Earthcare News
October 2002
I do what I can,
where I am.
Earthcare
St. Kilda invites you
to
preview and celebrate a wonderful new book
Indigenous
Plants of the Sandbelt
WHEN?
7.30pm, Thursday 31st October
and
offers practical advice in planning, planting and maintenance.
Over
180 indigenous plants are described and illustrated -160 pages,
over
300 colour plates, illustrations, maps, and tables.
The book explains the natural history, geology, plant communities and fauna of the Sandbelt, stretching from Port Melbourne to Frankston. Planting tables and flowering diagrams will help you to choose plants that will thrive in your garden and introduce colour and attract local fauna throughout the year.
Authors:
Rob Scott, Neil Blake, Jeannie Campbell,
Doug
Evans and Nicholas Williams
Editor:
Charlotte Roseby, Design: Ranya Langenfelds
Price
$25.00
0402
164 482
ELSTERNWICK PARK:
HOME FOR BIRDS, PLAYGROUND FOR CHILDREN AND DOGS.
CAN FENCING MAKE IT SAFE FOR ALL THREE?
Elsternwick Park is one of the few
areas around the Cities of Port Phillip and Bayside that provides a breeding
site for water birds. Black Swans, the
Pacific Black Duck, and the Australasian Grebe are some of the many water birds
that have been sighted there since the lakes were created in 1998. Black Swans have been breeding in the park
for the last three years.
Two swans and their cygnets were killed
this year at Elsternwick Park. Witnesses report that they were killed by
dogs. This was confirmed by Animal
Rescue operator, Nigel Williamsons observations, that the mother swan had
bite marks and lacerations on her back, which were the hallmarks of a dog
attack (Port Phillip Leader, May 27 2002) This swan later died at a wildlife
shelter.
Park user Derek Holmes said, some park
users believed the lake was no more than a swimming pool for dogs. Ive seen people laugh as their dogs run
after ducks. Ive even seen a dog get
on the roosting island. Thats the last
line of refuge for the birds (Port Phillip leader, May 27, 2002).
Children also appear to be in danger at
Elsternwick Park, as the childrens playground is unfenced and adjacent to a
dog off-leash area. Louise Thomson of
New Street, Brighton also supported fencing as the best way of controlling dogs
in Elsternwick Park, saying sign reading comes way below stick retrieval and
ball chasing in the skills of your average dog (Bayside Leader, July 2002).
Bayside Council has now put up a fence
that they will review after 12 months.
A Black-tailed Native-hen is still there after 5 months, a new pair of
swans has bred and there have been few, if any, reports of dogs on the wrong
side of the fence. Will dogs start to dig underneath? Will the swans and other
ducks have enough grass? Most recently Bayside Council voted to review
practices relating to dogs around playgrounds which includes providing fenced
areas for DOGS rather than around the playgrounds.
Also of concern is the water
quality. Significant native fish have died and the grebes, which feed on
invertebrates, have gone.
In this highly urbanised area it is a
rare treat to have wild animals around us. If you would like to help monitor
the fence or support the community campaign for dog proof fencing around the
childrens playground, please contact Bayside City Council, Ph: 9599 4444
Earthcare Planting
Sunday 27th October 11am-2pm
Melways Ref 67 B4
Meet in front of Sailing Club, refreshments
provided.
Details Rob 9537 2599 (BH)
Toyota have generously included the St
Kilda Penguin Study Group in their Community Spirit Presentation Scheme. The
$10,000 donated by Toyota will greatly assist the penguin research team. Some
of the money will be spent on the scanners and transponders needed for penguin
identification and recording. The team is particularly looking at technology,
which enables research to be done with minimal intrusion to the penguins.
Elwood Canal Marine Fauna Survey Stage 2, proposal for a fish calendar
The aim of the program is to introduce kids to estuarine/stream ecology and the particular problems faced in an urban catchment - and to have them produce information and propositions that are useful for management decisions. We wish to involve Earthcare and local schools at this early stage to incorporate their input into the calendar/course structure. Kids can discover how these things work locally and generally, and propose their own solutions to problems. For further information: Peter 03 59 566378.
Outline of Stage 2 of Peter Bairds
Elwood Canal Marine Fauna Survey:
Introduction
and brief human and natural history of canal.
Proposed
contents of each month
§
Brief description and illustration of one canal creature.
§
Introduction to and exploration of an ecological function.
§
Exploration of problems with that ecological function;
proposed solutions.
§
Monthly measurement of water quality, fauna counts etc
recording of info.
§
Measurements after or during special events such as floods or
spring tides.
Proposed
list for creature of the month
§
Mullet
§
Bream
§
Galaxias
§
Toad
§
Short finned eel
§
Flat head gudgeon
§
Blue spot goby
§
Rakali
§
Tern
§
Cormorant
§
White faced heron
§
Black duck
Proposed
list of ecological functions and problems:
§
Nutrient cycle over
supply
§
Food web break
in web
§
Salt wedge altered
regime
§
Tide cycle
obstruction
§
Relationship between in stream and streamside ecology removal of streamside veg
§
Catchment/water cycle rubbish,
catchment, alteration, clearance
§
Estuary bay relationship sick
estuary = sick bay
§
Habitat damage
removal - fragment
§
eco-system breakdown
§
siltation over
siltation
§
stream flow alteration
§
fish life cycles blocking
fish passage
Whats On
October / November
27th
Oct Earthcare Planting Sunday at Elwood Foreshore 11am-2pm
31st Oct Earthcare
meeting previewing the book - Indigenous Plants of the Sandbelt, at
The Cora Graves Centre, 38 Blessington
St Opposite the EcoCentre. (please note it is
not the 24th as written in previous newsletter. Sorry)
3rd
Nov 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 manageable size)
16th
Nov Friends of Port Melbournes
Foreshore working Bee at Percy White Reserve Melways 56 F3 Details Janet 9645
2269 9.30am 12noon
24th Nov West Beach Weeding, at corner of
Beaconsfield and Pier Rd North, Mel 57 J8 11-3pm
28th Nov Earthcare
Meeting, twilight picnic at West
Beach 7.00pm
Earthcare St Kilda
Ph 0500 832 784 PO Box 287 Elwood
Email zoemh@bigpond.com or aliart@bigpond.com
Earthcare
Earthcare is a practical, local environment group. We work closely with specialists and the Council to improve the environment in the City of Port Phillip. Our main projects are to increase the diversity and extent of native vegetation, the fortnightly penguin and rakali study groups, litter and water quality monitoring, underwater studies of the St Kilda Harbour, the nest box project and sustainable housing. Membership includes the monthly newsletter, admission to talks by guest speakers, access to specialist project groups, and participation in local plantings. Its a great way to study local ecologies, with or without formal qualifications while giving something to our community. Tel. 05 008 32784 http://www.vicnet.net.au/~earthcare
Membership or
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February to January.
Membership includes a monthly newsletter and information
about coming events.
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