Controlling boxthorn on Mount Chappell Island
Mount Chappell Island is a small and secluded island in the Furneaux Group, sitting just to the southeast of Flinders Island. For many years this windswept yet enchanting island has acted as a refuge for a multitude of wildlife, notably the famous Chappell Island Tiger Snake which grow considerably larger than their mainland cousins (ABC news article explaining that phenomena here).
Other animals rely on this island too; it is a major breeding site for seabirds, especially Short-tailed Shearwaters. These birds nest in burrows in the ground, laying one large white egg with both parents taking turns incubating it for nearly two months.
One of the challenges for Mount Chappell Island is the infestation of boxthorn. This nasty weed is very spiky and uninviting to almost all animals, and some parts of the island are totally dominated by it. This causes major issues for the breeding seabirds who can very easily become entangled in the thorns due to their terrestrial breeding habits. These birds naturally nest in large numbers here and with such success that they provide a steady food source for the Tiger Snakes, so the Boxthorn is to the detriment of all involved.
Recently, some of our team here at Enviro-dynamics joined the the pakana Rangers for the Furneaux Islands working bee to help get on top of this destructive weed. The rangers on the island have been working tirelessly for years to control boxthorn and our team joined the effort as part of Enviro-dynamics’ Profit for Purpose model of business which allowed our team to be paid for this work which otherwise would have required volunteer hours.
Dressed to the nines in chaps, helmets, visors, ear protection, thick leather gloves and Kevlar elbow length gloves we got stuck into tackling the boxthorn with great vigour.
By the end of the trip, a large area of boxthorn was removed from the island. We were lucky enough to have great weather for the trip, something that can be rare up there, so we made the most of it and got stuck in, as well as taking some lovely photos of this very special place.
