Wollemi Pine

There are fewer than 100 Wollemi Pines known to exist in the wild. It is one of the rarest and oldest trees in the world.

The Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis, was discovered in a national park in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, in 1994.

Image credit: National Parks NSW

Much effort has gone into safeguarding the survival of this ancient tree. Its location in the wild is generally kept confidential and propagation methods have been exhaustively explored.

The Wollemi Pine forms male and female cones on the same tree - monoecious. Male cones form in early summer and female cones appear in late summer usually on the upper branches and they are pollinated in the following spring. 

Male cones on 'Drouin's' Wollemi Pine

Since 2006, the species has been available to the public through garden centres and nurseries as part of the strategy to ensure its continued existence.

Now, thanks to a very generous donation by the Holt family, Drouin has its own Wollemi Pine in Alex Goudie Park. Hopefully, the Holt Wollemi Pine will help continue the viability of this special species.

 

 

Threatened species in the Monash electorate

The Conversation, LINK, has developed a very interesting web app, LINK, that enables voters to discover the species of plants and animals that are listed as threatened within their electorate by simply entering their postcode.

As the front article points out, so far, not much is being said by any party about protection of threatened species. Should we care?

The Conversation also gives tips on how politicians could help our threatened species such as required funding, targeted policies, legislative reform, etc.

Among the species listed for postcode 3818 is the ‘Threatened’ Southern Brown Bandicoot and the ‘Vulnerable’ Swamp Greenhood.

It is pretty obvious that our native plants and animals are not only impacted by processes such as climate change, infestation of weeds and pest animals, bushfire and habitat loss due to urbanization and forestry activity but also by inert political agendas.

In case you do care:

Liberal – Russel Broadbent – Russell.Broadbent.MP@aph.gov.au

Labor – Jessica O’Donnell – jessica.odonnell@vic.alp.org.au

Greens – Matt Morgan – mat.morgan@vic.greens.org.au

UAP – Christine McShane – monash@unitedaustraliaparty.org.au

One Nation – Allan Hicken – monash@vic.onenation.org.au

LDP – Meg Edwards – meg.edwards@vic.ldp.org.au

Independent – Deb Leonard – contact@debleonard4monash.com.au

AFP – David Welsh – via the web portal - https://ausfedparty.com.au/contact-us/

 

 

 

Drouin Bird Surveys

The bird survey team has nearly finished the autumn surveys of the control sites.

The remaining dates for the control sites are: Golden Whistler Reserve, 20/04/22; Bellbird Park wetland, 26/04/22; Thornell’s Reserve, 28/04/22. If you would like to join in – Drouin Bowls Club car park 830am.

A few non-control sites will be surveyed in early May; dates and sites to be circulated later.

The results of each survey are being uploaded to the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas. As soon as the results have been curated by the Atlas staff, a link will be provided for viewing.

A few highlights to date have included a Spotless Crake at Gum Scrub Creek wetland. The site where the crake was spotted (J) was a hundred metres from Hopetoun Rd, beside the Two Towns Trail and barely 5m from the bulldozers and other machinery working on the development behind the fence!

Spotless Crake (amid the pollution)

Spotless Crakes are not uncommon but are rarely seen because of their furtive nature. Their movements are poorly known and they are thought be sedentary and dispersive.

At the same location, we twice ticked an Australian Hobby. The Hobby is a small, dark falcon with diagnostic narrow wings and rapid, agile flight. It catches most of its small bird and insect prey on the wing.

Australian Hobby c2013

Our most recent survey at McNeilly Park yielded 34 species, including these three usual suspects…

Little Pied Cormorant

White-faced Heron

Narcissistic Pelican (plus pollution, again!)

The ubiquitous Wood Duck was present in good numbers. Here they are lined up for some fun with depth of field camera settings.

In the middle of the line up was a male whose ‘mane’ is clearly visible – two other common names are Maned Duck and Maned Goose.

Maned Goose aka Australian Wood Duck