The Callignee/Traralgon South Landcare Group’s spray unit is available for anyone in the district to borrow for weed control purposes. It has a 400 litre tank and two spray hoses that have a reach of about 70m. Get in now and spray your Blackberry and other weeds this year, for more information about borrowing the spray unit or if you want advice on Blackberry and woody weed control, contact the Central Gippsland Woody Weeds Action Group (CGWWAG)
Spray unit available for use by local landholders, The two hoses both reach about 70m.
Another useful tool is the Biodiversity Interactive Map, which is one of a series of interactive maps available online provided by the Victorian Government. It is a valuable tool for finding out information such as what the current Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) of a patch of vegetation is or what vegetation type a cleared area is likely to have been around the time of European settlement. That is a vital step to take when you are planning a re-vegetation project.
It is also a good way of finding out what threatened species may exist in your area of interest. Doing a search of the area shows that some of the significant species that have been recorded in the district include. The site can be accessed by the following link. http://mapshare2.dse.vic.gov.au/MapShare2EXT/imf.jsp?site=bim
Biodiversity Interactive Map – Showing the Ecological vegetation classes (EVC) that were thought to be present in 1750.Biodiversity Interactive Map showing threatened fauna record for the study area.
We would love you to share your observations with us as the vegetation and habitat returns, feel free to vote often and regularly when you see new critters appear.
On November 19th 2011 there was an Information day held for Traralgon South and District residents at Callignee Hall.
Feedback was sort on community priorities. A summary of peoples thoughts and observations are listed here:
Weeds of greatest concern in the area: Blackberries, Ragwort and English Broom,
Weeds that have emerged as problems since the fire: Inkweed, English and Cape Broom, Flatweed in pasture, Honeysuckle, Blackberries, Deadly Nightshade and Tussocks
Project Ideas / Community Education Needs
Weed identification course and weed management strategies.
Walkaround’s of select areas and peoples properties.
Ifarm course to help people manage environmental issues on their properties.
Habitat link project for Strzlecki Koala and other wildlife.
Community with vegetation recovery since the bushfires:
Roadside verges are prolific in gums now to an imbalance of what was burnt.
Trees have not come back, undergrowth especially bracken has tried to take over as understorey.
Public Education Awareness Needs:
Control of weeds and other introduced plant species.
How to keep their dogs and cats under control and to their own properties
Fox and Rabbit Control
Wildlife that people have seen re-appear since the fires:
Wombats (moving into new areas using dead tree stumps for burrows), Echidna’s, Koalas
Wildlife that has seemingly disappeared since the fires:
Small birds including Blue Wrens, Yellow Robins, Brush and Ring tailed possums, loss of Eagles Nest.
Issues with Pest Animals Since the fire:
Main Concern is with foxes reports of large number of them, Rabbits also an issue one person concerned about Wedge tailed eagles taking lambs.