Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation 2013 grants awarded and project summaries

Australian Network for Plan Conservation Inc.

Capacity building in provenance issues for restoration – $27,911

The project will build the capacity of restoration practitioners to understand provenance issues when planning and implementing restoration. The source of material for restoration projects influences the resilience and long-term viability of restoration outcomes, particularly in response to a changing climate. Six free workshops will be delivered across NSW. Workshops will include an overview of provenance theory; why it is important to the resilience and long-term success of restoration projects; and how to apply this information to the collection and sourcing of material for restoration.

Australian River Restoration Centre

Rivers of Carbon – Yass River Linkages – $97,000

Rivers of Carbon – Yass River Linkages will extend work being undertaken through the Rivers of Carbon: Southern Tablelands Riparian Linkages Project – a riparian connectivity initiative which is currently oversubscribed for the Yass Catchment, an area identified as in serious need. By working with landholders within the context of sustainable land use, the project will increase riparian vegetation for connectivity and biodiversity, as well as sequestering carbon for possible offsets in the future. Community support for this project is strong, with on-ground results guaranteed.

Broulee-Mossy Point Dunecare

Controlling the environmental wed threats to Eurobodalla’s EECs – $99,400

This project aims to protect and restore significant remnants of endangered ecological communities (EECs) existing on public lands by controlling the invasion of serious environmental weeds that fringe these EECs. The project will engage adjoining landholders/managers to reduce the occurrence of environmental weeds on adjoining properties by swapping high risk garden plants for native tube stock. The wider community’s awareness of the significance of EECs will be enhanced by training, workshops, signs and advertising materials such as direct-mail letters, brochures and media releases.

Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc.

Broken Head coastal corridor restoration project – $98,700

The project aims to improve the condition, extent and connectivity of a critical corridor link in coastal Byron Shire, connecting the high-biodiversity areas of Broken Head. The management of the private properties adjacent to Broken Head Nature Reserve will enhance the habitat of native flora and fauna including many threatened species. Landholders will improve their skills in managing native vegetation and controlling invasive plants on their properties. The regeneration resilience within the natural vegetation communities of the area provides a foundation for high-value restoration.

Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group Inc.

Targeted remnant linkage enhancement across the Big Scrub – $99,260

An increase in the number of Big Scrub rainforest remnants under active restoration through a process of targeted expansion of existing remnants and/or creation of stepping stone ‘patches’ from current mixed rainforest/camphor laurel stands in between known remnants. Geographic information systems, vegetation mapping and a landholder survey will be used to assist prioritisation of potential sites. Conservation value, connectivity value and landholder commitment will all help determine restoration priorities and site selection.

Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group Inc.

Restoring critically endangered lowland subtropical rainforest – $100,000

This multi-stakeholder project is part of our long-term program to care for remnants of critically endangered lowland rainforest of subtropical Australia (CELRSA). It involves controlling weeds, the most immediate threat to the biodiversity and condition of CELRSA at 51 Big Scrub remnants that are priority repair sites in the Border Ranges Rainforest Biodiversity Management Plan (BRRBMP). The project implements more than 40 management actions in the BRRBMP that will enhance CELRSA connectivity, habitat of more than 70 threatened species, resilience to climate change and other threats, and community engagement.

Byron Creek Catchment Landcare Group Inc.

Riparian restoration in upper catchment of Byron Creek – $49,671

Landholders will work together to link wildlife corridors along Byron Creek Catchment. The project will protect remnants of critically endangered lowland rainforest of subtropical Australia (EPBC Act) and Threatened flora species (TSC Act 1995). 5000 trees will be planted, 2.4 hectares of environmental weeds will be managed and 1250 metres of creek will be fenced. The Byron Creek Catchment Landcare Group has been working for 20 years on farms restoring native vegetation and will provide a significant amount of in-kind labour for this project. Field days and media releases will educate the wider community.

Captains Flat and District Landcare Group

Woody weed removal in upper Molonglo – $99,912

Woody weeds, mainly broom (Cytisus and Genista species) dominate vegetation in the Molonglo River and tributaries from Captains Flat to Foxlow (around 15 kilometres downstream). They threaten an endangered ecological community, Snow Gum Grassy Woodland, and an endangered species, the green and golden bell frog. This project aims to remove the woody weeds over 3 years leaving the river more accessible and manageable for landholders to maintain. This will allow native plant regeneration and less shading of the water which is beneficial for the green and golden bell frog.

Constables Point Bushcare Group

Restoration of Kurnell Dune Forest at Maianbar – $16,498

This project aims to support Constables Point Bushcare Group volunteers to continue our regular working bees restoring the endangered ecological community of Kurnell Dune Forest in 2.3 hectares of reserve. It will allow us to engage professionals to control a range of exotic vines and scramblers and escaped garden plants, including climbing and ground asparagus, green cestrum and lantana in the last 4000 square metres of the reserve to be tackled. Other activities will include planting of local provenance species grown by Sutherland Shire Community Nursery volunteers, minor temporary deer exclusion fencing and training events.

Craigie Park Landcare

Rehabilitation of Craigie Park foreshore swamp oak forest – $56,070

The Swamp Oak Forest endangered ecological community along the foreshore of Craigie Park will be rehabilitated through this project. This site is one of a few locations around the Tuggerah Lakes estuary that is not mown foreshore where this vegetation community can be reinstated. A partnership between the Craigie Park Landcare group, bush regeneration contractors and Wyong Council will control exotic vines, grasses and herbs on the foreshore and escarpment area. Works will improve the functioning of the lake foreshore, water quality and local biodiversity within this reserve.

Dirawong Reserve Trust

Dirawong, Evans Head: beat the bitou – $9,016

This project will control the remaining 2 hectares of mature bitou bush in the southern extent of the Dirawong Reserve (over 30 hectares has been worked on over the last 3 years). The project will conserve and protect the cultural and ecological significance of this coastal endangered ecological community remnant and protect restoration work already carried out within the reserve and in adjoining Bundjalung National Park. Continued adoption of a targeted low-level herbicide approach in this sensitive area will maintain grass and herb groundcovers and consolidate the natural habitat, corridor and vegetation values of the Dirawong Reserve.

Dundundra Falls Reserve Trust

Restoration and rehabilitation of riparian zones and Dundundra Falls EEC – $92,940

This project application is an expansion of our successful Environmental Trust project which ends in December 2013. The project aims for longer term protection and stability of the diverse riparian vegetation communities found within the Kierans Creek system at Dundundra Falls Reserve. This will be achieved by:

• establishing native buffers to replace weed sources currently affecting resilient vegetation on top of catchment
• promoting regeneration of weed-affected but resilient vegetation communities including DFEEC, Sandstone Swamps and Sandstone Heath.

EnviTE Inc.

Restoration of Bogal corridors and EECs by improving habitat links – $100,000

Professional bush regenerators, including members of the Bogal Aboriginal community, will restore wetland and lowland vegetation providing highly significant old growth habitat for many threatened fauna species. Yarringully Nature Reserve and Bogal Local Aboriginal Land Council land in Bungawalbin Creek catchment are the meeting point of 3 climate-change corridors and are significant to the Aboriginal community. Lantana has degraded endangered ecological communities and threatened species habitat. Biodiversity will be enhanced through systematic weed control and increasing restoration knowledge and capacity through training workshops.

EnviTE Inc.

Restoration of Newry golden wattle habitat near Bellingen NSW – $100,000

Newry golden wattle (Acacia chrysotricha) is a threatened species with a restricted distribution south of Bellingen in Northern NSW. It is threatened by weed encroachment from a suite of species, logging and inappropriate fire regime. Systematic bush regeneration works will control weed threats to habitat on private land. The area is key koala habitat and vegetation restoration works will benefit this species by improving access to habitat areas and feed trees. The project will increase habitat connections, vegetation extent and reduce weed impacts in the Bellingen and Kalang River Valleys.

Friends of Lane Cove National Park

Restoration and rehabilitation of EECs on the Lane Cove River – $99,000

The project will rehabilitate four adjacent areas, along the lower Lane Cove River Valley, within Lane Cove National Park. It will measurably enhance the riparian corridor within these sites, which contain at least 4 endangered ecological communities that are under threat. It will increase the capabilities of the lead group, Friends of Lane Cove National Park, by forging partnerships with other volunteer organisations, educational institutes, corporate community and Indigenous groups. It will promote the significance of the rehabilitation work and the local environment to the local and wider population.

Greening Australia – National Office

Revegetating migratory habitat for regent honeyeater/swift parrot – $86,450

Re-establish regent honeyeater and swift parrot ‘stepping stone’ migratory habitat across degraded land within the Wollondilly catchment targeting she-oak and grassy box woodlands. This will enhance biodiversity connectivity and support foraging flight paths from the coast to the mountains. Foraging species such as eucalypts and she-oaks will be revegetated with other local species in appropriate landscape zones. Active community participation in bird surveys and plantings will increase the profile of birds, habitat needs and clarify migratory flyways across the Southern Tablelands.

Lachlan Fold Wildlife Action Group

Glossy black cockatoo habitat project – $43,090

The Riverina glossy black-cockatoo endangered population is threatened by the loss and degradation of habitat. The historical clearing of the lower productive parts of the landscape has resulted in a shortage of nest hollows, the availability of which research shows to be limiting the population. This project aims to address this shortage by erecting nest boxes to significantly improve the population’s reproductive output. The construction and erection of 60 nest boxes will provide opportunities for community education. Landholders and community members will receive training in habitat and birds.

Little River Landcare Group Inc.

Protecting the purple patch – $99,977

The Protecting the Purple Patch project will implement a suite of rehabilitation activities to repair and restore degraded stream reaches and link and protect areas of aquatic habitat that remain in good condition in the Little River Catchment. This will benefit the endangered purple spotted gudgeon, a small-bodied native fish. A comprehensive survey will formally document the cumulative impacts on known threatened species habitat, prioritise a detailed schedule of works and undertake aquatic rehabilitation activities to halt loss of habitat and extend the range of the resident population.

Maclean Landcare Group Inc.

Maclean forest linkages: high conservation corridors restoration – $99,970

Maclean Landcare, Clarence Valley Council, private landowners, Yaegl Local Aboriginal Land Council and contractors will rehabilitate lowland rainforest and sclerophyll forest in the Lower Clarence Climate Coastal Connector Corridor at Maclean. Systematic bush-regeneration works will control weed threats to habitat for threatened species. Ecological restoration will benefit fauna by improving access to habitat areas and feed trees. The project will improve habitat connections, vegetation extent and resilience and reduce weed impacts. Landowner and community restoration skills and awareness will increase.

Minyumai Land Holding Aboriginal Corporation

Restoration of floodplain wetland EEC at Minyumai IPA – $86,129

Restore state-listed endangered ecological community (Forest Red Gum on Floodplain Woodland) in a 4-hectare ex-pasture patch currently dominated by weed (principally Setaria sphacelata). Using a new method we will convert the weedy ground stratum to predominantly native grass, forb and sedge cover, using patch burning and weed control treatments. This will improve conditions for recruitment by native trees, but we will also carry out planting of target tree species in large gaps. A pilot will be carried out prior to the project, in smaller areas, funded jointly by Minyumai IPA and NCC’s Firesticks.

Norah Head Lighthouse Reserve Trust

Stage 2: restoration and rehabilitation Norah Head Headland – $38,435

Through continuation of bushland restoration and rehabilitation works, under a stage 2 concept, habitat for significant flora and vegetation communities together with fauna will be further improved and expanded. Erection of barrier fencing and directional signage will assist in decreasing negative impacts secondary to high public use, affording sensitive natural areas higher levels of protection over the long term. Works planned will address specific needs that through monitoring and observations within the mandate of the stage one project have been identified as priorities.

Pambula Wetlands and Heritage Project Inc.

PWHP restoration and rehabilitation on Panboola Wetlands – $93,070

Maintain and improve the 82-hectare wetland system at Panboola, by initiating a revegetation program on two different locations within the system, providing connecting corridors for small mammals, frogs, reptiles, etc. as well as buffers for the wetlands and endangered ecological communities contained within the system. Co-ordination and capacity building for the volunteers and employed contractors to ensure protection of habitat with weed and pest control programs. Promote the values of a healthy wetland system to community by assisting with four public functions, including a Bioblitz and a Panboola Artspace Festival.

Riverina Highlands Landcare Network

Paddock trees – restoring the keystone feature of south west slopes – $51,750

Paddock trees are keystone structures providing a number of local and landscape ecological functions. Research indicates that paddock trees are declining rapidly and most will be lost in less than 40 years resulting in an undesirable ecological regime shift. This unique project enables researchers, stakeholders and farmers to work together implementing integrated management actions to reverse paddock tree decline and improve ecological functioning across the south west slopes. An ongoing legacy of the project will be an attitudinal change as to how farmers value isolated trees in their landscape.

Southern New England Landcare Ltd

Moths, magpies and marsupials: promoting on farm biodiversity – $99,898

The project will rehabilitate and revegetate 16 sites on 11 properties in the southern New England Tablelands with the aim of connecting fragmented native vegetation and enhancing biodiversity. This project will protect 105 hectares of remnant vegetation and implement 17.2 hectares of habitat corridors through the planting of 13,860 seedlings. These revegetation and remnant protection works will increase available habitat for a range of species including insects, birds, reptiles and mammals. The sites have been selected as priority areas managed by landholders to enhance remnant areas of native vegetation.

Upper Molong Creek Landcare Group

Riparian restoration of Upper Molong Creek – $58,282

Restoration and rehabilitation of a highly degraded length of the Upper Molong Creek in the NSW Central Tablelands located between two previously rehabilitated riparian zones. 14 sites over 12 adjacent properties are targeted with the systematic removal of Salix fragilis from 4.4 kilometres of creek followed by replanting of 4000 endemic plants and monitoring and eradication of willow regrowth. This project is Stage 1: it will restore 1.1 kilometre of the riparian zone, improve water quality, quantity and aquatic habitat, provide greater erosion control and re-establish the wildlife corridor.

Wilsons Creek Huonbrook Landcare Inc.

Wilsons Creek-Huonbrook strategic coral tree management – $99,800

We aim to permanently remove coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii) from upper reaches of creeks in a strategically managed operation that will be extraordinarily cost-effective (as reinfestation will not occur unless the plant is deliberately introduced: no seeds are set). A serious and escalating threat to biodiversity and water-catchment values will be removed. Community engagement will include monitoring through innovative and accessible Google Earth mapping.

Australian National University

Restoration for functional connectivity in Box Gum Woodlands – $71,500

Wildlife movement through farmland can be extremely limited and improving connectivity is a priority. We will discover ways to improve connectivity for small flightless animals, using methods that are compatible with ongoing livestock production. By defining new methods for achieving connectivity through paddocks, our findings will improve capacity by informing stewardship and restoration projects. Broad application of new knowledge from our project will improve connectivity through threatened Box Gum Woodland communities in New South Wales, helping reduce future risks due to climate change.

Bathurst Regional Council

Restoring regent honeyeater habitat in the Bathurst region – $65,510

This project will restore Casuarina Gallery Forest along 1000 metres of the Macquarie River in Bathurst, using plant species known to be associated with the critically endangered regent honeyeater. Additionally, the adjoining O’Keefe Park will be used to establish a seed production area (SPA) of native, local provenance plants for future rehabilitation works. The seed production area will grow a range of plants for both Casuarina Gallery Forest and Box Gum Grassy Woodland restoration works, with seed to be made available to local environmental groups and future council revegetation projects.

Bega Valley Shire Council

Bringing NRM to town – Bega urban floodplain wetlands restoration – $99,400

Kiss’s Lagoon is the gateway to Bega and part of the wider network of floodplain wetlands which surround the town. The project aims to ‘Bring NRM to town’ and develop a high profile and functional urban natural resource management (NRM) project that delivers environmental, recreational, economic and educational outcomes. The on-ground works will be complemented by an innovative audit and education campaign targeting adjacent industrial areas. The project builds on landscape-scale environmental rehabilitation projects currently being undertaken by the South East Local Land Services Landcare and local community groups.

Blayney Shire Council

Revive: rehabilitation of the Belubula River at Pound Flat – $54,377

Blayney Shire Council and the Carcoar Urban Landcare Group are working in partnership to improve both the riparian and in-stream habitats of the Belubula River at Pound Flat, which is infested with weeds and choked with exotic debris. The two groups will work together to remove the in-stream debris and reintroduce native timber snags, remove woody weeds from the banks and replant appropriate native and endemic riparian species. Nest boxes will be placed in established trees. The groups will also create a mown walking track to encourage appropriate recreation to a very popular part of the river.

Blue Mountains City Council

Applying water sensitive urban design at a property scale to protect shale-based EECs – $99,000

In older areas of the Blue Mountains, easements through private residential properties are used for draining stormwater from suburban streets. With development typically on ridge tops, this results in discharge to bushland areas. In the lower Blue Mountains, untreated urban runoff impacts on endangered ecological communities by carrying nutrients and weed propagules, resulting in weed plumes along drainage lines. The project will apply the principles of water sensitive urban design at a residential scale to control impacts at source and build resilience in endangered bushland near urban areas.

Byron Shire Council

Byron Bay dwarf graminoid clay heath restoration project – $64,166

The project will restore seven hectares of the endangered Byron Bay dwarf graminoid clay heath community on council managed lands. The original heathland and healthy woodland vegetation will be restored through progressive removal of encroaching species and the reinstatement of the original fire regime. These remnants are home to numerous threatened flora and fauna, including two endangered plants known only from the Byron Bay clay heathland. The remnants have been degraded by clearing, weed invasion, and altered fire regimes and the remaining heathland is being rapidly displaced by encroaching fernland and forest.

Byron Shire Council

Land for wildlife: restoring rainforest in a biodiversity hotspot – $99,900

Properties in Byron Councils ‘Land for Wildlife’ program in priority areas will gain assistance to protect and restore high-conservation-value vegetation including the endangered ecological community Lowland Subtropical Rainforest. The sites form part of a regional wildlife corridor and provide habitat for 13 threatened fauna species and 27 threatened flora species which have been recorded on the sites. The project will combine on-ground vegetation restoration and protection works, feral animal management and training to build the capacity of landowners and managers in the area.

Clarence Valley Council

Clarence River channels habitat protection and rehabilitation, stage 1 – $94,760

The project aims to protect and improve the ecological values of Palmers Island. Palmers Island is a large island in the lower Clarence River that connects the land and water of the Clarence estuary with the nationally significant Wooloweyah Lagoon. Bank stabilisation works to 500 metres of channel is planned to stop erosion and stimulate natural regeneration of saltmarsh and mangrove communities. These outcomes will be further enhanced by extensive weed-control work and stock-exclusion fencing.

Goldenfields Water County Council

GWCC 500 – $97,692

GWCC 500 is a regional plan enhancing 500 kilometres of native vegetation by joining larger areas of habitat adjacent to pipeline routes or offset with other suitable areas. Birds, mammals, reptiles and plant seeds will move freely within the rehabilitated areas. Data-monitored bird and bat nesting boxes will be installed to assist the conservation of native populations. GWCC 500 will focus on community involvement and 69 schools in the region will be invited to participate with students receiving ‘hands on’ experience in environmental science. Data recorded in the project can be used statewide and nationally.

Gosford City Council

Restoration of sand dunes at Wamberal, Putty and Umina Beach – Gosford – $94,610

The project aims to restore important beach dune vegetation along Wamberal, Umina and Putty beaches through a combination of weed management and revegetation. These 3 sites are important remnants of beach dune vegetation in the Gosford local-government area. They provide habitat for native flora and fauna and bring beauty to the local area. In addition, dune vegetation plays an important role in the morphodynamic processes of the beaches.

Great Lakes Council

Gereeba Island wetland conservation and restoration project – $96,318

Floodplain wetlands of the Wallis Lake system provide significant biodiversity and environmental service provisions. Gereeba Island vegetation consists of 2 ecological endangered communities (EEC): swamp oak floodplain forest and coastal saltmarsh. It also contains 45 hectares of SEPP 14 wetlands and is underlain by potential acid sulphate soils. This important area is threatened by weed invasion, land clearing and feral pests. The project seeks to undertake critical on-ground works to conserve, protect and restore natural values and reinstate environmental functions. The works involve control of damaging weeds, feral animals and the targeted restoration/re-establishment of functional native vegetation through the planting of 7,000 native plants on previously cleared land and degraded riparian zones.

Hunter Councils Inc.

Buffering the Worimi conservation lands from external impacts – $99,641

This project will assist in protection of the adjoining reserve (Worimi Conservation Lands – Port Stephens local-government area) from external detrimental impacts; through implementing weed removal, rubbish removal and illegal track closures. Works on indigenous lands adjoining the project will also increase resilience and encourage connectivity across the various land tenures. It will achieve direct indigenous engagement, through delivering employment and education opportunities and increase the Local Aboriginal Land Council’s capacity to conserve its lands.

Hunter Councils Inc.

On-ground works to regenerate important roadside EECs in the Hunter – $99,436

Regeneration and restoration of 35 hectares of roadside ecological endangered communities (EEC) to improve the condition and maintain important wildlife corridors and connectivity across various land tenures and local government areas. This will be achieved through the application of sensitive and integrated weed management techniques targeting lantana, bridal creeper and asparagus fern. Mapping of all EECs will identify their extent. Innovative community engagement activities will encourage landholders to strategically control noxious weeds on their land. Targeted fauna surveys will determine the importance of roadsides as wildlife corridors.

Inverell Shire Council

Restoring balance: serrated tussock control in the Upper Macintyre – $32,107

Serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma) has been declared a priority invasive species in the Northern Tablelands region. This Weed of National Significance is spreading rapidly in the region – now spreading to the Inverell local-government area, where spot infestations have been identified by council on private land in the Upper Macintyre catchment. Barriers to containing this infestation include poor awareness and lack of identification skills and control methods among landholders. This project will treat 600 hectares of private property through spot spraying and will engage 45 landholders in extension activities.

Ku-ring-gai Council

Stage 1: Ku-ring-gai flying-fox reserve canopy restoration project – $70,095

The Ku-ring-gai flying-fox reserve (KFFR) sustains an important maternal colony of the threatened grey-headed flying fox. This project expects to achieve a structurally diverse core area along the lower slopes of Stoney Creek for the flying fox colony within KFFR, thereby encouraging the colony away from residential areas. Critical to securing the long-term occupation by the colony will be the ability to ensure canopy recruitment to provide sustainable roosting habitat and a desirable understorey microclimate to reduce deaths from extreme heat.

Lake Macquarie City Council

Restoring the headwaters of Jewells wetland – $83,844

This project aims to restore the resilience of the Jewells SEPP 14 wetland, threatened species habitat, endangered ecological communities and matters of national significance. The headwaters of the wetland have recently become infested with Weeds of National Significance (WoNS). This project aims to reduce the biomass of these WoNS in a concentrated effort that will allow the annual upkeep of the good condition of the wetland in subsequent years. Success of this project would be a substantial reduction in the biomass of WoNS and the threat of them spreading downstream.

Maitland City Council

Strategic African olive control throughout Maitland NSW – $42,510

This project will reduce the overall number of African olive plants throughout the Maitland local government area. This strategic offensive will target African olive on three fronts: rural areas; peri-urban areas; and urban areas. Many African olive in these zones are still small or borderline mature, so their removal now will prevent a tremendous amount of seed production and plant invasion in the decades ahead. Significant stretches of roadside native vegetation and three urban bush reserves (all endangered ecological communities) will be saved from ultimate displacement by African olive. The appearance of African olive within local suburban gardens will also be curtailed.

Office of Environment and Heritage – NPWS

Brinerville restoration project – $100,000

This project will restore 274 hectares of the endangered ecological community lowland rainforest and lowland rainforest on floodplain adjoining the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. It will:

• provide mentoring and empowerment opportunities for young local Aboriginal bush regenerators through work alongside experienced bush-regeneration contractors and camp-outs with Aboriginal Elders
• control high-priority weeds including weeds of national significance, cat’s claw creeper, blackberry (24 hectares) and lantana (27 hectares), as well as privets (26 hectares) and moth vine
• plant and maintain 4,000 local native pioneer species in larger clearings where natural recruitment has been poor.

Office of Environment and Heritage – PWG

Detection and control of alpine weeds with community engagement – $98,000

This program aims at detection and treatment of new incursions of high-priority weed species before they have the potential to become invasive. By detecting and controlling species at their early colonisation stage we may reduce the ecological impact and long-term control costs while raising community knowledge and involvement. There is currently no community-based Landcare program in the sub-alpine and alpine areas of Kosciuszko National Park. This program will protect the internationally important Alpine vegetation communities which occupy only 0.001% of the Australian continent.

Penrith City Council

Kingswood Park rehabilitation project, North Penrith – $80,000

This hidden jewel of Cumberland Plain woodland in Penrith requires repair of eroded gullies and multiple braided tracks (caused by illegal vehicular traffic), using earth-moving machinery to contour slopes, control head cuts, terrace and construct check dams as appropriate. Further activities will include control of noxious and environmental weeds (prickly pear, aloe vera, African olive and mother of millions), revegetation using endemic species, and engagement of residents with educational workshops/materials and social media. The result will be a stable and self-sustaining area of bushland.

Pittwater Council

Restoring Pittwater’s coastal headland ecosystems – $100,000

To increase and sustain habitat restoration of 5 connected coastal headland reserves in the southern section of Pittwater local-government area, which include endangered ecological communities (EEC). Success will be measured by the area (percentage) of weeds controlled and the area (percentage) of natural vegetation, including Themeda Grassland and Littoral Rainforest, that is restored. This will effectively conserve these fragmented EECs and rejuvenate habitat and connectivity for fauna in an otherwise urban area. The project will include pest control, fauna monitoring as well as an education component and volunteer contribution.

Port Stephens Council

Improving spotted gum/ironbark forest on public lands at Glen Oak – $31,042

Succulent weeds have invaded Glen Oak Reserve and are impacting heavily on the native vegetation, including the endangered lower Hunter spotted gum/ ironbark forest community. The removal of weeds will allow Glen Oak Reserve to regain its natural diversity and ecological balance through the increase in space, sunlight and available nutrients for native vegetation. Through community presentations and workshops local residents will become aware of the environmental significance of Glen Oak Reserve, increasing volunteer conservation numbers and eliminating illegal dumping and firewood collection.

Richmond River County Council

Protecting the Richmond – $94,765

Richmond River County Council is implementing the Coastal Zone Management Plan by rehabilitating 3.5 kilometres of riparian vegetation, totalling an area of 3.5 hectares, covering 5 properties within the Richmond River estuary. The project will control, contain and eradicate weed plants, reintroduce local native plant species and restore formerly degraded areas. The project facilitates protection, restoration and enhanced flora and subsequently fauna habitat, along with reduced erosion, improved riverine water quality and farm productivity through shelterbelt effects.

Southern Councils Group

NSW boneseed eradication and biodiversity protection – $67,881

Boneseed has been listed as a Weed of National Significance in recognition of its severe impact on the natural environment. Boneseed has the potential to significantly expand its range in NSW and to become more abundant in its current locations. If left to spread in NSW, boneseed will cause damage to biodiversity, including many threatened plant species and communities, such as Eastern Suburbs banksia scrub and littoral vine thicket rainforest. This project will work across southern and western NSW to remove all known infestations and protect and restore affected native bushland sites.

Water Research Laboratory, UNSW

Stage 3: On-ground remediation works at Tomago Wetlands, Hunter River – $99,744

Tidal flushing will be restored to approximately 62.5 hectares of Tomago Wetlands in the Hunter Estuary, including a 3.2-kilometre-long tidal channel, by carrying out earthworks to restore tidal channels and manage tidal inundation extents through the manipulation of tide-controlling ‘SmartGates’ and ‘SwingGates’. The rehabilitated wetland will provide valuable habitat for a range of fish species (including small fish eaten by larger fish) and improve recreational fishing in the Hunter Estuary.