AUTUMN 2021 NL 65

Vale of Belvoir Reserve. Photo: Matthew Newton

There are many moments of joy in We are thrilled to start 2021 with We have also made a very exciting my work as CEO of the Tasmanian such a special new reserve. botanical discovery at one of our Land Conservancy (TLC), but it was a newer reserves, Prosser River. Up in the highlands, we’ve been particular pleasure when last month, Before we buy a property we always undertaking some very exciting taking a couple of supporters on a investigate its natural values but on new research. Rowena Hamer, tour of Tinderbox Hills, we spotted a property of this scale, sometimes one of the TLC’s Conservation two endangered forty-spotted there are unexpected surprises as we Ecologists, has been running pardalotes. That makes it even more explore and survey. a project at Silver Plains to satisfying to announce that Tinderbox determine whether captive-reared The entire TLC team has been Hills Reserve is now protected, eastern could contribute to busy across the state across all meaning these endemic birds will the recovery of this iconic species our programs. We've had another have a safe place to live. across . This project was successful year of the central highlands On behalf of all of us at the TLC, I run with the support of Rewilding weeding program, now in its 10th would like to sincerely thank everyone , the Tasmanian year, Vale of Belvoir threatened flora who contributed to the success of this Conservation Program, the monitoring, WildTracker workshops campaign! Thanks to the generosity Tasmanian Department of Primary and much more. It has also been great of so many, Tinderbox Hills becomes Industries, Parks, Water and to see so many volunteers out on the the TLC’s newest reserve, protecting Environment (DPIPWE), Trowunna reserves assisting in our conservation this ecological gem that is home to Wildlife Sanctuary, Devils at Cradle efforts this field season. Thank you all. so many of our rare and threatened and East Coast Natureworld, and it James Hattam species on the fringes of Hobart. is a first for the TLC. Chief Executive Officer

HIGHLIGHTS

Tinderbox Hills Reserve. Photo: Andy Townsend Beautiful firetail (Stagonopleura bella). Photo: Chris Tzaros Rowena Hamer studying quolls. Photo: Alex Kutt

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Tinderbox Hills is now protected Dr Alex Kutt asks what it is that The TLC is tracking eastern quolls in forever, thanks to you! makes us love nature. the highlands. TINDERBOX HILLS PROTECTED

The view from Tinderbox Hills Reserve. Photo: Andy Townsend Blue devil (Eryngium ovinum). Photo: Tim Rudman

Tinderbox Hills is now a reserve! blue gum dry forest and woodland We first launched the fundraising community, recognised at state and campaign to protect this gorgeous national levels as a high priority for A FLORAL DISCOVERY little property in November of 2019. protection. Among the vegetation, During the early stages of the TLC’s Since then we have seen Australia as well as the many bird species, there involvement with Brockley Estate, which swept by bushfires and caught up in are nationally threatened eastern became our Prosser River Reserve, I was a global pandemic. Many of us have quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus), eastern undertaking a preliminary survey of the felt swamped by bad news. So it is barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii), property when I stumbled across a very with great joy that we declare that this Tasmanian bettongs (Bettongia unusual plant. It had distinctive spiny vital piece of habitat for forty-spotted gaimardie) and long-nosed potoroos leaves forming a rosette on the ground. pardalotes and swift parrots is now (Potorous tridactylus). These leaves belonged to a species of protected forever. Your contribution pays for the land Eryngium (a genus of plants in the celery family), but which one? It was difficult to Hundreds of you have contributed to where these species live, but a portion tell because there were no flowers. this spirit-raising result. If you have is also invested to provide funds to given five dollars or five thousand; support the ongoing monitoring Tasmania has two native species of if you have shared social media posts and management of our newest Eryngium, and they are very similar. about Tinderbox Hills; if you have reserve. Ecological values need One of these species, blue devil (Eryngium passed on a TLC newsletter to a friend active management, with on-ground ovinum), is listed as vulnerable in Tasmania who has never heard of us, you have actions – from annual weed control to and is only known from a handful of contributed. Thank you so much! drainage work and erosion mitigation populations. It grows in grassy habitats – targeting a range of threats. As the and has spectacular blue spiky flowers Wondering about what you’ve helped to climate changes, we may also have to held on upright stems. But this species save at Tinderbox Hills Reserve? This 67 intervene to keep Tinderbox Hills’ vital had never been recorded near Buckland ha property has an incredibly rich mix natural values intact. We’re putting before. of habitats brimming with wildlife, from the management plan together for the canopy tops to the deep gullies. Tinderbox Hills Reserve’s future and Last year, along with Threatened Plants This diverse, mature woodland contains part of that plan may well involve you, Tasmania, I undertook another survey of extensive stands of old-growth trees particularly if you’re a keen volunteer the reserve. I found some more Eryngium pocked with hollows, a retreat for swift weeder (those who have pulled Spanish plants on the property, and these had parrots (Lathamus discolor). Towering heath at Egg Islands Reserve may be flowers. This time they could be identified blue gums (Eucalyptus globulus) provide licking their lips at the patches of heath as blue devils! food for the parrots while white gum to be found at Tinderbox). Subsequent surveys have revealed that (Eucalyptus viminalis) is a valuable food And of course there’s the party. this species is abundant in the grassy source for the endangered forty-spotted We’ll be celebrating the protection woodlands on the property. Thousands pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus). of Tinderbox Hills on Friday 26 March of plants have now been discovered Tinderbox Hills is one of the last places at the Salty Dog Hotel at Kingston in the reserve, making this the largest on the Tasmanian mainland where these Beach, just south of Hobart and within population in the state. It’s great news tiny, rare birds still nest. There are also cooee of the reserve. If you haven’t for this unusual plant, and another reason wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi) received an email invitation and you’d to be happy that we protected this nests on the reserve. like to attend the celebration, you can remarkable piece of Tasmania. More than 80% of the Tinderbox either go to events.humanitix.com/ Joe Quarmby Hills property is classed as vulnerable tinderbox-celebration or call us at the Conservation Ecologist office on 03 6225 1399. 2 A STRONG PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Tall Trees Reserve. Photo: Rob Blakers Photo: Leigh Walters

Over 20 years the TLC has Some employers support developed diverse income streams. workplace giving, by enabling a TLC PEOPLE We obtain Federal or Tasmanian pre-tax gift to be made through grant funding to support key payroll. This way, you can enjoy the JULIE FIELDER programs like the Revolving Fund tax benefit from your generosity The TLC’s Conservation Program Ecologists and the conservation stewardship in every pay period. Contact our play a vital role in helping private land services for the Protected Areas office for more information. holders make the most of conservation Partnership. We sell carbon opportunities on their land. Working with credits accrued on the New Leaf As we announce the protection of properties we acquired after Tinderbox Hills and thank everyone Anna Povey, who handles northern Tasmania, the collapse of Gunns Ltd. We who has supported this campaign Julie Fielder (in the south) is bringing her 20 fundraise to buy land, adding to over the last 18 months – we also years’ experience in conservation science to our suite of reserves – the jewels want to applaud the TLC’s regular doing this very important job. in our conservation crown. And donors. Their steadfast, dependable Julie works side-by-side in a partnership we grow, through philanthropic and ongoing generosity enables program with Tasmanian Government support, the TLC Foundation us to fund a range of projects staff from the Private Land Conservation where capital (invested with an and day-to-day works, while also Program, providing stewardship support ethical screen) earns dividends helping us plan for the future. to conservation covenant landholders. She that pay for the science and provides information, management advice on-ground management on our Sign up for monthly giving in April and assistance, as well as access to new and reserve estate. or May and you will automatically emerging technologies and advances in go into the draw to join us on a conservation management. These inked-in gifts support critical trip by boat to our rarely visited Julie is an ecologist whose interests include work across the organisation, from Recherche Bay Reserve with the fungi and their interactions with plants TLC Foundation fund founders. ongoing landholder conservation through the soil microbiome – a fascinating The trip will take place on Saturday programs like WildTracker and Land and ever-growing field of enquiry. She also for Wildlife, to reserve visitation, 5 June. brings a knowledge of fire ecology to her work events and research for future with landholders, where she will be helping acquisitions. In between, regular develop management plans to take account of donations also contribute to fire in a shifting climate. Julie has previously funding day-to-day administration worked on vegetation mapping, monitoring, – critical for our effectiveness as a GIVE plant pathology, monitoring and conservation organisation. Make a monthly gift through translocation, aerial surveys, invertebrates, the TLC’s Regular Giving fungi surveys, metagenomic studies of soil There are currently just over 200 Program by signing up at fungi, forestry monitoring, and threatened TLC regular donors, pledging to tasland.org.au/donate- species monitoring and survey. She has make a monthly or sometimes worked across Australia in a broad range of fortnightly gift. Why not join them? monthly. Even small regular donations are welcome, and ecosystems, from the arid zone, through to Even a small gift makes a world cool temperate rainforest communities. of difference if we can count on you can pause or cancel your getting it every month. gift at any time. Julie shares her home with a thriving organic veggie garden and a very lively young kelpie, and she’s enjoying getting out and meeting sheepdogs (as well as their owners) all over the south of the state. 3 DOES ONE BIRD LESS MATTER?

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus). Photo: Peter Vaughan

Being out bush does wonders for our life satisfaction (and equivalent to winners, as it seems we cannot save spirit and soul, however we like to income satisfaction); because higher them all. And we will likely need to interact with nature. Some people bird numbers correlate with larger learn to love the inevitable novel prefer the gentler pursuits of bush areas of forest, people living in ecosystems that will be created, walking or twitching, while others bushier areas are happier. dominated by things not from here might like to fang about on mountain (much like human mainlanders – This can pose some challenging bikes or flick flies on graceful arcs of including me – who are flocking to questions about the nature of the braid, followed by beers and stories Tasmania). environment we want – does it by a fire. The unifying feature is the matter what types of vegetation The key in the short term is creating pursuit of happiness outside. or species we experience, as a range of protections for our There is unsurprising evidence for the long as it is something wild or in landscapes that can maximise the mental health benefits of the wild. It sufficient numbers? Green space is resilience and persistence of species might be spending time in national fundamental respite for people who and vegetation into the future. This parks and reserves and interacting live in cities – but I have lived most might seem like a clever pivot to shift with wildlife. Or in urban areas we of my life outside of urban centres, the story back to TLC and its mission, might enjoy green spaces, like parks and all I get from pop-up gardens and but in my experience the first step and gardens, or wild spaces, such as shady elms in parklands is a sense of in any pathway to conservation of bush reserves or complex habitat, how much has been lost. Conversely, species is protection and restoration captured remnants in a housing I have spoken to landholders in of habitat and removing the threats, sprawl. One of the joys of living in western Queensland who marvel at the most pernicious being the evil Hobart is the unique situation of being the cacophonous flocks of galahs and twins of land clearing and grazing. in suburbia that is full of corellas converging on waterholes, Reserves and covenants, and extinct on the mainland: it sometimes thinking it a sign of a healthy country, programs working with landholders makes me shake my head in wonder. when in fact it is just the opposite like Land for Wildlife, are the When living in Longreach, Queensland, – a plague of disturbance-tolerant foundation for this. Maybe one bird I was chuffed at the grey kangaroos creatures. I am so hard to please. less does not matter, but we would and emus that would chill in the rather aim for many birds more. Should we be so judgmental of shade of my poinciana; but backyard what aspects of our natural world Dr Alex Kutt bandicoots, well, that is another level. give us pleasure? To take the view Conservation Science What is it about interacting with to its logical extreme, if only the and Planning Manager wildlife that calms us? Perhaps it interaction matters you could just is a hopeful reminder that humans swap plants and in and out, have not trashed the joint entirely, as long as it is green and leafy and or maybe it’s that momentary bond flowery, or fluffy and feathery. If EXPLORE with another organism. Bird watching we lose forty-spotted pardalotes, boomed during COVID, and my best and striated pardalotes take their the TLC’s Bird Conservation mate living in Dublin would send place, you still have a bird to watch, Fund at tasland.org.au/projects/ updates of the variety of tits at his don’t you? It is the conservation bird-conservation-fund lockdown bird feeder. Research from community’s Gordian knot of species Europe suggests that interactions with recovery, prioritisation, and triage, birds are associated with increased where we need to pick cost-effective

4 QUOLLS AT SILVER PLAINS

Eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus). Photo: Sean Crane

In November 2020, the TLC began This may be because numbers fledged reserves. Silver Plains hosts a researching ways to increase have dropped to a point where number of science projects, including populations of eastern quolls in quolls can’t breed fast enough to an Australian Mountain Research Tasmania’s highlands. Working with overcome deaths from predation Infrastructure Facility, Latham’s snipe the Tasmanian Quoll Conservation or other threats. surveys and research on fallow deer Program, Rewilding Australia and browsing and control. The eastern quolls The long-term goal of this project is DPIPWE, the TLC set up a research project is just the latest in a suite of to use targeted releases of captive- project at our Silver Plains property research taking place on the property. bred eastern quolls to increase near Lake Sorell. population sizes to the point where The first phase of the eastern quoll The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) they are able to ‘self-rescue’ - to project is now complete. While two is listed as endangered under federal breed enough that population captive quolls died in the first few weeks legislation and by the IUCN. Mainland declines are reversed. of the project (one from a fight, possibly Australian populations of this species with another quoll, and another of As part of this project, our science declined rapidly in the late 1800s unknown causes), the surviving quolls team – led by Rowena Hamer – and early 1900s, and eventually went are all in good condition. Tracking data gathered a group of 20 captive quolls extinct. Though eastern quolls survived has been collected for the quolls, and from Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary, in Tasmania, largely due to the absence we’ve found that after they were released, Devils at Cradle and East Coast of foxes, rapid declines of at least 50% most quolls didn’t travel far. The furthest Natureworld. Bred in captivity, these are estimated to have occurred any have travelled is about 2.5km, and young animals were reared with the state-wide in the ten years to 2009. most stayed within 1km of where they intention of release. Before the quolls were released. Initial declines may be linked to a period were set free at Silver Plains, the of unsuitable climate, but although the TLC team collected a DNA sample The next stage of the project will take rate of decline has slowed, most areas and equipped each with a tail-worn place in December 2021, when genetic show no signs of population recovery. VHF tracking device. Along with a samples will be collected from the next group of volunteers, the team set generation of quolls so we can estimate  There are four quoll species up feeding stations to help (and the genetic contribution of the release in Australia: spotted-tailed monitor) their transition to life in cohort to the local population. (Dasyurus maculatus), western the wild, tracked them to see which (or chuditch) (Dasyurus geoffroii), habitats they prefer and how far they eastern (Dasyurus viverrinus) and disperse before settling, re-trapped northern (Dasyurus hallucatus). them to check their condition and ACT Both eastern and spotted-tailed re-released them. We have also Do you ever wonder if there are are found in Tasmania. trapped 16 quolls from the wild eastern quolls – or other exciting population and collected their animals – living on your property?  Eastern quolls live up to three genetic samples for DNA analysis. years. They eat insects, fruit, small Sign up for WildTracker and Silver Plains is one of the TLC’s New animals and carrion, including join a team of citizen scientists Leaf properties. Purchased from road kill. Cars are a major threat, monitoring nature on their Gunns Ltd and donated to the TLC as are habitat removal and own little patch tasland.org.au/ introduced species that kill or by the Elsie Cameron Foundation, projects/wildtracker out-compete them. these properties are managed for conservation, while not being fully

5 WHAT’S ON

Recherche Bay Reserve. Photo: Bob Brown Tall Trees Reserve. Photo: Jan Tilden

TINDERBOX HILLS RESERVE CELEBRATION Tasmanian Land Conservancy Friday, 26 March 2021 PO Box 2112 Lower Sandy Bay Tasmania 7005 Through the immense generosity of hundreds of local and far-flung supporters, the Ph +61 3 6225 1399 TLC has been able to protect important habitat at Tinderbox Hills. Thank you all so tasland.org.au much! Join us to celebrate the creation of Tinderbox Hills Reserve at the Salty Dog, ABN 88 743 606 934 Kingston. See events.humanitix.com/tinderbox-celebration to register. @tas_land @taslandconservancy @tasland SAVE THE DATE: PROSSER RIVER Taslandconservancy RESERVE DISCOVERY DAY Saturday, 8 May 2021 BOARD MEMBERS South of Orford on Tasmania’s east coast, the Prosser and Back Rivers cut their Ms Jennie Churchill (Chair) way through a valley of grassy woodland. This 1,534ha reserve has been protected Mr Julian von Bibra (Vice Chair) thanks to a very generous bequest from the estate of David McGregor. Learn more Mr Peter Downie about the threatened vegetation communities and 11 threatened plant and Ms Erika Korosi species on the reserve, as well as old-growth vegetation communities and freshwater Prof Ted Lefroy ecosystems, on our 2021 Discovery Day. Registration details and more information Mr Mark Temple-Smith about the day to come. Meanwhile, watch this clip about the Prosser River Reserve Ms Clare Bower https://vimeo.com/482927196 Dr Ian Cresswell Mr Stephen Atkinson Prof Jan McDonald Dr Vanessa Adams SAVE THE DATE: RECHERCHE BAY RESERVE Chief Executive Officer FOUNDATION FUND FOUNDERS VISIT James Hattam Saturday, 5 June 2021 With around 55 named funds, the TLC Foundation provides resources for ongoing science and on-ground management of the TLC’s suite of reserves. The very generous founders of these named funds are invited to join TLC staff and special guests for an excursion on the Odalisque, visiting Recherche Bay. Invitations will be sent to Foundation fund founders with more information and registration details. To learn more about the TLC Foundation visit tasland.org.au/the-tlc-foundation/

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