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?

Community Ecosystem Monitoring Program

If you're interested in getting out in your local bushland, you may wish to volunteer your time for an ecosystem monitoring survey.
Learn how to measure the health of our city's natural areas through monitoring the number of native and exotic plant and animal species, fallen logs and hollow-bearing trees for habitat, and regeneration of native species.
Autumn surveys are running now. To join, please contact Council at council@lakemac.nsw.gov.au or 4921 0333, or see http://www.lakemac.com.au/page.aspx?pid=1322&vid=14 for more information. No prior experience is necessary.

Community Monitoring at Stansfield Close

LMCC's Community Ecosystem Monitoring event today revealed that there were 40 native plants and 11 weeds in the area that was sampled.
There were local volunteers and council staff who laid out a 50 X 20m quadrat, aligned northeast, GPS coordinates were taken and counts of flora and fauna taken. 
Birds, habitat features, scats were all looked for. The idea is to get a really good idea of the environmental assets in our own backyard.

Local Landcaring

 A new Landcare site in our area on the corner of  Hampton and Jabiru Streets, will have it's first Green Team day on 18/4/11. This beautiful little remnant is a reminder of the variety which can exist right at our backdoor.

On  May 16th Yural reserve at the northern end of Laycock Street will be getting a makeover, with the support of the Green Team and thanks to funding from the Hunter Water Landcare Assistance Fund. A mulched garden bed will be created and a BBQ lunch will be provided.

Jason Harvey as been appointed as the new Landcare Coordinator for LMCC commencing 2 May 2011. Jason has strong local connections and we wish him well in his new role.

LMCC’s Community Ecosystem Monitoring program involves Council staff, and volunteers, surveying bushland areas (owned by Council,) across the City to provide a measure of the health of different bushland vegetation communities.

Community Ecosystem Monitoring
The reserve at end of Stansfield Close, Coal Point, is one of the 50 sites that will be surveyed on Wednesday 20 April from 9am-12noon.

The survey records both native and exotic species within the plot, medium and large trees, regeneration of canopy species, hollow bearing trees canopy cover and evidence of wildlife. 

Contact Robyn Gill for more details if you would like to participate on any of the days.