Ecological Restoration & Land Management

Various restoration and land management works at The Range at Croydon,
Victoria: 2014 – 2016
Practical Ecology is undertaking various works pertaining to the management of areas within The Range at Croydon, to the east of Melbourne. Undertaken for Tract Consulting Pty Ltd on behalf of Australand, this project exemplifies Practical Ecology’s capacity to meld our ecological consulting services with the on-ground works undertaken by our Ecological Restoration and Land Management team.

The works to be undertaken as part of this project includes:

Baseline and triennial ecological monitoring and reporting
Offset, Conservation and Tree Protection Zone maintenance, including weed control
translocation of the EPBC listed, Matted Flax-lily Dianella amoena
seed collection
revegetation
slashing and ecologically sensitive weed control
pest animal control as required, and
rubbish collection.

Offset site management at Cherry Street – Harry Pottage Reserve in McLeod, Victoria: 2011 – 2014/2014 – 2016
Practical Ecology has been involved with the management of the Cherry Street – Harry Pottage Reserve in McLeod since 2011. The ongoing works undertaken at this site include weed control, ongoing fence maintenance and installation, and rubbish collection and removal. Annual monitoring of works undertaken within the reserve is undertaken and a report provided; ongoing monitoring of weed control works is also completed for the site. These works are conducted in conjunction with the weed control works undertaken on the ground with Daily Work Records submitted monthly to the client.

Various restoration and land management works at Lollypop Creek within Manor Lakes, Victoria: 2014-2015
Practical Ecology is undertaking on-ground restoration and land management works along the Lollypop Creek within Manor Lakes, to Melbourne’s West. Completed for Tract Consulting Pty Ltd on behalf of Dennis Family Homes, Practical Ecology has undertaken preparatory weed control prior to undertaking a prescribed burn at the site. This has been followed up by direct seeding using indigenous species and maintenance of the site, with a particular focus on weed control, will continue through the duration of the project. The client has also been provided with a further 12 month maintenance option for the site.
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Planning and implementation of revegetation works at private wetland in Clarkefield, Victoria: 2013
Practical Ecology was commissioned by Phillip Johnson Landscapes on behalf of the landowner to assist in the design and revegetation of a wetland within at their property in Clarkefield. As part of this project, Practical Ecology undertook consultation with Horticulturalists and Landscapes Architects from Phillip Johnson Landscapes in regards to species selection, species zoning and installation of plants on site. We also provided the client with advice regarding the ongoing maintenance of the plantings.
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Woody Weed Control along Cooee Beach Foreshore, north-west Tasmania: 2011
Cradle Coast NRM commissioned Practical Ecology to conduct woody weeds works along the Cooee Beach foreshore. Our understanding of the ecologically sensitive environment with which we were working and depth of plant knowledge meant we were able to control weeds using the most effective methods. Major ongoing rehabilitation and regeneration works had been conducted along the foreshore, including the establishment of a successful Little Penguin Eudyptula minor conservation program. Fencing has been erected and artificial concrete nesting hutches were constructed to protect birds.

A wide variety of woody weeds including Cape Ivy, Blackberry, Cape Daisy and Mirror-bush were found at the site. Hand-pulling and cut and paste methods were used where possible. Sensitive back-pack spraying was carried out on the larger patches of Cape Daisy and Blackberry.

Translocation of Spiny Rice-flower at Westlink in Ravenhall, Victoria: 2008
A private developer obtained approval from the Department of the Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts (DEHWA) to develop a 75.65 ha site in Ravenhall to establish Westlink Industrial Estate in 2008.

As part of this development, the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) was funded by the client to undertake the translocation of endangered Spiny Rice-flower Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens plants from the site. Practical Ecology Pty Ltd was commissioned by the DSE to provide a Salvage and Translocation Plan for the species, with plants to be translocated from areas to be developed into a 19.59 ha reserve system established on the site. The project involved the translocation of 150 individual plants.