10 October 2008

Since 2004, the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust (Trust) has been undertaking important conservation works on four endangered bushland sites within Centennial Parklands known as Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (ESBS).

Ecological burns

In continuing the work, the Trust plans to undertake ecological burns on 10 October 2008 (York Road) and in the following days at the Bird Sanctuary (Centennial Park). The burns have been scheduled to take place when weather conditions are optimum for this type of activity.

Traffic Management and Pedestrian Management plans have been developed and will be implemented by the Trust to minimise disruption or risk to park visitors or residents.

Trust staff will also be on site to answer any questions from park visitors.

What is ESBS?

The ESBS in Centennial Parklands is an ecological community of species which includes various banksias, heath-type shrubs, grasses and sedges.

The current sites are located at the Bird Sanctuary, Kensington Ponds and York Road, Queens Park. The Lone Xanthorroea near Randwick Gates, the fourth site, was vandalised in recent years and did not recover. The remaining sites are protected under Commonwealth and State legislation.

What is ecological burning?

Ecological burning has been identified by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) as the only outstanding maintenance activity yet to be undertaken by the Trust and is a widely recognised and successful method of stimulating native plant seeds in the soil profile to enable germination. Once completed, these two sites will be recognised by DECC as best practice Threatened Species Demonstration Sites.

This ecological burn is a routine management process and will last only a few hours at each site. The NSW Fire Brigades will be on-site to oversee the burn process and to ensure the fire does not extend beyond the designated restoration sites.

The Trust expects that this type of ecological burning may be required every two to three years to continue to manage the ESBS remnants at best practice standards.

The following photos demonstrate the process that was undertaken on 10 October 2008 at the York Road site:

- A burn pile prepared in advance to dry out

- NSW Fire Brigades oversees the lighting of the piles

- The piles burn down within a few hours, the heat generated causes germination of native seeds in the soil

- The piles burn out and the germination process begins

Further information

For further information on Centennial Parklands or this project, contact the Parklands Office on (02) 9339 6699 or info@centennialparklands.com.au

For further information on Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, please visit the following websites:

• DECC: ESBS Recovery Plan
• DECC: Fact Sheet
  

Contact: Julie Hunter Ward

Phone: (02) 9339 6699