fotpin News 2023

27 Oct 2023:    Weeding Effort summary for the 2023-24 season, to September 30

The weeding effort for the 2023-24 season to the end of September was 193 hours, 94% within the Reserve. This was 13% less than last season but 66% more than the average for the previous 13 seasons of monitoring.

Most effort (108 h; 56%) was spent in this period on the group of uncategorised low to medium risk broadleaf weeds largely in Weetangera paddock. This was followed at a distance by Paterson's curse (33 h, 17%), Verbascum (12 h, 6%) and Thistles (12 h, 6%). All other weeds combined accounted for <15% of effort.

See the weeding effort page and associated links to maps and charts for more statistics and comparisons with previous seasons and across the different management regions of the Reserve.

06 Jul 2023:    Weeding effort summary for the 2022-23 weeding season

June 30 this year marked the end of the 13^th season of closely recording, georeferencing and monitoring fotpin's weed control effort.

Features of the weeding effort summary for the 2022-23 season include:

• total effort was the largest of the last 6 seasons and for the Reserve alone was the second largest of the 13 seasons;
• this result for the Reserve was offset somewhat by 40% of the effort being concentrated in less than 10% of the Reserve (namely the Weetangera paddock)
• we struggled for the second season in a row to control many of the usual invasive weed targets, notably St. John's Wort, although more thorough treatment in the most sensitive and biodiverse areas of the Reserve was achieved;
• most effort was spent on: miscellaneous Broadleaf Weeds (290 h) St. John's Wort (246 h), Thistles other than Saffron Thistles (125 h), Verbascum (97 h) and the minor grass weeds (84 h). Together these accounted for 83% of total effort;
• notable this season was the large increase in Blackberries and Other Woody weeds, although our past success in reducing Briars in and around the Reserve seems to have paid off with them only seeing a small increase compared with last season.

See the 2022-2023 weeding effort page and associated links to maps and charts for more statistics and comparisons with previous seasons and across the different management regions of the Reserve.

Also updated the Blackberry Control and Indicators of Successful Briar Control pages, which can also be accessed from the Achievements in Weed Control page.

21 Apr 2023:    Weeding Effort summary for the 2022-23 season, to March 31

The weeding effort for the 2022-23 season to the end of December was 781 hours, 98% within the Reserve. Effort outside the Reserve was aimed at creating buffer zones around the boundaries. This was 39% more than last season (which was impacted by an extended period of lockdown due to Covid-19) but 5% below the average for the previous 12 seasons of monitoring.

Most effort (218 h; 28%) has been spent on St. John's Wort, primarily in high conservation value areas. This was closely followed by the group of uncategorised low to medium risk broadleaf weeds (213 h, 27%) primarily in Weetangera paddock. Thistles (113 h, 14%), Exotic grasses other than those classified as being of National Significance (81 h, 10%) and Verbascum (77 h; 8%) were the only other weeds receiving significant effort. All other weeds combined accounted for <10% of effort.

See the weeding effort page and associated links to maps and charts for more statistics and comparisons with previous seasons and across the different management regions of the Reserve.

17 Feb 2023:    Total number of native species recorded on The Pinnacle Nature Reserve passes 900. Total number of native plant species recorded now 876.
 

30 Jan 2023:    Updated the Measuring success in controlling Verbascum web page

to include data to the end of 2022. This page aims to determine what controls Verbascum prevalence and measure the effectiveness of spraying it.

26 Jan 2023:    Weeding Effort summary for the 2022-23 season, to December 31

The weeding effort for the 2022-23 season to the end of December was 469 hours, 97% within the Reserve. Effort on the Reserve alone was 22% more than last season (which was impacted by an extended period of lockdown due to Covid-19) and 5% below the average for the previous 12 seasons of monitoring.

Most effort (119 h; 26%) was spent in this period on the group of uncategorised low to medium risk broadleaf weeds (which incudes Hoary Mustard, Prickly Lettuce, Nightshade, Tragopogon, Plantain, Flatweeds, Paddymelon and Sorrel; 78 h, 38%) primarily in Weetangera paddock. This was closely followed by St. John's Wort (102 h; 23%), then low risk Exotic grasses (79 h, 17%) primarily in Weetangera paddock, Verbascum (73 h; 13%) and Thistles (47 h, 10%). All other weeds combined accounted for 10% of effort.

See the weeding effort page and associated links to maps and charts for more statistics and comparisons with previous seasons and across the different management regions of the Reserve.