Bush regeneration

Last updated

Bush regeneration, a form of natural area restoration, is the term used in Australia for the ecological restoration of remnant vegetation areas, such as through the minimisation of negative disturbances, both exogenous such as exotic weeds and endogenous such as erosion. It may also attempt to recreate conditions of pre-European arrival, for example by simulating endogenous disturbances such as fire. Bush regeneration attempts to protect and enhance the floral biodiversity in an area by providing conditions conducive to the recruitment and survival of native plants.

Contents

History

Bradley method

In the early 1960s Joan and Eileen Bradley [1] developed a series of weed control techniques through a process of trial and error. Their work was the beginning of minimal disturbance bush regeneration in New South Wales. [2] The Bradley method urges a naturalistic approach by encouraging the native vegetation to self-reestablish. The Bradleys used their method to successfully clear weeds from a 16 hectares (40 acres) reserve in Ashton Park, part of Sydney Harbour National Park, NSW. The process demonstrated that, following a period of consecutive 'follow up' treatments of diminishing time requirement, subsequent maintenance was needed only once or twice a year, mainly in vulnerable spots such as creek banks, roadsides, and clearings, to be maintained weed-free.

The aim of their work was to clear small niches adjacent to healthy native vegetation such that the each area will regenerate from in-situ soil seed banks or be re-colonised and stabilised by the regeneration of native plants, replacing an area previously occupied by weeds. The Bradley method follows three main principles,

  1. secure the best areas first
  2. minimise disturbance to the natural conditions (e.g. minimise soil disturbance and off-target damage).
  3. don't overclear, let the regenerative ability of the bush set the pace of clearance (Bradley 1988).

The priority securing of the best quality vegetation aids in preserving areas of top biodiversity which provide regeneration potential to expand these areas and reclaim areas as bushland.

Modern practice

The adoption of minimal disturbance bush regeneration increased in the decades that followed the work of the Bradleys. Their principles have guided bushcare programs in Australia, although the inclusion of herbicide in modern bush regeneration is a notable deviation from the ideals of the Bradley sisters. [3] In addition, rather than 'minimal disturbance', a more favoured and ecologically sound trend since the 1990s has been towards more 'appropriate disturbance' as many Australian plant communities require some level of perturbation to trigger germination from long-buried seed banks. This has led to a range of additional disturbance-based techniques (such as burns and soil disturbance) being included in the regenerator's 'tool kit' in dry forest and grassland areas. Field experience has found that, even in rainforest areas, a resilience to disturbance is evident, enabling regenerators to clear weed in a fairly extensive manner to trigger rainforest recovery. This is borne out by a thriving rainforest regeneration industry in northern NSW Australia, modelled on the pioneering work of John Stockard at Wingham Brush (Stockard 1991, Stockard 1999). [4] The rule of thumb in all cases is to constrain clearing to that area that matches the project's follow up resources.

The increased awareness and consideration of Australia's biodiversity by citizens has incrementally increased pressure on local governments to adopt conservation programs for remnant vegetation on council land. Most peri urban councils now have some involvement in bush regeneration, either through planning, land management, volunteer support or through employment of bush regeneration practitioners. [3] In NSW the level of coordination of bush regeneration programs through local governments is high, although in some other areas at present a lack of coordination is a serious concern in bush regeneration on public land, with only 40% of councils liaising with other councils. [3] In such areas there may be a need for strategic management at a regional scale through Natural Resource Management Boards or non government organisations such as Trees For Life, which are involved in bushcare programs across wider areas. There is increasing interest in using species traits and the grouping of species by their traits into functional types to both predict plant community responses to environmental change and to address hypothesis about the mechanisms underlying these responses. [5]

Purposes

The aim of bush regeneration, also known as 'natural area restoration', is to restore and maintain ecosystem health by facilitating the natural regeneration of indigenous flora, this is usually achieved by selectively reducing the competitive interaction with invasive species, [6] or mitigation of negative influences such as weeds or erosion. [2] See also Albert Morris.

Invasive plant species are often the greatest threat to remnant vegetation, [3] and therefore bush regeneration is closely associated with weed abatement activities. Weed management as one aim of bush regeneration, is used to increase native plant recruitment. The management of factors such as fire and herbivory can be just as important, depending on the ecosystem being restored. In recent years research and on-ground management has begun to recognize the importance of ecosystem processes rather ecosystem composition and structure [7] and research into other ways of facilitating native plant recruitment is increasing.

Technique

The original Bradley method of bush regeneration focuses on facilitating native plant recruitment from the seedbank, rather than planting seedlings or sowing seeds, as follows:

Weeding a little at a time from the bush towards the weeds takes the pressure off the natives under favourable conditions. Native seeds and spores are ready in the ground and the natural environment favours plants that have evolved in it. The balance is tipped back towards regeneration. Keep it that way, by always working where the strongest area of bush meets the weakest weeds. [8]

Currently the term 'bush regeneration' includes activities other than weed removal, such as replanting and introducing species into an area where soil, water, or fire regimes have shifted the type of plant appropriate to the area (e.g. a stormwater drain). [2]

Weed species can be important habitat for native fauna (e.g. blackberry is important habitat for wrens and the southern brown bandicoot [9] ) and this should be taken into consideration with bush regeneration, for example by not clearing invasive species until adequate habitat alternatives have been established nearby with native vegetation.

Problems can occur when insufficient follow-up is conducted as the success of bush regeneration is dependent on allowing the native vegetation to regenerate in the area where weeds have been removed.

List of bushcare groups

Organisations offering community training in bush regeneration

Reserves where volunteer groups undertake bush regeneration

Australia

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brisbane Water National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Brisbane Water National Park is a national park on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The national park is situated 70 kilometres (43 mi) north of Sydney and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest of Gosford. It consists the Brisbane Water and Mooney Mooney Creek waterways.

<i>Alternanthera philoxeroides</i> Species of aquatic plant

Alternanthera philoxeroides, commonly referred to as alligator weed, is a native species to the temperate regions of South America, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Argentina alone hosts around 27 species that fall within the range of the genus Alternanthera. Its geographic range once covered only the Parana River region of South America, but it has since expanded, having been introduced to over 30 countries, such as the United States, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand and many more. This invasive species is believed to have been accidentally introduced to these non-native regions through sediments trapped by, or attached to, tanks and cargo of ships travelling from South America to these various areas.

A Bushcare Group is a volunteer group that conducts bush regeneration to aid biodiversity conservation on public or private bushland in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecological restoration</span> Scientific study of renewing and restoring ecosystems

Ecological restoration, or ecosystem restoration, is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, destroyed or transformed. It is distinct from conservation in that it attempts to retroactively repair already damaged ecosystems rather than take preventative measures. Ecological restoration can reverse biodiversity loss, combat climate change, support the provision of ecosystem services and support local economies. The United Nations has named 2021-2030 the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

<i>Osteospermum moniliferum</i> Species of plant

Osteospermum moniliferum is an evergreen flowering shrub or small tree in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is native to southern Africa, ranging through South Africa and Lesotho to Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest</span> Critically endangered forest in Australia

The Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest (STIF) is a wet sclerophyll forest community of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that is typically found in the Inner West and Northern region of Sydney. It is also among the three of these plant communities which have been classified as Endangered, under the New South Wales government's Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, with only around 0.5% of its original pre-settlement range remaining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation grazing</span> Use of animals to graze areas like nature reserves to maintain habitats

Conservation grazing or targeted grazing is the use of semi-feral or domesticated grazing livestock to maintain and increase the biodiversity of natural or semi-natural grasslands, heathlands, wood pasture, wetlands and many other habitats. Conservation grazing is generally less intensive than practices such as prescribed burning, but still needs to be managed to ensure that overgrazing does not occur. The practice has proven to be beneficial in moderation in restoring and maintaining grassland and heathland ecosystems. Conservation or monitored grazing has been implemented into regenerative agriculture programs to restore soil and overall ecosystem health of current working landscapes. The optimal level of grazing and grazing animal will depend on the goal of conservation. Different levels of grazing, alongside other conservation practices, can be used to induce desired results.

Scottsdale Reserve is a 1,328-hectare (3,280-acre) nature reserve on the Murrumbidgee River in south-central New South Wales, Australia. It is 79 kilometres (49 mi) south of Canberra, and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Bredbo. It is owned and managed by Bush Heritage Australia (BHA), which purchased it in 2006. The purchase was supportive of projects aiming to connect existing fragmented remnant habitat such as K2C. Since the 1870s up until 2006, the land was used for agriculture – primarily sheep grazing with some minor cropping. A significant component of the Reserve has been cleared of native vegetation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weed</span> Plant considered undesirable in a particular place or situation

A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals. Plants with characteristics that make them hazardous, aesthetically unappealing, difficult to control in managed environments, or otherwise unwanted in farm land, orchards, gardens, lawns, parks, recreational spaces, residential and industrial areas, may all be considered weeds. The concept of weeds is particularly significant in agriculture, where the presence of weeds in fields used to grow crops may cause major losses in yields. Invasive species, plants introduced to an environment where their presence negatively impacts the overall functioning and biodiversity of the ecosystem, may also sometimes be considered weeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenbrook Lagoon</span> Reservoir

Glenbrook Lagoon is a fresh water lagoon located in Glenbrook, New South Wales at the foot of the Blue Mountains. It is heritage-listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riparian-zone restoration</span> Ecological restoration of river banks and floodplains

Riparian-zone restoration is the ecological restoration of riparian-zonehabitats of streams, rivers, springs, lakes, floodplains, and other hydrologic ecologies. A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth; the habitats of plant and animal communities along the margins and river banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by aquatic plants and animals that favor them. Riparian zones are significant in ecology, environmental management, and civil engineering because of their role in soil conservation, their habitat biodiversity, and the influence they have on fauna and aquatic ecosystems, including grassland, woodland, wetland or sub-surface features such as water tables. In some regions the terms riparian woodland, riparian forest, riparian buffer zone, or riparian strip are used to characterize a riparian zone.

Boneseed and closely related Bitou Bush are two subspecies of Chrysanthemoides monilifera, an invasive species in Australia

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolli Creek Regional Park</span>

The Wolli Creek Regional Park is a 50 hectares regional park, located adjacent to Wolli Creek within the Wolli Creek Valley, between Bexley North and Tempe in south-west Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Garden waste, or green waste dumping is the act of discarding or depositing garden waste somewhere it does not belong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prospect Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Prospect Nature Reserve is a nature reserve and recreational area that is situated in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, which incorporates the Prospect Reservoir, and also features picnic spots, lookouts, walking tracks and BBQ areas within the Australian bush. It is located within the Blacktown City local government area, but is also close to the boundaries of Cumberland Council and the City of Fairfield.

Tambourine Bay is a bay located in between the suburbs of Riverview and Longueville in the Lower North Shore of Sydney, NSW, Australia. The bay and its adjoining creek is a northern tributary of the Lane Cove River, a ria that joins Sydney harbour to Greenwich and Woolwich. The bay's foreshore and surrounding park areas are managed by the municipality of Lane Cove.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limeburners Creek National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Limeburners Creek National Park is a protected national park on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The 91.2 km national park is located 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north of Port Macquarie and exists across both the Kempsey Shire and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council local government areas, but is chiefly managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service. The area was originally erected as a nature reserve but this reservation was revoked when it became formally recognised as a national park in 2010 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974). Many threatened ecological habitats and species of fauna and flora are found within this park, alongside several heritage sites of cultural significance, particularly to the local Birpai and Dunghutti people upon whose land the park exists. The protected status of this national park is largely owing to the ecological and cultural value of the area, in addition to the value of the ecosystems to further scientific research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey Box Reserve</span> Nature reserves in Australia

The Grey Box Reserve, or Greystanes Grey Box Reserve, is a small nature reserve situated in the suburb of Greystanes, New South Wales in Western Sydney, Australia. A remnant bushland of the Cumberland Plain Woodland, it mainly features native vegetation. The reserve is so-named because of its abundance of Eucalyptus moluccana, reflecting the pre-European cultural landscape of the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan and Eileen Bradley</span> Bush regenerators (1916–1982)

Joan Burton Bradley and her sister Eileen Burton Bradley were Australian bush regenerators. They created a successful method of controlling invasive plants.

The ecology of Melbourne, Victoria, is a complex and dynamic system influenced by the city's geographical location, climate, and human activities. Melbourne's natural environment includes diverse ecosystems ranging from coastal heathlands to grassy woodlands, riparian forests, and wetlands. These ecosystems support a rich array of flora and fauna, many of which are unique to the region. However, urbanisation, habitat fragmentation, and the introduction of invasive species have significantly altered the city's ecological balance, leading to various conservation and restoration initiatives.

References

  1. ↑ "Bradley, Eileen Burton (1911–1976)". Biography - Eileen Burton Bradley - Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  2. 1 2 3 Buchanan, Robin A. (1989). Bush Regeneration: Recovering Australian Landscapes. Redfern: The Open Training and Education Network.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Stenhouse (2004). "Local government conservation and management of native bushland in Australia". Environmental Management. 34 (2). Springer Scientific: 209–222. doi:10.1007/s00267-004-0231-6. PMID   15559945. S2CID   8458760.
  4. ↑ "The Regeneration of Wingham Brush, NSW".
  5. ↑ Pywell, Richard (2003). "Plant traits as predictors of performance in ecological restoration". Journal of Applied Ecology. 40 (1): 65–77. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2664.2003.00762.x – via British ecological society.
  6. ↑ Conservation of Urban Bushland. National Trust of Australia (NSW). 1986.
  7. ↑ Prober; Thiele (2005). "Restoring Australia's temperate grasslands and grassy woodlands: integrating function and diversity". Ecological Management and Restoration. 6 (1). Ecological Society of Australia: 16–27. doi:10.1111/j.1442-8903.2005.00215.x.
  8. ↑ Bradley, Joan (1988). Bringing back the bush. Sydney: Lansdowne Press..
  9. ↑ Haby, Nerisa; Long, Kirsten (2005). Recovery Plan for the Southern Brown Bandicoot in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia (PDF). Adelaide: Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-12-01. Retrieved 2010-01-01.

Further references

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.