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TASMANIA’S PLAN FOR CLIMATE ACTION
CRADLE COAST NRM DUNG BEETLE ROUND UP FOR SUMMER AND AUTUMN 2023
KING ISLAND SOILS DAY A SUCCESS
PERFECT WEATHER FOR CRAYFISH FIELD DAY
FENCING IN RIPARIAN AREAS
Page 8 LINK, LEARN AND LUNCH
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NOW OPEN: COMMUNITY CAPACITY SMALL GRANTS ROUND 3
WHAT’S LURKING IN LORINNA?
SNAPS FOR GAPS
SPECIAL SUBSPECIES OF KING ISLAND
PLASTIC FANTASTIC
SPEAKING OF PLASTIC...
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CIRCULAR HEAD WETLAND LOOKOUT
BIRDS AND BUGS SHOWCASE RICH BIODIVERSITY AT REID STREET RESERVE
Page 20 PROTECTING OUR PRECIOUS MARINE LIFE
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CHANGING HOW WE LIGHT UP OUR ENVIRONMENT
MOTH TRACKER UPDATE
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Front
Friends of Three Hummock Island - busy on the beach Page 3
Link, Learn and Lunch gathered like-minded groups from all over the Cradle Coast region. Page 8
The King Island Wattlebird and other
Tasmania'sClimateChangeActionPlan2023-25wasreleased1June2023andoutlinestheGovernment'splans foractiononclimatechangeforthenexttwoyears.
ThisActionPlansetsouthowtheTasmanianGovernmentwilltakeactionoverthenexttwoyearstoreduceour emissionsandincreaseourcarbonsequestration.Tomanagetherisksandmakethemostoftheopportunities associatedwiththetransitiontoalow-emissioneconomy,andbuildTasmania’sresiliencetotheprojectedimpacts ofclimatechange.
ThelatestdatashowsthatTasmaniarecordednetzerogreenhousegasemissionsforthefirsttimein2013andhas maintaineditsnetzerostatusintheninereportedyearssince.Tasmania’semissionsprofileislargelyduetothe carbonsinkinourmanagedforestestateandrenewableelectricitygeneration.
However, our emissions profile is not guaranteed into the future. Emissions are influenced by factors such as population growth, major bushfire events, changes in consumer demand, market forces and technological advancements. Tasmania contributes significant and growing greenhouse gas emissions and we still have a heavy reliance on fossil fuels.
TheAR6SynthesisReport:ClimateChange2023bytheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(IPCC) confirmsthathumansarecausingglobalwarming,andmakesitclearthatweneedtoactnow.Globaltemperatures arenow1.1˚Cabovepre-industriallevelsandarelikelytoreach1.5˚Cabovepreindustriallevelsintheearly2030s. TheGovernmentacknowledgedtheimportanceofensuringinformationaboutclimatechangeisaccessibletoall Tasmanians,includingchildrenandyoungpeople.AplainlanguageversionofthisActionPlanisavailableonthe ReCFITwebsite.ThisActionPlancontainsactionstodevelopuser-friendlyinformationaboutclimatechange,and educateandempowerchildrenandyoungpeople.AnewclimatechangeactionplanforTasmaniawillbe developedin2025,informedbythefindingsofTasmania’sfirststatewideclimatechangeriskassessment,and sector-basedemissionsreductionandresilienceplans,whichareduetobecompletedbylate2024.
ViewtheTasmania'sClimateChangeActionPlan2023-25
ViewCradleCoastAuthority’ssubmissiontotheDraftClimateChangeActionPlan2023-25
The Action Plan states that the Tasmanian Government "will make sure Tasmania is ready to install more electric vehicle charging stations and we will make sure all government vehicles are electric by 2030."
Peakactivityforthe‘BlueBomber’(Geotrupesspiniger)tunnellingdungbeetleshascomeandgonefor2023.Whilethereare stillafewlate-emergingbeetlesflyingatdawnanddusk,theadventofcoolerweather–particularlynight-timeminimum temperatures,hasheraldedtheirretreatforthewettermonths.
MonitoringatonesitenearRidgleyinnorth-westTasmaniafromDecember2022throughtolateAprilthisyear,showedthat emergenceofG.spinigerinsummerappearedtobeafewweekslaterthanusual,whichresultedinthemperseveringalittle longerintoautumn.SlightlycoolerthanaveragetemperaturesthroughNovemberandDecemberlastyearlikelyplayedarolein this,aslarvaldevelopmentofbeetlesinthesoilprofileisinpartdrivenbysoiltemperatures.ClimatedataforBurnielastyear reportedtheaveragetemperaturesforNovemberandDecemberwere0.7°Cand1.1°Cbelowthemonthlyaveragesof17°C and18.6°Crespectively.
ExtensionactivitiesthatCradleCoastNRMdeliveraroundtheregioninformusofgrazingdistrictswherethisvigorousspecies oftunnellingdungbeetlehasdeclinedinnumbersovertheyears.
Reasons for declining beetle numbers could include successive hot and dry summers, low livestock numbers for a period, or inadvertent synchronised drenching across a district.
Tasmania and Tom O’Malley of Cradle Coast Authority releasing Blue Bomber dung beetles at Redpa, north-west
Tasmania
WhileG spinigerarevoracioustunnellingmachines,assoilbecomesdrieritalsobecomesharderandtherearelimitstowhat beetlescantunnelthrough Becauseofthis,irrigateddairy(orbeef)farmsareconsidered‘strongholds’forthisspeciesthrough dryyears Withoutruminantlivestockdungasasourceoffood,beetlenumberswillalsodecline Throughsummerandautumn of2023,NRMstafftrappedandrelocatedaround20,000BlueBomberstovariousdistrictsinTasmania Somewererehomed atadairyandcheesemakingoperationintheHuonValleyinSouthernTasmania,whilearound8,000werereleasedatgrazing propertiesinLorinnainJanuary.WhileworkingwithGreenhamTasmania,thebeef-producingdistrictofRedpawasidentified ashavinglownumbersofBlueBombers DuringlateMarchapproximately8,000beetleswerereleasedatRedpaonthree farmstoimprovethepopulationoverthecomingyears TheCradleCoastNRMteamarealsopresentlyattemptingtobreeda winter-activespecies(Bubasbison),whichwillbereleasedacrossgrazingfarmsintheregionifsuccessful.
Formoreinformationontunnellingdungbeetlespleasecontact:
RegionalAgricultureLandcareFacilitator,TomO’Malleyattomalley@cradlecoastcom
Regional Land Partnerships projects are supported by Cradle Coast Authority, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program
Photo: Aiden Coombe of Greenham
Sincemid-2022,SoilExtensionOfficersfromTasmania’sthree NRMgroupshavebeenworkingwithlandholderstoundertake laboratoryandfieldsoilhealthassessmentsoftheirpaddocks, andtorunsoilhealthfielddaysandworkshops.Topicscovered includetheroleofearthwormsanddungbeetlesinthesoilhealth ofpasturesystems,howtoundertakephysicalsoilhealth assessmentsinthepaddock,soilbiologyandnutrientbudgeting.
ASoilsDaywasrecentlyhostedbyCradleCoastNRM,in conjunctionwiththeKingIslandBeefProductionGroup.King Islandisahighlyproductiveagriculturalregionbutfacesseveral challengesincludingthecostoffreight,nutrientleachingand waterlogging.
ParticipantsheardfromJasonLynchofPinionAdvisory(Senior Agronomist),whohasawealthofknowledgeandexperiencein productionagronomy,grazingmanagementandproperty development.
Thedaystartedwithaclassroomsessiononthebasicsofsoil managementonKingIslandincludingsoilbiology,acidityand alkalinityandfertiliserprograms.
Simpletoolstocalculateanutrientbudgetfor individualfarmsweredemonstrated;veryimportant whenconsideringthecostofgettinginputstothe island.
Intheafternoon,participantsheadedtoapaddocktogettheir handsdirtyintwosoilpits,representingtwosoiltypesonthe island–KurosolsandHydrosols.
If you are interested in the soil extension program, or for further information on soils, please contact:
Nick Jamson at njamson@cradlecoast com Soil Extension Officer
It was a great day out weather wise and information wise for the thirty or so landholders and community members who attended the Giant Freshwater Crayfish Field Day on the Duck River on 5 April
Participants had the chance to see project works undertaken by the landholder including weed and willow control, fencing on both sides of the river, offstream water points installed and the impact that stock exclusion has had on the siltation along the bed of the river in this location
Crayfish expert Todd Walsh also showed off live specimens of both juvenile and adult crayfish and spoke about their life cycle and habitat requirements
Associate Professor Matthew Harrison from UTAS spoke about the productivity benefits of managing soil carbon and the challenges to look out for when deciding on whether to participate in soil carbon markets
Photo: Dr Helen Morgan from the Tasmanian Land Conservancy provided some really practical advice on what does and doesn’t work well in designing and implementing revegetation projects, particularly along river corridors This was based on her own knowledge, but also site inspections on at least four of the properties across our region who undertook riparian revegetation as part of the Giant Freshwater Crayfish Project
Whendecidingtoputafenceuponafloodplainoralongariverbank,youneedtothinklongandhardaboutwhereto putthefence,thedesignofthefenceandthepurposeofthefence
Astherecentfloodsinlate2022showed,fencescaneasilybedamagedbyfloodflowsandwillrequireconstant maintenanceifnotlocatedanddesignedappropriately.Fencedamagefromfloodingisusuallycausedbyabuild-upof debrisagainstthefence Theforceofthefloodwaterpushingonthedebriseventuallycausesthefencetocollapse
Whenplanningfencinginafloodproneenvironmentoralongacreekorriver,askyourselfsome keyquestions:
Howoftendoesitfloodandhowfastisthewater?
Whatareyoutryingtokeepinorout?
Whatlevelofinvestmentdoyouwanttomakeoninstallationversushowoftenwillyouhaveto maintainthefence?
Toavoidflooddamage:
Ifpossible,keepfencesparalleltothemaindirectionofflowandavoidfencingacross waterways.
Fenceonthehighbank,notalowerorin-streamterrace,andmakesureyouhaveatleasta 5-10mbufferfromtheedgeofthehighbank.Thismeansthatwhentheriverbreaksits banks,thewaterhasachancetoslowanddropdebrisbeforeitimpactsyourfence. Wherepossible,orinparticularlyflood-pronesections,designyourfencetoreduceresistance todebrisandflows,forexampleuseplainwirenotbarbedwireorRinglock®. Considertechnologysuchasvirtualfencing.
Thinkaboutincreasingfenceresistanceandfenceflexibilitythroughdesignanduseofparticular materials:
Usehighqualitytensilewireforfloodfencing.
Uselarge,qualityposts,forexample150-200mmdiameterand2.4minlength.Steelposts canbendinaflood.
Uselargespringsoradjustableratchetsattheendassemblageswhichwillgivewhendebris ispushingonthefencebutcanbetightenedafterdamagefromflooddebris. Useplainwireandelectrifytokeepdomesticstockinorout.
Avoiddiggingandconcretingpostsinholesasthiscanbeeasilywashedout.
Althoughmoreexpensivetoconstructinitially,collapsibleordropfencesmaybemore economicalinareasthatfrequentlyfloodsuchasfloodplainsorinsidebendsofrivers.These fencesaredesignedtofolddownmanuallyfromanchorpointstolayflatontheground. Considerputtingsacrificialfencesectionsinlengthsthatfloodfrequently,usingziptiesor gripplesthatwillcreateweakpointsforsacrificialsections.Limitthelengthofthesesectionsto 50-100msotheycanbereplacedquicklywhendamaged.
Ifyouhavetofenceacrossthewaterway,doitonastraightsectionoftheriverwhereflowismore uniformacrossthewholeriversection.
Have a maintenance plan and check for damage after large rainfall events Be proactive rather than reactive with maintenance Know where all your sacrificial sections are so you can check and repair quickly after floods Well-designed riparian fencing reduces riverbank erosion, allows better grazing management and allows for natural regeneration of vegetation along river batters and on the top of river banks
The ‘Link, Learn and Lunch’ on 24 May was a lovely event, bringing together community volunteers from across the Cradle Coast region who are caring for our natural resources. We had almost 80 people at the event representing 38 different volunteer groups engaged in a huge variety of activities from native wildlife monitoring to feral animal control, building soil biology through to building community, plus mountain bikers, kayakers and bushwalkers protecting special places. The feedback was consistent:
everyone loved connecting with other like-minded people and hearing about the great diversity of activities volunteer groups are tackling and the results they are getting!
We started the day meeting Brendan and Brenton, pakana rangers from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, who spoke about how they care for country and community This was an opportunity to think about how the areas we manage were shaped by Tasmanian Aboriginal people over tens of thousands of years Their land and cultural practices were violently invaded as lutruwita/Tasmania was colonised Brendan and Brenton are continuing palawa/pakana culture and land management for the benefits of community and the environment and attendees valued connecting with and learning from them
Thankyoutoallthegroupsandindividualswhopresentedontheir group’sworkand/orhostedanExpotable.
ItwasfabuloustohaveEveandNathaliacomeoverfromKing IslandandsharetheamazingdiversityofactivitiesthatKingIsland Landcaredriveontheisland.
Wehadgreatshortpresentationsfrom:
SamfromCircularHeadLandcareontheireffortstoeradicate RiceGrass;
PeterfromWynyardLandcareandCentralNorthField Naturalistoncommunitiesprotectingurbanreserves; PhilfromFriendsofDevonportReservesprotectingSwift ParrotsatKelceyTier
WendyfromTurnersBeachCoastcarereflectingontheir group’s25-yearlegacy!
ThiseventwashostedbyCradleCoastAuthorityNRMand supportedbyLandcareTasmaniaandWildcareTasmania.
Welookforwardtohostinganothereventlikethisbasedonthe greatfeedbackprovidedontheday.
Cradle Coast Authority is now delivering Round 3 of the Community Capacity Small Grants to support Landcare, Coastcare, Aboriginal and Friends of groups participating in NRM activities in the Cradle Coast region.
The grants aim to help support our local community groups to continue their valuable natural resource management work on the ground and through community engagement and education
Who can apply?
Landcare, Coastcare, Aboriginal and Friends of groups participating in natural resource management (NRM) activities in the Cradle Coast region These groups must be undertaking activities to improve awareness and knowledge of our natural assets and taking appropriate conservation action to support them The grants will also support Tasmanian Aboriginal groups to undertake activities which support access, healing, protection and management of land, sea and sky Country
Who is ineligible to apply?
Government, political groups, schools and for-profit organisation are NOT eligible for these grants
How much funding is available?
Small grants up to $1500 (ex GST)
Applications close midnight Sunday 2 July 2023, grant activity to be completed by 10 June 2024.
For applications and guidelines please visit: https://www cradlecoast c om/natural-resourcemanagement/ourwork/currentprojects/community-nrmengagement-program/
Hannah Sadler NRM Engagement Officer
Phone: 64338400
hsadler@cradlecoast com
RecentarrivalstoTasmania,KylieandPaultellNRM aboutthefunthey’vebeenhavingwithmotioncamerason theirproperty.
“WearrivedonournewpropertyinLorinnainNovember 2022,comingdownfromNorthEastArnhemLand,NT. Youreallycouldn’tgetamorecontrastingenvironmentto theonewehadbeenlivingin!
PaulandIareverykeentofindoutwhatanimalsmake thisplacehome,inthebeautiful50acresofcovenant alongsideLakeCethana.NRMkindlylentustwomotion camerasthatwefoundeasytouseandheapsoffun. Downloadingimagesandthensearchingeachimagefor ‘whathassetthisoff!!’wasabitlikeaWhere’sWally book!Sometimes,weassume,awallabyorcathasraced pasttooquicklyforanimagetobecaptured.Wegot plentyofgreatimagesoftheanimalsandlotstolaugh about.Clearlysomeanimalsfindthecamerasinteresting, andwehaveheapsofimagesofanose,aneyeorjust somecutewhiskersastheanimalhascomeupsuper closetocheckoutthecamera.
Overtheweeks,wemovedthecamerasacrossthe property,seekingoutdifferenthabitat.Inthattimewe captured,FeralCats,SuperbFairy-wrens,possums, pademelons,BennettsWallabies,echidnas,alittle unknownmarsupial,andabigTigerSnakeslithering underthecamera!Lotsoffunandagreatwayforusto learnalotmoreaboutournewhome.”
Currentlyforaplanttoberecognisedbyscience,itneedstohaveaphysicalspecimenstoredata herbarium,butaphotographisnotrequired.ApaperrecentlypublishedinthesciencejournalNew Phytologist,hashighlightedthevalueandimportanceofcollectingandstoringadigitalimageas procedure.WhileavoucherspecimenisaninvaluablereferencefortissueandDNAsamples,details candegrade,andinformationcanbelost.Aphotographcanrecordfeaturessuchassize,spines,and hairsthatdon’tpreservewellontheherbariumsheet.
Photographsarealsoextremelyusefulinthefield,forconservationists, surveyors,andforeducationpurposes.
ThenumberofvascularplantsinAustraliawithoutaphotographicrecordin2023wassurprisinglyhigh at18%.Ofthose,61growonlyinTasmania,andthemajorityaregrasses.Unsurprisinglythemajority ofplants“un-photographed”arefoundinremote,unpopulatedplacesandare“charismadeficient”! (i.e.grassesareoftenoverlookedastheirflowersareverysubtle!).
Someoftheplantsmissingphotographicrecordscouldwellhavealreadybeenphotographed, somewhere,butarenotyetonthedatabase.Onoldslides,amemorycardinadrawerorinanold fieldguidethathasgoneoutofprint,forexample.
Ifyou’dliketohelp,checkoutthislist,“snapthegaps”andsubmityourimagestoiNaturalistfor science!
InMarchandearlyMay,BiosecurityTasmaniadetectedtwo individualcasesofSmallHiveBeetle(SHB)andbecauseof thesedetections,a10kmBeeMovementRestrictionArea (BMRA)wasestablishedandcontinuestobeinplaceuntil furthernotice.IfyouarelocatedwithintheBMRA,you cannotmovebees,beeproductsorusedbeekeeping equipmentin,outorwithintheBMRA.Formoredetails abouttheBMRAandamapclickhereBeeMovement RestrictionAreainteractivemap.
BiosecurityTasmaniahaveenactedemergency managementprotocolsincludingextensivehiveandsite inspectionwithintheBMRA.Theresponseisnowfocused onwildandunregisteredbeehives.
Adultbeetlesandtheirlarvaeinhabithiveswheretheyfeedonhoneybeeeggs,storedhoneyandpollen,damagingcombsand killingbrood.Larvaedefecatethroughoutthecomb,releasingtheyeastKodamaeaohmeri,whichcontaminatesthehoneyin bothactivehivesandstoredcombs.Thisyeastcausesthehoneytoferment,whichmaycausethehivetobecome‘slimedout’ anddieorcausethecolonytoabscond.Beetlescanalsousetheirclubbedantennaetoinducebeestoregurgitatefood!
The damage caused by SHB in the Western Hemisphere is so severe that thousands of hives are killed by it each year.
SmallHiveBeetle,Aethinatumida(Murray),wasdiscoveredinhivesatRichmond,NewSouthWalesinlateOctober2002 Sincethen,ithasbeendetectedthroughoutQld,Vic,theACTandinpartsofSAandWA butithasnotyetestablishedin Tas
AdultSHBarebroadflattenedbeetlesabout5-7mmlongandarebrown-blackwithdistinctiveclubbedantennae.Theeggsare tiny(about1mmlong)andarepearlywhite Instrongcolonies,eggsarelaidinthecrevicesofthehive,whileinweakcolonies eggsarelaiddirectlyonbroodcomb
Larvaeareelongatewhitegrubswithabrownhead.They are~10mmlongwiththreepairsoflegsneartheheadand tworowsofspinesdowntheback.Oncetheymature, larvaeleavethehiveandburrowandpupateinthe surroundingsoilupto200mfromthehive.Oncethey emerge,adultSHBsareabletoflyupto15kmtolocatea honeybeecolonytoinfest.ItisbelievedthattheSHBadults findthehivesbydetectingtheodourofadultbeesandhive products(honeyandpollen)hencethebeemovement restrictionarea.
Themostimportantstepswecantakearetofollow BiosecurityTasmania’sadvice,stayvigilantandregisterour hives! Registrationisfree-visit www.nre.tas.gov.au/beekeeper-registration
King Island, once connected to both Tasmania and the Australian mainland by the Bass Strait land bridge, was isolated over 10,000 years ago as the last ice-age ended, and Bass Strait flooded. Consequently, many species on King Island are endemic. King Island’s fascinating but fragile bird population is no exception.
The island hosts not only a swathe of migratory birds, and is an invaluable stepping stone for many, but is home to resident subspecies of global importance. A number of these birds are threatened including the King Island Scrubtit (Critically Endangered), King Island Brown Thornbill (Critically Endangered), the King Island Green Rosella (Vulnerable) and the King Island Black Currawong (Vulnerable) according to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act List.
Themaincontributorstothesebirds’plightsare habitatlossthroughlandclearingandfirerisk. Agriculturaldrainingandherbivoregrazingarealso knowncausesofhabitatdegradation
OnevictimofthesethreatstohabitatonKingIslandis theYellowWattlebird KnownasAustralia’slargest honeyeater,andendemictoTasmania,thisbirdhasa subspeciesdistincttoKingIsland–theKingIsland YellowWattlebird(Anthochaeraparadoxakingi).
The KI Yellow Wattlebird can be distinguished from its Tasmanian cousin by its smaller size Known for its rather unfortunate squawk (which is no-doubt charming to other wattlebirds), the Yellow Wattlebird sports a yellow belly and has a pendulous yellow wattle or skin flap that hangs on either side of the neck
The rare bird can be described as active, noisy, and conspicuous – if you can’t see it, you’ll probably hear it!
The 2020 Action Plan for Australian Birds identified the KI Yellow Wattlebird as “endangered” but it has not been formally listed yet.
Focused research on all of King Island’s special subspecies is needed to accelerate conservation activities.
Reducingplasticwasteisahottopic,particularlyoverthenextcoupleofmonths–andhere’swhy! ResearchshowsthatTasmaniansgenerate900,000tonnesofwasteeachyear.That’smore than1.5tonnesperperson!Mostofthiswasteendsupinlandfill,whichistheleastfavourable outcome.
Sometimes Tasmania is dubbed as lagging behind in waste reduction, but did you know that Cole’s Bay was one of the first towns in the world to ban single use plastic bags back in 2003-so,let’snotdropthebaton!
Afewencouraginglocalschemesareroundthecorner...
Later this year, NRET will introduce Recycle Rewards - a Container Refund Scheme (CRS) which incentivises people to return eligible used beverage containers to a Refund Point inreturnfora10crefund.
In 2021, the City of Hobart enacted a law to ban single use plastic takeaway food packaging and related items. The rest of the state has committed to phase-out problematic singleuse plastics (PSUPs) such as plastic straws, bowls, plates, utensilsandexpandedpolystyreneconsumerfoodcontainers by2025.
But is it really enough? - Now is the time to make changes andact.
Monday 5 June was World Environment Day, hosted from Cote d’Ivoire; the theme – Beat Plastic Pollution
This year marks the 50th anniversary of this environmental outreach platform
Wondering what difference can you make? Use the Beat Plastic Pollution Practical Guide that gives actions we can all take to halt and reverse the damage being caused by plastic pollution
PlasticFreePlacesTasmania(PFPT)isaFREEmentoring, advisoryandaccreditationserviceforfoodandbeverageretailers.
ThenationalprogramisrunbyBoomerangAllianceandthe AustralianPackagingCovenant(APCO)andisfundedbystateand federalgovernmentgrants.
Itworkswithcommunities,councils,localstakeholders,suppliers, manufacturers,wastetransportoperators,compostersanddirectly withfoodretailers,eventsandmarketstoassistthemtoswitchfrom single-useplasticstobetteralternativesanddeliverrealsolutionsto businesses.PlasticFreePlacesaimstoinspirecommunitymembers tomakechangesintheirownlifeandsupportthosebusinessesthat dotoo.
CurrentlyPFPThaveagreementswithseverallocalcouncils includingCentralCoastCouncilintheCradleCoastregionalong withnumeroussmallbusinessassociations. Forlocalinfoonwastemanagementservicesandpracticaladvice visit:RethinkWasteTasmaniahttps://rethinkwaste.com.au/
PlasticFreeJuly®isaglobal movementthathelpsmillionsof peoplebepartofthesolutionto plasticpollution–sowecanhave cleanerstreets,oceans,and beautifulcommunities Willyou bepartofPlasticFreeJulyby choosingtorefusesingle-use plastics?Clickheretotakethe challenge
ConsidertakingthePesky PlasticsQuizTool–itmay challengeyoutochangesome personalhabitsthatwillmakea hugedifferencetohowmuch plasticwasteyouareresponsible for
TheFriendsofThreeHummockIsland(FROTHI)wereoutonthewildand windyBassStraitrecently,collectingrubbishfromtheremotebeachesat RockyCapeNationalParkandThreeHummockIslandStateReserve. About16kilogramsand1600piecesofrubbishwerepickedup byninevolunteersoverfourdays.
WewereontheIslandtoremovemarinedebrisandSeaSpurgefrom HoodedPlovernestingbeaches,aspartofourCreatingaHoodedPlover StrongholdProject,fundedbytheAustralianGovernment’sNational LandcareProgram,whichiswrappingupattheendofJune.
ThetripwasthethirdFROTHIvolunteertripfortheproject,andasalways,it wasarewardingexperienceforparticipants.ThreeHummockIslandissuch aspecialplacethatitfeelsgoodtobehelpingprotectnativespeciesthere. Thistime,about28500plantswerepulledoutbyhandover6.6haof beaches.Someofitwasagainextremelyslowpainstakingworkwhere hundredsofseedshavesproutedinasmallpatch.Therewerenotasmany matureplantsseedingthistime,andduetoterribleweatherduringour planneddaysontheisland,ouradaptablevolunteersspentadayatRocky CapeNationalParkandhikedtoAnniversaryBaytolookforouradversary, SeaSpurge.Therewasnotmuchtobefound,butwedidcollectmorethan 30plasticshotgunwads.We’renotsurewheretheycomefrombutweare surethattheyareanunnecessarysourceofmarinepollution!
Speakingofunnecessarysources-therewerefivedirtyoldballoons(some withhorriblefoilstringattached)retrievedfromtheirfateatsea,breaking downandpotentiallyentanglingwildlife.
Pleasedon’tuseorbuyheliumballoons!Thereareplentyoffestive alternativesavailablethatdon’tleaveplasticinouroceans.
AsanislandsituatedinthemiddleofBass Strait,muchofthemarinedebristhatwashes ontoKingIsland’sshoredoesnotoriginate fromtheisland,butratherhasbeencarried acrosstheseasbytheoceancurrentsbefore landingontheshorelineathightide.Bigswells thatbatterthewestcoastoftheislandstrand largeitemsontherocks,includingshipping palletsandfishingnets.
Anisland-widebeachcleanupeventwasheld onKingIslandatthebeginningofApril,hosted bytheTasmanianSeafoodIndustryCouncil andsupportedbyNRMSouth,CradleCoast NRMandStayingAfloat.
Theteamspentfourdaysontheisland workingwithschools,fishermenand communitymemberswithallhandsondeckto removeasmuchmarinedebrisaspossibleoff thebeaches.
Overthefourdaysthereweresignificant amountsoffishingrope,netsandotherfishing gearremoved,alongwithtyres,bottles,glass andsmallplasticremnants.Countsofthe itemswillcontributetothenationalmarine debrisdatabase.
Itwasasuccessfulevent,withthebeaches lookingtidierandmarinelifeprotectedfrom thedebristhatwasremoved.
However,itservesasanotherreminderthat weallneedtohelpstopplasticandother human-madewastefromfindingitswayto theoceanswhereitwashesontoremote islandcoastlineswitheveryhightide.
King Island
Landcare Group is on the lookout for sightings of this new beach invader! It is Beach Daisy. Common on the mainland and present on Flinders, it has now been recorded at two sites on King Island. If you see it there, report it to KI Landcare Group. On 03 6462 1825, and if it’s elsewhere on the Cradle Coast let Cradle Coast NRM or Biosecurity Tasmania know.
Circular Head is home to expansive saltmarsh wetlands and where is one of the best views of the saltmarsh in town? At the Circular Head Lawn Cemetery!
Low tide makes for excellent viewing of the species that call this intertidal habitat home, and there are two interpretive signs designed by Dr Vishnu Prahalad where you can learn more about the saltmarsh environment Look out for migratory shorebirds who travel the world to rest, feed and breed in these sheltered areas the world over The following are just a few of the migratory bird species that can be found in the area
Bar-tailedGodwit(
Bar-tailedGodwitsarriveinAustraliainAugustafterbreedinginScandinavia,northern AsiaandAlaska.Theyhavebeenrecordedflyingthe13,560kilometrejourneyfrom AlaskatoTasmaniainjust11dayswithoutstopping!Theyareasocialwader andwilloftenbeseeninlargeflockswhilefeedingonmolluscs,wormsand aquaticinsects.Bar-tailedGodwitsusetheirlongbillstoprobethemud andshallowwaterstofindtheirfood
Red-neckedStint(Calidrisruficollis)
Red-neckedStintsbreedinnorth-easternSiberiaandAlaskabefore followingtheEastAsian-AustralasianFlyway(throughJapan,the KoreanPeninsula,China,Taiwan,HongKong Vietnam Malaysia,thePhilippinesandWestMic thesummermonthsinAustralia.They andwilleatarangeofseeds,insects,s vertebrates,saltmarshplants,molluscs crustaceans,primarilyfeedingatlowtid themudflatsareexposed.Atjust13-16 length,theyareAustralia’ssmallestsh
Sharp-tailedSandpiper(Calidrisacu BreedinginAlaska,theSharp-tailedsa passagemigratesthrougheasternMon China,Korea,Japan,Micronesia,Philip south-eastAsiabeforearrivinginAustr areoftenfoundinlargeflocksandwith foragingintheshallowwatersforaqua molluscs,crustaceansandseeds Like birdsthatusetheEastAsian-AustralasianFlyway,theyrel anetworkofwetlandstobeprotectedtheworldoverforthe maketheirjourneyandlive Currentlytheyarebeingthreat thedestructionanddegradationofglobalwetlands.Looking oursaltmarshhereinCircularHeadisessentialifwewant seeingthesesummervisitorsinthefuture
ReidStreetReserve(RSR)isa2.6habushblockinWestUlverstone.Wide graveltrackswindthroughthereserve,whichisonahilltopsurroundedby residentialandruralhouseblocks RSRhasbeenmanagedbyCentralCoast Councilsincethelate1980swiththeassistanceofFriendsofReidStreet Reserve.Membersofthiscommittedvolunteergroupphotographandrecord theflora,fungiandfaunathattheycomeacross
TheFriends’recordsareusefultocontributetoourknowledgeofwhatlivesin theReserveandnoteanychangesovertime.
RegularsurveysofbirdshavebeencarriedoutbydedicatedvolunteersHazel BrittonandAlisonParkssinceNovember2015Therearenow96surveys recordedinBirdatawhichhaverecorded54speciesThislistincludes8outof Tasmania’s12endemicbirdsand21birdshavebeenfoundbreedinginthe ReserveAlthoughrecordedpreviouslyintheReserve,thefollowingsixspecies havenotbeennotedinthemorerecentsurveys:White-throatedNeedletail,CollaredSparrowhawk,SwiftParrot,Yellow-rumped Thornbill,FlameRobinandtheDuskyRobinItisonlythiskindofregularsurveyingthatcanidentifyworryingchangesto biodiversitylikethisobservation
DrRobertMesibov,amillipedeexpert,hasbeen samplingmillipedessince2015andpublishedhis findingsfromRSRinTheTasmanianNaturalist139 (2017).Thirteennativeandtwointroducedspecies werefoundwithinRSR.Thisrepresentsmorethan halfthenativemillipedespeciesrecordedwithina ~10kmradiusofUlverstone.DrMesibovfound thatmillipedesweremostabundantinleaflitter underE.viminalisonthecoolersouth-facing slopeofRSR.Millipedesandotherinvertebrates benefitfromwoodydebris(includingfallentrees decomposinginsitu),anddenseunderstoryto maintaintheirpreferredconditions.
Dr Mesibov has put together a comprehensive website on Tasmanian millipedes, complete with excellent photos and a key. Check it out for everything you ever wanted to know about our many-legged friends.
Management of the reserve focuses on removal of shrubby weeds such as Blackberry (Rubus sp) and Bluebell Creeper (Billardiera heterophylla) Reid Street Reserve has no documented history of clearing, in fact tree cover today is greater than it was 70 years ago Hence it is home to mature Eucalyptus amygdalina and E viminalis Forest (Black Peppermint Coastal Forest) with a shrubby and sedgy understory The forest does not appear to have been frequently or intensely burned in recent decades, and “bug hotels” (rotting logs, leaf and bark accumulations) are widespread which is all good news for biodiversity and reflects the importance of small reserves as habitat, even within urban areas
Central Coast Council has recently released their draft Natural Resource Management Plan, which includes an assessment of the natural values of Reid Street and other council-managed reserves With the combined attentions of the Friends of Reid Street Reserve and the Council’s NRM staff, it seems the important biodiversity of Reid Street is in safe hands
TheAustralianGovernmenthasrecentlycommittedtoprotect30%ofAustralia’slandand watersby2030.
Whileitisaworthycommitment,45%ofAustralia’soceansarealreadyprotected–butwhenwebreakitdownby state,Tasmaniaislagging.
503%ofthelandareaofTasmaniais reserved,butonly17%ofwatersaround Tasmaniaareadequatelyprotectedinnotakemarinereserves.Thisistheleast protectionofanyAustralianState
AcommunitygroupcalledTasmaniansfor MarineParksareproposingadditional marineprotectedareas(MPAs)which wouldideallyberepresentativeofthe differentbioregionsaroundTasmania ProposedMPAsintheCradleCoastregion havebeenmappedandincludeareaslike RockyCapetoBoatHarbour,BlackRiver Estuary,LillicoBeach,Stanley,Three SisterstoGoatIsland,Boullanger Bay/RobbinsPassage,Macquarie Harbour,ChristmasandNewYearIsland, SeaElephantBay,AlbatrossIslandand BlackPyramid,PhoquesIsland,King IslandandArthurRivertoTemma
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Guidelines identify four key things that separate a proper marine protected areas from other managed marine areas. These characteristics are that:
The MPA has been established especially for the conservation of biodiversity; It is able to be classified into one or more of the six IUCN Protected Area Management Categories meeting the values and objectives of the proposed MPA; It must have secure status which can only be revoked by a parliamentary process; and It contributes to the representativeness, comprehensiveness or adequacy of the national MPA system
Scientistshavelistedsomeofthebenefitsof marineparksas:
Conservingrareandrepresentativeplants andanimalsandthehabitatstheydepend on;
Savingsmallsectionsofourcoastlinein theirnaturalstatetoallowthemarinelifeto liveandbreedfreefromhumanimpacts. Thisencouragesahealthyfoodwebwhich haspositiveflowoneffectsinthe surroundingwaters;
Protectandpromoteuniquespotsfor education,recreation,andtourism; Marinereservesactasareferenceor baselineinscientificstudiestoassessthe impactofotheractivitieslikefishing; Marinereservescanactasa"seed"source, replenishingnearbyareas.
TasmaniansforMarineParkssay:
“The human benefits will be there in the nearby town, but they are harder to measure. A healthyenvironmentisneededforhealthyjobs.Protectingafisheriesspecieswillonlyworkif welookatmanagingitholistically:itsprey,predators,competitors,nurseryhabitat,andall the other things that give it a healthy ecosystem to live in. Healthy ecosystems in turn perform a number of unpaid services which improve our lives, such as water quality maintenance,nutrientcycling,defenceagainstsealevelrise,wasteprocessinganderosion control.”
Artificiallightingiswidespread,butithasnotalways beenthisway.Forhundredsofthousandsofyears,our animalsandplantsevolvedwithoutthebrightlightswe havebecomeaccustomedtoonourbuildings,streets andopenspaces
Whileartificiallightingmayseemharmless,andinfact helpfulforushumanstowork,playandtravelatnight, itcanhavefar-reachingconsequencesforournatural resources Animalsandplantsusenaturallightfrom thesun,moonandstarstotimetheirbehaviourandlife processes Inappropriateandexcessiveartificiallight, knownaslightpollution,disruptsthenaturalday-night cycle,andcanhaveunintendedconsequencessuch as:
Creatingbarriersoflightthatpreventthemovement ofnocturnalanimalssuchasfrogs,insects,birds, batsandmarinemammalsfrommovingfromone areatoanother
Disorientatingmigratingbirds
Affectingfoodavailabilitytonocturnalanimals
Preventingfledgingseabirdsfromtakingtheirfirst flight
Increasingtheriskofpredationforanimals(eg insects)whenattractedtoalightsource
Disruptingplantfloweringtimes,preventing pollination,andhamperingplantreproduction
Increasinginvasiveplantgrowthandspread Lightpollutionhasbeenparticularlychallengingforone ofourmostcommonseabirdshereinlutruwita/ Tasmania,theShort-tailedShearwater
Takingofffromourcoastalareasinautumntomake theirjourneytothenorthernhemisphere,fledgling shearwatersareparticularlyvulnerabletolight pollution Artificiallightscandisorientateindividuals, affectingtheirnavigation,andattractingthemtoareas suchasroadways,ovals,portsandbridgesratherthan theopenoceantostarttheirmigration Onceofftheir migrationflyway,disoriented,theywilloftenbecome grounded,andbeatriskofinjuryordeaththrough predation,collisionwithcars,orstarvation. OnFlindersIslandforexample,artificiallights previouslyattractedyoungshearwaterstothePortof LadyBarron,whichledtomortalitieseachautumn.The installationofmorewildlifefriendlylightingby TasPorts,reducedmortalitiestozero.
Theimpactsoflightpollutionarenotlimitedtoour naturalresources,italsoimpactspeopleby:
CHANGING HOW WE LIGHT UP OUR ENVIRONMENT CAN BE GOOD FOR NATURE AND THE COMMUNITY.
Overexposing humans to artificial light at night, a key factor in human circadian disruption, which has been linked to a range of health problems
Increasing energy costs
Disrupting the cultural and historical connection of humans to the sky
Tofindoutmoreyoucan: DownloadandstartimplementingtheNationalLight PollutionGuidelinesforWildlife,releasedin2020 (https://www.dcceew.gov.au/campaign/light-pollution).
VisittheDarkSkyTasmania(DST)page DSTisa chapteroftheInternationalDarkSkyAssociationandis ourlocaladvocatefordarkskies Theirwebsite (wwwdarkskytasmaniaorg)isfullofresourcestohelp startmakinggoodlightingchoicesandcanalsofollow theirworkonFacebookandInstagram
ThisarticlewaswrittenbyDrLisaCawthenonbehalf ofDarkSkyTasmania.
BogongMothsareauniqueendangeredspeciesandarevital toAustralia’snaturalecosystem,includingasapollinatorof nativeplantsandasafoodsourcefortheCritically EndangeredMountainPygmy-possum BogongMothsusuallymigrateeachyear,especiallyfrom southernQueensland,centralNSWandwesternVictoriato theAustralianAlpsRecentresearchsuggeststheymayalso beinSouthAustralia,WesternAustraliaandTasmania,but moreobservationsareneeded
BogongMothsarefacinganumberofthreats,including extremeweatherevents,droughtandclimatechange,light pollutionontheirmigrationroutes,changedwide-scale agriculturalpracticesandinsecticides,predationby introducedspeciesandhabitatloss.That’swhyZoosVictoria created‘MothTracker’,acitizenscienceprojectwhichtracks theirnumbersastheymigrateacrossthecountry.
For applications and guidelines click here