The University of New England Landcare (UNEL) group is active on campus again. This time round, UNEL’s main aim is to protect the bushland remnants on campus by promoting the recovery of threatened species, populations and ecological communities.
To achieve this, UNE Landcare is working with the university to develop management plans and hold bush regeneration and revegetation activities in some high profile sites on campus. Some of the sites identified include the Ribbon Gum/Mountain Gum/Snow Gum Grassy Woodland endangered ecological community (EEC) remnants that occur on North Hill above the ring road, the hill below Mary White College, and just north of Robb College; and the riparian zone of Dumaresq Creek.
These EECs are high quality remnants that are currently threatened by invasion of woody and grassy weeds. By removing these weeds from the remnants, we can protect the native species which occur there.
UNEL activities to reduce the number of weeds threatening these sites are planned for this spring. Academics and skilled bush regenerators will be invited along to help UNEL volunteers. These guests will pass on their knowledge and skills, highlighting the importance of species at the sites and helping the group develop their plant identification skills.
Recently, UNEL has been busy planting and mulching on Dumaresq Creek between the bridge near Robb College and the Goat Track Bridge. This section of Dumaresq Creek has been worked on over the past decade by the Armidale Urban Rivercare Group (AURG) and previous UNEL groups. Since July, UNEL volunteers have been working hard to recover and enhance the existing riparian plantings which cover 4000 square metres. The Facility Management Service (FMS) at UNE has done all the preparation of the site, including slashing and spraying of exotic grasses, and removal of vine and woody weeds. Mulch has been generously donated by the Armidale-Dumaresq Council, which is also removing green waste from our sites. We have also been assisted by a Jobs Australia work crew, who did a fantastic job spreading mulch around recent UNEL plantings. A thick layer of mulch and continued spot-spraying of weeds will help reduce competition from exotic grasses which are a major problem at the site.
Hopefully the removal of weeds and the new plantings will bring more people down to the creeklands. When work at the site is completed it will be a lovely area, with plenty of shade to sit in and enjoy the sound of the frogs in the creek.
The next UNEL working bee will be held on Wednesday, September 21 from 12.00pm to 2.00pm. All are welcome to help plant and spread mulch at the Dumaresq Creek site. Contact Ellen, ellen@snelcc.org.au or 02 6772 9123 for more information.
Story: Ellen Nyberg
