Adelaide’s Grey Box Day celebrates a five year milestone on 1 June 2013 and organisers are calling on Burnside, Unley, Mitcham and Onkaparinga residents to join the effort to preserve Adelaide’s natural heritage by planting Grey Box eucalypts and their companion understory plants.
The one-day event encourages southern foothills residents to plant small patches of native woodland plants as part of the drive to conserve valuable plant and animal habitat in the Adelaide metropolitan area.
Well-priced plant packs containing a mix of compact, garden-friendly plants will be available for collection from the Main Pavilion, Belair National Park on Saturday 1 June, but pre-ordering is essential.
Ross Oke from Natural Resources Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges said 2013 marked a new phase of the annual Grey Box program with an extension into the Burnside, Unley and Onkaparinga areas.
He said the program’s success with plantings of Grey Box and small understory plants and shrubs throughout Mitcham’s foothills suburbs had shown the push to replenish biodiversity in key areas of Adelaide suburbia was working.
“The grassy woodland ecosystem dominated by Grey Box trees is nationally threatened. The good news is that residents in key areas can help conserve and enhance what is left by simply ordering and planting a group of low lying shrubs and flowers in a small backyard spaces,” Mr Oke said.
Greg Johns, Chairman, Grey Box Community Incorporated said Grey Box Day celebrated a sense of place and encouraged everyone to get involved and be responsible for biodiversity management in their own backyard.
“We are thrilled at the growth Grey Box Day has had since the inaugural event in 2009 and see this event as a big push for putting biodiversity back in the Adelaide Hills,” said Greg Johns.
Residents are invited to be a part of the day and view community group displays, face painting and activities for kids, Cleland Wildlife Park animals, as well as information on local provenance planting and water-wise gardening.
What: Grey Box Day
Collect your native plants at the family fun day
When: Saturday 1 June 2013 10.00 am – 3.00 pm
Where: Main Pavilion, Belair National Park
Grey Box Day is proudly supported by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, the Grey Box Community Group Inc. and the Federal Government’s Caring for our Country program.
Visit www.backyards4wildlife.com.au for further information or to order your plant pack.
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