[UNCLASSIFIED] Boorowa- veg clearance & birds

Hi Rainer

I am not sure who to send this to.

(Can others please pass on to relevant people).

 

 

A month ago a friend and I went birding in the Boorowa region.

 

We visited Gunnary TSR.

~5km along Taylors flat Rd (from Rugby Rd) is a sharp right turn and a large patch of Ironbark forest on the right (~2km from crossing at Phils creek). This is on private property. We gained permission from the owner to enter in the past. The forest also contains other microhabitats, with stands of scribbly gums and yellowbox (and maybe cypress pine) and under the canopy are dense shrubs.

 

There were also quite large areas of shrubs with no tree canopy. These areas have now been bulldozed, ploughed and I think fertilised (small white pebbles). This is a tragedy. The area bulldozed pretty much goes in a large y shape right through the middle of the forest. It is therefore breaking the patch up into 3 smaller patches and allowing ferals and weeds easy access to the forest. This area is one of the best bird spots in the Boorowa region (I can think of only one better) and with so few areas left, must have high importance.

 

Birds which were previously found in the area that is now bulldozed included chestnut rumped heathwrens, white browed babblers and speckled warblers. I believe others may have seen grey crowned babblers there. We did not find any of these species this time.

 

This forest also has many other birds and is an important spot for migrating birds. The ironbark was in flower and we saw many honeyeater species. Other birds recorded from this site include peaceful doves, jacky winters, black chinned honeyeater, little lorikeets, brown treecreepers, yellow robins, brown headed honeyeater, and others have seen yellow tufted honeyeaters.

 

With projects like the Cowra Woodland Birds Program and the Superb parrot program carrying out useful work in the Boorowa area it seems such a shame that one of the few remaining native vegetation patches is being substantially degraded.

 

I understand that it is private property and the owners can do what they want, but if there is any way this situation could be reversed and the native vegetation restored this should be done. Perhaps through a conservation agreement or offering incentives.

 

The property next door is being sold and perhaps the owners were asked to ‘clean up’ the messy native veg.

 

Benj Whitworth

This response is from me personally, not on behalf of my work.

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