Hawkweed – Remote Helicopter Insertion Surveys

NPWS are seeking your assistance with the State Hawkweed Eradication Program in Kosciuszko National Park.

NPWS will be undertaking remote ground surveys in December. To access these areas, teams are dropped into the areas via a helicopter. There are two events planned that you are welcome to assist with; one for orange hawkweed (http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pestsweeds/OrangeHawkweed.htm) and one for mouse-ear hawkweed (http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pestsweeds/MouseEarHawkweed.htm).
Remote Surveys for ORANGE Hawkweed – Tooma Dam

This will be 2 days of survey across the Jagungal Wilderness Area in the hunt for Orange Hawkweed (OHW) in the week of 7th December 2015.  This is planned to coincide with the peak flowering period.  The plan is:

  • Dates – 9th and 10th December 2015 (Wednesday and Thursday) – 2 days.
  • Time – between 08:00 to 15:00 (latest)
  • Where – Tooma Dam
  • Require – 7 Teams (4 crew members per team) – have 12 places left.
  • Locations – Jagungal Wilderness Area (within the wind plume dispersal for OHW), Happy Jacks, Upper Tumut River and other locations.

Accommodation may be made available, if necessary, at the Cabramurra Scout Lodge.
Remote Surveys for MOUSE-EAR  Hawkweed – Perisher

This will be 2 days of survey across Main Range in the hunt for Mouse-ear Hawkweed (MEH) in the week of 14th December 2015.  The plan is:MEHW_plant

  • Date and time of briefing – 15th December at 17:00 (Tuesday evening) – venue TBA
  • Date of Helicopter survey operation – 16th and 17th December 2015 (Wednesday and Thursday) – 2 full days.
  • Timing – between 08:00 to 15:00 (latest) on the days of survey (16th and 17th December 2015).
  • Where – Perisher Valley (Helicopter will be setting down and deploying from the Perisher Valley Car Park)
  • Target – 10 Teams (4 crew members per team) – have 6-8 places left.
  • Survey Locations – Strzelecki Creek, Blue Lake and Hedley Tarn (within the wind plume dispersal for MEH and other locations).

Accommodation will be made available if required.

Requirements – participants do not require WSAA (Working Safely Around Aircraft), as a pre-flight briefing will be conducted in the morning prior to deployment. Participants will be trained in identification of hawkweeds and will be in a team with a trained NPWS staff member. Participants will need to be physically fit.

We already have a large number of NPWS staff, volunteers eg. from Greening Australia and staff from DPI and ACT Parks. However, we would also welcome your assistance. If you would like to take part, please contact Hillary Cherry or Pete Turner

This program is jointly funded by NPWS and the Weed Action Program. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

 

Dr Pete Turner
Senior Weeds Officer
NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Office of Environment & Heritage
PO Box 1967, Hurstville NSW 1481
Ph. (02) 9585 6548
Mobile 0400 408 785
Fax. (02) 9585 6401

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pestsweeds/

 

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