VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for Bidjigal Reserve - Land

Vegetation Management Plan - Bidjigal Reserve3.3 Field InvestigationsField survey and weed mapping was undertaken by Belinda Pellow (Dip.App.Sc.[Ag]) , Kylie Reed (B. Env.Sc[Hons]) and Rebecca McCue (B. Env. Sci) on 29 th and 31 st October and 5 th and 7 th November 2008.Supplementary investigations were undertaken by Belinda Pellow and Judith Rawling(BA,DipEd,DipEnvStud,MEnvStud) on a number of occasions in early December.3.3.1 Flora Field SurveyIn order to provide an indication of bushland condition (health), field investigations were undertakento determine the significant weed species 8 occurring within the Reserve bushland; their abundance,and extent of distribution. Vegetation communities were identified and described; and theircondition (or health) was assessed.Any threatened species or populations located during the weed mapping exercise were recordedusing a GPS. Known locations of threatened species (provided by database and literature searches)were surveyed to confirm the presence of these entities, and to identify impacts which mightthreaten the species’ on-going viability (e.g. weeds and garden escapes, drains and urban runoff,dumping, and evidence of spot fires).Due to the large size of the Study Area and the sometimes difficult terrain encountered, field surveyswere generally restricted to those areas close to vehicle tracks, to walking trails along creeklines inthe Core Bushland; and to Asset Protection Zones at the urban-bushland Interface.All introduced species observed in each Management Unit were recorded, and an estimate of %weed vs. native cover in each of the upper, middle and groundcover strata (layers) was determined.The dominant native species in each stratum were used to confirm the identification of thevegetation community present, using community descriptions by Tozer et al. 2006. Whenidentification was unclear, quadrat data was gathered by surveying a 20 x 20 metre area; recordingall species observed, and then estimating the % cover for each species occurring. The location oftest plots was determined using a random selection procedure and has been mapped in Figure 3.3.All vascular plant species with stems rooted within or overhanging the search area were recorded.A shortlist of possible vegetation community types was compiled by comparing the vegetationstructure and physical characteristics of the site with the vegetation descriptions contained in Tozeret al. 2006 and the mapping provided for the subject site from the relevant maps. The speciescomposition of the test plot was compared with each of these possible vegetation communities.Only the number of native species occurring within the test plot was counted. A minimum speciescount has been specified by Tozer et al. for each vegetation community and this is given in thediagnostic species list for each.8 ‘Significant’ being listed noxious weeds in the Shire and keystone environmental weeds, as identified by BHSCUBM Ecological Consultants Pty Ltd 32