March outing

We are going exploring in the patch of rainforest at the top of Mt. Horror on Saturday 9th. Meet at the boom gate at the foot of Mt. Horror at 10 am. A couple of us are doing a recce tomorrow, and will have more details after that as to distances for walking. Watch for another short email at the end of the week.

We had a lovely day at Narawntapu last month; thanks to Anne Witherden for her excellent leadership. Follow the link on the front page of the website to read all about it.

Other news:

Visit by Tasmanian Field Nats.

Of interest might be the fact that the above group are having their easter camp at Mt. Cameron. If anyone is interested in meeting them, I will be taking them for a short walk on the Trent Water saltmarsh at about midday on Monday. Contact me.

 

Northeast bioregional network.

On Saturday 24 February 2024 at St Helens, over 100 people attended a meeting organised by the Northeast Bioregional Network (NEBN) to discuss a proposal by New Forest to clear native forest regrowth and plant radiata pine at Skyline Tier. The 300 hectare site is adjacent to the award winning 2,000 hectare Restore Skyline Tier ecological restoration project. Meeting attendees heard that the pines would be grown for 10-15 years then harvested and burnt to generate green hydrogen. The drivers and logic behind the proposal are unknown, as the area has previously been found to be poorly suited to plantation forestry, hence previous support by New Forest towards the Restore Skyline Tier restoration project. A meeting with Timberlands, which manages the site for New Forest, is being sought.   

 

Dorset coastal working group – quarterly meeting

Although the Dorset Coastal Working Group only meets quarterly, it usually has quite a full agenda. Representatives from Dorset Council, Parks and Wildlife, various Coast Care groups, North East Field Nats, NRM North and Bridport Innovations all share their knowledge and discuss issues pertaining to Natural Resource Management and attempt to network solutions for problems.

Topics for discussion at the February meeting included problems on the 4WD transit track to Bellingham, Tas Water’s installation of new aerators at the sewerage treatment plant in Bridport to reduce odours, problem fires at Waterhouse, sea spurge infestation on the Bridport Foreshore.

Two representatives from NRM North informed the group about projects running under their banner. They are working to further protect two iconic but vulnerable animals in the North East : the Giant Fresh Water Crayfish and the Eastern Barred Bandicoot. This involves teaching landowners how to protect them and supporting them with on-ground work, making refuges and planting habitat plants. As a result of their work, Northern Tasmania is becoming a refuge for the E.B.B. whose counterpart on the mainland became extinct. The statistics so far are impressive. They have funded 59 urban refuges and 80 landholders to carry out on-ground works. Two PhD studies have been sponsored as well.

One cause of the demise of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot has been predation by cats and dogs and cat management is also a high priority for NRM North. Even though a new cat management plan has been adopted in Tasmania, only some municipalities mandate that cats be kept inside. NRM North works to provide support to land managers to help minimise the impacts of roaming, stray and feral cats. They attend community events in an attempt to educate the community about how to promote responsible cat ownership.   There are issues in Dorset municipality with larger numbers of cats being fed than are legal and wild dogs reportedly killing backyard chooks. So there is scope for work here in Dorset.

 

CSIRO media releases:

I am on the mailing list of the CSIRO and have received some interesting stories daily, usually short and concise. Some of you may be interested to track them down. Here’s a recent one:
French fungus has sea spurge in its sights

 

 The Science Show on ABC Listen.

Listen to Alexandra deBlas on the Science Show and hear a comprehensive explanation about the risk of losing the Maugean Skate from Macquarie Harbour. Here is the link:
Grim outlook for Tasmania’s Maugean skate

** May  and June outings are yet to be organised – I’m looking for volunteer leaders.

Louise Brooker.