Attachment 1 to Item 53 - Roadside Vegetation Management Plan

H AW K E S B U R Y C IT Y C O U N C IL R O AD S ID E V E G E T AT IO N M AN AG E M E N T P L AN
8 Signage Strategy
The installation of significant roadside environment signage is a strategy that has often been used in
conjunction with the development and implementation of roadside environmental management
strategies around Australia (HCCREMS 2007). The signage strategy will consist of roadside markers
that identify sites of environmental, historic and cultural significance so that these sites can be avoided
and protected during road works and other public utility works. The main purpose of such signage is to
increase the awareness of council staff and work maintenance crews to the importance of sites of
environmental, historic and cultural significance along road sides. Road side markers can assist council
operational staff in identifying the physical location of significant roadside environments or
environmental issues in the field that have been identified and mapped during earlier planning
processes. This can provide a field-based trigger for operational staff to undertake the appropriate
management strategies.
Roadside markers would aim to assist Council and other agencies to protect remnant native stands,
and to comply with the requirements of Commonwealth and State conservation, heritage, vegetation,
fire and pollution legislation. Information on such signage could include special work practice
requirements supporting best practice management for roadside native vegetation. Roadside signage
of this type could also be given unique identifiers which could be linked to a Council database. This
would obviously help Council keep records of the location of significant roadside features and their
associated management needs, although more importantly, it could allow work crews obtain additional
details from the Council’s database regarding the implementation of appropriate management methods
to avoid unnecessary damage to the site and its values.
In regards to educating members of the community about the importance of roadside vegetation, an
information brochure about the development of the RVMP and associated road side signage has been
developed. This is further discussed in Section 9. Given that signage can lead to improved protection
of values within roadside environments, the implementation of a consistent roadside marker program
throughout the region is likely to complement the general objectives of this strategy. A consistent
approach throughout the Hawkesbury LGA to such a program would substantially increase its potential
for impact.
8.1 INSTALLATION OF SIGNS
Within any given road, there may be sections of road which are of high, medium and low conservation
significance. It is recommended that HCC install roadside markers along all sections of roads that have
been identified through the roadside vegetation survey as high priority areas for conservation and
medium priority roads which contain and EEC or threatened species. It is recommended that roadside
markers mark the beginning and end of each section of high priority areas for conservation and medium
priority roads which contain and EEC or threatened species. It is also recommended that roadside
markers be installed in areas where items of significant historic and cultural significance along
roadsides can be found.
Roadside markers should consist of a marker plate fastened to a post outside of the road envelope,
which will be visible from the road carriage. These will discreetly mark the site for operational reference
and highlight to council staff and maintenance crews that there is significant roadside vegetation in this
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