In mid-2014, Naturelinks began ground works in a key area located in the North West corner of the Police Point reserve. Despite facing challenges from introduced woody weeds, the area was previously identified by the Mornington Peninsula Shire, Natural Systems team as being particularly ‘High quality’ due to its largely intact vegetation structure of Coast Moonah Woodland. This area, classified as a Threatened Plant Community (EVC), held great potential for restoration with structured/staged management, especially with the presence of the Long-nosed Bandicoot, a species known to play an important role to enhance the ecological value of the site.
Initial works focused on manually removing large woody weeds and burning them in small piles on-site, with follow up, selective herbicide spraying used to control the spread of new woody weeds and introduced grasses. However, in July 2020, Neale Adams (Project Leader, Naturelinks) recognised the opportunity to take a different, more sustainable approach to managing the site. This led to a shift in strategy, with herbicide use being replaced to a more sustainable, non-chemical approach, replacing herbicide spraying with a manual removal method. This new approach not only reduced costs and reduced the environmental impact of chemicals but also created a safer environment for native fauna and increased plant diversity, allowing them to thrive without the risk of herbicide toxicity.
The results of this new method have been significant. The overall health of the site continues to improve, with noticeable signs of natural recruitment. For the first time, indigenous species like Warilda (Acacia retinodes), Swanson pea (Swainsonia lessertiifolia), and an endangered Poa (Poa poiformis var. ramifer) have been observed growing naturally on-site, further demonstrating the success of the management strategy. While herbicide use has now been limited to controlling a single species of woody weed, which is carefully treated by cutting and stump painting, the site’s biodiversity is flourishing, and the ecosystem is steadily recovering.
