Northern Friends e-news
December 2009
1. Friends of Group Resource Database.
2. SALP 2009 and 2010.
3. State NRM Program 2009-10 Community Grants.
4. Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo Project
5. Assistance required for Graceful Sun Moth Surveys.
6. Swan River Dolphin Deaths Investigated.
In response to a number of requests from Friends of Groups for a joint database of equipment and resources to
enable sharing between groups; I will be compiling a database during December 2009-January 2010.
In order to assist me with this, could you please either send in a list or fill out the attached form with details of any
equipment that your group is happy to loan to other groups and return it to:
melinda.mcandrew@water.wa.gov.au
Melinda McAndrew
Perth Region NRM
PO Box 2206
Midland WA 6936
If the form, or a list, could be returned before 30th January 2010 it would be greatly appreciated.
Good News - all 2010 SALP projects were successful.
For those with SALP 2009 projects, letters will be coming out shortly regarding project reporting which is due on
31st March 2010. If you are unable to get project reporting in by the due date, please contact Di Blackburn-Hillier
on 9374 3305 to avoid the risk of not receiving funding next year. If you require assistance with your project reporting,
please contact Melinda McAndrew on 9374 3316 or melinda.mcandrew@water.wa.gov.au
The Government has allocated $5 million for a community component of the State NRM Program. Groups can apply for
grants of between $5,000 and $250,000 to take action to help protect and conserve priority assets in Western Australia.
Projects must be able to be completed by 30th June 2011 and address at least one of the Government’s NRM priorities
including:
§ Biodiversity conservation
§ Biosecurity
§ Water Quality
§ NRM interaction with planning
§ Climate change adaptation
§ Community engagement
The closing date for applications is Friday 29th Jan 2010.
Application guidelines and templates may be downloaded from:
www.nrm.wa.gov.au/stateNRMprogram.htm
The Department of Environment and Conservation are currently preparing a Recovery Plan for the endangered Carnaby’s
Black Cockatoo.
A number of the Perth Region NRM geographic reference groups (including the north) are looking into possible joint
projects relating to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo.
A number of survey projects are needed to determine further information about populations and habitat including:
§ Surveys aiming to confirm the areas of habitat used by Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo
§ Night roost surveys to determine population size and composition
§ Longer term monitoring
With these projects community assistance and involvement would be of great value, potentially for monitoring this summer.
As further information becomes available I will forward it on to all who are interested. If you would like to register an interest
in being involved in a Black Cockatoo Project please email me melinda.mcandrew@water.wa.gov.au
Birds Australia put out an informative newsletter titled “Cocky Notes” every 6 months which can be downloaded from:
http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/our-projects/carnabys-black-cockatoo-recovery.html
If you want to subscribe to Cocky Notes contact:
Raana Scott
0427 707 047 or r.scott@birdsaustralia.com.au
DEC is carrying out a project to improve the knowledge of the distribution and habitat of the Graceful Sun Moth. The
moth is restricted to parts of the Swan Coastal Plain and has been found in the following reserves over the last decade:
Koondoola Regional Bushland Reserve, Warwick Conservation Reserve, Porteous Park, Errina Road Bushland,
Marangaroo Bushland, Landsdale Road Bushland, Gumblossom Reserve, Shenton Bushland and Whiteman Park.
The Graceful Sun Moth may occur in heath, shrubland or woodland vegetation on the Quindalup or Spearwood dunes,
which contain Lomandra maritima or Lomandra hermaphrodita.
Surveys will be conducted in March 2010 and it’s crucial for there to be as many people as possible assisting. Training
sessions for the surveys are being held through November 2009.
For further information as well as to volunteer for surveys and register for training sessions contact:
Carly Bishop
Carly.Bishop@dec.wa.gov.au
9334 0310
The Swan River Trust together with the Department of Environment and Conservation are working in collaboration with Curtin and Murdoch universities to investigate six dolphin deaths in the Swan Canning Riverpark during the past four months. Post mortem investigations are not conclusive but indicate the dolphins had suppressed immune systems and bacterial, fungal and viral infections. Two dolphins suffered entanglements from fishing line and hooks and had an ongoing infection as a result – an important reminder to anglers not to discard fishing line carelessly in the Riverpark.
Recent media reports have linked the deaths to elevated levels of the banned pesticide dieldrin in the dolphins. While it is possible long-term exposure to contaminants may have contributed to the deaths, the Trust and researchers are continuing to investigate a suite of factors.
The Trust has been working with the Department of Water on a non-nutrient contaminants program since 2006, to determine the nature of contaminants, other than nutrients, delivered to and present in the Swan Canning river system. You can view the summary report at www.swanrivertrust.wa.gov.au
The Department of Health has advised that there is no public health risk associated with the deaths of the dolphins.
How you can help
The public can play an essential role in monitoring this iconic species. The Trust’s River Guardians program, www.riverguardians.com, manages Dolphin Watch, where volunteers record details of dolphin sightings in the rivers. The project aims to provide key information on dolphin ecology and interactions with human activities in the Swan Canning Riverpark.
The public can help care for our dolphins
Keep your distance – never approach a wild dolphin and make sure you keep at least 30 metres away if you’re in the water or 100 metres if you’re in a boat.
Brake for dolphins - dolphins often form resting groups in the middle reaches of the estuary, so keep an eye out for dolphins, and slow down if you spot any.
Never feed dolphins – it is illegal and leaves them vulnerable to entanglement, boat strikes, and disease.
Fish responsibly - dolphins, particularly calves, can get tangled in fishing line. Make sure you dispose of unwanted monofilament line carefully and consider the use of biodegradable fishing line.
More information on fishing is available at www.swanrivertrust.wa.gov.au
For more information about the dolphin deaths visit: http://www.murdoch.edu.au/News/Scientists-and-agencies-investiga
Further information on the recent dolphin deaths is available on the Murdoch University website:
http://www.murdoch.edu.au/News/Scientists-and-agencies-investigate-dolphin-deaths/
Dolphin Watch Project
This is a community monitoring program managed by the Swan River Trust’s River Guardians Program - where volunteers record and report their observations of bottlenose dolphins in the Swan Canning Riverpark. Working with Murdoch and Curtin Universities, the project provides key information on dolphin ecology and interactions with human activities.
If you would like to be involved in Dolphin Watch, become a River Guardian today (membership is free). Your membership pack will include a form for you to register your interest in this special project. For more information, go to www.riverguardians.com or www.swanrivertrust.wa.gov.au
