AUTUMN 2014 ISSUE SMALL TALK Rein in the (fallow) deer INSIDE THIS ISSUE 02 Australian growers resist glyphosate resistance 03 The lizard and the grassland – a scaly tale 04 Case study – Controlled traffic farming – an investment in soil health 06 Our Marine Parks – and what we can do to help protect them 07 Events 07 Contact us Feral Fallow Deer are increasingly being reported in the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges region. Photo: Darryl Panther 08 Handy hint – control of lucerne flea in pastures Escaped Fallow Deer (Dama dama) are well They can change bushland through 08 Things to do – autumn established, widely distributed and being trampling, grazing, ring-barking reported in increasing numbers in the vegetation, dispersing weeds, fouling Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges region. waterholes, spreading plant diseases and disturbing native fauna by destroying These ‘declared’ feral animals are having Natural resources habitat. Deer cause soil erosion and substantial impacts on primary production compaction in areas of high use such management is: and the environment, and can have marked as trails, pastures and creeklines. caring for our land, water, social impacts as well. plants and animals – Social impacts include increased levels In Australia, Fallow Deer occupy forests, of risk to the public and non-target balancing people’s needs grasslands and farmlands. Their preferred species through illegal hunting, road with those of nature. food is grass but they also eat the leaves safety, and destruction of gardens and of shrubs and trees, herbs, bark and some recreational parks. fruit. When present in large numbers, deer congregate in herds. In autumn, bucks Deer were introduced into Australia from (males) call for does (females) from their Europe and Asia in the 19th century as rutting (breeding) areas. To establish the game animals. Today, six species of deer rutting area, bucks trample down the occupy many areas throughout Australia. vegetation and urinate to spread their All deer are declared under the Natural scent, hoping to attract females to mate. Resources Management Act 2004. Deer on Deer compete with stock for pasture, land with the consent of the owner/occupier spread endemic disease, such as Johnes must be securely confined and permanently disease and bovine tuberculosis, ring-bark identified, or without the consent of the trees and destroy saplings, trample and owner/occupier, and after public notification graze agricultural crops and vineyards, requirements have been met, must be compact soil and damage fences. captured, removed and destroyed. www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges SMALL TALK Continued from page 1 Australian growers resist Description A Fallow Deer is similar in size to a large domestic goat, and weighs 50–110 kg. glyphosate resistance Coat colour varies but is most commonly fawn or black, with large white spots and Australia’s agricultural sector is uniting have a large impact on the cost and distinctive white markings on the tail and under WeedSmart, an industry-led ease of weed management in Australian buttocks. When disturbed, a deer raises its initiative to promote the long term cropping systems. It is critical that the life tail over its back. Mature males have multi- sustainability of herbicide use in the sector. of this valuable herbicide is extended via pointed, palm-like antlers that look very integrated weed management. The WeedSmart website, different to those of other species. weedsmart.org.au, states: ‘Herbicide Source: Ground Cover Supplement: Fallow Deer are reclusive animals – land use as we know it is under threat. No-till Herbicide Resistance, May–June 2013, owners may be unaware of them, and their farming has made us overly dependent page 6 (access the full supplement impacts, even when there are significant on herbicides, with resistant weeds at www.grdc.com.au/Media-Centre/ numbers. Apart from sightings of animals, threatening the productivity gains of Ground-Cover-Supplements/GCS104) the biggest indicator is tracks. Deer range the past 20 years’. quite widely and are creatures of habit that tend to move along defined pathways that Herbicide use as we know over time develop into well worn tracks. it is under threat. No-till What is being done? farming has made us overly The distribution, impacts and options dependent on herbicides, for controlling Fallow Deer are being with resistant weeds investigated. The region is developing a threatening the productivity strategic management program to reduce gains of the past 20 years. the effect of all feral deer species across the landscape. This excerpt from the Grains Research & Development Corporation sums up the The WeedSmart initiative includes case What can you do? current glyphosate resistance situation: studies, videos, a blog and an app. The Prevent escapes: contain farmed deer 10-point plan has practical tips and tricks Glyphosate-resistant weeds are on the within deer-proof fences; it is the legal to implement these strategies on-farm, rise across Australia, with six species now responsibility of the land owner to contain and further information on the research confirmed with resistant populations deer and register the herd. to back up these steps. – annual ryegrass, barnyard grass, Early detection: report any sightings of liverseed grass, windmill grass, brome 10 ways Australian growers feral deer to Natural Resources, Adelaide grass and fleabane. & Mt Lofty Ranges, where landowners can can fight herbicide resistance Weeds with resistance to glyphosate also obtain advice about control measures. 1. Act now to stop weed seed set have been found in every mainland Coordinate management: join with Australian state. There are 347 2. Capture weed seeds at harvest neighbouring landholders for effective documented glyphosate-resistant 3. Rotate crops and herbicide modes management; feral deer don’t respect populations of annual ryegrass across of action property boundaries and management Australia. Of these cases, nearly half efforts on one property may be undermined come from roadside verges and cropping 4. Test for resistance to establish by deer wandering in from nearby. fencelines – reflecting the long-term a clear picture of paddock-by- paddock farm status Remove: design programs with proper use of glyphosate to control weeds on consideration of local circumstances; property firebreaks and council verges. 5. Aim for 100% control and monitor removal measures can include trapping and Australia has 612,000 kilometres of every spray event road considered at risk of developing humane destruction, and must take animal 6. Don’t automatically reach for weeds with glyphosate resistance, so the welfare into consideration. glyphosate potential problem is huge. Monitor: keep records of the number 7. Never cut the on-label herbicide rate In addition, market research has found of deer sighted and controlled on your and carefully manage spray drift and many land managers are poorly prepared property to monitor actual population sizes, residues trends in distribution and density of deer to deal with the looming crisis. The 8. Plant clean seed into clean paddocks and effects of control programs. majority of the remaining cases stem from long-term use of glyphosate in with clean borders To report sightings of feral deer, or to broadacre cropping systems, particularly 9. Use the double knock technique obtain more information on managing summer fallows. feral deer, contact your local Natural 10. Employ crop competitiveness to Resources office (details p 7). Glyphosate is an excellent herbicide that combat weeds helps keep management costs down, but For more information on pests visit there are no easy replacement options Visit weedsmart.org.au today. www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/ available. The rapid development of adelaidemtloftyranges and look glyphosate-resistant weeds and species’ under the Plants and Animals tab. shift to glyphosate-tolerant status will 02 | Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges SMALL TALK The lizard and the grassland – a scaly tale Kate Graham, District Ecologist, Natural Resources Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges Burrows may have slightly smoothed edges where the Pygmy blue-tongue slides in and out. Photo: Peter Robertson, Wildlife Profiles The native grasslands that are important made finding a live animal difficult, but for passing prey. Their diet is made up of as grazing systems and as natural plant eventually they were found living below invertebrates like grasshoppers, ants, snails, communities in their own right, are also of ground in spider burrows. beetles and cockroaches as well as small vital importance to South Australia’s very amounts of plant matter. The next challenge was to find out how own species of blue-tongue lizard. widely they occurred. The museum had old Because of the close association with Most of us know the Common Blue-tongue collections from Burra, Gawler and as far unploughed grassland their populations as a welcome visitor to our gardens that south as Marion in Adelaide – in fact the have also declined dramatically as land helps out by eating pests such as slugs, snails lizard’s scientific name is Tiliqua adelaidensis. is converted to cropping. Due to their and caterpillars. We are also probably familiar limited range and specialised habitat Highly sensitive to movement, a Pygmy Blue- with another lizard in the blue-tongue family, needs, Pygmy Blue-tongues are classified tongue quickly backs down its burrow and the Sleepy Lizard (or Stumpy Tail). nationally as Endangered and, as they occur disappears well before a casual walker could almost exclusively on private land, their But do you know the smallest member of observe it. So, using a tiny camera on the continuing survival depends on the farming that family, the Pygmy Blue-tongue? It’s end of a flexible cable, researchers searched communities whose land supports them. found only in a small part of South Australia spider burrows for the lizards and began to from Kapunda to the Hummocks on Yorke build a picture of their distribution. The best ways to help this lizard are to look Peninsula and north to Peterborough.