FoMM win 2021 Landcare award!

We are delighted to announce that the Friends of Mount Majura received the 2021 ACT Landcare Community Group Award at a ceremony on 10 March. (The award presentation was delayed due to Covid.) FoMM will now go forward as a nominee for the 2022 national awards to be announced in August. Congratulations to all the members of FoMM who contributed their efforts to achieve this recognition.

‘Third Sunday’ working party on March 20

FoMM returns to Hackett after a summer spent removing St John’s Wort from floristically rich sites at The Fair site in North Watson. We will remove weeds and plant local native sedges, rushes and other ground-dwelling plants along the drainage ditch close to the Hackett water tank. No experience necessary – experienced FoMM volunteers will buddy newcomers. This is a child friendly activity.

When: Sunday 20 March 2022, 9am to 12 noon; give only as much time as you can spare.

Where: Meet at the drainage line close to the water reservoir off Rivett and French Streets, Hackett.

Bring and wear: Sun protection, drinking water, clothes which cover your limbs, sturdy shoes or gumboots, and gloves if you have them.

We provide: Hand sanitiser, face masks, sanitised tools and gloves; also a CBR check-in code for FoMM activities.

More information https://majura.org/

Mondays at The Fair

The regular group of Monday morning volunteers at this north Watson site has filled many large weed bags with St John’s Wort flower heads, which have now fruited, preventing this noxious weed from dropping countless seeds which would otherwise have a long life in the soil.

It’s a companiable group which includes some small children accompanied by their parents. If you have spare time to offer on a Monday morning, join us at the entrance to the nature park nearest to Tay and Ian Nicol Streets any Monday at 9.30am. You will be warmly received.

Going it alone? Help remove St John’s Wort before seed release.

St John’s Wort (StJW) is the most invasive weed on Mt Majura. Following two La Nina events in a row, 2021/22 has been the worst StJW season in close to 20 years.

The race is on to remove as many of the fruiting StJW as possible at The Fair project site, which is rich in native flora. Outside our working groups, individual volunteers can remove the fruiting heads any time. You can pull out the whole plant by grabbing the plant as close to the ground as possible – not difficult as the soil is soft. Or just snap off the fruit heads at the top of the stem. Whichever approach you take, the plants must be bagged. There are empty bags at the nature park entrance near Tay and Ian Nicol Streets, North Watson. You can either leave the bags at the removal site for later pick up or return them to the park entrance.

You will need gloves – kitchen (cleaning) gloves are very suitable if you don’t have gardening gloves.

For more information including a link to a map showing the target area see https://majura.org/the-race-is-on-please-help-remove-st-johns-wort-before-seed-release/

Cubs at the Fair

An enthusiastic group of Majura Mountain cub scouts again lent a hand at The Fair on Wednesday 9 March. The cubs removed the fruiting heads of St John’s wort near a scarred tree where they have previously planted native flowering plants. FoMM volunteer Max Pouwer also gave the cubs a talk about the importance of the tree and the plants growing around it.

ACT Legislative Assembly Inquiry into Environmental volunteering

The Assembly Standing Committee on Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity has a current Inquiry on environmental volunteering https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/parliamentary-business/in-committees/committees/eccb/inquiry-into-environmental-volunteerism

FoMM Convenor Jochen Zeil has made a submission which addresses, among other things, issues associated with on-ground staffing resources for Parks & Conservation Service and the impact on FoMM volunteering. Other FoMM volunteers have made individual submissions to the Inquiry. If you wish to make a submission, the closing date is 6 May.