VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for Bidjigal Reserve - Land

Vegetation Management Plan - Bidjigal ReserveOther than basic pH tests (which are readily available commercially) a professional soil scientistshould interpret test results, as the soil chemistry and structural traits required for plantestablishment are quite different to those required for construction purposes or the protection ofhuman health. Soil tests for the latter usually focus on the presence of soil contaminants (heavymetals, organophosphates etc), and do not consider the interaction between soil pH, traceelements, soil moisture and nutrient availability, or soil texture.Indicative costs at time of writing are about $145/sample, plus GST. Enough samples should betaken to provide a clear picture of soil conditions across the site. Should results indicate that soilremediation is required to sustain native vegetation; this should be carried out prior to sign-off.Should the soil prove unsuitable for revegetation purposes in some way, weed free topsoil (or asterile re-constituted soil product) should be incorporated.Despite the costs involved in carrying out basic soil tests on the sites recommended for planting, thewhole program could fail if the substrate is unsuitable for revegetation.7.8.2 Selection of Appropriate Flora SpeciesIn selecting plants for enrichment planting or for bush landscaping, the following guidelines mustapply. The species selected must be:• Representative of the locally occurring native plant community (i.e. locally indigenous);• Readily obtainable from a reputable plant nursery, or easily propagated by seed collectedfrom existing local material;• Hardy and tolerant of variable soil conditions (which must remain within the limits oftolerance for local species);• Easy to establish under field conditions; and• Of appropriate size (height/breadth) to achieve an appropriate balance in the proportion oftrees and shrubs and groundcovers used to ‘recreate’ the desired ecological community.It is not uncommon to see planting lists prepared by landscape architects (as one example) whichrecommend that a wide range of species be planted in a single operation (i.e. landscaping); thesenot infrequently includes small/delicate ground covers placed into exposed or ‘Greenfield’ sites; theuse of locally vulnerable or threatened species, or species which are difficult to propagate and/orobtain commercially.When a planting program in bushland is proposed, it must to be recognised that a native vegetationcommunity cannot be re-created in a single stroke, and/or within a short period of time(notwithstanding the usually short maintenance period imposed by Councils in their conditions ofdevelopment consent).Successful planting in bushland is an incremental process, carried out over a period of 3-5 years (at aminimum); first by establishing a shading canopy of quick growing tree/large shrubs, and thenplacing smaller shrubs and ground covers when soil and micro-climate conditions are morefavourable. Enrichment planting (to increase species diversity and/or improve habitat conditions)may be carried out in the middle to latter stages of the planting program, and may well continuewell into the future.UBM Ecological Consultants Pty Ltd 141