FoMM December 2010 newsletter

FoMM December 2010 newsletter pdf

Dear Friends

Thanks to all who came along to our working bee in November. We filled many bags with Paterson’s Curse which is now turning into fine compost at Canberra Sand and Gravel. Indian Hedge Mustard and St John’s Wort have taken off so we will switch our attention from purple to yellow. FoMM’s weed officer Noel is busy spraying SJW whenever weather permits. If you can, join in for a mustard massacre at the paddock this coming Sunday, 12 December any time from 12 noon onwards. Or conduct your own private massacre at a time that suits you; bags are located at the ParkCare notice board adjacent to the reservoir.

Our final regular working bee this year will be on Sunday, 19 December. It will be a walk, search and destroy working party to tackle regrowth of briar rose and blackberry along the gully line from the nature park entrance at Mackenzie / Grayson Streets to the upper Majura dam. This is a revisit of a site where we started work when FoMM sprang into action in November 2003. It would be great if some of the more experienced woody weeders could come along and take novices under their wings. Laura, our muffin lady, is not well. Would someone please donate muffins or a cake for the morning tea break? Please contact me if you can help.

December and January is the peak time for collecting native seeds. Over the coming weeks I will be closely monitoring seed development in a number of species which we will use at various project sites. These are Bulbine Lily, New Holland Daisy, Drooping She-oak, Clustered Everlasting, Hopbush, Silver Wattle, Bitter Pea, various grasses and eucalypts. Collecting seed is a very time consuming activity. Please let me know if you want to be part of a seed squad. We would start with a one hour Bulbine Lily seed hunt this Saturday.

I’m pleased to share with you the discovery of another rather unusual plant species: Lobelia gibbosa, which is the only species of the Lobelia genus that occurs in the ACT. I found the species at two locations growing in open forest on rocky soil at the west slope of Mt Majura. The erect herb is about 40 cm tall and has many flowers borne on a central axis. The flowers are of a stunning deep blue colour and irregular shaped with three broad and spreading frontal petals and two reduced back petals. And the magnificent Fringed Lilies, Thysanotus tuberosus is flowering en masse. Places to see them are along the road under the powerlines from Helms Place towards Ainslie, along Casuarina trail above the Majura dams and along the summit trail.

Those of you who worked in your own time: could you please hand in your sign-on sheet before you leave for a well earned holiday? You can download a copy (individuals) from the member page of our website. Please get in touch if you have questions.

Many thanks.
Waltraud
P 6247 7515 E admin@majura.org

Mustard Massacre
When: Sunday, 12 December from 12 noon onwards, come any time
Where: Majura paddock adjacent to the reservoir off Rivett / French Sts, Hackett
What: Pull and bag Indian Hedge Mustard
Bring: Sun protection, sturdy shoes, gloves and body-covering garden clothing.

Christmas Working Party
When: Sunday, 19 December from 8.00 am to noon
Where: Meet at the nature park entrance Mackenzie Street opposite Grayson Street, Hackett
What: Cut-&-daub woody weeds along the gully line from the park entrance to the upper dam
Bring: Sun protection, enclosed foot wear and body-covering garden clothing.

The FoMM 2009/10 Annual Report is now available on our website.

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