Friends of the National Park 29.4.22

Since starting earlier this year puling weeds out at Captain Cook, we have more recently been focusing on the Botanic Garden, specifically targeting two vines, Ipomoea indica and Ipomoea carica, both commonly known as Morning Glory. These vines are rapidly growing climbers which festoon and sometimes even smother the native flora they use in their quest to reach the top of the canopy where there is more light.

We pull up the runners criss-crossing the forest floor, coil them and deposit them in the forks of trees to die, making sure that no part of them remains in contact with the ground. For the runners that have already reached high up into the canopy, we simply cut their connection with the parent plant on the ground, a process known as ‘curtaining’, which deprives them of nutrients, again causing them to die.

Another name for one of these vines is ‘mile-a-minute’ which gives an indication of just how quickly they can grow. With the wet summer we have just had, they really are growing a mile a minute, so it looks like we’ll be staying in the Botanic garden for some time yet.

If you’re interested in helping out, we’re currently meeting each Monday at 9.00 am at the Mt Pitt Rd entrance to the Botanic Garden. No experience is necessary, and gloves and morning tea are provided. We also have a Facebook page, ‘Friends of the National Park, Norfolk Island’ where we post information about where we will be on any given Monday.