an update in the fight against wandering trad

My thanks to Bill Incoll (Friends of Sherbrooke Forest) for providing this update, Bill has been tireless in his pursuit to rid the Dandenongs of Wandering Trad - Tradescantia fluminensis. Thanks also to Glenn Brooks-McMillan (Community Weed Action of the Dandenongs) and Anne Fitzpatrick (Yarra Ranges Landcare Network) who had a hand in preparing this summary update.

Regular readers of my blog will recall an earlier article detailing the call for research into a biological control for this weed nasty, ranked 10 in Yarra Ranges.

Wandering Trad forms a smothering carpet, it displaces
indigenous ground covers, herbs, grasses and orchids.
It is a common cause of rashes in dogs and is toxic
to cattle.

Funding has been found to start the battle with Tradescantia fluminensis (Wandering Trad). A recent Research Update provided by the Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) and CSIRO has provided the following news.

An application to the Australian Weeds Committee to have Wandering Trad (Trad) a target for biological control has been prepared and is being considered by the Committee.

While the application is being approved, testing of biological control agents can begin, provided this is done under safe quarantine conditions. Two agents, an insect and a fungal pathogen, are being imported from New Zealand. The fungal pathogen has already been imported and is currently in the quarantine facility with CSIRO in Canberra.

The insect, Lema basicostata, attacks the stem of the plant and greatly reduces the biomass of the plant. It has already been released in New Zealand and is successfully attacking Trad in the wild. It spreads by natural increase and will reduce the volume of weed until a natural balance is achieved that maintains a population of insects and a low biomass of Trad.
 

The fungus, Kordyana sp, (Brazilian yellow leaf spot fungus) attacks the leaves. The spores are spread by wind, much more quickly than the insect. This agent also has the potential to reduce Trad biomass to a low level.

The biocontrols will be tested on Australian native plant species likely to be affected, under strict quarantine conditions. DEPI will work on the insect, and CSIRO the fungus.

The first year of a three year program has been funded from State and Federal sources. Further funding must be found for two more years, leading to the safe release of up to four biocontrol agents.

In addition to the biological control program, Federal funding has been found to combat the spread and impact of Trad while the biological control program is carried out safely. These efforts will be concentrated where Trad is likely to affect rare or endangered species or communities in the Dandenong Ranges, on both private and public land.

It's great news and good to receive progress updates, it's a terrible weed which smothers everything else in its path and sadly is commonly found throughout the Dandenongs, especially along our waterways.

planting success

Sunday was National Tree Day, a day where people from across the country are encouraged to do something positive for the environment and reconnect with nature.  

 

I was delighted to join the Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery tree planting event, revegetation planting on Parks Victoria land at the back of the Birdsland Reserve in the Lysterfield Park. It was great to join locals to once again, revisit this site and plant a range of canopy and understorey plants abutting the riparian area of the Monbulk Creek, a local waterway significant due to its platypus population and proximity to residential areas.
 

 

There was also a concurrent planting event close by the nursery and Birdsland Environment Education Centre for families with young children.
 

I can report that 500 plants went in at Lysterfield Park, whilst the children planted 150 plants up at the Birdsland Education Centre in Birdsland. It was a great effort by all.

It's become a bit of a custom at the
Southern Dandenongs Community
Nursery to plant a tree to mark the
occasion, I was very happy to
oblige and be assisted by nursery
President, Garrique Pergl.

The day was a great collaboration of community, Parks Victoria, the Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery, Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group, Friends of Birdsland and Yarra Ranges Council and I was pleased to play my small part in improving the local environment.
 

 

There’s been amazing growth of plants put in earlier plantings and this region is going to provide a great buffer to Monbulk Creek into the future.

leadbeater's possum - situation critical

Pam Miskin, President of the Friends of Leadbeaters Possum,
Eric Wilkinson who rediscovered the species in 1961 and
Cr Samantha Dunn, keen to continue to highlight the plight of our
state emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum.

It was great to get up into the forests in Camberville behind Melbourne's water catchments as part of the Leadbeater's Possum Awareness Week. Leadbeater’s Possum is Victoria’s State Faunal emblem. An endangered species with both State and National Recovery Programs in place. Endemic to Victoria, they exist nowhere else but the Central Highlands forests, Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve and alpine areas between Lake Mountain & Mt. Baw Baw. 

Dave Blair assists Prof David Lindenmayer with his
research work in the Central Highlands forests.

Friends of Leadbeater's Possum organised a walk and talk led by David Blair, scientific researcher for Professor David Lindenmayer, world expert on Leadbeater's Possum.

Eric Wilkinson has many a tale to tell about rediscovering
Leadbeater's Possum, including the challenges of
photographing his discovery with old bulb flash technology.

It was wonderful to hear from Eric Wilkinson, who rediscovered the possum in on the 3rd April, 1961. Eric retold his tales of exploring the region in his Hillman Minx as a 22 year old and his amazement that he had seen a Leadbeater's Possum, at the time, thought to have been extinct.

David Blair led the group on a walk through both intact, burnt and severely burned forests and explained the importance of large old trees to this species and the many threats to this species including fire and logging.

People came from near and far to learn more about
the Central Highlands forests, home to Leadbeater's Possum.

Population estimates for Leadbeater's Possum prior to the 2009 bushfires were around 2,000-2,500 individuals, post-fire estimates are at around 800. Approximately 40-50% of their prime habitat was lost in the fires whilst what is left is often logged, the legislation in place to protect the species, weak, currently being contested in the MyEnvironment v VicForests Supreme Court Appeal.

Even as part of his judgement Justice Robert Osborn said, "MyEnvironment has demonstrated a strong case for the overall review of the adequacy of the reserve system intended to protect LBP habitat within the Central Highlands Forest Management Area. The [2009] bushfires have materially changed the circumstances in which the existing system was planned and implemented and there is, on the evidence, an urgent need to review it".

The future of Leadbeater's Possum is dire, a recent article in New Matilda highlights the proposed watering down of legislation to protect this species, the Victorian State government has since backed away from these changes, highlighted in a story in today's Age.

Back in September last year, Prof David Lindenmayer resigned from the Leadbeater's Recovery Team in protest over policies which he said was managing the species into extinction. At the time Prof Lindenmayer said he could no longer work with "the most environmentally bankrupt administration". You can read more about it in this Age article.     

In the state of Victoria Leadbeater’s Possum is listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 as threatened.

In Australia Leadbeater’s Possum is listed under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 as endangered.

The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Animals 1994 lists Leadbeater’s Possum as endangered.

Logging of the Mountain Ash forests in the Central Highlands for woodchips (paper production) has resulted in the loss of vast areas of Leadbeater’s Possum habitat. Prof Lindenmayer says our forests are being overcut, so there'll be no habitat left for Leadbeater's Possum into the future.

The fragmentation of suitable habitat by timber harvesting causes isolated small populations of animals, who are then unable to reach other colonies for breeding.

Other events, such as bushfires, disease, drought (climate change) and collapsing old habitat trees are also threatening processes for Leadbeater’s Possum.

It is a crisis and we have to ask ourselves as Victorians, do we accept watching on as this species, our state emblem, teeters on the brink of extinction.

If you'd like to help Friends of Leadbeater's Possum in their efforts you can find out more about them here. My congratulations to the group, it was sobering to learn more about the perilous situation Leadbeater's Possum are in and I'll be doing my utmost to continue to highlight their plight.

 

 

friends of birdsland - its official!

I couldn't think of a better way to launch Friends of Birdsland than at the Mini Beasts festival held out at Birdsland this weekend.

Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery
President, Garrique Pergl and Cr Samantha
Dunn stake out the Sheoak Cr Dunn
planted to celebrate the day.

It was wonderful to see a diverse range of community members visit the Education Centre and Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery to be enlightened about our local Mini Beasts.

It was terrific to learn about the importance of wetlands
in maintaining healthy waterways. This region of
Birdsland has had extensive work to revegetate it
back to its natural state. It's a wonderful habitat for
mini beasts and their predators.

Children had a great day out as Junior Scientists exploring our waterways for mini beasts. It was a delight to see the joy as they discovered boatmen, baby dragonflies and other waterbugs. Beth Wallis, Yarra Ranges' Water Management Officer was on hand with our microscope monitor, so children could see an enlarged view of their mini beasts on the TV screen. 

There were playtpus talks with Glenn Brooks-MacMillan, the new Southern Ranges Environment Alliance facilitator. 

It was wonderful to be able to launch the Friends of
Birdsland at the Minibeast Festival. It's a
bushland reserve that's very dear to people
in the region.

I had the great pleasure of launching the new Friends of Birdsland group and talking about the upcoming masterplan consultations for the reserve. To celebrate the occasion I planted a Sheoak (Allocasuarina) amongst the Landcare for Singles plantings.


Birdsland was originally a farm (owned by the Bird family),
there are still many relics of the old farm, Garrique found
this old farm tool whilst we were wandering around
 the heritage orchard.

Garrique Pergl, President of the Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery, spoke about the history of the reserve and led participants on talk, walk and gawk down to the wetlands and around the historic farm house and orchard. 

This palm tree is part of the original
farm cottage garden. The cottage
is part of the heritage on the site
and is protected with a heritage
overlay.

There were family plantings on the creekbank of Monbulk Creek, a waterway that is considered significant due to it's population of platypus and proximity to Melbourne. These plantings will assist in the health of the waterway to encourage 'mini beasts', food for platypus.

Kids had a ball playing games, being ably assisted by Southern Dandenongs Landcare President, Jackie Glen and the "Selby Fairy". Wonderful to see TVAG there, making sure there was food on hand with their sausage sizzle. 

Michelle Jones from the Community Food Harvest Group gave a talk on planting out a herb garden and growing your own garlic, whilst Tamara Griffiths with her assistant "Ducky"  talked about swales and heritage fruit trees. 

It was a wonderful day out, I commend the organisers for putting it together, it was lovely to see this part of Birdsland used as it was intended, for Environmental Education. 

anyone for apples?

Friends of Birdsland, also known as the Birdsland Environment Collective spent a very productive day at their last working bee. The group are rebuilding the heritage orchard at the Birdsland Reserve (at the rear of the heritage farm cottage) in Belgrave Heights.

At prior working bees the group have spent time building swales in preparation for the planting of heritage apple trees donated by the Heritage Fruits Society.

Swales in the orchard will drain away excess water in a plan based on permaculture principles.

At the most recent working bee the trees were planted, a great step forward for the reinvigoration of this heritage orchard. I commend the community for their passion for this project and the Birdsland reserve too.

Birdsland Environment Collective (BEC) hold a working bee out at Birdsland on the last Sunday every month, between 10am and 12pm. All are welcome. If you'd like to know more about the activities of BEC please email birdslandenvironmentcollective@gmail.com.

lost and found: the rediscovery of leadbeaters

In an earlier blog entry I talked about the terrific celebration held at Melbourne Museum to recognise the 50th anniversary of the rediscovery of Victoria's state faunal emblem, the Leadbeaters Possum. ......................................................... Sera Blair - President and Pam Miskin - member of Friends of Leadbeaters Possum, joined the celebration of the rediscovery at the Melbourne Museum. ........................................................................................................ Featured on the day was Eric Wilkinson, who rediscovered Leadbeaters Possum all those years ago. Part of the proceedings included a wonderful video featuring Eric, telling the story of the rediscovery. ............................................................................................................. Its well worth a view, click here to watch Lost and Found: the rediscovery of Leadbeaters Possum.

celebrating leadbeaters rediscovery

It was wonderful to attend the celebration of the 50 year anniversary of the rediscovery of Victoria's faunal emblem, the Leadbeaters Possum. The celebration, held at the Melbourne Museum, recognised the enormous achievements of Eric Wilkinson, who rediscovered this tiny mammal on the 3rd April, 50 years ago. It was great to hear Eric recount his story of the sighting of the Leadbeaters Possum in the Mountain Ash forests near Marysville. .................................................................................................................. Pictured left to right: Eric Wilkinson - at the time (1961) an amateur naturalist who rediscovered Leadbeaters Possum, Cr Samantha Dunn - Shire of Yarra Ranges, we are very privileged to be home to this very special possum and Sera Blair - President of Friends of Leadbeaters Possum, Sera set up the group to try to ensure the ongoing survival of Leadbeaters Possum. ................................................................................... Leadbeaters Possum is critically endangered with less than 1,000 left in the wild and is facing extinction. It is endemic to Victoria and for habitat relies on at least 150 year old Mountain Ash, Shining Gum or Alpine Ash. Logging continues to be a key threat to this arboreal mammal and Eric isn't so sure we'll be celebrating the 100 year anniversary for the survival of this species. .............................................................. ................................ The continued logging of Mountain Ash forests in the Central Highlands will have an enormous effect on the ongoing survival of this species. Without a well connected canopy, possums cannot move throughout the forest and with the continuing loss of habitat trees to logging the possums have nowhere to live. ........................................................................................................ Melbourne Museum are hosting an exhibition "Leadbeaters Possum - our state emblem under fire" to celebrate this tiny mammal's survival and give people the opportunity to learn about efforts underway to ensure its survival. The exhibition is on till 27 April 2011.

samantha in the press - volunteers

Seen to be green
Mail Newspapers
by Casey Neill
9 November 2010

stop beating around the bush

Earlier this week I went to Stop Beating Around the Bush, a fundraising art exhibition, put together to raise funds for the Friends of Leadbeater's Possum to help them in their conservation efforts to save Victoria's faunal emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum.

Pictured left to right: Professor David Lindenmayer, Sera Blair – President of the Friends of Leadbeater's Possum, me and David Blair – main photographer for Forest Phoenix celebrating a very successful opening night which saw a significant number of works sold to support the cause.

Also there on the night was Professor David Lindenmayer, who has just published his book Forest Phoenix, which details his latest research on how the forests and the animals who live in them have recovered after the Black Saturday fires.

The night was well supported by locals who attended the launch down at the World Trade Centre in Melbourne, it was also great to see so many artists, many of them locals, support the cause by donating works to raise funds.

The Leadbeater's Possum is endangered, they exist nowhere else but the Central Highlands forests, Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve and alpine areas between Lake Mountain & Mt Baw Baw in Victoria. We are very privileged to have these amazing little creatures reside in the Shire of Yarra Ranges, but population numbers are dangerously low. Population estimates prior to the 2009 bushfires were around 2,000-2,500 individuals however post-fire estimates are at less than 1,000 with around 40 to 50% of their prime habitat lost in the fires.

Friends of Leadbeater's Possum Inc was established in 2004 to give a voice to these elusive forest animals. The sorts of things that impact on the habitat of Leadbeater's Possum include logging and salvage logging, land clearing, bushfire and bushfire prevention activities like fuel breaks and fuel reduction burning.

The Friends of Leadbeater's Possum group hopes to help Leadbeater's survive in the wild by encouraging conservation efforts, research programs and effective conservation strategies and policies.

It was a great exhibition, on till the 29^th September, there are still some great pieces of work you can purchase. Details are:
WTC Wharf Gallery, Atrium Level
World Trade Centre Building
Siddeley Street, Melbourne

rapid reveg

Yesterday I went out to Yarra Glen to join with volunteers and the Friends of Murrup Brarn Yarra Flats Billabongs to replant the banks and the billabongs. Earlier this year the billabongs were decimated by the Black Saturday bushfires and the Friends of Group despaired as all their hard work was lost in the fire.











Today around 80 people came out to help the group revegetate the area. A phenomenal task for a handful of people, but with 80 helpers, a swag of tools and 3000 plants the job was done in 2 hours.

Cam Walker from Friends of the Earth was there helping out.

Vicki Boyle, dedicated environmentalist, from the Dandenong Ranges was there.

Hundreds of middle and upper storey plants were planted near the banks whilst the billabong areas were planted up with grasses.

It was a terrific effort and gave the Friends of Group that much needed kick start to bringing the billabongs back to a healthy state.

fetes, thankyous and music aplenty

Yesterday saw Belgrave South Primary School run its annual Staxafun Fete, the school was packed to the rafters with locals enjoying the plethora of activities on offer. One of my personal favourites is rummaging through the trash and treasure, whilst my son was very happy to check out the lucky jars, show bags and pre-loved toys. It’s a great community event, well supported by local community organisations and the kid’s karaoke provided an entertaining backdrop to the day’s festivities.

School fetes are not only a mechanism to provide fundraising for schools, they provide an important opportunity for the broader community to come together and have fun and celebrate the good things about being a close knit local community.

From Staxafun to the Shire’s Thank You to our Environmental Volunteers.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges held a Thank You function in Olinda to recognise the outstanding efforts of our Friends Of and Landcare groups. Around 70 people from environmental volunteer groups around the region came together to celebrate their achievements.

Our environmental volunteers do an amazing job, whether it be weeding, removing rubbish, revegetating or raising awareness, their efforts are magnificent. Our environment would be far worse off if it were not for the endless passion and support we receive from our environmental volunteers.

Me with Vicki Boyle, madly passionate local environmentalist. Vicki can often been seen with her faithful black Labrador weeding endlessly near the Trestle Bridge in Selby.

From ThankYous to Oxfam’s World Music.
Oxfam held its World Music Café as part of The Basin Music Festival to promote it’s new campaign Sisters on the Planet - Women tackling climate change. The campaign highlights that climate change affects women the most, particularly those living in developing countries. But these women are fighting back, often leading the response to the climate crisis in their communities.

One of the Indian dancers performing for the Oxfam event.

The Oxfam Dandenong Ranges branch organised a terrific line up of entertainment including music and dance from India, The Kaaren Singers from Burma and Vox Congo, rhythms of Africa. It was great to experience such diversity of culture under one roof and the Hindu food provided by The Basin Hindu Temple caterers was delicious.

Judy Wolff, Dandenong Ranges Oxfam member and one of the organisers of the World Music Cafe.

From world music to local music
I finished off yesterday by going to see Claptonesque perform at Burrinja. What a thriving local community arts venue. With a wedding downstairs and a live performance upstairs the joint was jumping. The fight to save Burrinja has been long and sometimes arduous, but with VCAT giving the go ahead in December last year, its all systems go to build an outstanding performing arts centre for our local community with finishing touches now being put on the detailed design plan for the centre.

Dave McFarlane, lead guitarist and passionate Eric Clapton aficionado, performing at Burrinja.

selby park gets a group

I was really pleased to hear that a ‘Friends of Selby Park’ group has been started. Selby Park (wedged between Lyons Drive and Belgrave Gembrook Road) is a great little park and is one of the only flat areas in Selby to play a bit of cricket or footy. It also is home to a playground and Selby PreSchool as well as some very good bushland areas.






The Friends of Selby Park group has been established to:
- preserve remnant bushland
- revegetate degraded areas of the reserve
- ensure community access and facilities are safe and well maintained.

Pictured from left to right: Terrie, Vicki, Kaitlyn, Meg, Bianca, Me, Gaye and Jackie inspecting the area planted up by the Selby CFA last National Tree Planting Day (see blog).

I was keen to meet Meg MacDonald, the driving force behind the group and went along to the first meeting this Saturday. The day included a walk around the park to discuss what needed to be done, talk about the environmental values of the park and what community facilities need improving.

The group were keen to get weeding straight away. The target this time was Montpellier Broom, a declared Noxious Weed in Victoria.

If you would like to know more or get involved you can contact Meg at selbypark@optusnet.com.au.

‘Friends’ groups throughout the Shire play a key role in enhancing our environment, they are a committed bunch who dedicate many volunteer hours weeding and revegetating a whole range of different regions. Our environment is far better for their contribution.