Friends of Mount Majura (FoMM) Newsletter – October 2016

Welcome to the October 2016 edition of the FoMM newsletter. Great news: new Canberra Spider Orchid populations have been found on Mt Majura this spring! This species is listed as critically endangered so the findings are very important. In addition, hundreds of Wax Lip Orchids and several other orchid species not yet in flower have been spotted, as well as a large number of Greenhood orchids where weeds have been treated before, which is very assuring. Yellow-rumped Thornbills are nesting in three planted Acacia genistifolia shrubs at The Fair – see one of the nests here on Canberra Nature Map. The endangered Hoary Sunrays are just about to open their buds, the Early Nancy flowers are already open and the Creamy candles have started. In a couple of weeks when the Hoary Sunrays open their buds, the northwest of Mt Majura will be stunning. Enjoy Majura’s Floriade in what is a great wildflower year after all the rain, including on the FoMM Wildflower Walk coming up on Sunday 23 October.
See you on the mountain.
Jo Lynch
FoMM Secretary

Canberra Spider Orchid (Arachnorchis actensis) on Mt Majura. (Photo: Tony Wood)

Spring into action at the spring working party hosted by FoMM at the Majura Paddock. Help remove protective guards that are outgrown by their plant inhabitants or go on weed patrol and tackle Horehound and Paterson’s Curse. Join in for an hour or more.
Meet: at the ParkCare notice board opposite the Hackett water reservoir off Rivett / French Streets intersection.
Bring: sun protection and garden gloves if you have them. Tools and tea will be provided.
Inquiries: email here
Click here for more information.

Shrub and ground cover plantings at Majura Paddock replace woody and herbaceous weeds that had been removed by volunteers. (Photo: Waltraud Pix)

FoMM Wildflower Walk – Sunday 23 October, 2-4pm
Enjoy Mount Majura’s Spring Floriade on this delightful walk with local plant ecologist Michael Doherty and learn about the different species found in the grassy woodlands and open forests of the nature reserve. A new flora list will be available for a donation.
Meet: at the nature park entrance on Mackenzie Street roughly opposite Grayson Street, Hackett
Bring: good walking shoes, water, sun protection, a camera and a hand lens / magnifying glass if you have one.
Inquiries: email here
Click here for more information.

Wax Lip Orchid (Glossodia major). (Photo: Waltraud Pix)

2016 FrogCensus update – annual census week 16-22 October
October is Frog Census month and everyone is encouraged to monitor as many sites as possible. To assist in planning and to avoid lots of monitoring at some sites while other sites miss out, they are asking all Frogwatchers to register their monitoring intentions by email to ACT Frogwatch Coordinator, Anke Maria Hoefer. You can check if your favourite spot is already booked, or if a key site is getting its required 3 surveys during Census week, by logging on to the website and going to “BOOKED SITES”. Due to popular demand, an extra training event will be held this Thursday 13 October at Jerrabomberra Wetlands, with an Introduction Seminar (18:00-19:15) and Field Trip (19:15-20:30).

The Pobblebonk (Limnodynastes dumerili) lives in the ACT. (Photo: frogs.org.au)

Other news and events:

Mt Ainslie Weeders – walks
1/ Sunday 9 October, 10am-12pm: Wildflower Walk on Mt Ainslie led by Michael Mulvaney. Meet in the picnic area behind the Australian War Memorial, where the summit walking track begins.  Wear enclosed shoes, hat, sunscreen, bring drinking water.
2/ Sunday 16 October, 8am-10am: Bird Walk on Mt Ainslie led by McComas Taylor. Bookings required as numbers are strictly limited. Please book by email. Further information will be given upon booking.

ParkCare Fringe Forum ‘Partners on Country’ – Tuesday 11 October, 5-6pm
This forum will focus on various Aboriginal land management, fire and cultural heritage projects currently being undertaken in the ACT. Speakers will include 2016 ACT Landcare Indigenous Land Management Award Recipient – Wally Bell; ACT Aboriginal NRM Facilitator – Darren Chong and ACT Aboriginal Heritage Liaison Officer – Euroka Gilbert; and the ACT Parks Murumbung Ranger Coordination Team – Dean Freeman, Jackson Taylor-Grant, Krystal Hurst and Deb Melaluca.
Where: Ground Floor Function Room, Dame Patti Menzies House North, 16 Challis Street Dickson,
RSVP: Philip Selmes  or 02 6205 7384

Science for Saving Species: research of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub (TSRH) – Monday 17 October, 12:15 – 5:00pm
You are invited to a showcase of the research of the National Environmental Science Programme’s Threatened Species Recovery Hub, to be held in Canberra at the National Portrait Gallery. The event will bring together researchers, representatives from the Department of the Environment and Energy, state/territory representatives and regional landcare organisations, showcasing research findings that have an impact on policy and management decisions for threatened species. Speakers will canvass issues such as threatened species translocations, reintroductions, monitoring, adaptive management and control of invasive species. Registrations for the event and more information can be accessed here.

Climate-ready revegetation. A guide for natural resource managers
This new publication by Nola Hancock, Rebecca Harris, Linda Broadhurst and Lesley Hughes provides information on how to use on-line tools to gauge if existing vegetation (species and local populations) are likely to be suitable as the climate changes. The Guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to (1) find and use on-line regional climate projections for a local site; (2) evaluate which plant species will be suitable at the site in the future; and (3) consider which strategy for selecting provenances will increase the likelihood of the local population surviving in the future? The publication is available as a hard copy booklet, on this website and can be downloaded as a pdf here.

Restore Regenerate Revegetate: A Conference on Restoring Ecological Processes, Ecosystems and Landscapes in a Changing World – University of New England, Armidale NSW, 5-9 February 2017
The sustainable management and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems has never been more important and challenging, given humankind’s growing reach throughout the biosphere and resulting accelerating changes from local to global level. Over five days in February 2017, you are invited to the University of New England to contribute to our joint understanding of the challenges and successes in restoration, revegetation and reintroduction in a fast-changing world, with some of Australia’s and the world’s leading practitioners, scientists, consultants and advisers working in this space. More information is available here.

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