National Landcare Program 16/17 – Reliance Creek Case Study including Cats Claw Creeper Control

Funding secured by Reef Catchments under the Australian Governments National Landcare Programme (NLP) community grants program has enabled Pioneer Catchment Landcare (PCL) to coordinate weed control and cat’s claw creeper survey works within a 34 hectare patch of endangered Melaleuca woodlands (RE 8.3.5 and 8.3.1). This area comprises a section of privately owned land adjacent to the Reliance Creek National Park which is home to a number of listed threatened birth, reptile and mammal species. This project consisted of three major components; weed control of the revegetation site, cat’s claw creeper survey and cat’s claw creeper treatment.

In May 2017, PCL volunteers spent three mornings removing weeds around existing revegetation and naturally regenerating trees. 14 volunteers spent a total of 57.25 hours hand pulling Ruellia simplex and removing debris from trees (caused by recent flood events). Approximately 35 weed bags weighing 600kg of ruellia were removed from the site.

A survey was conducted on private property adjoining Reliance Creek National Park to extend previous surveys. Approximately 5.5 ha was surveyed with 2.7 ha infested with cat’s claw creeper. Treatment of cat’s claw creeper focused on sections of riparian vegetation on private property adjoining the national prk. Treatment entailed cutting the climbing creeper on trees and swabbing the base with herbicide (vigilant gel). Cat’s claw creeper growing on the ground was sprayed with Glyphosate. a total area of approximately 5500 square metres of riparian vegetation have been treated for cat’s claw creeper. Biological control was also utilised with approximately 283 leaf mining jewel beetles (Hylaeogena jureceki) released on a property heavily infested with cat’s claw creeper. The beetles impact on the infestation will be monitored.