Noosa & District Landcare Group

Spring 2016

Conservation & Sustainability

Newsletter

Inside

2 Chairmans Report Management Committee

3 Members Bits and Pieces / Staff

4 Nursery News

5 A Piece of History

6 Botanic Art Exhibition

7 Smarty Pants / Winter and Birds

8 Waterwatch Report

10 Ask an Expert

11 Wildlife Snippets

12 Keeping it in Kin Kin Project

Noosa & District Landcare

PO Box 278 Pomona Qld 4568 Station Street Pomona Qld 4568

Phone: 07 5485 2468 E: admin@noosalandcare.org W: www.noosalandcare.org

THERE is something quite special about the workshop series that Noosa Landcare runs on the third Thursday of every month. Where else can you combine two very talented and interesting presenters on vastly different subjects? This is what occurred in July with that Fun-guy Patrick Leonard, and twitcher extraordinaire Roy Songbird Sonnenburg!

To most, our knowledge of fungi is limited to the mushroom we buy in the store and have with eggs for breakfast or in a pasta sauce. This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fungi. Patrick took us on a journey of discovery through the world of agarics and polypores, boletes and stinkhorns, leathers, jellies, puffballs, earthstars and lets not forget the intriguingly beautiful icicles. Of course, what we see above the ground is the interesting flowering part of the life cycle of the fungi. The fungi itself is a far greater unseen mass, playing an extraordinarily important role in the fine balance of our unique Australian ecosystems, from decomposing the detritus of our forest floors to the Mycorrhizal fungi that assists many of our flora in the uptake of nutrient. Patrick was fascinating in his presentation of this much-maligned and essentially unnoticed part of our everyday world. Thanks Patrick!

As a bird lover and potential OCD twitcher, I found the presentation of Roy Sonnenburg absolutely beguiling! I have

had the privilege of knowing Roy from my time at Woodford Folk Festival and have always enjoyed walking him through the bushland of the music festival site to spot some of the quieter residents of Woodford. Roys knowledge and passion for our feathered friends is boundless and somewhat infectious! His presentation held us captive, with recorded calls matched with clear photographs of some of the more common species of bird that we would recognise here on the Sunshine Coast. Roy regaled us with those amusing tales of the patient birdwatcher, who waits for that moment: when you capture sight of the bird you have been seeking, only to discover that its not enough and you are left wanting more. Thankyou Roy for sharing your passion!

Folks, get in quick for the next Thursday session at the RFC! It doesnt matter what the topic is really ... I can guarantee it will be the three Is: Interesting, Informative and Incredibly entertaining!

by Rae OFlynn

Project Support Officer

Polypores on your pasta?

Page 2

Autumn 2016

From left: Geoff, Dick, Luke, Melanie, Kim, Phil

Chairmans Report

Management Committee

Luke Barrowcliffe Chair Dick Barnes Treasurer Geoff Black Secretary Paul Steels Committee Kim Barnes Committee Melanie Hassall Committee Phil Moran Committee (operational)

Spring 2016

Well, can you believe it? It is coming up to that time of year again and yes, I am referring to the Annual General Meeting (AGM). It has been a great year for Noosa & District Landcare. We have markedly strengthened our capacity to adapt to industry trends for our region. This is not only evident in our bottom line, but more significantly in the diversity of partners we now provide environmental services to. This is particularly prominent in the last quarter. Since 30 June weve begun work on both the Kin Kin Catchment 20 Million Trees Programme and the Noosa Biosphere funded Keeping it in Kin Kin project. Together these projects will vastly enhance the environmental values of the Noosa River Catchment.

While the work flow onto the ground is always slower in the first quarter (June-September) due to the start of the financial year and the less ideal planting season, with many projects already secured, the remainder of the year looks bright and busy.

An unprecedented number of trees will be going in the ground over the spring and summer period at various sites and we will be undertaking a significant offensive against Cats Claw Creeper vine in the Six Mile, Kin Kin and Tinana Catchments. The efforts to manage Cats Claw Creeper all follow on from significant efforts last financial year and are supported by SEQ Catchments, Noosa Council, Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation, Burnett Mary Regional Group, the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee and Gympie Regional Council.

Cats Claw Creeper vine, in my mind, is probably the worst environmental weed we face in this neck of the woods. Its fast growing, transforms ecosystems by smothering and tearing down canopy trees and by the fact that it can grow from seed, cutting and tuber its a menace. If you want to know more about it, there is lots of information on the SEQ Catchments website here.

Noosa Landcare crews have extensive experience in managing Cats Claw Creeper. This year we will see the first significant crop of Cats Claw and Madeira Vine biocontrol bugs being produced from our new biocontrol facility in Pomona.

If you think you have it on your property, please get in touch with our office to see if we can help.

We also have ongoing employment program commitments with Green Army and Skilling Queenslanders for Work this year. Employment pathway programs continue to provide great outcomes for our local environment and community. The two crews on these programs at the moment have been involved in some exciting projects, including revegetation works in Coolum National Park, weed management in Noosa National Park and a whole host of works in Noosa Council Bushland Reserves. By the time the AGM comes and goes, 31 people this current financial year will have been involved in the program and consequently will have improved employability in the industry if they choose to continue in it. Another intake of Green Army will occur in October, so get in touch if you are 17-25 years old and want to get qualifications and experience in the natural resource management field.

On a finishing side note, on behalf of the Management Committee, we all wish Phil Moran a speedy but restful recovery after getting his new hip and hope to see him back on deck in the near future.

Luke Barrowcliffe

http://www.seqcatchments.com.au/case-studies/crusade-against-cat-s-claw-creeper

Spring 2016

Staff

Management Team:

Phil Moran General Manager Rachel Lyons Business Development Manager Steve Husband Projects Manager Paul Sprecher Operations Manager Kim Maddison Administration Manager Ered Fox Nurseries Manager

Projects Team:

Rae OFlynn Project Support Officer

Administration Team:

Trish Bignall Administration Officer Margie Cosgrave Administration Assistant

Nursery Team:

Dawn Worthington Nursery Managers Assistant Courtney Ciccherelo Stock Control Officer Linda Curson Nursery Assistant

Field Operations Team:

Darrin Barden NRM Crew Supervisor Charlie Sparks NRM Crew Supervisor Geoff Haack NRM Crew Supervisor

Thank you to our wonderful Members, Volunteers and others who have donated ...

Driveway repair Jarrad Flinn, First Class Concrete Design (including roadbase, bobcat & labour for repair to driveway

Books for library Paul Steels - a great selection!

Boxes for nursery sales Lyn Harm, Hazel Ross & anonymous others

Bags for nursery sales Belinda Wedlock

Worm farm Linda Curson

Citrus Mel Hobbins - a full tray from his garden

BBQ Leigh Hooker

Boxes & mugs Arthur Miller

Members Bits and Pieces

Page 3

Seed

Dave Burrows Yanni Van Zigl Matthew Green Brian Cosgrave

Seed oven

Richard Winter

Seed fridge

Courtney Ciccherelo

And a special thanks to Noosa Landcare Members Ellen and Michael Kelly

for their very generous donation of 24 years worth of Australian Geographic magazines

This incredible resource is located in our Resource Centre in Station Street, Pomona. Please come in to peruse or borrow these magazines for your general interest, work research, or high school or tertiary study. Thank you Ellen and Michael!

JesseTelford NRM Crew Supervisor Jonathan Smith Skilling Queenslanders for for Work Supervisor Lucas Reid Green Army Supervisor Dean Juzeliunas NRM Crew Pascal Lopez NRM Crew Russell Ping NRM Crew Kyle Sanderson NRM Crew Nikkita Schonknecht NRM Crew Dylan Sparks NRM Crew Tom Delfatti NRM Crew Ben Hoekstra NRM Crew Owen Snowden NRM Crew Heather North NRM Crew

Recipe sourced from outbackspirit.com.au, with our thanks for their kind permission.

Olive oil, for pan frying 1 small onion, finely diced 2 rashers bacon, diced 2 cups pearl barley 1 small potato, finely diced 1 litre chicken or vege stock 2 tsp dried lemon myrtle

Lemon Myrtle, Barley & Potato Risotto

Heat a little oil in a stainless-steel saucepan and saute the onion and bacon until the onion has softened. Add the barley and stir until the grains are well coated in the oil. Stir in the potato.

Add the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 min