estellegough. Threatened Species recorded in State Forests of the North Coast of NSW over the last 15yrs. Species
# of records
Threatened Plants (60 species)
>3,000
Brush-tailed Phascogale
79
Eastern Pygmy-possum
59
Koala
3,675
Spotted-tailed Quoll
1,707
Yellow-bellied Glider
4,296
Large Forest Owls
2,180
Glossy Black-Cockatoo
5,703
Giant Barred Frog & Stuttering Frog
1,268
Sphagnum Frog
186
Golden-tipped Bat
543
Southern Myotis (Fishing Bat)
1,504
Grand Total – All Species
>25,000
Forestry Standard. Over O ver 27,000 surveys have been conducted for Th Threatened Species in State Forests in the la last 15 years. More than 40% of all records of these Threa Threatened Species on the New South Wale Wales North Coast are located in regro regrowth State Forests. Case Study: Giant-barred Frogs (Pictured above above)and Stuttering Frogs are two related specie species that live around larger flowing creeks in we wet forests on the North Coast. Populations of bot both species were badly impacted by an infect infectious disease associated with the Chytrid fungu fungus that has devastated frog populations world world-wide. Whilst not out of the woods, fortunately populations of both species can still be found in our local State Forests.
UPDATE
'Hi-Vis' and happy Like birds with bright plumage, Landcare workers really stand out from the greenery they work in.
I
t‘s those brilliant yellow 'high visibility' shirts that catch your eye and tell you that real work is going on.
The wearers are also getting protection from the sun, insect bites and bush hazards like thorny plants. The same goes for the broad-brimmed hats and chemical-proof gloves they also wear. This is Personal Protective Equipment, and we are happy to be wearing it. Thanks to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, we have been able to buy enough PPE items for our members. In the 2012 round of Community Grants, we received $5,000 to train and protect our volunteers, who work in Council reserves. They need specialist items like protective overalls for spraying herbicide, masks and respirators, boots and aprons. Workplace Health and Safety is a big thing when you work in the bush, where there are many hazards to identify and deal with. But when they are taken care of, we can go ahead and safely enjoy the beautiful sights, sounds, and smells of our Aussie bushland. It’s addictive. We promise that you’ll become addicted too if you decide to join our Landcare group. You’ll also get access to the best equipment and tools, provided by our grant from Council. If you are a bloke, you will probably like to get stuck into Lantana and similar nasty woody weeds that clog up the bush. The hard work is rewarding when you can see you’ve cleared a path for the koalas to get to their trees, or liberated some rainforest from choking vine weeds.
Our grant money has provided the extra large tools we needed to do this: loppers, pruners and saws. But there’s more to Landcare than weed whacking; there’s a creative side that often appeals to women: growing baby plants from seed at our Community Nursery. Planting-out these seedlings when the time is right is not only fun, it’s a cost-effective way to build resilience in bushland. The plants compete with weeds, form a canopy and shade them out. Our seedlings are also great for 'closing the edges' of bushland, to slow down re-infestation by weeds. Council also gave us funding to pay for hundreds of indigenous plants, all of which went into our local reserves. The $5,000 grant to manage native vegetation on our reserves (under their Natural Resources Department) enabled us to help Council’s workers to make natural areas safe, attractive and weed-free. The grants we received are an investment that will be repaid many times over. Each year we give more than 13,000 hours of volunteer work, improving the environment and quality of life for residents, tourists - and wildlife! This year we’ll apply again to get necessities that keep our volunteers safe and happy at work. Would you like to be part of this and enjoy caring for natural land areas in our suburbs? Contact us to find a project site near your home at info@landcareportmac.com.au Contributed by Julie Ho.
greater port macquarie focus 91