Working bees
The Landcare Group’s
next working bees are scheduled for Sunday 25th July and
Monday 2nd August. We will be looking amongst the
grasses for the soft-leaved Verbascum rosettes, having found they often
dig out fairly easily and without too much soil disturbance now the ground is
wet. We’ll meet at Schwarz Place’s eastern arm at 09.30 on 25th.
Bird sightings
Chris and I have
seen Scarlet Robins on separate occasions. I’m not sure if the Robins' numbers
are down for this winter spent on and around Mt Rogers. They move to the high
country in early spring in order to nest there, but how many of these species
that make those seasonal migrations were caught up in the devastating fires may
still be unknown. A couple of weeks ago I saw a group of Choughs scrabbling
away beside the trunk of an old tree east of the Notice Box. They are fun to
watch and a bit like a flock of chooks with a definite sense of humour. Any
time now there will be insectivorous bird activity in the flowering Cootamundra
Wattles as the seek out any invertebrates that are amongst the yellow blossoms
when the sun has warmed them up.
Drainage
Rain events during
this wet winter show how the water flows from Mt Rogers’ ridge-line both over
the currently saturated ground and by seeping out from under vegetation. Phil’s
run-offs are effectively channelling water away from cross-country paths and
tracks and into the landscape. The water reaches Ginninderra Creek and
eventually the Murrumbidgee River.
There are many streets in Flynn, Fraser, Spence and Melba where water is also draining down under or between houses. Perhaps some of these seepages are following ancient routes that would once have watered Grassy Woodland, ancient eucalypts, Native and Rocky grasslands and the shrubs and wildflowers of diverse pre-grazing habitats. Once in the streets’ drains the stormwater makes its way, piped, towards Ginninderra Creek. Waterwatch volunteers regularly test its quality, oxygen levels and temperature.
Pollution
You’ll have driven
past the ‘new’ rain-garden and wetlands at Florey, Evatt and Melba. Their
plants act as filters taking chemicals and fine particles out of the stormwater
from the suburbs’ drains before the water can enter the creek. In reality, all
the stormwater drains that serve the suburbs need wetlands for filtration and
to slow the water down. Fast flowing water causes the erosion of creek banks
and, surely, downstream residents shouldn’t have to drink some of the fluids
that leave our properties. See ‘H2OK: Keeping our Waterways healthy’ (at https://www.environment.act.gov.au/water/act-healthy-waterways/h2ok-keeping-our-waterways-healthy).
Evatt wetlands (left and below).
I was watching a video about the River Wye that runs along the border
between England and Wales, the other day. The river’s aquatic life is being
killed by pollution from poultry and pig farms. Chemicals from the animals’
dung are washed into the Wye. There are regulations against this but
insufficient resources to ensure compliance. Fertilisers from our gardens can
have similarly toxic effects here, causing algal blooms in waterways.
From our gardens
Until this last
year the Landcare volunteers were able to cautiously rejoice that the majority
of ‘woody weed’ species could be seen growing in people’s gardens rather than
in the Mt Rogers reserve. Once the drought broke and the seed bank in the
rehydrated soil was stimulated, germination of these dormant seeds reached epic
proportions. The numbers of annual and biennial weed plants reached trillions.
Simultaneously native orchids, lilies, daisies astounded naturalists by
appearing in large numbers or in places where they’d never been sighted before.
Berries
The trees and
shrubs in gardens responded to the rain by producing millions of flowers that
fed thousands of pollinators. Neighbours’ gardens and suburban laneways have
berries of all colours; red, orange, black-purple, yellowy green, black and
steel blue. Silvereyes, rosellas, currawongs, starlings, Indian Mynas, King
Parrots, Bowerbirds – species both native and introduced – have feasted on
these berries. Some bird species enhance seeds’ chances as the fruits make
their way through digestive systems; others crush the seed beyond viability.
There will be plenty of woody weed seedlings germinating from birds’ poo that is
dropped into the reserve.
This was taken at Strathnairn but some in our Belconnen gardens look almost as inviting…..if you’re a bird!!
Resources for
Landcare & Ginninderra Catchment Group
On 24th June,
Landcare volunteers received this message from Kat McGilp, who is the co-ordinator
of Ginninderra Catchment Group.
“It has
recently been announced that the ACT Government's commitment to funding
the three Catchment Groups for four years was confirmed by Minister Vassarotti
in the Legislative Assembly early today.
The annual funding
amounts are yet to be finalised, but it has been indicated that each catchment
group will receive base funding, as well as Waterwatch and Frogwatch
funding.”
The vital news is that this funding seems to be assured for 4 years, meaning that the Catchment Groups’ ecology and land management-trained staff won’t have to spend hours seeking funding as the end of each financial year approaches. The commitment also indicates that there is some acknowledgement, in senior government ranks, that the landcaring we do on land that is not part of Canberra Nature Park’s reserve system is as important as the ‘parkcaring’ done by our volunteering ParkCare colleagues. ParkCare groups work just like we do in landcare, but they are on land in the Canberra Nature Parks – which have held higher conservation status for decades.
There are three catchment groups in the ACT. Each is an umbrella organisation advising and supporting the hundreds of volunteers who care for open spaces and waterways’ corridors that were initially mainly important for hosting utilities such as powerlines, roads, paths, sewer lines.
As people made time to explore beyond their homes and beyond the Canberra Nature Park (CNP) Hills and Ridges that frame Australia’s bush capital, they discovered remnant woodlands, residual Natural Temperate Grasslands, groups of boulders that protect native species, and views and creek-lines that revealed how Indigenous peoples had thrived on and travelled through Country for millennia prior to colonisation.
People from all walks of life became informal landcarers and citizen scientists, emerging with native species lists, weed lists, tools to tackle the most invasive species and, occasionally, with family projects to plant, build cubbies, make extra tracks and commemorate loved ones. They’d discovered local places where recording and conserving cultural, natural and inspirational treasures was as important as collecting data from the CNP gazetted reserves managed by the ACT Parks and Conservation Service.
The ACT’s open spaces, smaller reserves and some riverine corridors are managed by land managers from TCCS (Transport Canberra & City Services). Ginninderra Catchment Group (GCG) supports volunteers working on the TCCS-managed lands where rainwater drains into Ginninderra Creek. There are TCCS rangers or Coordinators who provide liaison and links between GCG’s landcaring volunteers and the ACT Government’s processes and personnel.
For mobile fauna species and the plants whose pollen, spores and seeds they disperse it’s vital that areas of bush and complex habitats are of appropriate size and shape and that they’re not disconnected from other similar areas. For native animals and plants, consistent and respectful landcaring suited to their habitats’ needs will help them thrive and reach their potential. Healthy habitats and ecosystems bring enormous benefits to the reserves’ thousands of visitors and appreciators.
‘Engaged communities for healthy habitats’ is GCG’s motto. There’s a brochure with a map of the catchment available through me (ph 6258 4724) or via GCG (ph 6278 3309 in office hours) if you’d like to see the extent of our habitat and find out where the Landcare Groups are located.
Rosemary. 21.07.21
