[ANUgreen.announce] ANUgreen Office has moved + Irrigation Amnesty

[Nicki Tobin]

ANUgreen Office has moved into its new premises the 'ARTS' Transportable
located adjacent to The Gods Cafe, behind the alfresco eating area. The
office and mobile phone numbers have remained the same.

Cycle maps, and basic bike gear at cost price is available from the
Transport Office in the John Yencken Bldg 45 Sullivans Creek Rd.
(Parking Desk)

If you have any recycling from your office area - computers, office
furniture, etc please email recycle at anu.edu.au

NOTIFICATION - IRRIGATION AMNESTY - March 16 to April 3 2009

The university is committed to significantly reducing its potable water
consumption by 2020.  As part of this program we are currently
developing strategies to eliminate potable water use in the landscape by
2015.  These will include using storm water and recycled water as an
irrigation source, along with changes in landscape design.   

In the interim, we have made significant reductions in water consumption
over the past 2 years and much of those savings can be attributed to the
strategies put in place by our grounds staff and ANU green.    However,
given a particular hot period in the last part of summer, the landscape
is under stress and, given we do not have all the alternative water
infrastructure in place as yet,  we will need to irrigate using potable
water to protect it from major damage.

Consequently, for the next three weeks (from March 16 to April 3
inclusive) the gardeners will concentrate on identifying areas or
specific plants that are suffering from water stress and attempt to deep
irrigate these areas.  Unlike normal conditions there will be no
restriction on the timing of irrigation except that run off onto hard
surfaces is to be avoided.  

Hopefully now that the hottest weather is behind us this initiative may
help in reducing the level of water stress affecting our landscape
assets and provide a basis for some level of recovery during the cooler
months.  Although an improvement in the aesthetic value of the landscape
is the most obvious desirable outcome driving the irrigation amnesty
there is also a crucial safety consideration. Large trees- especially
our established Eucalypts - often respond to water stress by shedding
limbs; the combination of prolonged drought conditions and water
restrictions has seen the incidence of limb shedding increase over
recent years. The application of deep irrigation to specific trees will
help to reduce the level of water stress and hopefully the incidence of
branch shedding.

Message from Facilities & Services

Australian National University

 
 
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