Finding Fern (A chit chat beforehand). Event Cache
This cache has been locked, but it is available for viewing.
Finding Fern (A chit chat beforehand).
Hidden
:
Friday, March 11, 2016
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(other)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Event time 17.30 til 18.15
Cambarville picnic ground
After this event there will be a survey for a limited number of people to attend. Details at the end of the description
This is a social evening snack time and question and answer session on the Leadbeaters Possum and geocaching in its habitat with Paul Jones. Paul is a former forester and now 98% greeny ratbag who has been assisting with works on the Leadbeaters Possum since 1992.
Should we meet the maximum number of people for the survey afterwards, preference will be given in order of first in first served with "Will Attend" for this event.
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri (Leadbeaters Possum) is the state emblem of Victoria and mascot of the Melbourne Geocaching group and as such is used as mascot at Mega Events and a range of other group activities.
Leadbeaters Possums are critically endangered with there being around 800 left in the wild. They only occur in the Central Highlands of Victoria between Mt Baw Baw and Toolangi. They mainly live in Mountain Ash Trees (Eucalyptus regnans) that are old enough to produce hollows. This occurs around 120 years old. While they are omnivorous, there main food is Acacia sap.
The current main threats are through loss of hollow bearing trees from logging and collapse. Also Bushfires are a big concern. Only 1 family group was found in areas hit by the Black Saturday bushfire. This was on Lake Mountain and this population was doing well with supplementry feeding while their habitat started to recover until a feral cat found the feed station and 4 of the remaining 7 Leadbeaters where killed before they where taken into captivity. Bushfire can also provide a boom for the population. They kill the ash trees that then increase hollow formation for their homes and Acacias are stimulated into growth, providing food.
The areas that have the strongest populations are in areas hit by the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires and true Old Growth Forests. Hollow bearing trees from the 1939 fires are collapsing at remarkable numbers and we can not be sure there will be enough possums left to move into areas, when areas hit by Black Saturday become suitable for the possums again in about 15 years times.
Most of our knowledge comes from research undertaken by the Fenner School at Australian National University in Canberra led by Prof. David Lydenmeyer. As apart of this research every summer groups go out and undertake Stag watches.
Information you need to know for the possum survey afterwards.
Apart from Leadies other night animals could be seen are Greater Gliders (threatened) and Mountain Brushtail possums (much cuter and friendlier then your roof invading Common Brushtail).
It is also quite an involved activity as you will need to lie under a tree without making a sound or using a torch for an hour while covered by a veil of mosquitos. Don't worry they don't bite if you put on bushman, they just spend the hour trying to find the spot you missed with repellant.
There will be at least 3 hours of travel, some of it requiring 4 wheel drives (vehicles already organised). When you get to the site, you need to head bush. Some survey trees are on the edge of the road, but others are not. The maximum distance from the road is 100m and those trees will be filled by some ANU researchers who do this a couple of times a week.
Now that I have scared you, the good bits. Searching for our endangered state emblem in a part of the bush that very few people get to go to. Lying under a tree in total silence as it gets dark with the stars above and antechinus teasing you by scattering leaves a couple of metres away but knowing you will never see them. The sounds of the lyrebirds going to bed and the owls waking up. Day shift swapping with night shift.
Now for the extra important info.
Due to survey site limitations, we need to limit it too 8 people. There is some flexibility out to maybe a maximum of 10. If we get less then 8, then we will need to move to another site.
It maybe an idea to book accommodation in Marysville or camp as it is about 100km back to Melbourne.
If not attending the event, you need to make it too........
Meeting Place - CAMBARVILLE.
MEET AT THE COORDINATES AT 18.15 TO LEAVE BY 18.30,
RETURNING HERE AROUND 23.00.
DUE TO WEATHER, CHANGES INCLUDING CANCELLATION UP TO 1 HOUR BEFORE THE EVENT COULD HAPPEN.
FURTHER INFO. PAUL 0427 100119. Very limited phone reception up there. I will need your phone numbers, so please use the message centre or sms me when you put in a will attend, please sms about 2 or 3 days before the 11th.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Cyrnfr ernq nyy bs gur nobir.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures