Our next Landcaring dates are
Sunday 26th March and Monday 3rd April. Details later.
Angharad, Ann, Anne, Ivan, Ted and I contributed 21.45 hours work on February 26th & March 3rd. Diana surveyed for 1 hour. $35 per hour is now utilised in calculating the value of volunteers. We’ve saved ratepayers over $700. We’ve improved the biodiversity of Mt Rogers by destroying invasive weed species that compete for space, water and the soil’s nutrients.
Angharad, Ann, Anne, Ivan, Ted and I contributed 21.45 hours work on February 26th & March 3rd. Diana surveyed for 1 hour. $35 per hour is now utilised in calculating the value of volunteers. We’ve saved ratepayers over $700. We’ve improved the biodiversity of Mt Rogers by destroying invasive weed species that compete for space, water and the soil’s nutrients.
After greengrocery shopping at
Choku Bai Jo at Lyneham it was 10.15 am before I reached Mt Rogers. It had
been quite misty earlier and the mist was only slowly lifting. Did the sun
appear in time for the Canberra Day weekend Balloons’ lift-off? Do plants
contribute to mistiness through transpiring moisture through their leaves at
night? There’s precious little moisture around apart from the lakes. In spite
of 15 mL of rain a week ago everything is still so parched & beige.
The cloud patterns as the sun
burnt off the mist were varied & delicate. Looking at clouds or for birds
is a dangerous pastime in places where the gravel has been eroded off the path.
I have sent in photos and a request for the surface to be maintained. The main
section is that which passes the Flynn playground. Would some of you please
phone the Ginninderra Catchment Group 6278 3309 to ask that they relay the
message about the path’s state to the City Services people. There are many such
requests to prioritise but it’s high time Mt Rogers’ gravel path received
attention again, isn’t it?
Butterflies were already out
presumably looking for plant species for egg-laying as there were few sources
of nectar from flowers. They were followed by Yellow Winged & smaller
species of Grasshoppers. There were quite a few walkers out also enjoying the
day’s cooler start & aiming to be home before the 29 degrees established
itself. People were asked if they needed a Mt Rogers brochure for new
neighbours and about 7 were handed out.
There were several dog poo
deposits on the path and no sticks in sight to move them out of people’s way.
Time to ask the ACT Government AGAIN for signs about off-leash dog etiquette–
if it could be guaranteed that the oblivious owners would read official signs or
our own signs. The other day there was a report of kangaroos being chased by a
dog when the owner-walker was present.
Today one young dog owner had come
from Florey. It’s almost impossible to see where Florey is these days as the
trees and shrubs our adjacent suburbs host mask patches of grass. The
vegetation is providing vital connectivity for bird species and linking the
suburbs with Ginninderra Creek’s natural corridor. Ginninderra Catchment Group
has organised many working parties to manage the growth of weed species along
the creek over the years. This is in addition to the ongoing efforts of the
Landcare groups at Evatt and Umbagong (between Latham & Macgregor), and
Macgregor’s and Dunlop’s teams of dedicated volunteers. Upstream there are
groups at Giralang and Crace Ponds.
Today’s conversations included
several “It’s such a great place to walk round and take in the views”. It would
be wonderful and so valuable if more people took time to write to ministers or
phone them at the Legislative Assembly to express these feelings about our
special places. Say how reinvigorated a walk makes us feel. Explain that being
outdoors in nature lifts the spirits and improves our health. Show how we value
the conversations we have each day. Unfortunately quantifying how people
benefit from being amongst nature, plants and animals is difficult. It’s sometimes
avoided by those who ‘hold the purse-strings’ so that inadequate amounts of
money are allocated to reserve management and landcaring.
At around the time of the ‘backpacker
saga’ $100,000,000 was allocated to Landcare by the Federal Government. With
5,400 Landcare Groups and 100,000 volunteers Australia wide that money won’t go
very far. Some have the perception that ‘the environment will look after itself’.
You all know that’s a fallacy because you’ve seen what a difference volunteers
make over time through work that gives native species the chance to thrive in
their habitats. Ginninderra Catchment Group is closely watching for the money’s
allocation.
One or two people today mentioned
not having seen me for a while. I have been lax in not reaching Mt Rogers. The
hot days have played a part in this situation. I’ve taken the quick way out of
walking around Flynn when the evenings’ cooler temperatures & breezes
arrive. One of the main reasons is being part of the teams trying to prevent
the Ginninderra Falls area from being overwhelmed by the Ginninderry
development that’s emerging in West Belconnen.
Both the Ginninderra Falls
Association & the Ginninderra Catchment Group want to see the reserve
re-opened to the public. The Riverview Group has spent 7–8 years planning
the Ginninderry development on land leased or owned by the Corkhill family and
5 other landowners on NSW land nearer the Ginninderra Falls. The planning has
involved ground-breaking attention to ecological detail & retaining
landscape features. The Murrumbidgee River in the ACT is protected by a
Conservation Corridor & associated Conservation Management Plan.
However nearer Ginninderra Falls
the developers are asking Yass Valley Council to change the E3 Zoning from
Environmental to R1 Urban in order to maximise the number of dwellings that
will be near the edge of the Falls forest in future decades. Loss of the E3
Zoning would threaten the survival of several endangered species including the
Rosenberg’s Goanna. Here is a link to a short video illustrating the uniqueness
of the Callitris Pine forested gorges that surround Ginninderra Creek’s last
kilometre before reaching the Murrumbidgee River west of Parkwood https://vimeo.com/207234386 The
privately owned Ginninderra Falls was closed in 2004 when insurance for
visitors using the nature park became impossibly expensive.
You may have heard of an announced
feasibility study into the establishing of a National Park that would include
the Mulligans Flat, Goorooyarroo, Mt Ainslie and Mt Majura reserves of Canberra
Nature Park. There will be chances for the public and agencies to have input
into the proposal. This proposal raises many questions including: how is a
national park defined?, and what would be the benefits of this change of
status?
My preference, stimulated by the
Ginninderra Falls situation, would be to have the ACT and NSW jurisdictions work
together to protect the Murrumbidgee River corridor in perpetuity. The natural
vegetation and complex habitats of the river and its numerous tributaries
deserve protection. In the huge swathe of land between Yass, round to the ACT’s
east and south up to the High Country there are many vital connectivity
corridors that allow birds and other mobile species to move through the
landscape as they and Indigenous peoples have done for millennia.
There are already numerous landholders
in the region who manage land in genuinely empathetic ways. Some have worked
with Rivers of Carbon (riversofcarbon.org.au)
and Greening Australia to fence stock out of creek and river zones, to
revegetate the banks and to encourage rainfall to spread across the landscape
as nutrient rich water once did. These creek corridors could provide links with
other vegetation on properties throughout the region.
Photo showing some of the region's connectivity, taken from a hill near Gundaroo NSW.
From Mt Rogers we’re able to see
conservation and connectivity in action. That’s reflected in our bird list that
includes overflying Pelicans, Cormorants, Eagles, Ducks. Non-resident species
such as Choughs, Black-Shouldered Kites, Gang Gang Cockatoos, Varied Sitellas
forage or hunt in the reserve. Scarlet Robins, Whistlers and some Honeyeaters
are residents for part of each year. Butterflies come to find mates on Mt
Rogers. Kangaroos may still be spooked up to Mt Rogers though we now have ‘our’
resident mob.
I’d like to see the whole National
Capital region declared a Conservation Zone. Those who already live in this
‘corner’ of Australia would be stewards of the land. Our water and food supply
would be protected through continued wise land-use practices. Carbon would
continue to be sequestered by the trees, shrubs, forbs and grasslands and our
soil and air would remain unpolluted. We’d continue to celebrate the rich
tapestries of Indigenous and ‘White-fella’ culture and heritage by preserving
our ancestors’ artefacts, technologies, creativity and customs.
.....
If you want a change of scene and don't mind a clay footpath in places try walking round the West Belconnen Ponds in Dunlop. There's parking off Percy Begg Circuit. the views across to the ranges in the west are beige but fascinating. Plenty of waterbirds to watch. There's also safe open space for children to run around on as Jarramlee park is between the houses and the water. Two playgrounds and a half basketball 'court' and several seats give other opportunities.
.....
Any time now Scarlet Robins and
Whistlers should be visible on Mt Rogers. There have been reports of these
species returning to other reserves around the ACT from higher altitudes. We’ve
had such a racket of Cockatoos around the middle of Flynn. I assume they’re
roosting near the Flynn playground. Twice I’ve witnessed a parent Cockatoo
regurgitating food for a begging youngster. There have been Galah begging calls
also. Thornbills were enjoying the bird bath’s water a few days ago. Magpies
seem to find something to dig for amongst the beige grass every time they
visit.
So much to see!
Rosemary
Mt Rogers Landcare Group. Phone 6258 4724
11.03.17 & 14.03.17
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