Campaign to save local waratahs

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is running a campaign to save local waratah blossoms.

The service is concerned about the survival of waratahs on the Central Coast with the increasing occurrence of illegal picking.

NPWS biodiversity officer Mr Doug Beckers said that the monitoring program conducted last season revealed that over one quarter of the flowers were illegally picked and that only 35 per cent of the flowers remaining produced seed.

"The monitoring program has raised serious concerns about the long-term viability of the waratahs at Warrah Trig due to illegal flower picking," Mr Beckers said.

"With the help of local residents and volunteers we hope to gain as much information about the waratahs in the area that we can so we can work towards helping these plants."

NPWS regional manager Mr Tom Bagnat said that the blooms' beautiful appearance meant that some people would go to extraordinary lengths to pick them.

"Picking flowers in a national park is illegal and can be detrimental to the long-term survival of a species, not to mention the removal of an important food source," Mr Bagnat said.

"Waratah blooms in the Brisbane Water National Park have long been targeted by flower poachers.

"Unfortunately this practice seems to be increasing and could lead to the complete loss of the plant from the area."

The seeds of the Waratah plant form at the flower head after the bloom has died.

By picking the bloom people are removing the seeds, the reproductive material of the plant.

In an effort to save the waratahs NPWS staff are monitoring them and searching for new ways to discourage picking.

People are encouraged to report any suspicious activity regarding the waratahs to the local NPWS office.

"We are launching an education campaign to try and save the blooms and declaring Saturday, September 3 as Waratah Watch Day," Mr Beckers said.

A static display and two free walking tours of the Warrah Trig area were expected to be held on the Saturday.

Press release, August 22 National Parks and Wildlife Service