardware & Mitre 10, the Denmark Men’s Shed, contractors, other groups & volunteers
Basil
Green Skills Denmark 98483110
Michael (of RAC rescue fame), Don and Greg. Last Wednesday in the pouring rain, Michael volunteered his truck and skills to help move some big shadehouse benchtops to the DCG
The Denmark Men Shed guys – rough sense of humour but true legends. Here they are helping relocate a shadehouse.
Greg helping relocate a shadehouse.. a true Aussie stalwart !
Neal – Denmark’s garden maestro and enthusiastic teacher of horticultural knowledge
Shirle, Greg and Neal at our composting workshops.. all deeply feeling beings who have green hearts and fingers
Lucia guiding the group through her spectacularly productive garden
Lucia (centre) with her garden produce, Dawn (right),another dedicated volunteer and contributor to not just the community garden but much more.
Lucia( right) who let us loose in her wonderful home garden last weekend – and Petra ( centre) who does a fabulous job of helping drive the Denmark Community Resource Centre, and Shirley ( healer and giver)
Campbell communicating with the garlic in the DCG (Denmark Communitarian Garden)
Greg communicating with the broad beans
Neal, Gloria and other garden enthusiasts
Carl, another legendary community supporter, who never fails to lend a hand
Thanks to all the Wwoofers who give so generously to the places they volunteer, in this case the Denmark Community Garden
Kristi, in her element at the Golden Hill Waldorf School.. winning Gold at the Waste Minimisation Olympics and another unsung community heroine
Kristi in composting action
by Basil | Sep 11, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Snap-shot Bushland Survey and Eco-Assessment on Currawong farm, Monjebup
On Monday 9th Green Skills conducted its fourth ‘ Rapid Snapshot Bushland Assessment and Eco Planning’ survey on Currawong farm, near Boxwood HIll.
Done in conjunction with the Stefani family, the aim was to do a snap shot biodiversity assessment to assist with planning for bushland conservation and revegetation planning for this 990 hectare farm that is strategically located next to Bush Heritage’s North Monjebup reserve as well as the Corackerup Nature Reserve. This farm, which has about 269 ha of remnant bushland 27 %) is thus situated in the heart of the FItzgerald to Stirling section of Gondwana LInk ( http://www.gondwanalink.org/)
The survey team comprised Melissa Howe ( Ecologist), Basil Schur ( Green Skills) , Angela Sanders ( Bush Heritage), and Jane THompson ( co owner of Yarraweyah Farm). Also in attendance was Freya Spencer ( Gillamii and North Sirling Pallingup NRM officer), Leoni McMahon ( FGB Executive Officer and Reaghan Shalders ( FGB NRM Officer)
Green Skills will collate the results of the day’s survey and prepare a draft and then final report for the landholding family. This document will prove valuable in accessing further bushland fencing and revegetation assistance for priority sites.
For further info contact Basil Schur, Green Skills Denmark office 08 98483310
Meeting with Jeremy Stefani, farmer, using aerial maps to show the history of the property.
Currawong farm remnants with the magnificent Stirling Range National Park in the backgroun
FItzgerald to Stirling Section of Gondwana LInk Strategic map
Survey team on a propose revegetaiton site with Jeremy
Angela, Jeremy and Melissa assessing a biodiverse remnant bushland area
Aerial view of Currawong farm, close to other extensive bushland areas
Red Moort – Eucalyptus nutans- endangered tree species see https://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2910953)
Red Moort – Eucalyptus nutans- endangered tree species
Emus in the Canola on Currawong
by Basil | Sep 10, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Appreciating some magnificent contributors to our Denmark-Kwoorabup community
Here Green Skills takes the opportunity to thank and appreciate those volunteers and groups who support the Denmark Community Garden and who are consistently marvellous. This is a tribute to them and all the many quiet people who give heaps to our town and our world. Thank you
Support to establish the garden has come from Green Skills, the Denmark CRC, Kwoorabup Denmark Transition Town Network, the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, the Denmark Community Windfarm Group Sustainability Fund, Metroof, Thornton’s Hardware & Mitre 10, the Denmark Men’s Shed, contractors, other groups & volunteers
Basil
Green Skills Denmark 98483110
Michael (of RAC rescue fame), Don and Greg. Last Wednesday in the pouring rain, Michael volunteered his truck and skills to help move some big shadehouse benchtops to the DCG
The Denmark Men Shed guys – rough sense of humour but true legends. Here they are helping relocate a shadehouse.
Greg helping relocate a shadehouse.. a true Aussie stalwart !
Neal – Denmark’s garden maestro and enthusiastic teacher of horticultural knowledge
Shirle, Greg and Neal at our composting workshops.. all deeply feeling beings who have green hearts and fingers
Lucia guiding the group through her spectacularly productive garden
Lucia (centre) with her garden produce, Dawn (right),another dedicated volunteer and contributor to not just the community garden but much more.
Lucia( right) who let us loose in her wonderful home garden last weeke\nd – and Petra ( centre) who does a fabulous job of helping drive the Denmark Community Resource Centre, and Shirley ( healer and giver)
Campbell communicating with the garlic in the DCG (Denmark Communitarian Garden)
Greg communicating with the broad beans
Neal, Gloria and other garden enthusiasts
Carl, another legendary community supporter, who never fails to lend a hand
Thanks to all the Wwoofers who give so generously to the places they volunteer, in this case the Denmark Community Garden
Kristi, in her element at the Golden Hill Waldorf School.. winning Gold at the Waste Minimisation Olympics and another unsung community heroine
Kristi in composting action
by Laura | Jul 31, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
They’re becoming more common – “eco-disposable nappies”. Biodegradable, chlorine free, fragrance free, chemical free, cloth-like … the list goes on and the packaging is convincing.
But I’ve always wondered – are these claims true or is it greenwashing? Can these nappies truly be compostable?
To find out for yourself, look up company websites or nappy packaging – what % of their nappies is compostable? Figures range from 10% upwards.
This means, only a part of the nappies is compostable. They still contain plastic, as a minimum, in: the elastic in the leg cuffs, the tabs that fasten the nappy, and the backing of the tabs (that you rip off to fasten the nappy).
So, no nappy is 100% compostable.
Because of this, even compostable nappies belong in the waste-to-landfill (red lidded) bin.
“All nappies, even those that claim to be biodegradable or compostable need to go in the waste-to-landfill bin. At present, there is no known brand of compostable nappies that can completely break down in a commercial composting system. This is due to the plastic elements such as liners, tabs, and elastic that remain as residue after being processed. The plastic components equate to more than 10% which is above the acceptable contamination.” https://www.whichbin.sa.gov.au/a-z-items
With babies needing on average 5000 nappy changes from birth to toilet training, that’s 5000 disposable nappies in landfill. Or, just 24 modern cloth nappies. More info on that topic here.
by Basil | Jul 31, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Cranbrook School Tree Planting Outing to Tom South Lake – Tuesday 30th July 2019
Cranbrook Primary School Tree Planting Event Links Students to Landcare
The Cranbrook School Tree planting day held on Tuesday 30th July at Tom South Lake went well. Green Skills coordinated the provision of local native plants grown in the Katanning Landcare nursery, and guidance for the students on the day
The Gillamii Centre and the Shire of Cranbrook provided assistance in terms of planning and site preparation.
Forty or so students accompanied by several teachers and supporting adults from the Cranbrook Primary School participated in planting and watering around 1100 local shrubs and trees around the fenced off edge of the lake foreshore. Thanks also to the Jones and Williamson farming families for providing permission and support for the plantings. . This landcare project has been supported by the Koorabup Trust, Green Skills, Gillamii Centre, Shire of Cranbrook and the Cranbrook Primary School.
For a number of years bird enthusiasts including Steve Elson from Ongerup and others from BirdLife Australia have been surveying the birdlife of Tom South Lake, noting that it is an important haven for shorebirds including the threatened Hooded Plover, In 2018 Green Skills and the Gillamii Centre organised support for a 3.7km fence to be built protecting the foreshores of this lake from sheep grazing.
Last summer, it was noted that Hooded Plovers were breeding on the edge of the lake, the first time in years. The proximity of this lake adjacent to the main road between Cranbrook and Katanning makes it an ideal demonstration site to promote lake conservation to the broader Great Southern farming community.
Cranbrook School tree Planting Outing to Tom South Lake – Tuesday 30th July 201
