Sustaining our environment

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Project Summaries - 2005 Restoration & Rehabilitation Government Grants

Baulkham Hills Shire Council 
Privet out of Cattai 
Grant: $75,000

This project will initiate an awareness-raising/training, weed control and revegetation program targeting Privet in Cattai Creek catchment from Castle Hill through Annangrove and Box Hill to Maraylya. The main aim of the project is to initiate community action towards controlling privet in the upper parts of Cattai Creek (in the first phase). All privet will be removed from Council land at the Glenhaven Bridge as an example to others. Council-supported incentives to land owners for privet removal will provide education, encouragement and support for the removal of privet from private properties. This project will involve contacting over 3,000 residents by mail, providing those who register with a "privet pack" and the opportunity to attend a field/demonstration day to learn techniques and discuss management.

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Coffs Harbour City council 
Enhancement and protection of the Coffs Creek Flying-fox camp 
Grant: $54,500 

This project will protect and enhance the Coffs Creek Flying-Fox camp by implementing a programme of weed removal and native vegetation planting. This program will improve the ecological functioning of the site as a maternity camp for the Grey-headed-Flying-Fox (GHFF) and help to resolve conflict between the camp and adjacent residents. The planning and weed removal will allow the removal of exotic vegetation to establish a buffer between the camp and residents without a net loss of roosting habitat. This project will also provide noise mitigation measures to resolve conflict between the adjacent residents.

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Department of Environment and Conservation 
Restoration of Seabird habitat, Montague Island Nature Reserve 
Grant: $100,000 

Since introduction in the late 1980's, Kikuyu grass has spread to nearly 40% of the southern section of Montague Island and 10% of the northern section. In parts of the southern section, Kikuyu infestation has created a monoculture similar to that found across the entire extent of Five Islands Nature Reserve off Wollongong, NSW. Charles Stuart University research over the last 3 years has found Kikuyu to be the single greatest threat to the seabird populations on the island and the same research has a proven control process.  In order to control Kikuyu, the island has been divided into 13 management zones. It is planned to treat one zone per year with prescribed fire, revegetation by native seedling and follow up spraying. Zone 14 (the largest zone) will be treated by aerial spraying only due to the presence of Shearwater nesting sites. This will be completed in 2005.

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Great Lakes Council 
Aquatic Gardens Wetland Rehabilitation Project 
Grant: $30,000 

This project will systematically eradicate annual and perennial weeds currently encroaching on SEPP 14 Wetland (Site no. 630 - Saltmarsh) from a 20,000m2 area around the core of the wetland. Weeds such as Bidens, Lantana, Cassia, Ipomoea, Coral Tree and Asparagus fern will be targeted. Locally endemic species grow from providence stock will be used for re-vegetation where necessary. This will improve the health and functioning of the wetland, increase biodiversity, with flow-on effects such as improved water quality entering Wallis Lake. Scientific data will be systematically collected and analysed to guide and assess project successes and shortcomings.  A community education program will aim to engage the broader community in this project, with the goal to educate them on wetland significance, threats to wetland, biodiversity issues and broader Natural Recourse Management.

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Hawkesbury City Council 
Chain of Ponds Reserve Rehabilitation Project 
Grant: $39,990 

The highly used and visited site of Chain of Ponds Reserve is a linear riparian bushland reserve that encompasses both Chain of Ponds Creek as well as Currency Creek. The vegetation type consists of both River Flat Forest as well as Shale Sandstone Transit Forest, with a remnant healthy canopy. The project aims to conduct bush regeneration works, targeting dominant weed species that are degrading the site.  Weeds that will be targeted include Small Leaf Privet, Wandering Jew, Balloon Vine and Bamboo species. A bush regeneration contractor will be employed to undertake the bush regeneration, and to supervise a bushcare group at the site. There is currently an active Bushcare Group that works at a nearby reserve (Glossodia Park) that has been so successful over the last 10 years that they have run out of weeds. The group will now also work at the Chain of Ponds Reserve as both parks occur along Currency Creek. A substantial native seed bank exists within the site, as the site has a substantial remnant canopy, as well as areas of healthy understorey vegetation. The site would be advantaged through bushland regeneration processes.

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Hunter Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority 
Lambton Ker-rai Rehabilitation Project 
Grant: $100,000 

The project will increase habitat diversity for native species of flora and fauna by reinstating creek features and riparian vegetation in a formalised urban stormwater channel, whilst improving water quality outcomes. The project will also create greater opportunities for reconnection of community to natural creek systems, thereby improving understanding, knowledge, awareness and positive water practice behaviours within the local and wider community. Normally, creeks that have been straightened and formalised would continue  to be managed in this way. However, this project will challenge this thinking and provide soft engineering solutions that increase biodiversity throughout the region. The site will provide a local and regional demonstration for an alternative to traditional, formalised creek management including a shift to more sustainable park maintenance practices.

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Holroyd City Council 
Restoration & Preservation of Shale Plains Woodland Corridor Link 
Grant: $94,539  

Carry out corridor restoration works to improve and enhance valuable support to core & riparian habitat which links to support other core habitat vegetation areas both regionally and locally.  This will include:

  1. Control of non-indigenous species affecting remnant shale plains and aquatic vegetation. 
  2. A considerable cease mow project to allow existing indigenous plant species to regenerate, which will increase habitat area. 
  3. Buffer revegetation works where natural regeneration will not take place to expand habitat area. 
  4. Bush regeneration works. 
  5. Promote and encourage groups (Alpha Park Bushcare/ Lower Prospect Canal Bushcare) in participating with the project and promote ownership with local residence that lives adjacent to the reserve.

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Hornsby Shire Council 
Restoration of Endangered Vegetation with School Communities 
Grant: $99,901 

The 'Restoration of Endangered Communities in Schools' project aims to protect and enhance threatened ecological communities in the urban areas of Hornsby Shire through vegetation management plans, on-ground works and community education and participation. Hornsby Shire Council has a well-established and successful Bushland Management Team that has been at the forefront of biodiversity conservation for many years. As the highly successful Hornsby Bushcare program and ongoing contract bush regeneration program continue to restore threatened communities on Council land, there is an ever-increasing need to facilitate conservation of biodiversity on private property. This project recognises that many schools in the Shire provide an important refuge for remnants of threatened vegetation in the urban environment. Responding with the provision of skills and resources will assist these school communities in working towards long-term sustainable bushland management. These schools will become demonstration sites for the effective management of endangered ecological communities in the urban environment.

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Hunters Hill Council 
Park Rd reserve - Woodland to Salt Marsh Restoration Project 
Grant: $62,954 

The aim is to restore and protect degraded Salt Marsh (Endangered Ecological Community), minimise sediment input to Mangroves and up-grade and enhance Open Forest of Blackbutt, Bloodwood and Sydney Red Gum in Park Rd Reserve to fulfil the objectives of the LEP for Buffalo Creek and the Great North Walk. The purpose of the project is to construct a device to reduce stormwater impacts on these communities, through trapping litter and sediments entering the waterway, dissipating the velocity of stormwater entering bushland and thus reducing erosion and sedimentation. Minor bank stabilisation will be undertaken below the device. At the same time, removal of environmental and noxious weeds which are degrading the vegetation communities, and revegetation with native species will be undertaken along the watercourse and the Great North Walk walking track. The project also aims to establish a bushcare group and involve the community in restoration works and encourage bush friendly behaviours in neighbours of the reserve.

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Lane Cove Municipal Council 
Moore Street Gully Project 
Grant: $73,750 

The Moore St Gully contains a variety of remnant riparian vegetation that is under considerable stress from woody and vine weeds. Current Lane Cove Tunnel roadworks nearby will be remediated and planted with local native species by the construction company / RTA. This project will rehabilitate the Gully vegetation next to the roadworks, protecting locally rare species of trees and orchids and regenerating native bushland habitats. Planting will enhance the existing vegetation and will provide improved habitat links and wildlife corridors to isolated reserves as well as creating larger core and buffer zones to protect the habitat and heritage values of the gully.  There are a number of rare and ROTAP species in this area including Leptospermum squarrosum, Anggophora costata, Epacris purpurascens & Pseudophryne australis.

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Lismore City Council 
Restoration and Rehabilitation of Lowland Rainforest on the Floodplain 
Grant: $74,108 

'Lowland Rainforest Floodplain' in the North Coast Bioregion is listed as an endangered ecological community under the Threatened species Conservation Act 1995. Lismore Council has recently identified and inspected 3 sites of Lowland Rainforest, and has a Management Plan for one additional site. All sites are degraded to varying degrees, mostly by weeds and cattle.  This project aims to deliver on-ground works to restore these currently degraded sites and protect them by improving the capacity of landholders/managers and considering the various mechanisms (e.g. covenants) by which land can be protected in the long term. Restoration will be done through the removal of threats, particularly environmental weeds, to allow natural regeneration, enhancement planting where necessary, and fencing. Protection will be done through negotiation of conservation covenants/ management agreements with individual landholders / managers. Site-specific action plans will also be developed to guide on-ground works.

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North Ridge Reserve Committee 
Rehabilitation of a small eroded gully 
Grant: $5,140 

This project will address a moderate to severe erosion problem in a small gully with intermittent flow. It will involve diverting excess water flow back into natural lines both at the head of the creek and lower down slope. Some contouring of the slope will be necessary. Bare areas will require revegetation by a mix of tubestock plantings, mulching, weed control and some natural revegetation. When completed the project will stabilise both soil and water movement in the small catchment area and restore the natural vegetation containing locally rare plant species.

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Orange City Council 
Gosling Creek Riparian & Immediate Catchment Restoration 
Grant: $91,250 

This project is based on the objectives of the Gosling Creek Reserve Master Plan developed in 2001 and adopted by Orange City Council following 2 community workshops. The project will restore vegetation along the riparian zone and the immediate catchment area along Gosling Creek between Cadia Road, Huntley Road and Brandy Creek (which flows into Gossling Creek a total distance of approximately 6 kilometres 35 hectares). The aim of the project is to improve water quality for the city of Orange whilst enhancing the naturally occurring ecosystem of the area. During this last 12 months willows along the creek have been controlled using stem injection techniques. These will be removed and the riparian zone and immediate catchment area planted out with native trees and shrubs grown from seed harvested from species occurring naturally in the area.

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Pittwater Council 
Wetland Restoration in Warriewood Wetland and Irrawong Reserve 
Grant: $89,975 

The Warriewood wetland and linked Irrawong Reserve is a unique example of a large urban wetland situated in a growing suburban area. It is the largest remaining sand plain wetland in the northern Sydney region, compromising of 26 hectares of freshwater and brackish wetland. It supports a wide diversity of plant communities including the endangered ecological communities Sydney Freshwater Wetlands and Swamp Sclerophyll Forest. The estuarine Complex and Isachne/ Persicaria wet grassland plant communities supports a wide diversity of faunal species with records of over 100 bird species including internationally significant migratory birds and threatened fauna utilising the wetland habitat. This project aims to further restore native wetland vegetation, protect the biodiversity of regionally significant plant communities and to maximise the wetlands natural function for water quality and nutrient uptake through the expansion of a staged control program for the aquatic noxious weeds Ludwigia, Salvinia and Erythrina crista-galli.

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Pittwater Council 
Coastal Shale Health and Littoral Rainforest Regeneration Project 
Grant: $99,990 

This project aims to restore and regenerate areas of the newly recorded Endangered Littoral Rainforest community in Pittwater along local catchment areas and to conserve the significant biodiversity present in Pittwater's coastal shale heath communities. Project is community linked and will provide support to the 6 bushcare and community groups involved who will contribute with ongoing regeneration works, monitoring and promotion of project. The project aims to:

  1. Enhance and restore habitat to protect the biodiversity associated with these vegetation communities. 
  2. To educate and inform the local community of the significance of the EEC of Littoral Rainforest and the associated coastal shale heaths. 
  3. To offer best management practical on-hand advise to adjoining residents to protect remnant flora and fauna and create buffer zone for core bushland. 
  4. To control invasive weed species and enhance regeneration process. 
  5. To control mitigating stormwater impacts and provide low impact pollution basin in appropriate areas. 
  6. To survey and assess existing fauna and flora existing within these communities.

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Randwick City Council 
Restoration and Protection of Trenerry Reserve Wetland 
Grant: $41,658 

To supplement the work already done by Bushcare volunteers and RCC's bush regeneration contractors in the restoration and protection of Trenerry Reserve wetland by:

  1. Replacement of old fencing around the pond at the top of the wetland, to keep dogs and people out. 
  2. Weed removal and suppression, and then revegetation of the pond area with native plants of local provenance. 
  3. Installation of dog exclusion fencing along the edge of the dog exercise area and installation of wire mesh along the existing boardwalk to prevent dogs entering the wetland.

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Shoalhaven City Council 
Restore and extend habitat for 18 vulnerable species/communities 
Grant: $93,080 

This project will work to restore and rehabilitate the habitat for 18 endangered, vulnerable and ROTAP species and communities along Bomaderry Creek. Significant weed control will remove competition in areas adjoining plant communities. Riparian fencing will remove stock from 3.7km of riparian and regeneration zones at 4 sites. Follow up weed control and replanting will restore these valuable habitats. Five degraded and eroding sites will be protected, rehabilitated and replanted. Weed control and replanting will be completed at 9 riparian sites previously fenced. A major community education component will include workshops, weed control newsletters and interpretative signage covering a range of management issues - weeds, fire, habitat, and illegal access.

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Tweed Shire Council 
Tweed Floodgate Modification Project 
Grant: $100,000 

Floodgates are a one-way valve system which allow water to flow downstream but not upstream. Floodgates can be modified (opened) to allow exchange in the river during non-flood periods. This can yield many environmental benefits to water quality, fish habitat and the estuarine environment. The Tweed received funding in 1999 from NHT and Fisheries to trial a winch system of opening floodgates. While this proved beneficial to the environment the winches require manual operation and this limited their potential. In 2002-2004 the Environmental Trust funded the North Coast Floodgate Project, which modified floodgates in the Richmond, Macleay and Clarence catchment with new, more user-friendly gates. In June 2005 the Environmental Trust funded a workshop in the Tweed to explain the benefits of opening floodgates and assess the interest level of landholders. Based on the success of these projects the Tweed Shire Council is proposing this project to continue the opening of floodgates in the Tweed. 10 floodgates are to be opened by the installation of tidal gates.

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Wagga Wagga City Council 
Restoration and Revegetation of Lake Albert foreshores 
Grant: $75,000 

To revegetate the foreshores of Lake Albert in Wagga Wagga following the removal of Willow Trees. The revegetation will involve the planting of native plants. A landscape concept will be developed in consultation with the community. Planting of trees, shrubs, and riparian species will be carried out. Planting will assist in improving the water quality in Lake Albert which is a significant water body in the Wagga Wagga LGA, the lake is also an important component of the stormwater management system of Wagga Wagga.

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Wollondilly Shire Council 
Kennedy Creek Rehabilitation and Share Pathway Project 
Grant: $75,000 

Kennedy Creek is a small tributary in the upper Georges River catchment. The rehabilitation of Kennedy Creek was identified as a high priority project for Wollindilly Shire Council during the stormwater management planning process. In 2004 Council engaged Earth Tech Engineering to investigate and prepare a strategy for the enhancement and maintenance of the biodiversity and stormwater issues associated with Kennedy Creek. The Strategy has prioritised the works to be undertaken in Kennedy Creek and Council is in the process of commencing these works. These works will include weed removal, minor bank reshaping and planting of provenant plant species.

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Wollongong City Council 
Riparian Regeneration & Replanting at Hargraves Creek, Stanwell Park 
Grant: $39,900 

This project will undertake riparian revegetation and regeneration work in the remnant Tall Wet Sclerophyll Forest occurring along Hargraves Creek, Stanwell Park. This revegetation type is listed as an 'Item of Landscape Significance' under schedule 1 in the Wollongong City Council Local Environmental Plan. The area is directly threatened by invasive environmental weeds including asparagus fern, lantana, madeira vine, morning glory, turkey rhubarb and a variety of annual weeds. Kikuyu from the mown area has invaded the aquatic vegetation near the mouth of the creek. There is also severe erosion of approximately 30m of the northern creek bank, due to a number of informal access tracks from the park, leading up the bank to adjacent houses. A period of 36 months will be necessary to complete the primary weeding and planting and to undertake follow-up weeding. Techniques for weed removal, the planting requirements and the erosion control techniques will be as recommended in the Vegetation Management Plan that has been prepared for the site.

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Wollongong City Council 
Puckey's Estate Threatened Vegetation Restoration Project 
Grant: $86,940 

Puckeys Estate is a 20-hectare annex of the Wollongong Botanic Gardens. It consists of coastal dune, littoral and estuarine communities. It is recognised as an Endangered Ecological Community known as Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest of the NSW Coast. A recent Plan of Management for the site identified an area (zone 20) of 5.5 hectares for urgent restoration. Qualified bush regeneration contractors will be contracted to target weed species such as asparagus fern, Norfolk Island hibiscus, Kikuyu and bitou bush on this ecologically threatened community. Dense weed infestation makes the area virtually inpenetratable and is severely impacting natural regeneration of significant plants. A period of 36 months will be necessary to complete the weed removal process; this will enable the contractors to reduce the pressure on fauna using weed species as habitat. Techniques for removal will be as recommended in the Plan of Management in consultation with Department of Environment and Conservation.

TOTAL FUNDS $1,602,675 

 

 

 

Page last updated: 22 February 2008