Landcare Report - Robyn Gill

Our Landcare hours in August and September have been taken up with our usual spring game of “hunt the planting” among the weeds where the white tipped stakes are a great help. The growth of the plantings has been very encouraging and we’re now hurrying to make room for some more replacing of weeds before it is too hot and dry. 

Our other major blitz is on the Formosa Lily that is spreading like wildfire in the whole lake area carrying a formidable amount of seed per head (there can be 14 of these heads on one stalk) that fly off in the breeze. We have set up test areas to try to find the best ways of dealing with the plant as they are a fairly recent challenge. We are following up on our last year’s approach, which seems promising but not yet proven. http://sydneyweeds.org.au/weed/formosa-lily/
 
Ecosystem Site Monitoring was carried out for the second time at Stansfield Reserve as part of a council programme with a professional leader and a group of experienced and knowledgeable volunteers. It is a careful way of checking on the state of our natural areas by returning at regular intervals to a measured and recorded small area to count the number and variety of trees and plants, both native and exotic, fallen logs, tree hollows and any evidence of insects, birds, fauna etc. 

We saw a tiny possum in the same tree hollow where it was photographed last year but this year it had more sense than to be inquisitive and show itself in the opening. Perhaps it had had a big night and was too sleepy.

We also watched a Kookaburra moving in and out of its nest inside a large termite’s nest high up in tree.

Asparagus Fern is marching on at a frightening pace but native plants continue to resist its advance until it is too thick. It has this year been declared a Weed Of National Significance that will hopefully result in some more assistance with its control.
 

Landcaring often brings up surprises. Last year kangaroo poo at Stansfield Close reserves, more recently a nest of eggs at Burnage Reserve. They look like hen’s eggs, they seem fresh.  Investigations are underway to see if a local native bird may be involved. Have you lost a chook or heard the happy cackling?