SECTION 07_ CONCEPT PLAN 54 Molonglo River Park Concept Plan Report 07 Concept plan Concept plan Legend Statutory urban area boundary (territory plan) Irrigated open grass area/ event space/informal sports Urban edge - inner APZ (18-20 m tree spacing) Woodland - outer APZ (18-20 m tree spacing) PTWL grassland habitat protection and re- establishment area (riverine and BGW types/18-20 m spacing) Max canopy cover 10-30 % Woodland (6-8 m spacing/outside APZ) Riverine community (6-8 m spacing/outside APZ) Edge street and formal landscape planting Community garden Park/riparian corridors in residential areas River waterway/tributaries River pools Detention ponds Arterial road Park road and parking areas On-road cycle path Potential cycle highway (4 m) Trunk path (2.5-3 m) Multi purpose path (3 m) Equestrian trail (5 m) Minor path (1.2-1.8 m) Group centre/ Neighbourhood centre Picnic shelter Large group shelter/cafe Figure 12: Structure plan Visitor centre Vehicle bridge Introduction is weed infested. There are no major fire Pedestrian/sewer bridge This section of the report presents the park issues within this area. the prime response is Low level - culvert crossing concept by describing the park structure and the restoration and healing of the landscape. Informal - rock stepping plan under four site-specific themes, which stones underpin the park concept plan: Precinct 2, Misery Point contains areas of Viewing deck/lookout area _ Environment woodland association and Pink-tailed Worm Low stone terrace walls _ Fire management Lizard (A. parapulchella – PTWL) habitat. The Play area _ Recreation plan proposes nature based recreation _ Circulation. alongside conservation and enhancement of Heritage interpretive site high quality natural temperate grassland Escarpment/cliff face The themes or layers, serve to explain the (NTG), PTWL and Box-Gum Woodland (BGW) rationale, function and layout of the concept habitat. There are locations containing plan for Molonglo River Park. Subsequent to European heritage, which provide this thematic description of the plan opportunities for interpretation. temperate grassland NTG, PTWL habitat as according to the themes, the concept plan is well as being a significant geological site. also described in detail on a precinct basis. Precinct 3, Coppins Crossing is connected to These must be conserved. The former sludge surrounding areas via existing roads. Areas of pits are suitable for intensive formal Park structure low environmental significance and recreation purposes. The analysis phase of the concept plan environmental disturbance allow the identified four precincts which had relatively development of areas for higher impact The existing habitats have formed the basis homogeneous landscape conditions. Specific recreation in the vicinity of Coppins Crossing. for the landscape settings, the structure of objectives have been designated for each of Areas of high conservation value will be the plan and the cornerstone of conservation these precincts as a framework for the park conserved and enhanced. The town centre is activities. structure. located adjacent to Precinct 3. Precinct 1, the Eastern Narrows is the most Precinct 4, Western Gorges is an incised river degraded precinct. The channelised river bed environment with areas of extensive Molonglo River Park Concept Plan Report 55 Figure 13: Illustrative concept plan 0 500 1,000m 56 Molonglo River Park Concept Plan Report 07 Concept plan Environment theme Settings Plan The conservation and enhancement of the Ecosystem recovery program Legend natural environment is a key part of the vision The ecosystem recovery in the park would for Molonglo River Park. The concept plan focus on the abatement of threatening Statutory urban area provides the framework for preparation of a processes and the restoration of natural boundary statutory Plan of Management, detailed vegetation. The objectives of the landscape Arterial road operational plans and designs in the next settings enhancement shown in Figure 15 River waterway/tributaries phase of planning for the river park, which will Relationship between setting and also identify environmental protection management is to increase the current 70 measures in the context of recreation and fire hectares of PTWL high and moderate habitat Urban Edge to inner APZ management. (as previously shown on Figure 06 Summary equivalent (BGW types of environmental significance) by some 100 nominal 20 m spacing/10 % The Plan of Management will be consistent hectares, and the existing 55 hectares of canopy max cover) with the principles and policies contained in BGW by some 370 hectares through active Woodland to outer APZ the national capital open space system settings development and management. equivalent (nominal 18-20m (NCOSS), including the specific policies for spacing/10-30% canopy river corridors. The requirements of the Threat abatement cover) (BGW types) Molonglo Valley Plan for the Protection of An initial step would be the identification and Re-establish discontinuous Matters of National Environmental abatement of threatening processes such as canopy. Significance (the NES Plan) will also be nutrient pollution and sedimentation, active PTWL/grassland habitat incorporated in the Plan of Management soil erosion, pest plants and animals, grazing protection and re (refer Appendix A: Summary of NES and illegal or damaging human activities, establishment areas requirements for river park). such as rubbish dumping, firewood or rock (Temperate Grassland and collection, arson and vehicle access. The BGW types) Proposals for the conservation and proposed control of introduced herbivores such as Re-establish woodland. enhancement of the natural assets in the rabbits and goats, predators such as foxes Nominal 18-20m centres concept plan are detailed below. and cats, and tree hollow competitors such except in moderate to high as European starlings and European bees quality potential PTWL Biodiversity conservation would also be addressed within this program. habitat, which will be Objectives and strategies Total grazing pressure will require grassland (nominal 20 m+ Biodiversity conservation strategies would be assessment and management. Weeds tree spacing/10% canopy delivered through three interdependent threatening ecosystems would be identified cover) programs: in this program and long term and sustained Woodland (6-8 m spacing) _Ecosystem recovery control measures would be implemented (BGW types) _Weed management through the weed management program as _Fauna habitat and connectivity. outlined below. Re-establish near continuous canopy except Close coordination between programs will be Revegetation and natural regeneration that required for recreation required via the park Plan of Management Revegetation and natural regeneration would and pool settings. and operational plans. Key points of be designed to meet multiple conservation Riverine community (6-8 m connection between the programs include objectives, including the control of soil spacing)(Riverine types) weed control, fire management and habitat erosion and improving landscape function, Re-establish continuous connectivity enhancement. providing and extending grassland and canopy except that required woodland fauna habitat and connectivity, and for recreation settings. The relative priorities of the overall buffering habitat edges against urban management objectives and the operation of impacts. Relative priorities would vary within the biodiversity strategies will vary between the park depending on local objectives. sites, and between the four precincts – Western Gorge, Coppins Crossing, Misery It is desirable to use natural regeneration to Woodland Settings Point and Eastern Narrows. More detailed extend existing woodland areas possibly This would include the extension of existing and zone-specific objectives and actions using fire or scarification to encourage woodland patches and new plantings to would be defined in the Plan of Management, recruitment as much of the site is cleared. achieve 30-100 percent site coverage near- detailed operational plans and designs. The planting of tree and understorey natural tree density in both the Riverine and tubestock or (low disturbance) direct seeding BGW landscape settings. Trees would be The management of each program would will be required. This would also be applied to planted at 6-8 m metre spacing, where build in survey and assessment, inspection the extensive areas of weed removal. Bare or natural regeneration is not possible, or where and monitoring and performance evaluation heavily disturbed areas such as former an immediate impact for recreation purposes as required. An adaptive management plantation land could be direct seeded with is required. This would be augmented with approach would be adopted based on the native species. Individual tree planting and patches of tall and low shrubs. Native systematic monitoring of key indicators of mulched planting beds would be undertaken groundcover should be maintained. Refer environmental quality and threatening in recreation areas and other areas of Figure 15 Relationship between setting and processes. amenity planting. management. These landscape settings would not be located within APZs. Each program would also feature the Revegetation of woodland and shrubland will involvement and coordination of government be constrained by the need to avoid existing Other planting strategies can also be agencies and programs, community groups and potential PTWL habitat and the need