Habitat management tip: To plant or not to plant?

That is the question many landholders face when they decide to conserve or enhance areas of native habitat which have been degraded. Planting trees is seen as a quick way of restoring bushland to its natural state and it is certainly a fun and nurturing activity. But is it necessary? Resilient sites might not need planting at all and instead only require systematic weed management. Although all sites are different, the basic rule of thumb is to plant trees only when your site has limited potential to regenerate naturally (that is, when the target site is highly degraded).

The Australian Association of Bush Regenerators has a great brochure to help you decide whether you need to plant at your site. See the 3 Rs of restoration at http://www.aabr.org.au/images/stories/resources/planting/PlantingBrochure.pdf