As part of a 4-year campaign to raise community awareness of the ecological significance of the ACT’s high-country bogs and fens, NPA ACT organised its first field trip to a sphagnum bog in Namadgi National Park on Sunday, 15 June.

 A group of 12 braved bitterly cold conditions to visit the bog. Before entering the fragile area, all members of the party disinfected their boots to prevent the possible spread of invasive plants or pathogens and were instructed to limit their movements in the bog to avoid damaging the sphagnum moss and other flora.

NPA president Rosemary Hollow disinfects her boots before entering the wetland. Photo by Craig Watson

ANU researcher Dr Ben Keaney, who specialises in peatlands and done extensive work in the area visited, spoke about the gradual recovery of the bogs and fens following the calamitous 2020 bushfires that damaged much of Namadgi, and of their importance for many flora and fauna species. Another member of the group, retired CSIRO entomologist and NPA member Dr Kim Pullen talked about the wide variety of insects that inhabit the wetlands. 

 Before the visit to the site, Namadgi ranger Nathan Kay, who has been working on the bogs and fens rehabilitation program, briefed the group at the Namadgi Visitor Centre about the major threats from more frequent and intense fires, and from climate change, pest species and fragmentation from historic land use.

 Nathan explained how ACT Parks and other agencies were monitoring and working to protect the bogs, including by building weirs to help water storage and flows and providing temporary shade covers to protect sphagnum moss.

 The NPA’s community awareness project is part of a larger project to protect the ACT’s high-country bogs and fens and is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by the ACT Natural Resource Management, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.

 NPA’s campaign will include webinars, further field visits, ranger-supervised work parties, and surveys to ascertain the effectiveness of the campaign.

 See here for further information.