Preserving the Natural Forest of Buderim – you can help

There is local family group with roots back to Buderim’s farming days, which is working hard to preserve the natural rainforests of Buderim. They are active in the SAILS Ministries and work as volunteers in environmental conservation, indigenous reconciliation & community building projects. The headquarters in Buderim is The Green House in Lindsay Road Buderim.

They have preserved a large parcel of land as a Nature Refuge on Lindsay Road, and are actively preserving the substantial piece of natural forest off Main Street, extending from Middys to behind St Marks and the Memorial Hall and across to the area once known as Bart’s Land (behind Cimani and the new development on King Street).

The land on Main Street is the only remaining piece of original forest on the top of Buderim and includes some of Buderim’s lovely basalt escarpment which is now mostly gone.  Ownership of this land is in the hands of part private, part State, and part Council interests.  SAILS has an official council land care group for this area.  While it contains some large camphors, more than half the canopy is a variety of native trees and vines, some plant species are exclusive to this region.  There is also an established understory.   The edges are weedy but there is a core of mature forest.  The group has been hand-weeding and removing rubbish in the car park above Middys, on the Church land opposite the school, and behind the Craft Cottage and Hall. The area is looking much better from the street.  They are slowly removing Camphor Laurels particularly where they are growing close to and competing with established native trees, with a long term view to preservation of the natural Buderim, for future generations.

Many folk get a bit anxious when trees are removed, but the group is not planting a new forest which will take a generation to grow.  Rather, they are trying to preserve and extend an existing mature rainforest which is threatened by invasive weeds. There is some replacement planting on the weedy edges, but the task is mainly to support the natural regrowth by removing weeds.

Martins Creek Working Bee – Get Involved!

As part of Anglican SAILS community partnership with the council we have a monthly working bee in Martins Creek. On the 18th May there was a community tree planting day. We have tidied and planted at the entrance to Martin’s Creek bushland from the swimming pool carpark. and have planted part of the creek bank. These are areas that were weeded in previous working bees.

The Martin’s Creek working bee in Martin’s Creek bushland is from 9-11 on the third Saturday of each month. It is always attended by council staff. Everyone is welcome.

The council have cleared a weedy area behind the Craft Cottage and BWMCA Hall carpark. Anglican SAILS and the council organised a community planting day  to plant the area under the fig trees at the edge of the forest with understory plants. This created a pleasant resting place with a view into the forest at the edge of this busy precinct.

Lindsay Road Forest Preservation Project.

From the Greenhouse, down to the Buderim Forest Reserve and along Lindsay road for a way, runs a parcel of land which the SAILS group has kept for posterity as a sanctuary for Buderim Wildlife and Flora. Included in the area is an Indigenous People’s Memorial Garden, where a special ceremony is held annually to plant trees in memory of members of their community who have died recently. This garden is being expanded to include an entry off Lindsay Road and a trail through the forest to the garden. .

SAILS Forest Preservation Group needs help!

The area off Main Street, behind the Craft Cottage and the Memorial Hall car park was pretty untidy but is potentially beautiful and suitable for a small park.  The group is in discussion with Sunshine Coast Council, seeking support for a community group to do some planting there.  So hands are needed for everything from digging to marketing!

In addition, they want to clean up the Martins Creek area off Lindsay Road from the bridge, round behind the Scout Den to the Cascades. A Martins Creek working bee is  organised on the third Saturday morning of each month, meeting at the Scout Den on Lindsay Road.  

If you love the natural Buderim and are interested in helping preserve our rainforest, contact Heather by phone on 07 5453 4102  or email heatherbj@gmail.com