Vegetation Management Plan East Ulverstone Coastal Reserve July 2010
5.2 Revegetation Revegetation is recommended for most zones. It should be integrated with the weed removal program and done in liaison with stakeholders. Priority sites for revegetation are 1. Buttons Creek West and East, (see Buttons Creek Rehabilitation Plan, section 5.1.3) 2. Buttons Beach – picnic area opposite Oz Rock Inn (see Appendix 10), 3. Buttons Beach East at the stormwater outlet and 4. Buttons Beach West and East - gaps in scrub and the back dunes near the road. The species in the Coastal Scrub vegetation community should guide revegetation efforts. Site specific revegetation lists have been provided in Appendix 5. The characteristics of each site, such as type of soil and level of moisture, will determine the most appropriate species and which are hardiest. A mix of plants should be used, as they have various values for coastal stability and shelter, and for habitat for fauna. For example, Coast Wattle is a very drought-hardy plant, provides wind shelter and improves the microclimate for other plants, helps slow erosion, and provides food for insects etc. However, there is already considerable Coast Wattles on site, while other plants (such as Boobialla and Coast Beardheath) are sparser and could be planted to improve diversity. Appendix 2 is a list of suitable local native species. Plantings should be continued into native vegetation gaps, particularly at informal access points and large gaps in the coastal vegetation, as well as to widen narrow vegetation. It is also important to promote natural regeneration wherever possible; this can be achieved by reducing mowing, closing informal access points, controlling competitive weeds and reducing opportunity for erosion. Maintenance of plantings is critical for success, including watering during the following summer if possible, straightening of guards and some weeding. Key points for successful revegetation: • In introduced grass sites, spot spaying prior to planting will be necessary as grass is a very strong competitor. Spot spray 1 metre around where the plant will go. •
In Marram Grass sites, plant into bare patches, or spotspray or dig to create a 1 metre bare area. Continue to remove Marram Grass that grows into plant guards, until plants are well established.
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Water plants well following planting.
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Planting should be done from autumn to early spring, to ensure adequate soil moisture during establishment.
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When planting, ensure that the plant’s roots are deeply planted, sand/soil is firm around the plant, and ideally a small “dish” remains in the soil surface, to assist water penetration to the plant.
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Stake and guard plants against browsing and wind damage to ensure success.
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Monitor survival and plan future plantings accordingly.
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It is not advisable to plant Coast Tea Tree anywhere, even though a native, as it can be invasive and is not currently on site.
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Follow up weed control is absolutely essential for successful revegetation. A minimum of once every 12 months is required for re-spraying around bags in grassy areas.
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For best results check on plants two or three times a year to straighten bags, re-stake, water if possible, weed inside bags and generally monitor the health of the revegetation site.