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FoGL’s Bosworth Rd. Bridge submission

Friends of the Gippsland Lakes, Parks & Reserves (FoGL) has serious concerns in relation to the impact the proposed Bosworth Road bypass would have on the Macleod Morass Reserve and its significant ecology and wildlife…

fogl bosworth road submission

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FoGL submission to the Regional Coastal Plan

“FoGL emphasizes that environmental health and biodiversity underpin everything else.”

FoGL submission Regional Coastal Plan

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FoGL Submission to the Inspector General for Emergency Management on Current Prescribed Burning Practices

Concluding Comments: “FoGL stresses a fire ecology strategy needs to be developed and implemented that protects and enhances our biodiversity and is based on the best-available scientific evidence.” … ” We feel that a public awareness campaign needs to be mounted that challenges, with scientific evidence, the belief that planned burns protect communities and do no harm to wildlife and biodiversity.”

FoGL Submission to the Inspector General for Emergency Management

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Seen any Pacific Gulls lately?

HELP NEEDED TO FIND BANDED PACIFIC GULLS

Be on the lookout for banded Pacific Gulls – alive or dead.

A number of people have been banding Pacific Gulls over the past few years: – Clive Minton and the Victorian Wader Study Group, around Victoria – Peter Dann, at Phillip Island, Victoria – Bill Wakefield, around Hobart, Tasmania – Cath Meathrel, in the Furneaux Group, Tasmania – me, Bruce Robertson, in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.

All birds have at least one band, of stainless steel. Some birds were also banded with a unique colour combination using Darvic/plastic bands. Others were banded with a large aluminium band with a unique number stamped four times around the band.

From previous recoveries of banded birds, we know that first year birds from last breeding season will be doing their post-fledging dispersal now. We also know that up to 50% of all first year birds will die before their first birthday.

In 2006 Bruce Robertson banded over 500 chicks on Goose Island, Tasmania. This is the most birds ever banded in the one place at the one time. It gives us a unique chance to investigate post-fledging dispersal. It also is our best ever chance to find out whether any birds move north to Victoria, across Bass Strait.

We need the help of people like you who are to be our eyes and ears for us around coastal Victoria.

Bands recovered from dead birds can be sent to the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme, GPO Box 8, Canberra 2601.

Sight records, even without full details, are still of value to Bruce. Please let him know of the whereabouts of any live banded birds that you see.

Bruce Robertson 16 Ellen Close Warragul 3820 Mobile: 0427 231 344 Fax: 0356 236 327 Email: brobson@dcsi.net.au

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Sea Spurge follow up weeding in the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park

seaspurge_Oct13_wendyp
Wendy Parker, President, FoGL

After FoGL’s successful removal of the invasive weed sea spurge Euphorbia paralias l from Barrier Landing and a part of Rigby Island last year, a follow up weed removal event took place on October 10, 2013. This was done in conjunction with Parks Victoria and the Lakes Entrance Community Landcare Group.
Two areas were targeted. The first was the area around Barrier Landing that was worked on last year. The second was a part of Rigby Island frequented by Little Terns and Fairy Terns. These birds require an open sandy area on which to build their nests and lay their eggs but sea spurge growth has reduced the available nesting area. These migratory birds are due back in the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park soon.

spurge talk 2013 10 10

Two FoGL members, 7 Landcare members, 2 Parks Victoria Rangers and Little Tern expert Faye Bedford (DEPI) were able to successfully weed both areas. In the previously weeded Barrier Landing area, there has been a substantial reduction in flowering plants, and the small seedlings which regrew were easily removed. With ongoing work on these sites, this invasive weed is very likely to be kept under control.

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Nicholson River Landcare share strategies with FoGL

On Saturday May 4th, Nicholson River Landcare hosted 10 members of Friends of the Gippsland Lakes Parks and Reserves on walks on the properties of Leo Rijs and Jim Stephenson. The work of carbon trading company Citola in planting 50000 trees using the “rip and mound” method on the Rijs property was highlighted.

The President of FOGL_logo_parksandreserves_w150FOGL, Wendy Parker, gave a talk to the combined group on the current projects and challenges of her group. This was followed by another great lunch provided by Marcia Rijs and helpers. After lunch the group drove down the road to Jim Stephenson’s property where Jim led a tour highlighting the extensive revegetation works adjacent to the mouth of the Nicholson River. The day concluded with coffee and cake at the Stephenson homestead.

Peter Wallace

Publicity Officer

Nicholson River Landcare

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Sea spurge – an invasive threat in the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park

Sea Spurge

Sea spurge, Euphorbia paralias, is an invasive beach weed that originated from Europe. Sea spurge was probably introduced to Australia in ships’ ballast water about 70 years ago. The plant first appeared in Western Australia and is now found throughout south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania and the islands of Bass Strait. The weed is now in the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park.

Sea spurge is a problem because each plant can produce up to 5000 salt-tolerant seeds. These seeds can survive for a number of years on ocean currents that spread them from beach to beach. Once established, a sea spurge colony can spread rapidly, displacing the native vegetation and changing the structure of the beach. This can disrupt many native species including the endangered shorebirds (hooded plovers, little terns and oystercatchers) that use open sand spits for nesting.

Sea spurge can grow anywhere on the beach front, from the high water mark to well into the dunes, and has also been found on rocky foreshores and rock shelves, on the steep back dunes and inside the mouths of coastal lakes and estuaries. It has now been observed at a number of locations inside the Gippsland Lakes, as well as along the coastal side of the Lakes.


Friends of the Parks and Reserves of the Gippsland Lakes (FoGL), in partnership with Parks Victoria (PV), is undertaking a weeding program at a number of locations within the Coastal Park. The first of these was held at Barrier Landing and Rigby Island on November 20th. Six  FoGL members and three PV staff removed the weed from both sides of the coastal track at Barrier Landing, as well as along the lake shore. They were also able to clear a more remote area on Rigby Island.

Follow up weeding at these sites is planned for the autumn and it is hoped that regular twice yearly maintenance will keep Sea spurge under control, so that it does not become a problem weed in the Park.

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