Re-mulching and labeling of Bill Mollison Memorial Tree

20/06/20

After the long drought and not much tlc, the Bill Mollison Memorial Tree, planted on 11th November 2016, recently needed replacing.  We discovered that this had been done at our last bushcare working bee in June and decided to give the tree the attention it deserves, with proper placement in the ground, tree stakes for support, a tree bag and memorial sign to mark it's significance.

We will bring water in containers to water the tree at every bushcare working bee and hopefully this will help it make it through this time.  There aren't any water sources at the reserve for tree watering, making it a little challenging to care for newly planted plants. 

More info about the original planting here: https://rogersreserve.blogspot.com/2016/11/memorial-tree-for-bill-mollison.html

Planned Cool Burn for Rogers Reserve Highfields

The date has been set for the planned "Cool Mosaic Burn"at the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields.  The Friends of Rogers Reserve have had on-site discussions about the details of this burn with Toowoomba Regional Council and the aim is for regeneration of the understory, hazard reduction all while retaining significant areas, plants, tree hollows and nesting boxes.

The burn is planned for from 22nd June to 28th June and the park will be closed to the public during this time.

We thank the council for working with us for a positive outcome on his project, pleasing all parties including local neighbours.

More information here: 

http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/community-business/community-safety/be-prepared-for-emergencies/14241-councils-bushfire-mitigation-plans-for-the-next-season

Sugar Gliders using Nesting Box at Rogers Reserve Highfields

Today at the Rogers Reserve Working Bee at Highfields, Brendon brought the extension ladder and conducted a check on the only nesting box that we have installed. It has been in place for a few years now and we haven't checked it for about 2 years.

He carefully lifted the lid a small amount and put the phone inside to take a couple of photos and a little video to check the contents. To our delight there was a family of Sugar Gliders living inside in their beautiful leaf nest they have created. We couldn't be happier that it is being used for the species that it was designed for.

Sugar and Squirrel Gliders live in the Rogers Reserve and feed on the wattles, insects, flowers and sap.

This is a wonderful example of what you can do at your own property to provide artificial habitat for important wildlife. Video to come on our Facebook Page. www.facebook.com/rogersreserve

June 2020 Bushcare Working Bee at Rogers Reserve

05.06.20

Today we had 4 Bushcare Volunteers for the monthly Rogers Reserve Working Bee at 9am, followed by an additional 5 people who came for the 10am tour and fire management talk for local residents.  Today's working bee concentrated on rubbish removal, asparagus fern regrowth removal, mossman river grass removal, fauna surveys of the nesting box and birdlife visiting tree hollows.  We had a new bird sighting today of a Budgerigar high in the tree tops, a few were heard and then spotted by Brendon. Very rare however Budgie flocks are known to visit our region in periods of western drought.  The Toowoomba Bird Observers club confirmed last night that recent small flocks of Budgies have been seen this week at USQ Toowoomba, so we are not to rule out this sighting.

Birdlife list today included:

• Budgerigars x 4
• Cockatiel
• White-browed Scrub Wren
• Weebill
• Brown Thornbill
• Red-browed Finch
• Noisy Miner
• Galah
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
• Rainbow Lorikeet
• Scaley-breasted Lorikeet
• Un-identified  Bird of Prey
• Australian Magpie
• Laughing Kookaburra
• Common Bronzewing

Nesting box survey results were very exciting - details to come in a separate post.

High Country Herald Article Re Fire in Rogers Reserve, June 2020

Thankyou to Dougal, one of our long term bushcare volunteers at the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields for his letter to the Editor, published in the High Country Herald on 2nd June 2020.  Dougal has responded to the claims by Mayor Paul Antonio, that the reserve was full of rubbish every time he has been there. We have never had the mayor attend any of our working bees, excursions or guided walks.

High Country Herald Newspaper Article - 2nd June 2020