It's for this reason I once suggested that the old zoo could be taken
over by TAMS as a part of Callum Brae - leaving its feral exotic
plants in place because they form such a significant breeding and
protection area for many small birds that forage in Callum Brae. If
the zoo becomes residential/commercial and all the exotic plants are
removed from CBrae there really will be almost no cover left. I
don't know (and get mixed answers to the question of) what original
box grassy woodland looked like in terms of understory, but if it's
as now but without the exotics, there won't be any small birds. The
chopped plants will eventually turn to dust.
I agree that the exotics are better than nothing. And from what we
heard last night, without the original ground-modifying fauna, more
dead timber and much lower roo numbers (I still think CBrae is
overgrazed despite last year's cull) there's little hope of getting
natural understory to replace the function that the exotics are providing.
Julian
At 04:08 PM 9/06/2010, Brett Howland wrote:
Saw many birds in Callum Brae today, including southern white faces,
diamond firetails, massive group of flame robins, scarlet robins,
and speckled warblers.
While at Callum brae I noticed some sweet briar has been chopped
down. If there is a plan to continue to remove this, and other
habitat weeds like black berries I would be very concerned. Has COG
contacted Environment ACT regarding leaving these types of weeds?
Unless they plan to replant native shrubs, it's the only cover small
birds have.
Brett
Brett Howland
PhD Candidate
Fenner School of Environment and Society
ANU College of Medicine, Biology & Environment
The Australian National University
'In conservation all wins are temporary and all losses permanent"
ph: 02 61256342, mob: 0402182038
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