Fighting weeds to find rare plants in Tyamolum
By Greg Siepen
A rare plant has been discovered by the Tyamolum Scout Centre in Queensland.
On a planting and weed removal project on property in Mount Crosby, volunteers recorded the location of over 100 rare Lloyd’s native olive plants. This plant only grows in the Karalee-Karana Downs-Mount Crosby area, and was named after the late Lloyd bird.
Funded under an Everyone’s Environment Grant provided by the Queensland Government, project chairman Ian Heath explained, “To protect this rare plant, we needed to remove as many competing weeds as possible, like Weed of National Significance cat’s claw creeper, mothers of millions, lantana, ochna, and corky passion vine. Fortunately, we have had the help and expertise of weeders from the Oxley Creek Catchment Association.”
A volunteer with some of thebags of mothers of millions that were removed.
With the help of scouts and cubs from various groups, including Richlands, Riverview, Moggill, Taringa-Milton-Toowong and Kenmore, plus their leaders, over 1,000 native seedlings have been planted. These seedlings have started well with the good rains of spring and summer, and will eventually help shade out the nasty weeds and prevent new ones from invading.
“They treated the patch of cat’s claw occurring in a patch of dry rainforest, and also led the removal of the weeds throughout the eucalypt forests on the property,” Ian said. “This was supported by scouting volunteers who have done follow-up weeding.”
The planting took place on three Community Environment Days which also saw the participation of members of other Landcare groups such as Moggill Creek Catchment Group, The Hut Environment and Community Association, and OCCA who helped educate the scouting youth members on caring for the environment.
In addition, since 2015, 20 garbage bags worth of mothers of millions plants have been collected, and there’s been a significant reduction in the cat’s claw invasion and lantana.
Plastic water pipes have been laid throughout the property, providing safe drinking water for the scouts and cubs camping on the property, water for newly planted seedlings, as well as a source of water for fighting fires.
“The scouting fraternity connected to Tyamolum is very grateful for the sponsorship of this project by the Queensland state government,” Ian said. “It has complemented the activities that have been going on under the auspices of the Land for Wildlife program and demonstrates the importance of Landcare and environment to the various levels of achievement in cubs, scouts and venturer sections.
For more information, contact Ian Heath on [email protected] or 07-3371 3712.
