+ Weeks of 29/02/16 and 07/03/16

Works continued in Springbrook National Park above the Purling Brook Waterfalls. Yet again Moth Vine was the target species. The Moth Vine at Springbrook aren’t as mature as those at Mt Barney but they are thriving, hidden from the naked eye within the vegetation of a 100 different plant species, growing through the undergrowth, under Kikuyu grass, through Lantana and Wild Raspberry.

The pods from the Moth Vines at Springbrook also seem to be much more viable. In areas where these pods have fallen to the ground before dispersing seed, the germination rate is extremely high. Hundreds of Moth Vine germinating in an area the size of your hand.

For 2 weeks The World As I Am removed thousands of Moth Vine that were taking a strangle hold in the transitional forests as the environmental factors for this species are perfect.

Once the creek line was completed, the remaining forests to the east where completed using transit lines. The cut scrap and paint and manual removal techniques implemented throughout this project due to then effectiveness.

Foliar spray can be hit and miss mostly because the Moth Vine needs to sprayed in its entirety. Along with the potential to hitting off target species and proximity to water.

Pods were collected and removed from site, exposed roots were hung in vegetation to prevent the roots from taking again. If the roots come in contact with soil the vine will survive and shoot again.

Springbrook requires further works, the 10 days allocated have achieved a lot but walking away from an infested area knowing the ramifications to the environment, leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. I know the Rangers at Springbrook feel exactly the same way.

+ Week of 22/02/16

Work began at Springbrook National Park in the catchment line that feeds Purlingbrook Falls to eradicate Moth Vine that is either flowering or podding. This species threatens the creek line below the falls, which eventually follows in the Nerang river.

Towards the mouth of the creek line recruitment was very high with juveniles ranging from 2 years old to others that had just germinated. In many cases the parent plants were high in the canopy and couldn't be seen from the ground. The only way they could be identified was searching for the stems as they climb through the midstorey and following them to the basal.

Techniques implemented were cut scrap and paint of the mature species and hand removal for the younger species, where the compaction of the ground allowed without roots breaking off. These techniques were used for multiple reasons, one being the reduction of herbicide distributions, proximity to a water course but importantly, cutting and scrapping kills the entire vine, where as foliar spray can be pointless if the vine isn't sprayed in its entirety.

Southern side of the creek was completed from the waterfall to the campsite. This week coming the northern side of the creek line will be completed before removing the Moth Vines from the transitional forest along the fringe of the rainforest.

Unfortunately other garden escapees dominate these creek lines but given the time remaining before the Moth Vine seeds disperse, they take priority.