THIRD SUNDAY WORKING PARTY 18 April 1-4pm
With the coming of autumn, we move our monthly working bees to the afternoons – we hope this will also lead to an increase in participant numbers.
This working party will focus on woody weeds in the nature reserve area near Mackenzie street, including Cootamundra wattle, Briar rose and non-native garden escapees.
When: Sunday 18 April 1-4pm. Give as much time as you can spare. To receive an introduction to woody weed control, please arrive at 1pm.
Where: Meet at the nature park entry from Mackenzie Street, close to Grayson Street; see map https://www.flickr.com/photos/61627737@N03/6186936701/sizes/o/
What: This will be a ‘search and destroy’ exercise to remove the regrowth of woody weeds
Bring and wear: Sun protection, long sleeve/leg clothing, sturdy shoes and drinking water. Please follow the Covid19 procedure laid out at the registration table near the entrance to the nature park. We will provide tools and equipment, gloves and hand sanitiser and a delicious home-made cake for afternoon tea.
More information: https://majura.org/woody-weeds-working-party-18-04-2021/
For various pictures of Cootamundra wattle click this link: https://canberra.naturemapr.org/species/8376
Our Third Sunday working party in March removed invasive umbrella sedge from the drainage line near the Hackett reservoir and planted local native seedlings of Hardenbergia and Lomandra on the banks.
Originally the drainage line was clogged with weeds. In previous years happy volunteers removed Honeysuckle and English ivy.
These days the drainage line is looking beautiful. Here plant guards shield the Hardenbergia and Lomandra seedlings from last month’s working party.
PARKS AND RESERVES SURVEY
Visitors to national parks, reserves and forests are encouraged to respond to the ACT government’s survey https://www.yoursay.act.gov.au/act-parks/act-parks-and-reserves-visitor-survey The survey will gather information about visitors, their motivation and satisfaction to plan enhancements. The survey closes on 25 July.
MONDAYS AT THE FAIR
Each week a group of volunteers meets at the Fair site, which has been transformed by the dedicated work of Friends of Mt Majura over many years. As well as weed removal, we have planted local trees, shrubs and ground covers, along with several varieties of native grasses.
We are about to start work to remove the many southern blue gum seedlings which have spread from several mother trees in the neighbouring Valour Park.
Southern bluegum seedlings near Valour Park: photo Max Pouwer
Eucalyptus globulus subsp. bicostata is a beautiful tree from Victoria, ie not local provenance. So Mt Majura Nature Reserve is not the place for them and we will have a small blue gum forest if the seedlings are not removed. We will later plant seeds of the local silver wattle to grow at this site.
Join us anytime between 9.30 and 12.30 any Monday morning. We meet at the nature park entrance close to Tay and Ian Nicol Street, North Watson.
A NATIVE LOVE GRASS
There has been rapid colonisation of a native species of lovegrass across Canberra this summer. It has been identified by the National Herbarium as Eragrostis parviflora (weeping lovegrass). https://canberra.naturemapr.org/sightings/3344185 not to be confused with the highly invasive weed, African lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula). FoMM volunteers have not yet sighted this weeping lovegrass but another native – Rough-grained Lovegrass, Eragrostis trachycarpa, has been found growing along the fenceline at the EPIC carpark. Volunteers recently collected seeds for distribution at the Fair after completing their Saturday morning shopping at the Farmers’ market.
Eragrostis trachycarpa: photo Waltraud Pix
AUSTRALIAN NETWORK FOR PLANT CONSERVATION
Some items of interest from the ANPC March newsletter include: this report on publication of an Action Plan for Australia’s Imperilled Plants https://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/media/sfbj01nh/2-4-plant-profiles-2020_whole-report_final.pdf an article from The Conversation about flora and fauna recovery from bushfire https://theconversation.com/5-remarkable-stories-of-flora-and-fauna-in-the-aftermath-of-australias-horror-bushfire-season-155749 and a project to conserve wildflowers https://www.seedpartnership.org.au/the-rare-bloom-project/
