COURSE REPORT

Dune Stabilization Project Report Jan. 5th to 12th 2014 Participants:- George & Pam Agar, Rita & Rob Phillips, Lorraine Marshall, Penny King, Richard Beggs and Graham Johnson Our program was to collect Spinifex hirsutus heads and plant them, continuing the work begun in 2013 . This time we planted on the eastern slope of Irene’s Peak. We also aspired to collect other local plant seeds to clean and store for future workshops.

Collecting Spinifex heads – photo Pam Agar The Team L-R at back - George ,Rob & Graham Front – Pam, Richard, Penny, Rita, Lorraine

One day was assigned to accompany the caretakers on the Kanidal Beach count followed with a picnic lunch at Nine Mile. The four acacia species normally collected had already shed their seed leaving us to concentrate on collecting and planting spinifex, the nuts of three mallee species as well as Nitraria billardierei (Nitre Bush), Isolepis nodosa (Club Rush), Atriplex cinerea (Coast Saltbush), Geijera lineariflora and small quantities of Santalum acuminatum (quandong) and melaleuca sp..nuts. The Kanidal Beach trip was successful bird wise and allowed time for seed collecting after a picnic lunch. We collected atriplex, nitraria and spinifex on the way home. Spinifex was also collected in the dunes and on east Kanidal Beach. All up we collected 74 bags of spinifex seed heads and planted an area covering approximately 5,000 sqm.

Also 17 kg Eucalyptus. diversifolia (Soap Mallee) nuts, 10 kg E. incrassata (Ridge Fruited Mallee) nuts, 2 kg mallee species nuts (possibly E brachycalyx) 1.75 kg A cinerea, 2 kg quandong nuts, 1 kg Scaevola crassifolia,1 kg N.billardierei 0.25 kg G. linearifolia 1 handful Melaleuca sp Under the circumstances the course was successful and everyone enjoyed themselves. Special thanks go to the caretakers Delene and Danie for looking after us so well. George & Pam Agar