Small things done now will be disproportionately important in decades to come.

NEXT MEETING   7pm Thursday 19th April at Sunnybank Hills library     
Level 2 Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown
Cnr. Calam Rd. and  Compton Rd.  Sunnybank Hills

PPBio PROGRAM for PLANNED BIODIVERSITY STUDIES

Thank you to Dr Jean Marc Hero for his informative presentation at last months meeting.

Dr Hero is the primary mover of the PPBio program for planned biodiversity studies in Australia. This programme is a research platform for collecting, storing and sharing biological information which will contribute towards a global strategy for monitoring biodiversity. This detailed, long term research will provide information which will be essential to the protection of species threatened by human population growth and global warming.

Karawatha Forest has been chosen as the first Australian site for this long-term ecological assessment because of its high biodiversity and urban surrounds. Fauna and flora surveys will be carried out by a multi- disciplinary team at five yearly intervals with research into the effects of fire and human impacts being part of the equation. Researchers will also be measuring carbon flux (amount of carbon in the soil) as part of the scientific research into climate change. Dr Hero will be expanding the project to other sites in Australia and overseas with the data gained being freely available on the web at www.griffith.edu.au/centre/cics/ppbio

KEEP FISHING LINES OUT OF WATERWAYS

Many fishermen are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers posed to wildlife by their discarded fishing lines due to publicity on television programmes and documentaries. The Queensland Litter Prevention Alliance website is increasing this realization by providing a guide on how to conduct a Fishing Line Recovery Programme to facilitate disposal option for used or tangled fishing line before it floats into waterways and becomes entangled in wildlife.

An initial four-month trial was conducted as a University of Queensland student project, with the installation of ‘Fishing Line Recovery Bins’ at recreational fishing spots throughout the Noosa Shire. This trial was overseen by Ocean Watch and the Noosa Intgrated Catchment Association to ensure the effects of discarded recreational fishing line were properly assessed and evaluated.

If you are interested in starting your own Fishing Line Recovery Bin Programme the plan is available on www.qldlitter.com

MANAGING ALGAL BLOOMS

(Excerpt from Healthy Waterways Happenings newsletter)

“Since the mid 1990’s coastal algal blooms have increasingly affected South East Queemsland coastal waters. The Occurrence and severity of blooms may relate to changes in water quality arising from increasing population, catchment land use, transport systems and climate change. Whilst algae naturally occur within our

Waterways and should be present in some form in most aquatic environments, algal blooms occur when an algal population has grown well beyond its normal abundance in an ecosystem. Healthy Waterways recently supported the EPA, Queensland Parks and Wildlife, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, and the Caboolture and Noosa Shire Councils in the production of a book - Guidelines for Contingency Response to Coastal Algal Blooms- that shares the learnings in how to manage the impacts of a coastal algal bloom.

The book details a range of techniques currently available to help manage algal blooms including actions that deflect algae to protect particular areas of the waterways used for swimming. These include:

• Floating enclosures constructed using floating booms or other floats to suspend seine nets anchored by chains
• Temporary groynes constructed using sand or sand filled geotextile bags.
• Diversion nets or curtains constructed using floating booms to suspend seine nets or curtains to deflect the flow of algal bloom away from shores and mangroves.
• Creation of artificial currents using a pump to divert algae from one area to another
• Controlled tidal flushing might also be employed in coastal lagoons and creeks with poor tidal flushing.

There are also details of how to collect and remove algal bloom including:

• The beam trawl net method involving slowly dragging a small beam trawl net behind a boat over the substrate where the algae are growing or have settled. This requires emptying on shore.
• The haul net method using a float line which encircles the algae and tows them to shore.
• Aquatic skimmers can also be attached to a boat with the algae pumped to a receiving container.
• The Vacuum technique uses pumps to deliver algae into some form of container for removal.
• Beach grooming for algae collection includes the use of tractors to rake or sieve the sand.

Although scientists are still investigating algal blooms and what causes them, much is simultaneously being done to manage their impact on people, business, industry and the environment.”

Those of us who have been resident in South East Queensland for over fifty years and have not experienced toxic blue green algae blooms until recently, can only be dismayed by the fact that we have allowed our natural environment to be degraded to this standard. We can only wonder about how little control we have over what is happening, and how desperate our efforts to manage these unwanted changes in our waterways are. We should avoid the trap of being complacent and in time accepting these occurrences as being the norm.

Jane Cajdler

BUSHWALK

The April bush walk will leave from Illaweena Street entrance on Sunday 29 th. Keep an eye out for wallabies as there have been numerous sightings in the last few weeks. Next months walk (May) will be leaving from the Acacia Road entrance and will be followed by a bush breakfast. Please keep this date in mind.

TRINDER PARK NURSING HOME GARDENS CELEBRATION (12 May - 10 Laurel St. Woodridge)

To celebrate the recent completion of the development of their Community Garden, Trinder Park is hosting an official launch for the community. This will be a fun day for all and they would love you to participate!

The garden includes raised garden beds, an observation deck, BBQ area, level pathways, artwork, a war memorial, seating, fauna breeding boxes, water way and garden areas plus more!!!

The event runs from 9.30am-2.30pm on Saturday May 12 at 10 Laurel St. Woodridge with an official opening ceremony by Hon Desley Scott at 10am.

Activities include –8 m Rock Wall Climb, Sausage Sizzle, Entertainment, Community Group displays.

The Community Garden was developed with thanks and support to a wide range of community groups including; Logan Rotary, Lions, Make & Do Foundation, Neighbourhood Watch, Karawatha Forest Protection Society, Greening Australia, Garden Groups, Logan Bushcare, Keystone, Logan City Council, Logan Scouts, Sheds R Us to name just a few.  The final stage of the Garden was completed with the support of the Community Renewal Program and Boystown.  

DATES TO REMEMBER - APRIL/MAY

Report illegal activities to 3403 8888