When you invest your time and money into a revegetation project you want to give those seedlings the best chance to thrive. Here are our tips to plan, prepare and manage your planting to improve revegetation success.

1. Your area is unique, get to know it

• Have a look at the soil in the area you wish to rehabilitate. Is it salty? Is it prone to waterlogging? Is it sandy? What you find will help determine how to prepare the land for planting and what species will do best.
• Select your plants carefully. When it comes to conservation planting, it is important that you source species that would naturally be found in your region of WA (endemic). This is because plants are part of a larger ecosystem which has developed over time in unison with local fauna, fungi and microbial biota. The introduction of plants from other countries or regions of Australia has the potential to disrupt the delicate ecological balance of an area and can have negative flow-on effects which don’t become apparent for many years (often when it’s too late to reverse).

2. Prepare your land in advance

Weed management, rabbit control, insect control, stock exclusion and appropriate groundworks are vital for the success of a planting program.

• Weeds can inhibit germination and impact your seedling survival by competing for light, nutrients and moisture. Control options will depend on the type of weed, the site location, your method of revegetation (direct seeding/planting) and personal preference (chemical/mechanical). Generally, weed control on sites that are to be direct seeded should be conducted over several seasons prior to seeding, and areas to be planted with tube stock should be sprayed at least twice prior to planting.
• Control of wild rabbits is an ongoing affair and requires the use of several methods to be successful. Winter control options include fumigation, warren and harbour destruction and shooting. 1080 baiting is most effective in summer, when natural feed is scarce. Calicivirus can have a significant impact on population numbers when released at the end of spring or in autumn.
• Red-legged earth mite & Lucerne flea may be an issue when direct seeding. Efforts to control these insects should be carried out prior to seeding if they are present.
• Excluding stock from your planting area is vital. Be sure to maintain or install your fencing prior to undertaking your site preparation and planting. A barbed wire as a top line to a fence is not recommended due to the adverse impact it can have on native fauna.
• Most sites benefit from deep ripping and mounding along contour lines in preparation for planting. This can improve soil aeration, water collection and infiltration which assists in more rapid and deeper root development. Ripping to a depth of 0.5m is recommended, except for deep sand and cracking clays. Mounding is best practice for saline and waterlogged sites.

3. Plant them right.

• Your soil properties will determine the position you plant within your mound/rip line structure. In well-draining soils, planting deep within the rip line furrow is best as it will allow the plant to access sub-surface moisture. In areas that are prone to inundation, salinity and waterlogging, planting mid-way up the mound edge is recommended to reduce the likelihood of root rot. In all cases, the root ball of the seedling should be covered by at least 3-5cm of soil and pushed in firmly to remove subsurface air pockets.
• The Pottiputki tree planter and kidney bucket are very useful tools for hand planting of seedlings as it removes the need for bending and improves planting rate and consistency.
• One pass tree planters are designed to scalp, rip, mound and plant in a single operation. These can often be hired from local Shires. It is recommended that someone follows behind the tree planter to push in the seedlings and spot any misfires to increase survival.

4. Protect your investment.

• Unfortunately weeds and rabbits are persistent and have the potential to undo all your amazing work. For best results, an area of 1m should be kept weed-free around each plant for at least 2 years.
• The best practice for rabbit control is a varied management plan. This could mean using 1080 poisoned oats in summer, calicivirus in spring, night shoots and ripping and fumigation of warrens as they are identified.

Wheatbelt NRM are always keen to hear about your efforts to repair and improve our beautiful Avon River Basin and to assist where possible. If you’re thinking of planning your own conservation project, keep abreast of future funding opportunities on our website and e-news publications.