Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Current Research at the Sanctuary Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve
Speaker Adrian Manning
Fenner School of Environment and Society
Australian National University
Project aims
Ecological Restoration
Restoration and Research
Role of Taxonomy
Nationally, status of Red Gum ‐ Yellow Box ‐ White Box grassy woodland
92% cleared
5% in good condition
Little is reserved
Mulligans Flat and Goorooyaroo
Combined size is approximately 1600 hectares
Researchers conduct evidence‐based science and observation
It is conveniently located for outdoor‐level learning by academia and community
A few key players from government:
Sharon Lane, David Shorthouse, Sarah Sharpe
Peter Mills, Daniel Iglesias (TAMS)
Local extinctions:
Late 1800’s – 1900’s two mammals
Quolls – locally extinct, Mulligans Flat Woodlands Sanctuary 480 ha is too small to
reintroduce Quolls as predators
Brown treecreeper – development affects Brown treecreepers
To try and get them back, using pipes, dead wood and experimentation
There are 96 one hectare sites in Mulligans Flat – not all are designed to exclude
kangaroos
2000 tonnes of deadwood has been introduced to each site
Burn 50% of sites planned
Kangaroos prior to fencing Mulligans Flat were at high density
Botanical survey: Dr Sue McIntyre
Invertebrates: Phillip Burton, Saul Cunningham, Heloise Gibb
Beetles 4000 individuals, 255 morphospecies from 37 families
Canberra Bettong: Dr Fred Ford
CSIRO and TRIN
Studies of owl pellets in limestone caves
The mystery bettong from using DNA found in pellets is the Tasmanian Bettong; ACT
DNA is the same as Tasmanian Bettong
Tasmanian Bettongs can theoretically be reintroduced into the ACT
Truffles: Jim Trappe CSIRO and Oregon State University
1500 – 2000 species in Australia
300 species in SE Australia
Availability of fungi and truffles are critical to bettongs and bandicoots, and are needed
to keep the bettongs alive
Taxonomy: is critical to success of both projects
A key aim of the project is to restore properties and functions, not excluding natural
change
ACT Funding only goes to 2010
Commonwealth funding also ends 2010
Goorooyaroo was not funded by the initial grant
Protecting biodiversity on the bush‐urban interface
Community Engagement Model
Speaker Tim Palmer
Conservation Council
• Working with local residents to change their behaviour and understanding
• Funding for project comes from grants, parameters constrained by grant
applications, tick boxes has affected the dynamics of what can be done
• Rapid development in Gungahlin, urban threats and enhancements
• Loss of buffer zones
• Dogs, bicycles, pedestrian, builders rubbish, weeds, dogs off leash
• Ideal place to conduct community learning
• Events, bike rides, clean up Australia, wide range of things, 60,000 people
• Hard to monitor results, social research, $8000 spent on social research
• Population is changing
• Success has to be qualified, results hard to quantify
• No shop front in Gungahlin for Conservation Council
• Peter Mills and Grant Woodbridge (TAMS) crucial elements for walks with public
• Gungahlin lots of young families, have to do family friendly activities, which is not
ideally suited to set up Parkcare groups such as Friends of Mt Majura. Branding of
events has generally been to cater for the demographics and specific interests of
the community.
• A Trust is going to be invested to manage Mulligans Flat
• Booklet – Community Heritage grant has been very successful. Interpretive signage
on walks to encourage visitors. Natural and cultural heritage are married into the
booklet.
Grants have run out at the end of June. Ideally to get new money, it is less appealing to
government if it is an old idea, not a new idea.
The ACT Government and Conservation Council have been active on a cats containment
program. Education programs featuring cat‐runs and demonstrations have been
conducted. Thus far, any social research aimed at monitoring cat containment is
statistically irrelevant
The Northern Rim National Park
Speaker Rod Griffith
National Parks Association of the ACT Inc
Treasurer – Conservation Council
As a second national park in the ACT (the first being Namadgi National Park), the
proposal is seen as an ideal opportunity for the 2013 ACT centenary. It will seek to
amalgamate Mulligans Flat, Goorooyaroo, and the reserved units on Mt Majura and Mt
Ainslie as an initial step. The rationale for a second national park is seen as being:
• The epitome of a conservation reserve
• It amalgamates areas of high conservation values – protecting Yellow Box – Red
Gum grassy woodland
• It is building on a solid base of community engagement
• It raises the standing of the YBRG grassy woodland locally and nationally
• National parks don’t have to be pristine or large in size – but contain ingrained
symbolism for the communities which value and nurture them
Richard Larson
Watson Community Association
22 October 2009