12 & 13 August: Missed the show? Listen back here.
Ruth’s guests this week are local conservationists Lesley Dalzeil and Peter Mitchell who wax lyrically about the beautiful ‘treasures’ emerging in our local nature reserves as Winter gives way to more sunlight and warmth.
Wattle is bursting out everywhere, and tiny orchids are appearing, just to name two of the many plant species pushing through the chilly earth to get to the sunlight. Trees and shrubs are coming into flower both in our gardens as well as in the many beautiful nature reserves around the Mitchell Shire.
Different species of returning birds are busily building nests to raise their babies to hopefully fledge and survive a more challenging world of weather extremes, habitat loss, and the increasing threat of predators.
Lesley and Peter’s tireless efforts in helping to rescue land that would otherwise have been sold to developers, (one example: the Lighthouse Memorial Park on the eastern edge of Seymour), has meant we now have access to beautiful nature reserves. They and others lobbied hard and then worked with Council to ensure public land stayed public. Cleared land was revegetated, existing habitats preserved, and biodiversity was added to ensure a variety of species could thrive there.
Lesley and Peter will guide us us around these beautiful reserves, fill us in on the natural treasures to be found there at this time, and recount the history along with the many people who worked to ensure these spaces remained available for us all to enjoy.
Being able to commune in nature so close to where we live is increasingly precious, and a privilege. Join us to hear about these special natural environments, and drop into Mitchell Shire’s Libraries or their Information Centres to pick up a leaflet called: ‘Mitchel Shire’s NATURAL TREASURES’ which lists the many nature reserves in the district and a map of how to find them in your area.
Lesley Dalziel
Lesley has devoted much of her time in Seymour to the preservation of parks and the natural environment, and also to Landcare. Working with the Council, and also with like minded people, she attracted wonderful capable support for a number of causes.
She feels the desire for people to get close to nature was never demonstrated more clearly than during the Covid lockdown. People need parks!
Peter Mitchell
Peter has a PhD in zoology and years of experience in ecology and land management. He has worked as a Landcare coordinator, teacher and land management officer with government departments. Since retiring, Peter has been involved in many volunteer groups working on landscape restoration and the management of many of Mitchell Shire’s Natural Treasures. He has written many of BEAM’s submissions to government agencies including the Shire’s Structure Plans and Rural Strategy.
A sunny July day spent in the beautiful Tallarook Ranges. (Photo taken by Paul McGregor)
“Covid has taught us people need green open spaces” Lesley Dalziel