When new roads, buildings and other developments are planned there is a legislative requirement to avoid harming native plants and animals – particularly threatened species. Where impacts can’t be avoided, government agencies may require some plants and animals to be moved to a safer location as part of their planning permit approval.
Under the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and the State’s Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, applications to clear native vegetation must demonstrate the steps taken to reduce harm to threatened species. Practical Ecology is experienced in incorporating plant salvage and relocation into threatened species management plans. Plant Salvage and Relocation can satisfy requirements to minimise vegetation loss and is often cheaper and more effective than attempting to replant (as the turf already contains local plants with well-developed root systems).
Plant Salvage and Relocation can form part of the threatened species management plan developed from the initial flora and fauna survey of the site. Practical Ecology’s ecologists identify the species to be moved, the best way to move them, where they’ll be moved to (usually a dedicated conservation area), and whether the plants themselves will be re-planted or whether they’ll first be relocated to a nursery so new plants can be grown from seed or cuttings. We also establish a program to monitor the success of the project, both to demonstrate the effectiveness of the relocations and refine salvage techniques.
Because Practical Ecology has the knowledge and experience to guide clients through the entire permit process, from the initial site survey to replanting salvaged plants and other on-ground works, we are able to minimise delays and get a better outcome for our clients and the environment.
Nillumbik Shire Council required VicRoads to offset the damage to high quality Grassy Dry Forest and Valley Grassy Forest caused by the widening and realignment of the Eltham-Yarra Glen Road. As part of efforts to offset the effect of the road, Practical Ecology undertook weed, pest and erosion control, as well as fencing, planting, and Plant Salvage and Relocation.
Before roadwork began, Practical Ecology salvaged large blocks of turf along the route of the extension, saving a good representation of ground-flora from being bulldozed. In addition we salvaged over 1400 individual plants, including important orchid species and regionally significant plants such as matted flax-lily and Billardiera scandens var. brachyantha.
These plants were then relocated into adjoining regeneration areas to create a species composition representing the ecological vegetation communities that had been cleared. These areas were further enhanced with supplementary plantings and the application of ‘smoke-water’ to encourage the regeneration of indigenous seed in the soil.
Practical Ecology successfully created and maintained thriving offset areas which incorporated Salvage and Relocation as a quick, cheap alternative to solely using nursery-grown plants.
Photo: Salvaged button everlasting
As part of a planning application, Practical Ecology was commissioned to develop a Property Management Plan for a proposed housing estate on the former Laverton RAAF base. As the base was found to contain state and federally significant flora and fauna, Practical Ecology developed a plan that protected the most ecologically significant areas in three reserves. Although these reserves protected most of the site’s flora and fauna, some rare and threatened plants and animals would still be impacted by construction. To mitigate these impacts and satisfy the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Practical Ecology developed a salvage plan for rare and threatened species.
The plan called for the translocation of plants (and the threatened legless lizard) and the collection of seed. Swamp flax lilies, large-fruit fireweed, creamy candles, spiny rice-flowers and sun orchids were successfully salvaged. While robust species were replanted directly into the reserves, seed and more delicate plants were taken to a nursery to grow new plants. Practical Ecology’s work preserved rare and threatened plants, while allowing the development to proceed.
Map: Location of Plants to be Salvaged, Laverton
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