National Trust’s Bushcare Program for Trust Properties
Stick insect at Blackwood
The National Trust owns a number of bushland properties. One of the ways the Trust protects these bushland areas is to actively involve the local community in Bushcare projects. Recent grant funding is enabling the Trust to carry out more comprehensive conservation activities on these properties. Bushcare is a National Program that aims to reverse the long-term decline of Australia's native vegetation.
Please join our Bushcare project at Everglades Gardens (Everglades Avenue, Leura)
The National Trust has received a grant from the Sydney Catchment Authority to regenerate the bushland at Everglades Gardens. The main aims of the project are to improve water quality in the creek and to help conserve a patch of local bushland.
A Bushcare group has been working in the bushland since mid 2007. The group meets once per month and always welcomes new members. An experienced supervisor guides the volunteers who do some easy weeding activities and receive an opportunity to learn about bushland.
To join the Bushcare group, please contact Diana or Lana at the National Trust’s Bushland Management Department on 9258 0132 or 9258 0176.
Everglades Gardens contains a historical house and garden. Approximately ¾ of the property is beautiful bushland which can be viewed from the many walking paths. It is situated alongside the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park.
The local trees are mainly Blue Mountain Ash and Sydney Peppermint. The bushland also contains Blue Mountains Swamps and a section of Gordon Creek that leads to Gordon Falls. The Blue Mountains Swamps are very significant in the area as they have become quite rare. They form approximately 20% of the bushland at Everglades.
The Blue Mountains Water Skink is a Threatened Species lives in boggy areas in the region and is likely to occur at Everglades. Everglades is just upstream of another Threatened Species, the Dwarf Mountain Pine that occurs in only six known locations within the Blue Mountains.
Click here for information about Everglades Gardens
Come along to join our Bushcare Project at
Ludovic Blackwood Memorial Sanctuary
An echidna visits Blackwood
The Ludovic Blackwood Sanctuary Memorial Sanctuary is a National Trust property in Beecroft Road. It contains an important remnant of Blue Gum High Forest, part of a convict road and historical saw pits from the days of logging by local timber getters. Blackwood is a sheltered site with a small gully that contains majestic Blue Gums, Sydney Red Gums, Blackbutt Eucalypts and a large variety of native understorey plants. However, the health of the bushland is threatened by a number of weedy vines and other weeds. The bushland in Blackwood is connected to other native vegetation in adjoining Mount St Benedict College and along Devlins
Creek creating an important habitat corridor. Possums, native bees, Rosellas, an echidna and two Powerful Owls have been seen foraging in the area.
A Bushcare group has been working at Blackwood since early 2004. The group meets twice a month and currently needs (and welcomes) some new members. An experienced Supervisor guides volunteers through the project activities. Morning tea is provided. To find out more about the Bushcare group, please contact Elisabeth or Diana at the National Trust’s Bushland Management Department on 9258 0132 / 0176.
Click here for information about Blackwood Sanctuary
