Native Environment
Birds & Native Species
- You can help protect native species in your own backyard/property. Bring back native bees and birds by enhancing their habitat. Plant native shrubs, trees and flowers to bring bird life and bees into your garden or your property. Go natural and help give bees and local insects a helping hand by avoiding chemical pesticides and herbicides in your garden, consider using natural alternatives.
- Dogs - Ensure your dogs are kept on a leash in nature reserves or bushland where native animals are likely to be vulnerable. Landcare groups work on these sites to enhance the habitat of native animals to protect them.
- Keep cats locked inside overnight. Even well fed cats roaming at night hunt and kill possums and other small native mammals while birds are often targets at dawn and dusk when they are most active.
- Rakali (Australian Water Rat) - Native Water Rats are little creatures that live in our streams and creeks - co habitat with the platypus. They are important to our native environment as they eat cane toads. We should try to take care of these and keep them alive and not mistake them for rats and poison them.
Rakali
Rakali Awareness Day - 18 February 2022
The Hidden Golden Gems of the Australian Bush
Feb 18 is Rakali Awareness Day. Rakali (Hydromys chrosacaster) is Australia's Otter.
When I saw my first Rakali that is just what I saw - something gold in the bush. Something gold would appear among the Creek bank. Then in the water, then on the other side of the creek. Then a gold flash in the water again. Or somewhere else.
Personally, I think they are the prettiest of our furry Australian wildlife, with their golden fur on their chest and belly, and their white tipped tail, and little pink paws. And the funnest (not the funniest, as comical), but fun to watch as they roll and duck and dive, or float like an otter. Or sitting up holding a snack in their paws and munching it.
But they are also ecosystem savers. They don't just live in our creeks but they are actively saving them for us. While toads are spreading and killing whole varieties of wildlife (and pet dogs), Rakali have learnt how to kill them, and actively hunt them as a food source. Plus, their burrowing and foraging activities help in the redistribution of nutrients in systems. Farmers benefit from Rakali because they often destroy yabbies and the small rodents that destroy irrigation systems. And by eating pond snails they protect livestock from parasites that are transmitted through snails. (Www.ala.org.au).
Both the male and female help with nesting. I had creek frontage and a lagoon at my previous house and I would see a pair leaving their burrow together, day after day in the breeding season. They would swim one behind the other.
However there is not much research on Rakali so if you see one, please report it to the Australian Platypus Conservancy at Www.platypus.asn.au. They have a section on Rakali.
The same size as Platypus, Rakali exist peacefully with Platypus. Sometimes Rakali will use a burrow after Platypus, and sometimes Platypus will use a burrow after Rakali. But they have different food. Platypus, with their duck bill, have grinding pads that grind small food such as insect larvae, freshwater shrimps and crayfish. Rakali hunt bigger creatures. They hunt and dive and have teeth and claws, and can hold food in their paws when they munch. They have learnt how to kill and eat toads and eat small fish and yabbies, etc.
So we have this little furry part gold toad buster helping many of our species that will otherwise be killed by toads. And also helping Australia's water sources and ecosystems.
But, just as Koala bears aren't bears, and our Possums aren't like the American Opossums, and our Magpies aren't related to the American or English Magpies, the Rakali aren't otters. They are in fact native water rats, with little webbed feet/paws. But their ecological role is similar to that of otters found on other continents.
But they can be killed, like platypus, particularly in traps and fishing lines.
So be nice to Rakali and you'll help Australia's wildlife and get rid of toads, and help our streams and water.
To help Rakali (and also help Platypus):
- Encourage appropriate vegetation to grow along the banks of streams, dams, ponds, creeks and rivers. This provides shelter and cover for Rakali and helps with the development of a productive aquatic environment.
- Keep plenty of woody debris, (logs and branches,) in streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. This provides habitat for the young of native fish and for aquatic invertebrates
- Promote greater awareness that Rakali are attractive and interesting animals that contribute to ecological health and biodiversity.
- Many Rakali and platypus continue to die in opera house traps and similar enclosed traps set to catch yabbies and freshwater crayfish, and in fishing lines. Please never , use these traps. If you must use a trap use lift style hoop nets or baited lines without hooks.
Rakali Awareness Day 18 Feb
Beaudesert Landcare, amongst other things, supports the habitat of threatened species like the koala, platypus and native birds from the impact of urban development; and it includes community led environmental projects protecting our land and water aspects. They also host education programs and workshops to share knowledge.
By Robin Villiers-Brown – Beaudesert Landcare Member
Weeds & Pests
“Pests and weeds are unfortunate realities that cost Landholders money.
The bill for weed control is around $4 billion a year including production losses. Pests cost up to $800 million.
It’s a huge drain on the rural economies where about $18,000 is spent on the average farm every year keeping weeds under control. Australia has about 3200 introduced plants. Around 500 are weeds.
At least 73 introduced animals now have feral populations, including 25 mammal species, 20 birds, four reptiles, one amphibian and at least 23 freshwater fish.
The stats show the size of the problem but the toll on the environment is harder to measure.
Landcarers find themselves battling weeds invading native habitat.
It would be easy to give up—especially when weeds are growing resistant to chemicals.
Pest and weed management is the responsibility of landholders and the states, the Coalition Government is making big investments.
Pests and weeds are an even bigger threat in a drought where farmers struggle to keep them under control and when livestock is under stress. They are a drag on drought recovery.”
Nov 2018
By Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud MP
Safety Recommendations:
- Read and follow product instructions.
- Wear protective clothing, covering arms and legs – goggles, gloves and face mask to limit exposure – Spray and fumes may be harmful.
- Wash up carefully after mixing or spraying the product.
- Avoid using the product when it's windy as the spray can drift.
- To gain an understanding of all pest products you should speak to the local produce store.
Fireweed
Senecio Madagscariensis
Annual, or short lived perennial herb to 50cm high. Leaves bright green with uneven margins. Many small yellow daisy-like flowers from April to Sept with 13 petals.
Management: Easily pulled and bagged. Spray before seeds set. Amicide 625, Hotshot, Grazon extra, Bromocide 200.
If Slashing, Only Before Flowering
Safety Recommendations:
- Read and follow product instructions.
- Wear protective clothing, covering arms and legs – goggles, gloves and face mask to limit exposure – Spray and fumes may be harmful.
- Wash up carefully after mixing or spraying the product.
- Avoid using the product when it's windy as the spray can drift.
- To gain an understanding of all pest products you should speak to the local produce store.
Green Cestrum
Cestrum Parqui
Perrenial shrub up to 3m high. Shiny leaves 3cm wide and up to 10cm long with points at each end. Yellow trumpet-shaped flowers during late spring to autumn.
Management: Spray actively growing plants before flowering. Grazon Extra, Amitrole, Glyphosate, Tordon.
Safety Recommendations:
- Read and follow product instructions.
- Wear protective clothing, covering arms and legs – goggles, gloves and face mask to limit exposure – Spray and fumes may be harmful.
- Wash up carefully after mixing or spraying the product.
- Avoid using the product when it's windy as the spray can drift.
- To gain an understanding of all pest products you should speak to the local produce store.
Lantana
Lantana Camara
Sprawling shrub, usually to 3m high. Opposite leaves to 8cm long with toothed edges. Square stems with prickles. Flowers year round. Shiny, clustered berries.
Management: Spray before flowering. Glyphosphate Hotshot, Grazon, Starane, Amicide.
Safety Recommendations:
- Read and follow product instructions.
- Wear protective clothing, covering arms and legs – goggles, gloves and face mask to limit exposure – Spray and fumes may be harmful.
- Wash up carefully after mixing or spraying the product.
- Avoid using the product when it's windy as the spray can drift.
- To gain an understanding of all pest products you should speak to the local produce store.
Annual Ragweed
Ambrosia Artemisiifolia
Erect annual herb to 2m. Pale green leaves to 16cm long and 5cm wide. Yellow-green flowers in spikes (above right). Fruit to 3mm often has small spines.
Management: Spray before flowering. Amicide 625, Kamba 500, Glyphosate.
Safety Recommendations:
- Read and follow product instructions.
- Wear protective clothing, covering arms and legs – goggles, gloves and face mask to limit exposure – Spray and fumes may be harmful.
- Wash up carefully after mixing or spraying the product.
- Avoid using the product when it's windy as the spray can drift.
- To gain an understanding of all pest products you should speak to the local produce store.
Giant Rat’s Tail Grass
Sporobolus Pyramidalis & Natelensis
Robust, tufted perennial grass 1-1.7m high. The seed head can be up to 40cm long and 3cm wide. Seed heads change shape from a “rats tail” spike when young, to an elongated pyramid shape when flowering.
Management: Contact Biosecurity Queensland or Local Authority
Early identification essential - Easily sprayed
Spray Before seed sets. Taskforce, Glyphosate
Safety Recommendations:
- Read and follow product instructions.
- Wear protective clothing, covering arms and legs – goggles, gloves and face mask to limit exposure – Spray and fumes may be harmful.
- Wash up carefully after mixing or spraying the product.
- Avoid using the product when it's windy as the spray can drift.
- To gain an understanding of all pest products you should speak to the local produce store.
