Summary of Work at Booyong Reserve - 2006

Rainforest Rescue continued it's funding for restoration work at Booyong Flora Reserve during 2006, the eight-year of the program.

This work successfully controlled the regrowth of Madeira Vine, Wandering Creeper and Privet, plus a number of less serious environment weeds including Morning Glory, Cocos Palm, White Passionflower, Turkey Rhubarb, Moth Vine, Smooth Senna, Mistflower, Camphor Laurel and Hairy Commelina. and other weeds which, if not treated, would threaten the long term survival of the remnant. The work was spread over 12 months.

The ongoing control of weed infestations have resulted in an overall reduction in the abundance of a variety of environmental weeds. Follow-up weed control activities have ultimately provided for unrestricted expansion and regeneration of the rainforest. There is a noticeable thickening of the rainforest in canopy gaps and a constant expansion of the forest edges. All of the work is ongoing owing to the nature of the site. The moist shaded, nutrient rich conditions are a haven for weeds such as Madeira Vine and Wandering Creeper. Regular flooding deposits new weed propagules throughout the reserve.

The Booyong remnant is also favoured habitat for birds and bats, which constantly disperse propagules of Privet, Ochna and Cocos Palm throughout the reserve from outside sources. Tree-falls regularly occur within the rainforest and the associated increase in light levels allows previously suppressed weeds to establish. Maintenance work is therefore ongoing until such a stage that weed invasion has no significant impact on the self-sustaining capabilities of the rainforest.

Madeira Vine - There is an ongoing reduction in the quantity of tuberling abundance in all areas of infestation. A combination of hand weeding and spraying methods has been an effective strategy to date. Some very large and deeply buried tubers have been dug up and removed from the site. These tubers are so large that they would otherwise require many years of repeated herbicide application to deplete them. However, there are always some tubers that are so deeply buried in silt that they cannot be physically removed and spray application of herbicide is the only control method available. The regrowth of Madeira Vine continues to climb only in sunlit gaps and in open areas of the riverbank. Re-treatment of young vines always occurs regularly enough to prevent them attaining the size necessary for new tuber production. This way the spread of the vine is limited and the overall population reduced to a residual infestation.

Wandering Creeper - From the original infestation of around 75% groundcover, Wandering Creeper has been reduced to less than 10% cover. In most areas removal of the competition of this weed has resulted in recruitment of mature phase seedlings and allowed for the natural complex layering of the rainforest to develop. Throughout the main area of rainforest the infestation has been reduced to isolated patches of regrowth as a result of an extensive spraying programme. Wandering Creeper remains particularly problematic along the muddy banks of Cudgera Creek as well as the steep banks of the Wilson River. A significant amount of time has been spent hand removing this weed from the areas amongst sensitive groundcovers such as native ferns. In these areas a long term approach, involving gradual removal of weeds and consistent replacement with native ground cover is required to ensure overall success of the regeneration programme.

Privet - Both Large and Small-leaved privet are major woody weed problems for the remnant. The long history of work at the site has ensured that all of the mature Privets have been treated. While this action has stimulated the growth of native plants by freeing up resources it has also inspired a mass germination of Privet seedlings. Privets reliably occur around the edges of the rainforest and in the vicinity of previously treated trees. They also occur randomly throughout the entire site, persisting in areas of low sunlight. All Privet seedlings are controlled as part of follow-up weeding at the site, effectively preventing the establishment of mature trees. Nonetheless, recruiting Privet trees will always be a management issue for the remnant, owing to the constant input of propagules from outside sources.

Other weeds - There are a variety of environmental weeds which represent minor ongoing management concerns for the remnant. These include Morning Glory, Cocos Palm, White Passionflower, Turkey Rhubarb, Moth Vine, Smooth Senna, Mistflower, Camphor Laurel and Hairy Commelina. These weeds are prevalent around the edges of the remnant and in the areas of flying fox camps. Control of these weeds is part of the routine maintenance of the site, which ensures that they are unable to establish to the extent that the quality of the rainforest is significantly affected.