Volume 23 Part 2 2005 Scientific Officer’s Report: KI Koalas get more funds Tintinara Parklands Update Restoring Upland Swamps Monarto Crown Lands conservation NATURE CONSERVATION SOCIETY Xanthopus Volume 23, Part 2 Winter 2005 Page 2 Around NCSSA Matt’s moving to Armidale We hope to see Matt back in South NCSSA major concerns include Alas, Matt Turner, our Scientific Officer, Australia sometime soon and wish him has recently advised that he is leaving the well with his studies. • Native vegetation, NCSSA and South Australia in July to threatened species and pursue GIS (geographic information We are recruiting for the soon to be habitats system) studies in Armidale, NSW. Matt vacant Scientific Officer position—see advertisement page 15. • Protecting all forms of has been with us since April 2002 and has been a great asset to our organization life (biodiversity) on Threatened Plant Action Group land and in the oceans and the conservation movement in South Australia • Park dedication, man- TPAG has been busy restoring threatened agement and legislation His contributions and input into matters orchid habitat and Manna Gum woodland at Belair National Park. This work is an • Education about such as the Kangaroo Island Koala biodiversity to all overpopulation issue and drafting of new sections of the biodiversity legislation has been of great community worth and his knowledge and skills have been particularly appreciated by the • Cooperation with other conservation general public to whom he has provided groups much needed information and support. Inside this issue: Get a Grip 4 Mount Lofty Ranges 5 TPAG working bee in the Mount Lofty Ranges Grassy Woodland Network ongoing partnership with the Native Scientific Officers 6 Orchid Society, Friends of Belair and Report:: KI Koalas Lofty Block Orchid Project. Threatened get more funds Plant recovery work has also been implemented at Pine Point and in the Mid Tintinara Parklands 7 North. Update Matt Turner Managing threats & 8 restoring plant diversity in upland NCSSA people swamps of the Mount Lofty Ranges Management Committee Staff President Helen Vonow Scientific Officer Matt Turner Walks With Nature 11 Vice-President Fraser Vickery Administrative Manager Elizabeth Lonie Threatened Species 12 Secretary Phil McNamara Biodiversity Extension Manager Tim Milne Temperate Woodland Campaigner Penny Paton on show in Burra Assistant Secretary Nicole Lewis Stop Bushland Weeds Project Officer Meg Robertson Treasurer Richard Winkler Bushland Condition 13 Eastern Flanks Grassy Ecosystems Officer Jo Spencer Monitoring Manual General committee Threatened Plant Action Group Coordinator Tim Jury Misch Benito, Sara Boulton, Allan Biodiversity Extension Officer Sue Graham Proposal to conserve 14 McIlwee, Peter Tucker, Katie Bushland Condition Monitoring Manual Project Officer Crown Land at Fels, David Moyle (co-opted) Sonia Croft Monarto Xanthopus Volume 23 Part 2 Winter 2005 Page 3 Bushland Condition Monitoring Manual for the Eastern Flanks Grassy Ecosystems Officer Mount Lofty Ranges Jo Spencer has been continuing with her unflagging The Bushland Condition Monitoring Manual for the efforts to inform the community and support grassy Southern Mount Lofty Ranges is here. After much ecosystems in the Mount Lofty Ranges. Amongst many long hard work Tim, Sonia and Janet have completed other activities, Jo has been working on species this valuable tool which will be used by landholders in information sheets, conducted site inspections and the Mount Lofty Ranges to assess and monitor the completed site reports for 3 sites and produced a current and hopefully, increasing biodiversity value of Protected Area proposal for Rocky Gully which is their properties. See page 13 for more information being circulated as a draft providing native grass about the manual and how to purchase a copy. information to horticulture students and landholders. A Network for grassy ecosystems Biodiversity Extension Workshops programme See page 5 for a report on Penny’s latest activities, a Sue is continuing her coordination of biodiversity recent public walk in Ferguson Conservation Park information workshops in the Murray Darling and and the great new Grassy Woodlands Network Northern Yorke Regions. See article page 12 for a newsletter. report on the recent Threatened Species Day at Burra. At our January planning day the Management Committee decided that donations made this financial year to our Society would go to the NCSSA Conservation Biology Grant fund. Initially $5000 was allocated to set up this grant, and to date $6480 has been allotted to ten recipients The grant aims to assist honours and post-graduate level student research into aspects of conservation biology. Funds are available for research aimed at: improving understanding of the conservation status of species or ecological communities; providing recommendations for improvement of some aspect of biodiversity conservation; understanding the ecology of species or communities; and understanding threats to biodiversity and management of those threats. This year three students received grants to the total of $2400: Deb Frazer from University of South Australia, The role of grass trees Xanthorrhoea semiplana as refuges for native vertebrate wildlife in selected parks in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia, Elisa Sparrow of the University of Adelaide The effect of population fragmentation and isolation on the reproductive biology, genetic status and population viability of wombats Vombatus ursinus and Lasiorhinus latifrons in South Australia, and Karleagh Trengrove of the University of Adelaide, The Effect of Population Density on the Burrow Occupancy and Reproductive Condition of the Spinifex Hopping Mouse Notomys alexis. If you would like to support this initiative (and foil the tax mob) then send your donation to our office. If you would like to make a donation but prefer it to be allocated for another purpose please write to us or talk to our Administrative Manager, Elizabeth Lonie on 8223 6301. If you would like to pay by credit card (and renew your membership at the same time) you can download a form on our website http://www.ncssa.asn.au/membership.htm) or drop into our office at 120 Wakefield Street, Adelaide. Page 4 Xanthopus Volume 23 Part 2 Winter 2005 HANDS ON ACTIVITIES FOR MEMBERS Our SocietyAUTUMN has a longHIGHLIGHTS: history, with WOODLANDS a particular emphasis NETWORK on carrying WALK out Beachcombing at Port Noarlunga scientificA studies mid-afternoonDr and Bob lobbying BaldockSunday start on natureand great conservation weather encouraged issues. a Mostgood turnoutof the scientificof studies our membersRah, are rah, funded rah….and byothers competitive with a applicationvariety of different from granting conservation bodies (seebackgrounds, details inas thePenny Annual Paton Report:(NCSSA XanthopusTemperate Woodlands Vol 21 No. Campaigner) 5). An Bushcare Support work- outline ofled ongoing a walk throughprojects Ferguson follows. Conservation Park, looking at plants typically shop on .. found in grassy woodland communities. Few weeds were present due to the unusually dry seasonal conditions, enabling a number of native plants (in particular those often mistaken for weeds!) to be correctly identified. This was a session where people could enjoy the outdoors, gain and exchange knowledge and talk informally with a few of the experts ‘in the field’. See following page for further information on the Grassy Woodlands Network. Activities of the Threatened Plant Action Group (TPAG) ‘FEATHERS & SCALES’ DAY Saturday 24 September 2005 atCome Murray and Bridge.be involved Come in some and handstry a spoton action of birdwatching to recover threatened with a local plant expert, species andor help vegetation catch communitiesand identify with local nativethe Threatened fish species Plant usingAction aGroup. member Training of Native and some Fish tools Australia are provided (SA Branch)on the day. as Upcoming bait!. Look working out beesfor furtherover detailsthe next in few the months next issue will occur of Xanthopus on the following. dates. Wednesday March 9 & Wednesday May 25, Tarlee FIELD NATURALISTS SOCIETY of SOUTH AUSTRALIA FIELD TRIPS (broughtHelp recover to you Spaldingby the Mammal blown-grass Club (andAgrostis the Southlimitanea Australian) one of HerpetologyAustralia’s most Group) endangered grasses at a site north of TheAdelaide. Mammal Activities Club usuallyinclude meetscontrolling on the introduced third Monday grasses, of eachrevegetation, month at and 7.30 population pm, upstairs monitoring. in the NCSSA Some sharedrooms at thetravel Conservation can be arranged. Council of SA building, 120 Wakefield Street, Adelaide. Remaining meeting dates for 2005: 20 June, 18 July, 15 August, 19 September, 17 October, 21 November and ChristmasMonday 4Social April, Gathering Hindmarsh 19 December. Falls Generally,Join in survey no experienceand weed ismanagement required to work participate to restore in th eirhabitat field fortrips the and Hindmarsh families areCorrea welcome (Correa (minors calycina must) and be accompaniedthreatened upland by a responsibleswamp communities adult). You at doHindmarsh not need Falls to be in a partnershipmember to withparticipate the Hindmarsh on initial Tiersfield trips,Biodiversity but they hopeProject. that This you projectmight consideris supported joining by SA the Water FNSSA and and the MammalMount Lofty Club Ranges or the NRM SAHG. Board. Students at tertiary institutions studying biology, natural resource management,