newsletter Issue 24 Spring 2012

Supporting landholders with native vegetation Striking What is that splendid by Karen Walker flowering or small Seed Bank Coordinator

of weeping habit, with breathable cloth bag which will pea flowers in yellow to capture the seed when it pops orange shades that blossom from the small pods. The timing of at this time each year? this is unpredictable and sudden. Spring is the season of There are usually 1 or 2 seeds per pod, but they are very Jacksonia scoparia , a susceptible to insect attack. prolifically flowering indicator of our As a member of the pea family, the seed requires heat treatment Lowland Grassy Woodland prior to sowing (boiling water Endangered Ecological poured over seed and left to soak Community. overnight) and supposedly germinates well. Cuttings are said Jacksonia ’s spring flowering to strike readily. makes up for being almost inconspicuous at other times of Consider planting Jacksonia on the year, with thin, broom-like, drier sites in revegetation grey-green foliage lacking in projects, in windbreaks and in apparent leaves, with seed production areas. It looks growing 4-6m high. Most plants I great, as a legume it will presumably fix nitrogen and see are centred around Buckajo, Contents insects, birds and butterflies will Candelo and Tantawangalo areas, love it too! Jacksonia 1 often on road verges. The genus Jacksonia comprises Coordinator’s column 2 40 species Australia wide (except History, Fire, South Australia). It is named after botanical librarian George Jackson Global CO2 3 and with scoparia meaning broom or brush-like, which refers to the Birdsong 4 foliage. Jacksonia can sometimes The Pittosporum be confused with the weed Scotch broom ( ) . 'Problem' 5 Our local Jacksonia could be Andrew Morrison 6 considered “locally rare” and prefers to grow in low nutrient, Fire Workshop 7 gravelly soil (shales & clays). Every year I attempt to collect Rodway Alison Photos: seed, which involves “bagging” FSCCMN the Spring racemes 2012 with a form of p

Next Workshop Coordinator’s column Bill Gammage’s latest book, The Biggest Estate on Earth has sparked many new conversations about fire and reignited interest in fire as a tool for managing landscapes. Most of the articles in this edition deal with fire in some way, particularly in relation to managing our lowland grassy woodlands. These stories along with our workshop on fire with Fink. If you also write poetry Jackie Miles earlier this month that could inspire other are just the start of our CMN members then I’d love to read it.

Seed Collection conversation on this topic. I hope you enjoy these photos with Karen Walker There was a remarkable of one of my favourite , the Why, where, when, how? response to the recent CMN Blueberry ash, which is flowering Sat 9 February 2013 survey. The information is right now in our coastal forests. heartening and will be useful for Their delicate fringed flowers, Contact Ali (details below) planning what happens with the the leaves that turn red as they network over the next two get older and their lovely purple years. blue berries are worth making pilgrimages for each November. I’m excited to print our first Contact the poem from CMN member Averil Ali FSCCMN Alison Rodway PO Box 118 Bega NSW 2550 Photos: Alison Rodway Alison Photos: (02) 6491 8224 (w) Blueberry Ash Elaeocarpus reticulatus at Gillards Beach 0457 542 440 (m) [email protected]

www.fsccmn.com.au What is the CMN? The Far South Coast Conservation Management Network (CMN) supports landholders in the Bega Valley Shire to manage native vegetation on their property and caters to all land holders and vegetation types. The CMN is funded and supported in various ways by the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, Department of Environment and Climate Change and Bega Valley Shire Council. These agencies are working with landholders to protect native vegetation on private as well as public land. The CMN’s role is to provide motivation, knowledge and skills support to landholders to ensure ongoing management and care is worthwhile for the landholder and the environment.

FSCCMN Spring 2012 p 2 History, Fire,

Global CO2 and the Photo: Frank Oliver management of endangered grassy woodlands

We often focus on the (but specific) areas of Australia by Josh Dorrough, were open and grassy owing to Ecological research consultant temperature aspects of Visiting Scientist at CSIRO climate change but rising intentional, planned fire atmospheric CO is with us undertaken by indigenous 2 Australians. With the removal of maintaining open grassy here and now and is already planned fire following European ecosystems across the globe. changing vegetation and settlement many of these areas impacting on how we can rapidly thickened, promoting large The work of Bond and Midgley manage it. Conditions are destructive fires and requiring adds an additional element to the rapidly shifting in favour of clearing of regrowth. historical story told in The Biggest Estate on Earth . Their central trees over grasses and this More recently, land retirement (or argument is that while fires are has big implications for how removal of livestock) in open crucial to determining the relative we manage landscapes with grassy woodlands often leads to dominance of trees in higher rapid regeneration, and loss of the fire. rainfall savannah landscapes, open woodland characteristics, atmospheric CO concentrations3 There are two recent publications presenting a significant challenge 2 influence how effective fire is. that have had a huge impact on for conservation management of how I view the Australian Under current CO 2 levels, tree and landscape. Bill Gammage’s shrub seedling growth rates are wonderfully rich book The Biggest possibly several times faster Estate on Earth has challenged my than they were at the time of ideas about current and historical European arrival. This is land management and vegetation important because the size of patterns. The second is a many tree and shrub seedlings is research paper by William Bond closely related to their ability to and Guy Midgley which details the survive grass fires – the bigger the impact of changes in our global seedling, the more likely they can atmosphere on vegetation, in 1 survive a fire and go on to particular the influence of become a large adult tree. In atmospheric CO 2 levels on tree higher rainfall areas, some trees densities in grasslands and grassy and that might have woodland ecosystems (savannah). reached a size where they can Despite the considerable survive fire in 3 to 4 years could do so in 12 to 18 months. differences in the two publications2 there is a strong theme current to While increasing rates of tree and both. Both see fire as central to these ecosystems. Gammage shrub growth due to increased determining many vegetation would argue these landscapes lack CO 2 might be good in some patterns, something most the fire regimes necessary to keep respects, making it increasingly ecologists and land managers country open. Previous work by possible to restore tree cover would agree with. Gammage Bond and Midgley has also (Continued on page 4) strongly argues that in 1788 vast demonstrated the role of fire in FSCCMN Spring 2012 p 3 (Continued from page 3) native Poa tussocks), at low CO 2 impacts on biodiversity and rapidly to agricultural landscapes concentrations. Tree and shrub current land use. Other with appropriate soils and seedling growth in contrast was management strategies may need management, it does have serious much slower and relatively few to be employed if we want to implications for how successfully fires were necessary to tip the keep our woodlands and forests we can use fire to keep country balance in favour of open grassy open and grassy, including open and grassy, which is ecosystems. physical removal, stem injection essential for maintaining much of with herbicide and strategic use of By the time of European arrival in the ground layer diversity of livestock. Australia CO levels had risen to grasslands, grassy woodlands and 2 about 280 ppm and the climate Regardless of the rate at which grassy forests. While trees in was warmer and wetter. Trees our climate is changing due to woodlands are good for and shrubs would have been human actions, the effects of biodiversity, dense thickets may growing faster and fires would rising atmospheric CO are already not be. 2 need to have been more frequent here. Navigating the interactions During the last glacial period to keep country open. Since then between CO 2, vegetation change (which peaked ~20,000 years CO 2 has risen dramatically and and fire is a challenge for how we ago) atmospheric CO 2 levels were throughout the world tree manage our land now and into less than half what they are densities in savannah woodlands the future. today, approximately 180ppm (it have been found to be increasing, Footnotes: is now 392 ppm and rising). In even where historic fire southern Australia not only was it frequencies have been 1 Bill Gammage 2011 The Biggest much colder and drier, but lower maintained. Estate on Earth Allen & Unwin CO levels were strongly limiting 2 It is almost certain that returning 2 William Bond and Guy Midgley for growth. Under these to pre-1788 fire regimes will not 2012 “Carbon dioxide and the circumstances grasses dominated uneasy interactions of trees and have the same effect that it did many landscapes, in particular savannah grasses” Philosophical then or several thousand years drought tolerant C summer active Transactions of the Royal Society 4 before. There is little doubt that grasses, such as Kangaroo Grass B 367: 601-612 more frequent fires will be (Themeda triandra ). This is required to maintain open grassy 3 William Bond, Ian Woodward and despite the colder summer woodlands. These more frequent Guy Midgley 2005 “The global temperatures as C grasses distribution of ecosystems in a 4 fires would then need to be compete more effectively against world without fire” New Phytologist weighed up against the possible cool-season (C 3) grasses (such as 165: 525-538

Birdsong

by Averil Fink

(with thanks to The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds )

Knock at the door Jack, Olly Oh! Eastern shrike-tit, Olive backed oriole! Walk to work, Rigby Dick, four o’clock. Noisy pitta, Striated pardalote, Noisy honeyeater. Rackety Crookshank, guinea a week, Little friarbird, Pilot bird, Cheque, pick it up, chock-a-lock. Dusky woodswallow, Striated pardalote, Red wattlebird. Did you walk? Yeah Cook. Chick-up Georgy, Brown cuckoo dove? Brown falcon. Yellow faced honeyeater, Pippy wheat, goolagoo goolagah; Stubble quail, Diamond dove; Painted honeyeater, We are, we are, we are the champions: Rose robin: Joey Joey, Egypt, Wirriga! Rufus whistler, Crescent honeyeater, Topknot pigeon! Peter, Peter, Peter, sweet pretty creature, Jacky winter, Willy wagtail, You may come if you wish to the sea, Flame robin, Full of birds having a good time, Yellow thornbill, Brown gerygone Giggle pip pip pip hoo-ey! Silvereye, Grey shrike thrush!

FSCCMN Spring 2012 p 4 The Pittosporum

'Problem' by Stuart Cameron

I am often asked about the Only observation over very process is definitely under way. 'weediness' of sweet lengthy periods will establish the extent to which and the rate at Many coastal headlands are now pittosporum ( Pittosporum effectively 'islands' protected undulatum ) due to its which pioneer species such as pittosporum eventually give place from fire by roads and other increasing predominance in to more complex and diverse cleared areas. It is on such fire- many places along the Far native vegetation. It is highly protected sites that Littoral South Coast, the apparent probable that much greater Rainforest is able to develop. uniformity of the dense diversity will be reestablished Our pittosporum forests are probably best interpreted as the forests it can form and an eventually. Birds are more likely to visit and drop seeds in a stand first stage of Littoral Rainforest awareness that in some establishment, albeit sometimes places beyond its natural of pittosporum or wattle than in an expanse of kikuyu pasture. As on sites that prior to settlement range, it is regarded and the pioneer species age they will were more vulnerable to fire and treated as an invasive weed. eventually break down, creating would not have supported this community. Sweet pittosporum would always sheltered gaps enriched by have been a common species nutrients that will provide Given that Littoral Rainforest only along the Far South Coast, opportunities for species that ever occupied small pockets of present in many communities would not have been able to the landscape and has suffered from dune forests to rainforests to establish while the site was fully severely from clearance it is dry eucalypt forests. However, exposed. In the meantime the arguably no bad thing for it to prior to settlement, this fire dense shade cast by the establish on some 'new' sites. It sensitive species would have been pittosporums excludes virtually all offers resources - foodstuffs, largely confined to fire-protected invasive weeds. shelter, nest sites - which are sites or at least periodically driven I recently examined the much valued by local fauna. back to them. 'Pittosporum forest' (pictured Of course sweet pittosporum is Sweet pittosporum is one of a below) at the northern end of also taking off elsewhere in the handful of local native species Baragoot beach. While the landscape than the once-cleared which are very well equipped to pittosporum is overwhelmingly coastal headlands, including in take advantage of coastal sites predominant there, other many gardens. If it cannot be that have been cleared of native rainforest species such as curbed by fire it may be vegetation for agriculture but muttonwood ( Myrsine necessary to cull the seedlings subsequently abandoned. howitteana ) and native grape before they become too (Cissus hypoglauca ) are also well predominant and transform open Few natural events would have established so the diversification eucalypt forest into rainforest. had such a drastic impact upon vegetation as this wholescale clearing, particularly since the cleared areas were often maintained free of native species for decades. Those species whose seeds persist for very long periods in the soil (wattles) or which are very dispersible (pittosporum) enjoy a distinct advantage in the competition to reclaim these sites. FSCCMN Spring 2012 p 5 Fire Management in Grassy Woodlands

Workshop by Alison Rodway The best thing about the Vanilla glycine ( Glycine tabacina) Fire Workshop held at and swathes of Tufted bluebells Jackie Miles’ and Max (Wahlenbergia communis). Campbell’s place in Brogo Kidney weed ( Dichondra repens), Rock or Mulga fern (Cheilanthes on Saturday 10th November sieberi and Small-leaved bramble was that it gave (Rubus parvifolius) were also participants greater easy to identify. Apart from Jackie Miles confidence to start or to creating inter-tussock spaces to expand their use of fire as a promote biodiversity, Jackie uses risk of weed seeds being spread management tool on their fire to control wattle seedlings on mowing equipment and properties. and other shrubs which could doesn’t leave windrows of grassy grow to shade out the grassy mulch that can promote weed The message Jackie gave was understorey and reduce its growth. that you don’t have to burn large diversity. areas. Starting with small areas, As a result of being at the Jackie and Max burn towards the burning slowly down a hillside, workshop, participants said they end of winter or in early spring keeping burns ‘cool’ and would try out some things on when there is enough soil monitoring to see what effect their properties including getting moisture to ensure good this has on the vegetation will more experience with the Rural groundcover in time for the hot, give you a good understanding Fire Service, burning grassy dry summer months. Bare of how the grassy areas on your areas closer to the house, ground during this time would property could benefit from fire. carrying out experimental burns open the area up to weed Small experiments teach you a in Kangaroo grass, burning in invasion. Sometimes choosing to lot and help you stay in control small blocks, staggering burns, burn at a time in the season of the fire. Jackie said “we’d making sure burns are cool, when weeds are about to flower prefer to have trouble keeping a lighting one side at time and can help control their spread. fire burning than to risk losing carrying out a vegetation survey Burning grassy areas instead of control of a hotter, faster fire”. before and after burning. mowing them also reduces the Burning when the weather is cooler (early spring and towards evening) helps ensure this. Slow, cool burns from one edge also give lizards, frogs, snakes, small marsupials, spiders and other insects a chance to escape the smoke and flames. Jackie has been burning the Kangaroo grass in her orchard for several years now and has a good diversity of plants in between the tussocks which weren’t there before. At the workshop we saw flowering Zornia ( Zornia dyctiocarpa), Jackie shows effects of burning in Themeda grassland FSCCMN Spring 2012 p 6 A new face at Council Andrew Morrison

Andrew Morrison is the Examples are his support for the Natural Assets Officer for Atlas of Life in the Coastal Bega Valley Shire Council. Wilderness project and promotion The new position, which of the SRCMA/Far South Coast Bird watchers’ Indian Myna started in July this year, eradication program. highlights Council’s increasing focus on natural One of his priorities over the next area and native vegetation few months will be raising community awareness of the management and is good fantastic natural environment we news for the Shire’s Council live in on the south coast and managed reserves. fostering community custodianship of Council’s Andrew grew up with parents reserves. He plans to run a media who loved the outdoors, spending campaign on the problems of lots of his childhood in natural unauthorised clearing of reserves places in the ACT, the Snowy and promotion of the values that Mountains and on the South these areas provide. In the Coast. This led to a passion for Andrew with a friendly Fairy Prion meantime, he encourages people the environment which he on the Chatham Islands to contact him if they witness followed though University, illegal clearing or dumping in completing a Resource and bushland and coastal reserves as reserves. Environment Management well as Council’s bushfire hazard degree. Andrew’s scientific design reduction program. He also Andrew believes that Council now skills were developed whilst develops strategies, policies and has a greater capacity to working with the CSIRO for seven management plans for the shire’s undertake environmental work years in their wheat breeding natural areas. through the use of Envirolevy program. He then spent time in funds along with new staff in the New Zealand translocating Over the last couple of months Council’s Environmental Services threatened species to islands and Andrew has enjoyed working with area (including his own position as a volunteer possum trapper, a Bemboka Landcare Group to and Dan Murphy’s Environmental challenge for someone who spent organise an ecological burn in the Officer position). These new his life appreciating Australian Bemboka Reserve. He hopes this appointments follow the recent native animals. redefinition of the council weeds team into a holistic vegetation Back in Australia, Andrew worked Council now has a greater management team that now for ACT Parks as a ranger in capacity to undertake carries out targeted revegetation Namadgi National Park until his environmental work works and provides support for longstanding dream of living on local community environmental the South Coast led him to work will pave the way for utilising groups as well as the traditional in Bega as an ecologist, ecological burns as a weed control role. Andrew and specialising in fauna assessments. management tool in other areas Dan will also be able to apply for His understanding of local flora where fire has been excluded . He grants to support more and vegetation communities was also likes finding ways Council environmental works in the Shire. then developed by a year as a can support what other agencies bush regenerator, leading up to and community groups are doing To contact Andrew, call his current position with Council. to look after natural areas in the 6499 2253 or email amorrison@ begavalley.nsw.gov.au In his current role, Andrew shire. He has a healthy ‘cross- tenure’ focus in the work he does. manages Council’s foreshore,

FSCCMN Spring 2012 p 7