2019 was a busy year for us here at Landcare SJ. We kick-started both the Water Hyacinth Control project and the Serpentine Jarrahdale 'Cockatube' Monitoring and Maintenance Program. We hand planted more than 20,000 native seedlings and assisted the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale to allocate more than 7000 seedlings to the SJ residents through the 2019 Free Verge Plants program which stretched along 12.8km of verge space! We constructed and sold more than 150 Cockatubes. With 10 of those going to Weipa in far north Queensland to help with conservation efforts in regards to protecting the Palm Cockatoo breeding habitat. We conducted three kangaroo population surveys in conjunction with DBCA in the Lowlands Bushland, Mardella. We also coordinated our second annual 'R U OK Day' planting event, with 50 people attending from the Peel region and afar. As well as having a huge success with National Tree Day at the Peel Metropolitan Horse & Pony Club grounds in Oldbury. 

Of course, this is just a snapshot of 2019. As we couldn't possibly fit it all into one paragraph. We look forward to doing it all over again throughout 2020 with the support of our amazing community and the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale. 

Shire of Murray 

Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale

For the last few months, we at Landcare SJ have been busy monitoring and maintaining artificial cockatoo nesting hollows (Cockatubes) across Serpentine Jarrahdale, as part of the Serpentine Jarrahdale 'Cockatube' Monitoring and Maintenance Program which is funded through State Natural Resource Management small grants round. Once this project has concluded in the coming months, the data will be shared with Birdlife Australia, WA Museum and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions 

One of the highlights from the last few weeks of being in the field was seeing a stunning Marri (Corymbia calophylla) which is an estimated 700 years old! And of course, also seeing all of the views from the top of the Darling Ranges. 

Western Ground Parrots (WGP) were once widespread from Cape Arid to the north of Perth, but the south coast national park is the last known refuge for no more than 150 birds remaining in the wild. However, unfortunately severe fires have been ravaging the last known WGP refuge since 2015. In 2015, fire tore through up to 90% of Cape Arid. Only to have 6000 more hectares burnt in early 2019, with another two fires at the end of 2019, grave fears are currently being held about the small WPG population throughout the National Park. 

Friends of the Western Ground Parrot are currently trying to raise fund to purchase 10 automated recording units which help indicate how this species is surviving after these recent fires. If you would like to help by donating, please click here.