Mouse-ear Hawkweed - Kosciuszko Na onal Park
The discovery of Mouse-ear hawkweed at Strzelecki Creek in Kosciuszko Na onal Park on the 30th December 2014 may have gone unno ced, if not for the keen eye and a en on to detail of a remote hiker and camper.
Geoffrey Lay was part of a con ngent from the Victoria Mountain Tramping Club (VMTC) on an organised trek to take in the sites of the Main Range in Kosciuszko. Chris, their leader, had guided sor es through Kosciuszko and other iconic areas across the Australian Alps for the last 20 years. This trek le from Charlo e Pass and took a route up to S llwell and south to Rams Head, Mount Kosciuszko, and then following the Great Divide south and over to Guthega. One their second day on the mountain the weather set in, where >80 km winds and a white out hindered progress and prevented camping at a usual spot. Unable to con nue walking, they were forced to camp in the shelter of the Strzelecki Creek catchment.
Once the wind and white outs receded, Geoff and others explored Mount Sen nel and took a number of photos of the magnificent views and scenery to document his trip. This included an image of the camp site within the catchment and a GPS loca on. Geoff also no ced a small obscure plant, which he also took images of. It was the 30th December 2014.
On return to Melbourne, Geoff visited the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) where he is a volunteer. On the 12th January 2015, he was showing images of his trip and some of the unique plants he’d captured to Neville Walsh (RBG Botanist). Geoff was hoping that Neville could assist with the iden fica on of some of the plants, so he could label them for future reference. At about the same me as Neville iden fied one of the species as Mouse-ear hawkweed, Keith McDougal (NPWS Botanist) emailed Neville about orchids in the Riverina. Neville and Keith exchanged informa on and within minutes NPWS Regional and Area management was aware of the Class 1 Noxious Weed incursion, Mouse-ear hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella), on the Main Range.
Within six days of no fica on, NPWS had confirmed and established an interim control, monitoring and surveillance program and quaran ned the site to manage the incursion. This could not have been achieved without the details Geoff collected. Within the first two months of the find, over 100 hectares was surveyed to determine the presence/absence of poten al infesta ons. This included the use of a helicopter to insert and extract survey crews across the main range in the hunt for hawkweed. The urgency in finding this species is matched by the poten al impacts it would have on the Alps biodiversity and surrounding environment. If it was able to reach its full poten al, it would also decimate the alpine ecology and the NSW grazing and agricultural industry.
Most of the survey work was conducted by Canberra Bushwalking Club volunteers in partnership with Greening Australia and NPWS as a part of the ‘Alpine Weeds Project’. The aim of this project is to help prevent poten ally invasive weeds establishing on the Main Range and other alpine and sub- alpine areas of KNP. These wonderful volunteers are assis ng the NPWS and Greening Australia by iden fying, recording and trea ng a list of problem weeds. This partnership program will be running again this year and s ll includes the iden fica on and search for Mouse-ear hawkweed.
Mouse-ear hawkweed was found in an area of approximately 182 m X 80 m, however only 150 m² was recorded and treated. Thankfully, this is currently the only recorded infesta on of this species within the park. It is thought to have arrived on a hiker’s boots or their equipment approximately 7 to 10 years ago. Research into the species gene c background will determine whether this infesta on came from Victoria (the only other recorded infesta on of mouse-ear hawkweed in Australia) or from New Zealand or other country. Kosciuszko NP has been working for 12 years to control Orange hawkweed in the Jagungal Wilderness Area, and has made significant inroads toward eradica on. Although Mouse-ear hawkweed is the more aggressive of the two hawkweed species, the experience and knowledge gained from the Orange Hawkweed Eradica on Program has enabled NPWS and their partners to improve our chances of eradica ng this species. The infesta on at Strzelecki Creek is under quaran ne to eliminate the chances of spreading seed or plant material to other loca ons, however the search goes on to ensure the last plants are found.
The ‘Alpine Weeds Project’ needs more volunteers. Opportuni es include weed surveying in small teams, weed spo ng in remote areas while bushwalking, weed control on the Main Range, bush regenera on, and raising awareness. Addi onal resources have been made available to this program through the ‘Find it and Fix it” NPWS funding ini a ve to assist with surveys and control of Mouse- ear Hawkweed. To sign up to volunteer and for further informa on, please contact Haydn Burgess on 0439 030 059 or [email protected]. The Alpine Weeds Project is supported by the NSW Environmental Trust and Landcare Australia Limited.
If you and your friends are visi ng and walking in Kosciuszko and you see a plant you don’t recognise or there is something unusual, take photos, record the loca on (GPS GDA Zone 55) and mark the spot and “Report your weed sigh ng” to the nearest NPWS Office or email [email protected]. Like Geoffrey Lay, you may spot a species of significance and, if you report it and it turns out to be a nasty weed, you will provide the most effec ve way of protec ng our unique environment, which is early detec on.
NPWS and Greening Australia would like to thank all volunteers for their me and efforts. We could not achieve what we have without you.
Other informa on and programs at the following links.
Haydn Burgess, Greening Australia partner for the Alpine Weeds Project [email protected]
Greening Australia ‘Alpine Weeds Project’ h p://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/news/volunteers- tackle-weeds-in-kosciuszko
Canberra Bushwalking Club h p://www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org/
Office of Environment and Heritage Mouse-ear hawkweed (pest and weeds) h p:// www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pestsweeds/MouseEarHawkweed.htm
Hun ng Hawkweed (Orange Hawkweed) Program h p://www.na onalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to- do/search?Categories=Volunteering&Near=Kosciuszko+Na onal+Park&During=Any me