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Bushcare encompasses the involvement of volunteers in the management of natural areas, mainly on public land, through
the use of bush regeneration techniques and practices. It is usually coordinated and supported by the local Council.
“The City of Ryde Bushcare Program was established in 2001 with the employment of a full-time Bushcare Officer.
The program has expanded over the past few years from a handful of volunteers to now over 130 volunteers in nineteen
Bushcare Groups.”
If you would like more information about Bushcare and how to get involved please contact Sandra Payne, Bushcare Officer on
(02) 9952 8222 or e-mail cityofryde@ryde.nsw.gov.au.
The general aim of bush regeneration and Bushcare is “to restore and maintain an ecosystem in which natural regeneration can
occur”. This is done through the processes of restoration, reclamation, rehabilitation or revegetation of a weed infested bushland
area or otherwise degraded plant community into a healthy community composed of plants endemic to that area.
The aim of the City of Ryde Bushcare Program is to regenerate, protect and preserve urban bushland areas within the City of
Ryde through the support and management of volunteers for the enjoyment of future generations.
| Objectives of the City of Ryde Bushcare Program |
 Enhance biodiversity conservation through the improved long-term protection and management of remnant native vegetation;
Produce an integrated, co-operative and strategic approach to managing and conserving native vegetation;
Empower the community to undertake some responsibility for managing native vegetation in an ecologically sustainable way;
Support and manage the development of the volunteer community movement and the Ryde Volunteer Bush Regenerators’
Network (RVBRN);
Increase the communities’ awareness of their impacts of living near native bushland areas;
Increase the communities’ awareness about the environmental and noxious weeds present within the City of Ryde;
Educate the wide community about the importance of protecting our natural resources’
Obtain external funding and manage grant projects;
Share resources between the City of Ryde, other organisations and groups;
Improve the quality of community life through increased social interaction and sharing of information; and
Improve the effectiveness of bushland management within the City of Ryde by complementing bush regeneration works
undertaken by Council and other agencies.
| Activities Group Working Group Days |
Residents and local businesses are encouraged to participate in the Bushcare Program and make a difference to their local
bushland area.
Activities include:
Weed removal and control;
Track maintenance and construction;
Fauna and flora management;
Site assessment, planning and monitoring;
Seed collection and propagation;
Planting and revegetation programs.
| Community Partnership Days |
Local companies, Ryde TAFE and other interested organisations are encouraged to become involved in the Bushcare
Program through Community Partnership Days and donations.
Companies such as PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, ACNielsen, Fuji-Xerox, Westpac and EDS Australia
have participated in Community Partnership Days each year to assist established Bushcare Groups.
Ryde TAFE, St Ignatius College, Tzu Chi Foundation and Lucca Leadership have also actively supported the Bushcare
Program.
| Bushcare Group Working Days |
The Bushcare groups usually meet once a month for a period of two hours in either the morning or afternoon. The group working
times are shown below. If you would like to come along to one of the working sessions it would be appreciated if you could
contact Sandra Payne, Bushcare Officer on 9952 8222, so that she is aware a new person will be coming along.
Wear an old hat, long pants and long sleeved shirt and sturdy footwear (no thongs or open shoes).
All tools and equipment are supplied.
| Group |
Day of the Month |
Time |
| Minga Reserve |
1st Saturday |
8.00am - 10.00am |
| Waterloo Park |
1st Saturday |
1:30pm – 3:30pm |
| Portius Park |
1st Sunday |
8:00am – 10:00pm |
| Darvall Park |
1st Sunday |
1:30pm – 3:30pm |
| Greenwood Park |
2nd Saturday |
8:00am – 12:00pm |
| Pidding Park |
2nd Saturday |
1:30pm – 3:30pm |
| Robinson St |
2nd Sunday |
1:30pm – 3:30pm |
| Stewart Park |
3rd Saturday |
9:30am – 11:30am |
| Roving Group |
3rd Saturday |
1:30pm – 4:00pm |
| Field of Mars - Finch Avenue |
3rd Sunday |
9:00am – 11:00am |
| Field of Mars - Kennedy Street |
4th Saturday |
9:30am – 11:30am |
| Brush Farm Park |
4th Saturday |
1:30pm – 3:30pm |
| Ross St - Glades Bay Res |
4th Sunday |
9:00am – 11:00am |
| Roving Group |
5th Saturday |
1:30pm - 4:30pm |
| Field of Mars - Monash Rd |
Every Tuesday |
9:00am – 11:00am |
| Field of Mars - Cemetery |
Every Thursday |
1:30pm – 3:30pm |
| Field of Mars - Visitors Centre |
3rd Monday |
9:00am – 11:00am |
| Bundara Reserve |
Various |
10:00am – 12:00pm |
| Pryor Park |
Various |
8:00am – 10:00am |
| Past Community Partnership Days |
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The City of Ryde Bushcare Program would like to thank the 96 volunteers from Novartis Pharmaceuticals for their assistance planting 2600 trees, shrubs and groundcovers at Pembroke Park. This Community Partnership Day on 5 June coincided with the UN World Environment Day. We hope to see them again in 2008. |
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Since 2004 PriceWaterhouse Coopers volunteers have been involved in clearing woody weeds, mulching and planting as part of the ‘Restoration of Strangers Creek Project’ in Field of Mars Reserve. The Bushcare Program would like to thank them for their ongoing commitment at this site. |
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The Eastwood based Tzu Chi Foundation returned for a second Community Partnership Day at Marsfield Park in July 2007. Activities undertaken included spreading mulch and planting 500 locally indigenous trees, shrubs and groundcovers. This revegetation project is aimed at improving the habitat corridor for wildlife between Marsfield Park and the Lane Cove National Park |
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Volunteers from Westpac have undertaken a variety of Bushcare activities in Waterloo Park since 2004. On their Community partnership day this year the group cleared noxious weeds such as Privet and Lantana to assist the natural regeneration of the area. The Bushcare Program thanks them for their ongoing commitment and looks forward to working with them again next year.
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This year three Turf classes from Ryde TAFE helped with revegetation projects in Greenwood Park, Pembroke Park and Lambert Park. The students spread 40m3 mulch and planted 1500 locally indigenous plants in record time. The revegetation projects they were involved with last year at Glades Bay Reserve are thriving.
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 The City of Ryde Bushcare Program would like to thank Ryde TAFE and students for their assistance in mulching and planting
out of the road embankment on Chatham Road and Darvall Park. The work was undertaken over two
days (1 and 3 June) and involved spreading 150m3 mulch and the planting of 800 grasses and
shrubs. The work will make the area more manageable in the long-term.
| Westpac General Insurance | 
On Wednesday 22 June 2005 fourteen employees from Westpac General Insurance undertook
mulching, revegetation and primary weed removal as part of their Community Day. This is the second
year that they have undertaken activities for the City of Ryde Bushcare Program. They returned to
Waterloo Park and continued their good work from the previous year. Our thanks goes out to them and
hope to see them again in 2006. |
