Growing Biodiversity Booklet

Growing BiodiversityCity of Greater Dandenong This booklet was produced by Green Gecko Publications www.greengeckopublications.com.au © Green Gecko Publications 2017 Text by Mary Trigger of Green Gecko Publications and the City of Greater Dandenong. Photographs by Russell Best (RB), Nick Clemann (NC), Raf Heriot (RH), Elaine Shallue (ES), Michael John Smith (MJS), Mary Trigger (MT), www.natureshare.org.au: James Booth (JB), Chris Clarke (CC), Lorraine Phelan (LP) and Pauline McCarthy (PM). Cover photo: Superb Fairy-wren by Raf Heriot Design: Naina Knoess Disclaimer: Although precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, the publishers, authors and printers cannot accept responsibility for any claim, loss, damage or liability arising out of the use of the information published. Green Gecko PUBLICATIONS ABN: 90618914198 Contents Introduction 2 Trees 9 Garden Maintenance 12 Grow your own Food 27 Habitat Gardening 33 Indigenous Plant Guide 47 Weeds 58 Reference and advice 61 Introduction Our gardens provide an opportunity to support our local plants and animals. Many local plants are great choices for gardening and can be used for formal gardens or more natural gardens. Once you’ve established your local plants, sit back and watch the birds and butterflies enjoy your garden space! Spotted Pardalote 2 | Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong Indigenous plants and biodiversity Indigenous plants are the local plants that originally grew in an area before building and development occurred. They are suited to the soil and climate of the area. These plants in turn provide the best Habitats support life by providing food, possible food and shelter for the native water and shelter – just like your home. local wildlife. If we have a series of There are many different habitats that gardens with a wide range of local support different plants and animals. plants, animals can easily and safely Examples include the bark of a tree, move along these wildlife corridors. the soft mud of a lake or under the leaf litter. Biodiversity The variety of all plants, Ecosystem animals and fungi found The interaction between within a location. all living (plants, animals The greater the number of different and micro-organisms) and local plants and animals found in an non-living (rocks, soil and area, the higher the biodiversity. weather) things. A garden that has a range of different plants such as grasses, groundcovers, An ecosystem can contain many shrubs and trees will attract and habitats and usually covers a larger support a larger number of animals area – just like your suburb. including butterflies, dragonflies, birds, Examples include grasslands, dry lizards, frogs and small mammals. forests or wetlands. Healthy ecosystems Having high biodiversity improves the provide us with clean air and water, chances of local ecosystems surviving healthy soils and a steady climate. destructive events such as fire or climate change. Habitat The place where a plant or animal naturally lives. Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong | 3 While indigenous plants are species The benefits of which occur naturally in a local area such establishing as the City of Greater Dandenong, there are also species known as native plants. indigenous plants Many retail nurseries are that they: sell ‘native’ plants, • are suited to our local soil which refers to any plant and climate species that occurs • grow quickly and often flower within the first season of naturally in Australia. being planted They can include a • provide food and shelter for Grevillea from NSW or a local wildlife Eucalypt from Tasmania. • are easy to look after • will thrive without fertilisers Just like plants introduced • have greater resistance to disease from another country, • are most likely to survive hot, dry native plants have the summers with little or no watering potential to become an once they are established environmental weed. • add beauty to the natural area. 4 | Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong Our changing environment Alterations to the natural environment can have a number of effects including a decrease in habitat and a loss of biodiversity. Urbanisation Weeds Vegetation in the landscape now Many non-indigenous species can exists as isolated patches which are become invasive, competing with not well connected. This makes it indigenous plants for space, nutrients, difficult for wildlife to move around water and light. This results in a and reproduce, resulting in a decline reduction of habitat for wildlife and in species numbers. a loss of biodiversity. (For more information, refer to pages 58-60). Climate change Pollution Changes in our global climate are impacting our natural environment. Herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers Ongoing lower rainfall and an increase from our gardens can enter our in heatwaves and storm events are stormwater system if used incorrectly, predicted to continue. It is difficult for where they end up polluting our local plants and animals to adapt quickly to waterways and harming plants and new conditions, resulting in a loss of wildlife. (For more information, refer native species and biodiversity. to page 30). Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong | 5 Police Rd l Rd Pr M estal inces Hwy Monash Fwy i W le C r k d R Gladstone Heather ton Rd le Rd a ingv Spr d Rd u St k r C g n o n e d a n Che D ltenham Rd Dandenong Bypass Sth G ippsland Hw Hutton Rd Gr eens R d wy y k r C g n i r e Mor Dandenong Rd - mm Eume nington P Frankston eninsula Hwy MELBO URNE WA TER Eastlink Thomps ons Rd Greater Dandenong OriginalVegetation 6 | Growing Biodiversity 2 1 7 8 City of Greater Dandenong NOBLE PARK 4 DANDENONG 5 3 6 CGD plant communities Plains Grassland Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland Police Rd Plains Grassy Wetland Plains Grassy Woodland Swampy Riparian Woodland Grassy Forest l Rd Pr M Heathy Woodland Swampy Woodland estal inces Hwy Monash Fwy i W le C r k d R Gladstone Heather ton Rd le Rd a ingv Spr d Rd u St k r C g n o n e d a n Che D ltenham Rd Dandenong Bypass Sth G ippsland Hw Hutton Rd Gr eens R d wy y k r C g n i r Eco Hotspots e Mor Dandenong Rd - mm Eume nington P One of the best ways to find out how indigenous Frankston plants look and the conditions they thrive in is to eninsula Hwy go and see them in their natural environment. The City of Greater Dandenong’s most significant natural MELBO URNE environments include: WA TER Eastlink 1. Alex Wilkie Nature Reserve 6. National Drive Reserve 2. Coomoora Flora and Fauna 7. Hidden Grove Thomps Woodland Reserve Reserve/Pencil Park ons Rd 3. Falkiner Reserve 8. Roth Hetherington 4. Fotheringham Reserve Botanic Gardens 5. Tirhatuan Park Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong | 7 NATUREPLAY Kids in the garden/reserves Being outdoors in the garden or a local reserve is fun and exciting for children. Nature Play ideas: • Make secret places to hide • Plant bright flowers like sunflowers • Plant a feature tree for • Plant native mint and lemon kids to run around balm for their scent • Explore with a magnifying glass • Build wind chimes • Make a small maze • Use old shoes or wheelbarrows as pots • Grow vegies, especially fast growing pea, corn and radish • Explore your local parks and reserves. • Build a fairy house 8 | Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong Trees Trees produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide and filter airborne pollutants. They also provide shelter, shade and reduce the effects of wind. Trees add enormously to the beauty of our street- scapes and provide habitat for wildlife. The City of Greater Dandenong manages approximately 55,000 street trees that are worth approximately $182 million. Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong | 9 Trees in built up areas improve the quality of urban life and contribute to a sense of community; they also contribute to an attractive green city and communicate the image of a positive, nature-oriented city. Below are some benefits. gy bills educe ener n carbo Absorb Help r Filter pollutants Stor e carbon ease buisness Incr Incr ease house values Reduce noise Improv e w ater quality Pro vide shade Make you feel better Create aw areness of nature Reduce flooding Reduce exposur Are attracti e ve to sun y Help build community 10 | Growing Biodiversity City of Greater Dandenong River Red Gums Harry Habitat is a River Red Gum (Eucalyptus Camaldulensis) mascot. Red Gums are an important part of the landscape and across the municipality there are many magnificent old examples. River Red Gum trees are important name a few. gy bills in providing habitat for local wildlife, Fallen limbs on the ground also provide mainly birds and mammals, through the similarly important habitat for small formation of hollows. If you look closely ground dwelling marsupials and reptiles. educe ener at a large old tree you will likely notice a n Absorb carbo Absorb number of hollows that have developed The bark of the River Red Gum also Help r Filter pollutants Stor along the trunk but also at the end of provides habitat for a range of insects e carbon large branches. When a branch falls off to hide under. ease buisness a tree it creates a wound that allows air The flowers of the River Red Gum are an Incr Incr and water in, which over time begins ease house values important source of food for butterflies, Reduce noise to rot and eventually forms a hollow. insects, honeyeaters, parrots, microbats Tree hollows are the natural habitat of Improv and mammals. In turn, insect-eating birds e w many species of possum, gliders, small ater quality and mammals are attracted to the tree to Pro marsupials and microbats as well as vide shade feast on plump insects.

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