World Environment Day at Boronia Park
Bush regeneration with corporate volunteers
Capacity building
The issue
Lingustrum sinense has established a strong hold at the top of a stormwater runoff, the seedlings of the established pivets are travelling downstream and quickly forming dense thickets. These thickets outcompete native plants, reduce biodiversity, threaten riparian zone integrity and alter habitat structure for local wildlife. The second target species nis the invasive Asparagus virgatus that is still at a manageable level.
The solution
Through corporate engagement events we can educate people generally not exposed to this information about the issue and they are able to proactively take action by manually removing the target weed species. Lingustrum sinense was cut and paint (glyphosate) smaller privet was pulled out from the ground. Asparagus virgatus was removed manually with a Maddock, crowns and seeds were bagged to stop the spread.
The impact
Across an area of 954 square metres, volunteers successfully removed approximately 7 cubic metres of weeds and invasive vegetation containing the spread and creating a strong native edge for natural restoration. More broadly the impact of these events is reconnecting people with natural and building awareness around some of the issues that are associated with human disturbance of natural areas.
GEP employees participated in the volunteering activity as part of a corporate volunteering initiative coordinated by Greater Sydney Landcare. Views expressed in this article are those of Greater Sydney Landcare and do not necessarily represent the views of GEP.