Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal Name: Class: Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 1
Topic 1 Native Plants vs. Weeds What is a weed? A weed is a plant growing where it is not native, and has a negative effect on the environment. In this topic you will look at 3 weeds in your local wetland and what effect they have on native plants and wildlife. What is Habitat? Habitat is defined as the natural home of a plant, animal or other organism. Weeds are plants that are introduced from another country or region and damage habitats by out-competing native plants. Native plants are the base of the food chain, and wildlife depend on them not just for food but for shelter and a stable environment. 2 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
NATIVE PLANTS (green box) vs. WEEDS (red box) in the Sale Common Wetlands vs. Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis Willow Salix species Introduced from: Europe Plant Type and Habitat Large trees Live along the waters edge Effects on Wildlife Willows crowd out native trees, so there are less Red Gums Red gums have places for birds like the Willie Wag Tail and red Wattle Bird to nest in, Willows don t have places for these native birds to nest Willows have shallow roots that don t hold onto the soil, so it washes away in floods. Red gums have deep roots that hold the soil in place When lots of soil washes into the water, fish and aquatic animals can die. Many wetland birds like the Little Cormorant and the Sharp Tailed Sandpiper eat fish and other aquatic animals, so muddy water means less food for birds Improvements from weed control By removing Willows and planting more Red Gums, the wetland will be able to support more birds and fish with more nest hollows and cleaner water Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 3
vs. Tree Violet Melicytus dentatus Blackberry Rubus fruticosus Introduced from: Europe Plant Type and Habitat Tree Violet is a thorny shrub, growing up to 3 meters high Tree Violet lives on the edges of wetlands and waterways. It has small scented flowers and jagged leaves Blackberry grows in thickets along waterways and wetlands Blackberry has spiky canes covering the ground and forms clumps up to 2 meters high Effects on Wildlife Fairy Wrens nest in the thorny branches of Tree Violets, and when Blackberries crowd out native plants they lose their nesting sites Blackberries also offer shelter for predators like feral cats which prey on wildlife, especially small birds like the Fairy Wren Improvements from weed control Reducing and controlling blackberry in wetlands can improve habitats for wildlife, and give less shelter to predators who target birds like feral cats 4 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
vs. Large Bindweed Calystegia sepium Spear Thistle Cirsium vulgare Introduced from: Europe Plant Type and Habitat Large Bindweed is a creeping vine and grows in damp areas around wetlands and waterways It is a colonising species, which means it is one of the first plants to move into an area that has been disturbed Spear Thistle is a tall, spiny thistle with purple flowers and long leaves at the base Spear Thistle is also a colonising species Spear Thistle can reach up to 1.5 meters high, with leaves up to 45 cm long Effects on Wildlife Large Bindweed provides habitat for wildlife like Pacific Black Ducks Ducks and other waterbirds can nest in the cover provided by Large Bindweed, and eat the invertebrates that live in healthy soil and vegetation Spear Thistle chokes out large Bindweed, meaning less habitat for ducks and waterbirds Improvements from weed control Reducing and controlling spear thistle means native plants like Large Bindweed can colonise disturbed areas the wetland, providing habitat for wildlife Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 5
NATIVE PLANTS (green box) vs. WEEDS (red box) in the Paisley Challis Wetlands vs. Samphire Sarcocornia quinqueflora Plant Type and Habitat Samphire is also known as beaded glasswort 6 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal Spiny rush Juncus acutus Introduced from: Mediterranean Samphire is a low-growing ground cover in saltmarsh and has tube-like stems that can grow up to 50 cm high Spiny rush is a very invasive weed that occurs in wet and dry areas, and can grow up to 1.5 meters high Spiny rush grows in thick patches that are too thick for wildlife to move through or nest in Effects on Wildlife Spike rush competes for space with Samphire, damaging habitat for the molluscs and other invertebrates the migratory Red-Necked Stint feeds on Spike rush provides habitat for pest species like mice and rats, which feed on native plants and invertebrates, and the eggs of native birds like the Whiskered Tern Spiny rush can form dense enough thickets to affect water flow and drainage, impacting on wildlife like the Red Necked Stint that rely on regular tidal flows for food, and causing erosion Improvements from weed control Reducing and controlling Spiny rush improves the flow of water in wetlands, re-establishing habitat for animals including the Red-necked Stint
vs. Noon flower Disphyma crassifolium Carpet weed Galenia pubescens var. pubescens Introduced from: Africa Plant Type and Habitat Noon flower and Carpet weed are both creeping ground covers Both plants can grow in places where there is salt in the soil, like near the beach Noon flower is an important plant in coastal salt marshes for preventing erosion, which means the soil being washed away by water or blown away by wind Effects on Wildlife Carpet weed grows over and smothers native plants, preventing new growth Noon flower is an important species for insects and other invertebrates, which native birds like the Red-Kneed Dotterel feed on By covering and out-competing the Noon flower and other native plants, Carpet weed reduces the amount of food available for native birds Improvements from weed control Removing and controlling the spread of Carpet weed gives native plants like the Noon flower the chance to re-establish in the wetlands, preventing erosion and providing food for wildlife Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 7
Photo Hobsons Bay City Council Southern sea heath Frankenia pauciflora vs. African boxthorn Lycium ferocissimum Introduced from: Southern Africa Plant type and habitat Southern sea heath is a low shrub with small thick leaves and pink or white flowers Southern sea heath grows in salt marsh areas African boxthorn is a large shrub that grows up to 3 meters high and can grow almost anywhere It has long spines and can form thickets. It is a common weed in wetlands Effects on Wildlife African boxthorn out-competes native plants like the Southern sea heath, leading to degraded habitats that can t support native plants and animals Dense patches of boxthorn provide shelter for pest animals and predators like foxes and feral cats, which prey on native birds like the Red Kneed Dotterel It is spread by seed - each bush produces large numbers of orange berries that are eaten and dispersed by birds The berries are toxic to people Improvements from weed control Controlling African boxthorn improves wetland by allowing native plants room to grow, reducing shelter for pests and increasing habitat for wildlife 8 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
Before Wetland Visit What is the name of your local wetland? Name the three weeds and native plants they compete with in your local wetland: Native Plants Weeds How do weeds affect native animals in the wetland? Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 9
During Wetland Visit Did spot any of the native plants or weeds discussed in class? Native Plants Weeds What other plants did you see? If you don t know their names, try drawing the plant in the boxes below and on the next page or writing a short description. You can use this to identify them back in the classroom. You can also ask the teacher to photograph plants you can t identify. 10 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
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After Wetland Visit Were you able to identify the plants spotted in the wetland? List them below, dividing them into Native Plants and Weeds: Native Plants Weeds Notes 12 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
Wetland Monitoring In groups, take photos from set points in the wetland pointed out by your teacher. You can print out these photos in keep them in this journal. Then you can return to the same place in the future and see if there have been any changes. Notes: what native plants and weeds can you see from the photo point? Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 13
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Topic 2 Recreation Activity 1 Wetland Recreation Wetlands are a great place to visit and have fun. This topic looks at the types of recreational activities you can do in a wetland, and how wetlands benefit from weed control and litter clean ups. What sort of recreational activities can you do in your local wetland? Tip: look back to Topic 1 on how weeds effect wetlands! How does controlling weeds help make these activities more fun? Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 15
Activity 2 Don t Litter! Rubbish can end up in wetlands, damaging the environment. Everyone benefits when we put our rubbish in the bin and help clean up our local environment. Before Wetland Visit What type of litter have you noticed this week? Where do you think litter comes from? 16 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
During Wetland Visit Write down what litter you see in the wetland, or draw a picture of it. Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 17
After Wetland Visit Classroom Discussion Was the litter you saw in the wetland different to what you saw before the wetland visit? List the ways litter can impact on wildlife: 18 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
Wetland Monitoring In groups, take photos from set points in the wetland pointed out by your teacher. You can print out these photos in keep them in this journal. Then you can return to the same place in the future and see if there have been any changes. Notes: list what litter you can see from the photo points Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 19
Topic 3 Ramsar Before Wetland Visit What migratory bird can be found in your local wetland? What does this bird like to eat and what type of bill does it have? Look at the Beaks and Feet sheet on the next page. What weeds (from the Native Plants vs. Weeds activity) affect the migratory birds in your local wetland? 20 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
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Wetland Activity - Treasure Hunt Before Wetland Visit Discuss the birds on your Wetland Treasure Hunt worksheet, noting down the different types of beak each bird has and what they like to eat. Do any of the birds on the Treasure Hunt like to eat the same things? This could mean they compete with each other for food. During Wetland Visit Using your Treasure Hunt sheet, mark down any birds that you see. This can include the birds with photos, and the bird outlines on the front of the worksheet. After Wetland Visit Discuss the birds seen during the wetland visit. Did everyone see the same birds? Did anyone see a migratory bird? 22 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal
Wetland Monitoring You can do the Wetland Treasure more than once, and note down the changes you notice at different seasons. Some things to look for could include: Do you see different birds at different times of year? What birds are there every time you visit? Have you seen a migratory bird? If so, what season was it? Notes: Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal 23
We hope you enjoyed exploring wetlands! 24 Wetland Care Program Student Field Journal