Friends Group

Winter 2015

QuarterlyWinter is with us with an outside

temperature of 24 centigrade, and a lower than normal rainfall for this time of year. The bushland, and the native plants recently planted by our friends groups, would benefit from a good soaking rain.

At this time of the year the City’s bushland friends groups are really gearing up for a busy winter spring season. Already coastal groups have begun planting. The City’s Natural Areas team have grown 10,000 local native plants to be planted by friends group, volunteers and school groups as part of the City’s adopt a coastline program.

The City of Joondalup has enlisted the Green Army to further protect and conserve the rich biodiversity of its natural areas.

As a successful project sponsor under the Australian Government’s Green Army program - a voluntary program for 17-24 year olds interested in protecting their local environment - the City will sponsor two projects over a 12 month period that aim to protect and conserve local natural areas of regional significance.

Two teams of 10 (up to nine participants and one team supervisor) have been engaged for a period of 26 weeks to deliver a range of activities that support environmental and conservation outcomes in the City.

Green Army members will work with the City, local Friends Groups and volunteers to regenerate many of the City’s Bush

Forever conservation areas including the coastal foreshore reserve at Whitfords Nodes, Yellagonga Regional Park, Warwick Open Space, Shepherd’s Bush Park, Hepburn Heights Bushland, Craigie Open Space and the City’s wetlands.

The Green Army will help regenerate these areas by identifying and removing weeds, seed collection, dune stabilisation, fencing maintenance, litter removal and propagating and planting native plant species.

The Green Army will also take part in the City’s Adopt a Coastline student planting program, monitoring and recording feral animal activity and fire control management to protect and strengthen the connected bushland and wetland zones.

If you have articles for the Spring 2015 edition of the newsletter, please forward them to the Team Leader Natural Areas at the City.

Hepburn Conservation Area

The City has developed environmental educational

resources for Adopt a Coastline, Adopt a Bushland and Yellagonga Regional Park.The Adopt a Coastline program gives students in years 4 to 6 the opportunity to take part in an environmental project involving plant identification, dune rejuvenation and protection of the fragile coastline. Adopt a Coastline resources were developed to complement the program and raise awareness of the ecological values of the marine environment.

An Adopt a Bushland program and resources were developed for students in years 4 to 7 to raise awareness of the ecological values of local bushland and learn bushland management skills such as weeding and litter collection. This program was trialled with Padbury Catholic Primary School in Hepburn Heights Conservation Area in 2014/15.

The Yellagonga Regional Park resources focus on wetland ecology and were developed to raise the awareness of school students from pre-primary to year 7 regarding the wide array of fauna and flora that inhabit the Yellagonga Wetlands, traditional Nyungar cultural heritage and issues for the ecology of the area.

All of the environmental educational resources have been developed to align with the Australian curriculum.

Burns Beach

Environmental Educational Resources

Food Gardens SeminarWednesday 30 September 2015 6:30pm-9.00pm Fleur Freame Pavilion, PadburyLearn innovative ways to incorporate organic food production in your own backyard. Topics will be covered such as types of food gardens, how to set up a food garden, soil

improvement practices, growing tips, water efficiency measures and organic pest management. Registrations for this free workshop are essential and places are limited. To register visit joondalup.wa.gov.au or for further information call 9400 4397.Also keep an eye out for some upcoming ‘Creature of the Dark’ night stalks and a bird watching tour at Yellagonga Regional Park.

Environmental Events

The City is continuing to develop Natural Areas

Management Plans to protect native vegetation and ecosystems. The latest Plans to be developed include the Yellagonga Integrated Catchment Management Plan 2015-2019 which was endorsed by Council on 31 March 2015 and the Hepburn Heights Conservation Area Management Plan which was endorsed by Council on 19 May 2015. Community consultation has been undertaken on the Plans. The Yellagonga Integrated Catchment Management Plan 2015-2019 contains numerous projects to be implemented over a five year period that aim to improve the health of the Yellagonga Catchment Area. The Plan includes seven joint projects with the City of Wanneroo, five City of Joondalup individual projects and six City of Wanneroo individual projects.

These projects are designed to address key threats that provide the basis of key focus areas including water quality, water quantity, urban planning and development, biodiversity and community and partnerships.

Yellagonga Regional Park is one of eleven regional parks within the Perth Metropolitan area. Yellagonga Regional Park consists of a wetland chain including, from north to south, Lake Joondalup, Beenyup Swamp, Walluburnup Swamp and Lake Goollelal. The largest lake in the Park, Lake Joondalup, is listed on the Register of the National Estate and is considered to be of national significance. In addition to the abundant plant life, these wetlands provide an important breeding ground for local birds, reptiles and amphibians.

The Yellagonga Regional Park (the Park) is jointly managed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife, and the Cities of Joondalup and Wanneroo (the boundary of which passes through these wetlands). Land tenure is also vested in the Conservation Commission of Western Australia and the Western Australian Planning Commission.

The Hepburn Heights Conservation Area Management Plan has been developed to provide direction for the ongoing management of the Hepburn Heights Conservation Area (Hepburn Heights) for the next five years. The Plan describes the potential environmental impacts, risks and threats that are likely to affect the biodiversity values of the area and proposes management strategies to be implemented over the life of the Plan in order to minimise potential impacts.

Hepburn Heights is classified as a major conservation area and is ranked in the City of Joondalup’s top five bushland natural areas due to the high biodiversity values of the area. Hepburn Heights contains regionally significant plant communities including Banksia Low Woodland and has been recognised for its regional environmental significance by being designated as a Bush Forever site by the Western Australian Planning Commission in 2000.

Both Plans are currently being branded and will be available on the City’s website soon.

Natural Areas Management Plans

Yellagonga Regional Park

Environmental Funding OpportunitiesThe City provides $25,000 in funding each year, as

part of the Environmental Development Community Funding Program. Funding is provided over two funding rounds and is available to community groups and schools. The next funding round is due to commence in August 2015.

These grants aim to assist community groups and schools with projects, events and activities that increase awareness of environmental issues, promote positive environmental behaviour and protect the City’s natural areas.

Yellagonga Regional Park

Hepburn Heights Conservation Centre

Training OpportunitiesGrant writing secrets for success.Perth Region NRM are conducting a free workshop on grant writing for Friends Groups on Sunday 2 August 2015 at the Hainsworth Community Centre in Girrawheen. The workshop will identify the secrets of successful grant applications. Register through the Perth Region NRM website.

Ocean Reef Foreshore