National Tree Day 2010 plantings

Join the Friends of Mount Majura at our September working bee to take care of the young seedlings and to control weeds that compete with the young plants.

When: Sunday, 19 September, from 9am to 12  noon

Where: Meet at the Hackett reservoir off Rivett and French Streets (view this map)

Give as little or as much time as you want. Please bring sun protection, gloves if you have them and wear long sleeves and pants. We will provide the equipment and morning tea.

For enquiries and more information please email admin@majura.org or phone: 62477515

Download this poster to help promote the working bee.

Snow gum fruits (top) and flower buds (Photo: W. Pix)

When: Sunday, 22 August, 2.00 – 4.00pm
Where: Nature park entrance Kellaway St / Phillip Ave, Hackett

Explore the remnant snow gums of Mount Ainslie on a walk with local ecologist Michael Doherty and discover the range of other trees as you walk through various types of woodland.

Learn to distinguish between Scribbly gum and Brittle gum and other eucalypts and find out how trees have adapted to environmental conditions such as soils, fire and drought.
Tree guides will be available for a gold coin donation.
Enquiries: Ph 6247 7684
Download this poster for distribution

Find a list of the tree species (with comments) at: http://majura.org/species-lists/

The Eucalypts and Wattles

Australian vegetation, with the exception of smaller patches of rainforest and chenopod shrublands, is characterised by large tracts of eucalypt and acacia dominated forests and woodlands.

The genera Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora (eucalypts, bloodwoods and false apples) comprise more than 900 species (800, 114 and 15 respectively), the vast majority of which are only found in Australia. Size varies enormously with species, ranging from the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of Victoria with giants greater than 90m tall to the dwarf Varnish Gum (Eucalyptus vernicosa) which often grows as a 1m dwarf shrub in windswept Southwest Tasmania.

The genus Acacia (wattles) is equally diverse and comprises more than 1500 species worldwide, more than 960 of which occur in Australia and all but 16 of these are only found in Australia. Although generally smaller in stature and often found as small undershrubs in many communities, Acacia tends to be dominant in inland Australia with such species as Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla).

In New South Wales, we find 264 species of Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora (240, 10 and 14 respectively) and more than 235 species of Acacia (Harden 2002). This diversity of eucalypts and wattles is a reflection of the strong environmental gradients (climate, geology, soils) found within New South Wales, particularly those areas falling within the Sydney Basin geological area stretching from the Hunter Valley to Nowra and west to the Blue Mountains. The Great Escarpment in this area has been eroded from east to west forming intricate series of ridges and valleys. The complexity of this landscape is increased as it is interspersed with areas of residual basalt and old sandstone plateaus with complex drainage patterns all of which leads to a diversity of environmental combinations of slope, aspect, parent material, soil fertility, drainage, rainfall and temperature.

In the ACT, we also have some steep environmental gradients ranging from Mt. Bimberi (1900 m) in the Australian Alps to Lake Burley Griffin (550 m), with sometimes abrupt changes in eucalypt dominants. Eucalypts are the dominant trees of the woodlands and open forests of Mount Majura and Mount Ainslie and of the 25 species of eucalypt indigenous to the ACT, 9 species occur on Mt. Majura and Mt. Ainslie, although there are also some planted non-local native eucalypt species on the edges of the reserve. Additionally, of the 23 species of wattle that occur in the ACT (including 2 naturalised native species), 9 species occur on Mt. Majura and Mt. Ainslie (including the 2 naturalised native species Acacia armata and Acacia baileyana).

Identification

The genus name Eucalyptus derives from Greek “eu “ meaning well and “kalyptos” meaning covered. It refers to the ‘cap’ of the flower bud, which breaks off and falls away at flowering to uncover the pollen rich stamens and nectar laden receptacle of the young ‘gum nut’. It can take between one and two years between initial bud formation and final flowering. Eucalypt buds and mature gum nut fruits are key elements in identification of species as many of the species look quite similar. Primary distinguishing features of eucalypts are:

• the shape of flower buds and the number of buds that form a cluster,

• the shape of fruits (gum-nuts)

• the bark type (e.g. smooth or rough),

• the shape of juvenile (seedling leaves / leaves that occur after fire) and adult leaves,

• the natural occurrence of species.

Wattles require a different approach and one of the major considerations in identification is whether the adult leaves are bi-pinnate or whether they are phyllodineous (i.e. instead of a true leaf, this latter group has modified leaf stalks acting as ‘leaves’). When young, all species of wattle have bi-pinnate leaves, but only some species retain this feature as adult plants. Other features useful in telling species apart are flower type (e.g. globular heads, elongated spikes) and legume (seed pod) shape and size.

Michael Doherty

Help promoting the event with this poster.

At the event rangers of ACT Parks, Conservation and Lands will provide warm up drinks, and a crew of planting buddies will help novice planters and do their best to keep everyone busy.

Become a Planting Buddy: Ideally you would have experience with planting in the field – but this is not a must; you would arrive an hour before the event starts for instructions and a refresher on how to plant. Your task will be to help and direct participants to ensure the plantings are done at a high standard. This scheme worked well in the past years – most of the seedlings planted in 2008 and 2009 are thriving. Please contact the FoMM coordinator at email admin@majura.org or ph 6247 7515 if you can become a planting buddy.

We gratefully acknowledge the support from the North Canberra Community Council, the Molonglo Catchment Group, Greening Australia, ACT Parks, Conservation and Lands and the Hackett Community Association.

National Tree Day is held annually by Planet Ark which runs the Australian wide project to encourage mass tree plantings and to communicate the merit of trees.

• Working bee – Sunday 18 July
• National Tree Day community planting – Sunday 1 August
• Tree walk – Sunday 22 August

Dear Friends

The preparations for the National Tree Day 2010 have started and the first planting holes are dug. The National Tree Day (Sunday 1 August) will be our main planting event as it was in the past two years. This year we will extend our 2009 work. We will be planting mainly shrubs (mid-storey vegetation) along the drainage line close to the Hackett reservoir and at the adjacent sites that we cleared from horehound. We will add some clumps of Silver Wattle and replace some of the tree seedlings that were damaged by grazing.

In the past two years ADFA cadets prepared the planting holes. The help was greatly appreciated by students of the Blue Gum School who held a National Tree School Day event in 2009 and by the mums and kids and elderly folk at the main planting event. Unfortunately the cadets aren’t available this year. Therefore I hope a number of energetic people will turn up at our working bee on Sunday 18 July, mattock at hand and be prepared to dig; there’s still horehound if you prefer weeding.

Please consider becoming a steward or Planting Buddy on National Tree Day. Ideally you would have experience with planting in the field – but this is not a must; you would arrive an hour before the event starts for instructions and a refresher on how to plant. Your task will be to help and direct participants to ensure the plantings are done at a high standard. This scheme worked well last year – most of the seedlings are thriving. Please contact me at admin@majura.org or ph 62477515 if you can become a planting buddy so that I have an idea about the numbers.

There will be an opportunity to refresh your planting skills on Sunday 11 July from 1pm onwards at the old sheep camp on Mt Majura ridge (view this map). The plan is to plant a small number of local shrubs and ground cover plants (Native Boxthorn Bursaria lasiophylla, Spiny-headed Mat-rush Lomandra longifolia, Purple Twining Pea Hardenbergia violacea) to increase the diversity and provide habitat. The planting holes have been prepared and water will be on site. So, why not enjoy a Sunday afternoon walk topped up with some planting activity? Please bring gloves and perhaps a trowel if you have one; there will be a couple of trowels available.

Local ecologist Michael Doherty will be guiding a Tree Walk on Sunday 22 August. The walk through various types of woodlands will culminate at the site with remnant snow gums on Mount Ainslie. You will learn to distinguish between eucalyptus species and find out how trees have adapted to environmental conditions such as soils, fire and drought. A pocket Guide to Eucalypts of the ACT and a leaflet with a commented list of local tree species list will available for a gold coin donation.

Warm regard
Waltraud
Ph: 62477515
Email: admin@majura.org

Working bee – Sunday 18 July
When: Sunday 18 July, 1-4pm
Where: meet at Hackett reservoir off Rivett French Streets
What: preparation of planting holes; removal of horehound
Bring & Wear: sun protection, enclosed foot wear, gloves – rubber household gloves with long cuffs are best for horehound weeding, mattock for digging, trowel or similar for weeding.
There will be some tools and gloves for those who don’t have them as well as warm up drinks, muffins & Timtams to recharge your batteries.

National Tree Day 2010 community planting – Sunday 1 August
When: Sunday 1 August 1-3pm, Planting Buddies please arrive at 12 noon
Where: meet Hackett reservoir off Rivett French Streets in Hackett
Bring: gloves, bucket, trowel or mattock for final site preparation; please write your phone number on items so that we can reunite them with owners if they are left behind

Tree walk – Sunday 22 August

When: Sunday 22 August, 2-4pm
Where: Meet at Kellaway St / Phillip Ave nature park entrance
Enquires: ph 62477684 or email jlruxton@gmail.com

Where: 9 Selwyn Street, Hackett

Draft Agenda

(1) Preparation of the National Tree Day 2010 community planting event – identification and distribution of tasks.

The plan for the NTD community planting on the 1 August is a smaller event compared to 2008 and 2009, mainly to extend the shrub corridor at the paddocks. The local Blue Gum School registered interest to hold a School planting event on the National Tree School Day, Friday 30 July.

(2) Wrap-up of rabbit program – report and where from there?

Please RSVP by e-mail admin@majura.org or ph 62477515

In July we will continue removing horehound from the paddock adjacent to the lower Hackett reservoir and prepare planting holes for the National Tree Day 2010 community planting event (Sunday 1 August).

When: Sunday, 18 July, 12 noon – 4pm
Where: Meet at the Hackett reservoir off Rivett / French Streets (click this map to view the venue)
What: removal of weeds at the planting sites and preparation of planting holes – choose your favourite activity
What to bring for weeding: a weeding tool such as trowel, gloves – best are rubber household gloves with long cuffs – and densely woven clothing to minimize attachment of seed burrs.
What to bring for digging: a mattock or spade if you have one

We will provide tea and coffee and some tools and gloves.

Enquiries: phone 6247 7515 or email admin@majura.org

Promote the event with this poster

Update on the 2010  Rabbit Control Program

The ACT Government wishes to thank all the volunteers involved in the mapping of warrens on Mt Majura and Mt Ainslie Nature Reserves, Watson Woodlands and the surrounding Hackett Horse Paddocks. Volunteers spent over 1,000 hours mapping the warrens on this land and this data has been used by Parks, Conservation and Lands (PCL) to develop the control program. This significant effort has been crucial to the success of the program.

What works have been undertaken to date?

In Autumn 2010, PCL employed contractors to gas and poison the rabbits on the nature reserves and surrounding horse paddocks. These contractors have used the data collected by the volunteers to locate the warrens. The accessible warrens were gassed using phosphine, and within the inaccessible areas, pindone carrot bait has been laid under bait stations.

The bait stations used are small cages that are designed to restrict access by animals such as kangaroos and other native animals while at the same time allow rabbits access to the carrot bait. Prior to laying any poisoned bait, a number of free feeds (non poisoned carrot) were undertaken to condition rabbits to eating the bait and determine the best location for bait stations.

What has the program achieved?

Spotlight monitoring shows that the program is achieving good results. The program in autumn 2009 achieved control of approximately 85% of the rabbit population present. Spotlight monitoring to date suggests that the combined Autumn 2009 and

Autumn 2010 programs have achieved around 90% control of the population present across the area before management began.

Some of the reserves neighbours have undertaken large scale control programs that have also been successful. PCL is still working with adjoining landholders to encourage cooperative rabbit management.

Rabbits can still be seen in some areas

PCL is aware that there are still some rabbits present across the reserves and ongoing management will be required.

Monitoring suggests that the area of most concern is within Mt Ainslie Nature Reserve immediately adjacent to the suburbs of Ainslie and Campbell. Prior to commencing the program this year, PCL staff were aware that this area presented a real challenge for control as many of the remaining rabbits in this section are finding suitable harbour in the adjoining backyards. The current program has aimed to poison these rabbits using bait stations within the reserve; however, this was not as successful as hoped. The grass growth that was seen during autumn, as a result of the rainfall received, did not help with the bait uptake in this area. PCL is currently considering what control options should be deployed at this site in the future.

What if I have feral rabbits living in my yard?

PCL is interested in hearing from anyone who has feral rabbits living on their property. Controlling these rabbits is seen as a priority, as if left uncontrolled; they could potentially become a source of reinvasion for the surrounding area. If you have feral rabbits living in your yard or amongst vegetation on your boundary please send an email with your residential address and phone number to:

CNPNorth@act.gov.au

This information will be used when deciding on future control programs within the nature reserve. The timing of a future control program is yet to be finalised, however it may not occur for some months. Seasonal conditions will be considered when planning for future programs.

More information

For further information please contact Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.

Stuart Jeffress
Senior Ranger,
ACT Parks, Conservation and Lands

Sunday, 20 June, 12 noon – 4pm

Meet at the Hackett reservoir off Rivett / French Streets (click this map to view the venue)

Please bring a weeding tool such as trowel and gloves – best are household gloves with long cuffs – and please wear densely woven clothing to minimize attachment of seed burrs.

We will provide tea, coffee and muffins for the working crew.

Enquiries: please phone 6247 7515 or email admin@majura.org

• World Environment Day 2010 celebration – this Sunday 6 June
• FoMM Working Bee – Sunday 20 June
• FoMM meeting – Sunday 27 June
• 306 Degree Films documentary on kangaroos

Dear Friends

Next Sunday we will be celebrating World Environment Day 2010 together with our neighbouring ParkCare groups and you are warmly invited to celebrate with us. Bring your family and friends for a walk, informative talks and delicious afternoon tea (a gold coin donation for afternoon tea would be much appreciated).

We celebrate the natural heritage of our nature reserves, and the projects and work to protect and enhance them. You will hear from Phil Gibbons of the Fenner School for the Environment how to juggle the conservation of ancient habitat trees with the risk they may present to people and property. Rangers will give an update on the rabbit work conducted in the Mt Ainslie and Mt Majura nature reserves. You will explore the impact overgrazing has on the grassy woodlands of the reserves and you will see the progress of work to enhance the bushland.

Please find a schedule of events below; for further information including maps of the meeting points please visit our website at http://majura.org/2010/05/07/celebrate-world-environment-day-2010/

Items for afternoon tea such as cake and muffins are very welcome. They are gratefully accepted at either 9 Selwyn Street until Saturday afternoon (contact Waltraud 6247 7515) or at 21 Richard Street until Sunday noon (contact Andrew 6249 1205).

Recent rain will make horehound removal a sheer pleasure – well, sort of – and I call on volunteers to give a helping hand on Sunday 20 June from 1.00pm onwards. We will be meeting at the lower Hackett reservoir off Rivett and French Streets; please bring a trowel and gloves – household gloves with long cuffs are best – and wrap warmly. There will be some gloves and tools and drinks to warm you up.

Everyone is welcome to our meeting on Sunday 27 June, 11am to 1pm, at 9 Selwyn Street. We will be discussing the rabbit mapping and control work of 2009/10 and prepare the National Tree Day 2010 Planting event scheduled for the 1 August.
Please RSVP: Phone 6247 7515 or Email admin@majura.org

360 Degree Films is filming a documentary on kangaroos in Canberra for ABC and is interested in your stories about living with kangaroos. They are interested in all types of stories, small and big, good and bad. Please contact Nicola at 0434 539 208 or Kate at 0400 487 808 if you have a story to tell. The filming crew would be also interested to hear about regular kangaroo movements or visits of particular sites.

Warm regards
Waltraud
P 62477515
E admin@majura.org

Program World Environment Day celebration, Sunday 6 June

Meet at 1pm
Choose between Mt Ainslie park entrance gate Phillip Ave/ Kellaway Street and view the re-vegetation work on the old Ainslie tip or Justice Robert Hope Park gate at Roma Mitchell Crescent, North Watson and learn about the Watson Woodlands.
Walk at 1.30pm
From Mt Ainslie (2.4km) or from Watson Woodland (700m) to Mt Majura.
Afternoon tea at 2.15pm
Combine at lower Hackett reservoir off Rivett / French Streets (car park at Helms Place) for afternoon tea, talk and inspection of local conservation projects.
Conclusion at 3.30pm