Friends of Mount Majura (FoMM) Newsletter September 2014

Creeping Hovea, Hovea heterophylla, a climber that flowers in September and October (W.Pix).

Welcome to the September 2014 edition of the FoMM newsletter. Spring is the best time of the year to be in the bush and there is lots happening over the next couple of months to get you out there, from surveying rare plants, frogs and kangaroos, to wildflower walks and weed talks. It is also a busy time for weeding, as the weeds undergo their major growth spurts, so we would love for you to give us a hand, at either our monthly working party or Fridays @ The Fair. I am currently in Spain where I am enjoying the sight of Hawthorn and Briar Rose on my walks without the strong urge to kill them 🙂
See you on the mountain.
Jo Lynch
FoMM Secretary

FoMM activities and news:

Spring Working Party @ The Fair – Sunday 21 September, 1pm – 4pm
Celebrate the arrival of Spring with a working party and give the seedlings planted on National Tree Day a head start for summer! Come for an hour or more.
Where: Meet at the nature park entrance intersection Tay Street and Ian Nicol Street, The Fair, North Watson
Bring and wear: Sun protection, sturdy shoes, long sleeves and pants and garden gloves if you have them. We’ll provide tools and afternoon tea.
Enquiries: Ph. 6247 7515 or email secretary@majura.org
Click here for more information

Native flowers and shrubs planted at The Fair on National Tree Day 2014 (W.Pix)

Another orchid added to the Mount Majura species list!
FoMM plant spotter extraordinaire, Aaron Clausen, recently found another new species in Mount Majura nature reserve, the Maroonhood Orchid (Pterostylis pedunculata)! The plants have flowered just in time to welcome spring. Well spotted Aaron and thanks for stalking the orchids for the last few months!

Maroonhood, Pterostylis pedunculata, recently added to the Mt Majura species list (A.Clausen)

Rare Plant Survey – Sunday 19 October 10am – 12pm
Mount Majura Nature Reserve is home to a number of rare and endangered plant species, some endemic to the ACT and some at their range distribution limit in the Territory. What are they and where are they? Join Dr. Michael Mulvaney, ACT Conservation, Planning and Research for a survey of Mount Majura’s rare plants.
Where: Meet at nature park entrance Antill Street, roughly opposite Carotel, North Watson.
Bring and wear: Sun protection, sturdy shoes, water, something to write on, and a camera if you have one. Some survey kits will be provided; the kits include a list of rare plants recorded within or in the vicinity of the Mount Majura nature reserve.
Inquiries: e-mail secretary@majura.org or ph. 6247 7515
Click here for more information.

Five Corners, Styphelia triflora, is a rare plant found on Mt Majura (W.Pix)

Wildflower Walk – 26 October 2-4pm
Explore the wildflowers that are blooming this season on this delightful walk with plant ecologist Michael Doherty. See the different species found in the grassland, woodland and open forest, and enjoy the beauty of the nature reserve, its grasses, trees, and views whilst you go.
Where: Meet at the Kellaway St nature park entrance close to Phillip Ave, Hackett.
Bring and Wear: Sun protection, suitable clothing for the expected weather, comfortable and appropriate footwear and a camera if you have one; an updated Flora List will be available for a gold coin donation.

Yam Daisy (Microseris lanceolata) flowering on Mount Majura (J. Lynch).

Other items of interest:

Kangaroo Surveys – September 2014
Would you like to help out with some kangaroo surveys within Canberra Nature Park? ACT Conservation, Planning and Research (CPR) have a couple of ‘sweep counts’ planned over the first few weeks of September. The counts are being conducted as part of their ongoing investigations into the impacts of kangaroo grazing on biodiversity within Canberra Nature Park. The reserves they need to count (four times each, preferably on different days) include: Farrer Ridge, Dunnarts Flat and Forest Exclosure (Goorooyarroo), Dam Paddock (Mulligans), Mt Painter, and The Pinnacle. The dates they are proposing are: Thursday 4^th; Friday 5^th; Saturday 6^th; Sunday 7^th; Monday 8^th; Tuesday 9^th; Wednesday 10^th; Thursday 11^th; Friday 12^th; Saturday 13^th; Sunday 14^th. Please let Melissa Snape know if you’re available to help on any of these counts by the end of this week (Friday 5^th September 2014) on 6205 0001, 0418 693723 or melissa.snape@act.gov.au. CPR will provide some refreshments (morning tea or lunch depending on the reserve and how long it takes to complete). No experience is necessary but they would like to know if you have done it before.

Frogwatch Census Week – 19 to 26 October 2014

This year’s training events for the census:
Combined Seminar and Field trip: Scottsdale (Cooma) 9 September
Introduction seminar 1: Australian National Botanic Gardens 16 September
Field trip Duffy:  22 September
Introduction Seminar 2: Australian National Botanic Gardens 25 September
Field trip Mulligans Flat: 26 September
To book, just RSVP to ph. 62783309 or frogwatch@ginninderralandcare.org.au
Click here for more information.

September Weed Talk – Thursday 25 September 5-6pm
Fotpin’s weed control effort monitoring and its uses for directing activity and assessing performance. Warren Bond from the Friends of the Pinnacle will share his passion for tracking and mapping weed control at the Pinnacle Reserve. He will outline the weeding effort data that fotpin collects, the forms in which it is collated and the uses to which it has been put. The latter include identifying targets for future weed control (either in within days/weeks or for future years) and providing a measure of success (or otherwise) of control activities over successive years. This will be illustrated with examples from the four years of data that has now been collected.
Location: Stromlo Parks and Conservation Service Depot, 500 Cotter Road, Weston Creek.
Further information: Jasmine Foxlee, ParkCare and Volunteer Coordinator

2014 ACT Erosion Control Field Day – Saturday 6 September
In response to landholder concerns regarding local erosion issues and remediation options, the ACT Regional Landcare Facilitator Program, in collaboration with Ginninderra Catchment Group, will host this Erosion Control Field Day at Tharwa, southern ACT.
Click here for more information