Abstract: |
The Roadside Native Vegetation Monitoring and Management Program (the Program) is an initiative of Adelaide Hills Council (AHC) and Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges (NRAMLR). Its purpose was to develop and implement a best practice model for monitoring and management of the AHC Native Vegetation Marker System (NVMS) network. Roadside native vegetation often provides the last remaining habitat for rare native plant and animal species, also providing a buffer to protect agricultural areas from weeds. The Program enables AHC and NRAMLR to proactively identify and treat sites with priority habitat, threatened species or weeds, ensuring best investment of resources to support environmental sustainability. Community benefits include maintaining the quality and character of iconic native roadside vegetation of the region, facilitating thriving ecosystems, sustainable agriculture and reducing weed-spread through private property and community lands. Using the BushRAT methodology to assess each NVMS site gives AHC a detailed dataset for entering into GIS. An Agreement between NRAMLR and AHC outlines the joint approach to NVMS management. The dataset and the Agreement feed into a collaborative work plan which prioritises locations, conservation works and allocates resources, ensuring activities are complementary, enabling both organisations to deliver strategic goals. |