Background
The restoration ecology group researches a wide spectrum of new and innovative methods for tackling urban bushland, post-mining and post-disturbance restoration of the States bio-diverse ecosystems from the Kimberley and Gascoyne region, the Swan Coastal Plain to the south-west. The focus of the group is on the designated lands of the BGPA (Bold Park and Kings Park), however, externally funded projects contribute to restoration ecology knowledge of the States ecosystems in general and ultimately, build the research capability of the group.
While a research discipline in itself, restoration ecology requires a holistic and well-integrated approach so that restoration ecology investment necessitates a multidisciplinary understanding of sciences that have a great bearing on ecosystems. As a result, the restoration ecology group has expanded it's focus area to include a number of disciplines: weed ecology, disturbance ecology, seed ecology, regenerative techniques and restoration technologies, thereby, enabling improved species replacement for disturbed lands.
Key research areas
- Understanding ecological processes influencing plant establishment, namely processes that reflect seedling recruitment and survival opportunities;
- Understanding soil seed-bank dynamics;
- Developing restoration principles including appropriate revegetation techniques and topsoil handling and storage technologies;
- Understanding the processes and levels of ecosystem recovery;
- Developing integrated weed management strategies;
- Deriving seed quality standards;
- Enabling recovery of rare and threatened species following disturbance;
- Deriving benchmark standards to enable measurement of restoration success; and
- Undertaking monitoring programs to evaluate restoration progress and to identify follow-up restoration measures;
Current research projects
While the focus of the group is on the restoration of urban bushlands under the care of the BGPA: Bold Park and Kings Park; the group also undertakes contract restoration research and operations for the private sector namely the resources (minerals and energy) sector, and the services sector, to enable conservation of our States biodiversity.
- Bold Park restoration research program (Funding: Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority).
- MT Eliza Escarpment restoration monitoring and reporting program (Funding: Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority).
- Developing sustainable restoration of Banksia woodland communities disturbed through sand quarrying activities (Funding: Rocla Quarry Products).
- Assessing the impact of fire suppressing agents on native vegetation in Western Australia (Funding: Fire and Emergency Services Authority, Western Australia).
- Researching and developing integrated restoration of borrow pits for Shark Bay Resources Pty Ltd (Funding: Shark Bay Salt).
- Deriving research benchmarks for nationally threatened plant species occurring on Westralia Airports Corporation Land (Funding: Westralia Airports Corporation).
- Developing conservation of two rare plant species; Centrolepis caespitosa and Eleocharis keighery, on the RAAF Base Pearce (Funding: Department of Defence).
- Weed control and biodiversity rehabilitation for Newcrest Operations at Telfar, Western Australia. (Funding: Newcrest Operations).
Key highlights
- Banksia woodland restoration principles developed by the group have improved the understanding of the critical path to restoring the Banksia woodland community.
- The finding that the commonly reconstructed soil profile (constructed by mined-land restorers in Australia) of topsoil over overburden reflects the highest soil compaction values, highest soil moisture levels, least favourable root development and architecture and consequently, the highest seedling mortality than any other reconstructed profile in sandy soils (eg within Banksia woodland) is a research finding of substantial interest. As a result, soil compaction may be an important criterion for estimating rehabilitation success and a benchmark for defining "restorability" of sandy soils.
- Improved methods in topsoil handling and storage, seed broadcasting and greenstock planting are increasing the biodiversity index of restored sites.
- The annual Bold Park Restoration Research Workshops, held at the Western Australian Ecology Centre, provide a valuable insight into the issues and outcomes associated with restoration operations and research for the Bold Park bushland. Importantly, the workshops disseminate restoration research outcomes that are highly relevant for similar urban bushlands to a wider community including the community, stakeholder groups, Government departments and universities.
- The inaugural Growing Wetlands - Advances in Wetland Conservation and Restoration Workshop 2005, co-presented by USA wetland restoration ecologists Dr's Lyndon Lee and Peggy Fiedler, had an overwhelming response, thus, it may become a regular event. The workshop provided an opportunity for the BGPA's bushland management and research teams to commence planning for the restoration of Camel Lake and a proposed wetland site at Kings Park and Botanic Garden.
- The Kings Park Escarpment Restoration Monitoring and Reporting Program is providing an evaluation, across the escarpment, of restoration progress and the processes of ecosystem recovery, identifying appropriate follow-up restoration measures and, recommending "best management practices" in order to maximise restoration success of this iconic landscape feature.
- A definitive field guide to the native and weedy plants of the Kings Park and Bold Park bushlands was released, representing the first comprehensive plant guide for both bushlands.
- The group has contributed to a seed biology and ecology chapter in the recently released "Australian Seeds - A Guide to their Collection, Identification and Biology", Editors: Sweedman L and Merritt DJ. CSIRO publishing, Australia, while another contribution was made to a restoration ecology chapter in the recently released "Principles of Conservation Biology" - 3rd Edition (2006), Editors: Groom MJ, Meffe GK, Carroll CR, Sinauer Associates, Inc, USA.
- The group's contribution to restoration was recently showcased on SER's (Society of Ecological Restoration, USA) Restoration Project Showcase web-site.
Personnel
Staff
Deanna Rokich (B. Sc. Hons, Ph. D.)
Senior Restoration Ecologist
Catherine McChesney (B. Sc. Hons.)
Ecological Scientist: Mt Eliza Escarpment Restoration Project
Christine Rafferty (B. Sc. Hons, Ph. D.)
Disturbance Ecologist (Bold Park)
Ph. D. Students
Lucy Commander (B. Sc. Hort. Hons.)
Project title: Integrated Restoration of Borrow Pits for Shark Bay Resources Pty Ltd
David Leach (B. Sc. Hons.)
Project title: Impact of fire suppressing agents on native vegetation in Western Australia
Giuseppe Messina (B. Sc. Hons, M Sc.)
Project title: Deriving Research Benchmarks for Nationally Threatened Plant Species occurring on Westralia Airports Corporation Land.
Brett Neasham (B. Sc. Hons.)
Project title: Weed ecology and control of Euphorbia terracina and Ferraria crispa
Honours Students
Peter Golos
Project title: Returning Banksia attenuata and Banksia menziesii to post-sand extracted restoration sites
Jack Harma
Project title: Weed chemical control effects on native seed germination and native seedling establishment
Rachael Ord
Project title: Assessing wind erosion and predation on broadcast seed removal in Banksia woodland restoration
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