VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for Bidjigal Reserve - Land

Vegetation Management Plan - Bidjigal ReserveAs part of this VMP, a general field survey was undertaken to provide an overview of the Reservebushland and to identify broad impacts and other management issues. Selected sites were targetedfor detailed field survey after discussions with Trust Board member Wendy Goonan, a review ofprevious studies and investigations, and consultation of vegetation and topographic maps.For the purpose of this VMP, and to allow for priority ranking of worksites in the future, the Reservewas divided into smaller units that could be more easily defined and managed, and thus targeted inany future bush regeneration program.At a broad scale, Bidjigal Reserve was first divided into four (4) main Sections, based on theirlocations within the Reserve. These Sections were: Northern Section; Central Section; EasternSection; and Southern Section.Each Section was then divided into 10 smaller Management Zones based on homogeneity oftopographical features, vegetation communities and/or physical boundaries (i.e. tracks, fences).In order to rank the health or condition of bushland within each of these Management Zones, and tocreate smaller, more manageable areas for weed control and bushland regeneration works, anumber of Management Units were identified within each Management Zone. Where Riparian andTrail Management Units occurred adjacent to each other, these were dealt with as a single Unit.The four (4) types of Management Units were as follows: Core Bushland; Tracks and Trails; RiparianZones; and the Urban-bushland InterfaceManagement IssuesThe following threats and impacts to bushland and other significant management issues were noted.• Protection and management of threatened species;• Drainage, particularly stormwater runoff which changes soil structure and soil chemistry,thereby encouraging the establishment of weeds and introduced plants;• Soil issues, including sedimentation and existing or potential for soil erosion;• Weed invasion as a result of garden dumping and encroachments into the APZs;• Inappropriate activities, including vandalism;• Management of edges sites, including the urban-bushland interface, tracks and trails;• Maintenance of service corridors – powerlines, sewer and water supply infrastructure,including impact of service vehicles;• Feral animals control;• Impact of adjoining land use, including sporting fields; and• Maintenance of the APZs, impact of hazard reduction burns and variable fire regimes.Data gathered during field surveys was used to develop a condition of bushland map (commonlyknown as a ‘weed map’), and then to record priority ranking values.UBM Ecological Consultants Pty Ltdii