After the holiday hiatus, which for Popes Glen is 2 months, there are always masses of weeds to deal with and jobs to tidy up at the urban interface in the Blackheath camping area. Sunny and hot, Saturday 23rd saw a group of motivated volunteers attacking Monbretia clumps in flower, with herbicide, swipers & great support from our BMCC Bushcare Officer. Most of the green visible in this photo is native, but the weeds keep getting in.

With such warm and wet conditions recently there was very noticeable growth of the more recent native plantings & self-seeded regeneration. Unfortunately, we also found numerous sapling-sized Crack Willows sprouting from the multitude of small live pieces left in the swamp from a previous large tree removal. The photo here shows one of these, with a small piece about 10cm long and 2 or 3 wide producing 5 or 6 stems and masses of fibrous roots. It needed a mattock to remove and there are about 30 more to wade through the swamp and get out next time; from previous experience we know they won’t do any harm in the meantime.

The choked hydration/pond outflow channel also had to be reopened, an enjoyable job even in the hot sun and very rewarding with immediate results. This was completed with “help” from a swarm of Damselflies, Iota Ringtail(Austrolestes io) seemingly enjoying the sun and water. Just 25mm long and stunning blue colour they make an interesting spectacle in flight with all 4 large wings a blur. A bonus on another very enjoyable and rewarding workday.