Good morning all
A workcamp with 1100 rooms is planned for Darwin River, 80 kms sw of Darwin.
Residents including myself have concerns about this development.
One concern involves Partridge Pigeon. Now declining in Kakadu NP and
elsewhere, this area is a stronghold for the bird. Gamba Grass is rampant
in parts of Darwin River - indeed the NT Government has admitted this 4.5 m.
introduced species is out of control from Darwin to Katherine (300 kms
south of Darwin).
This weed is a transformer species. It transforms native woodlands and
grasslands to monotypic grassland in three ways. It smothers other flora by
virtue of its height and bulk; it burns hotter than Top End native flora can
tolerate; and it changes the water/nutrient cycle. So the flora that
Partridge Pigeon feeds on, are under threat.
Many old-term residents in this area have not cleared, or not been able to
clear, Gamba grass from their properties, and so they're particularly
concerned that fires may be lit by newcomers (for example, celebrating
Territory Day with fireworks), or their petrol-driven vehicles driven along
fire breaks.
Do any Birding Aussers know of research on bushfires where human beings or
their equipment are a direct cause?
Thanks
Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
PO Box 71, Darwin River,
NT 0841
043 8650 835
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