Tolosa Erica Follow Up - Protecting a rare community

Tuesday 14 April 2014

Below the foothills of Wellington Park in the Tolosa area there is a community of Epacris virgata, a rare plant threatened by the invasive Spanish Heath (Erica lusitanica scourge.  The Wellington Park Bushcare Group has been removing the weed for 10 years.

Two areas were targeted on this latest event, which for one spot was our 9th follow-up, with the previous two visits in Feb and August 2014. It was most surprising the number of small plants discovered today, but it seems that there is a big seedbank there.

The other location was close to Humphrey Rivulet and the last time the site was looked at only a few small plants were noticed and gave the impression that we were well on top of it.  However quite a large number of plants discovered to have grown but none had yet flowered.

At both sites most of the Spanish Heath was removed but a follow up will be required within 12 months to pounce on what inevitably were missed or that sprout in the meantime.

Sabine and John  clearing small Erica plants that have grown since last follow up.

 

Ted, Greg G and Greg B pulling out small seedlings

 

Below are two photos of one of the sites before work was started (photo taken 2007) and in April 2015