Trail Construction & Maintenance

Toc Toc trail lies just south and adjacent to a Black Butt forest; an endangered habitat. The Ecovillage has been the fortunate recipient of several restoration grants that has allowed full restoration of the Black Butt area.

Through the generous award of the National Landcare Program grant in late 2018, restoration work began along Toc Toc trail in October 2018. Toc Toc trail lies within a riparian area invaded profusely with Camphor Laurels and paspalum grass. Many of the initial before (left) and after (right) photos show an "opening" of the canopy subsequent to stem injection of numerous Camphor Laurel trees, thereby allowing light to stimulate the native seed bank as well as the new plantings. Similarly, large swaths of paspalum grass were sprayed to facilitate growth of natives.

Both revegetation and assisted regeneration techniques were employed.

Initial works were conducted using standard bush regeneration methodologies that included spraying exotic grasses with glyphosate. Many ecovillage residents formed a "glyphosate-free working group" and provided quotes for chemical-free alternative methods that were subsequently incorporated along the trail.

Implementation of glyphosate-free restoration methods began February 2019

MAINTENANCE

Job Report for Toc Toc Trail Maintenace 27_03_20.pdf