REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER Animal & Plant Control (SA ...€¦ · EBS Ecology, Adelaide. Front...
Transcript of REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER Animal & Plant Control (SA ...€¦ · EBS Ecology, Adelaide. Front...
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control (SA Murray-Darling Basin
Natural Resources Management Board)
Section: A
Version No: 1
Adopted: 18/02/14
Last Review: 16/04/2019
Next Review: UNDER REVIEW
Minutes Ref: 63/19
Responsibility: Tech Services
Burra Office Site
That the Board be granted approval to upgrade, surface and maintain the right of way for the purpose of access and carpark.
That should the Board wish to obtain ownership of the right of way all costs will be borne by the Board.
Min 575/00 17.10.00
Min 26/14 18.2.14
Proclaimed/Pest Plants - Contaminated Soil
That the Leading Hands being aware of the problems that occur when soil and other materials from areas with known infestations of proclaimed and other pest plants are relocated to other sites, consult with the Authorised Natural Resources Management Officer prior to the removal of soil and other materials from Council land, quarries or to Council land.
Min 065/06 21.2.06
Min 145/07 17.4.07
Min 26/14 18.2.14
Proclaimed/Pest Plants - Private, Council and Reserve Pits
(a) When it is intended to open new pits or reopen/reuse existing pits, the area be inspected by the Natural Resources Management Board’s Senior Authorised Officer, in conjunction with the Leading Hand prior to work commencing. The Officer then submits a report to the Technical Services Department.
(b) No rubble is to be transported without prior consultation with the Senior Authorised Officer, if it contains or is suspected of containing the following Proclaimed Plants:
African Rue Creeping Knapweed Cut-leaf Mignonette Hoary cress Innocent weed Noogoora burr complex Skeleton weed Silver-leaf Nightshade Lincoln weed Bathurst burr Caltrop Cape tulips Wild artichoke Three cornered jack Field bindweed
(c) Suitable records are to be kept by the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board of all contaminated, private, Council and reserve pits.
(d) If it is the opinion of Council that soil and/or rubble used by Council caused an infestation of Proclaimed Plants on that said road, then the Council accept the cost of controlling the respective Proclaimed plants for a period of 2 (two) years. At the conclusion of this period the cost of control would be borne by the adjoining landowner. The Senior Authorised Officer, after inspection of all pits to be used for roadworks, all private, Council and reserve pits will provide an amount that will be considered in the budget, specifically to accommodate this expenditure.
(e) After re-instatement of pits and/or rubble removal areas, a suitable program be implemented to obtain economical control of Proclaimed Plants.
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control (SA Murray-Darling Basin
Natural Resources Management Board)
Section: A
Version No: 1
Adopted: 18/02/14
Last Review: 16/04/2019
Next Review: UNDER REVIEW
Minutes Ref: 63/19
Responsibility: Tech Services
(f) That Proclaimed Plants in private pits be controlled by Council for a period of 2 (two) years after reinstatement.
(g) That the Senior Authorised Officer, after inspection of all private, Council and reserve pits, will provide an amount that will be considered in the budget to specifically accommodate this expenditure.
(h) Sources from which soil and/or rubble is transported from outside the Council area be inspected by the Senior Authorised Officer or nominee, prior to being transported into the area of the Regional Council of Goyder.
Min 066/06 21.2.06
Min 145/07 17.4.07
Min 319/12 18.12.12
Min 26/14 18.2.14
Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
That Council adopt as Policy the Roadside Vegetation Management Plan prepared by EBS Ecology 2010.
Min 164/98 20.4.98
Min 145/07 17.4.07
Min 169/11 15.06.11
Min 26/14 18.2.14
Work on Council Land That the Natural Resources Management Board be asked to notify the Technical Services Department before carrying out works on land under the care and control of the Council.
Min 067/06 21.2.06
Min 319/12 18.12.12
Min 26/14 18.2.14
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control (SA Murray-Darling Basin
Natural Resources Management Board)
Section: A
Version No: 1
Adopted: 18/02/14
Last Review: 16/04/2019
Next Review: UNDER REVIEW
Minutes Ref: 63/19
Responsibility: Tech Services
Regional Council of Goyder
Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
10 SEPTEMBER 2010
Version 1
Prepared by EBS Ecology for the Regional Council of Goyder
Document Control
Revision No. Date issued Authors Revision type
1.0 10/09/2010 S. O’Neill First Draft
Distribution of Copies
Revision No. Date issued Media Issued to
1.0 10/09/2010 Electronic Trevor Woods, Regional Council of Goyder
COPYRIGHT: Use or copying of this document in whole or in part (including photographs) without the written
permission of EBS Ecology and the Regional Council of Goyder constitutes an infringement of copyright.
LIMITATION: This report has been prepared on behalf of and for the exclusive use of EBS Ecology Client, and is
subject to and issued in connection with the provisions of the agreement between EBS Ecology and its Client. EBS
Ecology accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report by
any third party.
CITATION: EBS Ecology (2010) Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan. Report to
Regional Council of Goyder. EBS Ecology, Adelaide.
Front cover photo: roadside Mallee along Hallelujah Hills Road.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Abbreviation Definition
DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Government of South Australia)
DTEI Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (Government of South Australia)
NRM Board Natural Resources Management Board
NVC Native Vegetation Council, an independent body appointed by the Governor of South
Australia
RVMP Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
Definitions
Term used Definition
Carriageway the formed section of road reserve currently allowing for the passage of vehicles.
Clearance From the NV Act:
killing, destruction or removal of native vegetation
severing of branches, limbs, stems or trunks of native vegetation
burning of native vegetation
any other substantial damage to native vegetation, and includes the draining or flooding of land.
Clearance envelope area necessary for the safe passage of legal height vehicles across the full width of the
traffic lanes.
Introduced plants all plant species that are not natural to the area (not present prior to European
settlement).
Native vegetation vegetation that is natural to the area (indigenous) and present prior to European
settlement. This includes native trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses.
Pest plants / weeds introduced plants that can adversely affect native vegetation and/or agricultural crops.
Remnant vegetation native vegetation that has remained in similar form and composition for that location since
European settlement.
Roadside vegetation any vegetation growing on roadsides. This includes native vegetation of conservation
value and vegetation dominated by introduced species.
Road reserve a corridor of land bordered by property boundaries.
Road shoulder the area on a sealed road between the edge of seal and the road verge.
Road verge the area between the edge of the carriageway or the edge of the shoulder and the
vegetation.
Undeveloped Road a corridor of land designated for future road purposes, not developed as yet.
Vegetation (or plant
material):
any living or dead plant material. This includes native trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS..................................................................................... I DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................................ I 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Why manage roadside vegetation? .................................................................... 1 1.2 Legislative responsibilities of Council for road reserve management .................. 3 1.3 Role of this RVMP .............................................................................................. 3 1.4 Who should use this RVMP? .............................................................................. 4
2 COUNCIL COMMITMENT AND POLICY STATEMENTS ............................................ 5 2.1 Commitment ....................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Management issues ........................................................................................... 5 2.3 Other management issues identified .................................................................. 6
3 MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND GUIDELINES ............................................................... 7 3.1 Road construction .............................................................................................. 7 3.2 Road maintenance ........................................................................................... 10 3.3 Verge maintenance for road safety ................................................................... 11 3.4 Installation and maintenance of services .......................................................... 14 3.5 Stockpile sites and quarrying ............................................................................ 15 3.6 Weed control .................................................................................................... 16 3.7 Bushfire hazard reduction ................................................................................ 18 3.8 Bushfire fuel breaks ......................................................................................... 19 3.9 Bushfire access tracks ..................................................................................... 20 3.10 Clearing along fence-lines ................................................................................ 21 3.11 Clearing for property access............................................................................. 23 3.12 Cropping of roadsides ...................................................................................... 24 3.13 Plant material and seed collection .................................................................... 25 3.14 Pest animal control ........................................................................................... 26 3.15 Maintenance of roadside native vegetation ...................................................... 27 3.16 Rehabilitation ................................................................................................... 29 3.17 Revegetation .................................................................................................... 30 3.18 Other Issues ..................................................................................................... 32
4 RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF KEY THREATS ............................... 33 5 IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................... 39
5.1 Internal Council approvals ................................................................................ 39 5.2 Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................... 40 5.3 Job environmental Analysis Checklist .............................................................. 40 5.4 Training and Education .................................................................................... 40 5.5 Vegetation assessment and approval ............................................................... 42 5.6 Monitoring of roadside vegetation..................................................................... 46
6 REPORTING AND REVIEW ...................................................................................... 47 6.1 Annual reports .................................................................................................. 47 6.2 Reviews ........................................................................................................... 47
7 ASSOCIATED PROGRAMS ...................................................................................... 48 7.1 Roadside vegetation surveys ........................................................................... 48 7.2 Roadside marker schemes ............................................................................... 48
8 REFERENCES........................................................................................................... 49 9 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................ 50 Appendix 1. Summary of the Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Survey 50 Appendix 2. Summary of legislation relevant to roadside vegetation management 52 Appendix 3. Roadside Vegetation Categories54 Appendix 4. Construction and Maintenance Standards of Sealed Council Roads 56 Appendix 5. Construction Standards of Unsealed Council Roads 57 Appendix 6. Maintenance Standards of Unsealed Council Roads 58 Appendix 7. Description of Maintenance Activities 1 Appendix 8. Guideline for three-cut method for trimming branches 3
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
Appendix 9. Additional information on bushcare principles and recommended guidelines for weed removal 4 Appendix 10. Contact details of relevant groups and organisations 5 Appendix 11. Council documents Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix 12. Permit application forms Error! Bookmark not defined.
Council reporting documents Document A. Roadside Activity Job Environmental Analysis. Error! Bookmark not defined. Document B. Roadside Native Vegetation Incident Report. Error! Bookmark not defined. Document C. Roadside Vegetation Management Plan Annual Report to the Native Vegetation Council.
Error! Bookmark not defined. Permit application forms Form A. Permit to Use a Road Reserve Error! Bookmark not defined. Form B. Permit to Install or Maintain Utility Services within a Road Reserve Error! Bookmark not
defined. Form C. Permit to Construct or Widen a Road Reserve for Property Access Error! Bookmark not
defined. Form D. Permit to Conduct Weed/Pest Animal Control within Road Reserves Error! Bookmark
not defined. Form E. Permit to Construct or Maintain a Fence-line Adjacent to Road Reserve Error! Bookmark
not defined. Form F. Permit to Collect Plant Material from Road Reserves. Error! Bookmark not defined. Figures
Figure 1. Clearance envelope for a sealed rural road. 10 Figure 2. Clearance envelope for an unsealed rural road. 10 Figure 3. Maintenance of verge areas at intersections (maximum distances shown). 13 Figure 4. Secondary clearance envelope for signs or guideposts (maximum distances shown).
14 Figure 5. Roadside activity assessment and approval process. 39
Tables
Table 1. Council policy statements relating to the 17 key management issues. 5 Table 2. Council policy relating to other management issues. 6 Table 3. Road category descriptions. 8 Table 4. Severity of consequences. 33 Table 5. Likelihood of consequence occurring. 34 Table 6. Risk matrix. 34 Table 7. Risk assessment of hazards associated with the key management issues. 35 Table 8. Roadside management matrix. 37 Table 9. Vegetation assessment and approval guidelines. 42
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
1
1 INTRODUCTION
Roadsides have been developed far beyond providing for vehicle transport, and are frequently utilised to
accommodate a variety of utilities including telecommunications, gas, electricity, and water, and to act as
fuel breaks protecting communities and high-value community, State Government, and Council assets. In
rural areas in particular, roadsides often contain the only significant remnants of native vegetation
representative of the wider landscape prior to broad-scale clearance. As a result, roadsides are important
not only for providing space for required infrastructure, but also for providing environmental and
conservation benefits to the landscape, as well as adding aesthetic values for local communities and
commuters using the roads.
As a consequence of the pressures roadsides are put under to provide the various utility, environmental,
and visual services, roadsides must be managed appropriately, with the needs of the environment, the
conservation of flora and fauna species and ecosystems, and local communities considered. This
Roadside Vegetation Management Plan (RVMP) aims to facilitate and promote the Regional Council of
Goyder’s (the Council) role in the protection, conservation and enhancement of native vegetation within
roadside reserves, and provides guidelines on how this can be best achieved whilst utilising roadsides for
all required purposes. With approval from the Native Vegetation Council (NVC) this RVMP allows for the
exemption under the Native Vegetation Act 1991 for the Council to clear native vegetation within
roadsides providing the approved guidelines are strictly followed.
Section 1 of this RVMP establishes the context in which the plan has been prepared. Section 2 lists the
management issues considered to be a risk to damaging roadside vegetation. Section 3 discusses these
management issues in further detail, sets clear policies, objectives and guidelines on how these activities
will be managed. The policies and guidelines take into consideration the legislative requirements,
particularly those of the Native Vegetation Act 1991. Section 4 details the findings of a risk assessment
conducted following the NVC guidelines procedure, which takes into consideration the consequences of
no or poor management, the severity of these consequences, and the likelihood of the consequences
arising. Included in Section 4 is a roadside management matrix which clearly outlines the necessary
restrictions on various roadside activities, and identifies permit requirements for the different categories of
roadside vegetation. Section 5 details how this RVMP plan should be implemented, the procedures
required, and the responsibilities of Council to ensure the requirements of the RVMP are met to satisfy
both NVC and Council requirements. Section 6 continues with reporting requirements. Recognised
roadside vegetation programs are included in Section 7. Required forms and reports are included as
appendices.
1.1 Why manage roadside vegetation?
Maintaining remnant vegetation within road reserves is beneficial for many reasons. A healthy cover of
roadside vegetation can:
prevent the establishment of weeds
maintain lower fuel loads and fire risk in comparison to introduced vegetation
provide shelter for stock in adjacent land
define road curves leading to a safer driving environment
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
2
reduce soil erosion and hence road maintenance requirements
provide a windbreak for adjoining properties.
The presence of remnant vegetation in road reserves also provides many conservation benefits. A healthy
cover of roadside vegetation can:
support rare or threatened plant species or vegetation associations
provide important habitat for fauna
provide corridors between patches of remnant vegetation
provide valuable seed sources for local restoration projects.
Furthermore, road reserves containing native vegetation add to the visual amenity of area, especially
within landscapes where there has been broad-scale clearance.
In 2008 a wide-scale roadside vegetation survey (EBS 2009) was conducted following the Guide to the
Roadside Vegetation Survey Methodology in South Australia (Stokes et al. 1998). This survey covered
602 km of roads under the management of the Regional Council of Goyder. Condition from the areas
surveyed ranged from locations devoid of native vegetation with no conservation value, through to
vegetation associations of high biodiversity value, including locations of rare and threatened flora species.
A diversity of vegetation types are contained within Regional Council of Goyder road verges including
grasslands, shrublands, and woodlands. Vegetation communities of conservation priority known to exist
within the Council area include Mallee Box (Eucalyptus porosa) Woodland, South Australian Blue Gum
(Eucalyptus leucoxylon) and Peppermint Box (Eucalyptus odorata) Woodland, Southern Cypress Pine
(Callitris gracilis) Woodland, Black Oak (Casuarina pauper) Woodland, Cotton-bush (Maireana aphylla)
and Bitter Saltbush (Atriplex stipitata) Shrubland, and Hairy-pod Wattle (Acacia glandulicarpa) Shrubland.
These communities are considered poorly conserved within South Australia (Neagle 1995; Kahrimanis et
al. 2001; Graham et al. 2001; Robertson 1998; Playfair and Heard 1995). Refer to the Roadside
Vegetation Survey for the Regional Council of Goyder Native Vegetation (EBS 2009) for further
information (see also Appendix 1. Summary of the Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation
Survey).
Roadside vegetation is extremely vulnerable to disturbance and threatening processes such as weed
invasion, vehicle damage, firewood collection, erosion and increased solar penetration. Any significant
disturbance to road reserves has the potential to cause long-term and irreversible damage. Therefore,
road reserves containing native vegetation need to be actively managed to ensure remnant vegetation is
preserved.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
3
1.2 Legislative responsibilities of Council for road reserve management
There are several Acts of parliament that affect the way in which roadside vegetation is managed within
South Australia. These Acts include:
Commonwealth legislation
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
State legislation
Local Government Act 1999
Native Vegetation Act 1991
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972
Natural Resources Management Act 2004.
Council must ensure all works or activities conducted within road reserves have appropriate approvals and
are conducted subject to the requirements under the relevant Acts. See Appendix 2.Summary of
legislation relevant to roadside vegetation management for further information.
1.3 Role of this RVMP
The role of this RVMP is to provide a framework which will enable Council to address a variety of issues
associated with management of road reserves whilst also ensuring that native vegetation is protected and
its conservation value recognised.
This RVMP has been developed to provide a framework for managing roadside vegetation within the
Regional Council of Goyder. It has been developed in accordance with the requirements of the Native
Vegetation Act 1991 with assistance from the Native Vegetation Biodiversity Management Unit of the
Department for Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), following the document Preparing Roadside
Vegetation Management Plans: Guidelines for Local Government (NVC 2004). This RVMP contains:
an outline of the activities and issues that are affecting or have the potential to impact upon roadside
vegetation, with council policies, objectives and guidelines for undertaking these activities or
addressing these issues
a risk assessment of threats to native roadside vegetation
a roadside management matrix that identifies activities that are acceptable for different categories of
roadside vegetation and any restrictions associated with each activity
information specifying how this RVMP will be implemented
procedures for environmental assessment and approval prior to implementation of activities to be
conducted within road reserves
an outline of the requirements for reporting and review of this RVMP
details of Council’s current progress regarding Roadside Vegetation Survey work and Roadside
Marker System (RMS) development.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
4
1.4 Who should use this RVMP?
1.4.1 Policy makers and compliance assessors
The following Council plans and policies have been reviewed as part of the development of this RVMP:
Roadside Native Vegetation Management Plan (RCG 2006)
Tree Policy (RCG 2006)
Classification of Roads Within Council Area Policy (RCG 2006)
Existing council management systems relating to roadside vegetation were reviewed whilst developing
this RVMP. Where appropriate previous systems have been modified and incorporated into this RVMP to
reflect an increased appreciation for the requirements to successfully protect and manage roadside
vegetation.
Council staff involved with the implementation and review of Council policies and standard operating
procedures should be familiar with the requirements and guidelines outlined in this RVMP. Of particular
note for Council workers is the creation of a set of new permits which will need to be processed and
approved by selected Council staff, with other staff made aware of their existence in order to assist
community members and utility service providers. These forms are mentioned under the relevant
guidelines within section 3 (see also Error! Reference source not found.).
1.4.2 Maintenance workers
Council staff and contractors should be familiar with the requirements and the specific guidelines outlined
in this RVMP. Section 5 (page 39) provides information on how this RVMP should be implemented, and
the necessary steps to follow.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
5
2 COUNCIL COMMITMENT AND POLICY STATEMENTS
2.1 Commitment
The Regional Council of Goyder will promote and actively participate in the protection, conservation and
enhancement of remnant vegetation within roadside reserves.
2.2 Management issues
Seventeen key management issues have been identified (Table 1) and are discussed in further detail in
section 3. Two additional management issues have also been identified, these do not require detailed
guidelines, and have been stated below (Table 2). Policy statements have been prepared for each
management issue, and reflect Council’s standpoint on how the issue will be managed. Objectives have
been set for each policy statement, and reflect the requirements of the NVC, other State government
requirements, and the goal of protecting and conserving remnant vegetation.
Table 1. Council policy statements relating to the 17 key management issues.
Issue Council Policy Statement
Road
construction
Council will undertake road construction work in accordance with safe design standards whilst
minimising the removal and disturbance of native vegetation. Native vegetation clearance
approval will be obtained for major construction projects that involve the disturbance of areas of
roadside vegetation.
Road
maintenance
Council will undertake road maintenance work in accordance with safe design standards whilst
minimising the removal and disturbance of native vegetation.
Verge
maintenance
for road safety
Council will undertake road verge maintenance work in accordance with safe design standards
whilst minimising the removal and disturbance of native vegetation.
Installation and
maintenance of
services
Council require service providers and contractors operating within road reserves comply with
relevant guidelines to minimise the impact of all works on native vegetation
Stockpile sites Council will ensure that existing stockpile sites will be used where possible rather than creating
new sites. When new stockpile sites are required, they will be created and managed to minimise
the disturbance to native vegetation. Council will not source quarry material from road reserves.
Weed control Council will ensure all weed control is undertaken in accordance with Council guidelines and
advice from the relevant NRM Board NRM Officer.
Bushfire
hazard
reduction
Council will manage roadside vegetation by conducting bushfire hazard reduction following the
approved Bushfire Prevention Plan. Council will seek approval from the NVC and SA Country
Service for any other bushfire hazard reduction activities not covered in the Bushfire Prevention
Plan.
Bushfire fuel
breaks
Council will manage roads surrounding townships and identified high value community and
council assets as fuel breaks by following the approved Bushfire Prevention Plan. Council will
seek approval from the NVC and SA Country Service for any construction or maintenance of fuel
breaks activities not covered in the Bushfire Prevention Plan.
Bushfire
access trails
Council will manage bushfire access trails to the guidelines of the approved Bushfire Prevention
Plan and the guidelines of Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
6
Issue Council Policy Statement
Clearing along
fence lines
Council will ensure clearance of roadside vegetation along fence-lines complies with Council
policies and procedures and NVC guidelines. Any approved clearance will be conducted using
minimal impact techniques.
Property
access
Council will ensure all vegetation clearance for property access complies with Native Vegetation
Council and local council guidelines. Any approved clearance will be conducted using minimal
impact techniques.
Cropping
within road
reserves
Council will ensure that cropping within road reserves will only be permitted in areas devoid of
native vegetation.
Plant removal
and seed
collection
Council will ensure plant material and seed collection is conducted according to the appropriate
Council permit and State Government permit approvals. Council will generally permit the removal
of native seeds for revegetation activities, removal of specimens for identification purposes, and
removal of plant material (including seeds, fruit and flowers) for bushfood. Council will generally
not permit the removal of plant material (including fallen timber), unless part of an approved
bushfire hazard reduction activity.
Pest animal
control
Council will ensure all pest control work is undertaken in accordance with Council guidelines and
advice from the NRM Board NRM Officer.
Maintenance of
roadside native
vegetation
Council will ensure roadside vegetation of conservation significance is identified and managed
for its protection.
Rehabilitation Council will actively manage degraded road reserve remnants in priority locations to encourage
natural regeneration of native plant species and communities.
Revegetation Council will encourage the revegetation of priority, degraded areas of road reserve utilising local
native species with seed collected as close as possible to the revegetation site.
2.3 Other management issues identified
Council policies for two additional management issues are presented in Table 2. The Council’s position on
not permitting collection of firewood from roadsides is important to consider as this has implications for
other management issues. Effectively this means that vegetation cleared cannot be removed from site,
however it may be permitted as part of planned bushfire hazard reduction activities. Council will not permit
the long-term grazing of road reserves containing native vegetation, unless an existing lease is in place.
Note that this RVMP does not include the Burra Heritage Area, or street trees in townships. Separate
Council policies are applicable.
Table 2. Council policy relating to other management issues.
Issue Council Policy
Collection of
firewood
Council does not permit the cutting and collection of live timber for firewood. Council does not
allow the collection of roadside trimmings.
Grazing of
roadside
The droving of stock along road reserves is accepted where it is a legitimate part of property
management, but where the road reserves have important native vegetation, the use of
alternative routes will be encouraged where this a practical option. Longer term grazing of
roadsides which contain native vegetation is not permitted. The only exception is with leased
roads, in which case lease conditions may be negotiated to protect areas containing significant
vegetation.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
7
3 MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND GUIDELINES
Seventeen key management issues relating to the Councils management of roadside vegetation have
been identified. The measures to minimise the impact of Council related activities on roadside vegetation
are identified below.
3.1 Road construction
When planning and designing road construction projects (including road widening and re-alignment)
where clearance of native vegetation is un-avoidable, Council must submit a formal application and obtain
clearance approval from the NVC prior to undertaking any on-ground work.
When planning road construction works Council should refer to the guidelines outlined within the manual
‘Managing unsealed roads in South Australia’ (Local Government Association 1994) and the DTEI
guidelines, including those within the ‘Environmental Code of Practice for Construction – Road, Bridge and
Marine Facilities’ (Transport SA 1997). Relevant principles of both the LGA manual and DTEI guidelines
have been included within this RVMP.
Council is committed to maintaining and providing a safe passage for vehicles along carriageways whilst
also maintaining and protecting native vegetation within road reserve areas. This requires appropriate
planning to ensure that proposed roads or significant road widening or re-alignments are designed to meet
engineering standards for adequate road safety and to minimise the potential impact on native vegetation.
3.1.1 Policy
Council will undertake road construction work in accordance with safe design standards whilst minimising
the removal and disturbance of native vegetation. Native vegetation clearance approval will be obtained for
major construction projects that involve the disturbance of significant areas of roadside vegetation.
3.1.2 Objectives
Objectives of this policy are to:
design and undertake new road construction projects whilst minimising the impact of the work on
native vegetation within road reserve areas
ensure approval for major construction projects requiring native vegetation clearance is obtained from
the NVC.
3.1.3 Guidelines
The guidelines below establish the maximum clearance envelop for each road category within the Council
area. It is important to note that the maximum distances for envelope clearance have been cited and
illustrated within this section, however environmental constraints may require flexible and innovative
design standards and the maximum distance may not always be appropriate. Any road construction
should aim only to remove the minimum amount of native vegetation required to fulfil safe design
standards.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
8
Table 3. Road category descriptions.
As modified from the Council document: Classification of Roads Within Council Area (adopted July 1997, revised February 2006).
Road category
Description of roads
1 include the major roads within the Council area that operate as local arterial roads
carry traffic through the Council area and are the highest trafficked roads
formation width: 11 m
require 12 m width and 5 m vertical envelope.
2 include roads within the Council area that are major roads for local traffic
carry high priority local traffic such as school buses
formation width: 10 m
require 12 m width and 5 m vertical envelope.
3A, 3B, 3C provide the balance of Council’s constructed road network that have been formed and sheeted
provide all year access to residences and farms and are based on overall traffic volumes
formation width: 8 m
require 10 m width and 5 m vertical envelope.
4 generally unformed and provide access to farming land for the movement of plant machinery and
livestock
allow landowners to access private property with farm machinery (e.g. headers and seeders).
one lane tree trim of 5 m height clearance and 3.5 m clearance envelope
subject to inspection on site and agreement with the Manager Technical Services or designated
Council Officer Note: extensive networks of road reserves exist throughout the region where no road or track exits.
1.1.1.1
1.1.1.2 All Roads
The following guidelines apply to the construction of all roads (category 1 – 4).
The NVC must be consulted and an application submitted for any proposed clearance of native
vegetation associated with the construction of new roads and widening and/or re-alignment of
existing roads.
The vertical height clearance envelope of new roads is to be 5 m
- for sealed rural roads this will mean 5 m vertical clearance over the sealed carriageway and 1 m from the
edge of bitumen (Figure 1)
- for unsealed rural roads this will mean 5 m vertical clearance over the table drain or the edge of the formed
road (Figure 2).
New roads are to be positioned to minimise the impact on native vegetation, while still taking into
account the need to provide adequate road safety and to comply with design and engineering
standards.
The positioning of a new road within the road reserve will take into account offsetting the alignment
along one side of the road reserve as a means of retaining the best possible strip of roadside
vegetation.
Roadside vegetation of ecological significance, including sections identified during the council’s
Roadside Vegetation Survey (EBS 2009) as being Category A or Category B (Appendix 3. Roadside
Vegetation Categories), will be protected as much as practicable.
If the roadside vegetation has not yet been surveyed and assigned to Category A – F under the
roadside survey methods, a vegetation survey must be undertaken by suitably qualified persons (this
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
9
may include experienced Council workers using other known sites as a reference) to assign the
vegetation present into these categories prior to undertaking any design or construction works.
Clearance and disturbance of topsoil in areas of native vegetation must be kept to a minimum to
prevent the spread of weed species and plant or soil diseases (see 3.6, page 16).
Vegetation cleared should not be removed (unless it poses a bushfire hazard risk), however seed
may be collected with approval (see 3.13 Plant material and seed collection, page 25) and utilised for
local restoration activities.
If trees are to be removed, they should be felled into the construction zone and not into undisturbed
native vegetation. Wood is not to be taken.
Larger native trees with hollows, including dead native trees, will be retained where practicable. If
trees with hollows must be removed, attempts must be made to remove the intact hollow and attach it
to nearby trees, or to install appropriately designed artificial hollows.
Vehicles are to be confined to the construction zone of the new or old alignment, and vehicles are to
turn around within road intersections, within the road envelope, or within previously designated turn-
around areas. Vehicles and machinery will not be driven, stored or parked in areas of native
vegetation which are outside of the construction zone.
Bunting should be installed to identify the boundaries of road construction works to prevent
unintentional damage to native vegetation.
Stockpile sites and storage of equipment will be undertaken in areas away from native vegetation and
beyond the drip line of trees to avoid root compaction. If cleared areas are not available, cleared
areas on adjoining properties are to be considered.
Immediately prior to road works commencing each day, the site will be surveyed for native animals
trapped within the site.
All council staff, contractors and sub-contractors conducting work on roads and road reserves are to
be made aware of all related guidelines within this RVMP prior to commencing work.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
10
Figure 1. Clearance envelope for a sealed rural road.
Figure 2. Clearance envelope for an unsealed rural road.
3.2 Road maintenance
Road maintenance activities are necessary to continue to provide a safe passage for vehicles along the
road carriage. Road grading is the major road maintenance activity necessary to ensure a safe and
efficient road network is maintained. The use of graders and other heavy machinery may have an impact
upon native vegetation within road reserves if procedures to manage these activities are not specified and
followed. Council has a dual responsibility to maintain a safe road network and minimise potential impacts
upon native vegetation within roadside reserve.
Current Council road maintenance activities include:
re-sheeting
maintenance of shoulder sections
sign maintenance
pot-holing and heavy-patching of sealed roads
patrol-grading of unsealed roads
side/cut-off drain maintenance
driveway maintenance and construction
stockpiles
dust control
fire track maintenance.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
11
3.2.1 Policy
Council will undertake road maintenance work in accordance with safe design standards whilst minimising
the removal and disturbance of native vegetation.
3.2.2 Objectives
The objective of this policy is to:
plan and undertake maintenance activities whilst minimising the impact of road maintenance on
native vegetation within road reserve areas.
3.2.3 Guidelines
As identified in guidelines for road maintenance (see section 3.2.3, page 11), the maximum clearance
envelop for each road category within the Council area also applies to road maintenance. It is important to
note that the maximum distances for envelope clearance cited may not always be appropriate and
environmental constraints may require flexible and innovative design standards and the maximum
distance may not always be appropriate.
1.1.1.3 All roads
The following standards apply to all roads.
The vertical height clearance envelope of any road is to be 5 m
- for sealed rural roads this will mean 5 m vertical clearance over the sealed carriageway, extending to 1 m
either side of the sealed carriageway (Figure 1, page 10)
- for unsealed roads this will mean 5 m from the table drain or the edge of the formation (Figure 2, page 10).
Grading must not be conducted outside of guideposts or the edge of road carriageway
Excess road material is not to be pushed onto native vegetation within the road reserve, where
possible any excess material should be removed
Debris and vegetative material obtained through maintenance activities must not be deposited on
native vegetation within the road reserve
Any runoffs in areas of significant vegetation should be fenced to protect them from damage through
maintenance operations
Hygiene procedures should be undertaken on grading equipment before leaving a site to prevent the
spread of weed species, and pests and plant diseases
Graders are to turn around within road intersections, within the road envelope, or within previously
designated turn-around areas
The creation and maintenance of stockpile areas must refer to guidelines outlined in section 3.4,
(page 14)
All Council staff, contractors and sub-contractors conducting work on roads and road reserves are to
be made aware of all related guidelines within this RVMP prior to commencing work.
3.3 Verge maintenance for road safety
Verge maintenance of roads within the Council area predominantly involves clearance of vegetation from
the edge of the carriageway for road safety reasons. Council aims to maintain road verges so that a safe
passage is provided and whilst ensuring the conservation values of native vegetation within the road verge
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
12
are maintained. Only large plant species that impede visibility will be removed, with groundcovers and low
shrubs retained. Therefore, where possible the Council will not clear native vegetation within road verges
to the maximum clearance widths if it is deemed a safe passage for vehicles and can be maintained within
smaller clearance boundaries.
Council follows Australian standards for urban pruning procedures and refers to the guiding document AS
4373 (Standards Australia 2007). Council will continue to utilise AS 4373 guidelines for vegetation
trimming.
Maintenance for sight distance clearance can include:
removal of wind damaged/fallen or leaning high risk trees
clearing vegetation surrounding signs for visibility
removal of saplings and re-growth at intersection road bend sight lines
treatment of cut vegetation with herbicide to prevent regrowth.
3.3.1 Policy
Council will undertake road verge maintenance work in accordance with safe design standards whilst
minimising the removal and disturbance of native vegetation.
3.3.2 Objectives
Objectives of this policy are to:
manage road verge maintenance activities to minimise the potential impact to native vegetation within
road reserve areas
assess the level of clearance required to maintain safety sight lines for travelling vehicles, without
clearing vegetation to the maximum clearance widths if a safe passageway can be maintained within
smaller clearance boundaries.
3.3.3 Guidelines
As identified in guidelines for road construction (see section 3.2.3, page 11) and road maintenance
(section 3.2.3, page 11), the maximum clearance envelop for each road category within the Council area
(section 3.1.3, page 7) also applies to verge maintenance. It is important to note that the maximum
distances for envelope clearance cited may not always be appropriate, and environmental constraints may
require flexible and innovative design standards and the maximum distance may not always be
appropriate.
The following guidelines apply.
Native vegetation present within the road verge that will not impair sight distance or pose a significant
risk to vehicle safety is to be retained and promoted.
Trimming of vegetation or removal of individual trees within the road verge may be required for safe
sight distance and vehicle safety. The AS 4373 standards and the three-cut method is to be used for
trimming of vegetation.
Horticultural best practice for vegetation trimming (three-cut method) (Appendix 8. Guideline for
three-cut method for trimming branches) may require limbs to be pruned beyond the 2.4 m road
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
13
verge in order to prune limbs back to the nearest suitable fork or to the ground in the case of mallee
species. This approach minimises damage to vegetation and maximises road safety.
At road intersections where corners are created, verges are to be maintained for safe sight distance.
Clearance areas may be maintained up to a maximum of 50 m along the road from the corner,
however smaller clearance areas can be used if a safe passageway is maintained without needing to
clear the maximum area.
A secondary clearance envelope is to be maintained to allow for safe sight distance of signs and
guideposts. This clearance envelope is to extend 300 mm around the sign or guidepost.
Grading or bulldozing must not be used for verge clearance.
Equipment including flail mowers, articulated slashing devices and hydro-axe may be used for verge
maintenance work when appropriate.
Debris and vegetative material obtained through the various maintenance activities must not be
deposited on native vegetation within the road reserve and must remain on site (unless it poses a
bushfire hazard risk), or deposited in an approved area.
Figure 3. Maintenance of verge areas at intersections (maximum distances shown).
Note: The 50 m clearance envelope is the maximum standard clearance limit for native vegetation on roadsides, but any road maintenance should aim ONLY to remove the minimum vegetation required to maintain safety sight lines. Note: Any road maintenance should aim only to remove the minimum vegetation required to maintain safety sight lines within standard clearance envelopes.
Clearance area
Edge of carriageway
Up to a maximum of 50 m from corner
Up to a maximum of 50 m from corner
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
14
Figure 4. Secondary clearance envelope for signs or guideposts (maximum distances shown).
3.4 Installation and maintenance of services
Provision of services to the community typically involves locating service routes within road reserve areas.
The services include power, telecommunications, gas and water. Construction and ongoing maintenance
of these services has the potential to impact upon roadside vegetation through clearance, physical
disturbance, and introduction of weed species, pests and pathogens.
Service providers must obtain a Council permit before conducting any installation or maintenance of their
service within road reserve areas. A copy of the application Permit to Install or Maintain Utility Services
with a Road Reserve is included Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source not
found..
Service providers have their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) for installation and maintenance
of their service in regard to native vegetation management, including the following documents:
DTEI: Vegetation Removal Policy - Standard Operating Procedure under the Native Vegetation Act
1991
ETSA: Vegetation Management Plan and Environmental Management System – Vegetation
Management Guideline
SA Water: Native Vegetation Standard Operating Procedure – SA Water, June 2006, Standard
operating procedure requirements for native vegetation clearance approvals and regulation
compliance during construction works, operation and maintenance activities
Council will ensure service providers follow their own SOPs whilst working within the Council area.
Additional general procedures have been adopted by Council to further protect native vegetation within
road reserves. These procedures incorporate those identified within the Guidelines for the Management of
Roadside Vegetation as detailed by the NVC. Council will ensure that service providers without
appropriate native vegetation SOPs who intend to conduct work within the council area are provided with
the relevant information regarding the protection of roadside vegetation.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
15
3.4.1 Policy
Council require service providers and contractors operating within road reserves comply with relevant
guidelines to minimise the impact of all works on native vegetation.
3.4.2 Objectives
The objective of this policy is to:
minimise the impact of the installation and maintenance of services to native vegetation within road
reserves.
3.4.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
The NVC must be consulted when new services are proposed to be established along roadsides
containing native vegetation, or when proposed maintenance clearance is in excess of existing
standards.
All service providers intending to conduct work within the Council area must obtain a permit from
Council. The permit application must be received a minimum of seven days prior to the
commencement of any work. A copy of the application Permit to Install or Maintain Utility Services
within a Road Reserve is included in Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source
not found..
Hygiene standards must be followed on all vehicles, machinery and equipment before leaving a site
to prevent the introduction or spread of weed species, pest or pathogens.
New or replacement services are to be established on existing cleared land wherever possible. When
installation of a service is planned within a road reserve containing vegetation of Category A, B or C,
alternative location options must be considered.
If the roadside vegetation has not yet been assigned to Category A – F following the Roadside
Vegetation Survey methods (see Appendix 3. Roadside Vegetation Categories), a vegetation survey
must be undertaken by suitably qualified persons (this may included an experienced Council worker
using surveyed sites as a reference) to assign the vegetation present into these categories prior to
undertaking any works.
Clearance of native vegetation and soil is to be kept to a minimum.
3.5 Stockpile sites and quarrying
Road reserves for the purposes of stockpile sites are an important requirement for road construction or
road maintenance activities. Poor planning and management of stockpile sites has the potential to
severely impact upon native vegetation within road reserves. Impacts to roadside vegetation may include
physical damage to native vegetation, soil disturbance and the introduction of pest weed species.
Council will not source quarry material from road reserves, and only source material from commercial
operators.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
16
3.5.1 Policy
Council will ensure that existing stockpile sites will be used where possible rather than creating new sites.
When new stockpile sites are required, they will be created and managed to minimise the disturbance to
native vegetation. Council will not source quarry material from road reserves.
3.5.2 Objectives
The objectives of this policy are to:
locate new stockpile sites in road reserve areas which are devoid of native vegetation
manage existing stockpile sites to minimise the physical impact on existing native vegetation.
3.5.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Previously established stockpile sites located within vegetation within sections of Category D and E
roads (see Appendix 1. Summary of the Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Survey)
should be utilised as stockpile sites instead of creating new sites.
Existing stockpile sites within roadside vegetation of Category A – C are to be inspected prior to use.
They should not be utilised if natural regeneration of native vegetation is evident. If no native
vegetation is evident, they can be utilised and management strategies, such as pegging the extent of
the site, need to be implemented to ensure they do not expand in size and encroach on native
vegetation.
Stockpile sites will be regularly inspected and maintained to control weed infestations. Weed control
is also to be conducted on site prior to the installation of stockpile sites to ensure that weed material
doesn’t contaminate stockpiled material.
New stockpile sites are not to be created within roadsides where the native vegetation is of Category
A, B, or C (see Appendix 1. Summary of the Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation
Survey). Ideally stockpile sites are to be located within areas containing no native vegetation.
Adjacent cleared land, including private land, will be considered as a first option for positioning new
stockpile sites if no suitable sites occur within the road reserve.
Approval from the Manger of Technical Services is required prior to the development of any new
stockpile sites.
All council staff, service providers and contractors conducting work on roads and road reserves are to
be made aware of designated stockpile sites prior to commencing work at a site.
Any materials stored in stockpile sites are to be removed from the site at the completion of the
project.
3.6 Weed control
Pest plant species, especially weed species, are of particular concern within the Council area and control
within road reserves is a significant management issue within the region. Particular emphasis is placed on
controlling weed species within roadside vegetation classified as Category A, B, and C (see Appendix 3.
Roadside Vegetation Categories for mapped locations), and new outbreaks of declared weed species.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
17
The NRM Board’s can provide advice for the control of declared and environmental weed species. Where
declared species are present on road reserves it is the role of the NRM Board NRM Officer’s to assess
infestations and when necessary work with Council to develop a control program. The relevant NRM
Board must approve all declared pest plant control work on road reserves where the costs are to be
recovered from the adjoining landholder under the NRM Act.
Weed control must be conducted in a way that minimises the potential impact on native vegetation. It is
recognised that in some cases disturbance of native vegetation may be required in order to achieve
adequate weed control. The NVC Guidelines for the Clearance of Native Vegetation Associated with the
Control of Plant and Animal Pests (NVC undated) provide guidelines for the clearance of native vegetation
where this is necessary for pest plant control, and which comply with guidelines issues by the NVC.
As a requirement of the Local Government Act, landholders must seek permission from Council prior to
undertaking any control activity in roadsides adjoining their property. A copy of the application Permit to
Conduct Weed/Pest Animal Control within Road Reserves is included in Error! Reference source not
found. Error! Reference source not found.. Council must refer the request to the relevant NRM Board
prior to granting a permit to ensure that proposed techniques are consistent with regional past plant
control strategies.
3.6.1 Policy
Council will ensure all weed control is undertaken in accordance with Council guidelines and advice from the
relevant NRM Board NRM Officer.
3.6.2 Objective
The objectives of this policy are to:
manage weeds within road reserves whilst ensuring control activities minimise impact to native
vegetation
encourage the regeneration and recovery of native vegetation within road reserves.
3.6.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Landowners or land occupiers adjacent to road reserves must apply to Council for a permit to
conduct weed control activities within road reserves. A copy of the application Permit to Conduct
Weed/Pest Animal Control within Road Reserves is included in Error! Reference source not found.
Error! Reference source not found..
Council will liaise with the relevant NRM Board NRM Officer to ensure the best methods and
techniques are applied. The permit applicant must also be made aware of the recommendations
(either directly from the NRM Officer, or via Council).
Landholders will not be permitted to undertake weed control works on vegetation classified as
Category A, B, and C (see Appendix 3. Roadside Vegetation Categories for mapped locations) or
areas yet to be formally assessed but are considered by a suitability qualified consultant or
experienced Council worker to fall into these categories.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
18
Pruning native vegetation is permitted (by Council and permit holders) if it is essential to provide
access to pest plants, and must be minimised so that it does not result in the death of the plant(s)
involved.
Clearance of native vegetation must be kept to a minimum to achieve effect control.
Spot spraying of declared weeds amongst native vegetation is acceptable (by Council and permit
holders) provided manufacturer instructions and advice from the NRM Officer must be followed.
Boom-spraying or broad-scale spraying in areas of native vegetation requires approval by the NVC
as well as Council.
Hand-held equipment is preferable to heavier machinery for weed control to minimise the
environmental impact.
Bushcare principles and methods (e.g. cut and swab, drill and fill, wipe) should be utilised to prevent
damage to native vegetation. Care must be taken to minimise soil disturbance and off-target effects
on native vegetation (e.g. trampling).
Soil disturbance is to be minimised and where soil disturbance is unavoidable, site monitoring should
follow the initial control work to selectively eradicate pest plants, which might re-establish.
Driving vehicles in intact native vegetation to conduct the weed control must be avoided.
Cultivation of road reserve for the purposes of weed control requires permission from the Council,
and will only be approved when there is no native vegetation present and where there is an
associated long-term plan to revegetate with native plant species.
3.7 Bushfire hazard reduction
Council is required to manage vegetation within road reserves to comply with its responsibility towards
bushfire prevention under the Fires and Emergency Services Act 2005, and to conserve native vegetation
as required under the Native Vegetation Act 1991. Council’s Bushfire Prevention Plan is reviewed
regularly, and sets out guidelines which must be followed. Activities and guidelines in the approved
Bushfire Prevention Plan can be conducted typically without additional approval from the NVC, but Council
must liaise with both the Manger Technical Services and the SA Country Fire Service for certain activities.
Roadside bushfire hazard reduction refers to the reduction of bushfire fuel and other hazardous materials
between roadside and boundary fence lines. Such hazards include excessive growth of weeds and
grasses, and dead vegetation. The removal of rocks and other debris from roadsides provides improved
access for slashing to remove weeds. All roadside hazard management, including the reduction of
bushfire hazards, must take into account sound land management principles and comply with guidelines
set out by the NVC, including the guide Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire
(Government of SA 2009).
The following guidelines are based on the premise that undisturbed native roadside vegetation will usually
be less of a bushfire hazard than roadsides with a mixture of native species and exotic species,
particularly introduced grasses, but that a planned approach is needed with fuel reduction at strategic sites
to protect assets.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
19
3.7.1 Policy
Council will manage roadside vegetation by conducting bushfire hazard reduction following the approved
Bushfire Prevention Plan. Council will seek approval from the NVC and SA Country Service for any other
bushfire hazard reduction activities not covered in the Bushfire Prevention Plan.
3.7.2 Objective
The objectives of this policy statement are to:
manage vegetation within road reserves to minimise the threat of fire to life and property
manage vegetation within road reserves for fire management to conserve native vegetation and to
maintain ecological processes.
3.7.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Any bushfire hazard reduction within road reserves is to be undertaken strictly in consultation with the
Manger Technical Services and to be in accordance with the approved Bushfire Prevention Plan.
Hazard reduction within roadsides should be achieved through control or removal of introduced
weeds, rather than native vegetation, including native grasses.
Removal of native vegetation (other than regrowth on existing fuel breaks, see section 3.8 below) or
on behalf of the Regional Council of Goyder Bushfire Prevention Committee, is permitted if
considered essential for hazard reduction and identified in the approved Bushfire Prevention Plan. If
the clearance is not identified in the Bushfire Prevention Plan, approval from the NVC is required.
Hazard reduction methods, particularly spraying, mowing or slashing of weeds should be conducted
well before summer to allow for the material to decompose.
Mechanical fuel removal is not permitted on slopes of greater than 18o because of the potential to
cause soil erosion.
Any controlled burning of native vegetation within road reserves must be in accordance with the
approved Bushfire Prevention Plan, with approval from the NVC and SA Country Service, and must
be carefully planned to ensure there will be no loss of conservation significant species through
burning too frequently, or at the wrong time or intensity.
3.8 Bushfire fuel breaks
Fuel breaks reduce the spread of fire and can be used as an area from which fire fighters can launch an
attack on the fire. Roads, particularly those surrounding townships and high value community and council
assets, are heavily relied upon to act as fuel breaks, as well as to ensure the safe progress of emergency
vehicles and the evacuation of residents threatened by fire. Consequently roads should be maintained to
fuel break guidelines.
This RVMP incorporates the standards within Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire
(Government of SA 2009) developed by the DLBWC (now part of DENR), NVC, DENR, and SA Country
Fire Service.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
20
3.8.1 Policy
Council will manage roads surrounding townships and identified high value community and council assets as
fuel breaks by following the approved Bushfire Prevention Plan. Council will seek approval from the NVC and
SA Country Service for any construction or maintenance of fuel breaks activities not covered in the Bushfire
Prevention Plan.
3.8.2 Objectives
The objectives of this policy are to:
manage vegetation within road reserves surrounding townships and high value community and
council assets to fuel break standards.
3.8.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
New fuel breaks up to 5 m in width may be constructed along existing fence-lines and must be in
accordance with the Bushfire Prevention Plan. These fuel breaks are termed ‘standard fuel breaks’ in
Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire (Government of SA 2009). The 5 m
width measurement must include any immediately adjoining land where the vegetation has already
been removed as this reduces the amount of native vegetation that may need to removal overall.
Fuel breaks up to 20 m in width can be constructed on private property (not roadside reserves) to
protect primary production assets (see Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire
Government of SA 2009, for details) and must be in accordance with the Bushfire Prevention Plan.
Fuel breaks exceeding 20 m in width can be constructed and maintained if covered in the approved
Bushfire Prevention Plan.
Where a road reserve containing established native vegetation adjoins cleared farmland, any
required fuel breaks must be established on the cleared land rather than through clearance of native
vegetation. Clearance on the road reserve can be up to a maximum of 5 m.
The preferred methods of maintaining fuel breaks include slashing and mowing. Soil disturbance
should be minimised to prevent likely problems with weed invasion and erosion.
If a prescribed burn is required to construct a fuel break, approval from the SA Country Fire Service is
required.
3.9 Bushfire access tracks
A bushfire access track is a track designated, constructed and maintained for the safe passage of fire
fighting vehicles undertaking fire suppression activities. Existing roads are therefore not considered
access tracks, however access tracks may be located within roadside reserves where roads have yet to
be constructed.
3.9.1 Policy
Council will manage bushfire access tracks within road reserves to the guidelines of the approved Bushfire
Prevention Plan and the guidelines of Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire.
3.9.2 Objectives
The objective of this policy statement is to:
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
21
manage vegetation of road reserves utilised as bushfire access tracks to the guidelines of the
approved Bushfire Prevention Plan and Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire
(Government of SA 2009).
3.9.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Bushfire access tracks must be maintained to a width between 4 and 5 m, and be sufficiently clear of
vegetation (both at the sides and overhead) to allow safe access and ensuring that single lane
access is permitted on through roads (these are termed minor fire tracks under the guidelines of
Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire, Government of SA 2009).
Bushfire access tracks may be constructed with passing bays permitting two-way access, providing a
minimum length of 17 m, a minimum width of 6 m and a maximum width in native vegetation of 8 m,
and providing opportunities to pass no less than every 400 m (these are termed standard fire tracks
under the guidelines of Managing Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire, Government of
SA 2009).
Bushfire access tracks may be constructed and maintained to a minimum width of 7 m, allowing
ready and safe two-way access (these are termed major fire tracks under the guidelines of Managing
Native Vegetation: Reduce the Impact of Bushfire).
Bushfire access tracks should be established on land where native vegetation has already been
modified, and be incorporated within a fuel break, and be positioned to complement other fire access
tracks outlined in the approved Bushfire Prevention Plan.
Bushfire access tracks should be located to minimise soil disturbance to retain sufficient vegetation
cover to reduce erosion. Tracks design should include erosion control measures, and maintain
natural drainage lines. All tracks should be designed to allow run-off.
3.10 Clearing along fence-lines
Under the Local Government Act 1999 (Section 221) landholders who wish to clear native vegetation
within the road reserve for fence-line clearance require approval from the Council. Council recognises that
landholders have a reasonable right for vehicular access to their fence-lines, particularly for maintenance
and construction purposes. However, it is usual for the adjacent farmland to be cleared and fences can be
accessed from that side, without any impact on native vegetation within the road reserve.
There are some instances where private land adjacent fence-lines contain native vegetation. Under
Regulation 5(1)(s) (Native Vegetation Regulations 2003) native vegetation may be cleared on landholders
property if clearance is for the purpose of providing a strip of cleared land of up to 5 m in width to provide
access for maintenance of an existing fence or establishing a fence and;
the fence is reasonably required to control access by people or the movement of animals; and
the clearance is required to give reasonable access to the fence and is limited to the extent
reasonably required to achieve that access; and
there is no other practicable alternative (including, in the case of a new fence, to the position of the
fence) that would involve no clearance or the clearance of less vegetation or the clearance of
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
22
vegetation that is less significant or (if relevant) the clearance of vegetation that has been degraded
to a greater extent than the vegetation proposed to be cleared.
Removal of roadside vegetation for fence-line clearance requires Council approval. Branches of trees
protruding through or that overhang the fence from the road reserve may be removed. Shrubs and bushes
growing through the fence-line within the road reserve may be removed if they are growing within one
metre of the fence-line. All fence-line maintenance and construction by landholders must be conducted in
a manner that minimises any potential impact on native vegetation.
3.10.1 Policy
Council will ensure clearance of roadside vegetation along fence-lines complies with Council policies and
procedures and NVC guidelines. Any approved clearance will be conducted using minimal impact techniques.
3.10.2 Objective
The objective of this policy statement is to:
ensure the potential impact on native vegetation within road reserves is minimised, whilst enabling
landholders to gain appropriate access to fence lines for maintenance and construction purposes.
3.10.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Landholders must obtain a permit from Council to undertake clearance for fence construction,
replacement, or maintenance requiring clearance. A copy of the application Permit to Construct or
Maintain a Fence-line Adjacent to a Road Reserve is included in Error! Reference source not
found. Form D.
The removal of limbs growing through or overhanging the fence will be permitted. For mallee trees
these branches should be cleanly cut off at the base of the tree, not broken off. For other trees, limbs
should be cut cleanly off at the nearest major fork.
The removal of stumps on the actual fence-line will be permitted.
Where shrubs or bushes within the road reserve are growing through the fence-line, Council will allow
those bushes growing within one metre of the fence-line to be removed.
Where shrubs are to be removed from the base, minimal impact techniques should be used to
prevent soil disturbance.
Where the proposed clearance of roadside vegetation along fence-lines is in excess of the above
standards, or includes rare or threatened species under either the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1972 or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, applications will be
referred to the NVC or the Commonwealth Department for Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
for formal approval.
Ploughing or grading of roadside vegetation will not be permitted.
Where the proposed clearance exceeds the minimum clearance widths as described in the guidelines
above, formal NVC approval for vegetation clearance will be required.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
23
3.11 Clearing for property access
Clearance of native vegetation may be required by landowners to provide for access or improved access
to private properties. Proposed construction of driveways or widening of driveways that would require the
removal of native vegetation must be in accordance with the Native Vegetation Act 1991, and requires
approval from the Council under the Local Government Act 1999. Approval from DTEI is required when
constructing access along arterial roads.
The NVC’s booklet Guidelines for the Management of Roadside Vegetation outlines clearance standards
with regard to property access and the Regional Council of Goyder incorporates these standards within
the current RVMP.
Constructing or widening driveways can potentially impact on significant and sizable areas of native
vegetation and council intends to manage property access applications such that the clearance or
disturbance of native vegetation is minimised.
3.11.1 Policy
Council will ensure all vegetation clearance for property access complies with NVC and local council
guidelines. Any approved clearance will be conducted using minimal impact techniques.
3.11.2 Objective
The objectives of this policy are to:
enable landholders to gain appropriate access to private properties, whilst keeping native vegetation
clearance to a minimum.
ensure the potential impact on native vegetation within both road reserves and private property for
property access is minimised.
3.11.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Landholders must obtain a permit from council to establish new, or widen property access points
within areas of native vegetation. A copy of the application Permit to Construct or Widen a Road
Reserve for Property Access is included in Error! Reference source not found. Form C.
Unless there are no other alternative access options, additional access points will not be permitted on
road segments of Category A, B or C.
Where clearance of native vegetation is required, approval will only be given where there will be an
overall environmental gain (eg appropriate revegetation is undertaken). This may include
revegetating suitable cleared sections of road reserve.
If the roadside vegetation has not yet been assigned to Category A – F, a vegetation survey must be
undertaken by suitably qualified persons (or experienced Council worker using existing surveyed
sites as a reference) to assign the vegetation present into these categories prior to undertaking any
works.
Vegetation trimmed or cleared and soil that has been removed is not to be placed on the road
reserve.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
24
A clearance width of 5 m is allowed for normal vehicle access tracks to private property. In addition to
this, clearance along the road reserve is allowed to provide adequate sight distance, providing only
the minimum clearance required is undertaken. The clearance envelope for adequate sight distance
is allowed to be an area starting from 5 m back from the intersection of the road and driveway,
extending to a point 50 m along the road on either side of the intersection. The distance along the
road required for adequate sight distance will be assessed more specifically on a case by case basis
whereby only vegetation impairing sight distance is removed. Proposed clearance for sight distance
greater than 50 m from the intersection will need to be assessed by suitably qualified persons.
A clearance width of 10 m is allowed for wider farm vehicle access tracks to private property. In
addition to this, clearance along the road reserve is allowed to provide adequate sight distance,
providing only the minimum clearance required is undertaken. The clearance envelope for adequate
sight distance is permitted as an area beginning 5 m back from the intersection of the road and
driveway, extending to a point 50 m along the road on either side of the intersection. The distance
along the road required for adequate sight distance will be assessed more specifically on a case by
case basis so that vegetation impairing sight distance can be selectively removed within the area.
Proposed clearance for creation of safe sight distances greater than 50 m from the intersection will
need to be assessed by suitably qualified persons.
Where the proposed clearance exceeds the minimum clearance widths as described in the guidelines
above, formal NVC approval for vegetation clearance will be required.
3.12 Cropping of roadsides
3.12.1 Policy
Council will ensure that cropping within road reserves will only be permitted in areas devoid of native
vegetation.
3.12.2 Objectives
The objectives of this policy are to:
locate sites for community organisations to carry out cropping in road reserve areas which are devoid
of native vegetation
manage community organisation cropping sites and minimise the physical impact on existing native
vegetation.
3.12.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Community organisations within the Council area may apply to Council to crop within road reserves
for community purposes. All applications must provide a statement from all adjoining landowners
agreeing to the area of the road reserve to be cropped. A copy of the application Permit to Use a
Road Reserve is included in Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source not
found..
All proceeds of the cropping must be for the sole benefit of the community organisation.
All approved applications for cropping within road reserves will be granted for a period of three years
only, pursuant Section 222 of the Local Government Act 1999.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
25
In agreeing to the terms and conditions of the lease, the lessee indemnifies Council from all claims
and actions.
Cropping will only be approved for sections of road reserves devoid of native vegetation, such as
sections identified as Category E under the Roadside Vegetation Survey (see Appendix 3. Roadside
Vegetation Categories). If the roadside vegetation has not yet been assigned a category following the
Roadside Vegetation Survey methods, a vegetation survey must be undertaken by suitably qualified
persons or experienced Council worker using sites already surveyed as a reference, to assess the
vegetation and assign an appropriate category.
Only one side of the carriageway can be cropped at any one time to facilitate the droving of stock if
necessary.
Only road reserves along two and three chain roads will be available.
The approved community organisation is responsible for the control of declared weeds and vertebrate
pests within the approved section of the road reserve for the term of the permit period and for two
years after the permit expires.
3.13 Plant material and seed collection
Council recognises the importance of remnant vegetation within road reserves as it provides a seed
source of local indigenous native species suitable for local revegetation and restoration projects. Council
also recognises plant species specimens are required for educational and species identification purposes.
Plant material (leaves, fruit, flowers, stems, bark, and seed) collection from roadside vegetation requires
approval from Council under the Local Government Act 1999 and from DENR under Section 49 of the
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 through a Permit to Collect Native Plant Material.
3.13.1 Policy
Council will ensure plant material and seed collection is conducted according to the appropriate Council
permit and State Government permit approvals. Council will generally permit the removal of native seeds for
revegetation activities, removal of specimens for identification purposes, and removal of plant material
(including seeds, fruit and flowers) for bushfood. Council will generally not permit the removal of any other
plant material (including fallen timber), unless part of an approved bushfire hazard reduction activity.
3.13.2 Objectives
The objectives of this policy are to:
manage the collection of plant material to conserve and sustain local native species and habitat
values within roadsides
promote revegetation using local seed stock.
3.13.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Collection of plant material and seeds from within road reserve requires council approval. A copy of
the application Permit to Collect Plant Material from Road Reserves is included in Error! Reference
source not found. Error! Reference source not found.. The permit requires additional non-council
permits, the appropriate DENR Permit to Collect Native Plant Material for an Individual, Community
Group or Botanic Garden, or Permit to Collect Native Plant Material for ‘Other’, or Permit to Collect
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
26
Native Plant Material for Class A Type Permits, and NVC permit (if required), to be attached. Also
note that a DENR permit to collect plant specimens for identification requires an Application to
Undertake Scientific Reserve in South Australia. These permit application forms are available from
www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/sustainable-use (collection permits)
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/science/permits/permits.html (scientific permits).
Council will consult with DENR when assessing all applications.
Collection must be undertaken in accordance with the conditions of the permit issued by Council,
DENR, and NVC (if required).
Native plant materials must only be collected from healthy plants that have neighbouring plants of the
same species within 20 metres. Collection from five or more plants of the same species, at a distance
of at least 100 metres between plants is also encouraged in order to maximise the diversity of seed
collected.
No more than 20% of the seed/fruit stock is to be removed from any one plant.
Council and DENR permits are to be carried at all times and is to be produced to a DENR or Council
Officer upon request.
The sourcing of locally indigenous plant material for revegetation works will only be permitted if
resulting plant stock is to be planted as close as possible to the collection location.
Tree trimming programs (for verge maintenance) will be undertaken in consultation with local
revegetation groups to facilitate the collection of seed and fruit from trimmed vegetation.
Council does not permit the collection of roadside trimmings cut as part of Councils routine program,
or the collection of timber, unless it is part of a recognised bushfire hazard reduction activity approved
by the Manger Technical Services.
Council does not permit bush cutting or flower harvesting (other than for permitted bushfood
collection) from roadside vegetation.
3.14 Pest animal control
Pest animal species present within the Council area are a conservation and public safety issue. Of
particular concern are foxes and rabbits. The NRM Officers should be contacted to provide advice on
control programs and to recommend specific activities required to control the species of concern. Costs
incurred by Council to conduct pest animal control can be recovered from the NRM Board, however
approval must be granted prior to the activities taking place. Adjoining landholders should be encouraged
to participate in declared animal control programs to enhance the size of the control area and minimise the
risk of reinvasion.
Landholders must seek permission from Council prior to undertaking any control activities within
roadsides. The use of poison baits on road reserves is prohibited without the permission of Council and
the relevant NRM Board.
When conducting pest animal control it is essential that control work be conducted in a way that minimises
the potential impact to native vegetation, which is a requirement of the Natural Resources Management
Act 2004. It is recognised that in some cases disturbance of native vegetation may be required in order to
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
27
achieve adequate pest animal control. The NVC Clearance of Native Vegetation Associated with the
Control of Plant and Animal Pests provides guidelines that Council must comply with. These guidelines
are included below.
3.14.1 Policy
Council will ensure all pest animal control work is undertaken in accordance with Council guidelines and
advice from the NRM Board NRM Officer.
3.14.2 Objectives
The objective of this policy is to:
manage pest animal control activities within road reserve areas to achieve effective control whilst
minimising any impact on native vegetation.
3.14.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Landowners or land occupiers must obtain Council permission before conducting any pest animal
control within road reserve areas prior to commencing any pest animal control activities. A copy of the
application Permit to Conduct Weed/Pest Animal Control within Road Reserves is included in Error!
Reference source not found. Error! Reference source not found..
Council will liaise with the NRM Board NRM Officers prior to granting permits. Landowners or land
occupiers must be made aware of the recommendations, either directly from the NRM Board or via
Council workers.
If pruning of native vegetation is essential to provide access to pest animals (eg. rabbit warrens), it is
acceptable to prune as long as it does not affect the overall viability of the plant(s) involved.
Clearance of native vegetation must be kept to the minimum required for effective pest animal
control.
If entire native plants need to be removed in order to facilitate effective pest animal control, prior
discussion with, and endorsement by the NVC must be granted.
Soil disturbance (eg. ripping of rabbit warrens) is to be minimised. Where soil disturbance is
unavoidable, site monitoring should follow the initial control work to selectively eradicate pest plants,
which might establish at the site.
Fumigation is the preferred method for the control of rabbits and foxes within roadside vegetation.
Fumigation may be followed by closing Rabbit warrens with hand tools, or mechanical rippers to
close Fox dens provided the vegetation is not Category A, B or C.
Destruction of rabbit warrens should be avoided where possible due to the high risk to damage to
native vegetation. The method is not to be undertaken in vegetation of categories A, B and C.
Baiting (or either Rabbits or Foxes) will not be undertaken within roadsides.
3.15 Maintenance of roadside native vegetation
The significance of roadside vegetation within the Council area varies from Category A through to
Category F (summarised in section 1.6, see also Appendix 3. Roadside Vegetation Categories). Some
sections of road reserve within the Council area contain native vegetation (individual plant species or
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
28
vegetation communities) that is considered to be of very high ecological and conservation value (Category
A and B). Furthermore, some sections are considered to be representative of a vegetation community that
may be close to its pre-European condition (Category A).
In a council area that has been extensively cleared, the importance of high quality remnant vegetation
within roadsides is recognised and valued. A complete Roadside Vegetation Survey identifies roadside
vegetation that is of high conservation and ecological value, including its habitat value for important locally
indigenous fauna species. It is important that all areas of high conservation and ecological value are
identified and managed appropriately.
In order to maintain sections of high conservation value (Category A and B) roadside vegetation, active
management must be undertaken by Council, contractors and volunteers, to preserve biological diversity
and promote the natural regeneration of native species.
Management of native vegetation within road reserves may include activities such as weed control,
fencing and rubbish collection. Council has partnerships with organisations to undertake bushcare
programs of this nature, often involving trained community volunteers. However, the management
responsibility and coordination of such programs ultimately rests with the Council.
3.15.1 Policy
Council will ensure roadside vegetation of conservation significance is identified and managed for its
protection.
3.15.2 Objective
The objective of this policy is to:
identify and manage roadside vegetation of high conservation and ecological significance.
3.15.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Council should maintain a roadside vegetation database (and appropriate GIS information), so that
information is readily available. All data collected from roadside vegetation surveys (including data
provided to DENR database) should be incorporated.
Roadside Significant Sites (Category A and B) identified from any Roadside Vegetation Surveys
should be incorporated within a Roadside Marker Scheme. Appropriate signage, including RMS
markers, should be erected on the roadside to ensure that council staff, contractors and the
community are aware of the existence and extent of significant native vegetation within a given area.
Segments of roadside vegetation that have been identified as Category A are of first priority, followed
by Category B.
Council’s Roadside Marker Site database and GIS layer is to be maintained and annually updated to
incorporate any newly delineated Roadside Significant Sites.
Council must take responsibility for maintenance and protection of native vegetation within council’s
roadside reserves.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
29
Council staff, contractors and volunteers who undertake work within road reserves are to undertake
training to develop and improve work procedures that will ensure the protection of Roadside
Significant Sites. Information on suitable training courses will be provided by Council.
Council will actively direct any staff, contractors and volunteers participating in the management of
roadside native vegetation through the development of detailed project specifications, work plans and
site maintenance standards.
3.16 Rehabilitation
Many road reserves containing native vegetation are degraded and intervention is required to improve
remnant condition and resilience. Degraded roadside remnants have been disturbed by a variety of factors
including vegetation clearance, increased solar exposure, altered water regimes, pest animal and plant
invasion. The Council is committed to ensuring that activities conducted within roadsides are undertaken
in a manner to minimise further degradation of native vegetation, and to rehabilitate distributed areas
where appropriate. Rehabilitation efforts will be directed towards roadsides adjacent to high-value remnant
vegetation, such as areas identified in the Roadside Vegetation Survey for the Regional Council of Goyder
(EBS 2009) as being of Category A and Category B, and areas managed for conservation purposes
including conservation parks, and heritage agreements.
3.16.1 Policy
Council will actively manage degraded road reserve remnants in priority locations to encourage natural
regeneration of native plant species and communities.
3.16.2 Objective
The objectives of this policy are to:
improve the condition of native vegetation within remnant areas through natural regeneration
prevent further degradation within road reserves, and protect areas where natural regeneration
occurs
address degrading processes that prevent sites from naturally regenerating.
3.16.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Ensure all activities to be undertaken within road reserves are conducted according to the policies
and guidelines contained within this RVMP.
Council should give priority to identifying and rehabilitating roadside vegetation that is adjacent to
existing remnants. Priority will be given to roadside vegetation adjacent properties that are actively
managed for conservation purposes.
Community groups or individuals interested in conducting rehabilitation works within road reserves
will be required to have an agreement with Council on the nature and extent of the rehabilitation
project, this can be initiated through a Permit to Use a Road Reserve. A copy of the application form
is in Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source not found..
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
30
Rehabilitation sites are to be monitored to determine if native vegetation condition is improving. If
condition has improved, the roadsides will require to be reassessed to determine the appropriate
roadside vegetation category (see Appendix 3. Roadside Vegetation Categories for category details).
Rehabilitation projects must not interfere with Council’s responsibility to achieve adequate and
specified road safety and bushfire prevention standards. The line of sight of vehicles must not be
restricted, nor greatly reduce road visibility and should not pose any other hazards to road users.
Depending on the location and objectives of the rehabilitation project, Council should consider
collaborating and liaising with community groups and government agencies to execute rehabilitation
works. Partner groups include the NRM Boards, DENR, Greening Australia, Landcare and Trees for Life
(see Appendix 10. Contact details of relevant groups and organisations).
3.17 Revegetation
Many road reserve areas within the Council area have been extensively cleared in the past and contain
little or no vegetation. Cleared roadsides provide an opportunity for revegetation, to increase the amount
of roadside vegetation in the Council area, buffer remnants and improve remnant connectivity. Other
benefits include the creation of habitat for wildlife, improving the visual amenity of an area, and reducing
the risk of soil erosion and salinity.
Council may initiate and encourage strategic revegetation within the region, ensuring that it complies with
Council’s road safety and bushfire prevention objectives. Council managed revegetation programs aim to
establish vegetation that reflects pre-European vegetation communities. The use of locally indigenous
plant species grown from locally collected seed is considered best practise for use within revegetation
programs.
Guidelines for revegetation programs have been outlined within Guidelines for the Management of
Roadside Vegetation and Council policy incorporates these guidelines within this RVMP. Under the Local
Government Act 1999, it is a requirement for others intending to conduct revegetation programmes within
road reserves to obtain permission from local council. This may be initiated through a Permit to Use a
Road Reserve. A copy of the application is provided in Error! Reference source not found. Error!
Reference source not found..
3.17.1 Policy
Council will encourage the revegetation of priority, degraded areas of road reserve utilising local native
species with seed collected as close as possible to the revegetation site.
3.17.2 Objective
The objectives of this policy statement are to:
revegetate priority areas within road reserves to enhance biodiversity values
only utilise locally indigenous species with seed collected as close as possible to the revegetation
site.
3.17.3 Guidelines
The following guidelines apply.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
31
Revegetation projects should be undertaken within priority areas. These include the road reserves
adjacent to remnants managed for conservation purposes, road reserves that can contribute to
greater remnant connectivity, and road reserves that are greater than 10 m in width. Other priorities
may include the re-creation of preferentially cleared vegetation types, including grassy woodland
communities. Revegetation projects are usually unnecessary within roadside vegetation of good
condition as there may be greater potential for native vegetation establishment through natural
regeneration.
A site assessment conducted by a qualified consultant, contractor or suitable Council staff member
should be undertaken prior to any revegetation work to ensure the proposed site is suitable.
Use of local seed and local species is encouraged for use in revegetation projects. Collection of
seeds should be undertaken according to the guidelines within this RVMP (include the appropriate
permits). All seed or plants used for revegetation projects should be from native vegetation of similar
soil type, slope and aspect as close as practicable to the area to be revegetated (preferable within 10
km).
Care is required to avoid damaging existing remnants, especially areas containing understorey
species. Consultation with an expert may be required.
Revegetation projects must not interfere with Council’s responsibility to achieve adequate and
specified road safety and bushfire prevention standards. The line of sight of vehicles must not be
restricted, nor greatly reduce road visibility and should not pose any other hazards to road users.
Replanting near powerlines must comply with the legislation and guidelines of the ETSA Corporation.
Depending on the location and objectives of the revegetation project, council should consider
partnering and liaising with community groups and government agencies including the relevant NRM
Board and DENR.
All revegetation works should be designed with consideration to ongoing maintenance requirements
and/or have low maintenance requirements. All revegetation proposals should be assessed by
Council to identify maintenance issues or fire hazard issues before planting occur.
Any community groups or individuals interested in conducting revegetation works within road
reserves are required to have an agreement with Council on the nature and extent of the revegetation
project. Individuals or community groups must notify Council on their intent to conduct revegetation,
this can initiated through a Permit to Use a Road Reserve. A copy of the application is included in
Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source not found..
Community groups and individuals interested in conducting bushcare within road reserves will be
encouraged to participate in any relevant workshops or training courses.
Where a road or track is considered to be of strategic importance within an area for the prevention of
the spread of fire, the proposed planting of vegetation for biodiversity, aesthetics, conservation or
enrichment, should first be referred to the Manger Technical Services. This will assist in preventing
the establishment of fuel tunnels in high fire risk areas where vehicle access will be required.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
32
3.18 Other Issues
3.18.1 Vegetation die-back issues
Die-back in native vegetation may be caused by a number of factors. The decline in the health of remnant
vegetation may in some cases be due to soil-borne pathogens or soil conditions and deficiencies. Plants
that are affected by die-back exhibit a slow decline in health that can result in their death.
The soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora is a major issue within South Australia, causing irreversible
dieback of native vegetation. Mundulla Yellows is a condition less understood, however it is considered
that native vegetation may die back as a result of high soil pH, high salinity levels and nutrient deficiencies
(Czerniakowski et al. 2006) as opposed to previously suspected biotic factors such as pathogens (Luck et
al. 2006).
1.1.1.4 Phytophthora
Phytophthora, often referred to as a root-rot fungus, is a microscopic, soil-borne organism that infects root
systems and basal stem tissue of native vegetation. Once infected with Phytophthora, native vegetation
will suffer from root-rot, show signs of dieback and may eventually die as the movement of water and
nutrients to the plant is inhibited.
Spread of Phytophthora to new hosts is known to occur via transport of infected soil or plant matter (even
small amounts). Infected soil and plant matter may adhere to surfaces including machinery, vehicles,
equipment and footwear which may be a potential means of spreading Phytophthora within and between
roadside reserves.
The Regional Council of Goyder council area is considered to be low risk to Phytophthora as organism
has not been confirmed or suspected to occur in the area. Similarly Phytophthora is unlikely to become
established due to soil type, climate and landform not being conducive to Phytophthora growth and
survival. Plant species susceptible to Phytophthora are not present (DEH 2004).
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
33
4 RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF KEY THREATS
Identifying the risks to native vegetation from Council activities, and activities managed by Council, is
important so that appropriate control measures to minimise or eliminate the risks can be developed. This
section presents details of a risk assessment conducted following NVC Guidelines (2004), whereby the
following steps were undertaken:
activities and factors that may impact upon roadside vegetation were identified (as presented in
Section 3 Management Issues and Guidelines)
the potential consequences for each activity were identified
the severity of the consequence was determined (see Table 4 for rating categories)
the likelihood of the consequences actually occurring assessed (see Table 5 for rating categories)
the level of risk was established based on both the severity and likelihood ratings (see
Table 6 for the risk matrix)
the potential management and treatments required to reduce the risks were determined.
The risk assessment is summarised in Table 7 The final step of the risk assessment process is the
preparation of the roadside management matrix, which provides a summary of management measures
restrictions placed upon the roadside activities. Both the level of restrictions and the necessity to liaise
with appropriate agencies and experts is based upon the roadside vegetation category, with category A,
the highest quality vegetation, having the most stringent restrictions. The roadside management matrix is
presented in Table 8.
Table 4. Severity of consequences.
Severity Description of environmental consequences1
Negligible No demonstrable or measurable effect.
Minor Few plants affected. No damage to threatened species or vegetation of conservation significance. No
long-term damage to vegetation.
Major
Significant numbers of plants killed. Limited damage to threatened species or vegetation of high
conservation significance or moderate damage to vegetation of lower conservation significance.
Damage reversible in less than five years.
Severe
Substantial damage to vegetation. Moderate damage to threatened species or vegetation of high
conservation significance or severe damage to vegetation of lower conservation significance.
Eventual recovery possible, but not necessarily to the same pre-incident conditions.
Disastrous
Irreversible and irrecoverable changes to areas of vegetation, with little prospect of recovery to pre-
incident conditions. Extensive damage to and loss of vegetation of high conservation significance,
possibly loss of threatened species. 1Based on impacts to good quality native vegetation.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
34
Table 5. Likelihood of consequence occurring.
Likelihood Description of likelihood
Virtually Impossible Has almost never occurred, but conceivably could
Rare Has occurred but only a few times
Unlikely Occurs, but not likely
Likely Likely to occur
Virtually certain Can be expected to occur more than once and includes continuous impact
Table 6. Risk matrix.
Likelihood of consequence
Virtually impossible
Rare Unlikely Likely Virtually certain
Se
ve
rity
of
co
ns
eq
ue
nc
e
Negligible Effect Low Low Low Low Low
Minor Effect Low Low Medium Medium Medium
Major Effect Medium Medium Medium Medium High
Severe Effect Medium Medium Medium High High
Disastrous Effect Medium Medium High High High
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
35
Table 7. Risk assessment of hazards associated with the key management issues.
See Table 4 for severity rating categories, Table 5 for likelihood rating categories, and Table 6 for risk categories.
Management issue Hazard Consequence Severity Likelihood Risk
Road construction excessive movement of equipment through native vegetation
removal/ destruction/ damage of native vegetation Disastrous Likely High
soil disturbance and removal of soil seed bank Severe Likely High
removal of habitat including hollows Severe Likely High
Road maintenance placing grading rill outside formation destruction or damage to native plants (smothering) Major Likely Medium
turning grader in roadside soil disturbance and removal of soil seed bank Major Likely Medium
movement of grader along roads spread of or introduction of pest plant species or soil-borne pests and diseases
Major Likely Medium
Verge maintenance pruning in excess of standards damage to native vegetation Minor Unlikely Medium
plant removal in excess of standards removal of native vegetation Major Unlikely Medium
Installation and maintenance of utilities
equipment operating within road reserves containing native vegetation
clearance / damage of native vegetation Major Unlikely Medium
insensitive methods used to maintain services soil disturbance / removal Major Likely Medium
Stockpile sites creation of new sites in areas of high conservation significance
removal / damage / smothering of native plants Disastrous Rare Medium
removal of soil and soil seed bank Severe Rare Medium
Weed control overspray destruction or damage to native plants Major Likely Medium
herbicide spillage destruction or damage to native plants Major Likely Medium
slashing of native vegetation destruction or damage to native plants Major Likely Medium
Bushfire hazard reduction
excessive clearance / slashing/ mowing removal / damage of native vegetation Major Rare Medium
inappropriate burn regime for fuel reduction loss of threatened plant species Disastrous Virtually impossible
Medium
removal of fauna habitat shelter refuges loss of habitat for fauna Minor Likely Medium
Bushfire fuel breaks excessive clearance / slashing / mowing removal / damage of native vegetation Major Rare Medium
Bushfire access tracks pruning of native vegetation damage to native vegetation Minor Likely Medium
smothering of native understorey vegetation Minor Unlikely Medium
excessive clearance of native vegetation removal of native vegetation Major Unlikely Medium
soil disturbance Severe Unlikely Medium
Clearing along fence pruning of native vegetation damage to native vegetation Minor Likely Medium
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
36
Management issue Hazard Consequence Severity Likelihood Risk
lines smothering of native understorey vegetation Minor Unlikely Medium
excessive clearance of native vegetation removal of native vegetation Major Likely Medium
soil disturbance Severe Unlikely Medium
Property access pruning of native vegetation damage to native vegetation Minor Likely Medium
excessive clearance of native vegetation removal of native vegetation Major Likely Medium
soil disturbance Severe Unlikely Medium
Cropping within road reserves
clearance of native vegetation removal of native vegetation Major Unlikely Medium
soil disturbance Severe Unlikely Medium
Removal of plant material
over-collection local extinction of threatened plant species Severe Possible Medium
Pest animal control ripping of rabbit warrens clearance / disturbance of native vegetation Major Unlikely Medium
soil disturbance Major Rare Medium
establishment of pest plant species Major Rare Medium
Revegetation Inappropriate planting (eg trees planted within native grasslands)
loss of intact vegetation associations Major Rare Medium
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
37
Table 8. Roadside management matrix.
Activity Roadside vegetation category
A B C D E F
Value Very high value High value High value Moderate value Low value Unknown value
Restrictions Many restrictions apply Restrictions apply Restrictions apply Some restrictions apply Few restrictions apply Restrictions may apply subject to an assessment of the site
Activity Roadside Management Restrictions
Road construction Avoid
NVC to be consulted
Limit
NVC to be consulted
NVC to be consulted
Road maintenance Avoid if possible
Minimal disturbance methods only
Minimal disturbance methods only
Verge maintenance Minimal disturbance methods only
Service installation Avoid
NVC to be consulted if removal of native vegetation is required.
NVC to be consulted if removal of native vegetation is required.
Minimal disturbance methods only
Service maintenance Minimal disturbance methods only
NVC to be consulted if maintenance clearance is in excess of standards
No vehicle access
Rehabilitation plan required
NVC to be consulted if maintenance clearance is in excess of standards
No vehicle access
No restrictions
Work within approved standard operating procedures or guidelines of RVMP
Assessment required
Stockpiling Not permitted Avoid Select site with care.
NVC to be consulted if removal of native vegetation is required.
Assessment required
Weed control Permit required
Liaise with the NRM Boards
Bushfire hazard reduction
Avoid
Subject to guidelines and approved management plans.
Only if absolutely necessary
Subject to guidelines and approved management plans
No restrictions in areas void of native vegetation.
Subject to guidelines and approved management plans
Only if absolutely necessary
Subject to guidelines and approved management plans
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
38
Activity Roadside vegetation category
A B C D E F
Bushfire fuel reduction Avoid Permit required
Only if absolutely necessary
Liaise with CFS
Permit required
Liaise with CFS
Permit required
Only if absolutely necessary
Liaise with CFS
Bushfire access tracks Avoid
Permit required
Clearance beyond guidelines requires NVC approval, and if along arterial roads, DTEI approval
Permit required
Clearance beyond guidelines requires NVC approval
Permit required
Clearing along fence lines
Avoid
Permit required
Clearance beyond guidelines requires NVC approval
Permit required
Clearance beyond guidelines requires NVC approval
Permit required
Clearing for property access
Avoid
Permit required
Clearance beyond guidelines requires NVC approval, and if along arterial roads, DTEI approval
Permit required
Clearance beyond guidelines requires NVC approval
Permit required
Cropping of roadsides Avoid Permit required
Pest animal control Permit required
Liaise with the NRM Boards
Plant material and seed collection
Permit required
DENR permit required
May require NVC consent
Maintenance of vegetation diversity
NVC approval required if any disturbance to native vegetation is required
Not undertaken
Revegetation Avoid Permit required
Open areas only – avoid native grass areas
Permit required
Revegetation with local native species suitable
Site marking Mark and add to database of roadside significant sites
Not marked unless threatened species present Not marked
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
39
5 IMPLEMENTATION
5.1 Internal Council approvals
Prior to activities or works being conducted in roadsides key actions are required. These are outlined in
Figure 5. See section 5.2 Roles and Responsibilities to determine who should implement each step.
Figure 5. Roadside activity assessment and approval process.
Determine the potential impact of the activity to native vegetation within the specific road reserve.
Actions and steps required
Visit the site where the activity is to be conducted.
Refer to the Roadside Management Matrix within this RVMP.
Determine the level of approval required.
None Internal External
Determine the constraints, controls and mitigation measures for the specific activity.
Issue permit, or letter of advice detailing denial.
Consult with NRM Board, DENR, and/or a native vegetation expert if required.
Review existing methods, guidelines and permits.
Ensure all conditions and specific instructions are outlined.
Refer to Roadside Significant Site Database.
Refer to section 3 Risk Assessment Guidelines and Management Issues.
Conduct site inspection to ensure compliance with conditions.
How
How
How
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
40
5.2 Roles and Responsibilities
5.2.1 Manager Technical Services
The Manager Technical Services is responsible for:
maintaining the RVMP, including any updates which reflect any relevant Council changes, legislative
changes, or NVC requirements that may occur
assessing permit applications, issuing permits, and ensuring permit holders are provided with
sufficient information to met the relevant guidelines of the RVMP
conducting annual reviews and reporting to the NVC
liaison with the NVC, NRM Officers, DENR staff, liaison with adjacent landholders, and the Country
Fire Service
ensuring all roadside users, including Council staff, contractors, community groups, the Country Fire
Service, and individuals known to be working within roadside vegetation are compliant with this
RVMP.
5.2.2 Team Leader
The Team Leader is responsible for:
ensuring works conducted by works crews, including contractors, are conducted in accordance with
RVMP
ensuring all activities and works requiring approval have been approved by the Manager Technical
Services.
5.3 Job environmental Analysis Checklist
The Job Environmental Analysis Checklist (Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference
source not found.) gathers key information on the activities to be undertaken, and can be used as the
first step in documenting RVMP requirements for the proposed works. The potential risks to roadside
vegetation, and specific actions to be implemented that will eliminate or reduce the risks are identified.
5.4 Training and Education
For this RVMP to be implemented successfully, everyone involved in works or activities in road reserves
needs to be familiar with the RVMP requirements. Council staff are the key to ensuring people outside of
council, including adjacent landholders, community members, contractors, service providers, and anyone
else accessing road reserves are aware that the guidelines exist and where to access information.
Council should work in conjunction with the SA Murray Darling Basin NRM Board and Northern and Yorke
NRM Board, the local CFS, DENR, local community groups, and key landholders to promote a widespread
understanding of why roadside vegetation must be protected and managed, and how the guidelines
contained within the RVMP can achieve this.
Within Council, all staff that work on roads and within road reserves will be required to become familiar
with all aspects of the RVMP. It is intended that a series of workshops will be conducted for Council staff
to become familiar with the RVMP. These workshops should be held following formal approval of this plan
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
41
by the Native Vegetation Council. It is the responsibility of the Manager Technical Services, to ensure any
new staff become familiar with the plan and that all staff are made aware of any updates incorporated into
the plan. Once council staff are familiar with the RVMP they will be able to liaise with and educate the
general public regarding specific issues as appropriate whilst working within the council area. Where
external contractors, groups and/or individuals intend to conduct activities within road reserves, Council
will provide copies of the relevant policy and guidelines when an application to undertake work within road
reserves is approved. A further approach will be to produce a series of brochures or fact sheets that will
be readily available to promote adherence to the Council guidelines relating to specific issues which will
be released at relevant times throughout the year for distribution.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
42
5.5 Vegetation assessment and approval
The process for assessing roadside activities and determining the level of approval required is outlined in Table 9. Criteria have been established to determine
what assessment is required and when referral to the Native Vegetation Council may be necessary.
Table 9. Vegetation assessment and approval guidelines.
Note: Any activity requiring external assessment / approval also requires internal assessment / approval.
Activity
Assessment / approval requirement
External applicants (internal Council approval)
Council works (no approval) Council works (internal approval) All External applications and Council works
requiring external approval by NVC / DENR / NRM Boards / CFS
Road
construction
(Section 3.1)
Not applicable. If all work occurs in an area devoid
of native vegetation.
Very minor and localised clearance,
including pruning of branches or removal
of one or two tree saplings or shrubs
which are listed as common in the area.
Construction of new roads that will require the
removal of native vegetation (NVC).
Road
maintenance
(Section 3.2)
Not applicable. If work occurs within the existing
maintenance envelope.
Minor clearance as defined in the RVMP
guidelines.
Any clearance of vegetation outside of the existing
maintenance envelope (NVC)..
Verge
maintenance
(Section 3.3)
Not applicable. If work occurs within the existing
maintenance envelope.
Minor clearance as defined in the RVMP
guidelines.
Any clearance of vegetation outside of the existing
maintenance envelope (NVC).
Installation and
maintenance of
utilities (Section
3.4)
Council Permit to Install or
Maintain Utility Services within a
Road Reserve required.
If no native vegetation is to be
disturbed.
If native vegetation is to be disturbed
within vegetation of Category D or E.
Any clearance, other than minor pruning - as
defined in the Australian standards for urban
pruning procedures (guiding document AS 4373 -
Standards Australia 2007) of native vegetation
within roadsides of Category A – C (NVC).
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
43
Activity
Assessment / approval requirement
External applicants (internal Council approval)
Council works (no approval) Council works (internal approval) All External applications and Council works
requiring external approval by NVC / DENR / NRM Boards / CFS
Stockpile sites
(Section 3.5)
Not applicable. If existing (including those not
currently in use) stockpile sites are
to be reused and which contain no
native vegetation, and are
surrounded by vegetation of
Category D or E.
If old stockpile sites are to be reused and
are within vegetation of Category A – C.
If new stockpile sites are to be created
within vegetation of Category D or E.
Any clearance of native vegetation within roadsides
of Category A – C, or F vegetation for the
construction of new stockpile sites (NVC).
Weed control
(Section 3.6)
Council Permit to Conduct
Weed/Pest Animal Control within
Road Reserves required.
If no native vegetation is present
based on previous assessment.
Minor clearance based on low off-target
damage risk (eg selective control using
low impact methods) within vegetation of
Category D or E.
All weed control work (NRM Board liaison).
All but minor clearance as defined in the endorsed
RVMP (NVC).
Large control programs (such as those involving the
use of boom-sprays (NVC).
Bushfire hazard
reduction
(Section 3.7)
CFS to liaise with Council.
Not permitted by individuals.
If no native vegetation is present
based on previous assessment.
If approved under the Bushfire Prevention
Plan.
If not included in the approved Bushfire Prevention
Plan (NVC, CFS).
Bushfire fuel
breaks (Section
3.8)
CFS to liaise with Council.
Not permitted by individuals.
If approved under the Bushfire
Prevention Plan.
If approved under the Bushfire Prevention
Plan.
If not included in the approved under the Bushfire
Prevention Plan (including new fuel breaks) (NVC,
CFS).
Bushfire access
tracks (Section
3.9)
CFS to liaise with Council.
Not permitted by individuals.
If approved under the Bushfire
Prevention Plan.
If approved under the Bushfire Prevention
Plan.
If not included in the approved under the Bushfire
Prevention Plan (including new fuel breaks) (NVC,
CFS).
Clearing along
fence-lines
clearance
(Section 3.10)
Council Permit to Construct or
Maintain a Fence-line Adjacent to
Road Reserve required by
adjoining land-holders.
If no vegetation is to be removed
from the road reserve side of the
fence.
If vegetation is to be removed from the
road reserve within 1m of existing fence-
line and no plants of conservation
significance are likely to be affected based
on previous assessment.
Any clearance exceeding approved standard as
defined in the endorsed RVMP (NVC).
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
44
Activity
Assessment / approval requirement
External applicants (internal Council approval)
Council works (no approval) Council works (internal approval) All External applications and Council works
requiring external approval by NVC / DENR / NRM Boards / CFS
Property
access (Section
3.11)
Council Permit to Construct or
Widen a Road Reserve for
Property Access required.
If no native vegetation is present
based on previous assessment.
Maximum 5m wide (normal vehicle
access), 10m wide (machinery) where
native roadside vegetation is of Category
D or E.
Any clearance exceeding approved standard as
defined in the endorsed RVMP (NVC).
Cropping of
roadsides
(Section 3.12)
Council Permit to Use a Road
Reserve required. Not permitted in
Category A – D.
Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable (no cropping to occur in areas of
native vegetation).
Removal of
plant material
(Section 3.13)
Council Permit to Collect Plant
Material from Road Reserves
If removal is part of an already
approved pest plant control program
or Bushfire Prevention Plan and
does not require entry into any new
area and is on roadside vegetation
of Category D or E.
As defined in the endorsed RVMP. If
removal of plant material is proposed for a
new area and is not part of an already
existing pest plant program or Bushfire
Prevention Plan and may encroach on
roadside vegetation of Category A-C, or F
Permit to Collect Native Plant Material for an
Individual / Community Group / Botanic Garden, or
Permit to Collect Native Plant Material for Class A
Permit Types, or Permit to Collect Native Plant
Material for ‘Other’ must be also be obtained for the
collection of seeds, fruit, bushfoods. Scientific
Permit required for collection of specimens.
Collection of any other plant material (including
wood or timber) is not permitted.
Pest animal
control (Section
3.14)
Council Permit to Conduct
Weed/Pest Animal Control within
Road Reserves required.
If no native vegetation is present
based on previous assessment.
Minor clearance based on low off-target
damage risk (eg selective control using
low impact methods) within vegetation of
Category D or E.
Rabbit baiting programmes where native
vegetation is present.
All pest animal control work (NRM Board
consultation only).
All but minor clearance as defined in the endorsed
RVMP (NVC).
Maintenance of
native
vegetation
(Section 3.15)
Council Permit to Use a Road
Reserve required, and liaison with
Manager Technical Services.
Not applicable. Any maintenance projects – as defined in
the endorsed RVMP.
Any measures involving burning, lopping or other
disturbance of native vegetation (NVC).
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
45
Activity
Assessment / approval requirement
External applicants (internal Council approval)
Council works (no approval) Council works (internal approval) All External applications and Council works
requiring external approval by NVC / DENR / NRM Boards / CFS
Rehabilitation
(Section 3.16)
Council Permit to Use a Road
Reserve required, and liaison with
Manager Technical Services.
If an already approved rehabilitation
program is in place within category
D or E.
Any rehabilitation work – as defined in the
endorsed RVMP. If an already approved
rehabilitation program is in place within
category A-C or F, continuous internal
approval may not be required.
Any measures involving burning or other
disturbance of native vegetation (NVC).
Revegetation
(Section 3.17)
Council Permit to Use a Road
Reserve required, and liaison with
Manager Technical Services.
If an already approved revegetation
program is in place within category
D or E.
Any revegetation work – as defined in the
endorsed RVMP. If an already approved
revegetation program is in place within
category A-C or F, continuous internal
approval may not be required
Any measures involving burning or other
disturbance of native vegetation (NVC).
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
46
5.6 Monitoring of roadside vegetation
Council staff are required to report incidents impacting, or having the potential to impact native vegetation
within road reserves. Council staff are also required to report incidents conducted, or witnessed by
community members, landholders, commercial operators, and anyone else. An incident form Roadside
Vegetation Incident Report is included in Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source
not found.. The Manager Technical Services is responsible for reviewing and acting on incident reports.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
47
6 REPORTING AND REVIEW
6.1 Annual reports
The NVC require Council to review and assess its performance on the implementation and compliance of
this RVMP, with an Annual Report submitted to the NVC on the twelve month anniversary of the adoption
of this RVMP. The purpose of the Annual Report is to:
keep the NVC informed of developments and management measures being undertaken within
Council area
assist the NVC in the long-term management of native vegetation
show compliance with this RVMP
allow the NVC and Council to assess the success of the plan and identify areas for improvement.
The Annual Report will be evaluated and assessed by the NVC to assess compliance with NV Act, and
continued endorsement of the RVMP will be considered.
It is intended that the RVMP annual reporting process will also form an internal basis for reporting on the
RVMP in Councils Annual Report.
6.2 Reviews
The NVC require this RVMP to be reviewed initially after three years from the commencement of the plan,
and thereafter at five-year intervals. The Manager Technical Services will be responsible for the review of
and any revision of this RVMP.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
48
7 Associated Programs
7.1 Roadside vegetation surveys
A Roadside Vegetation Survey (RVS) was conducted within the Regional Council of Goyder (EBS 2009).
The survey covered a length of 600 km, and when counting each side of the road amounts to
approximately 1200 km of roadside vegetation. This survey was conducted according to the guidelines
within Guide to the Roadside Vegetation Survey Methodology for South Australia. This RVS identified and
documented the vegetation associations, both native and exotic, that were present within the road
reserves. Such information is particularly useful for identifying areas of roadside that contain native
vegetation of high conservation value, which will aid council to manage and conserve these areas. Please
refer to the RVS report and supporting maps (EBS 2009) for further details on roadside vegetation when
planning any activity within roadside vegetation.
7.2 Roadside marker schemes
Council is committed to actively managing the roadside native vegetation included within the Roadside
Marker Scheme (RMS) and considers the scheme to be an important component in the management of
areas of high conservation significance.
Council is committed to implementing the RMS scheme by installing markers at all high conservation
value sites within the Council area. The scheme will aim to include all sites identified as Category A and B
in the roadside vegetation survey (Appendix 1).
Council will continue to manage a RMS that requires the following actions and activities:
continued surveying and identification of roadside vegetation currently unassigned to a roadside
category
management and maintenance of an RMS database detailing locations or existing roadside markers,
the assigned conservation category of vegetation within each roadside marker section and the type of
vegetation association present, and time of last review of existing roadside markers
installation and maintenance of roadside markers
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
49
8 REFERENCES
Australian Standards (2007) AS 4373 - Pruning of amenity trees. Australian Standards, Sydney, Australia.
Czerniakowski B., Crnov R., Smith IW., Luck JE. (2006) Soil properties associated with the tree decline
‘Mundulla Yellows’. Plant and Soil 285: 197-205
Government of South Australia (2005) Guidelines for State Government Agencies, Firebreak and Fire
Access Tracks. Government of South Australia, Australia.
Local Government Association (1994) Managing Unsealed Roads in South Australia. Local Government
Association, Adelaide.
Luck J., Crnov R., Czerniakowski B., Smith I. W., and Moran J. (2006) Investigating the Presence of biotic
agents associated with Mundulla Yellows. Plant disease 90, 404-410.
Native Vegetation Council (1997) Guidelines for the Management of Roadside Vegetation. Government of
South Australia, Adelaide.
NVC (2002) Clearance of Native Vegetation Associated with the Control of Plant and Animal Pests.
Government of South Australia, Adelaide.
NVC (2004) Preparing Roadside Vegetation Management Plans: Guidelines for Local Government. Native
Vegetation Council, Government of South Australia, Adelaide.
Neagle N (1995) An update of the conservation status of the major plant associations of South Australia,
Native Vegetation Conservation Section, Department of Environment and Natural Resources,
South Australia. Crown of Australia.
QED (2005) Regional Council of Goyder: Road Network Plan. Unpublished report to the Regional Council
of Goyder, Adelaide, South Australia.
Stokes A. L., Heard, L.M.B., Carruthers, S., and Reynolds, T. (1998) Guide to the Roadside Vegetation
Survey Methodology in South Australia – Draft Working Document. Transport SA, Adelaide.
Transport SA (1997) Environmental Code of Practice for Construction; Road, Bridge and Marine Facilities.
Transport SA, Adelaide.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
50
9 APPENDICES
Appendix 1. Summary of the Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Survey
The Regional Council of Goyder roadside vegetation survey was commissioned and funded by the
Regional Council of Goyder, the Native Vegetation Council, the Department of Water, Land and
Biodiversity Conservation and the SA Murray – Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. The
survey was conducted April - May 2008. The report (EBS 2009) aims to give the Regional Council of
Goyder and other user’s information on the conservation value of roadside vegetation and the location of
roadside segments that are of particularly high importance.
In total, approximately 602.96 km of roadside vegetation on both the left side and right side was surveyed,
for a total of 1205.92 km within the Regional Council of Goyder. Within the surveyed roadsides, 51
vegetation associations were recorded, 40 of which were dominated by native species, six dominated by
exotic species and three consisting of planted vegetation, plus two non-vegetated associations. The most
common vegetation associations recorded were:
Association 42: Avena barbata, +/- Austrostipa sp., +/- Austrodanthonia sp., +/- Enneapogon sp., +/-
Atriplex sp. Tussock Grassland
Association 21: Atriplex stipitata, +/- Atriplex vesicaria, +/- Maireana sp., +/- Nitraria sp., +/-
Zygophyllum sp. Shrubland
Association 11: Eucalyptus oleosa, +/- Eucalyptus brachycalyx, +/- Eucalyptus gracilis, +/- Eucalyptus
odorata, +/- Eucalyptus socialis Mallee.
Of the 51 vegetation associations, five have been allocated the highest conservation priority (rating 1),
with a further 15 also considered of high importance (rating 2), and an additional 23 also of significance
(rating 3). The priority 1 vegetation associations are:
Eucalyptus porosa Low Woodland
Eucalyptus porosa, +/- E. dumosa, +/- E. odorata, +/- E. oleosa, +/- Acacia pycnantha, +/- Alectryon
oleifolius, +/- Callitris gracilis Mallee
Acacia glandulicarpa Shrubland
Austrostipa sp., +/- Austrodanthonia sp., +/- Enneapogon sp. +/- Cymbopogon sp., +/- Lomandra sp.
Grassland
Cymbopogon ambiguus Tussock Grassland.
One Nationally threatened plant species, Acacia glandulicarpa (Hairy-pod Wattle) was recorded during
this survey, with a further two species being classified as Rare in South Australia. The threatened flora
species that were recorded are:
Acacia glandulicarpa (Hairy-pod Wattle) Aus Vulnerable; SA Endangered
Maireana rohrlachii (Rohrlach’s Bluebush) SA Rare
Myoporum parvifolium (Creeping Boobialla) SA Rare.
The Overview Condition of the vegetation recorded during this survey varied considerably, however
vegetation in the worst category, Very Poor, covered 557 km or 45% of the roads surveyed. Vegetation in
the best category, Excellent, covered 0.68 km or 0.05% of the roads surveyed. The following table
represents the distance and percentage for each overview condition category recorded.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
51
Summary of the five condition ratings identified during the survey.
Overview condition
Condition terminology
Distance (km)
Percentage (%)
1 Excellent 0.68 0.05
2 Good 30.29 2.44
3 Moderate 272 21.92
4 Poor 362.37 29.20
5 Very Poor 557.3 44.90
Roadside Significant Sites includes sites with high quality native vegetation that have high ecological and
conservation value. For the purpose of this survey, any sites that have an overview condition rating of 1 or
2 have been designated roadside significant sites. Some additional sites that had an overview condition
rating of 3 also have been designated as roadside significant sites within this survey area, due to the
paucity of higher quality sites. During the survey, 31 potential roadside significant sites (RSS) were
identified, and it is recommended that the Regional Council of Goyder implement this system as soon as
possible.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
52
Appendix 2.Summary of legislation relevant to roadside vegetation management
Local Government Act 1999
Under the Local Government Act 1999 any works on road reserves require the permission of the local council. The
Regional Council of Goyder is responsible for all roads within the council area (with the exception of the main
arterial roads under the care and control of The Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure) and is
therefore responsible for the adjacent road reserve areas. Any works or activities to be conducted on, over or under
these road reserves require permission from the Regional Council of Goyder.
Native Vegetation Act 1991
Under the Native Vegetation Act 1991 removal or disturbance of native vegetation outside the metropolitan area
requires permission from the Native Vegetation Council unless a specific exemption applies through the regulations
of the Act. Some parts of Metropolitan Adelaide, including much of Onkaparinga Council, are also currently covered
by the Native Vegetation Act, providing protection to native vegetation. In these areas, significant trees that are not
protected by the Native Vegetation Act will be protected by the Development Act controls (section 1.4.6).
The Native Vegetation Act 1991 includes an exemption 5(1)(y) allowing district councils to clear roadside
vegetation if it is in accordance with;
1) where the clearance complies with a management plan prepared by the local council and approved by the
Native Vegetation Council
2) where the clearance complies with guidelines issued by the Native Vegetation Council
This RVMP aims to fulfil the requirements of part 1 above.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
The EPBC Act 1999 protects matters of national environmental significance and Commonwealth land. Under the
EPBC Act 1999 a person must not take an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on
matters of national environmental significance. These actions require approval from the Environment Minister and
may only be undertaken with this approval.
Any clearance of native roadside vegetation that may impact on a species of national significance, as defined by
the EPBC Act Protected Matters Search Tool, would need separate consideration and approval which is beyond
the scope of this document.
An EPBC Protected Matters Report for the Regional Council of Goyder can be generated by utilizing the Protected
Matters Search Tool located within the EPBC web page www.environment.gov.au/epbc/ .
The resulting report identifies which matters of national environmental significance or other matters protected by
the EPBC Act are relevant to the Regional Council of Goyder including a list of threatened species and
communities.
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972
The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 was established in part to provide for the conservation of wildlife in a
natural environment. Under Section 49 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, which is administered by the
Department for Environment and Heritage, the removal of native plant material from road reserves requires a
permit. Permits are issued by the Department for Environment and Heritage to regulate the collection of native
seed and fruit on public land and to provide for both the general removal of native plant material, subject to the
conditions of the permit.
Natural Resources Management Act 2004
The Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (NRM Act) was established, in part, to repeal the Animal and Plant
Control (Agricultural Protection and Other Purposes) Act 1986, the Soil Conservation and Land Care Act 1989 and
the Water Resources Act 1989.
The NRM Act 2004 is designed to promote sustainable and integrated management of the State’s natural
resources as well as providing for the control of plants and animals for reasons including the protection of
agriculture, the environment and public safety.
Under the NRM Act it is the responsibility of the local Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board/Group to
control declared pest plants and pest animals within road reserves. Landholders, whose properties are adjacent to
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
53
road reserves where the control of declared pests has been carried out by the NRM Board/Group, can be assigned
the cost of that control work for the portion of work up to the middle of the road reserve.
It is also the responsibility of the NRM Board/Group to manage and assess water affecting activity permits. Water
affecting activities (WAA) are activities that can potentially have adverse impacts on the health and condition of
water resources, on other water users and on the ecosystems that depend on water resources.
Other legislation
Numerous other Acts of parliament regulate works on roadsides. These may include, but are not limited to:
Fences Act 1975
Fires and Emergency Services Act 2005
Telecommunications (Interception) Act 1988
Electricity Act 1996
Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act 1986
Road Traffic Act 1961
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
54
9.1
Appendix 3. Roadside Vegetation Categories
To assist with the management of native vegetation within road reserves, a series of roadside vegetation
categories have been established (Stokes et al.1999). These categories are identified by analysing the
conservation priority rating and the current condition of the vegetation data collected during the Roadside
Vegetation Survey, and identify the overall roadside vegetation category. Key features discriminate
between the presence or absence of conservation priority associations, different condition ratings, and the
level of weed infestations.
Category Description of key features
A
contain a high priority vegetation association in excellent or good condition
may contain threatened vegetation associations
likely to contain very few or no weeds in the understorey
may be representative of the vegetation that would have been present prior to European settlement
should not be disturbed
B
contain a high priority vegetation association in moderate condition or a lower priority association in
excellent condition
similar to Category A, with slightly more weed species present
may include vegetation associations that are slightly more common in the region but the understorey
is in an excellent condition with no or very few weed species present
should not be disturbed.
C
contain a high priority vegetation association in poor condition or a lower priority association in
moderate condition
may include vegetation associations that are threatened but are also degraded to the extent of a
significant presence of weed species present in the understorey
includes vegetation associations that are relatively common and have a mixture of native and exotic
species present in the understorey
disturbance should be avoided whenever possible.
D
contain limited native vegetation in poor condition
usually heavily disturbed so that little native vegetation remains with an understorey almost
exclusively dominated by exotic species
may be disturbed, subject to further assessment and planning.
E
contain very little or no native vegetation
understorey is usually comprised entirely of exotic species
may be disturbed, generally with no further assessment of native vegetation required.
F
have not yet been surveyed
the conservation significance of vegetation is unknown
vegetation survey should be conducted re-assign the category prior to undertaking any works within
these areas.
The category of surveyed and mapped roads within Council area are provided overleaf.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
55
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
56
Appendix 4. Construction and Maintenance Standards of Sealed Council Roads
Road Type Construction Standards Road Classification Maintenance Standards
Sealed Council Roads
Formation width: 11.0 m
Sealed width: 7.2 m
Seal type: 14/7 mm
Standard cross-section with 3% fall
Pavement thickness: 150-300 mm after compaction
Pavement material: gridded, rock busted or crushed
(depends on material type and availability)
Minimum compaction: sub base 96% MDD, base course 98%
MDD
Rural Sealed Road Reseal every 10 – 12 years
Maintenance to seal as required, e.g. potholes, dig outs
Shoulder grading as required
Posts and delineators
Line marking as required
Replace signs as required
Township Streets Reseal every 10 – 12 years
Maintenance to seal as required, e.g. potholes, dig outs
Line marking as required
Watertable and drains cleaned regularly
Weed spraying and slashing as required
Replace signs as required.
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
57
Appendix 5. Construction Standards of Unsealed Council Roads
Road Type Detail Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4
Unsealed Roads Geometric standards
horizontal and vertical to
design standard 100 km/h
horizontal and vertical
alignment to a minimum
of 80 km/h
horizontal and vertical
alignment generally follow
natural terrain
Formation width 11 m 10 m 10 m where practical 3 -5 m
Sheeted width 8 m 8 m 6 m
Sheeted shape 44-6% crossfall 4-6% crossfall 4-6% crossfall
Sheeted thickness (after compaction)
150 mm 150 mm 100 mm
Sheeting material pit material gridded,
rockbusted or crushed off-
site
pit material gridded, or
rockbusted or crushed off-
site
pit material gridded, or
rockbusted or crushed off-
site
Regional Council of Goyder Roadside Vegetation Management Plan
58
Appendix 6. Maintenance Standards of Unsealed Council Roads
Road Type Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4
Unsealed Roads
2-3 grades per year
Resurfacing of blowouts
Side drains and culverts
cleaned regularly
2 grades per year
Resurfacing of blowouts
Side drains and culverts
cleaned regularly
Replace signs as required
1 grad per year
Resurfacing of blowouts
Side drains and culverts
cleaned regularly
Replace signs as required
Minimal attention
May be graded if required by the adjoining
landowners with staff to liaise with Ward
Councillors and if budget allows
A road which is rented and Category 4 will receive
no attention unless requires by the adjacent
landholder and may be charged for at private work
rates, with works under $500 being performed at
the discretion of the Manager Technical Services.
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control (SA Murray-Darling Basin
Natural Resources Management Board)
Section: A
Version No: 1
Adopted: 18/02/14
Next Review: 18/02/15
Minutes Ref: 26/14
Responsibility: Tech Services
Electronic version in Synergy is the controlled version. Printed copies are considered uncontrolled.
Before using a printed copy, verify that it is the current version.
W:\GDS-SYNERGY\09 Governance\63 Policy\01 Policy\01 Policy Manual\Animal and Plant Control V2.0.doc
Page 1 of 72
Appendix 7. Description of Maintenance Activities
Re-sheeting
The primary activity of re-sheeting is to maintain existing unsealed roads and road shoulders. Re-sheeting involves
the placement of quarry material on the road shoulder for distribution on existing road surfaces through the use of a
grader, loader, truck and roller. Work operations include cleaning out silt and debris from the verge and runoff areas
as required. A front-end loader is used to clear out runoffs.
The runoff from unsealed roads accumulate greater amounts of material than from sealed roads, which primarily
includes gravel, rocks, branches, leaves, bark and litter. This debris is removed off site for disposal.
Maintenance of shoulder section
Maintenance of shoulder sections involves grading and compaction of a hard quarry material surface at the edge of
sealed roads. Additionally, culverts on the side of crossovers within the shoulder sections are maintained through
clearance of debris using a backhoe.
Sign and street furniture maintenance
This activity involves the maintenance and installation of items such as signs, bollards, guide posts, safety barriers
(for example Armco railing) on the shoulders or verges of roads. Damaged infrastructure may require excavation to
replace a sign and post. The Regional Council of Goyder is required to comply with Australian Standards and follow
the AS 1742 guidelines for sign maintenance and installation.
Pot-holing and heavy-patching of sealed roads
As sealed roads deteriorate, potholes and other failures appear. Potholes are maintained by filling the hole with a
bituminous product applied by a mobile plant called a “Jetpatcher”. The larger defects are excavated, filled with
quarry material and compacted prior to the bitumen surface being applied.
Patrol-grading of unsealed roads
Unsealed roads are graded on a regular basis to remove defects to the surface such as rutting, potholes and
corrugations. Occasionally “soft spots” are found where the road material is removed, the sub-grade is compacted
and new quarry material replaced to provide a hard smooth surface.
Side/cut-off drain maintenance
Unsealed and un-kerbed roads have a system of swale-type drains to remove water run-off from the carriageway of
the road. Side drains provide a means of moving the water longitudinally along the road and cut-off drains enable
that water to run across the verge to watercourses or private dams within properties. These need to be cleaned with
backhoes, skidsteers or graders to prevent blockages caused by silt and dropped vegetation.
Driveway / Entrance way maintenance and construction
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control Policy (SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board)
Electronic version in Synergy is the controlled version. Printed copies are considered uncontrolled.
Before using a printed copy, verify that it is the current version.
W:\GDS-SYNERGY\09 Governance\63 Policy\01 Policy\01 Policy Manual\Animal and Plant Control V2.0.doc
Page 2 of 72
Rural driveways often have crossovers and culverts which direct water through vegetation areas. Maintenance
works require the removal of plant material from the verge area. Construction of driveways and/or entrances is
completed (through use of grader and loader) with minimal disturbance to the ground when the batter is constructed.
Stockpiles
Regional Council of Goyder aim to pile material within already established stockpile sites. Siting of new stockpiles is
the responsibility of trained staff using best practice techniques. Refer to section 2.4.
Dust control
Use of a chemical agent is not always used, but may be applied to the road shoulders to suppress dust on selected
sites where impact of dust is a road safety hazard. The chemical agent is applied by a water truck through use of a
spray bar.
Fire track maintenance
Fire tracks are graded as required in compliance with the Fires and Emergency Services Act 2005. This work
includes the establishment and maintenance of runoffs for drainage, and vegetation clearance within clearance
envelopes to maintain an effective fire buffer. Fallen trees and branch material is left on site.
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control Policy (SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board)
Electronic version in Synergy is the controlled version. Printed copies are considered uncontrolled.
Before using a printed copy, verify that it is the current version.
W:\GDS-SYNERGY\09 Governance\63 Policy\01 Policy\01 Policy Manual\Animal and Plant Control V2.0.doc
Page 3 of 72
Appendix 8. Guideline for three-cut method for trimming branches
The three-cut method for trimming or pruning of branches is a method that is designed to minimise the
extent to which the tree is damaged. By using this method the formation of natural wound callus is also
enhanced. The basic principles for performing the three-cut method for pruning of branches or limbs are
described and illustrated below.
1. The first cut is an under cut into the branch to be removed. The distance of this cut from the parent branch or trunk
will be dependant on the size of the limb being removed. Larger limbs will require this cut to be further away from
the parent branch or trunk compared with smaller branches. If performed correctly, the under cut will ensure that
the risk of branch peeling or tearing of bark when the limb is being removed is minimised.
2. The second cut is an upper cut that will result in the removal of the limb. This cut is to be made slightly further out
along the limb compared with the under cut. This will ensure that the limb drops smoothly from the tree. For larger
branches this cut may be as far as 30cm from the parent branch or trunk.
3. The third cut is performed to remove the remaining stump after the main weight of the branch is removed. The
correct positioning of this cut will ensure the trees natural healing abilities are maximised. To perform this cut
accurately the cut is to be made on the outer side of the branch collar and must not damage the branch bark
ridge. The formation of evenly distributed wound growth over time around the cut surface is indicative of an
effective cut.
Three-cut method for trimming branches.
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control Policy (SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board)
Electronic version in Synergy is the controlled version. Printed copies are considered uncontrolled.
Before using a printed copy, verify that it is the current version.
W:\GDS-SYNERGY\09 Governance\63 Policy\01 Policy\01 Policy Manual\Animal and Plant Control V2.0.doc
Page 4 of 72
Appendix 9. Additional information on bushcare principles and recommended guidelines for weed removal
For additional information on control of pest plants see Robertson (2005) ‘Stop Bushland Weeds: a guide to
successful weeding in South Australia’s bushland’. This book reviews common pest plant species to the
Council’s area and reviews current methods of control.
Hygiene protocols for pest plants
The following hygiene protocols are recommended to prevent the spread of pest plant material and seed
within the council via the movement or operations by council staff and contractors.
Recommended guidelines
Avoid or limit disturbance within weed infested areas: limit the opportunity for the dispersal of the
roadside reserves will exacerbate weed seed dispersal.
Avoid works within weed infested areas in peak seeding times: this varies between species;
however spring and summer are peak seeding times for many weeds.
Vehicle clean-down procedures: Many weed seeds are easily transported in tyre grooves (e.g.
Horehound) but can also be carried underneath vehicles, in radiator grills and within vehicles.
Therefore, all vehicles and machinery must be cleaned prior to entering the site. No vegetative or soil
material should be brought into the site. All vehicles and machinery should also be cleaned down prior
to leaving a work site if the vehicles or machinery have had contact with soil or vegetative material.
Depot clean-down areas: Vehicles, machinery and equipment, particularly earthmoving equipment
that come into contact with soil or plant material, should be regularly cleaned down. A clean-down
area is available at the Council Depot.
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control Policy (SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board)
Electronic version in Synergy is the controlled version. Printed copies are considered uncontrolled.
Before using a printed copy, verify that it is the current version.
W:\GDS-SYNERGY\09 Governance\63 Policy\01 Policy\01 Policy Manual\Animal and Plant Control V2.0.doc
Page 5 of 72
Appendix 10. Contact details of relevant groups and organisations
Native Vegetation Council
Postal address: GPO Box 2834 ADELAIDE SA 5001
Phone: 08 8124 4700 Email: [email protected] NRM Board Contacts Northern and Yorke NRM Board Phone: 08 8636 2361 Email: [email protected] Street address: 41-49 Eyre Road
CRYSTAL BROOK SA 5523
SA Murray Darling Basin NRM Board (head office) Postal address: PO Box 2342
MURRAY BRIDGE SA 5253 Phone: 08 8532 1432 SA Murray Darling Basin NRM Board (Burra office)
Street address: 2 Kingston Street BURRA SA 541
Postal address: PO Box 164 BURRA SA 5417
Phone: 08 8892 3033 Department for Environment and Natural Resources Bush Management Adviser (Murraylands)
Postal address: PO Box 231 Berri SA 5343
Ph: 08 8595 2174 Mob: 0427 604 254 Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Unit Street address: Ground floor 1 Richmond Road KESWICK SA 5035 Postal address: GPO Box 1782 ADELAIDE SA 5001 Phone: 08 8124 4753 Permit Unit Street address: Ground floor 1 Richmond Road KESWICK SA 5035 Postal address: GPO Box 1782 ADELAIDE SA 5001 Phone: 8124 4915 Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure
Postal address: PO Box 1 WALKERVILLE SA 5081
Phone: 8343 2222
Greening Australia State office
5 Fitzgerald Rd PASADENA, SA 5042
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control Policy (SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board)
Electronic version in Synergy is the controlled version. Printed copies are considered uncontrolled.
Before using a printed copy, verify that it is the current version.
W:\GDS-SYNERGY\09 Governance\63 Policy\01 Policy\01 Policy Manual\Animal and Plant Control V2.0.doc
Page 6 of 72
Ph: 08 8372 0100 Email: [email protected] Northern and Yorke District 42 High St WIRRABARA SA 5481 Phone: 08 8668 4312 Trees For Life Inc.
5 May Terrace BROOKLYN PK, SA 5032 Phone: 08 8406 0500 Email: [email protected]
EBS Ecology 4/48 Barwell Avenue Kurralta Park, SA 5037 www.ebservices.com.au t. 08 7127 5607 f. 08 8297 3768
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
Animal & Plant Control Policy (SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board)
Electronic version in Synergy is the controlled version. Printed copies are considered uncontrolled.
Before using a printed copy, verify that it is the current version.
W:\GDS-SYNERGY\09 Governance\63 Policy\01 Policy\01 Policy Manual\Animal and Plant Control V2.0.doc
Page 7 of 72
Document History Version No: Issue Date: Description of Change:
1. 18/02/14 Adopted
2. 17/04/18 Reviewed with changes
2. 16/04/19 Awaiting amendments to Native Vegetation Guidelines before making further amendments