Confused by all the bumpf floating around about delta, pfitzer, atrazenica, supply/demand, etc, etc.
Here is a visualisation that gives a clear and understandable idea of how old Covid and the new Delta compare in the infectiousness game - together with the Spanish Flu,, Ebola, and a couple of familiar diseases such as Measles and Chicken Pox.
The dots show a snapshot after the same length of time of the cascading spread from single person. Notice, by comparison, how much worse Delta is compared to original Covid, how wimpy the Spanish Flu was, and that the reigning champions are Chickenpox and Measles.
We defeated Measles and Chickenpox with vaccination. There is a lesson here, we all need to go get jabbed!
- Visualisation from the Guardian, which also has some other fascinating graphics.
Spring has certainly sprung, and I am thoroughly enjoying the crisp mornings, sunshine and warmer days. My favourite thing about spring is the burst of colour that it brings. To celebrate spring, which is aptly dubbed ‘Biodiversity Month’, the race is on in the Melbourne Bioblitz competition on iNaturalist. The Mornington Peninsula is coming a close second to the Yarra Ranges council area in recording the most observations and diversity of species. Whilst out and about enjoying the glory of spring, I encourage everyone to join in and record your own observations. It really is easy, check out how in the "For Your Diary" section.
As our indigenous plants begin to flower and put on their spectacular show, our native wildlife is also becoming more active. In particular, male koalas are coming down from their trees in search for a mate and reptiles such as Blue-tongue lizards re-emerging to re-energise themselves in the sun. These activities can prove very perilous, and I would like to take this opportunity to help raise awareness about the need to slow down and take extra care on our roads over the coming months. Well done to Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation for their work with the Shire and Vic Roads to trial road signage in koala collision hot spots. You should be seeing these signs being erected across the peninsula shortly.
With term three school holidays nearly upon us, you might be on the hunt for ways to keep children busy with fun and educational activities. The Junior Landcare Learning Centre has some really great activities that can be done from home with over 60 learning activities. Kids can also watch Costa in the garden with the Junior Landcare team or the ‘Just for Kids activities’ (download and print) will keep the children busy for hours.
Lastly, it is a great time to be out in the garden, and while planting season is coming to an end, why not turn your attention to tackling problem weeds in your garden. If you need any advice regarding best practice techniques for the removal of habitat altering environmental weeds, please feel free to reach out to your local Landcare group or bushland regeneration specialist and/or visit Weed control | MP Landcare.
To keep up to date with current diary items check here anytime.
Also please note that the Koala Conservation Group website now contains news on upcoming Koala events.
Biodiversity Month September 2021 – iNaturalist BioBlitz.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council is inviting you to celebrate Biodiversity Month on iNaturalist. Held every September, Biodiversity month aims to promote the importance of protecting, conserving, and improving biodiversity both within Australia and across the world.
This year, our involvement has taken on a competitive edge, we are partnering with eight of our neighbouring councils to hold the Melbourne BioBlitz 2021 throughout September.
We are competing against the Cities of Greater Dandenong, Casey, Monash, Kingston, Knox, Frankston, and the Shires of Cardinia, and Yarra Ranges. Details and a running results tally are available at Biodiversity Blitz 2021- Melbourne · iNaturalist Australia (ala.org.au).
Besides contributing to our understanding of biodiversity, our honour is at stake.
So how are we going thus far? Yarra Ranges is beating us on the number of observations, but we are just ahead with the number of species.
Our pride is at stake here. Just imagine the shame if those upstarts from the Yarra Ranges were to win! So forget the footy, put on your trusty hat, grab your camera, and go capture some species. And remember, we need lots of the less-commonly observed ones.
To get started follow these steps, it’s all pretty easy once you get going:
1) Visit the website or download the 'iNaturalist' App on iTunes or Google Play.
2) Take photos or sound recordings of ANY species you encounter in your local area.
3) Contribute your sightings via the app.
4) Offer your expertise to verify or identify observations made by other users.
Frankston City Council presents : Living Wildlife Friendly; learning to live with urban wildlife
As part of Biodiversity Month, join this free online webinar and discover more about our local wildlife and their habitat needs. You'll learn how to recognise wildlife needing help and what to do and find out about the common reasons wildlife need rescue and assistance. You'll also learn practical ways to increase the habitat value of your garden, make your garden wildlife friendly and bring more of our local wildlife into your back yard.
Thu, September 23, 2021
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM AEST
Chris Wallin - Project Manager, Yarra Energy Foundation, will speak with us about the possibilities of harnessing local power and answer any questions we may have about developing Community Energy in Flinders..
Chris has extensive experience in electrical engineering. He is now focussing on defining and developing community and industrial solutions as part of the major energy transition to renewables in Australia.
CONTACT US:
Flinders Zero Carbon Community flinderszcc@gmail.com
Mark Aarons 0407 093 620
Community Plate Action Group
You are invited to join The Community Plate Action Group
This group has been in the planning for some time now and our first official meeting will be held on the 6th of October. In this first meeting we will look at what we have already found out about our local communities connection to food, and start talking about how this Action Group can support our communities vision that ‘we are all connected to food that is local, healthy and abundant’.
All are welcome so feel free to invite others. This group is for anyone with an interest in creating local healthy food systems, connections, and opportunities.
We are aware that this time won’t suit everyone. Being a lunchtime session, we are hopeful some of you may be able to squeeze this in and we will have other opportunities at different times in the future.
If interested, please register your attendance here.
If you’d like more information about The Community Plate and what we are working towards check us out here.
Highlights both approaches to, and benefits from adopting sustainable approaches to agricultural production, along with general information of interest.
Configuring Dams as Habitat, Carbon Sinks and Water Purifiers
The PPWCMA, Shire, and Landcare are organising a conference on zero emissions farming based on the Peninsula. As part of this, Melbourne Water have been asked about supporting development of a video about dam emissions resulting from excess farm nutrients and best-practice dam management.
They are looking for examples of farm dams for use in the video. The requirements are:
Off-line (not actually on a waterway, though gullies and drainage areas are acceptable)
Have a variety of flora, location, or general characteristics demonstrating an example of good dam management.
Reckon your mutt is a pretty-good runner? Meet Skyblue Jack, the world champion working kelpie from Western Victoria that managed to cover 1012 km doing farm work in just three weeks.
Wildthings Australia’s new grant, Native Graze, is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s Smart Farms Small Grants (round 4). Offering local farmers an opportunity to participate in a native grass demonstration for pasture production and biodiversity on their farm. Supported by leading professionals in the field through a two year program from September 2021 through to May 2023.
Did you know that around one koala a week is killed on our roads over summer (yes, just the Peninsula). That is around 10% of the current Peninsula population each year.
But it is worse than that.
Most of the deaths are males - brought on by them spending substantially more time moving about than females do. There also are fewer males than females (45% vs 55%). So it is likely that we are losing ~15% of the males. And that losses to roads are around 25% of the the typical birth rate.
Add losses to habitat reduction, foxes, dogs, and cats to this and it is easy to see them being under considerable threat.
On a happier note, in addition to their very successful revegetation program, our Landcare Koala Group has worked with the Shire to place high-visibility warning signs along high-risk Peninsula roads - see the article by our Landcare Coordinator for a picture.
If you see a sign, please be more alert and preferably slow down - particularly between dusk and dawn.
Disturbing reports are coming, not just for the Peninsula but Victoria-wide, of an increase in the sightings of obviously sick and dead kangaroos. Ours are particularly bad in the areas around Greens Bush.
It is possible that the upsurge is associated with the new-season growth of Phalaris and its toxicity to kangaroos. But this season is much higher than normal, and points towards the possibility that some other epidemic is underway.
If you seen any cases or find a recently dead kangaroo, please take a photograph and let myself and Kim Cott know. Parks Vic is working with Melbourne University on testing to determine the underlying cause and really needs both a good assessment of the extent of the problem and fresh carcasses for autopsy.
TreeProject is a network of trained volunteers growing local indigenous seedlings for rural landholders and Landcare groups who need help with revegetation and sourcing plants at cost. The seedlings cost $220 for 500 native seedlings and can be grown from local provenance seed.
The TreeProject's new online seedling order form is now live (best accessed via a desktop) with secure online payment.
Orders need to be in by 30 September 2021. For enquiries email Alisha Fisher.
Take a wander around any wetland and you will soon see holes surrounded by built up mud. Down below and invisible to the eye lies the network of tunnels and even large, water-filled caverns that is the domain of the land yabbie. They tend to be small, and, without the need for a means of rapid acceleration away from predators, their tails have shrunk considerably.
A secretive creature, they rarely come to the surface, and then typically only at night. So it was no surprise to read recently of the confirmation by scientists of a fabled 'prize-fighter' underground yabbie - the Swamp Yabbie (Cherax latimanus) has entered the archives as the first new such specimen in 80 years.This one with a fully-developed tails and huge claws.
That insignificant Species that Dominates the World
Yes, that's us. As discussed in earlier newsletters, we are are an elite amongst elites. A species that can, and often does, destroy other species. Yet in terms of mass we represent just 0.0001 of the mass of living things on earth. Even amongst animals, we amount to just 0.03, and since we arrived on this planet, we have been busy killing off 86%, by weight, of all animals.
A sad tale indeed, and one that has a serious sting in its tail for the continued survival of human culture.
How did you go? I managed 8/10 but had to guess a few.
NSW Goes for Zero Extinction Targets in State National Parks
The NSW government has set a target of zero extinctions of native wildlife in the state’s national parks estate, the first time an Australian government has set the goal.
Environmental advocates welcomed the announcement but noted it covered less than 10% of the state.
Nevertheless good news. Hopefully, they will be giving equal weight to insects and other unmentionables, as in the long run all the other animals depend on them.
Thirty years ago Eastern Barred Bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) were declared extinct in the wild. Today, the minister announced that it was not only back in the wild but its status has been moved from Threatened to Endangered. This is the first time that a native animal has had its status upgraded in Victoria, and it represents a real win for the dedication of those involved.
It has not been easy. Starting with breeding programs in zoos, the bandicoots moved to fenced enclosures, and finally to French and Philip Islands (actually the tiny Churchill Island). French island does not have foxes and cats are kept to a minimum, but Philip Island does have cats - despite this, the bandicoots are holding their own.
Click on the image to see the releases on Churchill Island.
Wyatt the Wedgie
Ever looked up at a wedgetail eagle soaring high overhead and wondered where it came from - or was going to? A tracker placed on Wyatt the Tassie Wedgie provides an indication. A full year of rambling is shown in the image and here you can watch the entire year compressed into just 20 s.
The considerable variation in flight paths is remarkable.
The dreaded, fickle finger of errors has pointed again. This time at the article "A Neglected Benefit of Biolinks" from our March 2020 issue.
In that article the tonnes-per-hectare sequestration of carbon was inadvertently allocated to tonnes per acre.
The corrected numbers are ~7 t/Ha/y of carbon stored in the growing biolink bush (above ground, underground, and in leaf litter and fallen limbs). This equates to 210 tonnes per year of carbon currently being stored by the GB2AS Biolink planting to date, or ~770 tonnes per year of CO2 sequestered from the atmosphere.
Ever came across a giant-of-the-forest as you wander through the bush and wondered how old it is?
Estimating tree age is at best an approximation. The preferred method is to count the tree rings, but this means destroying the tree or taking bore samples. Another viable method is to relate age to measurements of Diameter Over Bark (DOB), measured at chest height, to comparisons with age estimates based on tree rings for fallen trees of a similar species and location.
This method has several issues and potentially-serious errors arising from:
Variations in local climate and soil conditions
Tree position (in a forest, subdominant trees are subject to a lot of pressures and grow slower than dominant or co-dominant trees)
Many assessments cover only a small range of ages and/or are only relevant to forestry plantation conditions
Tree growth rate up to ~20 cm DOB is highly variable, and older trees have rotten centres that make accurate growth-ring counting difficult.
Available web-based relationships between DOB and tree age for eucalypts often provide a universal rule of 1 cm y-1 (e.g. Smyth 2020), but that is based largely on trees in non-natural situations.
Let’s consider our ubiquitous messmates (Eucalyptus obliqua). Alcorn et al (2001) compared ages and diameters for messmates across a wide range of ages in southern Tasmania. Some of their trees dated back hundreds of years, included specimens up to 2.7 m diameter, and were all sourced from moist/wet forest areas.
Figure 1: Relationship between DOB and age from tree rings for Messmates in in southern Tasmania. Dominant and codominant trees are those that have no growth interference from surrounding forest. Subdominant and suppressed trees are impacted at various degrees by competition (adapted from Alcorn et al 2001).
Although there is some scatter, the dominant and co-dominant trees (that typically produce the biggest trees) have consistent growth rates that tend to decrease slightly with age but are never far from linear at ~1.5 y cm-1. These rates are similar those found by West (1980) in related areas. I also took sections from logs of fallen messmates at Carranya and compared their diameter in cm with age in years as defined by number of growth rings. The results were quite comparable at 1.5-1.8 y cm-1 (with the higher ratio being from logs of sub-dominant trees).
Thus, we have a quick and easy-to-apply way of arriving at the approximate age of that giant-of-the-forest.
Beg, steal, borrow, or buy a flexible tape of the type used in the clothing industry (mine is fibreglass so getting it wet or dirty is no problem):
Measure the circumference (C) of the tree in cm at chest height
Divide C by Pi (3.1415) to get the DOB, then multiply by 1.5 to arrive at the age in years for a dominant or co-dominant tree
If the tree is in competition with others nearby, it could be growing at a much slower rate – and the method breaks down for trees growing in particularly harsh conditions.
Given the errors involved, simply taking C/2 will be close enough. This also should work reasonably well for peppermints (E. radiata), and swamp gums (E. ovata). But it will need to be modified for faster growing trees such as southern blue gums.
Our Grandfather Messmate at Carranya (see image) has a circumference of 600 cm and likely has reached the grand old age of around 300 years - it was standing when Cook set foot at Botany Bay! Nowadays, it sure looks his age, but with age comes holes and nooks, and the old fellow has taken on the responsibility of housing a tribe of sugar gliders (Pretaurus brevicep), which nest in a hollow and are quite happy to chew sugar-filled sap from boules poking like boils through the bark of the trunk. And I now have the serious responsibility of ensuring it is still here when I move on.
How about a challenge. Anyone out there know of a large and older messmate on the Peninsula? A bottle of wine to the winner and your tree will feature in the newsletter.
Article and messmate image by Greg Holland
Be Bluetoungue-Aware
Bluetongues may be able to handle a snake (see image at the end), but cars, lawnmowers, cats, dogs, and foxes are another thing. As with all our precious native fauna, they have no protection against these exotic predators, and they suffer badly every summer. The following pamphlet provides a list of guidelines on how to reduce the destruction this spring and summer.
In addition, try running your slasher or mower at a higher level so it can pass harmlessly over a hidden lizard. Your lawn will be better and all your skinks will cheer.
Blue-Banded Bees (BBB) are Essential, but they Need Homes Too
BBBs (Amegilla sp) are not only a beautiful and interesting addition to the backyard, they are an essential pollinator for our native plants. BBBS are buzz pollinators that insert their long probiscuses deep into suitable flowers. Once there, they shake violently to release pollen from tiny capsules deep inside the flower. In the process, they shake loose lots more pollen, which drifts off to fertilise nearby flowers.
Thus, these beautiful bees are essential to the pollination of a range of indigenous flowers - flowers that have evolved together with the BBBs, and which cannot be pollinated by exotic bees or most native insect pollinators. One such plant is our lovely flax lilly (Dianella sp).
The bees find blue and violet flowers highly attractive, so planting some of these will set you up for them to come by. But you now have a problem. Amegilla will not travel more than ~300 m from their homes, so if there is no local dirt bank for them to dig their little homes into, they will not come.
This also means that your Dianella along with other similar species will eventually die out.
The solution? Give the bees a home. Thankfully, Jim Greenwood has done the heavy lifting on determining their preferences - as he indicates below.
I first made several bee hotels using clay packed into Besser blocks. They had 6-mm-deep invitation holes to attract the bees. When placed near the Buddleia and the Rosemary, the bees showed no interest and the hotels cracked and fell apart. Then I tried a mix of clay and sand. Still no interest, though they held together better.
BBBs were still frequently seen but were not interested in my mini stack of packed Besser blocks.
Finally, I tried a mound of mud, sand and clay on a wooden raised bed .6 x .6m and put this beside the blocks. There was still no interest in the blocks, but the mound was soon investigated. Five or six holes have appeared and BBBs were seen exploring the mound. It is possible that they see the mounded mix as more like their natural sites of bare banks and ridges.
The mix ratios that I have used have been clay/sand 1/1 and 1/2, and clay/sand/mud 2/1/1. My mud is basically saturated soil, so a mix of clay, sand and soil should produce the same result.
Given this success, Jim is planning to try a small bank at the base of the Buddleia this summer. He is invited back in autumn to tell us how it went.
- Article by Jim Greenwood and Greg Holland (who also provide the image).
The final round of Smart Farms Small Grants is now open. Grants are available for between $100,000 to $250,000 per activity and are available to fund projects that help improve the protection, resilience and productive capacity of our soils. Applicants may apply for a maximum of $2 million per application. To apply for Smart Farms Small Grants: Soil Extension Activities, visit Community Grants Hub.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Grant Guru
Looking for grants? Do consult this service from the Shire. Other opportunities are announced through through notices from your local Landcare group.
Land for Wildlife:If you wish to create or protect wildlife habitats on your property, then the Land for Wildlife scheme can offer advice and assistance. Participation is free and membership doesn’t alter the legal status of your property in any way. A Land for Wildlife sign is provided free of charge to acknowledge the efforts being made for wildlife conservation. Contact Peter Johnson Statewide Coordinator (DELWP) - ph. 5430 4358 Fax: 5448 4982.
Home Harvest exchange: Too many lemons and not enough parsley? Why not take part in a Home Harvest Exchange? This community initiative allows people to bring their own excess produce and go home with someone else’s for free! Bring home grown edibles, eggs, preserved produce, honey, seeds and seedlings. No minimum amount and no money changes hands.
Eco Living Display Centre:Open: Fridays 1-4pm & first Saturday each month 9.00am-1.00pm at The Briars with activities and workshops - ph. 5950 1259.
Report Environmental Crime: If you observe any environmental crime such as wildlife smuggling, removal of native species, keeping endangered species in captivity, please report it to DELWP - ph. 136 186.
Wildlife Contact Information about wildlife rehabilitators, rescue organisations and veterinarians in your local area who can care for the type of animal in need of help, such as a kangaroo or koala.
Snake Catcher:For advice or accredited snake catchers on the Peninsula.
Wildlife Help on the Mornington Peninsula (WHOMP): All hours 0417 380 687 or 0417 395 883.
Animalia Shelter: For help with injured or stressed native animals - ph. 0435 822 699 All hours.
Snap Send Solve for Wildlife Injuries: an easy and efficient way to report injured wildlife. If you see injured wildlife, simply start a report with Snap Send Solve and select ‘Wildlife - Native Injured’ to send the report to Wildlife Victoria. Advice on Removing Native Vegetation: For assistance and advice in relation to the removal of native vegetation.
Free Rabbit Warren Extermination - No Chemicals: Got rabbits, Ian Peterson has a busyness of ferrets that would love to come and clean them out.
David Maddocks: President of MPLN ph: 0429 990 518 Chantal Morton:MPLN Landcare Facilitator Greg Holland: Newsletter Editor. Michele Sabto: Project Coordinator for ‘Linking the Mornington Peninsula Landscape’ project. Sarah Saxton: MP Shire Agribusiness & Food Industry Officer. Lizzie Younger: Melbourne Water River Health Officer.
Also, here are the contacts for each of the member groups in the MPLN. Unsure which one you belong to - check here.
Landcare Trailer Available for Members
Landcare groups are welcome to borrow the new trailer for working bees, etc - it comes with a wide range of tools for weeding, planting, and other landcare activities. Our new gas burner also is available to tackle annual weeds (in wet conditions only). Please contact Greg Holland to book
Do you any questions or complaints? How about a story to tell? Is there a weed, plant, fungus, slime mould, or animal that you want to know about? Have you identified a new, rare, or interesting species? Or a good book? How about a great photo?
Please contact Greg Holland for it to be featured in the newsletter.
The recent burst of spring weather has our reptiles emerging sluggishly from winter hibernation to soak up the welcome sun and prepare to break their fast.
First came a copperhead, curled up in a sunny patch and so sluggish that I could easily have reached over and picked it up. "This is rather unusual," thought I, "normally we see the odd brown and blue tongue well before the copperheads".
Normality soon returned when a vague shape in the grass turned into a blotched bluetongue, also out warming up - but cautiously remaining partially hidden in the long grass.
Our bluetongues typically are not overly worried about my presence. Some years we have even had them residing in the vegie garden, where they are welcome partners in the bug-removal area. A couple have become quite friendly - readily coming forward to accept a proffered grasshopper or worm, then sitting contentedly while I stroked their head.
Which leaves the obvious question. "How does such a slow and placid skink avoid becoming a meal itself?"
Well, to start with they are quite alert and good at camouflage, and they sure can move remarkably fast when needed.
But they have another trick - they have developed an almost complete immunity to the poison from at least some of their major predators - snakes. They are particularly immune to the venom of the red-bellied black snake, and some consider them to be at least partially immune to others.
Indeed, those apparently sluggish bluetongues have been known to turn the tide and dine on young brown snakes.
emissions farming based on the Peninsula. As part of this, Melbourne Water have been asked about supporting development of a video about dam emissions resulting from excess farm nutrients and best-practice dam management.
mud. Down below and invisible to the eye lies the network of tunnels and even large, water-filled caverns that is the domain of the land yabbie. They tend to be small, and, without the need for a means of rapid acceleration away from predators, their tails have shrunk considerably.
unusual," thought I, "normally we see the odd brown and blue tongue well before the copperheads".
