Welcome back!

Although 2020 is a year we would rather put behind us there were some benefits, like learning how to Zoom – well perhaps not, but definitely spending more time outdoors was good for our physical and mental health.  The Australian National University (ANU) Centre for Social Research and Methods was commissioned by Volunteering Australia to undertake analysis of the experience of volunteers during COVID-19.  The results found that while everyone experienced a decline in life satisfaction during the first few months of COVID, volunteers that continued their work experienced significantly less levels of psychological distress than those who stopped volunteering or who had never volunteered before. This reinforces other research that has shown the mental health benefits of volunteering and is something we all know! So start the year on a positive note, get out amongst nature and enjoy.

New staff

We are very pleased to welcome Kelly Bollinger and Philippa James to The Environmental Volunteer Programs team. Kelly will be supervising volunteers at the propagating shed and helping Mark Cowan who has moved to a full time role at the Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Gardens running the retail nursery. Volunteers will be welcomed back to the propagating shed on Mondays and Fridays, 9am – 12.30pm. First day back is Friday 5 February.  Thank you to the KBA Committee, their successful Environmental Levy Grant application in 2020 is allowing additional native plants to be propagated for the Environmental Volunteer Programs.  Jocelyn Chenu is organising the propagating shed volunteer roster, if you are interested in joining Kelly and the gang on Mondays or Fridays please email Bushcare@kmc.nsw.gov.au

Philippa will be taking on a number of roles including Trainer of Bushcare groups, Bush walk guide and assisting with the Native Bee program during the splitting season. 

Bush hack – protect your knees

Julia E. had been seeing a physiotherapist because of knee issues. He gave her the following tip to deal with the pain.  Carry an old rolled up towel. When kneeling, trap it behind the knee. The body weight then goes through the leg and not the knee. The physiotherapist learnt this from Himalayan monks, who probably kneel nearly as much as a Bushcare volunteer!

Thanks for sharing Julia, I’m sure all of our knees will appreciate this tip. 

Emerging fungal pathogen in reptiles

Yellow Fungus Disease (Nannizziopsis barbatae) is a fungal pathogen well known in captive reptiles. Late last year it was also identified in wild lizards across Australia including cases in NSW. Signs and symptoms to watch out for include extensive skin lesions, severe emaciation, and loss of toes and tails.

Please report any unusual deaths or diseased animals to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888. Do not attempt to handle an infected animal.

Want more details? Click on the link(s) below.  

• Wildlife Health Australia
• Scimex

A large amount of Crofton weed was removed near the stormwater harvesting and bio filtration tank, which was rafted on-site. The team also planted 20 tubestock along the road edge. Old She Oak Reserve has 2 Bushcare groups working in different areas within the Reserve which is rated highly in Ku-ring-gai’s bushland priority matrix. It also has support and work undertaken from council’s bush regeneration team.

Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia)

Appearance

• Vigorous vine with fleshy, glossy, heart-shaped leaves which are edible.
• Long sprays of small, fragrant white flowers (February – March)
• Knobby aerial tubers along the stems, which are used in Chinese medicine
• Tubers can be as small as a pea or as large as a football 
• Stems are reddish-green when young, becoming thick and ropy with age

How does it spread?

• Very fast growing – up to 39 m per year – almost 1m a week
• Aerial tubers drop to the ground and take root to create a new plant
• Tubers are dispersed in stormwater run-off or dumped garden waste

Why should it be removed?

Originally from South America, it has the capacity to completely destroy habitat, smothering everything from the ground to the tree canopy. Biosecurity significance is ‘State Priority’ with the objective as ‘Asset Protection’.  This means that Council will target only if the vine is impacting an ‘asset’ such as a highly rated bushland reserve.

Removal and control

For established infestations, first skirt the vine and treat the ground tubers by digging out. Then wait for the aerial tubers to drop (where possible rake away the leaf litter to spot the tubers better or put a tarp down temporarily to catch them when they fall). Do not pull the vine out of the canopy. Mark previously treated infestations on your site map and make sure to regularly spot check for new emerging plants. Thicker stems can be scraped and painted with undiluted Glyphosate.

Bio Control

The Madeira Beetle adults and larvae chew holes through the leaves (not the tubers) and slime the leaves reducing the overall leaf area and vigour of the plant. It is important to note, the beetles do not actually eradicate the vines and conventional control methods are still required.

This Madeira vine stem with tubers was removed from nearby Council Chambers 5/11/2020. 12 weeks without water and it is still producing healthy new shoots!

• Laura Osborne Houison Sanctuary, Blytheswood Ave, Warrawee
• Harry Seidler Reserve, Killara
• Troon Creek Reserve, St Andrews Drive, Pymble
•  Twin Creeks Reserve, Mitchell Crescent, Warrawee
• Bradley Reserve, Canoon Firetrail, South Turramurra
• The Broadway - Leuna Ave, Wahrooonga
• Stony Creek, Minns Rd, Gordon
• Bicentennial Park, Quarry Creek, West Pymble
• Wallalong Crescent, Kooloona Firebreak, West Pymble
• Sir Phillip Game Reserve, South, Lindfield
• Loyal Henry Park, Roseville
• Old Sheoak Reserve, Murrumba/Koola to Kanowar, Killara
• Echo Point Park, Roseville
• Terrum-Bine Reserve, Illeroy Ave, Killara
• Turiban Reserve, Wahroonga
• Minnamurra Ave/Ryde Road, Pymble
• Quarry Masons Forest, Kalang Ave, Killara
• Wombin Reserve, Nelson Rd, Killara

Hunting Orange Hawkweed by Bushcare Trainer, Rosemary Taylor  

In December, I participated for the second time in a 5 day program run by NPWS to detect instances of a highly invasive weed in the Snowy Mountains National Park. The Orange and Yellow Mouse Eared Hawkweed, Asteraceae family, came originally from Europe and has been spread by hikers into the sensitive alpine area.  We were billeted in Khancoban and our detection area was in the Round Mountain area which had been badly affected by fires previously in the year. The NPWS uses drones, helicopters and 2 Hawkweed detection dogs as well as volunteers to hunt down this weed - our group of 6 found only 2 small plants during the 5 days we were there. The area had been searched the year before and a small amount of hawkweed found had been treated. I will be going again in February but this time on the main range to hunt the Yellow Mouse Eared Hawkweed which is harder for the drones to detect because of the abundance of yellow flowers in the area.

Browns Forest – Blue Gum High Forest 

Less than five per cent of BGHF now remains, restricted to the shale soils of Northern Sydney around Pennant Hills, Epping and parts of Ku-ring-gai. The largest surviving remnant of BGHF is in St Ives around Browns Forest and Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve. Browns Forest is one of the top 35 ranking reserves in the area.

Pat Chadwick, convenor, works at both Browns Forest (BF) and Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve (DHNR) with a dedicated group of volunteers who meet fortnightly, supported by both Ku-ring-gai Council and Friends of Lane Cove National Park.   

Both BF and DHNR have a strong seedbank, so regrowth is abundant, given half a chance the site would regenerate very well. Except that wallabies and rabbits are eating their way through the entire regrowth which occurred after the ecological burn in 2017.

Following a recent onsite meeting to look at high-priority zones, Council agreed to Pat’s proposal to fence two areas. The first, is south of the burned area, where very little seedling growth succeeds because of predation by wallabies and rabbits. The second proposed fenced area is dominated by lomandras and deep leaf/ bark litter. The group will trial raking and slashing which is hoped will aid generation/growth of more diverse plant species. This area was last burned about 1998, so no burns are planned for another 7 years as the ideal fire interval for BGHF is at least 30 years.

The other area of concern is the old house site which is slow to re-vegetate due to soil disturbance, soil compaction and a limited seed bank. Council will organise some brush matting in this area, with seed-laden branches.  Any regrowth will be carefully monitored and protected by the Bushcare group.

We encourage you to have a walk around the magnificent Eucalyptus Salignas and Eucalyptus pilularis in this beautiful reserve.  Entry is via Mona Vale Road or on the corner of Vista Street and Rosedale Road.

Could your group do with a little extra support? 

Applications for FY 21/22 Grants open April 

The Environmental Levy Grants program offers a total of $50,000 to community groups, schools, universities, not-for-profits, and individuals to carry out sustainable and environmental projects in the Ku-ring-gai area.  Bushcare sites which benefitted from last year’s grants were:
Rofe Park, Bicentennial Park, Paddy Pallin Reserve,  Killara Park, Darri Track , Longford Abingdon and Quarry Creek. 

What's on

Find out more about Council's environmental volunteering programs