Drone photo of trees planted in rows of red dirt

Nanda Country

Eurardy, WA

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Seedlings Planted
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Project overview

Latest news

Drone photo of trees planted in rows of red dirt

Monitoring

August 2023

Liv and Jess (CPOZ) were on site to monitor progress of the 2021 planting area. The average density had increased by 3% from the previous assessment to 400 trees/ha. The average survival rate across the 237 hectares was 68% – a pleasing result given the incredibly dry winter just gone. The average tree height had increased by more than 24% and the tallest tree measured during the assessment was a 1.9m Eucalyptus.

Group photo of planting team in from of seedlings trays

PLANTING (YEAR 5)

Winter 2022

Over a six-week period, the team (CPOZ, APACE WA, Rural Lifestyle Solutions and Ben Lake) planted more than 227,000 seedlings across the sandplain area of the Reserve. The seedling mix included a total of 43 different native species, all grown from seed collected at Eurardy. Rabbit-proof fencing was established around the planting area to exclude herbivores and give the seedlings the greatest chance of survival.

Woman standing in front of a eucalyptus tree holding a tree measuring stick

MONITORING

October 2022

The CPOZ team were on site for the annual monitoring assessment, measuring a total of 35 plots across the revegetation area. The 2020 area showed the greatest progress, with an average survival rate of 78% and an average height of 1.81m. The tallest tree measured was in the 2019 area – a 4.3m Eucalyptus loxophleba (‘York gum’). Relatively heavy weed cover and herbivore damage was observed in both the 2021 and 2022 areas.

Woman leaning into a bush to collect branches

SEED COLLECTION

October 2022

The team from APACE WA spent a week on-site collecting seed for the upcoming planting year. Key species included Lamarchea hakeifolia, Calothamnus chrysanthereus and Phymatocarpus porphyrochephalus. Seed-laden branches were collected from across the reserve. Once dry, the seed was processed using a series of fine sieves to remove leaves, stems and other debris, then taken to the nursery for seedling grow-out.

Drone image of ute with trailer full of seedings in planting rows

Planting (year 4)

June 2022

Led by Dr Geoff Woodall, the team used a combination of machine and hand-planting techniques to plant more than 46,000 seedlings. The seedling mix included 26 different native species such as Lemarchea hakeifolia, Melaleuca eleuterostachya, and Calothmnus chrysanthereus. The seedlings were used to infill patchy areas of last year’s planting, as well as undertake a 27 hectare trial on the yellow sandplain area of the reserve.

Man squatting down next to eucalyptus seedling in paddock

Monitoring

March 2022

Project Manager, Dr Geoff Woodall, visited the site in early Autumn to check on progress. Having outgrown the weeds, seedling establishment in the 2019 and 2020 planting areas was impressive. Although the emus had caused some damage, the 2021 planting area exceeded expectations, with Acacia, Hakea, and Eucalyptus species establishing well.

Rows of young eucalyptus trees in orange soil

Site visit & Monitoring

Spring 2021

Louise (CPOZ) visited the site in September 2021 to check in on progress and touch base with contractors and planting partners. The team observed excellent seedling establishment and growth across the site; the trees clearly benefitted from the high winter rainfall.

Eurardy Planting 2021

Planting (Year 3)

July 2021

An additional 220 hectares was planted at Eurardy during the winter of 2021, bringing the total planted area up to 617 hectares. Approximately 128,000 seedlings were hand-planted across the new area, representing a total of 20 different species.

Small leafy green tree in red soil

Autumn monitoring

April 2021

Following the hotter-than-average summer, results from the fourth monitoring assessment showed a decrease in average stem density across all plots. Overall, an average of 298 trees per hectare was calculated for the 2019 planting area and 517 trees per hectare for the 2020 area. Browsing from herbivores was evident across the site, with a particular fondness for Acacia species noted.

Small Eucalyptus tree growing in red soil.

Spring monitoring

November 2020

A third monitoring assessment was conducted in November 2020. Although there was some evidence of pest damage (trampling from kangaroos and emus), results showed high seedling establishment and an overall survival rate of approximately 97%. Average density was calculated to be 417 trees per hectare for the 2019 planting area, and 597 trees per hectare for the 2020 planting area.

Woman in a hat and high-vis standing in a field, bending over a pottiputki planting tool.

Planting (Year 2)

July 2020

An additional 205 hectares was planted at Eurardy during the winter of 2020. More than 123,000 seedlings were planted across this new area with 15 native species in the mix. Infill planting was conducted across the 2019 area with almost 62,000 seedlings planted to bulk up the original planting. The seedling mix consisted predominantly of Acacia and Eucalyptus species, adding to the site’s biodiversity.

Small seedling growing in red soil.

Autumn Monitoring

March 2020

A second monitoring assessment was undertaken in March 2020. Results indicated mortality of approximatley 22% since the previous monitoring assessment. These results were not unexpected given the harsh conditions over the summer months. The remaining seedlings showed signs of new growth, illustrating the trees’ ability to put energy and resources into new shoots.

Close up photo of a small seedling growing in red soil.

Spring Monitoring

October 2019

A few months after planting, the first official monitoring assessment was undertaken by Tina Parkhurst from Bush Heritage Australia. Twelve permanent monitoring plots were established across the project site. Results showed high seedling establishment and approximately 98% survival. Positive root establishment and moisture levels were noted.

Man crouching holding a child in one arm and seedling at the top of a pottiputki planting tool in the other.

Planting (YEAR 1)

June 2019

Planting at Eurardy began in June 2019. More than 36,000 seedlings were hand-planted across the prepared area by the E-Scapes Environmental team. The species mix consisted primarily of Eucalyptus and Melaleuca species, both of which play a crucial role in preventing and mitigating soil erosion and salinity.

Site preparation

May 2019

The site was prepared for planting by the team at E-Scapes Environmental. A total of 192 hectares was ripped with wide scalp lines in a meandering fashion. This design was chosen to mimic natural planting configurations, provide weed control and maximise water harvesting.

Man in long sleeved shirt and hat leaning over pole in the ground with dry crops to the right of him.

Site assessment & Seed collection

2018 – 2019

An initial site assessment was carried out by Dr Geoff Woodall in 2018. Soil analysis found the area to consist typically of fertile red loamy soils over clay and calcrete. The final restoration plan was developed in 2019. During spring, native seeds were collected from the area, including key Eucalyptus and Melaleuca species. The seeds were collected by hand and taken to the nursery to be grown into seedlings.

What we planted

Acacia Illustration

Acacia

10 species
wattle
short lifespan
nitrogen-fixing​

Illustration of an Allocasuarina

Allocasuarina

2 species
nitrogen-fixing​
hardwood tree
frost-tolerant

Banksia Illustration

Banksia

5 species
fire tolerant
food source for birds
hardy shrub/tree

Eucalyptus Illustration

Eucalyptus

12 species
fast maturing tree
utilised for canopy cover
high survivability in nutrient-poor soils

Illustration of a Hakea

Hakea

2 species
hardy shrub
excellent habitat for birds
fire-adapted (germination)

Melaleuca Illustration

Melaleuca

11 species
tree and shrub form
food source for native fauna
fire-adapted

Native species illustration

Other

23 species
native to area
increase biodiversity
understorey and canopy cover

Project gallery