Appendix G – Bush Regeneration Report J16-001_AR_2016-17 Appendix G Dixon Sands Bush Regeneration Annual Report - Bush-it Contents 1) Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 2 2) Haerses Road, Vegetation Offset Area ........................................................................................... 2 a. List of current works ................................................................................................................... 2 b. Total Hours: 261.5 ....................................................................................................................... 4 c. Follow up on the “Focus on Crofton weed” ................................................................................ 4 d. Possible future works .................................................................................................................. 4 3) Dixon Sands mine Site ..................................................................................................................... 5 a. List of current works ................................................................................................................... 5 b. Total hours: 138 .......................................................................................................................... 6 c. Photos ......................................................................................................................................... 6 d. Soil translocation site .................................................................................................................. 7 e. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................. 8 f. Possible future works .................................................................................................................. 8 4) Weeds treated ................................................................................................................................ 9 5) Herbicide usage ............................................................................................................................. 10 6) Natives planted ............................................................................................................................. 10 7) Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 11 1 1) Executive Summary Bush-It has been undertaking environmental works for Dixon Sands for 9 years ensuring the mining company can achieve the highest conservational outcomes. These works have been primarily focused on two main areas: Haerses Road offset area; and areas surrounding the Dixon Sands Mine Site. This report will focus on these two areas and will outline; both current and possible future works, Total hours spent, any photos taken as well as the focus on crofton weed (haerses road) and the new soil translocation site (the mine site). Many ecological restoration strategies are currently in use by Bush-it at Dixon Sands. They include, endangered plant preservation, herbicide spraying, brush-cutting, revegetation, sandstone capping, ecological community and soil translocation, sedimentation and erosion control, weed surveying, assisted natural regeneration, brush-matting, direct seeding, and target weeding. These current works have resulted in outstanding rehabilitation, ecological restoration and excellent environmental performance. Additionally, as Bush-It recognises the importance of community involvement and contribution, stakeholders have been kept well informed through means of the bi annual CCC meetings hosted by Dixon Sands. 2) Haerses Road, Vegetation Offset Area a. List of current works Zone Date Work type name Work description Hours Hearses Rd Offset 5/07/2016 Maintenance Made a tree hollow habitat 2 (translocation) for small birds/mammals Hearses Rd Offset 5/07/2016 Maintenance Hand weeded exotic 8.5 (translocation) grasses and moved habitat logs into offset area. Hearses Rd Offset 5/07/2016 Maintenance Cut and painting Lantana 9 (translocation) Hearses Rd Offset 19/07/2016 Maintenance Treated exotic grasses in 5.5 (translocation) offset translocation area Hearses Rd Offset 31/08/2016 Maintenance Hand weeding Exotic 14 (translocation) grasses in Offset area Hearses Rd Offset 19/09/2016 Maintenance Removal of exotic grasses 15 (translocation) from Offset area Hearses Rd Offset 12/10/2016 Maintenance Targeted exotic grasses in 15 (translocation) offset area Hearses Rd Offset 15/11/2016 Planting Finished plant guards 6 (translocation) Hearses Rd Offset 15/11/2016 Spraying Spot spraying Rubus 2 (translocation) fructicosus Hearses Rd Offset 15/11/2016 Maintenance Handweeding exotic 19.75 (translocation) grasses Hearses Rd Offset 30/11/2016 Maintenance Handweeding Exotic 7.5 (translocation) grasses and Ageratina in offset area Hearses Rd Offset 30/11/2016 Spraying Spraying Lantana and 7.5 (translocation) Ageratina 2 Hearses Rd Offset 26/10/2016 Planting Planting 300 plants with 24 (translocation) guards. Hearses Rd Offset 14/12/2016 Maintenance Handweeding of exotic 30 (translocation) grasses in offset area Hearses Rd Offset 30/01/2017 Miscellaneous Installed 50 meters of 16 (translocation) sediment fence across drainage line, along existing boundary of offset area. Hearses Rd Offset 30/01/2017 Maintenance Maintenence is 6.5 (translocation) translocation area. Removed unneeded guards and stakes from sufficiently large trees. Hearses Rd Offset 28/02/2017 Maintenance Scout edge of soil 15 (translocation) translocation site and original offset area removing Love Grass, Whiskey Grass and Crofton Weed. Hearses Rd Offset 5/04/2017 Maintenance Mechanical removal of 10 (translocation) Croften weed Hearses Rd Offset 15/03/2017 Maintenance Brushcut Fleabane at plant 4.5 (translocation) screen area at olive farm. Scout area below Haerses Rd. for Crofton Weed. Some Lantana treated bellow yellow cord fence. Bidens also encroaching from escavated area to bushland. To be treated next visit. Hearses Rd Offset 26/04/2017 Maintenance >Spray 1:100 Glyphysate 10 (translocation) Bidens Pilosa >Brush cut weedy scrub >Brush cut Whisky grass >Scout good bush for Croften weed, Whisky grass and Paspalum Hearses Rd Offset 9/05/2017 Maintenance Scouted good bush and 7.5 (translocation) edges for croften weed Hearses Rd Offset 9/05/2017 Maintenance Sprayed african love grass 6 (translocation) and paspalum with 1:100 glyphosate at haerses road soil translocation. Also short scan of good bush behind fenced section. 3 Hearses Rd Offset 28/06/2017 Maintenance Remove Lantana, Crofton, 20.25 (translocation) Bidens and other annual weeds in extended offset area. A small patch of Bridal Creeper also removed. Scout edges of soil translocation site. Total Hours: 261.5 b. Follow up on the “Focus on Crofton weed” In previous years, there has been a focus on Ageratina adenophora (Crofton weed) in the Hakea forest located in the Haerses Road offset area. The forest and surrounding areas had been swept for all Crofton weed individuals to limit a seed bank accumulating and thus, had been reduced in numbers. Bush-It have continued this work in the 2016-17 work year and can report that native growth and regeneration is progressing well. Furthermore, the Crofton weed has been successfully controlled as, to date, there has been zero seeding individuals observed in the offset area. Continued works such as these will result in a reduction of the seed bank in the area and reduce total numbers of individuals. c. Possible future works During the months of May to September, focus should be placed on scouting for Crofton weed in the whole offset area. This will reduce seeding individuals. Also, further scouting of the surrounding creek lines will reduce seed production and seed runoff which would promote infestation to the offset area. As new sections have been added to the works of the offset area, regular scouting should be upheld as Bidens pilosa (Bidens), Lantana camara (Lantana) and Crofton weed have been sighted in the good bush areas. These visits should occur no less frequently than monthly in order to accurately reduce the numbers of individuals penetrating the good bush. To reduce seed infestation of Bidens and Crofton, sediment fencing extension could be utilised adjacent to the drain line on the Haerses Road edge of the offset area. The continued success of the offset area can be attributed to expert ecological restoration and regeneration techniques by Bush-It. As such, techniques including; soil and leaf litter translocation, brush matting and large rock and log placement is recommended to continue as part of future works. 4 3) Dixon Sands mine Site a. List of current works Zone Date Work type name Work description Hours Dixon Sands mine site 19/07/2016 Spraying Targeted Ricinis 1 communis and Ageratina adenophora Dixon Sands mine site 19/07/2016 Maintenance Scouted for and treated 8.5 weeds as necessary, targeting Ageratina adenophora and Lantana Dixon Sands mine site 31/08/2016 Maintenance Cut and Paint Lantana 15 Dixon Sands mine site 31/08/2016 Spraying Spraying Castor Oil 1 Dixon Sands mine site 19/09/2016 Maintenance Treating Lantana 7.5 Dixon Sands mine site 12/10/2016 Spraying 2 Dixon Sands mine site 12/10/2016 Maintenance Targeted Lantana 13 Dixon Sands mine site 30/11/2016 Spraying Spraying Lantana camara 7.5