RYDE FLORA and FAUNA STUDY 2007 - City of Ryde - NSW ...

1.0 Executive Summary
1.1 Rationale of the Fauna Study
Biosphere Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd
Ryde Flora and Fauna Survey 2007 3
In 2006, Ryde City Council commissioned a series of flora and fauna studies as part
of a long-term assessment and management program for bushland reserves in the local
government area (LGA). The surveys were carried out in four reserves: Darvall Park
in Denistone, Brush Farm Park and Lambert Park in Eastwood and the Field of Mars
Reserve in Ryde. An initial aim of the surveys was to provide to standardised “baseline”
information about the animals and plants that occur in each reserve; the methods
used to collect this information had to be standardised so that subsequent surveys
could repeat the process and obtain comparable information that will assist with
management decisions for these reserves. The surveys included vertebrate and
invertebrate animal species, endemic plants and introduced species, either exotic to
Australia or non-endemic Australian native plants. Diversity assessment of each
reserve included a measure of the number of animal and plant species within a given
area (the species richness) and the relative abundance of the biota present (or cover of
the species within a given area).
In 2007, Ryde City Council decided to increase the number of reserves that would be
surveyed for base-line data. This time, the reserves chosen were associated with
particular water catchments areas in the LGA; six reserves were chosen around Terrys
Creek (Forrester Park, Forsyth Park, Pembroke Park, Lucknow Park, Somerset Park
and Ivanhoe Reserve), four were chosen from the Kittys Creek catchment area (Pryor
Park, Portius Park, Kittys Creek Reserve and Martin Reserve), four from the Buffalo
Creek catchment area (Minga Reserve, Barton Reserve, Pidding Reserve and Burrows
Park), and finally, Memorial Reserve was also surveyed as one of the few reserves
fronting the foreshore of the Parramatta River.
The survey techniques used in 2007 were identical to those employed in the 2006
Flora and Fauna Study (Biosphere 2006). Reference quadrats were again established
in reserves that contained representative vegetation communities; these quadrats will
remain the main reference sites for future fauna and flora studies in these reserves.
While the surveys are intensive in nature they also have limitations; for example, the
study was undertaken over two short periods (autumn and spring) and for one year
only. It is probable that future follow-up studies will reveal additional species present
in the reserves.
1.2 General Findings
Many of the reserves in the 2007 Flora and Fauna Study are associated with water
courses and so are linear in conformation. Many of the reserves have survived as
bushland areas because sewer or utility easements were created to reserve these lands
from toher forms of development. Whatever, the reason for the retention of these
bushland areas, Ryde LGA is fortunate to have native bushland but none of these
areas are free from disturbance or outside impacts.