In this edition
- Project “Dragonfly” – Call for volunteers for planting on Sunday 9 October;
- Information and Project Presentation on Wednesday 21 September
- Mt Majura Spring Wildflower Walk, Sunday 25 September
- Leaping into the 2005 Frogwatch
- FoMM Activities planned for October
- Change of FoMM mailing – please subscribe to our Website mailing list
- Hear about the Dragway – Community meeting, Tuesday 20 September
Project “Dragonfly” – Call for Volunteers for Planting on Sunday 9 October
We have been successful in our application for funding to rehabilitate the Majura Dams. We have 8000 wetland seedlings ready to plant and we need your help. Our first planting day is Sunday the 9th of October from 9am to 4pm or until all the plants are in. Please come along whether you can spare half an hour or half a day. Meet us at the first dam you reach on the access road from the Mackenzie/Grayson St entrance to the reserve.
You will need sturdy footwear, gardening gloves, sun protection and drinking water. ACT Parks and Conservation have kindly offered to provide tea and coffee facilities. Should the planting be cancelled for any reason there will be a recorded message on the day on 6262 5374. A sign will also be posted at the reserve entrance.
ACT Parks and Conservation will soon start work on placement of rocks and logs for habitat. The planting area around the dams will be fenced to protect the young plants until they are established. The fences will not prohibit access to water for the local wildlife.
Stewards wanted. We are looking for people, who could act as stewards on the 9th October. There will be an introduction, training and trial planting for stewards on Saturday 24th September. Please contact Tim at 6262 5374 and leave a message if you want to become a steward or for other enquiries.
If you would like to hear more about the project, there will be a presentation and opportunity for discussion at the Hackett Neighbourhood Watch meeting
Wednesday 21 September, 7.30 pm
Holy Cross Annex, Cnr of Phillip Ave and Antill St
Mt Majura Spring Wildflower Walk, Sunday 25 September
Join a Parks and Conservation ranger for a woodland walk at Mt Majura and enjoy the spring blossom of wildflowers and shrubs.
Sunday 25 September from 10am to 11.30am
Booking for limited places is essential at 6207 2113 during working hours, new FoMM members are particularly encouraged to come along.
Leaping into the 2005 Frogwatch
This will be the third year that FoMM participates in Frogwatch. The frog monitoring can take place anytime during the period between 6th October and 2nd November. Our focus will be on National Water Week from 16th to 23rd October.
Young people are particularly welcome to join Jenni Savigny who will again coordinate the FoMM Frogwatch program this year. If you would like to monitor any of the Mt Majura sites, please contact the ACT Frogwatch coordinator Rachelle (see below for details).
Your Frogwatch data will contribute to a wider wildlife monitoring network that is investigating the impacts of bushfires and drought on our local waterways and wetlands. It’s easy, fun and a great way to get involved in monitoring the health of our environment.
Frogwatch training seminars. Frogwatchers are asked to participate in either of the following seminars:
Seminar One will suit the Frogwatch beginner. You will receive a comprehensive Frogwatch monitoring kit and learn the monitoring techniques.
Time and Venue: 29th September, 6:00 – 9:00 pm at the Australian National Botanic GardensSeminar Two will introduce the more advanced Frogwatcher to an exciting new “Frogspotters” program.
Time and Venue: 27th September, 6:00 – 9:00 pm, Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, Gungahlin.
Booking is essential. To reserve your place at the Frogwatch Training Seminars please contact the ACT Frogwatch Coordinator Rachelle McConville at waterwatch@ginninderralandcare.org.au
More information on the 2005 ACT Frog Census and training seminars is available on the Molonglo Catchment Group website at www.molonglocatchment.com.au under news & events.
FoMM Activities planned for October
FoMM is planning to conduct a guided tour on Majura orchids in October. With the warmer season coming our weeding efforts will return to woody weeds each third Sunday a month starting in October. Details on time and meeting venue will be announced in the next newsletter edition.
Change of FoMM Mailing – Please Subscribe to our Website Mailing List
In order to reduce administration work for us I would like to ask everyone to subscribe to our Website based mailing list.
What does it mean for you? Once you have subscribed you will receive the FoMM news advising on events and activities via the FoMM Website based mailing list.
What does it mean for us? It would eliminate the significant amount of work to maintain a FoMM e-mail contact list since the Website based mailing list is self-maintained.
How can you subscribe? Click on Members and follow the subscribe-to-our-mailing-list prompts. After you complete the subscription you will receive an e-mail asking for confirmation. It is easy, takes a few minutes of your time and will cost you nothing.
Need some help? Please contact Susan, our Website coordinator at web@majura.org if you need help or if you want her to subscribe you.
Time line for change. We envisage to change the procedure of distributing FoMM news via the Website based mailing list by the end of this year. Until then we will use the conventional way of e-mail distribution, which means that those who have subscribed may receive the news twice for a short period of time – sorry for this inconvenience. The current way of distribution will cease in January 2006 and those of you who have not subscribed by then won’t receive FoMM news. To ensure that you continue to receive news on FoMM activities and events, please subscribe to the FoMM Website mailing list as soon as possible.
Hear about the Dragway – Community Meeting, Tuesday 20 September
The North Canberra Community Council (NCCC) will hold a public meeting on the proposed Dragway in Majura Valley. Mr Geoff Cannock, Chairman of the Chief Minister’s Dragway Advisory Committee, will give a presentation of the assessment / consultation for the proposed Dragway facility.
Tuesday 20 September 2005, 7:30-9:00 pm
Majura Community Centre, Rosevear Place, Dickson
This is an important opportunity to backup your signature on the FoMM petition circulated recently. Please attend the meeting and have your voice heard by the ACT Government.
See www.nthcanberracc.org.au for more about NCCC & the Dragway proposal.
warm regards,
Waltraud
Friends of Mt Majura co-ordinator
