=== VALLEY OF THE BANDICOOTS UPDATE #9 ===
Monday, March 23, 2003
(circulation: 79)
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'VALLEY OF THE BANDICOOTS UPDATE' is an occasional email newsletter for people who are interested in the 'Valley of the Bandicoots' project in Aldgate Valley, South Australia. To subscribe, send an email saying 'subscribe VOB UPDATE' (or 'unsubscribe') to David Mussared, mussared@emailmedia.com.au (phone: 8388-5608).
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CONTENTS:
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1. WORKING BEE: Plant propagation: pricking out &/or cuttings (2pm, Saturday March 29, Nation Ridge Road)
2. WORKING BEE: Cutting & swabbing weeds, Mylor Parklands (1.30pm, Saturday, April 5)
3. WORKING BEE: Weeding etc., Aldgate Valley Reserve (10am, Sunday, April 6)
4. ECHIDNA INFORMATION NIGHT: with Peggy Rismiller (7:30pm, April 8, Upper Sturt)
5. WORKING BEE: Weeding etc., Aldgate Valley Reserve (10am, Saturday, April 19)
6. V.O.B. WEBSITE IS UP & RUNNING (many thanks to John Wills)
7. BIG TURNOUT FOR INFO. EVENING AT WARRAWONG (75-80 people, & many thanks to Warrawong)
8. BANDICOOTS: THE BIG PICTURE (SA-wide program) (new website, & whats' happening around SA)
9. GREEN CORPS APPLICATION: a positive response (decision expected soon)
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If you know someone else you think would like to get this 'Valley of the Bandicoots' newsletter, please forward it to them and invite them to subscribe.
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1. WORKING BEE: Plant propgation: pricking out &/or cuttings--------
When: 2-4pm, Saturday March 29
Where: 36 Nation Ridge Road, Aldgate
We will be having a two-hour Working Bee to propagate local native plants, which will be led by the Valley of the Bandicoots project officer Mark Fagan. There are two main tasks: pricking out some of the seedlings which we have already grown from local seed and putting them into individual pots; and preparing and planting trays of cuttings taken from local native plants. All tools and equipment will be provided - all you need to bring is yourself. The working bee will be held under shelter in the carport at David Mussared and Chris Duigan's house (36 Nation Ridge Road). Part of the driveway may still be blocked due to our continuing house rennovations, so you may need to park at the top of the drive near the Aldgate Valley Community Hall.
For more information, contact: Mark Fagan, 8339-1359 (email:meshach@iweb.net.au )
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2. WORKING BEE: Cutting & swabbing weeds, Mylor Parklands--------
When: 1.30-4.30pm, Saturday, April 5
Where: Tennis Courts, Lesley Creek
The Mylor Parklands Bushcare Group holds Working Bees once a month, usually on the first Saturday of the month, except for long weekends and holidays, with afternoon tea halfway. The April 5 Working Bee is at the Mylor Tennis Courts (park in front of the Tennis Courts) to cut and paint gorse near the Lesley Creek footbridge. Loppers and weedwands will be supplied by the Council. Wear sturdy gloves and, if you have them, bring secateurs or loppers.
The Mylor Parklands are at the southern end of the Valley of the Bandicoots wildlife corridor.
Contact: Joslyn van der Moolen, 0439-472-921 8391 7503w email:vandermoolen.joslyn@saugov.sa.gov.au.
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3. WORKING BEE: Weeding etc., Aldgate Valley Reserve --------
When: 10am-12noon, Sunday, April 6
Where: Aldgate Valley Reserve (corner Aldgate Valley & Shanks Road)
The Aldgate Valley Landcare Group holds Working Bees on the first Sunday and third Saturday of every month at the Aldgate Valley Reserve (the former Semaphore Scout Property), which is mid-way along the Valley of the Bandicoots wildlife corridor. We will probably be cutting and poison-swabbing weeds to protect new native plants (some of which are regenerating following previous weeding, and some of which we have planted). Tools are supplied (you don't need to bring anything). Gloves and old clothes are advised. Newcomers are most welcome.
For more information, contact: David Mussared, 8388-5608 (email:mussared@emailmedia.com.au )
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4. ECHIDNA INFORMATION NIGHT: with Peggy Rismiller --------
When: 7:30pm, April 8
Where: Upper Sturt Primary School, Upper Sturt Road
The Sturt Upper Reaches Landcare Group presents: Peggy Rismiller (from Pelican Lagoon Research Centre on Kangaroo Island).
To speak on the topic of: 'Echidnas'.
Come along to ask questions and hear about: Their role in the ecosystem. Threats to this species. What can be done to help echidnas. Following the presentation by Peggy Rismiller, light refreshments will be available.
Funding for this public talk is provided by the Bushcare Support, a Natural Heritage Trust Program, delivered by a consortium made up of Greening Australia and the Nature Conservation Society of South Australia. A gold coin donation to aid the activities of SURLG would be appreciated.
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5. WORKING BEE: Weeding etc., Aldgate Valley Reserve --------
When: 10am-12noon, Saturday, April 19
Where: Aldgate Valley Reserve (corner Aldgate Valley & Shanks Road)
The Aldgate Valley Landcare Group holds Working Bees on the first Sunday and third Saturday of every month at the Aldgate Valley Reserve (the former Semaphore Scout Property), which is mid-way along the Valley of the Bandicoots wildlife corridor. We will probably be cutting and poison-swabbing weeds to protect new native plants (some of which are regenerating following previous weeding, and some of which we have planted). Tools are supplied (you don't need to bring anything). Gloves and old clothes are advised. Newcomers are most welcome.
For more information, contact: Ed Douglas, 8339-2737 (email:Ed.Douglas@unisa.edu.au ).
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6. VOB WEBSITE IS UP & RUNNING --------
Many thanks to John Wills, who has fixed up our 'Valley of the Bandicoots' website. John has done all of this completely voluntarily, and amazingly quickly. Please take a look at the new website, which can be found at:http://www.communitywebs.org/BandicootValley The site is well worth visiting.
I should add that John (who in his daytime job is Senior Officer with the Mt Lofty Ranges Animal and Plant Control Board) has done this work completely on his own time.
If you have any comments about the website, please send them to John Wills (email: jwills@mlrapcb.net ) or to David Mussared (email:mussared@emailmedia.com.au ).
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7. BIG TURNOUT FOR INFO. EVENING AT WARRAWONG --------
An estimated 75-80 people turned up for the Valley of the Bandicoots information evening on Monday, March 10 (Rose Perry counted 70, and some more turned up after that). Many thanks to all concerned, but particularly to our hosts for the evening - Warrawaong-Earth Sanctuaries, whose generosity in sharing their knowledge and facilities did so much to ensure the night was a great success. A big thanks in particular to John Walmsley. Special thanks also to Adelaide Hills Councillor Andrew Murray, for taking the trouble to come and see what our project was all about (and for his advice and support).
It was a great buzz for me to see so many people giving up much of their Monday night to learn more about the Valley of the Bandicoots project. And there is nothing like seeing a real live bandicoot (after hearing from one of Australia's leading bandicoot conservation figures) to bring the importance of the project home to us all.
One highlight of the evening for me was being able to meet some of the people behind the Bushcare projects (particularly those along Strathalbyn Road). I have often admired their handiwork, and have driven past and seen their signs up, but I had never previously made contact with them.
Various other people contributed greatly to making the evening a success: Mark Edwards, Mark Fagan, Proo Geddes, Phil Cramond, Ryan Incoll, Jasmine Packer, Carlsa Carter and many others (no doubt I have forgotten someone). It is an evening I will not forget in a hurry - thankyou to all who turned up. To all those people I promised things at the meeting (maps, brochures etc). I haven't forgotten, and I am gradually working my way through the list. But I have been pretty busy over the past two weeks.
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8. BANDICOOTS: THE BIG PICTURE (SA-wide program) --------
As well as our own Valley of the Bandicoots website, there is also another important new website which is worth visiting:http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/bandicoot.html. This website, hosted by the Southern Brown Bandicoot Recovery Program in the Mount Lofty Ranges and the SA Department for Environment and Heritage, gives an overview of the status of bandicoots throughout South Australia, and of efforts to conserve the species.
It includes information on how to email a report to the State-wide program if you sight a bandicoot. There is a also a "bandicoot sighting Hotline" number you can ring if you see a bandicoot. The number is:1300-366-191 The 'Hotline' number above will get you through to the Nature Foundation SA, which is running a fund-raising campaign for Southern Brown Bandicoot conservation efforts in South Australia.
Nerissa Haby, a Project Officer working on the State-wide Recovery Program, has also released the preliminary findings of a trial survey of three parks in the Adelaide Hills, using three different techniques to survey what bandicoots were present (a diggings survey, hair tubes, and live capture traps). It is possible we will be able to use one or more of these techniques in future to survey our Valley of the Bandicoots population.
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9. GREEN CORPS APPLICATION: decision expected soon --------
We have had a very positive response to our application to Greening Australia for a Green Corps team to help us with the Valley of the Bandicoots project. Our application has now been put to the relevant Federal Minister, who is expected to announce his decision within the next three weeks.
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