Roadside Vegetation Mapping Completed!

The Shire of Denmark Roadside Vegetation Mapping Report and Map Series was adopted unanimously by Council at the January Ordinary Council Meeting 7/0.

The project encompassed collection and compilation of on-ground field data collection of up to 329km of Shire rural roadsides comprising both sides of 87 roads. Data captured includes information on:

• Vegetation type
• Vegetation condition
• Presence and abundance of weed species
• Surrounding land use
• Significant conservation values
• Roadside conservation value

To access the roadside vegetation maps please click here.

Significance of Roadside Vegetation

The conservation of roadside remnant native vegetation has far reaching implications for sustaining biodiversity, tourism and ecological values in our Shire. The presence of native vegetation along transport corridors provides for remnant vegetation linkages often fulfilling a significant role as habitat refuges amongst a highly fragmented landscape. They often contain threatened flora and fauna habitat as well as providing for wind corridors, assisting with stabilisation, erosion and salinity control, and aesthetic appeal improving local tourism.

Threats to native roadside vegetation include roadside clearing, chemical herbicide spraying, mechanical slashing, inappropriate fire regimes, competition from invasive weed species and Phytophthora dieback, and reduced genetic diversity. Identification of existing remnant vegetation and areas of high conservation value through conduction of roadside vegetation mapping along transport corridors can enable ensuring protection of these significant linkages from various threats into the future.

The Project

The Shire engaged consultant Southern Ecology to conduct the roadside vegetation mapping, deliver the report and associated maps and undertake community consultation throughout the project. The project entails on-ground spatial mapping of roadside vegetation across the majority of Shire vested roads within the Shire of Denmark to identify:

• vegetation type and structure
• bushland condition
• presence of weed species
• roadside remnant native vegetation extent
• and conservation status of roadsides.

The roads to be surveyed total up to 656km (both sides) of 87 of Shire rural roadsides. Roadside vegetation mapping captured vegetation type, bushland condition, significant conservation values, and presence and abundance of weed species - providing conservation status of our roadsides in accordance with the Roadside Conservation Committee Vegetation Condition scale. The data has been compiled into a report and spatially captured to enable visual representation of roadside conservation value across the landscape.

Identification and spatial representation of bushland condition and conservation value of transport corridors will assist in on-ground management and planning ensuring protection, promotion and improvement of high quality roadside vegetation and conservation of remnant vegetation and significant habitat linkages from various threats into the future. The Roadside vegetation mapping project, once compiled, will provide a valuable resource tool, particularly when spatially mapped, to help identify those roadside verges of high quality conservation, those areas requiring protection, revegetation and weed control activity.

This project is co-funded by the WA Local Government Association (WALGA) through a Local Biodiversity and Native Vegetation Management Project grant.

Community Consultation

Your feedback is important to us. A collaborative approach is needed to ensure effective management of roadside areas and control of invasive weed species on our road verges. The Shire of Denmark has a passionate and engaged interactive community with a highly skilled, educated and invested demographic. As part of the development of the Roadside Vegetation Mapping Project opportunities for community engagement and participation included:

• Community Information Forum - held 18th November
• Public Comment period - closed 10th December
• Roadside Vegetation Mapping Report review via an online Feedback Portal - now closed.