Cradle to Coastlines - Sept 2023

cradle to cradle to coastlines coastlines

IN THIS ISSUE

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WELCOME TO WADERS!

SOIL COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRES CONFERENCE HELD IN TASMANIA

BRAND NEW SOIL EXTENSION RESOURCES ARE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

MINERALS, MICROBES AND SOIL CARBON

SWIFT PARROT NEST BOX MONITORING CONTINUES

Page 8 7TH THREATENED SPECIES BAKE OFF DEDICATED TO THE “DULL”

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MAUGEAN SKATE RECOVERY TEAM

KELCEY TIER GREENBELT BIOBLITZ

BATS OR BITTERNS - WHAT SOUNDS ARE IN YOUR SQUARE?

CONSERVING A THREATENED SPECIES

FLOOD RECOVERY ON THE INGLIS RIVER

IT’S WHALE SEASON!

CENTRAL COAST STANDS UP FOR TREES

BOUNTY FROM THE BEACH DE-MYSTIFIED

SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY CAPACITY SMALL GRANTS ROUND 3

WILDCARE'S TASMANIAN NATURE CONSERVATION FUND ROUND 2 NOW OPEN

Page 21 BIRDLIFE AUSTRALIA AUSSIE BIRD COUNT

Page 21 SPRING HAS SPRUNG, BUT SCIENTISTS ARE WORRIED

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DID YOU KNOW BURNIE IS STILL HOME TO TASMANIAN DEVILS?

ADAM AND LARA COMBINE ART WITH RAPTOR RESCUE

WHAT MAKES GOOD HABITAT FOR BANDICOOTS?

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Front cover: Dr Alexandria Bullen from UVC Wild is monitoring bandicoots. Full story on Page 23.

Devil pups from Burnie. Page 22

This month our Cradle Coast Authority staff enjoyed another fun and tasty Threatened Species Bake-off morning tea, Page 8.

Everysummer,thousandsofmigratoryshorebirds, borninSiberiaortheArctictundra,flytotheir TasmanianhomeontherichwetlandsofRobbins Passage–BoullangerBay.Theseshorebirdshave madeastaggering13,000kmtrip,someforthe firsttimewithnoguidancefromtheirparents.This routethatmigratorywaterbirdstraverseonan annualbasisisknownasEastAsian-Australasian Flyway.

InautumnmanywadersdepartAustralianshores andoveroneortworest-stopsinTaiwan,China,or Japan,makethefinallegtotheirbreeding groundsinSiberiabyMay Thenext50daysare busyspentfindingamate,nesting,andraising theirchicks.Theythenusetheirimpressive navigationsystemstograduallymigratebackto theirsummerfeedinggroundsfromearly Septembertomid-October,someoftenonthe exactsamebeachesaspreviousyears.

TheRobbinsPassage–BoullangerBaywetland complexfeaturesexpansiveandspectacular sandflatswithwild,fiercecurrentsgeneratedas eachtiderushesin,andthousandsofbusybirds feedingwhenthetideisout.Theyfeedrestlessly onthesealifeinthesandflatsandseagrassbeds Andtheyshiftwithtideandwind,travellingfrom site-to-sitetoreachfavouredfeedinggroundsor flockingintorestonshore.

TheVictorianWaderStudyGroup(VWSG),twice eachyear,carryoutshorebirdcountsofthe RuddyTurnstonesthatreturntoKingIslandto forage Theirdecade-longstudyonKingIsland hasallowedtheVWSGtoassesschanging migratorybehaviourovertime,inthefaceofthe changesalongtheirflywayincludingclimate change.Youcanwatchafascinatinganimation showingRuddyTurnstonetracksderivedfromtheir geolocatorstudies.VWSGwillvisitKingIsland againinspring2023-keepaneyeoutontheir websitesoyoucanjointhesummeractivities! TheDouble-bandedPlovers(Charadrius bicinctus)aretheonlybirdswholiketodothings completelydifferently Insteadofasouth-to-north migrationduringthesummer,theymigrateeastto-west,travellingfromNewZealandtosoutheasternAustralia,aminimumtripof1,600km Not onlythatbuttheycomehereduringthe Australianwinter!HereinTasmania,theyusually startarrivingbyMarchandhaveheadedback towardNZtobreedbyearlySeptember.

InAugust,NRMstaffIonaandClairehadthe pleasureofjoininginwiththelong-runningBirdLife TasmaniaWinterWaderCountatthefamous ShipwreckPointonPerkinsIsland.Wesaid “welcome”tosomeearlyarrivals,“hiagain”to hugeflocksofresidentPiedOystercatchers,and “safetravels”to644Double-bandedPlovers gettingreadytocrosstheditch!

Photo: Ray Turnbull

Photo: Iona Flett

Photo: Margot Oorebeeke

Photo: Eric J Woehler

Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) as their name suggests, use their beak to turn over stones and shells to forage for invertebrates

SOIL COOPERATIVE RESEARCH

CENTRES CONFERENCE HELD IN TASMANIA

DuringlateAugustinnorthernTasmania,soil scientistsfromacrossAustraliacongregatedin Launcestonforthe2023SoilCooperative ResearchCentres(CRC)Conference.

Followingitsformationin2017,theremitofthe SoilCRCistoprovidefarmerswiththe knowledgeandtoolstheyrequiretomake decisionsoncomplexsoilmanagementissues intheirownfarmingsystems.Theseissues,and themeanstoaddressthem,areasvariedas thedifferingsoiltypesandclimaticregions acrossAustralia.

Dayonekickedoffwithkeynotespeaker MatthewEvans(a.k.a.TheGourmetFarmer) talkingabouthisimmersivelearningjourneyin soilhealth,andhowithasledtochanged practicesonhisfarminsouthernTasmania RegionalSoilsCoordinatorattheTasmanian FarmInnovationHub,ProfessorMichaelRoseof theUniversityofTasmania,thenspokeindetail oftheissues,challengesandopportunitiesfor soilsandagricultureinTasmania SoilCRC programleaderspresentedontheareasof specificfocusofSoilCRCprograms,andhow theyarebeingaddressed.

Thesethemesincludeinvestinginhigh performancesoils,soilperformancemetrics, integratedsoilmanagementsolutionsandnew productsforsoilfertilityandfunction Projectsaddressingthesethemescovered manyinterestingtopicssuchasthesuitabilityof differentbiocharsasalternativerhizobial (legumesymbiont)carriers,thefertiliservalue ofmanure,theimpactofdrylandcovercrops onsoilwaterandsoilhealthandtheroleof wintercovercropsinimprovingsoilhealth.

Paneldiscussionsroundedoutdayone, exploringfacetsofbuildingfarmerinnovation capability,andhowbetteroutcomescanbe achievedthroughknowledgesharing.

ThreefieldtripscoveringmuchofTasmania wereinorderfordaytwo,coveringthe midlands,northernandCradleCoastregions. Thenorth-westfieldtripspentmuchoftheday atForthsideVegetableResearchStation, whereCradleCoastNRMhadtheopportunity totalktoparticipantsaboutbest-practice erosioncontroltechniquesonourproductive redFerrosolswherecroppingisundertakenon hillsides.Therelativeefficacyandmeritsof tractortowedimplementsusedtomanage hillslopeerosionincroppingpaddockssuchas therippermulcherandagroploughwere discussedanddemonstratedtothetourgroup Howeffectivetheseimplementsareat reducingwaterandsoilmovementdownhill wasalsohighlighted,fromCradleCoastNRM demonstrationtrialsconductedinrecentyears atForthside

Photo: Cradle Coast NRM’s Tom O’Malley talking about the benefits of erosion control techniques in cropping systems at Forthside vegetable research station to the Soil CRC north-west field trip group

Therippermulcheropensasingleriplineacrossthe contourofthepaddockwhichisfilledwithstraw, actingasa‘strawdrain’toallowsurfacerunoff watertoenterthesoilprofileandtrapsediment.

Theagroploughperformsasimilarfunctionripping multipleriplinesacrosscontours,butnostrawis used

Results of the Cradle Coast NRM demonstration trial are available by using the QR code below or at the Soil Wealth website:

https://www soilwealth com au/i magesDB/news/Hillslopeerosion2 0201203.pdf

Tom O’Malley explains:

“While the ripper mulcher is the most effective means of reducing soil movement in the paddock with only a 0.5 m swath of paddock area sacrificed per straw drain installed, the humble agro plough is around 80% as effective as the ripper mulcher and is a great option to keep these precious soils in the paddock where they belong”.

BRAND NEW SOIL EXTENSION RESOURCES ARE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

The first year of the statewide Soil Extension project has delivered some fantastic outcomes for landholders across Tasmania Here in the north-west, Soil Extension Officer Nick Jamson has been busy helping farmers with soil testing and interpreting these results. A series of field days and workshops have also brought landholders together to share in the learning journey, make new connections and talk about all things soil As well as this, the soil extension project has culminated in producing three fantastic resources which many landholders will find valuable. These resources cover a significant body of information to assist farmers manage many aspects of their precious soil resource.

These resources are now available online, and can be accessed by using the QR codes:

They are:

Land Drainage for Farming in Tasmania

Nutrient Management for Farming in Tasmania

Soil Test Interpretation Guide for Dryland

Pastures in Tasmania

MINERALS, MICROBES AND SOIL CARBON

Soil Extension Officer, Nick Jamson, recently attended the Certificate in Nutrition Farming Course run by Graeme Sait of Nutri-Tech Solutions Graeme is a world-renowned expert in high production, sustainable agriculture The course delved into various topics but essentially came back to mastering three key things: minerals (ie macro and micronutrients), soil microbes and soil carbon.

We are blessed in the Cradle Coast Region with productive soils and a favourable climate, but we also have our own soil management challenges Here are some of the key, relevant practices to consider in improving profitability and soil health:

TEST, TEST, TEST

You can’t manage what you haven’t measured While this may seem obvious, soil sampling on 109 Tasmanian dairy farms in 2017 identified that only 3 7% of paddocks tested nutrient levels in the optimum range for pH, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur. Plant tissue and sap testing can also be an important tool Sometimes there are constraints that inhibit the uptake of certain nutrients from the soil into the plant For example, excess soil potassium can cause a magnesium deficiency, even when magnesium is in the ‘optimum’ range on a soil test. Plant tests will give you a snapshot of what is being taken up by the plant and what is lacking.

STABILISE AND BUFFER FERTILISERS

Humic and fulvic acids can be used to increase plant nutrient use efficiency by reducing nutrient leaching, volatilisation and ‘lock-up’ (eg phosphorus on red soils). Some studies have shown that urea will form compounds with humic acid that are less prone to losses – meaning that less nitrogen needs to be applied to the crop/pasture and less ends up in the atmosphere or waterways. These acids can also help buffer impacts that synthetic fertilisers have on soil biology. Foliar fertilising can also reduce the nitrogen losses we see in soil applications by providing it directly to the plant Trials in New Zealand on Ryegrass dairy systems (very similar to those in our region), showed urea rates could potentially be reduced by upwards of 40% when opting for foliar urea application over granular.

EXPLORE BIOSTIMULANTS

Biostimulants can be used to provide beneficial compounds for plants and soil biology One such biostimulant that Tasmania has an abundant supply of is kelp. Kelp provides numerous beneficial compounds including plant-available micronutrients, amino acids, carbohydrates and plant hormones. This leads to soil biology stimulation, improved biotic and abiotic (eg diseases and drought) stress tolerance, improved nutrient use efficiency and ultimately, plant quality and yield.

BUILD SOIL CARBON

Soil carbon is the foundation of a healthy, productive soil. Besides the production benefits, there is a growing opportunity for farmers to be rewarded for building soil carbon via carbon markets Practices that promote soil carbon include cover cropping between cash crops, minimising tillage, encouraging dung beetles and earthworms, maintaining groundcover in grazing enterprises and using organic amendments like compost and manures

MONITORING CONTINUES

ThreatenedSpeciesDaysawthereleaseof thenewSwiftParrotRecoveryPlan, highlightingthatthiscriticallyendangered birdalsoneedsallthehelpitcanget.

AtKelceyTier,volunteerscontinuetomonitorthe 100nestboxesinstalledbyDevonportCouncilin 2020,tocheckwhethertheswiftieswillusethem thisyear.

IfyouhavetimetoregularlyvolunteerthisSpring andSummer,getintouchwithPhilat phildhrstich@gmail.com.Philistriallinganewapp thisyearwiththevolunteers,sorecordingthe observationsshouldbestraightforward!

SomeIDnotesfromtheForestPracticesAuthority,if youarecrackingthebinocularsoutthisSpring:

SWIFTPARROT:Greenhead;redaroundbeak, throatandforehead;redunderwings;redunder tail;longtail;ofteninthetopsoftrees

MUSKLORIKEET:Redmaskacrossface;yellow shoulders;greenunderwings;greenundertail; shorttail.

GREENROSELLA:Yellowishhead,neckand underbelly;bluecheeks;redabovebeak;dark underwings;greenundertail;longtail;largerbird.

7th THREATENED SPECIES BAKE OFF DEDICATED TO THE “DULL”

NationalThreatenedSpeciesDayisheldevery7Septembertocommemorateasadevent–theextinctionoftheThylacine

TheThreatenedSpeciesBake-offisacompetitiontoraiseawarenessaboutAustralia’smany remarkableanduniquethreatenedspeciesandtheworkoforganisationslikeoursdoto preventmoreextinctions.

Thisyear’sBakeOffthemehighlightedthethreatenedspeciesthatdon’toftenhitthe headlinesandthespeciesthatsomepeoplemightcalluglyoruncharismatic.It’sa reminderthatthesespeciesmattertoo.Theyplayimportantrolesinourecosystems andarevaluedpartsofAustralia’sbiodiversity.

Check out the remarkable cakes on display on Facebook and vote for your favourite in the People’s Choice award:

https://www.facebook.com/media/s et/?set=a.695300879302715&type=3

MAUGEAN SKATE RECOVERY TEAM

OnethreatenedspeciesthatCradleCoastNRMhasaparticularinterestinisthe MaugeanSkate.Followingouryear-longprojecttaskedwithraisingcommunity awarenessofrarely-seenskate,thespecieshasbeenhittingtheheadlineslately.

Althoughit’sbecomingabetter-recognisedname,itsplightstillhangsinthebalance Alongwithrepresentativesfromallthreelevelsofgovernment,HydroTasmania,the aquacultureindustry,theWestCoastcommunity,IMAS,andtheAustralianMarine ConservationSociety,CradleCoastNRMarepartoftherecently-formedMaugeanSkate RecoveryTeamthatmeetquarterlyinabidtosecurethesurvivaloftheworld’slast remainingpopulationinMacquarieHarbour.

SeetheNREwebsitetokeepintouchwithMaugeanSkatenews. https://nre.tas.gov.au/conservation/threatened-species-and-communities/lists-ofthreatened-species/threatened-species-vertebrates/maugean-skate

KELCEY TIER GREENBELT BIOBLITZ

DevonportCityCouncil,inpartnershipwithBookendTrust,willbe runninga30-hour-longBioBlitzatKelceyTierGreenbelt20-21 October.Theeventwillinvolvelocalschoolsandthepublicin citizenscience,todiscoverournaturalenvironmentandto cataloguethedifferentspeciesthatlivethere.

ABioBlitzisdescribedas'afestivalofscienceinnature...fun,enjoyable andmeaningfultothecommunity,naturalists,scientistsand organisationsalike...aconcertedefforttodiscoverandrecordasmany livingthingsaspossiblewithinasetlocationoveralimitedtimeperiod'.

When:Friday20andSaturday21October

Where:KelceyTierGreenbelt-basecamplocatedonWilliams ReservoirRoad,StonyRise

Thiseventishighlycollaborative,withlocalschoolgroupsandmembers ofthecommunityassistingwithsurveysalongsideexpertscientistsand naturalists,including:ornithologistandbirdcallrecordingexpertRamit Singal;worldexpertonTasmania'sburrowingcrayfishDrAlastair Richardson;co-authoroftheFieldGuidetotheInsectsofTasmania website,biologyteacherandphotographerKristiEllingsen;botanist andecologicalconsultantPhilMilner;batecologist,consultantand sciencecommunicatorDrLisaCawthen

TheExtinctionMattersKelceyTierBioBlitzisaFREEcommunity event.

Bookingsopensoon;tofindoutmore,headtoBioBlitz2023|Kelcey TierGreenbelt,20–21October2023(extinctionmattersau)or https://www.facebook.com/extinctionmatters

Pleasejoinusonthemission-howmanydifferentspeciesofflora, fauna,fungiandmorecanwediscoverinKelceyTieroverthis30hourperiod?

BATS OR BITTERNS - WHAT SOUNDS

ARE IN YOUR SQUARE?

NatureTrackers’project,CallTrackers,isaCitizenScienceprojectaimedat usingsoundrecorderstofindandmonitornoisybutelusivespecies.Theinitial focusisonTasmanianbatsandthethreatenedAustralasianBittern,species whichhavedistinctivecalls.

Thesurveyseasonisabouttokickoffandyoucangetinvolved!Here’showitworks: Bookasurveysquarefortwoweeksviathewebpage.

PickupaCallTrackerssurveykitfromyourclosestdistributionlocation. Traveltoyoursurveylocationandsetuptherecorder.

Collectrecorderanduploadthedata,thenreturnyoursurveykit!Simple!

You'llreceiveasummaryoftheresults,learnaboutwhichspecieshavebeenidentifiedand whichliveinyourarea,theirbiology,behaviourandconservationneeds.

Tolearnmoreabouthowitworkshttps://naturetrackers.com.au/assets/CallTrackers flyer.pdf

Tobuildsoftwareabletobetter-identifybatspeciesfromrecordedcalls,CallTrackersHQ needlotsofrecordingsofcallswherebatshavebeenidentifiedfirst.TheCallTrackersproject islookingforanyoneinTasmaniawhocanhelpmonitorbatsbyrecordingtheircalls.

Theyarelookingforbatroosts!Theirchiropterologist(batexpert)DrLisaCawthencan identifythespeciesofbatintheroost,andthenrecordthem.

Ifyouknowofaroost,pleaseaddthedetailsvia:www.surveymonkey.com/r/TASbatroosts

Youmayhavearoostif...

you’rehearingchittering, youseemouse-likepoosonwallsorontheground, youheartheirnoisesmostlyatsunsetandsunrise.

IfyouhavearoostNatureTrackersstaffwilltalktoyou,maybecomeandcheckifthebats arethereatthemomentandwhichspeciestheyare;ifnecessaryandyouarehappy they maysetupequipmentinspring/summertorecordthebat

CONSERVING A THREATENED SPECIES

TheCreepingDustyMiller,Spyridium obcordatum. StorycontributedbyPhilipMilner,CentralNorth FieldNaturalists.

TheHawleyNatureReserveatPortSorellis hometooneofTasmania’srarestendemic plants,theCreepingDustyMiller,Spyridium obcordatum.Itislistedasavulnerablespecies undertheCommonwealthEnvironment ProtectionandBiodiversityConservationAct 1999andalsoundertheTasmanianThreatened SpeciesProtectionAct1995.

Spyridiumobcordatumoccursinjustafew locationsinthecentralnorthofTasmaniafrom nearBeaconsfieldintheeastandwithits western-mostoccurrenceinthePortSorell area IntheHawleyNatureReserveitis restrictedtotwodoleriterockyoutcropswhere ithasbeeninseriousdeclineoverrecentyears andatrealriskofbecominglocallyextinctin thereserve

TheCentralNorthFieldNaturalistsfirstbecame awareoftheperilousstateofthespeciesinthe HawleyNatureReserveabout15yearsago andundertookaninvestigationandtrialin ordertodeterminetherootcauseofthis decline,suspectedatthetimetobeeither consecutiveverydrysummers,browsingby wildlifeoracombinationofboth.Thisinvolved theuseofwirenettingguardstoprotectsome oftheplantsfrombrowsing,alongwith periodicplantcountsandmonitoring Theclear conclusionwasthatincreasedbrowsing pressurefrompademelonsandpossibly wallabieswastherealcauseofthedecline. Pademelonnumbershaveincreased substantiallyintheareaoverrecenttimesin responsetotheon-goingfragmentationofthe

remainingnaturalvegetationwiththe increasedurbanisationofthePortSorellarea andthecorrespondingincreaseingrassed areas,anadditionalfoodresourceforthe pademelons.Afavourablespringin2013 resultedinawelcomegerminationofnew plantsfromseedheldinthesoilseedbankon bothrockyoutcrops,buttheyallsuccumbedto browsinginarelativelyshorttime.

Asecondgerminationeventoccurredina followingfavourablespringin2016anditwas thenclearthatsomeinterventionwasrequired ifthoseseedlingsweregoingtoestablishand hopefullymaturetobeanewgenerationof seed-producingplants Thesoilseedbankwas beingprogressivelydepletedwitheach germinationthatfailedtoestablishnewplants.

IncollaborationwiththeParksandWildlife Servicestaffwhomanagethereservefromthe NarawntapuNationalParkbase,theCentral NorthFieldNaturalistsdevelopedaplanto covertheplantswithdeadbranchestotryand restrictanddiscourageaccessbypademelons totheplants

Thegrouphasundertakenanumberofworking beessincethespringof2016,collectingdead branchesfromthevicinityofthetworocky outcropsinthereserve,placingthemand interlockingthemovertheremnantplants. Thishasworkedremarkablywell,pademelons don’tlikepushingthroughentwinedbranchesit seems,andtheplantsunderthebranches remainandaregrowingrelativelywell, althoughstillfewerinnumberthan10to15 yearsago

OurmostrecentworkingbeeinAugustofthis yearinvolvedelevenofourmembers We removedsomeoftheolderunderlyingbranch materialthatwasturningintomulchand compostwithariskofitsupressingtheplants whichwethenreplacedwithfreshbutdead branchmaterial Thishasensuredon-going protectionfrombrowsingbutallowed additionalsunlightthroughtotheplantsfor growth.

Thenextstageofourconservationeffortforthe speciesinthereserveistoinstallanumberof largerwiremeshguardsaroundremnantplants togivethemsomeadditionalprotectedarea tospreadoutwardsastheyhaveanatural ground-coveringhabit,andalsotoprovide someprotectedspaceforseedgermination andhopefullyfurtherrecruitment.

OurexperiencewiththeCreepingDustyMiller intheHawleyNatureReserveclearly demonstratesthatenvironmentalimpacts, particularlythelossofnaturalvegetation,in areassurroundingbutoutsideofourreserves canhaveunforeseenconsequencesforthe floraandfaunathatrelyonsuchreservesfor theirongoingexistence.

FLOOD RECOVERY ON THE INGLIS RIVER

ThehighrainfalleventsinOctober2022 causedwidespreaddamagealonganumber ofriversacrosstheCradleCoastand impactedworksthathadbeenundertaken duringtheGiantFreshwaterCrayfishproject. Theseworksincludedeffortstostabilisebanks, improvelandmanagement,reintroduce shadingandtimberintothewaterwaysand improvetheoverallhabitatforthecrayfish.

ManylandholderswereabletoaccessTasmanianStateGovernmentfundingto assistwithrepairs.AtoneofthesitesintheInglisRiver,plainwirefenceswere washedflat,concretestocktroughsmovedslightlyanddebriswaswashedacross andpiledupacrossthefloodplain Theexistenceofwattleregrowthfromthe2016 floodsdidalottoprotectthebanksfromerosionandtrappeddebrisaswellas protectingplantingsthathadbeenputinamongsttheregrowthandincleared areasupanddownstream.Infactmanyplantingswereabletorecoverafterthe waterdamagebutwerethendestroyedbycattleaccessingthesitedueto neighbouringfencesbrokenthroughthefloodevent

Staff from Cradle Coast NRM recently worked as a team over several days and assisted one of the Inglis catchment landholders to recover from the flood damage by replanting more than 350 trees and shrubs to help armour the banks against future flood events, provide shading and allow timber back into the waterways.

Above: Concrete troughs were able to better-withstand floodwaters, although shifting slightly and trapping debris it was quickly re-connected

Left: Floodplain area and inside bend inundated along the Inglis River in October 2022

Replanting took place in good weather conditions with good inground moisture and will hopefully allow plants to get established and growing before the drier summer months. Great to get out as a team and undertake on ground natural resource management works.

Species such as Giant Freshwater Crayfish rely on cooler temperatures to survive, particularly with the warmer temperatures associated with climate change. Once the timber breaks down it provides a valuable food source for crayfish. Vegetation also helps hold the bank together, trapping both sediment and nutrients.

Above and above left: Before and after revegetation.

IT’S WHALE SEASON!

isfortunatetohaveoneof thebestseatsintheworldtowatchthese majesticcreatures,withabout40species identifiedintheoceanwatersaround Tasmaniasincemonitoringbegan.

Pastexploitationduringthewhalingindustry inthe19thcenturysawsomespeciespushed closetoextinction,butprotectionswereput inplaceinthe1960sandmanypopulations arerecoveringwell.

Tasmaniansgetthechancetoseewhales migratingthroughourwatersinAutumnas theytravelnorthtotheircalvingareasinthe warmsub-tropicsandnow,theyare beginningtoreturntosub-Antarcticsouthern feedinggroundsfrommid-Augustto November.

Please report your whale and dolphin sightings or strandings to the Marine Conservation Program hotline 0427 942 537 (0427WHALES) to contribute to Marine Conservation Program’s ongoing monitoring program.

www.facebook.com/whalestas #whalestas nre.tas.gov.au/whalestas

Phone: 0427 WHALES or Phone: 0427 942 537 Email: whales@nre.tas.gov.au

HumpbackWhales(Megapteranovaeangliae)Status:Endangered

WeexpecttoseemanymoreHumpbacksastheymigratepastTasmaniafromSeptemberontheirway toAntarcticfeedinggrounds.

Inthe19thand20thcenturies,HumpbackWhaleswerehuntedextensively,resultingina95%reductionin numbersworldwide Nowhowever,theyrepresentaconservationsuccessstory Latestestimatessuggest around30,000individualswillmakethejourneyalongAustralia’seasternseaboardthisyear

HumpbackWhalesspendthesummerinAntarcticwatersbeforemigratingnorthtowinterinwarmer oceans

Whattospot…

HumpbackWhalesarecharacterisedbytheirlargeflipperswhichareoftentotallyorpartlywhitein colourwithscalloping,knobsandbumpsontheleadingedge.Theirbodycolourisblackorgreywith whiteontheflippers,throatandbelly.Youmayseethembreaching(wheretheyjumpcompletelyoutof thewater)orflappingtheirflippersortails.

Threatsincludedirectkilling(illegalinAustralianwaters),entanglementinnetsorotherwaterdebris, collisionwithvessels,marinepollutionleadingtodiseaseorstrandings,e.g.oilspills.competitionand depletionoffoodstocksbyfisheries,especiallyunsustainableharvestofkrill,disturbance,and harassment.

Tasmania

SouthernRightWhales(Eubalaena australis)Status:Endangered

TheSouthernRightWhaleisoneofTasmania’srarest mammals,andoneofthelargest,withadults weighingupto80tons OnceabundantinTasmania duringtheirannualnorthernmigration,numbers weredecimatedbytheshore-basedwhaling industrythatformedthebackboneoftheTasmanian economyduringtheearly1800s.

SouthernRightWhalescanbereliablyseenin TasmaniabetweenMayandNovembereachyear astheymigratenorthfromtheirhigh-latitude feedinggroundstowarmerwaterstomateandgive birth.Someanimalswillsimplytravelthrough Tasmanianwaterstobreedingareasoffthe Australianmainland,whileaproportionwillremainin Tasmaniathroughouttheseason Shelteredwaters ontheeastcoastofTasmaniaprovidethebest placestospotSouthernRightWhalesbutitturnsout thereisapossibilityintheCradleCoastregiontoo!

NRMProjectOfficer,ClaireJinnettejoinedsome luckylocalswhospottedaSouthernRightWhaleoff StanleyWharfearlierintheseason

ManyotherwhalesmigratethroughTasmanian waters Speciesthatyoumightspotinthecoastal watersofTasmaniainclude:

PygmyRightWhale-Thesmallestofthebaleen whalesgrowingtoamaximumof6.5m.

TheFinWhale, Balaenopteraphysalus. SeiWhales(Balaenopteraborealis)growupto21 mandareoccasionallyseentravellingthrough Tasmanianwaters.

Long-finnedPilotWhaleGlobicephalamelas

SpermWhalePhysetermacrocephalus

AntarcticBlueWhaleBalaenopteramusculus intermedia

KillerWhaleOrcinusorca

It is important to remember while watching these amazing creatures to keep your distance. Guidelines for whale watching are in place to ensure human safety and protect the animals' welfare. For more information on the whale watching guidelines visit the NRE Tas website: https://www.nre.tas.gov.au/wd-viewing

Photo: A Southern Right Whale “giving a wave” off Stanley Wharf earlier in the season

CENTRAL COAST STANDS UP FOR TREES

CentralCoastCouncilarestandingupforthetreesthatserveus andbiodiversitysotirelessly.Youcouldsaytreesaretheheroesof theplanet!

Theyactasnaturalsunparasolsprovidingcoolingshade,they removecarbondioxidefromtheairandtheygenerateoxygen. Treesarenotonlybeautiful,buttheyprovideimportanthabitatfor birds,mammalsandinvertebratesandtheirrootsholdtogethersoil topreventerosionfromwind,rainandfloods.

Leaflitterisvitalforhealthysoilsanddeadfallentreesareafeast forcreepycrawliesandfungi.

It’snotsurprisingthatwhenevertreesarevandalisedorclearedwithoutpermission,CentralCoast Counciltakeitseriously

TheVegetationDamageSignagePolicyhasbeeninplacesinceDecember2021 Itisdesignedto supporttheCentralCoastCouncil’sGreeningCentralCoastStrategyvisiontoincreaseCentralCoast’s GreenInfrastructuretoenhanceitsuniqueidentity,landscapeandlifestyle.

IncreasingcanopycoveristhesimplestformofGreenInfrastructureandincludesasingletree(street trees/parktrees)tolargernaturalareas(bushlandandcoastalreserves).Thestrategyaimstoincrease thePrecinct’scanopycoverto30%by2030.

Without stricter controls, the ongoing, unauthorised clearance or damage to vegetation on Council-managed land will continue to cause deterioration, habitat modification and fragmentation of canopy cover. When unauthorised clearing or vandalism has occurred, the Council may erect signage on Council owned or managed land to educate the community.

The presence of these signs will help the Council to spread the message that we value our green infrastructure, that these actions are not acceptable and that consequences may apply.

Signage may be used where natural reserves and coastal foreshore vegetation has been damaged, including new plantings.

Signage can also be used where nature strip trees, park trees or stands of single trees have been vandalised. There is no minimum tree size, the signs can be used for newly planted/young trees or wellestablished mature trees. Replacement vegetation will be planted at the site of the damage to aid recovery where suitable

https://www.centralcoast.tas.gov.au/wpcontent/uploads/2021/12/Vegetation-Damage-Signage-Policy-2021.pdf

BOUNTY FROM THE BEACH DE-MYSTIFIED

Localwriter,ReesCampbell,authorofthesell-outEatWildandEat MOREWildTasmanian,hasextendedherrepertoirewithanew publication.

ThiswillbeRees’sseventhbook,allofwhichhavecelebratedTasmania ….andincludenon-fiction,shortfiction,poetryandcookbooks.

TheSeaweedSupplementisaguidetothegenerousarrayofedible seaweedswhichgrowinTasmanianwaters.Partidentificationguide, partscientificinformationandpartrecipebook,Reesdescribeswhat tolookfor,howtocollect,prepareandcookthebestseaweedsinour waters Morethan130colourphotographsillustratethiseasy-to-use spiral-boundbooklet.

Seaweediswell-knowntohaveexcellentnutritionalvalue, includingabewilderinglistofvitaminsandminerals;itis commonlyeateninmostpartsoftheworld–butnotherein Australia

Thisbookletaimstochangeallthat Takeittothebeach,bring homesomeediblebeachcastseaweed,andcooksomeofthe deliciousrecipes!

OrderyourcopydirectfromReesatreescampbell1@gmailcom

Right: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera on the beach

Left: Golden kelp, Ecklonia radiata in a pot

Right: Kalikina rice balls ready to eat.

SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY CAPACITY SMALL GRANTS ROUND 3

WeareexcitedtosupportninecommunitygroupswiththelatestroundoftheCommunityCapacity SmallGrantsRound3 ThesegrantsaimtosupportthehugediversityofNRMvolunteerstocontinuetodo theirgreatworktoprotect,preserveandenhanceourregion’snaturalvalues.Round3isfundingprojects upto$1500forworktobecompletedwithinoneyearuntilJune2024.

SuccessfulprojectsinRound3:

WILDCARE'S TASMANIAN NATURE CONSERVATION FUND ROUND 2 NOW OPEN

ApplicationsforRound2ofWildcare'sTasmanianNatureConservationFund arenowopenforprojectsthatrelatetothecareandconservationof Tasmania’swildplacesandwildlife

ApplicationsarewelcomefromWildcaregroups,individualWildcare members,not-for-profitorganisations,establishedpartners(including councils/PWS),orsocialenterprises

Applicantsmusthaveobtainedallendorsementsandpermitsrelevantto theproposedconservationprojectandtheinvolvementofvolunteersinthe planningandimplementationofprojectswouldbelookeduponfavourably bytheGrantsAssessmentCommittee.

Applicationsclose28September2023

Formoreinformationvisit:

https://wildcaretasorgau/tasmanian-nature-conservation-fund-grants/

TheBirdlifeAustraliaAussieBirdCountiscomingupagainthisOctober.Anyonecangetinvolved inhelpingtocontributetolocalscientificknowledgeandlearningmoreaboutyourlocalbirds TocompletetheAussieBirdCount,spend20minutesstandingorsittinginonespotandnoting downthebirdsthatyousee.Youwillneedtocountthenumberofeachspeciesyouspotwithin the20-minuteperiod

TheAussieBirdCountisopentoeveryone–fromcompletebeginnerstocertifiedbird-nerds! Ifyouaren’tconfidentidentifyinglocalbirds,youcandownloadtheAussieBirdCountappwhich hasagreatfieldguidefunctionforidentifyingbirdsbasedontheirsize,colourandkeyfeatures

When?16-22October

Formoreinformationandgetinvolvedvisit:https://aussiebirdcountorgau/

SPRING HAS SPRUNG, BUT SCIENTISTS ARE WORRIED

Climatechange,coupledwiththeonsetof apredictedEl-Ninoperiodisthoughttobe causingrecord-breakingtemperatures acrossTasmaniaandtheglobe SouthAmericahasjustseentemperaturesof upto38.9CintheChileanAndeanareasin mid-winter!Europe,AsiaandNorthAmerica too,havebeenstruckbyheatwaves, bushfiresandunusuallyseverestorms.

Locally,DevonporthittherecordbooksinJuly,withovernighthighsof12.7Candthesummitof kunyani/MountWellington’sJulyrecordsmasheditshighestdailymaximumbymorethan1.5C. Theseunseasonalhighsspellconfusionamongplants,withsomebudsandbloomsrecordedmuch earlierthannormal.

Themainconcernisthatyoungbudsandnewgrowthareparticularlysensitivetofrosts Ifacold snapisyettocome,flowerscanbecomedamagedandtheirpotentialforsettingfruitis hampered

Notonlywillflowersbesusceptibletofrostdamage,butthetimingofbloomsisusuallysyncedwith emergentpollinators“onthewing”.Ifearlierfloweringalsoreducespollination,thiswouldinturn reducereproductivesuccessandcropyields.Pollinatorsthemselvescouldbeatrisksinceearlier floweringcanleadtogapsinresourceslikepollenandnectarleavinginsectshungry.

NoMowMayisamovementinthenorthernhemisphereencouragingpeopletostopmowingfora monthinSpringtoallowflowerstogrowforpollinators.Youmightbesurprisedhowmuchdiversity youcanspotinyourgardenifyoudelaymowingandweedinguntiltheinsectshavehadtheirfill!

DID YOU KNOW BURNIE IS STILL HOME TO TASMANIAN DEVILS?

At the end of last summer, two businesses in Park Grove had unexpected visitors wandering in from the bushland fringing Cooee Creek: two Tasmanian Devil pups! Later, Burnie Council’s NRM Officer Phil, found devil tracks in the area too

The pups weighed less than a kilo and were too young to be fending for themselves, so they went to stay with experienced wildlife carer Alice Carson at Montagu.

Alice fed them up until they reached over 6 kg each and they were released at a safe bush location. They had taken up residence in a wombat burrow that a previous resident-in-care had dug, so they were difficult to catch when it was time for them to be released!

ADAM AND LARA COMBINE ART WITH RAPTOR RESCUE

DidyoucatchtheWildexhibitionatArtScapeinWynyard recently?

Ifso,you’llknowthatAdamandLaraHardyarean exceptionalcouple Theyrunaraptorrehabilitationfacility, RaptorCareNorthWest,inWynyard,takingininjuredand sickbirdsofprey.Theyarealsobuildingthecommunity’s knowledgethrougheducationandawarenessaboutour uniqueraptorspeciesandtheirplaceinourenvironment, andoneofthewaystheydothis,isthroughtheirart.

Adamisaremarkablephotographer,andLaradrawswith intricatedetail,somehowcraftingeachpiecewithasenseof thebird’scharacter.

Theirnewwebsitehttps://raptorcarenw.org.au/hasdetailsof theirprojectsandbirdsincare,andfeaturesAdam’sphotos

“They were beautiful and shiny and wild when I watched them run off into the bush”, said Alice.

WHAT MAKES GOOD HABITAT FOR BANDICOOTS?

Therearetwospeciesofbandicootsonthe CradleCoast,EasternBarred,andSouthern Brown.

Theybothappreciateperi-urbanand agriculturallandscapes,wherelawnsand pasturesprovidefood,andgardens,native forestsor“shelterbelts”provide...shelter!

Above: A fence, cardboard and mulch were installed on a Penguin property in July 2019.

Left: Plants were bought from local nurseries and planted in August 2019

Below: Four years later and the shelterbelt has 4 m blackwoods and all sorts of native flowering bushes, grasses and sedges attracting birds, insects, frogs and...bandicoots!

Oftenplantedaswindbreaksonfarms, shelterbeltsareknowntoimprovestock productivitybyreducingheatlossincold weatherandprovidingshadewhenit’shot. Shelterbeltsarealsorefugesforpollinatorsand beneficialfauna,helpingwithIntegratedPest Managementonchemical-freefarms.

Youmightnotalsorealisethatadiversenative shelterbeltcanbeidealhabitatforbandicoots too!

Tryplantingamixofdifferentplanthabitsand heights-bushyshrubsanddroopygrasses makegreatnestsites

DrsAlexandJamesfromUlverstoneVet CentrerunUVCWild,anot-for-profitresearch armofthevetclinic Theyhavebeenstudying bandicootsalongthenorth-westcoastand saythattherearesomesimplewaysyoucan improveyourproperty’sbandicoothabitat:

Left: This winter Dr Alex Bullen from UVC Wild trapped a healthy male EBB in this shelterbelt and recorded his stats for her study. This was him being released back where he was found

Plantamixofnatives CheckoutNRM North’sBandicootGardenguidefortips. Leavebranches,deadtreesandleaflitter whereitis,thisbecomesperfecthabitatfor bandicootsandthemanyinvertebrates theyeat.

Keepdogsandcatscontained,especially atnight Theyareoneofthebiggest threatstobandicootsinTasmania.

Don’tpanicoverholesinthelawnor pasture!Bandicootsareremovinggrubs andaeratingthesoiltokeepithealthy!

FollowtheUVCWildFacebookpagefor storiesandvideosaboutourwonderful wildlife.

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

WHAT WHERE AND MORE INFO WHEN

Wildcare's Tasmanian Nature Conservation Fund Round 2

NOW OPEN

https://wildcaretas.org.au/tasmanian-natureconservation-fund-grants/

Tas Landcare Conference Spring Bay Mill, Triabunna https://www.landcaretas.org.au/conference2023

Birdlife Australia Backyard Bird count

Penguin Rehab and Release Volunteer information evening

Penguin Rehab and Release Volunteer Training Day

https://aussiebirdcount org au/

CCA Function Room. Contact Kathy at Penguinrandr@gmail.com to make your booking

If after the information evening you decide that you would like to sign up

Kelcey Teir Greenbelt Bioblitz Bookings open soon (extinctionmatters au) or https://www facebook com/extinctionmatters

Under One Sky Global Conference

Wings on King Spring Surveys

Tasmanian Ocean Summit

A 24-hour virtual event that will leave you feeling inspired and empowered to combat light pollution in your region. https://conference.darksky.org/

Volunteer for the Spring Bird Surveys on King Island https://www birdsofkingisland com/launch-2017

The Australia Institute is hosting the second Tasmanian Ocean Summit https://australiainstitute org au/events/tasmanianocean-summit/

Closes 28 Sept

13-15 Oct

16 - 22 Oct

Wed 4 Oct 6:00 pm7:30 pm

Sat 14 Oct

20-21 Oct

3 - 4 Nov

Marinus Link Community Partnership Program OPEN

Through the Program, two successful applicants will receive $20,000 each year over three years https://www burnie tas gov au/Council/News/2023/M arinus-Link-Community-Partnership-Program

9 - 12 Nov

Fri 17 Nov

Have you seen a Bogong Moth?

If you see a Bogong Moth, upload the photo and location to Zoos Victoria's Moth Tracker https://bit ly/2Ls3NYC This will help scientists better understand if the moths will make it to the mountains this year

Learn more: https://www zoo org au/possums/

Closes on 21 Nov