Thursday, September 17, 2009

Testing authors!

Testing authors so we can distinguish who is posting what!! Yay!

3 comments:

  1. How very sad. Did you watch last night's episode of Gardening Australia? They did a segment on using interconnecting ponds to clean water. There were 4 ponds in total, and the first pond where run-off entered had no water life, but by the time the water reached the forth pond, it was pure enough to start growing the wild frog population again.

    If you have the space, perhaps you can consider more than one pond, and focus on planting extensively as it's the aquatic plants ability to take up nutrients from the water, which filters out the impurities.

    If some frogs can at least breed in the healthiest pond in your backyard (if you had more than one) you could help preserve the population.

    Here's hoping something can be done. It's disheartening when the bureaucrates don't seem to want to listen, but there are tonnes of resources produced by other government departments which can be useful too.

    See if you have a local Landcare group in your vicinity, and get involved, and suss out any government catchment area management systems in place. They will have conducted research on local plant species and how to preserve land for wildlife (and flora) giving you something to start with.

    Don't let the fact you live on a Suburban block deter you either, as the information they gather from extensive properties, is just as relevant to yours. You may even convert a few neighbours.

    We just planted a few fruit trees on the front of our property, and our neighbours are talking about planting some on theirs' too - opposite ours. Maybe they were planning to do it all along, but seeing it in 3D can motivate a person to act sooner.

    I'm not planning on converting any of our neighbours, but if they can see a productive piece of land as opposed to something they have to mow every weekend in summer, I am happy to go first and dare to be different.

    While it's sad to see the frogs dying, don't feel disheartened by bureaucrates or neighbours who've always done it a certain way. It's all the more reason to believe you can make a difference. :)

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  2. Thank you Chris, what a wonderful idea. The way our block slopes, we may be able to get more than one pond in. Despite the deaths, I can hear one frog calling today. I hope enough breed to make up for the lost ones.

    The pond that is there is an accidental one, not planned yet. We always wanted to put in a frog pond perminantly, because of the water tank run-off in the back there, it'd be a perfect place. Now we'd be a little concerned to bring frogs into the garden only for them to die due to the neighbours.

    Perhaps 2 ponds.. one that holds water all year and is filled by the water tanks, and another seasonal one with plenty of plants around to soak up the chemicals.

    Thanks again! It's great to have some positive comments.

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  3. I just realised I commented in the wrong post. Sorry about that. :)

    Sounds like a good idea to run the tank overflow into one pond. You could also consider plants around the property boundaries, to help catch spray drift. Plants like, "Old Man Saltbush" can tolerate some pretty nasty soil types, and should grow fairly quick.

    All the best with your pond plans in future. :)

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