City of Stirling - Conservation management

This page includes information about the City’s plan for the conservation, restoration, and preservation of biodiversity.

The City of Stirling is committed to conserving, protecting, and enhancing our community’s natural spaces and biodiversity. The City is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, many of which are unique to the region and require careful management to ensure their survival. The City, together with the community, has a responsibility to support biodiversity in our natural and urban environments to create connected, healthy ecosystems. It is critical that we care for these areas to ensure their existence for future generations.

The City’s Parks and Environment team is dedicated to the planning, conservation, and management of the City’s biodiversity and natural spaces.

Local Biodiversity Strategy and management plans

The City manages its natural areas under the strategic guidance of its Local Biodiversity Strategy and site-specific management plans for significant bushlands and wetlands.

The strategy provides a set of strategic visions and governing principles for conservation in the City which includes:

Preserving current and future areas for protection
Policy recommendations for legislative protection
Recommendations for managing and addressing key threatening processes
Strengthening local biodiversity
Involving the community through engagement and education.

Degradation and threats

Urban bushlands are increasingly under threat from a range of degrading processes. Understanding the reasons behind bushland degradation and the specific factors that lead to it is crucial for effective conservation and management.

Activities such as walking off track, vegetation clearing, and off-track biking or BMX can cause destruction of habitat and native plants through trampling and spreading diseases.

Invasive plant species can outcompete native vegetation, altering habitat structure and reducing biodiversity.

Feral cats, foxes, European carp and rabbits can predate on or compete with native wildlife, leading to declines in native species populations.

Accidental or intentional fires can cause significant ecological damage, particularly if they occur too frequently and do not allow for natural recovery.

Pesticides, fertilisers, and other chemicals from urban areas can enter bushlands and wetlands through runoff, contaminating soil and water, and harming plants and animals.

Phytophtora dieback, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi, affects a wide range of native plant species, and leads to plant death resulting from lack of water and nutrient absorption.

Urban waste, including plastics and other debris, can degrade the visual and ecological quality of bushlands, posing risks to wildlife that may ingest or become entangled in litter.

Alterations in climate patterns as well as increased frequency of storms, droughts, and fires can cause direct damage to bushlands, exacerbate existing threats, and disrupt ecological processes.

Conservation and management programs and projects

Dedicated programs and projects assist in the conservation and management of the community’s natural spaces and biodiversity.

Strategic program that monitors the health of the City’s reserves to inform management and future works.

Seasonal program to reduce fire fuel loads, ensure firebreak compliance, and improve reserve access for emergency services.

Seasonal program to control invasive weeds such as veldt grass and black flag, in bushlands, wetlands, and coastal reserves using an integrated approach of chemical-free methods and selective use of herbicides when necessary.

Annual program targeting introduced species such as foxes, rabbits, and carp.

Annual testing and treatment of dieback affected areas in the City.

Specialised wildlife recovery projects focusing on supporting locally and regionally threatened or endangered wildlife. Current programs focus on supporting wildlife through habitat infrastructure and access to water e.g. insect hotels, bat boxes, bird waterers etc.

Annual program that focuses on improving pathways within reserves, protecting sensitive areas, disease affected or threatened biodiversity from degradation.

Annual planting program of reserves with native species for restoration. Planting often done in collaboration with the community, schools and conservation volunteers.

Specialised project that will see parks with numerous small bushland ‘pockets’ revegetated to form larger and few bushland pockets. Due to their small size, some reserves are highly susceptible to threatening processes and are therefore not self-sustainable into the future.

Seasonal wetland sampling, monitoring and analysis to monitor for changes and trends in water quality.

Monitoring of acid sulphate soils in wetlands and remediation of areas when required. Past examples have included areas such as Spoonbill Shearwater Reserve.

General maintenance of all the City's reserves on a rotational roster.

The Careniup Wetlands Reserve Management Plan has been prepared to guide the future development and management of the reserve to ensure both the community’s future recreational needs are met, in addition to preserving and enhancing the site’s environmental and landscape qualities.

Careniup Wetlands Reserve, within the suburb of Gwelup, consists of a number of parcels of public open space that have been ceded to the City via the Special Control Area identified in the City’s Local Planning Scheme No.3. After community consultation, the management plan was adopted by Council on 17 November 2020 with changes to remove exotic and invasive weeds and subsequent restoration as a conservation area. Works have commenced during 2021.

Current access impacts include Zone 1, 2, 3 and 6 Temporary Closure (Removal of non-native species as part of the Weed Management Strategy).

Recent project updates

In 2022 and 2023 Community Planting Days were held at Careniup Wetlands Reserve to involve the local community in rehabilitating the wetland zones.

A total of 220 trees were planted in 2022 and 280 in 2023. The events were attended by approximately 35 participants at each event, with local residents in attendance. Species included Banksia littoralis, Melaleuca rhaphiophylla and Eucalyptus rudis. In total 2700 plants have been planted across the past 3 years.

Thank you to the community for their support in helping restore the habitat value and native biodiversity in these spaces.

FAQs

Is the Secret Garden closed?

The Secret Garden, as colloquially referred, is a part of the Careniup Wetlands Reserve and was very popular with visitors but did not have the required infrastructure to cope with the large number of visitors. The Secret Garden owed its appearance to a number of introduced exotic weed species.

The Secret Garden is temporarily closed for safety and conservation reasons whilst restoration works are in progress. Careniup Wetland Reserve remains open for the public to enjoy as well as our many other parks and reserves.

What will be happening as part of the Weed Management Strategy?

Exotic or invasive species will be removed using a variety of strategies both mechanical and chemical.

Will there be any revegetation works?

Yes, native species will be planted as part of the revegetation projects. Including the conversion of the Island into a designated wildlife refuge.

How long will the project continue?

The works aligned with the Careniup Wetlands Management Plan will continue for several more years.

Working with conservation volunteers

Engaging with conservation volunteers is not only vital for environmental protection but also fosters a sense of belonging and ownership among residents. In the City of Stirling, several on-ground conservation volunteer groups act as custodians of local natural spaces, playing a crucial role in bushland conservation.

Joining a local volunteer group offers members of the community an opportunity to connect with nature, acquire new skills, and make a tangible positive impact on the environment.

Volunteering can also lead to new friendships and strengthen the community bond among residents.

Surrounding suburbs Between Peasholm Beach and Watermans Bay

Email stirlingnaturalenvironmentcoastcare@hotmail.com

Website https://www.stirlingnaturalenvironmentcoastcare.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StirlingNaturalEnvironmentCoastcareINC/

Surrounding suburbs North Beach, Watermans Bay, Marmion

Email starswamp@hotmail.com

Website https://friendsofstarswamp.wixsite.com/friendsofstarswamp

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1195238134150066/

Surrounding suburbs Trigg, Scarborough, Karrinyup

Email triggbushland@gmail.com

Website https://www.triggbushland.org.au/