The Bowman Park Frog Habitat Project is a good example of what committed people and careful design can do to help frog conservation. The results from this ten year project has not only provided significant habitat for over seven native frog species and other local wildlife but has also improved the quality of park for everyone.
Initial survey
In 1991 the Australian Government launched a volunteer-based fauna survey of south-east Queensland called NatureSearch. As a part of this program members of the Queensland Frog Society began regularly visiting Bowman Park, in the Brisbane suburb of Bardon, to collect frog data. Bowman Park is a popular urban park with an oval, walking tracks, bike tracks, picnic areas and a children's playground.
Representation of Bowman Park with the Frog Habitat Area and the concrete drain marked. The park is bordered by roads on three sides and Ithaca Creek on the northern boundary.
After a couple of years of careful surveying the Queensland Frog Society had recorded, in one small section of the park and Ithaca Creek, breeding populations of the following frogs:
- Tusked Frog, Adelotus brevis
- Striped Marsh Frog, Limnodynastes peronii
- Common Green Treefrog, Litoria caerulea
- Eastern Sedgefrog, Litoria fallax
- Gracefull Treefrog, Litoria gracilenta
- Stony Creek Frog, Litoria lesueuri
- And the introduced Cane Toad, Bufo marinus
Frog Breeding Area
The importance of this particular area in Bowman Park to these frog populations was communicated to the Brisbane City Council. The Council declared this area to be a frog breeding area and in partnership with the Queensland Frog Society put up protective barriers and educational signage.
Bowman 'Creek' Project
Following the success of protecting the existing frog breeding area in Bowman Park the Queensland Frog society began to investigate other ways to increase frog breeding opportunities in the park. A concrete spoon drain that ran down the eastern side of the park seemed like the best place to start.
The concrete spoon drain in November 1999.
The downstream end of the concrete spoon drain forms a deeper channel just before it enters Ithaca Creek. During earlier nocturnal surveys adults, including calling males, of both the Common Green and Gracefull Treefrog, had been observed in the channel. Eggs and tadpoles were never observed but the presence and behaviour of the adult frogs suggested that this may be an appropriate breeding site should more appropriate conditions be available.
By 1997 there was general support from the Brisbane City Council to remove the concrete spoon drain and replace it with a more natural creek that would provide benefits to both people and wildlife. Brisbane City Council funded the project as part of the city's Healthy Waterways Program.
An Artist's impression of new more natural creek design.
Reconstruction
Despite some opposition, the first stage of the reconstruction work began in November 1999 and the second stage was completed by December 2000.
After the concrete was removed, large boulders were used to provide bank stability and smaller rocks and gravel were used to form the creek bed. Additional boulders and logs were used to provide shelter and perching sites for the frogs.
About 50 species of locally indigenous species of plants were recommended for the project and over 3000 individual plants were used in the reconstruction. Over 200 members of 14 local community groups volunteered their time to help with the planting.
Results
The first heavy rains following the reconstruction demonstrated the soundness of the overall design. Little or no erosion occurred, pools formed and persisted. The revegetation progressed beyond all expectations.
View from lower end of Bowman 'Creek', November 2001.
The Great Barred Frog Mixophyes fasciolatus has been observed in the Park since the project was completed bringing the totally number of resident native frogs to seven. Five of these species are now known to be breeding in the new 'creek' where none did before the removal of the concrete.
NatureSearch has recorded increased numbers and new incidents of many other animals since the project was completed such as the:
- Saw Shelled Turtle, Elseya latisternum (PDF)
- Eastern Water Skinks, Eulamprus quoyii (PDF)
- Eastern Water Dragons, Physignathus lesueurii (PDF)
- Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
- Up to 14 different species of Dragonfly
Full Report:
Bird P.S. and D.L. Cain. 2002. Bowman Park frog habitat project, pp 120-124 in R. Natrass (ed). Frogs in the Community - Proceedings of the Brisbane Conference 13-14 February 1999.