She-oaks and selective hares.

We have planted maybe 100  she-oaks (Allocasuarina verticillata) at the Riding for the Disabled (RDA) centre between Kadina and Wallaroo. They've had a very chequered time trying to grow because the hares seem to think we've planted the trees just for them.  Grrr.








The odd thing is - they gnaw away at some of the seedlings. (This poor specimen is only 0.5m high and has very few green shoots left)   ........









............ yet leave others just a few metres away completely alone.

These trees are 1.5m and show no sign of being nibbled, not even the new shoots.






I s'pose the good thing is - they leave approx. half of the she-oaks alone.  Some of them have grown to over 2m in three years and look splendid. 

We're putting tree guards back around the nibbled trees and will leave the guards on for a few years in the hope they will recover.

The hares, or possibly rabbits, have eaten lots of Dodonaea hexandra (hop bush) but seem to have no appetite for acacias, melaleucas  and eucalypts. Thank heavens, cos there seem to be more rabbits and gigantic hares about than several years ago.

Another odd thing about the hares is that they appear to have been nibbling the trees over winter when there is perfectly good grass all around the place.  Can understand them being desperate in summer when there isn't a blade of grass about, but in winter???? What is it with these hares????