The Friends of
Shenton Bushland
Inc.
How will we find our wild hearts inside this city;
How will we find the deep peace?
A. Stevens
Bushland Management Strategies
Individual Management Strategies:
Management Strategy for Veldgrass (Erhartia longifolia - annual veldgrass, Erhartia calycina - perennial veldgrass)
Veldgrass is found throughout the entire bushland, but has been chemically controlled in recent years:
| Year | City of Nedlands | Funding obtained by Friends | Total | Area Sprayed |
| 1998 | $6000 | $6000 | Southern part | |
| 1999 | $6000 | $2000 | $8000 | Central area |
| 2000 | $6500 | $3500 | $10,000 | Central & Health Dept |
| 2001 | $6000 | $ | $6000 | Western area |
| 2002 | $6000 | $6500 | $12,500 | All |
| 2003 | $6000 | $5500 | $11.500 | All |
| 2004 | $ | $ | $ | ? |
This spraying program has reduced the veldgrass infestation significantly within good bushland areas.
The spray (Fusilade) is particularly effective on annual veldgrass, and is believed to have little impact upon native vegetation (except some native grasses).
Our strategy for managing veldgrass is still evolving. Our plan at present is to:
- use chemicals in the short-term to restore good bushland areas so they become more resiliant
- keep fire out of the bushland as far as possible (fire is a major disturbance encouraging veldgrass infestation) by controlling veldgrass chemically
- hand-weed around the edges of perennial veldgrass infestations to enable those areas to regenerate
The distribution of veldgrass was mapped in 2003:
