How can I become a Bushland Volunteer?

Contact Council's Natural Resource Team on 9806 5722 to find out more. There are 40 Bushcare groups operating throughout the local government area. Council's Bushcare Bulletin keeps you informed and in touch with other Bushcare activities.

The Parramatta local government area contains many significant bushland remnants. Approximately 330 hectares of public open space bushland remains in the Parramatta local government area. This remnant bushland is found in 45 of Council's 325 parks and reserves. A number of private properties contain bushland remnants.

Surveys have identified 520 local native plant species in the council's bushland areas, 210 of these identified by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service as vulnerable and inadequately conserved in Western Sydney.

Bushland is defined in State Environmental Planning Policy No. 19 - Bushland in Urban Areas (SEPP 19). SEPP 19 defines bushland as 'land on which there is vegetation which is either a remainder of the natural vegetation of the land or, if altered, is still representative of the structure and floristics of the natural vegetation'.

Impacts

Bushland in Parramatta is subject to impacts from the urban surrounds. Impacts on urban bushland remnants are caused by:

• stormwater runoff, sewage overflows, dumping of rubbish, soils and plant matter, understorey clearing and mowing, inappropriate fire regimes, incremental edge clearing, track proliferation, vandalism, and non native animals entering bushland.

The resulting impacts include:

• erosion and sedimentation in waterways, raised levels of nutrients in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, prolific weed growth, native vegetation dieback, changes in vegetation structure and species composition, and reduction in native wildlife.

Local bushland remnants

Linear bushland remnants following waterways are particularly subject to the above impacts due to the large edge to area ratio and stormwater impacts. Larger, non-linear bushland remnants are generally in the least damaged condition. Parramatta's larger bushland reserves include:

•  Lake Parramatta Reserve - 90 hectares
•  Moxham Park and Curtin Reserve - 32 hectares
•  Ponds Subiaco Reserve - 30 hectares
•  Vineyard Creek Reserve - 28 hectares
•  Duck River Bushland Reserve - 20 hectares
•  Cox Park and Galaringi Reserve - 20 hectares

Vegetation Communities

The Parramatta local government area straddles the junction between the physiographic regions of the Hawkesbury Sandstone Hornsby Plateau and the Wianamatta Shale Cumberland Lowlands. Quaternary alluvium follows the many creek lines. As a consequence of the diversity of the underlying geology and topography and climatic variations, there are a number of soil landscapes over the Parramatta LGA. These soil landscapes support 8 broad remnant vegetation communities. Six (6) of these vegetation communities are recognised as being of high conservation significance under the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995) (refer to the Act for a listing).

Bushland Values

Parramatta's bushland is rich, diverse and endangered. It is a living museum that has evolved and sustained itself over thousands of years. It provides habitat for a diverse array of wildlife from native snails and frogs to possums, sugar gliders and water dragons. Bushland assists aquatic life by filtering water entering creek and rivers. Parramatta's bushland provides city dwellers with a place of refuge in the city environment.

For more information contact Council's Natural Resource Team on 9806 5722 Change to Natural Resources Team on 9806 5050

or NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service at www.npws.nsw.gov.au or
the NSW Threatened Species Act at www.austlii.edu.au.