Removal of Bitou Bush at the North End of Tallow Beach 2011
Advanced Infestation on the Front of the Dunes
An important part of our 2011-12 Community Action Grant was removing remaining WoNS weed Bitou Bush from the most northerly management zone of Tallow Beach reserve (3.7 h) There had been no previous weeding at this end of the beach due to its remoteness and exclusion from Byron Councils management jurisdiction.
The long term effect of a key threatening process is illustrated graphically in the spectre of declining Banksias isolated in stands of Bitou Bush. Overall infestation on the front of the dunes was estimated to be 50% (photo colour enhanced) with 90% coverage removed from a 5000 sq m location in the hind-dune (see Tallow Creek Revegetation project )
Bitou Bush in Disturbed Littoral Rainforest
Bitou Bush had also invaded littoral rainforest over a 100m section of the dunes where marine erosion in 2009 had bitten into the dune creating a 5m escarpment and 'perched' forest open to the sea. Rainforest seedlings were found under low mixed canopy of rainforest and Bitou with little chance of survival.
Signs were located at the base of the dunes at the beginning of the project