NATURE PARK MANAGEMENT II BEN204

This course is a natural progression from Nature Park Management I, but can be taken in its own right. It concentrates more on indigenous plants and using them to create natural, balanced ecosystems. You also learn to create nature trails, build rockeries and pathways, construct ponds and watercourses, design picnic grounds and animal enclosures, market a nature park, and lots more.

CONTENTS

There are 10 lessons in this module as follows: 

1. Natural Environments – preserving natural environments; plant associations and environment rehabilitation
2. Recreation and the Environment – impact of recreation on natural environments
3. Wildlife Management in Nature Parks– impact of park visitors on wildlife; managing wildlife
4. Visitor Amenities in Nature Parks – design; provision of visitor amenities including picnic areas and campgrounds; management of facilities
5. Park Interpretation – interpretative facilities including signs and education programs
6. Trail Design and Construction – designing access routes in parks; designing and constructing walking tracks
7. Water Areas – conserving and managing natural water bodies in nature park; impact of humans on water areas
8. Marketing Nature Parks – strategies used to promote nature parks
9. Risk Management I – identifying, minimising and managing natural hazards; safety issues
10. Risk Management II – preparing a risk management plan

Aims 

• Explain the role of nature parks in preserving natural environments.
• Explain the role of nature parks as a recreation resource.
• Explain the issues of managing wildlife in nature parks.
• Explain the design of visitor amenities in nature parks and their impact on the environment.
• Explain the role interpretative facilities in nature parks.
• Explain the design and construction of trails within nature parks.
• Explain the importance and management of natural water areas in nature parks.
• Explain the importance of effective marketing in promoting nature parks.
• Explain safety issues and hazard management in nature parks.
• Explain the use of risk management plans in nature parks.

Example from Course Notes:

FLOWERING GRASSLANDS IN NATURAL LANDSCAPES

Until recent times, there was not a great deal of interest in native grasslands. They were simply areas of land that could be easily used for stock grazing and cleared for development. However it is now recognised that grasslands are, like all other types of ecosystems, important resources in the natural landscape.

The value of these areas is not only in the grass species. There are many other plants, including herbs and wildflowers, which occur naturally in grasslands. Losing the grasslands would pose a serious threat to the gene pools of many of these plants. In addition we would lose the opportunity to explore their economic potential.

Some of the economic and evironmental uses of grasses, herbs and wildflowers includes:

· providing raw material for pharmaceuticals and other chemicals

· providing horticulturally valuable ornamental plants

· providing material for breeding agricultural crops

· providing essential food and habitat for many species of wildlife

Strategies for preservation and management of native grasslands

Sensitive management practices

Management practices can be carried out to maintain and maximise populations of indigenous species. This option really only works if the site is still dominated by native grasses, or at least NOT dominated by vigorous introduced grass species.

Grazing of native grasslands by sheep, cattle or other introduced animals can destroy natural ecosystems. In some instances however, controlled grazing may work in relative harmony with the natural ecology. Sensitive management may involve determining what stocking rates are tolerable, and not exceeding those rates.

Repeated burning, slashing or cultivation can reduce native plant populations in a grassland over time. Though these might be standard land management practices on some sites, they should not be undertaken on native grasslands unless the full implications of the procedure are first understood.

These practices are more likely to be a problem in native grasslands contaminated with weed species. The changes in the soil conditions will often create conditions less conducive to native species and more conducive to weed species. The net result can be that weeds develop a dominance.

In situations where taller exotic grasses are becoming dominant, appropriate management may be to mow the grasses low (eg. 5-10cm) to weaken them, and allow resilient native herbs to compete more with the grasses. (This should be done in late winter, just before a flush of growth in the native species.)

Reintroduction of native species

Indigenous species can be introduced into either exotic or native grasslands. This may be done by:

· Surface sowing

The area is first mown low or burnt to increase the chances of broadcast seed reaching the soil and remaining moist while germinating. In the past, the results of this procedure have been poor, but it can work especially if a light mulch is used after the seed is sown.

· Slit seeding

This involves planting seed of native species into the soil in slits or rows; either by hand, or using a seed drill (ie. seed sowing machine as used by farmers).

· Planting seedlings

Seedlings are raised in a nursery, then planted out. Timing is critical, depending on weather patterns and the species’ climatic requirements.

Re-creation of native grasslands

Native grassland can be re-established on a changed, destroyed or degraded site. This is much easier in the absence of weed competition; weed control therefore is critical. Timing is also important if seeding into the field (ie. on the permanent site). You must also know and consider the germination requirements of any plants which are seeded (grasses, herbs, wildflowers etc). Some may require particular light, temperature or moisture conditions to germinate.