SITE REHABILITATION

Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is present in the Barrington region and is considered a noxious weed in NSW. The plant out-competes most native species and excludes native grasses and shrubs. This has a significant impact on native fauna who rely on natural vegetation communities for food and habitat.

Scotch broom is prolific on the Aussie Ark site and surrounding properties and poses extreme risk to local vegetation and fauna species. Also present are the Small/ Dwarf stinging nettle (Urticas urens) and Nodding thistle (Carduus nutans) which although are not as impactful as Scotch broom, are also considered noxious weeds in the region.

The removal of these species is a major focus of the Aussie Ark team. In the 2019-2020 financial year, approximately 35Ha of Scotch Broom was cleared using an intensive multi-faceted management plan involving herbicide spraying and the cut and painting method. This consists of cutting the broom at the base and applying poison to the stem immediately. Whilst this manual handling is labour intensive, the result is wonderful and longer lasting than most other techniques.

Prior to any release of our wildlife in 2020, additional site rehabilitation has seen the removal of pest species (fox and pigs) from Aussie Ark’s Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary and further Aussie Ark areas.