Malleefowl Developments at Wychitella NCR

On the 5^th of February a meeting was held between members of the Wedderburn CMN and members of the Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group (VMRG). Two of the objectives of the meetings were; firstly a revision of the alignment of the work of the WCMN with the National Malleefowl Recovery Plan and secondly discussion of the coordination of line searches for malleefowl mounds in the Wychitella NCR. At the conclusion of the meeting it was decided that the VMRG should coordinate such searches to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure that data collected was recorded on the national database.

Prior to this meeting Dr David Baker- Gabb had prepared a Malleefowl Release Plan for the Wychitella Nature Conservation Reserve and although it is now realised that further research is required before population supplementation takes place, having the plan in place is a distinct advantage. A brief summary of this detailed document is given below.

Summary of aspects of the Malleefowl Release Plan

When it is decided that population supplementation will recommence the approximately1 year old Malleefowl, before their introduction into the captive program, and before any releases to the wild, will be subject to veterinary checks. They will then be translocated to a pre-prepared semi-captive facility located on a suitable site in the Wychitella NCR. Four such suitable sites have already been identified.

The semi-captive facility will cover c.1ha and be surrounded by a approximately 2m high predator-proof galvanised ‘chicken netting’ fence with a covering of soft ‘bird netting’ supported by 3m tall poles and wires overhead to exclude raptors. The facility will encompass natural Malleefowl habitat with shrubs and trees up to 3m that will allow the young birds to learn to roost well above the ground.

When local conditions are suitable, for example, after a wet Spring, the Malleefowl will be allowed to move out from the semi-captive facility into a surrounding larger approximately 10 ha soft-release site that has an electrified fence surrounding it to exclude mammalian predators. Birds will only be allowed into the outer soft release facility if their weights are similar to or heavier than when they arrived. The young Malleefowl will continue to be fed in this larger enclosure and will be able to fly in and out of it as they choose. The diet for the captive Malleefowl will be the same as that recommended by the Little Desert Lodge and other captive facilities.

All Malleefowl will be fitted with a single metal ABBBS leg band and two coloured metal bands so that they can be individually identified in the aviary and field. All captive Malleefowl will be fitted with ‘backpack’ radio-transmitters that have been used successfully on captive-released birds elsewhere. The ‘backpacks’ will be fitted at the start of the bird’s confinement in the captive-release facility at Wychitella, but not activated until their release to the wild, so that any impacts on the birds can be monitored closely and corrected if necessary. Included in the plan are contingency measures for dealing with such emergency situations as distressed bird.

Article by Michael Moore, Wedderburn Conservation Management Network

First National Invasive Cacti Forum

It was an instructive experience to attend the first National Invasive Cacti Forum held at the Waite precinct of Adelaide University. Some of the positive points I was pleased to note were:

• There were highly qualified and experienced representatives from WA, SA, NSW, ACT and QLD present.
• Wheel cactus was high on the agenda but not the only cactus of concern.
• Wheel cactus is now on the list of Opuntioid cacti that is considered suitable for bio-control.
• The outbreak of wheel cactus in the Flinders Ranges is steadily being brought under control: contractors spraying with Grazon with volunteers mapping and mopping up being their method of control.
• From work done in South Africa there is a lot more understood about the cellular structure of wheel cactus and of its predators.
• A spontaneous destructive outbreak of cochineal beetle has occurred on stored wheel cactus on a property in the Flinders Ranges. This is being nurtured and developed with a view to possible biological control.
• A South Australian Opuntioid Management Plan was launched.

On the negative side I was disappointed to see that I and another Land Care member from Nuggety were the only Victorian representatives: no government, academic or scientific people at all so as I did the overview for Victoria, I had to explain mine was a report from “on the ground” It was a very good day, good to see a problem being really worked at.

Article by Janet Richardson - Wychitella and District Landcare Group

Latest News from the Executive

The Loddon Plains Landcare Network is up and running and looking forward to a great year in 2010! The Network has secured a $10,000 Second Generation Landcare Grant for use in what could be considered a practical and also symbolic network wide activity in Spring. The activity will involve up to 40 volunteers working with network members planting 2000 trees in four selected sites across the network.

The executive is also currently developing a partnership proposal to submit to the Norman Wettenhall Foundation (NWF) for funding that involves firstly the accumulation of information about the network’s area such as; demographics, the acquisition of reliable and informative mapping, environmental assets and the activities of member groups etc. If funding is obtained then in the next step a Project Officer would be appointed and an action blueprint assembled. From this blueprint the judicial selection of high priority asset areas is made, these high priority asset areas are termed “ecoships”. Further funding is then sought, with the aid of the NWF, for the adaptive management and development of these selected areas. The cyclic process then begins again anew until objectives set in the blueprint are achieved.

Network member groups to date include Loddon Vale Landcare, Wychitella and District Landcare, Northern United Forestry Group, Salisbury West Landcare, East Loddon Landcare, Wedderburn Conservation Management Network, Inglewood Landcare, Yando Landcare, Kamarooka and North Central Landcare. Friends of Kooyoora have also agreed to participate in the new network. It is expected that other landcare groups will join the network in the near future.

Article by Mal Brown and Michael Moore