Recently a large group of Sutton residents set off on a walk around the Sutton Reserve, led by Alison Elvin, the ecologist from Wildscapes Rural in Yass.
The Sutton Reserve is in dire need of rehabilitation. Alison has produced a Management Plan outlining the key issues to be addressed in managing the rescue of the Reserve. Key to proceeding further is the need for Sutton Landcare and others to establish a legal entity that would serve as the Crown Land Manager – this process is proceeding (albeit slowly).
Alison’s Management Plan covers many aspects – including:
- the need to establish a close working relationship with the local Ngambri and Ngunnawal Aboriginal Land Council.
- identifying biodiversity hotspots within the Reserve,
- creating an invasive weeds map, and an Integrated Weed Management Strategy to control priority weed species.
- strategies for dealing with feral animals,
- revegetation strategies including the use of climate-ready species and creation of a much-needed middle story layer,
- planning for public amenities (marked entry points, walking trails, logs as resting places),
- educational opportunities such as interpretive signs
- projects that can be undertaken by students from Sutton school.
The Plan also includes specific infrastructure recommendations such as replacing gates with bollards (to allow free pedestrian access but only authorised vehicular access) and continuous perimeter fencing.
Finally, fire management is a key consideration – cool burns to reduce excessive ground cover, removal of some undesirable species, reducing the overall fuel load (a fire safety measure for the village), and use of fire to re-invigorate some desirable species such as kangaroo grass, thus creating space for orchids and other forbs to re-emerge.
Alison pointed out that of the whole 12 Ha Reserve site, the 2-3 Ha closest to the school are the “Crown Jewels”, a rare example of box-gum grassy woodland containing more than 100 identified species of native plants, and many mature trees with nesting hollows, a veritable “Hilton Hotel for native birds” (Alison’s description).
If you wish to know more, please contact Sutton Landcare at [email protected]