{"id":8617,"date":"2024-05-21T00:12:53","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T00:12:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/mahogany-glider-monitoring-program-copy-2\/"},"modified":"2024-05-21T00:45:32","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T00:45:32","slug":"pond-apple-survey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/pond-apple-survey\/","title":{"rendered":"Pond apple survey work"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/web-banner-lowland-rainforest-broadwater-dawe.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”]INVASIVE WEED CONTROL[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]POND APPLE SURVEY WORK – TULLY REGION[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text el_class=”sub-head” css=”.vc_custom_1716250523986{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]MAY 2024[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1716251825788{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]The search is on for pond apple in the Murray Upper region south of Tully, where aerial surveys will begin in coming weeks.<\/p>\n

Terrain NRM\u2019s Deb Bass says drones will be used along waterways and wetlands in the Tully-Murray flood plain area to discover the extent of pond apple and other invasive weeds.<\/p>\n

Pond apple is a major environmental weed in the Wet Tropics region and the Murray River catchment is the most southerly part of the region with major outbreaks. It grows in thickets and can replace whole ecosystems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to prevent its spread,\u2019\u2019 Deb said. \u201cThe seeds stay viable for two years. But by removing mature trees from the upper catchment, and continuing monitoring for seedlings, we have a good chance of removing the seed bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsolated pond apple trees have been found further south in the Lower Herbert but ongoing weed control by the Hinchinbrook Shire Council has prevented any spreading.\u201d<\/p>\n

Terrain NRM is working with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on a pilot study, and with landholders, Canegrowers Tully, Sugar Research Australia, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Biosecurity Queensland, the Department of Resources and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.<\/p>\n

Deb said drones surveying would only be over wetlands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last catchment-wide survey for pond apple was in 2008. Pond apple now covers 2000 hectares in the Wet Tropics region and it\u2019s spreading in floods when seed and fruit travel downstream. The seeds are also spread via feral pigs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The upcoming survey work follows on from pond apple control work as part of Terrain NRM\u2019s \u2018Fish Homes and Highways\u2019 project. More than 20,000 mature pond apple trees in the Upper Warrami and Corduroy Creek wetland areas were removed in 2021 and 2022 and there was follow-up work last year to remove seedlings at the same sites. In the process, larger patches of pond apple were found in wetlands.<\/p>\n

Deb said survey results would be used to source funding and plan future whole-of-catchment weed control work. The focus area is from the Bruce Highway west to the foothills of the Upper Murray River catchment.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1716251816632{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"<\/p>\n

This project is being funded by the Queensland Government as part of the Queensland Feral Pest Initiative. The Fish Homes and Highways project was funded by the Australian Government\u2019s Reef Trust program.<\/p>\n

If you know of a pond apple outbreak in the Murray Upper region, call Terrain NRM\u2019s Deb Bass on 0437 731 081. For more information about pond apple, visit www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au and search for \u2018pond apple\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n

POND APPLE: FAST FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n