Meeting held at Kezia Purick’s Community Meeting Room Coolalinga.

1.         Open, welcome                

Meeting opened at 2.55 pm immediately following the FOFD Annual General Meeting.

Present: Kezia Purick, Leisa Baldwin, Wayne Bennett, Strider, Jo Vandermark, Heather Boulden, Jeremy Hemphill, Sophie O’Rourke

Apologies: Brian & Lyn Reid, Jane Moore, Ross Trevena, Penny Wurm, Brigitte Wilson.

2            Confirmation of minutes of previous meetings - 29 May, 20 June and  2 July 2010.
             29 May – endorsed (Jeremy/Jo)

                     20 June - Alice Leppitt talk without quorum, noted (Jeremy/Heather)

                     2 July – endorsed Jeremy/Leisa)

3            Business arising from minutes & ongoing issues

Donation box at Fogg Dam – see agenda item 8.

Updating the Business Plan – action deferred.

4.         Correspondence:  Out:

·    2 Jul 10, email to Lambell’s Lagoon Landcare with copy of the Report of Shooting at Harrison Dam last season.  Also suggesting that the sound of shooting may be a Work Health issue and asking for info of vulnerable residents willing to have sound levels monitored.

·    8 Jul 10, email to Susan Pedersen with editorial comments on draft booklet of the Humpty Doo Rice Project.

·    11 Jul 10, email to Richard Noske, advising that FOFD wish to commence monitoring birds at Fogg Dam, commencing with a base study to follow through changes that are made and seeking a plan or advice on how to do this effectively, frequency and issues re expertise.

·    13 Jul 10, email to Robyn Purtill, advising that NT Worksafe haven’t been helpful and they do not measure noise.

·    14 Jul 10, email from Richard Noske with advice.  Frequency of sampling – every month for the first 12 months and based on results pick 4 times pa for monitoring thereafter.   Employ a biologist to get the monitoring design right (Very important) and gift vouchers or the like for people to do monitoring.  Amateur birdos could do some monitoring (dam wall esp), but they will need encouragement to use a set protocol.

·    14 Jul 10, email to Lambell’s Lagoon Landcare Group, advising that we haven’t got anywhere re measuring noise but that a suggestion has been made to Health that the draft Public & Environmental Health Bill adds noise pollution to the list of Public Nuisances.

·    14 Jul 10, email to Dean Lonza, Fogg Dam P&W, thanking him for coming to meet with Greg Miles, Jane Moore, Jeremy and me on 16^th Jul.

·    15 Jul 10, email of thanks to Richard Noske.

·    17 Jul 10, email to Susan Pedersen, thanking her for her work on the Rice Trail Project and advising that we will: (1) Submit the booklet and brochure in PDF to acquit the current grant.  (2) Place the rice project history as a PDF on the FOFD website.  Our 2010-2011 program will include negotiating links and inclusions on relevant websites, particularly educational.  (3)  Develop the rice trail, markers and brochure, as a separate, complementary project which will require separate funding.  The brochure will be a component of this project in conjunction with other aspects of interpretation which will include electronic possibilities.  Your brochure groundwork will become a working template.

·    21 Jul 10, email to Michael Crossland, Sydney Uni, advising that FOFD have asked Dr Simon Ward to assist us with the design of a study to monitor birds at Fogg Dam and asking if Sydney Uni would like to be involved and/or meet with Dr Ward when he visits Fogg Dam.

·    22 Jul 10, email to Dr Simon Ward, P&W, thanking him for his response and saying we’ll get back to him when he’s back in Darwin.

·    23 Jul 10, email to Don Franklin advising him of the two projects FOFD plan to undertake as a result of Alice Leppitt’s study:  bird monitoring; water/vegetation monitoring.  We are happy to keep him informed and any advice he can give us would be most welcome.

·    29 Jul 10, email to Dean Lonza, asking if he’d had a chance to send a copy of the Fogg Dam Floodplain proposal to Digby Whyte yet.  Also advising that our 90 year old guests  had told us that some planks on the Woodland to Water Lily boardwalk were dangerous.

·    9 Aug 10, email to Dean Lonza requesting again for a toilet on the western side of Fogg Dam.  Advising that the evening before there were 15 lots of toilet paper around Pandanus Lookout plus 17 alcohol mixer cans.  Also asking that Roads be requested to grade the washed out parts of the gravel slope on the side of the causeway.

·    11 Aug 10, email to Greg Miles & Jane Moore, enclosing draft wetlands proposal for amendments.

·    18 Aug, email to Greg Miles, thanking him for the final document re Fogg Dam wetlands.

·    18 Aug 10, email to Robyn Delaney, P&W, attaching Fogg Dam Wetland proposal and advising that we’d be pleased to meet and discuss.

·    25 Aug 10, notice of FOFD AGM sent to members.

·    4 Sep 10, email to Imagineer asking for the Humpty Doo Rice Trail booklet to go into the ‘History’ section of the FOFD website with proposed introduction.

·    20 Aug, 10, email to Robyn Delaney, P&W, resending the Fogg Dam Wetland proposal.

·    23 Aug 10, email to Michael Crossland, Sydney Uni, asking if someone from Sydney Uni could give a talk at our AGM.

·    13 Sep 10, email to Neil, thanking him for his suggestion about seating, advising that seating is being organised at the end of the Monsoon Forest Boardwalk and additional seating will be considered for the Woodland to Water Lily Walk. 

·    15 Sep 10, email to Norm Greenfield, P&W Fogg Dam, forwarding Neils email and our response.

·    20 Sep 10, email to Imagineer attaching the document omitted from previous email.

·    24 Sep 10, email to Cub Scouts agreeing to give a talk on the history of Fogg Dam on 2 Oct.

Correspondence In:

·    3 Jul 10, email from Jane Moore advising of a proposal from Greg Miles for a Fogg Dam Wetlands project.

·    11 Jul 10, email from Robyn Purtill, Lambell’s Lagoon, saying they are one of the most effected blocks and would be happy to have a sound monitor.

·    13 Jul 10, email from NT WorkSafe giving link to National Standard for Occupational Noise.

·    14 Jul 10, email from NT WorkSafe suggesting we contact the Director of Environment, Heritage & the Arts about measuring noise.  This is the same dept. that administers shooting licences.

·    18 Aug 10, email from Robyn Delaney, P&W, thanking for email but advising she was unable to open the attachment and requesting it be sent in another format.

·    24 Aug 10, email from Michael Crossland, saying he will come to speak at the AGM.

·    10 June 10, ltr from the Hon. Karl Hampton, Min for Environment, thanking FOFD for organising the Field Day and advising that we will be informed of progress to restore open water at the dam.  The Adelaide River Joint Management Plan is expected to be available later in the year.

·    16 Jul 10, email from Richard Noske, suggesting having a chat with Don Franklin.

21 Jul 10, email from Dr Simon Ward, Biodiversity Section P&W, giving contact details and asking us to think about which habitats we would like to survey and it would be a good to get several examples of each habitat type. 3 Sep 10, email from Norm Greenfield, A/Chief District Ranger, Arnhem Wetland Region, enclosing archive photos of Fogg Dam.

·    24 Jul 10, email from Michael Crossland, Sydney Uni, saying the bird monitoring project sounds interesting but falls outside their area of cane toad work.

·    26 Jul 10, email from Don Franklin, advising – one of the secrets to success with monitoring is to be very clear why you are monitoring.  Set very specific questions – they must be potentially answerable, not too difficult.  Work carefully through the design to make sure it can answer the question.  Designing a good monitoring program is quite a challenge.  For the vegetation, the main question is, ‘is the area of open water declining?’  The simplest way of monitoring this would be to set up a series of photo points along the dam wall where there are boundaries between a patch of open water and vegetation.  If possible, the boundary should be more or less

perpendicular to the line of your photo so that any change in the area of vegetation is readily and unequivocally recognisable as a movement to the left or right.  Don hopes that every few years P&W will obtain an air photo and repeat Alice’s analysis to see if there’s further change and measure the rate of it – and the response to the management actions we hope they’ll take.

·    16 Aug 10, email from Greg Miles, attaching his revisions for proposal for Fogg Dam Wetlands.

·    2 Sep 10, email from Simon Ward, advising he’ll be available from 28 Sep to 1 Oct.

·    8 Sep 10, email from Neil, visitor to Fogg Dam saying how he’d enjoyed the boardwalks and suggesting that seating be provided to allow people to enjoy the bush and birds.

·    15 Sep 10, email from Cub Scouts Darwin region advising of their planned activity at Fogg Dam on 2 October and requesting a talk on the History of Fogg Dam.

5.         Business arising from correspondence: 

·    Issues are covered in separate agenda topics.

6     Humpty Doo Rice Trail.  

         Work is complete and Susan Pedersen has been paid for her work.

·    Draft of booklet is to be loaded onto our website with an invitation to people involved in the project to contact us.

·    Work on the Rice Trail is complete.  We need to obtain funding to have posts/markers at locations along the trail. and/or. Heather asked if any members are able to assist with a grant proposal for that.

Alternatives are to ask government’s Heritage or Tourism bodies to take this on. Options are for simple signage eg a numbered rice emblem plaque or a more complex system where messages are available for downloading onto MP3 players. Possible grant application.

7            Opening Fogg Dam water

         Bird Monitoring – Following Alice Leppitt’s talk, Heather spoke to Richard Noske who said it will be important to see what difference opening more water makes. Propose to discuss with Dr Simon Ward of Parks.

Monitoring open water – We need to identify photo points to be able to monitor what happens during and after opening of more water. Heather asked members to consider this and how often photos should be taken. To discuss with Parks.

         Wetlands proposal from Greg Miles – proposal and notes on a meeting with Dean Lonza  of Parks on 16 July were circulated.

         Meeting with Norm Greenfield 3 September – advised us of government funding of $100,00+ to restore a drainage system along the causeway, dredge areas of the dam near the causeway and at the lookout on Woodlands to Water Lily walk late this year – and the likelihood that the machinery can implement some of Greg Miles’ wetlands proposal.

8            Donation box & brochure holders

         Awaiting repair by Parks, a key and installation of a new sign.

9            Finance

         $1,008.34 on fixed deposit. 

         $ 2,205.43 in account.  

 Noted that the EnvironmenNT grant for Field Day is due to be acquitted and the Heritage Grant for Humpty Doo Rice project is to be acquitted in October.

10            Membership 

         Welcome to new members: Kezia Purick, MLA, Gerry Wood, MLA, Ross Trevena.           

Currently 30 with 24 NT, 2 interstate and 4 overseas members compared with 29; 9 and 4 at the end of last financial year.

          11         Wildfowl hunting

Hunting has recommenced.  Infringements, mainly early or late shooting at Harrison Dam and Lambell’s Lagoon, are being reported to the police. Kezia offered to examine conflict in permit documentation relating to hunting over the Christmas period not being allowed on Conservation Reserves but being allowed at Harrison Dam, which is a Conservation Reserve.

12             Other business –

·      Norm Greenfield is the new P&W boss at Fogg Dam.

·      Updating Business Plan – work has commenced to be updated for the year 2011.

·      Butterfly walk or bird call activity?  Need to have definite numbers to ask

·      Calendar of events next year to be prepared for next year.

·      Next Field Day is proposed for 29 April 2012.

·      Kezia was thanked for use of her community room for the FOFD AGM and this meeting.

14    Next meeting:  Sunday 24 Oct.  

Summary of issues to follow up.

During the meeting, Dr Michael Crossland of Sydney University Tropical Ecology Research Centre at Middle Point spoke on his work.

·      Currently  8 people permanently at Middle Point with two Mexican students

·      Studying toad/native fauna and toadpole/frog tadpole interactions, eg competition for food where toads are better eaters, chemical inhibitors.

·      15 species of frogs at Fogg Dam. Ahs tested 8 tadpoles - these compete amongst themselves and with toadpoles.

o      In laboratory, some have strong interaction with toadpoles, including green tree frog , while some have none.  Will test in the field this wet season.

o      Question - If encourage an  increase in frog population, will this result in a reduction on the number of toads?

§  Toadpoles and pheromones

§  Both alarm and attractant responses. Some insects seem to impact on toadpole survival

·       Alarm response – as toadpoles are destroyed, they appear to release a pheromone (an amino acid) that keep toadpoles away

·       Attractant – frog poles are a voracious eater of toad eggs, which seem to release a pheromone about 50 hours after they are laid that attracts the tadpoles. However, after eating the eggs the tadpoles die. They don’t eat toadpoles as they are too active to catch.

§  Others: Greg Brown is continuing to monitor snakes

§  Lidya is investigating lungworms, which came from South America with the first toads. Is it passing to frogs?, how does it affect toads?

§  Tomas Madsen – studying the interaction of water python and dusky rats and more generally the food-predator relationship. The water python numbers follow the fortunes of the dusky rat. When its wet in the north, dusky rats may drown and the snake population falls. But when its wet in the Centre there can be a rat plague. If the rat population in the north rises, the quoll population rises. With the arrival of the toad, the quoll population dropped.

§  What do toads eat? Mainly insects and they like dry dog food too. There impact on native fauna is greater due to there toxins. But its hard to generalise as there are other environmental factors to consider. They have reached Lake Argyle in Western Australia where a few fresh water crocodile deaths have been noted.

 Due to a power outage, Michael’s talk and the general meeting were cut short.