K2C Groundcover Issue No. 3 Hello to all our K2C friends Upcoming K2C & partners events:

Our K2C Groundcover Issue No. 3 has been a long time Roll Your Own Clay Seed Balls coming. to revegetate the rocky ridges work- Property visits have not slowed as landholders are very keen shop —Presented by Graham Fifield, to discover what is available for on- ground support. Many Greening . have attended K2C hosted functions despite the turn in weather. The Partner reports fill in the gaps. Co-hosted by Bredbo Landcare & K2C. Since last March K2C Groundcover newsletter — By Gold Coin donation with BBQ lunch. K2C was invited by the Southern Tablelands Ecosystem Park (STEP) group to plant a Snow Gum at the opening of the Arboretum in Canberra. STEP actively advocate for Date: Saturday, 15th August 2009 Australia’s grassy woodlands. Time: 12 noon—3.30pm Venue: Bredbo Community Hall, Bredbo After being hit by a brain storm of an idea, as you do when RSVP: [email protected] actively getting your hands dirty, the STEP Director and I worked vigorously to cost a project to see select landholders convert previously cultivated exotic pastures to diverse na- Please register your interest in the following. Dates TBA. tive species. The project is called U can Sow Native Grasses. We nested this project into the SRCMA Caring for Biological Farming and Healthy Soils Workshop—Dr Maarten our Country bid and the K2C project also had it’s very own Stapper - Farming Systems Agronomist (As seen recently on Australian Story, ABC). dibs into this funding source, but alas neither bid was suc- cessful. What were they thinking not funding us? Date: TBA Sept/Oct 09 Time: All day Of the other just as interesting things, I have met with the Venue: Scottsdale Property, Bredbo Kuma Nature Reserve Committee in Cooma about sur- RSVP: [email protected] rounding grasslands, been interviewed by Sarina Lock (ABC Radio) regarding funding for the region and tree die- Grassy Ecosystem Management Kit Workshop - Sarah Sharp. Back by popular demand. Please register your interest and a back in Adaminaby, developed a Kangaroo Grass Trial that date will be confirmed soon. will see 30 landholders participate to re-establish this en- demic grass, canvassed the market for possible NCT prop- Date: TBA Aug/Sept erty purchases . Time: All day Venue : Scottsdale Property, Bredbo The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative have invested much to RSVP: [email protected] support K2C and develop other similar partnerships in the K2C Groundcover Border Ranges, Hunter Valley, Southern Highlands and the newsletter of Kosciuszko to Coast Slopes to Summit Projects as part of the bigger 2800 km connectivity initiative. Using the K2C partnerships model It aims are: the 5 project facilitators are communicating well and sharing • Provide information about K2C, their experiences. See story on GERI page 3. • Announce upcoming K2C events,

• Report on K2C’s activities, and Our K2C Conservation Action Plan Review has been done but not yet dusted. K2C partners and subject matter experts • Provide news and contact details about the K2C partners. played a brilliant role in providing the necessary criteria to Please circulate it amongst your friends and networks. develop a ecologically and strategically comprehensive If you have anything of interest to K2C, please contact Lauren document to drive K2C into the future. van Dyke at [email protected] , 02 6454 4388, or 0411 402 978. Lauren Van Dyke, K2C Project Facilitator K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 3, July 2009, page 2, The Recent Past

Scottsdale to Colinton Railway Walk—April

You will be pleased to know nobody was hit by the train as 41 FOG and K2C walkers meandered along the tracks from Scottsdale to Colinton on Sunday 5 April. After the main leg, about 12 people headed onto the Ingelara Biody- namic Farm where we were treated with coffee, cake and chai tea. That got us going again through the regenerating yellow box and back onto the species rich railway easement. Thanks to everyone for participating and making the day memorable.

Scottsdale to Colinton Railway Walk Photo Geoff Robertson

Visit to Bunhybee—May Linda Spinaze and Roger Clarke (full story in FOG newsletter) Grassy Ecosystem Management Kit SAT 9 MAY A perfect warm, still, autumn day, found a group of 17 Workshop people heading towards Braidwood, and thence southwards to Jerrabat- Scottsdale, Bush Heritage—June gulla Creek and our newly purchased property, Bunhybee Grasslands. The visit was organised by K2C, Friends of Grasslands (FOG) and 3 June was chilly and wet but this did not stop Southern Tablelands Grassy Ecosystems CMN. 30 people spending their day at the Bush Heri- tage, Scottsdale property. We bought Bunhybee last December from Nature Conservation Trust (NCT), which is a non-profit organisation that buys properties with The workshop run by Sarah Sharp was unique high conservation values and on-sells them to private buyers, with a in that attendees went through a series of steps covenant registered on the title which binds future owners to a stew- guided by the GEMK contents and in doing ardship role. came out the wiser on how to assess land capa- A fascinating day for us all, and we are very grateful to the organisers bility, vegetation and wildlife habitat, decision- for giving so generously of their time and knowledge. We found at making on management objectives, developing least 14 more native species to add to the list given to us by a management plan detailed works plan. NCT. More information can be accessed on our web-site: http.// rogerclarke.com.au/Bunhybee. And were able to take the kit home to boot!

GEMK Workshop, Scottsdale Property Bunhybee Property - Photo Linda Spinaze

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 3, July 2009, page 3, What is the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative?

Background Why are we choosing the Great Eastern Ranges for this The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative (formerly known in NSW Initiative? as the Alps to Atherton Initiative ) is a long-term strategy to es- The Great Eastern Ranges provide the maximum possible varia- tablish a conservation corridor along the Great Eastern Ranges. tion of elevation, latitude and habitat in Australia. Providing spe- cies with improved connectivity of natural habitats along the The Great Eastern Ranges extend more than 2800km along the entire ecosystem of the Great Eastern Ranges gives plants, and Great Escarpment of eastern Austra- animals and communities the best possible chance of adapting lia—from southern to far north Queensland. to climate change.

Currently funding has been allocated, through the NSW Environ- Connecting people…connecting nature mental Trust, for a three-year program to commence implemen- The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative is a conservation project, tation of the corridor along the 1200 km sec- but what it’s really about is bringing people together—and it’s tion of the Ranges. this aspect that makes it groundbreaking and ambitious.

A federal and interstate agency working group has been estab- The scale is groundbreaking because we’re talking about a vast lished to develop advice to government on how the concept can area of land, so we’re talking about a large number of stake- be progressed in Victoria, the ACT, New South Wales and holders, from different areas throughout the Great Eastern Queensland. Ranges.

Why do we need the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative? Across the Great Eastern Ranges: Scientists now recognise that inter-connected natural habitats are more resilient to a range of impacts, including climate There is a diverse range of landholders from farmers and grazi- change, and will provide the best opportunity for species and ers, to wine growers, industry, indigenous owners, government ecosystems to adapt. and non-government bodies, there are thousands of people, across the state, working in conservation and environmental Although much of the Great Eastern Ranges is well protected by projects at a regional, state and national level, there is a network national park reserves, a vital proportion of the rich biodiversity of academics and scientists conducting research and studies, along the ranges is found on private and public lands outside there are sources of funding for conservation projects through a the confines of national parks. By concentrating conservation wide range of avenues—private funding, non-profit or non- efforts on the land adjacent to, and interconnecting with, the government organisations and through the government, existing reserve system, ecosystems can be reconnected and there is a network of national parks administered by the state, strengthened. and there is a wide network of resources, advice, practical as- sistance and financial support available to landholders. The Initiative is a practical response to mitigate the potential impacts of climate change on our richest biodiversity in the The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative is ambitious because it mountain ranges that supply most of our population with clean aims to bring all these people, and all this information, to- water. gether—to focus conservation efforts where they will have the most positive impact in mitigating climate change and other It is a task that will span one or more generations. threats to our native plants and animals.

Positive progress to date has shown that stakeholders from all levels, some of whom are already working together, are keen to see what can be achieved on an even larger scale under the umbrella of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative.

Regional Priority Areas Comprehensive scientific research, analysis, and spatial map- ping underpinning the Initiative has identified five priority areas in NSW where conservation efforts will provide the best results for landholders and for the environment. In each of these areas, the position of Regional Facilitator is jointly funded by an estab- lished conservation organisation and the Department of Environ- ment & Climate Change NSW. The conservation organisations are: Greening Australia, Bush Heritage Australia, OzGreen and the Nature Conservation Trust of New South Wales.

Landholders Landholders in each priority area of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative are stewards of land and play a vital role in the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative.

Each Regional Facilitator can provide landholders with a range of options that they can consider undertaking, voluntarily, on their property. These options range from funding for fencing and weed eradication, incentive schemes from local Catchment Management Authorities, ‘whole of paddock’ restoration; to plac- ing a Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) on their prop- erty to protect it “in perpetuity”.

Participation in the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative is entirely voluntary.

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 3, July 2009, page 4, K2C Partner Reports

DECC report to K2C Steering Committee May 2009 The reintroduction project is being led by the ANU via PhD and On-Ground Programs – By Dieuwer Reynders masters projects. CSIRO is providing scientific support. A species reintroduction strategy is being prepared. In the K2C area, DECC has or is currently processing 11 Vol- untary Conservation Agreements (VCAs) and 4 Wildlife Ref- The ACT Government has provided another four years for funding uges (WR), covering an area of 2450ha. for rehabilitation of the Lower Cotter Catchment .

Six of these VCAs, and two of the WR, contain the Grassy-Box Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment released the Woodland Endangered Ecological Community. One large ACT Lowland Native Grassland Inquiry report which makes a Wildlife Refuge property contains remnant Natural Temperate number of recommendations in relation to improved management Grasslands with confirmed sightings of the threatened Pink- of government and privately managed grasslands in the ACT. Key tailed Worm-lizard. All of which represent good prospective issues relate to stock grazing, kangaroo grazing, weed manage- conservation outcomes. ment and long-term protection for grasslands not included in na- ture reserves. Through Environmental Trust and NSW Greenhouse Office funding DECC has to date administered funding on 10 proper- Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach Project . CFOC ties within K2C who are part of our Conservation Partners pro- Bid in as ‘Riverlinks’ On ground works consultation (Doug Ker- gram. This has included some $16,000 on weed control, ruish and Ange Calliess – Scottsdale/ Bumbalong). Education $22,500 on fencing and $13,000 on erosion control. See another package for river rehabilitation projects – school based curricu- story by Dieuwer on page 8. lum.

Greening Australia - Progress report and landholder in- Riparian Survey project . Final draft edits for Murrumbidgee volvement for K2C Steering Committee May 09 - survey. Additional 5 tributaries in ACT Cotter, Molonglo, Naas, By Graham Fifield, Greening Australia Gudgenby and Paddys Rivers.

Nine properties were direct seeded in the spring of 2008 as a part of K2C. To date there are mixed reports of the early suc- cess of the seeding. Although clearing has largely Around half of the sites have exhibited little to no germination. stopped, tree My personal belief is that this is due to: cover continues to decline. Many • an unwillingness to prepare the site using herbicide, old trees are dy- hence strong competition from perennial grasses (esp ing, and few African lovegrass) or high numbers of rabbits in some young trees are sites which predate young trees. regenerating.

As the seed remains viable for a number of years in the soil, it is possible to control weeds and rabbits to encourage germina- tion in the future. I will be talking to landholders about some more options this year.

A well prepared Under New Management site near Bredbo was Reversing a Tree Regeneration Crisis direct seeded in 2007. It has shown good germination in both An update on the research of the ANU’s Sustainable 2007 and 2008, suggesting the weather isn’t the main cause of Farms Group (Autumn/Winter 2009) direct seeding failure. “Under existing management practices, millions of hectares The other half of K2C sites have reported reasonable germina- tion up to March. Many (non-K2C) sites have exhibited good of land, currently supporting tens of millions of trees, germination following the autumn break in April, so there is will be treeless within decades … cause to believe that these K2C sites have even more to show now. South-eastern Australia’s temperate grazing lands coincide with an internationally recognised threatened ecoregion. In much of There are two large sites planned for 2009. Both are highly the region, 80-90% of tree cover has been cleared. Although visible from a main road, and if successful would be excellent clearing has largely stopped, tree cover continues to decline be- demonstration sites. Site preparation has begun. cause many existing trees are dying of old age, and few young trees are regenerating.

Report from the ACT to the K2C Steering Committee – By Luke Johnston (for Sharon Lane) The full text paper ‘Reversing a Tree Regeneration Crisis’, is freely available at http://www.pnas.org/ (search for “Joern ACT update Fischer”). More information: Joern Fischer , The Australian Mulligans woodlands sanctuary progressing well with the con- National University; [email protected] or http:// struction of the vertebrate pest proof fence completed. The first fennerschool-research.anu.edu.au/sustfarms/ species to be reintroduced, the Brown Tree Creeper, is planned for this Spring. K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 3, July 2009, page 5,

Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Coordinating Commit- tee – Lynton Bond

• Mike Kelly launching UMCCC groundwater factsheet • More Waterwatch kits now with landholders upstream Murrumbidgee River/ Numeralla River to assess turbidity • ACTEW are rolling out their Source Water Protection Pro- gram in the Upper Murrumbidgee above the ACT and which is more focussed on water quality than biodiversity and therefore offers potential for synergies with other incentive programs • Willow mapping still in progress • Reprints of Looking after Your Natural Assets booklet coming Mike Kelly MP launching UMCCC Groundwater Factsheet

The Parlour Grasslands --- a living treasure chest --- A 50 hectare (120 acre) property located near the historic town of Braidwood, featuring gentle slopes of Natural Temperate Grasslands and se- cluded patches of Snow Gum Woodland. Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee – Each spring an amazing display of wildflowers Tony Robinson cover the property, including orchids and the • 9 overdue Envirofunds now acquitted threatened Mauve Burr Daisy. • To be relevant to landholders Landcare needs projects Purchase The Parlour Grasslands and protect • MLI doing a good job of highlighting Landcare initia- this impressive property forever. tives and goals at higher level. Stay tuned for the out- come of the Resilience Project that is providing an over- $197,000 arching documentation of efforts made by all the Mur- Adam Dawson 0448 801 391 rumbidgee Landcare Networks. [email protected] www.nct.org.au

Bush Heritage Australia Report– Ben Carr

The 2008 -2009 financial year is now complete and it has been another successful year of growth and development for K2C. Management of the two Bush Heritage Reserve within K2C , Scottsdale and Burrin Burrin, which cover a total area of 1739 ha, has been greatly facilitated by the employment of Peter Saunders who is Bush Heritages’ Regional Reserves manager. Peter can be contacted on 02 6236 8554 or Mobile 0407 700 431

Partnership Bush Heritage is now working with 4 landholders in the K2C region to provide financial support for on-ground conservation outcomes. These land management agreements cover a combined area of 817 ha and will contribute to the management of some valuable natural temperate grasslands and Box Gum woodland areas as well as the sole remaining known population of the endangered Bredbo Gentian

Conservation Action Planning (CAP) The CAP workshop on June 17 was a success with 23 planning and specific subject matter experts attending and contributing their valuable knowledge and expertise . Now the hard work begins to complete the revision of the CAP and produce a final plan by end October. This re- view and revision of the CAP plan has been made possible through a small grant from the Great Eastern Ranges program of DECC

Funding Funding from the George Alexandra Foundation that has supported employment of the K2C Facilitator is now completed. Funding has been received for 2009-2010 from the Great Eastern Ranges program of DECC for half of the facilitator position and we are actively pursuing op- portunities for the balance. Unfortunately the application Bush Heritage submitted on behalf of K2C Partners to the Australian Government’s Caring for our country program was not successful.

Open Day Plans for a K2C Open Day at Scottsdale in April 2010 are underway following the very successful inaugural open day held at Ingelara in April 2008.

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 3, July 2009, page 6,

Molonglo Catchment Group (MCG) GRANTS FOR WORK ON CROWN LAND MCG is now a Registered Environmental Organisation and has Deductible Gift Recipient status. We are prepar- Landholders who have some interest or ing material to assist with seeking donations. are in the vicinity of a parcel of crown Waterwatch Coordinator, Stephen Skinner, has been land may be interested in the following: very busy, with schools. Working with Platypus Watch / Platypus Count. Stephen is preparing the 6 monthly Department of Lands – funding opportuni- report on the catchment health. ties for weed control on Crown land and Catchment Coordinator, Andy Westcott, has been pre- Department of Lands – funding opportuni- paring grant applications and project briefs. Andy has ties for integrated pest and feral animal also been talking at schools - mixed Canberra Grammar control projects on Crown land classes when not working on project development. Pest Animal Information Pack in at the printers. The Applications are due by 24th July 2009

CFOC Open Grants Molonglo River Rescue Project Offi- cer, Hugo Bowman, presented a outline of the Action Enquiries, mail or faxed applications should be di- Plan for future work on the Molonglo at the second part- rected to: ners’ meeting on 1 July. The development of the plan is Helen Muldoon now underway. Strategic Projects Directorate Department of Lands Frog id brochure is nearly ready for print. See below. PO Box 15

Molonglo Catchment Projects mapping, building on the SYDNEY NSW 2001 information put together for NHT1 (and earlier) projects Ph on 02 8258 7424 Fax: 02 8236 7030. for the Molonglo Catchment Planning Framework and [email protected] information about project sites for our NLP projects, is assisting identification of hotspots of the willing and the Also need. The NSW Government’s $35 million Community The group has purchased some Garmin 60 GPS units to Building Partnership to provide funding for local lend to member groups for mapping (e.g. weeds, pest community projects across NSW. For more info animals, heritage, biodiversity) and has been offering type into your browser: training to member organizations. http://more.nsw.gov.au/articles/nsw-community-building-

partnership The Group had a stand at the Queanbeyan Enviro Expo, with a display highlighting water quality, weeds and other catchment issues and activities including K2C. We enjoyed a high level of interest.

The Along the Molonglo Art Exhibition and Competition went June, with winning entries displayed at the Q dur- ing the week before the Enviro Expo. Many people commented on the high quality of entries. We are de- veloping material for the Canberra stage of the exhibi- tion including a week at Floriade in September.

Andy, Lynton and Hugo have undertaken PlaceStories (www.placestories.com ) training and will be developing some material over the next few months. Keep an eye on the website for developments.

Molonglo Catchment Group (MCG) have pro- duced this glove box guide on Frogs of the ACT Region. Please call or email the MCG if you would like a copy. They will be available next month.

Ph: 02 6299 2119 or [email protected]

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 3, July 2009, page 7, Silver-Leaved Mountain Gum – Eucalyptus Pulverulenta

What an amazing looking tree this is!! You really have to see one to appreciate its uniqueness. It is found in very isolated sites in the K2C region. How lucky we are. Mind you, it has not escaped the eye of some avid tree lovers and so you can find them growing in domestic yards including in the streets of the ACT.

N. Hall, Department of Natural Development Forestry and Timber Bureau, Forest Tree Series, Forest Tree Series N0. 28, Published for the Minister for National Development by the Australian Government Publishing Service Canberra 1972.

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 3, July 2009, page 8, Reflections on the past 18 months in K2C Dieuwer Reynders - Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC), Queanbeyan.

After 18 months I have been amazed at what we’ve found 1. Eastern Stone within the K2C corridor once we started having a really good Gecko look. (Diplodactylus vittatus ) recorded The DECC has invested considerable time, energy and money on a property west into a range of on-ground management activities on private of Bredbo. properties but the most exciting part has been finding rare (photo Dr David plants and animals in new places. Hunter DECC)”

Driving along a fire trail on private property and suddenly see- ing a stand of over 50 Silver-leafed Gums ( Eucalyptus pulveru- lenta ) in a previously unrecorded site gives me a real buzz. This mallee form of threatened Eucalypt is really distinctive and only occurs naturally in two small areas, west of the Blue Mountains and on the Monaro (See story and pictures page 7).

Equally, the diversity of reptiles uncovered by DECC ecologists Pink-tailed Worm on a Conservation Agreement property in the dry forested Hills Lizard ( Aprasia west of Bredbo is really astounding. From reptiles to mam- Parapulchella )– mals, the same field investigation recorded a Spotted-tailed recorded for the Quoll ( Dasyrus maculatus ) scat on the way back from a visit to first time in the the bush loo by a landholder taking part in the survey. Any Bredbo Area sign of the beautiful cryptic native cat is a rare find. (photo Mr David Hunter DECC). On a more formal survey note, DECC ecologists used the K2C area to train up some University of Western Sydney students, and in another trip discovered a new find for the Bredbo area. On two K2C landholder properties including a new Wildlife Refuge, the ant hole dwelling Pink-tailed Worm Lizard Spotted-tailed (Aprasia parapulchella ) was found. Quoll ( Dasyrus Maculata ), a scat DECC has been able to secure some funds from the NSW Envi- found by a land- ronmental Trust and the NSW Greenhouse office to establish holder confirmed new Conservation Agreements (VCAs) and Wildlife Refuges the presence of (WRs) in the K2C corridor. Our on-ground support for these this rare beast in programs included fencing off high conservation value vegeta- the hills west of tion, weed control and a significant erosion control project. Bredbo (Photo These small projects on individual lands all are major contribu- N.Fenton DECC). tors to the landscape scale management vision that the K2C partnership has set out to achieve.

It has to be said that the co-operation of the K2C partners to Kosciuszko to Coast Partners are: dovetail various programs together to maximise on ground benefit is another highlight of the program for both agencies ACT Gov- Parks, Conservation and Lands – involved and landholders. To the list of K2C partners I would www.tams.act.gov.au also acknowledge the Murrumbidgee CMA and their ongoing Bush Heritage Australia – www.bushheritage.org.au works within the area. Dept of Environment and Climate Change – I’m off for a short stint of maternity leave but look forward to www.environment.nsw.gov.au hearing the next chapter of events, findings and programs to be Friends of Grasslands – www.fog.org.au rolled out by K2C partnership and of the trials and successes of all the hard work by landholders managing this interesting and Greening Australia Capital Region – often challenging landscape. www.greeningaustralia.org.au Molonglo Catchment Group – For more information on threatened species in the K2C www.molonglocatchment.com.au (Terrific Calendar of Events) area or anywhere in NSW visit: http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/ Nature Conservation Trust of NSW – www.naturetrust.org.au tsprofile/home_species.aspx Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee – (includes sound recordings of calls) www.murrumbidgeelandcare.asn.au

For landholders interested in our Conservation Partners Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Coordinating Committee – Program please contact Stuart McMahon: Ph: 6229 7033 www.actlandcare.org.au Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority – www.southern.cma.nsw.gov.au