Rehabilitating Roe 8 Newsletter

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Kaya! We have entered the season of Djilba, after the coldest and wettest time of the year has passed. During this transitional season, we are experiencing an increasing number of warmer days mixed with some very cold and clear days.

After an exceptionally wet Makuru (June/July), nature is now covered in a sea of yellow and cream during this season of conception.

Have you gone for a walk in the corridor recently to explore the beautiful mass display of wildflowers?

In this issue:
- Revegetation Season Complete
- Community Planting Success
- Cardboard Treeguards
- Bridal Creeper Bio-Control
- Path Network Plan Update
- Get involved: Citizen Science Bird Monitoring
- Upcoming Events
- Plant of the Month

Revegetation Season Complete

This year was Rehabilitating Roe 8’s biggest year for revegetation and we installed over 87,000 seedlings across the corridor. To source such a large number of seedlings, we engaged six different nurseries who grew our seedlings mostly from local 'provenance' seeds that had been collected either in the corridor or from suitable bushland within a maximum of 50km radius. Using provenance seed ensures that plants are well adapted to specific local conditions.

We also commenced revegetation works at 'Turtle Corner' at Bibra Lake this year and as this area lies on a registered Aboriginal site, we had Aboriginal Elders and monitors conducting heritage monitoring during planting works. We also had the pleasure of engaging Indigenous Economic Solutions as planting contractors on this site, supporting local Aboriginal employment.

Both community members and contractors worked tirelessly and with great care through a very wet winter to ensure all seedlings were installed in time.

Community Planting Success!

The power of community!

In a combined effort of school and community planting events, as well as the Murdoch Roots and Shoots student club, the corner west of Coolbellup Ave / North of Forrest Rd in Coolbellup was planted entirely by community. Fantastic effort, everyone!

Take a look at some photos and a short video clip to see everyone in action.

Cardboard Treeguards

New tree guards being trialled!
You may have seen the cardboard tree guards at our community planting site and on Turtle Corner. Some have even been lovingly decorated by local kids! The cardboard guards are a new, biodegradable product and are a sustainable alternative to the green, plastic sleeves often used in revegetation projects.

Why use tree guards? They protect plants from threats such as hungry rabbits or trampling and aid in weed control.

Murdoch University students under supervision of Associate Professor Rachel Standish will carry out a research project in the corridor over summer, comparing seedling survival rates and heights between seedlings installed with cardboard guards, plastic guards and no guards. We are looking forward to hearing the results!

Bridal Creeper Bio-Control

A special kind of tea party!
Originally from Africa, Bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides) is a highly invasive environmental weed, which can quickly smother and outcompete native vegetation. It is a Weed of National Significance (WONS) and a Declared Pest, calling for active control.

Besides mechanical control (digging out rhizomes and tubers) and chemical weed control (herbicide application), one can use 'bio-control' methods, such as introducing a specific rust fungus or leaf hoppers, which are naturally keeping Bridal creeper in check in countries where the plant is native.

We held a hands-on information and knowledge sharing session with volunteers form the Cockburn Community Wildlife Corridor, showing them how to make and apply rust fungus 'tea', to spread these Bridal creeper-specific fungus spores to areas infested with Bridal Creeper. As the rust fungus is specific to Bridal creeper, there is no risk of off-target damage.

Path Network Plan Update

We're nearly there!
The Path Network Plan is in its final stages of development. Over the coming years, we will formalise some of the existing sandy tracks across the corridor by turning them into narrow, compacted limestone tracks and tying them in with existing firebreaks and other existing infrastructure to create a path network.

The first section to become formalised is the central path in the eastern section of North Lake Road West, also know as 'Malvolio Bushland'. Other sandy tracks in this area will be closed off and rehabilitated. We look forward to sharing the final plan with you soon!

We are also currently working with Main Roads WA to mitigate erosion issues resulting form run-off off Stock Road in the Forrest Road North section, which will likely include installation of a trench along the fence line to allow water run-off to permeate into the ground instead of flooding the revegetation area.

Get Involved: Citizen Science Bird Monitoring

Calling all bird lovers!
Join us for the launch of our citizen science birdwatching project in the Rehabilitating Roe 8 corridor on 23 October 2021.

Dr Tegan Douglas from BirdLife Australia will show us surveying techniques and how to use the free Birdata app on your smartphone or tablet when monitoring birds. We’re very excited to find out which feathered friends frequent the corridor!

Both bird novices and experienced ‘twitchers’ are encouraged to get involved, so register now to take part in our launch event!

Upcoming Events

Turtle Community Information Sessions

It’s turtle season! Did you know that the City’s wetlands are home to a threatened species of snake-necked turtle? Learn more about turtles at the City of Cockburn’s free community information sessions at The Wetlands Centre, Bibra Lake. Registrations essential.

Nature Journaling
Sat 18 Sept 2-4.30pm

Come join us for a naturalist ramble, an afternoon of observing and exploring the bushland of the Rehabilitating Roe 8 corridor.Biodiversity educator Angela Rossen will be taking us on a leisurely walk, pausing to draw, photograph or write.
Bring your own sketch book and drawing pencil if you would like to draw, or smart phone or camera for taking photos - or just come as you are! Everyone welcome.

WILDFLOWER WALK & GLADI GRAB
Sat 2 Oct 9-11am

Join us for an easy, guided wildflower walk in the Rehabilitating Roe 8 bushland, led by Diana Corbyn from the Wildflower Society.

We will spend the second half of the morning actively helping our native plants to thrive by carrying out a ‘Gladi Grab’, hand weeding invasive pink Gladioli.

While we encourage you to stay for the hand-weeding session, you are also welcome to just join for the wildflower walk. Morning tea provided.

INTRO TO NYUNGAR LANGUAGE
Sat 13 Nov 9.30-11am

Kaya! Hello! Whadjuk Nyungar woman and language teacher Sharon Gregory will be introducing us to the Nyungar language, teaching us names of animals and places, as well as other treasures we encounter in the bushland.

This intro class will be held in the Rehabilitating Roe 8 bushland and offer a way of (re)connecting with our natural environment through local language.

Morning tea provided. Everyone welcome.

Plant of the Month

Prickly Moses (Acacia pulchella) with its abundance of yellow flowers is an iconic species during the season of Djilba across the corridor.

This upright-to-sprawling shrub grows up to 3m high, is resistant to dieback (Phytophthora cinnamomi) and does very well in revegetation projects!

The Rehabilitating Roe 8 project acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We acknowledge that the Rehabilitating Roe 8 project area is Whudjuk country and pay respects to Elders and Nyungar people past, present and future.

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