Blue Mountains Conservation Society Issue No. 298 HUT NEWS November 2012 “Nature Conservation Saves for Tomorrow” MOUNTAINS RALLY REJECTS MONTHLY MEETING COAL SEAM GAS 7.30 pm, Thursday, 29 November, 2012 Much of the lower Blue Mountains is at the Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls covered by a recently renewed explor- ation licence held by AGL. The prospect NATIVE BEES: Megan Halcroft of drilling rigs appearing in their environ- Australia has over 1,500 species of native bee, and the Sydney region, ment has frightened many residents. including the Blue Mountains, is home to about 200 species. Of these, Hundreds turned up at a rally against only one species (Tetragonula carbonaria) lives socially, storing honey coal seam gas mining in Glenbrook and pollen in its nest. The others live mostly solitary lives, and nest in Park on Saturday 13th October. hollow stems, old borer holes. Around the home they may nest in small Speakers at the rally included ground holes in the corners of the garden or under house deckings. geological scientist, Dr Brian Marshall At our monthly meeting on Thursday 29th November our guest speaker will and Greens MLA, Jeremy Buckingham. be Megan Halcroft who will be talking about some of the bee species Dr Marshall talked of the increase in found in the Sydney and Blue Mountains region. She will share ideas on greenhouse gasses caused by coal how to conserve natural populations and also how to provide additional seam gas extraction and explained the nesting habitat to help increase populations in your area. Megan will have risks to water from surface water to some artificial nests available to purchase on the night and they are priced deep aquifers. “The Blue Mountains is at $50 each. You can also see how to make them yourself at her website right in the thick of a coal belt and www.beesbusiness.com.au wherever there is coal, there is coal Megan Halcroft: After a career change from nursing, Megan seam gas,” Dr. Marshall said. "The successfully completed her degree in horticultural science in 2004. risks to us are very real ... We are This included a unit in apiculture (honey bee keeping), one of Megan’s definitely sitting on a gas time bomb." favourite subjects. She was fortunate enough to be offered an Following a recent tour of the United Honours project in 2006, studying one of our many native bee species, States, Greens MP, Jeremy Austroplebeia australis. Her love for this bee species, and many Buckingham described the proliferation others, grew during her studies. In 2008, she commenced her PhD, of the coal seam gas industry in the studying the biology, behaviour and phylogeny of A. australis, as a United States as the ‘largest potential alternative crop pollinator. Megan has only recently industrialisation in history’. “From the completed her PhD and is now trying to share her passion for CBD of Fort Worth, all the way to Australian native bees. As a local Blue Mountains resident, her goal is Canada, the continent of the United to increase local community awareness about our native bees, and to States has been pock marked with improve conservation through education. hundreds of thousands of gas wells," he said. "Wherever this industry touches The meeting at the Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls, starts at 7.30 pm. the ground, it destroys the environment, Visitors are very welcome. it pollutes water, it pollutes the air, it drives the community apart." Greens Ward 2 Councillor, Geordie Williamson will put a motion to Council for BMCC to oppose any coal seam gas exploration and mining practices within its boundaries. Labor Deputy Mayor, Mark Greenhill promised to support Councillor Williamson's motion. Petition to Roza Sage— Page 3 Poem by Greg North— Page 8 Printed on Australian-made 100% Recycled Paper Hut News, No. 298, November 2012— Page 1. “Hut News”, the newsletter of Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc. Nursery News P.O. Box 29, Wentworth Falls, 2782 The onset of warmer weather (if you except the snow on the 12th Phone 4757 1872 Email: [email protected] October) has brought a welcome increase in plant growth and sales Web page: www.bluemountains.org.au and just the combined profits from the two markets we attend President:: Lachlan Garland: 0415 317 078 (Blackheath Community and Lawson Magpie) exceeded $1,000. [email protected] Normally, there is no Lawson market in December but, it appears Senior Vice President: Tara Cameron there will be one this year and also the possibility of two at 0419 824 974 [email protected] Second Vice President:: Don Morison Blackheath prior to Xmas. We will keep you informed of the dates 8230 2116 [email protected] in the December issue of Hut News. At the markets in December Treasurer: Bart Beech (h)4739 9947 we will be offering both advanced plants in larger pots and gift (f)9688 1440 (w)9896 9512 certificates which will make ideal presents for that hard-to-buy-for [email protected] Administration Officer: Wes Maley 4757 3942 relative or friend. [email protected] The earlier allusion to the late snow brings mixed feelings. On the Bushcare/Threatened Species Officer: vacant Environmental Educatlion Officer: one hand the much-needed dampening of the soil was welcome but Gary Humble 4784 1648 0427 841 078 the combined effect of heavy Spring blossoms and the weight of the [email protected] wet snow proved too much for many plants resulting in broken Landuse Officer: Angela Langdon branches and crushed specimens. My garden in Blackheath looks 4754 3787 [email protected] Lithgow Regional Subcommittee Coordinator: like a giant had stampeded through it and, no doubt, many of you in Chris Jonkers 6355 1179 the Upper Mountains can record similar devastation. [email protected] Meetings Secretary: Heather Hull On a happier note we are introducing a new bright species to our 4739 1493 [email protected] list this month, namely the Tufted Bluebell, Wahlenbergia Membership Secretary: Lachlan Garland: communis. This is an inconspicuous multi-stemmed sprawling 0415 317 078 [email protected] herb, 15-45cm high, with an extensive rhizome system but when Monthly Meeting Convenor: Brendan Doyle the brilliant blue-bell flowers, 10-15mm wide, appear the effect of 4757 2197 [email protected] massed populations is spectacular. It is a widespread species and National Parks/World Heritage Officer: we will be offering it in pots for sale later in November. The genus Brian Marshall 4784.1148 [email protected] name recognizes the important work of the Swedish botanist Göran Newsletter Editor: Christine Davies Wahlenberg (1780-1851). He began studies at the University of 4787 7246 [email protected] Uppsala, Sweden at the very early age of 12 under the guidance of Plant Nursery Manager: Kevin Bell ph/fax 4787.6436 [email protected] a tutor. Later he decided to study medicine and botany and gained Publicity Officer: VACANT his medical degree in 1886. He had an interest in homeopathy but Sustainable Population and Climate Change his main work thereafter was in botany ultimately attaining the Officer: Peter Green 4751 9474 position of Professor of Botany at the same University holding the [email protected] Website Officer: Alan Page 4784 1704 chair once occupied by the eminent botanist Linnaeus. In his [email protected] younger years he made many voyages into northern Scandinavia Walks Convenor: Maurice Kerkham and published scholarly accounts of that flora. From 1811 to 1814 4739 4942 [email protected] he extended his travels into Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Project Officer-Food and Environment: Hungary, studying plants and, especially their geographical and soil Craig Linn [email protected] associations, so that his Project Officer-Events: Rob Baigent reputation was regarded on a par 4759 3104 [email protected] Bushfire Representative: Hugh Paterson with that of the famous German 4751.2303, mob 0427 512 303 scientist, Alexander von [email protected] Humboldt. From accounts of DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT his colleagues he was an odd ISSUE OF HUT NEWS IS and very egocentric man, who 24 NOVEMBER 2012 lived an isolated life and never [email protected] 47877246 married. In his last years he avoided all human contact and MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES died alone. It seems quite a Lachlan Garland contrast with the joyful genus 0415 317 078 which honours his name. [email protected] PO Box 29, Wentworth Falls 2782 Kevin Bell, Nursery Manager. 4787 6436, [email protected] JOIN Blue Mountains Conservation Society, Photo: Wahlenbergia communis or renew your membership online. Photographer: Fagg, M www.bluemountains.org.au ANBG Photo No.: a.21148 Printed on Australian-made 100% Recycled Paper Hut News, No. 298, November 2012— Page 2. Pro-Motorway NSW: Train passengers compressed Don Morison Plans to have Tokyo-style “pushers” compress passengers onto trains are only the first sign of what is to come if the O’Farrell Government spends virtually the whole of NSW Infrastructure budget on inner city motorways. A plan has been discussed for many years to build a new passenger railway line northward from Central Station. This would allow a vastly improved system of express trains from the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and outer western Sydney to carry passengers directly to several locations in the Sydney CBD and possibly the lower north without having to change trains at Central. In addition a new lobby group, on which the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils is represented, is seeking to expedite the Parramatta to Epping rail link. The environmental and economic benefits to the Blue Mountains and outer western Sydney of these rail While the motorway extravaganza unravels, rail initiatives would be tremendous as many residents rely passengers will be squeezed onto aging trains by the for jobs on the areas these trains would serve.