tread lightly

Minimising impact while restoring threatened ecosystems and species.

Around the Sanctuary we walk a lot. This is a great way to keep up with what is happening by ‘eyes on the ground’ - bird sightings, indigenous ‘artefacts’, new flowers, nestbox inhabitants etc - plus is excellent for minimising impact, as well as keeping fit. Last weekend the Wandiyali Ranger crew carried everything required for some erosion mitigation (netting rolls, stakes, tools) over a km to the work site. Recent planting down by the creek was 600m from the nearest vehicle access point. There is always plenty of discussion around weed management to minimise the use of chemicals, so that where possible this is done by hand (cheaper, virtually eliminates ‘off target’ issues, and not necessarily more labour intensive).

Of course there is sometimes a necessity for vehicle access (mostly via a very small network of management tracks), and some work is done using an electric bike.

Extensive consultation and planning went into the new Sanctuary conservation fence. There was a requirement to exclude ‘stock’, as well as alleviate human disturbance (trespassing, illegal rock/wood/seed collection, roaming dogs, random cars, dumping) and much thought went into the fence design. A ‘standard’ boundary fence was modified to exclude feral herbivores such as deer, as well as feral predators, without altering the construction and management footprint, with a brief of minimal impact and a fantastic contractor. Some tree trimming was necessary, which dovetailed nicely with the requirement to add ‘coarse woody debris’ as ground structure/habitat (identified as a missing element in the landscape due to the history of tree clearing and firewood collection).

We are very pleased with the results. The 700mm ‘skirt’ on either side has even provided extra protection for grass and forb regeneration.

A recent article from Prof Brendan Wintle Threatened Species Recovery Hub, NESP https://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/news/rethinking-private-land-to-save-species

Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis) and conservation fence, Wandiyali~Environa Wildlife Sanctuary

Red-anther Wallaby Grass (Rytidosperma pallidum) and conservation fence, Wandiyali~Environa Wildlife Sanctuary

Green Army team with a trailer load of Verbascum flowers - hand weeding to minimise seed set.