PLANTING & MAINTENANCE

INFORMATION NOTE 1: PLANTING & MAINTENANCE

 

TREAT’s replanting and restoration efforts are focussed on the Atherton and Evelyn tablelands, in the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland. The predominant vegetation type here is rainforest, although there are also areas of wet sclerophyll and heath. These notes are written for revegetation of rainforest habitat by TREAT members on the tablelands.

 

For further information download: ‘Repairing the rainforest’ (2013) 2nd ed by S Goosem and N Tucker. WTMA & Biotropica.

 

PLANNING TO PLANT

 

Planning and preparation are just as important as planting. Before you start planting, talk to TREAT and QPWS staff about your project. 

 

There are some things that are important to know when planning your project, requesting trees and selecting suitable species to plant. 

 

What are the features of the site?

Rural number or street address

Plan No and Lot no (get this from the rates notice)

Map of the site showing north and scale (metres) and any relevant features such as access, property boundaries, services, watering points, fence lines, creeks, erosion gullies, and remnant vegetation

Slope: Which direction does it face? – this indicates summer heat and prevailing winds

Climate (frosts, rainfall), altitude and soil type: these determine species selection

Area (square meters): can be measured from the map

Current vegetation: weeds, remnant forest, grass

 

What are the project objectives?

These can include:

• linkages between forest fragments;

• habitat;

• landscape stabilisation and erosion control;

• windbreaks, shelter for livestock; and

• aesthetic considerations.

  

Is planting needed?

For remnant (existing native) vegetation, protection (such as fencing) and weed control may be all that is required. ‘Verdict’ 520 and Fusilade Forte' are grass only herbicide that can be used to remove grass weed competition from rainforest seedlings regenerating naturally. You will need to learn to distinguish native from exotic species.

 

Proposed planting area

Stick to something manageable (300 – 500 trees) if this is something new for you, fewer if you will not be using herbicides. If the planting is next to existing forest leave a generous space (10 m for example) to avoid damaging roots and introducing disease. In any case, seedlings do not thrive in competition with existing trees. To avoid exposure to wind and weed incursion the shape should not be too narrow. A wider planting will provide a better corridor for wildlife use.

 

What site preparation is needed?

The importance of good site preparation cannot be over-stated. A minimum lead time of several months is needed. 

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Protect existing native vegetation

Remnant vegetation should be protected and enhanced, especially on creek banks, by fencing out livestock and using weed control to give native seedlings a better chance of survival. `this may encourage other broadleaf weeds to fill in the gaps but they are less competitive 

for moisture and nutrients.

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Weed control

Weed control on sites with a dense cover of woody weeds (such as lantana and tobacco bush) or guinea grass needs to begin 6 to 12 months before planting. This is hard physical work requiring slashers, handsaws and brush-hooks. Use herbicide to cut and paste larger woody weeds or basal bark stumps and when plants are growing vigorously. ‘Vigilant’ is effective — apply to both cut ends to prevent cut branches from sprouting. Application in the drier months leading up to the wet season is less effective. Leave dead weeds standing to provide perches and leave logs and stumps for habitat. Native recruits often come up through lantana, which can be over-sprayed. Allow two years to remove lantana and release rainforest tree seedlings. 

 

Grasses such as Brachy (Urochloa decumbens), Setaria sphacelata, and Guinea grass compete strongly with young trees. They can be controlled using glyphosate—allow time for two applications, the second at least two weeks before planting to allow time for the grass to dry out and create mulch (don’t burn it).

 

Anyone proposing to undertake revegetation without using herbicide should keep tree numbers small (fewer than 50 trees) because controlling weeds by hand weeding, mulching or mechanical means is time consuming and requires constant vigilance. Allowing weeds to swamp and eventually kill young rainforest trees is wasteful—not only of the cost of site preparation and planting but also the time spent in the nursery growing them to planting-out size.

 

Erosion control

Logs and branches may be sufficient to disperse and slow water flow but where contour swales or rock gabions are required these will need to be installed in the dry season. Where weeds are stabilising slopes, it might be advisable to leave contour lines of weeds (with a 1 m wide buffer zone) until planting is established.

 

Fencing

Wildlife-friendly fencing may be needed to keep out neighbouring stock — this needs to be done before planting and putting out straw mulch! Hot wires have limited use because cattle will push fences over when there is something delicious to eat on the other side..

 

Watering points 

Supplementary watering may be needed in the first year to prevent plant losses. Localised watering at the base of trees may be sufficient, but on many sites it encourages wildlife such as bandicoots or scrub fowl to dig. Watering the whole site by overhead sprinklers that simulate a rain event is ideal. Plan for temporary irrigation of new planting if feasible and needed.

 

Access 

Plan how equipment, plants and people will be delivered.

 

Planting holes

Consider how easy will it be — depending on soil type, rocks and tree roots — and how long will it take to dig planting holes. TREAT members who have attended the planting workshop may apply to borrow the tree auger. Ideally holes are dug the same day (or the afternoon before) to minimise soil drying out before planting. 

 

How will the site be maintained?

The site will need to be maintained for three to five years after planting. Your maintenance plan needs to be formulated well in advance — who will do it, what is needed (such as grass and other weed control, fertilizer application, irrigation, predation control, and  frost guards). Will you be undertaking it yourself or hiring a contractor? How will the cost be met?

 

Grasses and broadleaf weeds will swiftly outcompete trees, especially when the weather is warm and wet. Exotic tropical grasses are especially aggressive and, if unchecked, will win the the battle for light, water and nutrients. Lack of regular weed control is the main cause of revegetation failure in the Wet Tropics. 

 

What species should be used?

Selection of suitable endemic species (plants native to your area) is determined by the regional ecosystem and site aspects. For large plantings (thousands of trees), you will need to plan a couple of years ahead to contract out propagation from a supplier or to grow the plants yourself. You may need special species for particular areas such as edges, especially along livestock fences, water bodies, and creek banks. TREAT and QPWS can advise on which species to use.

 

How will the plants be obtained?

TREAT members of more than one year’s standing may apply for up to 300 trees per season after the first 12 months of membership. More than this is at the discretion of QPWS. Trees can also be purchased from or contract-grown by the TRC nursery or commercial nurseries.

 

How many plants will be needed?

The number of trees needed depends on spacing (1.6 – 2.0 m is recommended, 1.7 – 1.8 m optimal) and the area to be planted. This equates to 2500 to 3900 trees per hectare. Also determine the number of trees to be planted along the edge or along any watercourses or in swampy or erosion prone areas.

 

What will be the cost?

TREAT can advise on estimates of costs. Costs include weed control equipment, chemicals, fertilizer and may also include plants and contract labour for large planting sites. Grants may be available for areas of special significance, and TREAT can also advise on this aspect.

 

How long will it take?

The logistics of preparing the site, digging holes just before planting and providing irrigation means that 3000 is the upper limit for the number of trees planted at one time. For large or complicated sites, planting may need to be in two tranches — one early and one late in the wet season, with planting staged over a number of years.

 

Timing

FEBRUARY TO APRIL is ideal. Planting in autumn is risky – there may not be enough rain, and growth slows in the cooler months so that plants are not sufficiently established to cope with any hot dry weather before the following wet season.