|
Landcare equipment grants Calendar, Open Day and World Environment Day Sydney University Research Update – Dr Michael Crossland
Present: Jenny Rivers, Colin Rivers, Heather Boulden; Jeremy Hemphill.
Apologies: Alan Anderson, Gemina Anderson, Leisa Baldwin, Jo Vandermark; Ted Warren; Lyn & Brian Reid; Penny Wurm; David Boehme
.
1. Opening. Heather opened the meeting at 9.15 am. Meeting held in the Ranger station office.
2. Minutes of meeting 30 March 2008
2 Proposed amendments:
Correction of web address: www.foggdamfriends.org and
To add the FOFD calendar of events – Leisa is working on this.
3. Business arising from minutes
a) Landcare equipment grants. Discussed additions to items previously identified as items to seek: shed, tool box, safety goggles (that go over ordinary glasses). Ian Linley, NT Landcare coordinator, has advised that there will be another round of Australia Post-Landcare grants about September. Action: Jenny to review criteria and if appropriate, complete the application form.
b) Lanoline treatment for Woodland to Waterlily boardwalk. Still no lanoline from Parks and Wildlife. Mark Fogarty advises some boards need to be replaced - he is awaiting supply of new boards. Peter Walker has advised his father’s Boss Fluid Power business is a distributor of lanoline products and a potential supplier. Parks has been advised of that. Action: keeping in contact with Parks.
c) Contact Lynette Hayes at Window on the Wetlands and see how we might support them/work together. Heather has spoken to Lynette by telephone. Action: Follow-up to occur.
d) Fogg Dam equipment list from Ken Levy – Monika. Action: Deferred.
e) Monsoon Forest Interpretive signage – Alan & Strider. Action: Deferred.
f) Bird list for brochure – Niven. Action: Deferred
g) Map for FOFD flyer – Niven. Action: Deferred
h) Conoco Phillips (COP) funding criteria. Colin has made contact with COP’s environment manager, who unfortunately was transferred from Darwin on 18 April. Colin is seeking definition of COP’s funding criteria and commented COP sees the need to develop community links. It funds a fire management program in western Arnhem Land but has limited physical involvement. Our best option may be to invite LNG people to assist on working bees. Action: keep in mind when developing calendar of events.
i) Meeting with Arafura Games school organiser. Jenny advises the person concerned is unavailable, having departed. Action: nil.
j) Membership of Historical Society of the NT. Heather has mailed the membership application.
k) Donation boxes – awaiting formal response from Parks. Requires design approval from Parks and construction/installation work, regular collection of donations and annual auditing of accounts. Heather has drafted a sign to accompany the box/boxes. Peter Walker has advised he can prepare artwork if supplied with materials (see correspondence). Action: to consider further next meeting.
4. Correspondence: In:
· 2 April, email from Ando with costs for signs (refer Item 5 below).
· 3 April, email from St John’s with details of First Aid Kits.
· 8 April, email from Peter Walker (our web sponsor), re three issues:
1) His father sells lanoline in bulk containers and he could ask him to provide it at cost if we wish.
2) Details of a volunteer recruitment organization www.volunteeringterritory.org.au/vol/
3) He’s happy to provide signage graphics if required, if FOFD or Parks provide the substrate for him to lay them up on.
· 17 April, email from Barry Scott, forwarding a proposal for an Honours project at Fogg Dam: “Aquatic vegetation and conservation of the Fogg Dam Wetland.” Contact person is Dr Don Franklin at 8946 6976 or
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Out:
Application with cheque of $50.00 for membership of Historical Society of the NT. 5. Business arising from correspondence.
· Cost of signs Screen printed (can be more durable)
· 380 x 500 – (4 colours) $530 plus GST (posts and brackets - $200 plus GST)
· 900 x 900 - (4 colours) $1195 plus GST
· 900 x 1800 - (4 colours) $1965 plus GST (goes in shelter)
3M Sticker (enables the use of lots of colour and photos)
· 900 x 1800 ($570 plus GST)
· 900 x 900 (around $350)
· 500 x 380 – ($100 plus GST) - (posts and brackets - $200 plus GST)
The 3M signs are the ones used for most of the Welcome panels these days. The quality is good and we are not having the fading problems that we had previously (ie. Mary). It is cheaper, still well protected and enables you to use a lot more colour, photos and make changes when required.
· First Aid Kits: Leisure Medium $85.00; Off Road 4x4 Box $99.00; Leisure Large $150.00; Outdoor $155.00. Leisure Medium seems adequate for us.
· Information re lanoline forwarded to Barry Scott. The dry seems to be here and a working bee needs to be organised for the Woodland to Water Lily Boardwalk.
· Heather has asked Brian Reid, who is a member of both FOFD and the Historical Society, to represent FOFD at meetings.
· Jenny suggested given the diversity of research being undertaken at Fogg Dam that we seek details and list that on the FOFD website.
6. Membership Renewals dueHeather reported 9 renewals have been received from the 34 members of 2007-8.
Membership fees are: Individual $25.00; Family $30.00; Student/Pensioner $15.00. Details for direct bank deposit are:
Bank: Bendigo Bank, Coolalinga.
Name of A/c Friends of Fogg Dam Inc
BSB: 633 000
Account number: 13013 7946
If you chose to pay this way, please ensure you enter your name to be recorded on the FOFD statement. Cheques can be posted to FOFD, PO Box 1505, Humpty Doo, NT, 0836. 7. Development of FOFD Submission to Parks and Wildlife Management Plan for Adelaide River Parks (includes Fogg and Harrison Dams, Lambells Lagoon and Black Jungle) – due end April. A draft is on FOFD website www.foggdamfriends.org Please send in comments. 8. Business Plan Jenny offered to help prepare the 2008-9 year plan with Heather and Leisa. 9. Calendar, Open Day and World Environment Day a) Leisa is working on a calendar of events for Friends of Fogg Dam which can be placed on our website.
b) A Fogg Dam Open Day is being considered around September. It might include music from Graham Kenyan (traditional owner and Park Ranger), drawing competition (to involve local school), someone to dress up as a mascot, birding and plant excursions, talks/displays by Parks and Sydney University, sausage sizzle. Organising committee needed. Propose to limit causeway traffic: seek to ban cars/busses and instead use Tour Tub minibuses for people transfer. Leisa and Jenny have volunteered to be on the organising committee. Action:
· Members asked to volunteer for organising committee.
c) World Environment Day, at the NT Museum Sunday 1 June, from 11.00am to 5.00pm. Format similar to 2007 event where FOFD had a static display promoting Fogg Dam and restoration of the Monsoon Forest boardwalk. It was also useful in gaining additional members of FOFD. Actions:
· Jeremy to book space
· Members to volunteer time to “staff” the display and/or assist to prepare display materials. d) Sydney University Research Update – Dr Michael CrosslandMichael provided a very thorough overview of what each of the University of Sydney researchers is doing to gain an understanding of toads and what the implications of that might be for cane toad control. The research program is overseen by Professor Rick Shine.
· Currently:
o four full time research scientists at Middle Point
o one full time research assistant
o two PhD students
o one Honours student
o one just completed Honours
· nearly all are working on toads: their ecology, what they do, testing of anecdotal evidence and myths, identifying pointers for control mechanisms
· Dr Greg Brown has lived at Middle Point for about 10 years, makes 350 evening visits each year to Fogg Dam and conducts surveys along nearby roads: snakes, frogs, how their populations change over time and identifying drivers of change. Study with Professor Rick Shine on keelback snakes being written up. With a primary interest in snakes, he has monitored the arrival and movement of the toads and is now studying their immune system. Has found local toads have swellings and growths on their backbones: there is less evidence of this in Queensland toads. May be soil or bacteria related.
Also looking at breeding patterns. Frogs breed at first rains when toads are generally in a poor condition and take time to get into breeding condition. Last year the most active toad breeding was on the night of 22 May.
· Dr Ben Phillips is looking at the dispersal characteristics of toads, eg the differences in physiology, behaviour and morphology of toads at the invasion front versus those of that decide to settle in an area.
· Dr Ligia Pizzatto is looking at the effects of parasitic worms on toads: whether growth is affected and/or they live or die. Also whether there is a greater impact on front running toads than sedentary ones. Are native frogs affected? Which parasites are affecting the toads? - can distinguish with DNA testing. The parasites seem to have arrived in Australia with the toads. Last year Ligia was studying movement patterns of small water pythons, as well as cannibalism in toads: small toads eat tiny ones which may help control toad numbers, however they don’t grow as well on a diet of tiny toads.
· Dr Crossland: studying the aquatic life history of toads and their impact on other life forms. There are sometimes big kills of native frog tadpoles in the presence of toads which could be from water quality changes or toad egg chemistry. Some species of native frog are more prone to this (eg Roth’s tree frog) than others (eg Dahl’s aquatic frog). It seems these kill events are due to native tadpoles eating toad eggs, ie toad egg chemistry. Exactly why some species are more prone to mortality than others is still being investigated.
· Michelle Gray – research assistant: helps other members of the University of Sydney team looking at how predators deal with toads and is undertaking a research project in collaboration with the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation on the impact of toads on animals and reptiles of the Kimberly region. Animals from the Kimberlies in WA are brought to Fogg Dam for the test work. There have been interesting results, eg on eating toads:
o Goannas seem to die
o Black whip snakes attack the toads and die
o Children’s pythons attack, eat, regurgitate and survive
o Skinks don’t seem to touch toads
o Kimberly Blue tongue lizards die whereas Brisbane ones can survive eating small toads
· Christa Beckmann is a PhD student studying the impact of toads on birds and birds on toads, eg toads as a food source and the effect. While toads may be a food source there is little evidence of birds being killed through eating toads. Christa is interested in talking to people having seen bird/toad interactions.
· Matt Greenlees is a final year PhD student studying toad/frog interactions, eg are frogs less likely to eat toads as time passes, and how does the presence of toads influence microhabitat use by native frogs. He is currently in Sydney, due to return in October.
· Georgia Ward-Fear has commenced Honours and is researching how meat ants and toads interact. Meat ants seem able to eat toad metamorphs which may be useful when metamorphs congregate around pond margins.
· Dave Nelson recently completed his Honours research investigating interactions between predators and toad tadpoles., eg Dahl’s aquatic frog and a native trout gudgeon that often appear in ponds. The predators seem to quickly learn that toad tadpoles are harmful and subsequently avoid them, but does this mean they will avoid native frog tadpoles they would otherwise eat? The study found that the predators initially avoid native frog tadpoles after experiencing a toad tadpole, but within a period of several days to a week, the predators learn to differentiate between toad tadpoles and native frog tadpoles..
· Dr Crossland answered a series of questions including:
o While Greg Brown’s initial research focussed on snakes and Ben Phillips’ PhD project was on how toads were impacting on snakes, now the University of Sydney program focuses on learning about the toads in general.
o Funding of most work by the Australian Research Council is assured until the end of 2009. Kimberley work is part funded by WA Department of Environment and Conservation.
o Will goannas learn to co-exist with toads? – considered likely based on goanna populations in Queensland
o Life span of toads – 5 years or more in the wild
o Length of time toxin exuded by a toad or in a dead toad is viable – not known, but may be a considerable time in the body of a dead toad.
o Toad toxin is a complex cocktail of chemicals and most reptile predators here can’t handle it. Some birds can handle it as can some Brazilian frogs. Some invertebrates, eg one dragonfly larva can eat toad tadpoles without effect. Water rats eat toads from the belly.
Other research - For a more detailed account of cane toad research being conducted by University of Sydney as well as by researchers at other institutes, see the website http://www.canetoadsinoz.com
e) Next Meeting: Sunday 24 May 9am at Parks & Wildlife Fogg Dam Ranger Station: will include preparations for World Environment Day, Boardwalk replacement schedule, plans for Open Day, Plan of Management review status.
f) Meeting closed at 12.15pm
Action items appended.
Item Person responsible Completion date
Membership fees due for year 2008 - reminders to be sent outInput to Parks & Wildlife Plan of Management· Photos for Parks & WildlifeAustralia Post-Landcare grants· Review applicability and prepare application if appropriatePrepare draft Calendar of EventsReview Business PlanOpen Day preparations: · indications of ability to assist· Bird list for visitor brochure· Prepare map for FOFD flyer· Significant tree list for Monsoon Forest Walk and name signso Prepare and install signs o produce handouts World Environment Day – Sunday 1 June· Register· Prepare information, “man” standMeeting with Windows on WetlandDraft letter to Parks: sign stating rules for entryContact Conservation Volunteers Aust and Green CorpSeek Fogg Dam equipment list (Ken Levy)Coordinate lanoline for boardwalks Seek ConocoPhillips participation in working bees HeatherEveryone JennyLeisaHeather, Leisa, JennyEveryone NivenNivenAlan A, Strider, MonikaDiscuss with Parks, schoolsJeremyAnyoneHeather/JeremyHeather/JeremyAlan AHeather/JeremyMonikaAlanA/JeremyColin April 08ASAPApril 25May/JuneMayAdvise ASAPJuneJuneJuneEarly MayContact Jeremy May/JuneApril 20th meetingJune 08 MayWhen Parks readyAs Calendar of events develops
Action Items Completed since March Meeting:
a) Sent membership reminders to members
b) Costed items for Australia Post-Landcare Grants
c) Drafted submission to Parks on Adelaide River Parks Plan of Management.
d) Contacted Windows on Wetlands by phone
e) Discussed lanoline availability and donation boxes with Parks
|
