Three New Cares Groups Formed…
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Issue No 15 September 2002 together a CARes group to support Three new CARes Groups Parks and Wildlife Service in their management of the island, including formed… the Caretaker roles, other working bee projects and background support Maatsuyker Island CARes group services. If you are interested in being part of the Maatsuyker CARes As many members would be wildlife, maintaining the buildings group, contact the WILDCARE aware, WILDCARE Inc members and lighthouse grounds and keeping Office <[email protected]. have been staffing Maatsuyker records of wildlife. The Bureau of gov.au> or phone 6233 2836 to Island on a voluntary basis for a Meteorology also has an register. Your membership details number of years now. arrangement with the Caretakers to will be changed to include Caretakers live on the island for a provide regular weather updates. In Maatsuyker Island meaning that you period of 3 months at a time, recognition of the continued will receive information, call-ups and providing a presence on the island to commitment of WILDCARE meeting notices when things are prevent vandalism to buildings and volunteers it has been decided to pull happening. eventually the full range of habitat Friends of Snake Island CARes group from aquatic, through the tidal zone and then all the way up into the tree The Friends of Snake Island Heath, (Erica lusitanica) which has canopy will be detailed. (FOSI) group was formed in May taken over a large area in the north of Recently, Parks and Wildlife officers 2002 as a result of a public meeting the island. held in the Kettering Hall. Those discovered an aboriginal midden and FOSI recently applied for funding present represented members artefacts on the island, and these will from the Tasmanian Sea Canoeing through Envirofund to help in be evaluated and documented by Club (TSCC), the Kettering Yacht eradicating Spanish Heath, and as officers from the Aboriginal Heritage Club (KYC) as well as other well has organised two successful Unit of DPIWE. With their guidance, community members. working bee weekends (with more to we will incorporate these findings into our management plan, the aims WILDTIMES It was recognised that, while the island has of which are to preserve the habitat traditionally been (and and biodiversity of the island while continues to be) a encouraging sensitive recreational popular destination for usage by the community. people with access to Greg Baxter boats, it has President, Snake Island CARes unfortunately suffered WILDCARE members wishing to some degradation over participate in future projects/events on the years. Removing Spanish Heath (Erica lusitanica) invading Snake Island can contact the WILDCARE Snake Island lies in Snake Island. Office on (03) 6233 2836 or email Snake Bay in the D’Entrecasteaux follow), when significant areas of <[email protected]> to update Spanish Heath were controlled. The their record. Incorporated Channel, about 4 kilometres east of Woodbridge. It is about 4.5 hectares method used to do this was the cut in size, and with a small stand of and dab technique, which involves White Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis), cutting the plant as close to the IN THIS ISSUE forms part of the habitat of a colony ground as possible and dabbing • Fishcare — a new of forty spotted pardalotes. The immediately with a herbicide. The branch of WILDCARE vegetation on the rest of the island vegetative matter was then burnt. WILDCARE includes a good stand of mature Already the progress is heartening, • Community manages Casuarinas, (Allocasuarina and quadrants have been established threatened species to monitor the progress and success verticillata) and open native •Tables for Tasmanian grasslands. Unfortunately, Spanish of the treatment. Part of the developing management plan for the Trail Snake Island, D’Entrecasteaux Channel. island is using GPS • $10,000 donation technology to map the Newsletter of Section,Community Partnership Management and Resource Division,Conservation DPIWE GPO Box 44 Hobart 7001 03 6224 0884 E-mail:Ph 03 6233 2836 Fax [email protected] areas of weed • ”Moorecroft goes removal. We have also wild” started flora and fauna • Clothing and surveys of the island, headware in which students from Hobart College •French’s Road Nature are playing an active Reserve role. It is hoped that 2 Friends of the Kent Group National and cultural environment of the island group. Park CARes group WILDCARE volunteer Caretakers are making a substantial impact on the The Kent Group CARes group aims Island since 1999). The group general tidiness and good order of the to promote better management however is not confined to former Light Station and the place is looking outcomes with regard to the caretakers and has other members a lot smarter than it has ever been national park by assisting the Parks with a strong interest in the since the light keepers left. It has and Wildlife Service to undertake management of the Kent Group. attracted good quality volunteers. practical projects concerning both We see the Kent Group National Park Community activities in the Kent the cultural and natural heritage of as an important community asset to be Group have been substantial with the the Kent Group. protected and conserved. For many Tasmanian Conservation Trust, the The group comprises people who have years now the islands have attracted a Australian Bush Heritage Fund and mostly been Deal Island Caretakers broad range of visitors both from Marine & Coastal Community (more than twenty-five people have Tasmania and Victoria, visitors who Network also contributing to projects been volunteer caretakers on the have a keen interest in both the natural in the Kent Group in the last ten years. The new Kent Group CARes group is keen to hear from other WILDCARErs wishing to contribute to activities in the new national park. Wildlife Product Discount Please register your interest with the WILDCARE Inc Office to include the Kent Group in your membership for Carers of details. You will then be among the first to know about activities, meetings and so on. Orphaned/Injured President Christian Bell, Phone 0427 872 670, Animals <[email protected]>. Secretary David Reynolds, Phone 03 6229 4076, WILDCARE members can now get a 7.5% <reynoldsfamily@netspace. net.au>. discount off every product contained in Cartledge Agency’s “ Wildlife” catalogue. Change of All members need to do is quote their Treasurer WILDCARE membership number when placing Regrettably, Graham Ristow, our an order. Treasure virtually since WILDCARE Inc began in 1998, has Stock is available and supplied from the had to withdraw from the position following companies: Healthy Bird, Wombaroo/Passwell, Vetafarm, Inca (Flight), Petcare Direct and Rudducks. Another customer service offered by Cartledge Agency is to keep their customers up-to-date on any new or deleted products lines as well as for- warding information containing monthly specials. To request a catalogue or place orders contact: Mark Cartledge at Cartledge Agency, 26/34 Innocent Street, Kings Meadows Tas 7249. Phone 03 6344 5466 Fax 03 6344 7721 Email: [email protected] WILDLIFE PRODUCT DISCOUNT WILDTIMES September 2002 WILDTIMES 3 September 2002 for personal and health reasons. Graham’s efforts and commitment WILDCARE —Tasmanian Trail have been remarkable, and as the funds WILDCARE Inc holds (and Working Bee — Marking dispenses) has increased over the years he has happily and 100km of new trail competently dealt with all of the accounting requirements of the The Tasmanian Trail or on new posts that will be organisation as an elected volunteer. Association Inc. is developing installed on the day. NOTICE Thankfully, Graham will continue to loop trail from Sheffield Numerous groups and clubs will have connections with WILDCARE around Mt Roland and back be involved in the exercise with as his company Graphic Plus is through Mole Creek to link each being allocated a section to responsible for the design and printing with the Tasmanian Trail at mark. WILDCARE members of WILDTIMES. Thanks for your the Needles. This adds an can join in with an existing support Graham, and see you around extra 100km to the group or can form the traps frequently I hope. trail system and separate groups creates a loop Graham’s withdrawal has meant that a depending on the CALL UP 140km in length that requirement on the new Treasurer has had to be appointed can be accessed at day. Section for the period between now and the numerous points by ‘supervisors’ are next Annual General Meeting. those who wish to needed, as well as Thankfully Jo Field has stepped up spend a few days out vehicles with trailers. and taken on the task. Jo was trekking through A BBQ will be employed by the Department as some very scenic provided at the end of Adopt-a-Track Facilitator for two areas. years, but has now left and is studying the day for all those A working bee has participating. at University while continuing to work been organised for 23 If you are interested in a voluntary capacity with November 2002 to in assisting in this WILDCARE Inc (including mark this loop with mammoth task please WILDTIMES editor). Her other-life Tasmanian Trail contact Chris Boden, experiences include IT and markers. This Tasmanian Trail accountancy, so I am sure Jo will involves placing Coordinator, on 0419 perform well. Under the WILDCARE markers on existing 370 528 (bh) or 6244 Constitution the Chairperson can convenient supports 2491 (ah). appoint an interim Treasurer. The CALL UP NOTICE appointment lasts until the next elections. Welcome aboard Jo! Andrew Smith Chairperson The WILDCARE Inc Book Community Partnerships Section, Fishcare — new branch of in consultation with the WILDCARE Board of WILDCARE Inc Management, has compiled a Procedures Manual to explain to WILDCARE Inc is now working in years now and the programs are Departmental staff the processes partnership with Food Agriculture considered to be highly effective.