TO OUR delight the reserves have pulled through Cyclone Albert pretty well.
Some trees came down, branches snapped and there were lots of shredded leaves. All of this will decompose over time feeding the soil for further growth.
The destruction has opened up the canopy, putting more light on the understorey. The light will give the smaller plants a growth boost but the weeds will also opportunistically grab as much as they can.
As the rain fell, Back Creek swelled with brown muddy water. The colour is primarily from topsoil that has been washed into the creek from very lightly vegetated areas. Planting out with trees, shrubs and grasses helps prevent the loss of topsoil and keeps the water clearer.
We work hard to revegetate the creek banks of our reserves. As a result, they held up well to the increased flow of water.
The following photo was taken of a small tributary that flows from the wetland next to Beechmont Pioneer Reserve into Back Creek.
As you walk along BPR you pass over this culvert. At the bottom of the photo below you can see the rocks that cover it. Although the water is brown it is beautifully clear.
The heavy vegetation is helping this water clarity. There is not much topsoil being lost in this area. Our ideal would be to have all Back Creek vegetated like this resulting in clearer water, educed loss of precious topsoil and habitat for animals.
