Today, 16 April, South Lawson Park Bushcare Group met for the first time on its new Lawson Parklands site, the riparian zone of Lawson Creek. The riparian zone has been fenced and borders the exisiting bushland that stretches along Lawson Creek. The objective is to revegetate the riparian zone, using a range of methods: natural regeneration (germination of naturally distributed indigenous plant seed); assisted natural regeneration (distributing by hand the seed of indigenous plants); planting of indigenous plants. Some natural regeneration is already occurring within the riparian zone, so that is very pleasing.

The group worked in the riparian zone today, along the edge of and also in Lawson swamp, mainly targeting Japanese Honeysuckle and Privet. The indigenous plants planted by the bushcare group over ten years ago are doing quite well.

We were then pleased to meet with Gundungurra community member, David King, and partner Belle, to discuss revegetation and other Parklands management issues. Maintaining this important partnership with the Gundungurra community and respecting their deep interests in the Parklands site and land, a part of their homelands and subject to an ILUA, will always be a high priority for the bushcare group.

The new South Lawson Parklands community recreation and nature hub is proving to be a great success. There were many parents, children on bikes, mums and dads with prams and strollers, joggers and walkers all out enjoying the new walking path. Dog owners and their pooches were having a great time in the new fenced dog off-leash area. A very pleasant scene.

As reported in the March 2023 news on this website, Belle Butler and Hamish Dunlop, Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative, Katoomba, BMCC, are preparing an article on the ecological restoration work of the bushcare group in the upper catchment of Lawson Creek, and interviewed group members. Their report has now been published, and makes for good reading. See Archives: Mid-Mountains News: South Lawson Park Bushcare Group April 2023.

Streamwatch convenor reports that water quality in Lawson Creek on the Parklands (downstream of Lawson swamp and adjacent to riparian zone) was very good: oxygen levels (satisfactory), phosphorous (low), pH (balanced), turbidity (low) and freshness (high).

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