Atlas Cedar

Atlas Cedars are members of the pine family and are native to Algeria and Morocco in North Africa. They form forests in the Atlas and Rif mountains where they provide habitat for the Barbary Macaque. In their home range, Atlas Cedars are disappearing due to land clearing and timber harvesting.

The species produces an aromatic oil that is a natural insect repellent. The timber is sometimes sourced for furniture-making.

 

The Atlas Cedar is commonly cultivated as an ornamental tree. Its pleasing, pyramid, Christmas tree shape makes it a popular parkland tree in urban situations. At this time of year in the Southern Hemisphere, the pale-coloured conifer cones add to the Christmas tree effect as they protrude vertically like decorations. 

Drouin has two Atlas Cedars in Morton Park at the intersection of Buln Buln and Hopetoun Rds and a single tree in Hearn Park in Hearn St, (and there may be others?). The trees in Morton Park were planted by Buln Buln Shire, circa 1960.

 

Departing Pipit

The Australian Pipit is an open habitat bird that can occupy a wide range of grassland, farmland and wasteland locations. It is mostly sedentary and stays in the same place for several seasons.

Pipit - recorded at Gum Scrub Ck wetland 2019, 2020 & October 2021

The camouflage and shy nature of the Pipit means it is not often seen although it is described in some references as a common and abundant bird. The first sighting is usually when the bird is accidentally flushed. It generally flies off close to the ground for a short distance, lands, wags its tail up and down (the Pipit is related to the Wagtail), and then seems to completely disappear as it merges into its surroundings.

Australian Pipits are very terrestrial. They feed on ground-level insects and build their nest in a simple depression in the ground.

Some researchers suggest the Pipit is in decline due to improved pasture, pesticides, predation and urbanization.

A survey in October by Friends of Drouin’s Trees recorded Australian Pipits in Gum Scrub Creek wetland, right beside the Two Towns Trail, just east of Hopetoun Rd. The Gum Scrub Creek wetland birds have been seen there for several seasons now and appear to have been well established.

June 2019

For how much longer?

Circa 2019

A new sub-division in the location will certainly impact on the bird’s habitat. It will be interesting to see if the bird survey in April 2022 records a Pipit in Drouin. (An as yet unidentified Sun-orchid was recorded in the same location on the same day last month)

November 2021

Like the Pipit, the time to move on is approaching?

Greenwashing

 

Remember when BP meant ‘British Petroleum’?

Back in 1997, BP engaged an advertising company to launch a $200m re-branding of the company. A new image showing a warm and fuzzy sunburst was devised and now we have ‘Beyond Petroleum’. 

BP still gains its profits from a fossil fuel. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico spewed more than 700 million litres of crude oil into the sea for 87 days. The BP CEO at the time suggested the amount of oil was “relatively tiny in a very big ocean”. It was one of the world’s worst ever environmental disasters.

The re-branding of BP is known as greenwashing - the practice of making brands appear more environmentally sustainable than they really are.

BP of course is not alone in trying to greenwash their image. McDonald’s paper straws LINK, IKEA’s illegal logging LINK, Volkswagen’s ‘dieselgate’ LINK, Nestlé’s plastic initiative LINK, are all examples of big corporations trying to convince consumers of their green credentials. And, there’s plenty more.

Superannuation funds is another area where greenwashing has been evident. Some super funds declare that their investments (of your money), are green or ethical. ASIC is currently investigating several misleading and misrepresenting claims by some superannuation companies LINK.

Greenwashing was very prolific at COP 26 in Glasgow LINK. Large companies, even governments, spent up big trying to convince delegates, and the world press, of their green climate change credentials.

Closer to home, it isn’t difficult to find examples of greenwashing at federal, state and local government levels. In this ever-shrinking world, it pays to read the fine print and even then, don’t believe everything you read without some deeper research.

(Please note: This blog post does not necessarily represent the views of all members of the Friends of Drouin’s Trees)