Toad News

15 September 2007

Letter from the STTF Chairperson to supporters

Dear Stop The Toad Foundation Supporter,

It’s that time of year again and the Stop the Toad Foundation (STTF) is planning the Great Cane Toad Muster which is being based at Timber Creek (and surrounds) from September 22 to October 14 2007.

Again, we are seeking your support to ensure that the exercise has every opportunity to succeed.

Last year the exercise delivered excellent results. It attracted 120 volunteers from all over the world and after 38 days of intense cane toad busting the nett result was over 48,000 toads removed from what we considered were significant front line locations.

The removal of cane toads at a landscape scale is incredibly important in the ongoing battle against this invasive pest. Over 50 tonnes of toads have been removed from habitats in the Northern Territory by volunteer groups intent on protecting the world class values of Western Australia.

The planning and resourcing of the Great Toad Muster is a costly exercise that needs your support. There are a multitude of logistical and strategic planning issues that need to be taken into account when undertaking an event of this magnitude.

To achieve our aims of devastating cane toad populations before they impact on Western Australia, the Foundation is seeking your support to continue the good fight. The Foundation also has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status with the Australian Taxation Office.

We are seeking assistance in the areas of financial and in kind support. These include camping equipment, transport for volunteers, camp hosting, safety and first aid training, communications equipment, aerial surveys, food and catering, supply of products such as carbon dioxide cylinders, heavy duty clear plastic bags, torches, rechargeable batteries and handheld spotlights and heavy duty 50cm rolls of shade cloth and other fencing materials such as star pickets, tie wire, cable ties.

The Great Toad Muster 06 resulted from a financial input from the STTF of over $120, 000 and the exercise would not have been possible without our ‘sponsors’. Companies including Auvergne Station, SlingAir/Heliwork, Air Liquide, AllGear Kununurra, Barwick Wines, Matsos Brewery Broome, Skywest, Lotterywest, FrogwatchNT and The Community Government Council of Timber Creek contributed cash, in-kind or on ground support that was imperative in making the Great Toad Muster 06 viable.

At a recent ‘Breakthrough Seminar’ in Perth, scientists presented information on a naturally occurring lung worm that appears to kill young toads; a pheromone based product that appears to be toad specific and is capable of stressing toad tadpoles and the development of a ‘quick kill’ product that may have immense application in community and home protection scenarios.

All of these recent ‘breakthroughs’ have come about as a result of the community efforts of volunteers providing a ‘buffer’ of time to allow dedicated researchers to investigate solutions to the big picture of toad management.

In 2006, the Muster attracted huge media coverage and over 120 volunteers from all over the world and Australia attended; to date the STTF has received expressions of interest from many people who wish to travel to the Muster area near Timber Creek in the Northern Territory and be part of the on ground battle in 2007.

We look forward to your organisation joining us in the battle to keep Western Australia cane toad free and protect the unique native species and habitats that define this state.

Please contact our sponsorship coordinator Fiona Rafferty to find out how you can become part of this community initiative ([email protected] , Ph: 08 9420 7266).

Yours faithfully