Earthcare News
September 2002
I do what I can, where I am.
www.vicnet.net.au/~earthcare
Port Phillip EcoCentres' AGM - All Welcome
Monday 23 September, at the Cora
Graves Centre
38 Blessington St, St Kilda (opposite Herbert St)
RSVP Ph 9209 6491 or email ecocentr@portphillip.vic.gov.au
Eat Cake made by Katie! Speak and Listen to these
Forest Conservationalists
Sean Marler - Cycler for Forests Lucy Turner - Lawyers for Forests
Peter New - Doctors for Forests
Park Community Association - Corroboree Tree Grasslands Project
Wednesday September 18 at 7.30 p m
Annual General Meeting - NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE
Parks Victoria Office (formerly Army HQ building) Albert Park Drive, Albert
Park
Melway 2K 6E
MAIN ITEMS OF BUSINESS
o Election of Office Bearers
o Presentation by Rob Scott - Naturelinks/Earthcare
"Indigenous Plants in the City of Port Phillip"
Rob was one of the driving forces behind the original landscaping of the
Corroboree tree area in the 80s. He has worked tirelessly both within
Council and with other organisations/groups to extend the use of native
plants in our public places. His views on maintaining the plantings in
our
project will be interesting.
Subscriptions for 2002/03 are now due;.
Information/apologies/Nominations: Pat Agostino, 9696 2043
NEXT PLANTING DAY
Sunday September 22 10 a m to 2 p m
On site at Junction Oval, St Kilda
Melway Map 58 B8 bring lunch to share
Information: John Addie, 9682 2323
Earthcare Planting at Cantebury Rd
Sunday 29th September 11am-1pm
Meet opposite Langridge St Melways Ref 57 J6
Come and help rejuvenate Cantebury Rd Urban
Forest. We have lots of plants to put in so we need lots of help! Bring you
friends and family.
Refreshments Provided. Please bring own tools and
gloves if possible, otherwise some will be provided. Please bring your own
weather protection.
Whats On September / October
18th Sept Friends of Westgate Park planting plus
Gerry Martinelli will bring frogs. 12noon onwards. Mel. 56 F1
18th Sept Parks Community AGM, Albert Road Drive
South, Albert Park (enter via Cecil Street [MSAC] entrance 7.30pm Mel Ref 2K 6E
21st Sept EcoCentre's
Ecowater Education Workshop, featuring Roof water collection system design
workshop and installation working bee. 2-5pm at EcoCentre.
22 Sept Planting Corroboree Tree Project. 10am to
2pm Sunday On site at Junction Oval, St Kilda
Melway Map 58 B8 bring lunch to share. John Addie, 9682 2323
23 Sept EcoCentre
AGM, 7pm at the Cora Graves Centre (see above) ph: 9209 6491
26th Sept Earthcare
meeting and Committee meeting at The Cora Graves Centre, Blessington St
Opposite the EcoCentre.
29th Sept
Canterbury Road planting,
meet opposite Langridge St, Sunday 11am-1pm
6th Oct Penguin
Research, Bookings/Info Angela 9527 8334 (we ask people to let us know if they
want to attend so we can keep groups to a managable size)
13th Oct Friends of Sandy Rail, Riddell Pde
Elsternwick 10am -12pm Rob 9537 2599
20th Oct Friends of Port Melbourne’s Foreshore
working Bee at Perc White Reserve
Saturday 9.30-12noon Melways 56 F3 Details Janet 9645 2269
24th Oct Earthcare
meeting celebrating the Launch of the Flora Book, at The Cora Graves Centre,
Blessington St Opposite the EcoCentre.
27th Oct Earthcare Planting at Elwood Foreshore
11am-3pm
Earthcare St Kilda
Ph 0500 832 784 PO Box 287 Elwood
Email zoemh@bigpond.com or aliart@bigpond.com
BIRDLIFE IN ALBERT PARK SINCE 1995
This report is based on
data provided to Save Albert Park by Mary Ellen Talmage who conducted the
original census and continues to monitor birdlife in the park on a weekly basis. She is a member of the Victorian Ornithological Research Group
and her work was recognised in the Melbourne Parks & Waterways Draft
Strategy Plan for Albert Park (Dec. 1993) and the final Master Plan, Albert
Park: Realising the Vision (Nov. 1994).
This original work has been re-used by Parks Victoria in its recently
released draft Future Directions Plan for Albert Park.
Environmental
Changes
Since 1992, the park
has been affected by two major environmental upheavals which have had a
significant impact on birdlife. The
first was the drainage of the lake by Melbourne Parks & Waterways in
1992/93 in order to control the pondweed problem. The second was the construction of the Formula One Grand Prix
race track in 1994-1995, which involved drastic environmental changes and
disruptions to the park, with all the consequent changes to diversity and
distribution of flora and fauna (including insect life). In addition, since 1995 birdlife has had to
contend with the annual and ongoing damage to feeding grounds during the four
months of recurrent engineering works to set-up and take-down race
infrastructure.
The two environmental
events have affected the birdlife in different ways.
Impacts on Birdlife
1. Bird Observations 1988-2001
The table below
presents a summary of the numbers of species recorded in the seven years before
the construction of the track and for the seven years since. It is of note that while there has been
little change in the number of waterbird species, the number of bushbird
species has declined markedly.
Bird Numbers by Species and Habitat
|
|
1988
- 1994 |
1995
- 2001 |
|
Total
Species |
108 |
86 |
|
Bushbirds |
68 |
46 |
|
Waterbirds |
40 |
40 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Breeding Species |
31 |
25 |
|
Bushbirds |
25 |
18 |
|
Waterbirds |
6 |
7 |
2.
Waterbirds At first, after the lake
was re-filled following drainage, the waterbird numbers fell, but as the
nutritional levels in the lake improved, and the pondweed became
re-established, the lake once again began to support a diverse and increasing
number of birds.
In 2001 the number of
birds over-wintering on the lake increased markedly. Up to 600 coots, over 100
grebes and 130 White-eyed Duck have been recorded. The newly-established wetlands support increasing numbers of breeding
birds, including up to 240 Black Swans.
Breeding birds now include coots, Dusky Moorhens, Purple Swamphens,
Spur-winged Plovers and a diversity of ducks.
Waders, such as Royal Spoonbills, Sacred Ibis, Plumed and Cattle Egrets,
are seen more frequently, while two new waders - a Banded Landrail and a
Spotted Crake - have been sighted feeding on the edge of the wetlands. Reed Warblers have also been seen on the
wetlands.
These developments all point to the
improving conditions for the waterbirds in an environment that, for the most part,
has been allowed to evolve without constant changes or disruptions. The waterbirds generally have not been
affected by race activities.
3. BushbirdsThe story is very different with respect to the
second environmental event, the construction of the race circuit and provision
for infrastructure. This has involved
the removal of 1000 trees; the reduction in understorey plantings; a net
reduction in the number of trees; and extensive
relatively treeless areas because of the requirements for grandstands,
corporate facilities, and general spectator space around the track
perimeter. The reconfiguration of the
park involved also additional areas of paved roads, underpasses and carparking. The park, particularly the western side, is
subject to the annual disruption of the set-up and take-down of GP
infrastructure which leave extensive areas of permanently degraded grass
surfaces which should be feeding grounds.
These changes have
been accompanied not only by a reduction in the number of bird species, but also
a reduction in the populations of those species that have remained. The changes in flora have led to changes in
the fauna and the way in which birds now use the park.
Birds such as the
White-browed Scrubwren and the Sacred Kingfisher that once bred in the park
have left. Richard’s Pipits no longer
migrate through the park and the Flame Robins no longer over-winter and are seen only in greatly reduced numbers.
Other birds arrive in
the spring, but since 1995 have departed without breeding. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, Grey Fantails
and Silver-eyes that used to be breeding residents are now only seen on a
casual basis. Up to 80 Yellow-rumped
Thornbills used to be seen in the park during the breeding season, but they
have now contracted to the southern part of the park and are only seen in small
numbers. Only one nest has been recorded and that was a failed one.
There used to be three
species of Raptors that hunted in the park but now only one, the Little Falcon,
is seen, but less frequently. The park
is no longer a good hunting ground for birds of prey, with the reduced number
of small birds.
In fact, the changes
to the park’s habitat have benefited only one bushbird, the Noisy Miner, which
only arrived in 1996 and is now established as a breeding resident. They are aggressive, pugnacious birds that
tend to drive other birds from their territory. With the destruction of nesting trees in the park there has been
a decrease in the number of honeyeaters, such as the Little and Red Wattlebird
and White-plumed Honeyeater, that would have been able to band together to fend
off the competition from this aggressive new arrival.
The question arises
as to why we should concern ourselves about birds in Albert Park. The way we
manage our environment has become an important public issue and bird
populations can serve as an indicator as to the state of our environment. When all is said and done, birds give many
people pleasure and that is reason enough to treat them as a valuable asset and
to look after their habitat and welfare.
The Future
Directions Plan for Albert Park
Parks Victoria has
just released for public comment its draft Future Directions Plan for Albert
Park. It would be fair comment that the
plan appears to place no importance on the park’s birdlife outside the
Lake.
Its brief reference to “wildlife” notes as significant features of the park the Black Swans, Pacific Black Ducks, coots and cormorants. The Lake’s birdlife is described as “a major visitor attraction and a problem for others.”
There is no reference
to bush birdlife. The performance
measures do not include any attempt to increase the numbers or diversity of the
bushbirds, and the tree planting strategy contains no objective to provide or improve
habitat. In fact there is no mention of
the habitat value of trees.
Membership
There
are many over due subscriptions at present. Due to rising costs of postage,
paper, insurance etc…, Earthcare is unable to cover non-financial members, and
will no longer be able to deliver its range of membership advantages including
the newsletter, to those people. If on your newsletter label it says 01 or 02 to please pay your subscriptions.
If you are unsure please email aliart@bigpond.com
or ph: 9532 4138 (ah).