December Bushcare Working Bee Rogers Reserve 2019

6th December 2019

Our last bushcare working bee for the year today. Further asparagus weed was removed and rubbish picked up and disposed of properly or collected for recycling. Thanks to everyone who has helped out this year again managing this special patch of dry rainforest in the middle of Highfields. We hope we will receive some much needed rain and some of our precious wildflowers may appear this summer. Lots of birds observed including two juvenile Pale-headed Rosellas with their parents.

Bushcare Working Bee - Friends of Rogers Reserve, 6th December 2019 Highfields. 

Correct way to remove Taiwan Lily pest weed

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields.

During Clean Up Australia Day 2018, Judi discovered a Taiwan Lily in flower at the Rogers Reserve.  This is the first time that this environmental weed has been found within the bushland reserve and correct removal of this fast spreading plant was imperative.

Greg was on hand to show and demonstrate the correct way to remove all of the plant including the bulbs at the bottom of the roots. 


More information on the Taiwan Lily and how to remove it here:


Common name: Taiwan lily, Formosa lily 

Botanic name: Lilium formosanum
The species name formosanum is Latin, meaning ‘from Formosa’. The island of Formosa is now Taiwan.

Description: A bulbous plant with upright, straight, flowering stems 1-1.8m (up to 6′) tall in summer. Clusters of 1-3 lightly scented, trumpet-shaped flowers are borne at the top of each stem. The flowers are white with a pale yellow throat, and some have pink staining on the outside of the petals or when in the bud.

Problem areas: This plant has escaped from gardens and naturalized in southeast Australia from Queensland to Victoria and also on Lord Howe Island. It is usually found along roadside verges, drainage ditches, on wasteland and in bushland.
Reasons for success

The Taiwan lily grows from seed, bulbs and fleshy leaves (called bulb scales). The plant grows from seed to flowering stage in around 6-9 months (most lilies take two years from seed until flowering). Each flower produces hundreds of seeds. As the seeds mature, the seed pods are held upright and open slowly. Seeds are released over a 4-8 week period to take advantage of good conditions. Seeds are light and travel long distances on the wind. Even a single plant dumped in bushland can become the nucleus of a new weed infestation.
Control

Hand weeding. This is the best option for home gardeners. Cut down the flowering stem before the plant sets seed. Remove the bulb, taking care not to leave any bulb scales in ground. You may have to remove some of the surrounding soil to catch small bulblets that break away from the parent plant.

Note: don’t just pull the plant up. The bulb is quite deep in the soil and all you’ll get is the stem with some roots (called stem roots).

INFORMATION SOURCE: https://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/weeds-and-garden-pests/taiwan-lily/

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields - it is important to use a shovel to remove all of the bulb roots.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields - showing the bulb roots of the Taiwan Lily Weed.

Taiwan Lily Removal at Rogers Reserve, Highfields - Ensure the whole plant and roots and bulbs are disposed of in a refuse bin, do not place them on the ground  as they will regenerate. 

Removal of Moth Vine

10 May 2016

REMOVAL OF MOTH VINE (aka FALSE CHOKO)
by Greg Lukes

Moth Plant (Common Moth Vine, False Choko)
Araujia sericifera
Family: Asclepidiaceae

Araujia sericifera in Australia is considered a weed. It is a rapid growing vine with oval leaves, sometimes with a slightly heart-shaped base, and a white underside, growing in opposite pairs. The leaf upper surface is a dull dark green, not glossy. Milky sap is produced from cuts or other damage. Showy white shortly tubular flowers are held in the leaf axils. Seeds have a tuft of hairs to assist dispersal, and are packed tightly into a leathery green choko-like capsule, which splits when ripe.

It is found widespread in a variety of habitats, but most common in moist soils along rivers. Impacts native bushland by climbing over shrubs and small trees, smothering and breaking them down. Also spreads over the ground, smothering native groundcover plants. Seeds are readily spread on the wind and in water.

Control 
CAUTION The milky sap is an irritant to the skin and eyes. Wear gloves when handling this plant and avoid getting the sap in the mouth or eyes.
Young plants are easily hand-pulled if growing in loose soil, or can be dug out. Large plants can be treated by the scrape and paint method.
When removing any species of vines, be careful about pulling them down, as this can damage the supporting plant. Generally, they are better left to die off and break up in place, unless this would involve leaving seed pods in the canopy. Try to control vines (and other weeds) before seed has formed to avoid this problem, but if fruits are present (even if they are still green), they should be collected as carefully as possible and disposed of properly.

Native Look-alikes 
The flowers and choko-like fruits are distinctive but there are some native climbers with similar leaves.
Milk vines (Marsdenia rostrata and M. flavescens) also have milky sap and opposite leaves. However, the upper surface is shiny and the underside pale green in M. rostrata and yellowish in M. flavescens. Flowers are smaller and yellow, and seed pods long and narrow. (Found from Gold Coast down to Victoria.) Common silkpod (Parsonsia straminea) has similar leaves which are dull green above and paler green below, yellow flowers and long cigar-shaped pods. The small native vine Tylophora barbata has clear sap, opposite pale green leaves, and the rarely produced flowers are small and dark purple.
Article and further images can be found on this website
www.esc.nsw.gov.au/living-in/about/our-natural-environment/introduced-plants-and-animals/weeds/weed-profiles/moth-plant-araujia-sericifera,-formerly-a

Video on moth vine removal
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5ncXvKSeFc&feature=related

Local note. We found some seeds along the track that unfortunately had recently been dispersed by the wind. Larger plants growing in the loose soil can also be dug out carefully lifting out all the main roots which can travel for metres just below the surface. Monitor the area for reshoots within 1-3 months after removal.

The 'white fluff' shown on the track are Moth Vine Seeds that have dispersed in the wind.

A close up of the fluffy moth vine seeds

Here you can see the actual seed within the white fluff of the moth vine plant

Environmental Weed Removal by Volunteers

Over the last few years that the Friends of Rogers Reserve Group has been active, the weeds that were present at the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve have been markedly reduced thanks to the groups efforts and that of the Green Army.

Friends of Rogers Reserve Group member, Greg Lukes has been leading the way in environmental weed eradication at the reserve and has been sharing his knowledge on the most effective ways to manage these pests.

For those interested in finding out more, or learning onsite, you can attend a Friends of Rogers Reserve Group Weeding Working Bee onsite each, 3rd Friday of the month at 9am.

Greg and the team have been working hard to target areas containing weed species that we know spread quickly if left to do their own thing.

High priority species include:

• Mossman River Grass (any spiky seeds need to be carefully removed into bin) (check clothing regularly for hitch hiker seeds)
• Cobblers pegs (especially along the main track, approach tracks and entrances to avoid the being spread by visitors) (all plant, flowers and any spiky seeds need to be removed into bin) (check clothing regularly for hitch hiker seeds)
• Paspalum grass (any seeds need to be removed into bin) (check clothing regularly for hitch hiker seeds)Tall fleabane (seed heads need to be removed into bin)
• Pavonia (any seed pods need to be removed into bin) (each seed pod contains 5 seeds that are likely to germinate if left on the ground)
• White Moth vine (any seed pods need to be removed into bin)
• Climbing asparagus (any seeds need to be removed into bin)
• Basket fern (any seeds need to be removed into bin)
• Wandering Jew (1 patch along O'Brien Road near the Clarke Road intersection) (may require raking)
• Spinyhead Sida Sida acuta (any seeds need to be removed into bin)
• African love grass (mainly along Polzin Road) (any seeds need to be removed into bin)etc.

Other slower spreading weeds include:

• Lantana (good target weed for younger more energetic volunteers) (once the roots are removed from the soil, plant material and any seeds can be left on the ground) (to germinate, the seeds would need to go through a bird gut)
• Creeping Lantana Lantana montevidensis (May need raking or spraying)
• Easter Cassia (any seed pods need to be removed into bin)
• Privet (once the roots are removed from the soil, plant material and any seeds can be left on the ground) (to germinate, the seeds would need to go through a bird gut)
• CeltisPalm trees (council to cut down) (1.5m lengths could provide good seating logs at intervals along the main track) (Seeds to be collected by volunteers if required.)
• Tree pear etc

Thanks to Greg for co-ordinating these events and for caring so much for the dry rainforest bushland in suburban Highfields.

J.G.

Condamine Alliance Features Bushcare Work of Reserve Volunteers

The Condamine Alliance has featured the bush-care work of Friends of Rogers Reserve member Greg Lukes and his contribution to Bush rehabilitation: reducing weed infestation.  Everyone who has attended a working bee at the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve will be familiar with Greg and his passion for bush-care work.  Thanks Condamine Alliance for the feature.

http://www.condaminealliance.com.au/news-bush-rehabilitation

Great Results in Weed Removal by Green Army

15 May 2015

Working at temperatures as low as -1 degrees in Highfields, the Green Army Campbell Page Group have worked tirelessly this week removing environmental weeds from the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields, Queensland. The results are amazing and the reserve is looking wonderful after having mass removal of lantana, asparagus and cobblers pegs to name a few.

Thank you again to the Green Army Team for your hard work, knowledge and advice on managing this reserve for the future. 

Before and After photos below thanks to Greg Lukes:

Green Army Team begin work at Rogers Reserve 11 May 2015

11 May 2015,.  We are very excited to have the Campbell Page Green Army - Campbell Page Group working at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve this week. The team of 7 started bright and early this morning and will be at the reserve each day this week from 7.30- 1.00 removing Pavonia, Cobblers Pegs, Lantana & Asparagus Weeds. We welcome any members of the public to come and give them a hand during the week. Thankyou again to Greg, Gary and Condamine Alliance for arranging the Green Army to help remove weeds from our beautiful suburban bushland area in Highfields.

Friends Brave the Cold at Reserve Working Bee

5 brave souls turned up for a working-bee at the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve yesterday - braving the cold and icy winds. Gale force winds lashed the Toowoomba Region with the Toowoomba Chronicle reporting strong winds as fast as 69 kmh. The south westerly gusts also brought the temperature in Toowoomba down to below 0 degrees for most of the day. The committed team managed to find a place in the sun, within the reserve to escape the wind, performing further weed removal within the reserve. Their efforts were followed with morning-tea and a catch-up at the Highfields Fitness & Recreation Centre next door.

The next Friends Group Meet will be on Friday 15th August, meeting at 9.00am at the front of the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve on Community Court, Highfields.