Habitat restoration

Weed affected bushland will need help to recover after fire, but resources are usually limited, and it's difficult to predict exactly what will happen over time. How can you make the most of your time and effort? This is an overview of post-fire site assessment. It’s a complex topic, particularly considering the extreme drought [...]

How can we help the bush to recover after fire? The native plants usually have the capacity to regenerate (unless the damage is particularly severe), but where weeds are involved, they probably need assistance. With the right approach, we can make a big difference. Here is an intro to post fire weed control, with [...]

A six year - $250,000 Environmental Trust project enabled a community group to formally identify threatened species, record and monitor the local flora and fauna and undertake bush regeneration which has aided connectivity and set the multiple public reserves on a recovery trajectory. An assortment of community engagement events were undertaken and a plethora of [...]

Comprehensive strategic planning and site assessments, coupled with thinking creatively around landscape connections are some of the ingredients required to scale up projects. By understanding the capacity of assisted regeneration, a spectrum of bush regenerator skill levels and resources can be utilised to maximise outcomes.  Jen Ford provides two examples that explore how the planning [...]

Tein McDonald provides a detailed explanation of the concept of ecological restoration as intended by the National Standards for Ecological Restoration. Tein outlines the restorative activities continuum and provides examples of where various restoration projects may reside along that spectrum. Ideologies such as ‘restorative thinking’ and ‘ecological civilization’ are considered within the context of the [...]

Jen Ford’s presentation showcases a well planned, 10 year funded, Threatened Species offset project. Detailed examples of four Species of National Environmental Significance are discussed and picture-perfect photopoints utilised to highlight the changes that have resulted from dedicated professionals undertaking assisted regeneration supported by hazard reduction burns. The project not only achieved the 2 for [...]

Urban creeks in the City of Onkaparinga hold some of the last remnants of bushland within the city as well as containing valuable public recreational space. The ‘Creek Heroes’ project informed and activated the community to care for the creeks by crafting clever ‘heroes and bullies’, listening to the residents and providing opportunities to experience [...]

Why is grassy ecosystem restoration so hard…it doesn’t have to be? Paul Gibson-Roy shines the light on the USA’s approach. In 2015 Paul received a Winston Churchill fellowship to explore the industry in the USA .He shares his findings of the scale and viability of the industry and the government incentives and the structures that [...]

Restoring native vegetation cover on an island dominated by Kikuyu and Coastal Morning Glory poses unique challenges, especially when the island provides critical seabird breeding habitat. The Five Islands Nature Reserve is a culturally significant site and the success of the restoration project has been due to the project bringing together the Illawarra Local Aboriginal [...]

The Popes Glen Bushcare Group utilise strong monitoring regimes and the process of adaptive management to inform the treatment of Willows, Privet, Pine trees and Ranunculus groundcover. By careful observation of the impact of their works they have become adept at reinforcing positive outcomes and considering the recovery trajectory of the site to ensure the [...]