Environment news

Poisoning of foxes outside the perimeter of the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary

The ACT Government will be commencing poisoning of foxes outside the perimeter of the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary; but within the Mulligans Flat and Goorooyaroo Nature Reserves from Wednesday 14 April 2010.

The purpose of the poisoning is to prevent the potential re-invasion of feral predators to the Sanctuary, to facilitate the survival of native fauna and the re-introduction of locally extinct species.

Poisoning will be conducted under licence (permit number: Per8639) using the toxin Sodium Monofluoroacetate commonly known as 1080.

Baiting will not occur within 500 metres of an inhabited dwelling and baits will be shallow buried. 1080 is particularly effective in the control of canids. Domestic dogs are at risk of poisoning and there is no effective antidote to 1080 poisoning. Dogs are not permitted in Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve and the neighbouring Goorooyaroo Nature Reserves. Warning signs will be erected.

This program of poisoning will be ongoing.

For more information contact the authorised 1080 officer, Grant Woodbridge through Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.

In May 2007, GCC President Alan Kerlin stood on the hill behind the Birralee Scout Hall in Gungahlin. He conceived a plan to create a park with a string of artificial wetlands between the hill and the hall, and bush, paths and lookouts on the hill.

A group of Brown Treecreeper birds were released recently into the Mulligans Flat Woodlands Sanctuary.

A total of 45 Brown Treecreepers (Climacteris picumnus) have been reintroduced into the Sanctuary. They are listed as a vulnerable species in the ACT.

The Sanctuary has a purpose-built predator-proof fence and suitable habitat containing coarse woody debris and nest boxes. The birds are being sourced from the Wagga Wagga area and are brought to the ACT in their entire social groups.

Monitoring of the Brown Treecreepers will be carried out using radio-tracking transmitters to track their survival and movement patterns.

This release program will be good for the health of the bush in the reserve and for some distance around it. When I managed the Holbrook Landcare Group near Wagga, we were restoring understorey vegetation over 2000 hectares in order to bring small insectivorous birds back into our area. These birds had been driven out by habitat loss, plus the aggressive territorial behaviour of the native Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala) - a real pest when it takes over an area. In turn, the mature eucalyptus trees suffered heavy dieback due to being overcome by tiny sap-sucking insects called lerps - prime diet of Treecreepers and other small birds like the Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus).

These little birds need areas of dense undergrowth so they can keep safe from the Miners. With kangaroo numbers now being controlled in the Mulligans Flat Sanctuary, overgrazing that destroys the birds' habitat should now be reversed, allowing the birds to get back to their important environmental role.

Early Nancys           Golden Moth Orchids

Come on a Ranger led Wildflower Walk and experience the beautiful wildflowers of Mulligans Flat. Having led three such walks already this Spring, Ranger Peter Mills knows exactly where to head. The reduction of grazing pressure through the use of kangaroo exclusion fences means even the most regular visitor to Mulligans Flat will see something unexpected. 

When? Sunday 28th November. 11am until approximately 2pm

Please Note: Be prepared for a cross country walk that is about 6 kms long. There may be climbing through the odd fence so it is not suitable for prams, strollers, wheelchairs or very small children.

The ACT Government's role is the spread of the weed Patterson's Curse is far worse than just neglecting to control existing weeds, as raised in the Canberra Times ("Landowners curse spread of purple patches", 4/11/09).

The Government and the Land Development Agency have been actively spreading Patto, Capeweed, and many other weeds through the way they hydromulch bare ground around roadworks and new suburbs.

The standard way the ACT uses to seed grass on bare sites after construction is to spray bales of straw over the exposed dirt areas, then cover that straw with an emulsion containing the grass seeds.

However it appears their quality control on the sourcing of the straw is sadly lacking, with the end result being blanket infestation of significant weeds species that were never present beforehand.

Sustainable House Day is on this Sunday 13/9/09 from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

There are eight homes open for inspection around Canberra, and entry is free.
Two are in Harrison (includes ours), one in Murrumbateman, two in Watson, and one in each of Narrabundah, Duffy and Lyneham.

Details of all the house locations are:

Walk through Goorooyarroo

Come join a walking group for a brisk stroll through Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve (Mulligans Flat 's neighbour!).

Ranger Grant will take us through the park giving us an opportunity to learn more of the less talked about, but equally important, nature reserve.

When: Sunday 9th August
Time: 10am - 12pm
Where: Meet at "The Rocks" carpark, off Horse Park Drive (not too far from the Federal Highway)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ACT Government will begin culling foxes at the Mulligans Flat Woodlands Sanctuary.

Poison will be used to eradicate the pest inside the recently completed 11.5 kilometre predator-proof fence. Users of the reserve are reminded that dogs are not allowed within the fenced sanctuary so there should be no risk of accidental poisoning of domestic animals.

Once the foxes have been eradicated a program will begin to reintroduce native species to the sanctuary. It is hoped that in due course that Gungahlin residents will be able to see plants and birds not seen in the areas since before European times.

Update 14/07/09: The Chronicle has reported that a small number of people are still walking their dogs within the Sanctuary.

 

GCC is keen to develop a proposal for a solar farm, to be lodged in response to ACT Energy Minister’s call for expressions of interest. The ACT Government is proposing funding of $30 million towards the winning proposal.

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Our concept is for a facility located in a highly visible site on the north side, such as near the Federal Highway in the area to be known as Kenny.

GCC's concept is that we want to leverage the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) to allow the community to invest in solar even if they can't afford their own rooftop installation. We wish to form a community cooperative (‘Gungahlin Carbon Neutral’) so people with as little as say $500 could buy a share in a solar income stream via the FIT.

This EOI response would be a major undertaking for GCC, and to pull it off we would need help from interested people with expertise in the field or in developing such engineering proposals.

Are you interested? Please contact Alan Kerlin at president[at]gcc.asn.au

 

Suffering from a freezing cold home? Grab a ladder and pop your head up through the access hatch - you may find your ceiling isn't insulated. You'd be amazed how many homes (even in Canberra!) don't have ceiling insulation. Yet other than closing the doors, this is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your 'indoor climate' and cull your heating bill in winter, and your cooling bill in summer for that matter (plus help the greenhouse problem).

But there is now help available - even if you are only renting.

The Federal Government has launched a subsidy program that should completely cover the cost of ceiling insulation in a home that doesn't already have it - up to $1600 for owner-occupiers and $1000 for landlords with either no ceiling insulation, or existing insulation of negligible value (less than R0.5).

You can access this subsidy now, with all the details available on www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency or after 1 July 2009, you can simply contact an insulation installer and they'll cover all the paperwork.

If you are renting, then discuss the subsidy with your landlord or property manager before proceeding - there is an information kit available on the website to help. There is additional help and advice for renters through the Alternative Technology Association - just email renters@ata.org.au and ask for the Renters Guide to Sustainable Living.

If you are a landlord, you can insulate all your properties - not just one.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your ladder...

For further details call Alison Ross at Sustainable Cities ACT on 0405 541 921 or email alison.ross@communicationlink.com.au

The predator proof fence at the Mulligan's Flat Nature Reserve has recently been completed.

The 11.5 kilometre-long fence encloses 484 hectares of the reserve and is designed to create a protected woodland sanctuary. It will help to preserve the highly vulnerable Box-Gum Woodland within the reserve.

The fence will ensure feral animals, such as cats, rabbits and foxes will be excluded from the reserve. It is hoped in due course that it will be repopulated with native species not seen in the area for over 50 years.

The woodland sanctuary remains open for public use and Gungahlin residents can access the reserve through 20 self-closing gates located along the Sanctuary's perimeter.

The fence is modelled on a sanctuary fence at Arid Recovery in Roxby Downs, South Australia, which has allowed the successful re-introduction of native species into the area.

Solar power is used to power the gates, fence electrics and animal surveillance devices.

An innovative research project between the Australian National University, the CSIRO and the ACT Government within Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserves is investigating how woodlands should be managed to improve their condition.