Chairman's Report for 2023
It is with pleasure that I present my report for 2023. With pleasure, because it gives me a chance to publicly acknowledge the great work so many of you do for the Cambridge Tree Trust, not only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but, for some, on many other days of the week also. I know we don't do the work for accolades, but Cambridge would be the poorer if we were not doing it.
Pete Fisher made an interesting calculation which he sent me last week. Based only on Tuesday and Thursday attendances, and not including work done outside those times, and valuing the work at the current minimum wage, we are giving the Council and the Cambridge community work valued at $68 876.
We now have some 30 projects that we attend to. Some require more care than others, and in future there will be more. The best way to deal with this is to communicate our concerns to the Council, and to this end, we hosted the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to morning tea at the nursery and took them to the Maple Arboretum. We have frequently met Matt Johnson, and Pete keeps in touch with the Deputy CEO of the Council, Ken Morris. This contact is mainly about a replacement for our truck, but the connection is established. One of our most valuable conduits is Sue Milner of the Community Board. We really value her contribution to our monthly meetings, and our concerns and ideas get back to the Board and the Council.
New projects this year have seen infill planting with bigger trees at the swale outside Busy Bees (formerly Little Einsteins) and at the road end further along. Jane's Lane, adjoining the Brian Mayo Reserve, has been extended. There has been infill planting in many other places too, in an effort to reduce the amount of weeding required.
Back at the nursery, Bruce and his team have done a magnificent job, first tidying the area behind the shade house, and then building a new shade house extension where a rather rickety one used to be. Further plantings have been added to the small park area adjacent to the nursery where all the trees are growing nicely. As an aside, I recently saw a mobility scooter rider with a Labrador in tow enter the Tree Trust carpark and proceed on to the park where the dog was unleashed and rushed around enjoying the freedom. It got me thinking that, with a fence around most of its perimeter, this park is not a bad place to exercise a dog.
This year we have had more members than usual leave our community as old age and infirmity take their toll, but we have also welcomed 5 keen and enthusiastic new members.
There are so many members who, in so many ways, contribute to make the Tree Trust the vibrant and successful organisation that it is. I hesitate to start naming people because very soon it would start to sound like a roll call of the membership. I believe everyone gives what they can and for that I am truly grateful because it makes the job of the chairman a pleasure.
There is, however, one person who the Committee would like to acknowledge, who has given more than 20 years of outstanding service to the Tree Trust, and that is Joan McCathie. At a recent meeting, the committee voted unanimously to award Joan life membership of the Cambridge Tree Trust
The Trust also provides a place where people can socialise and feel they belong. As Joan once said, "Everyone needs a gang and Tree Trust is my gang." A great analogy, but no patches please.
I am stepping down as Chairman and Pete Fisher is taking my place. Eric is continuing as Project Manager so the Trust is in good hands. Matt Johnson has indicated several good planting areas for next year so we can look forward to a busy and rewarding time.
