Colin Edwards and part of his team. |
Dear Friends,
“Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work we go...” may strike a chord for those of you old enough to remember Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves screening at a matinee on a wet Saturday afternoon, but I guess it was the pick-and-shovel-and-look-of-grim-determination of these four that triggered the flash back for me.
In the photo Colin Edwards (leading from the back) with Jane Barr, Marjorie Edwards and Bob Kennedy trudge their way out of Home Bay towards the next site needing their maintenance.
Armed with morning tea the team spends form 9.00 am to noon once a month clearing culverts and drains on the upgraded sections of the Smuggler’s circuit and casting critical eyes (both Colin and Bob are qualified engineers!) over the track's state and design.
There’s considerable debate over the diameter, strength, and positioning of the culvert pipes. Rain fall can be torrential and in some cases the drains and pipes have not coped, either becoming blocked by twigs and silt or by being compressed by cattle, resulting in quite severe scouring of the track’s gravel surface when drains have overflowed. In tracks elsewhere experience has shown that culvert pipes function more effectively if they have a wider diameter and cross under the track at an angle which does not reduce the speed of water flow.
As is to be expected, the cattle in the grazed part of the reserve have had quite an impact on the state of the track. They tend to pug the drains, especially in wet areas where they seek drinking water, their weight often being sufficient to compress the culvert pipes. Their hooves crumble drain edges resulting in silting. They seem to delight in leaving pats on the track. In the ungrazed area of the reserve the track is in much better shape.
The cattle do, however, perform an important function - they effectively “mow” the kikuyu grass, making it easier for people to walk and they reduce the risk of fire spreading (should it occur).
The maintenance team is hard pressed to keep pace with the level of work needed to keep the track in functioning order. Additional methods need to be found.
Kikuyu grass has some interesting characteristics. If left untouched it grows into a thick, lank, knee deep, smothering ground cover. But if subjected to grazing by stock together with foot traffic by walkers it develops into a short, tight turf. Such a turf, if allowed to develop on the gravel surface of the track will greatly reduce the erosive and scouring effect of rain run off or water flow.
An agreement has been made with DOC to trial the growing of such a kikuyu turf on the track surface. It is predicted that where a turf develops water flowing over it will not scour or erode the underlying gravel. This in turn will lessen the negative consequences of drains and culverts becoming blocked and hence the need for such a high level of volunteer work.
In the ungrazed areas of the reserve - from which cattle are excluded - the foot traffic of walkers on its own will not be sufficient to stimulate the development of a tight protective turf across the full width of the track. Weed eaters will be used as a less messy substitute for cattle. And again, once a tight protective turf covers the track blocked drains or culverts will not have such a negative impact.
Through patches of bush where light intensity is reduced kikuyu and possibly weeds will not grow. Here the clearing of drains and culverts will remain a priority.
In the photo below we can see a place where walkers take a shortcut across a corner in the track above Smugglers Cove. A combination of foot traffic and cattle grazing develops the kikuyu here as a short, tight protective cover. If this is encouraged to grow on the track it will stop the gravel washing away. The gravel will be maintained in place as a firm, relatively dry walking surface.
In total there are eight active members of the Smugglers maintenance team, and Geoff Pike and Colin Cook are looking after the Peach Cove tack. We are always keen for others to join us. It’s good fun, and you are expected to turn out only when you can. Give Colin Edwards a ring on 4363561, or Geoff Pike on 4340038, if you would like to join us. It matters not whether you are Happy, Grumpy, Dopey, Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful or even DOC - all will be welcome.
Best wishes
David Monro
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