Planting native grasses to create habitat
24/04/2014 9:58 pm
Planting native grasses to create habitat
By: Laurie Deacon
The forecast was rain. Cyclone Ita had just crossed the coast in north Queensland and the outlook looked bleak in Brisbane. Do we cancel our monthly working bee?
We did have the Bushcare in the end with some lovely uni students from the Australian Catholic University (Banyo)
Team proud of their achievement
who came over under their own steam in a car and they were a delight. They were all studying Degree in Primary School teaching. The rain in fact was light and eased so it was perfect gardening weather.
The team planted native grasses including Creeping Beard Grass Oplismenus aemulus and Pademelon Grass Oplismenus imbecillis. The first step in restoring bushland is often counter intutive – plant grass first and trees later.
Orange-streaked Ringlet butterfly
These grasses act as a Living Mulch spreading by nodes they quickly cover the ground suppressing weeds, retaining moisture and reducing erosion. These grasses are also caterpillar food plants for Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius and White-brand Grass-skipper Toxidia rietmanni.
.
.
ACU Faculty of Education
We were proud and honoured to welcome these generous ACU students to our site and impressed with a university which is focused on teaching the next generation the value of our native flora and fauna.
“If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.”
Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group
Categories: Bushcare, Mt Gravatt Environment Group, Pollinator Link, Wildlife Corridor
Tags: Australian Catholic University ACU, Creeping Beard Grass Oplismenus aemulus, Living Mulch, Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius, Pademelon Grass Oplismenus imbecillis, White-brand Grass-skipper Toxidia rietmanni
Mobile Site | Full Site
Get a free blog at WordPress.com Theme: WordPress Mobile Edition by Alex King.
Reblogged this on Mount Gravatt Environment Group.
By Mt Gravatt Environment Group on 27/05/2014 at 2:56 pm
[…] I also found one of my favourite grasses, Wiry Love Grass Eragrostis elongata, which is a caterpillar food plant for Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius. […]
By Brighton Bushcare – Boondall to Tinchi Tamba | Pollinator Link on 21/03/2016 at 6:15 pm
[…] Heritage Protection) give O. gracillima a common name of “Pademelon grass”. However, this name is sometimes used for another species, Oplismenus […]
By Ottochloa gracillima – straypatterns on 22/07/2016 at 3:43 pm