Beth
I agree with your views. If you want to see Red-browed Finches on Black
Mountain NR and Bruce Ridge NR, head for the Phalaris. In moist, open
areas the herbivores cannot keep the Phalaris down so it can grow quite
rank and it often sets seed. The Red-browed Finches appear to thrive in
it. However, there are areas in the COG area of interest where there are
plenty of Red-browed Finches but no Phalaris, so the finches must not
need Phalaris to survive. Phalaris not only beats the herbivores, it
also outcompetes lots of native plants, so my guess would be that if
there is an opportunity to remove some Phalaris to enable regeneration
of native vegetation, it would be useful to do so.
Con
Barbara Preston wrote:
Phalaris is a major 'improved pasture' grass from at least the 1960s,
and you often see it beside roads etc as well as in pastures (maybe
less so in the ACT because of the lack of 'improved pastures' because
of leasehold situation). Should be little concern if phalaris is taken
out where it's unsuitable there is enough of it around (it's a tall
and usually dominant perennial) (I am happy to stand corrected - just
knowing it from my family's properties in the central west & New
England since the 1960s)
cheers
Barbara
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