Nature Strip Revegetation
Sarah Brennan
Hawthorn and its surrounding suburbs are well known for their leafy streets and beautiful gardens. But like many cities, there is an underlying lack of biodiversity and native vegetation to accommodate our insects, reptiles and birds. But one initiative to help solve this crisis is nature strip revegetation, and that’s exactly what we’re doing at my apartment building.
Months ago, our nature strip was in quite a sad state. Filled with weeds, grass and dirt, its use was to accommodate the bins, or for trucks to park on when delivering a package. As someone who is concerned about the environment, I saw the nature strip as an opportunity to try and make a positive difference in the community.
Myself and other interested tenants worked together and received approval from our apartment building’s committee to revegetate the nature strip. We successfully applied for a permit from the Boroondara Council to undertake the project, and received a voucher for 20 free plants from a local nursery.
For the revegetation we chose to work with KooyongKoot Alliance (KKA) as part of their ‘Rewilding our Nature Strips’ program. They provided invaluable guidance on the steps to rewild the verge and aided with establishing the best layout to work for the plants, tenants and the bins.
After getting the all clear with Before You Dig Australia (to ensure we wouldn’t hit any underground pipes or cables), the first step was to remove the topsoil of grass and weeds. We filled all of our green bins to the brim, and even though our backs ached, seeing the weeds removed was the beginning of this exciting project.
We let the exposed dirt sit for a month and then came the laying of the weed matting, thanks again to KKA. The jute matting had pre-cut slits for the plants and it was held in place with metal pegs.
KKA also provided additional plants which consisted of native wallaby grass, saltbushes, everlastings, and various flowers. In the layout we made sure to leave space for the bins and a generous walkway for the tenants who often cross the strip to get to the building. We ended up having to cut more slits into the matting to accommodate all the plants we had been given!
After applying a generous layer of mulch sourced from a local arborist, and carting it back to the building, the nature strip was done! We put down some pavers for finishing touches, and while the plants are small, we look forward to watching them grow over the next year, and all the pollinators they attract.
Through this process I’ve come to realise how much of a waste of space nature strips are. Grass doesn’t enhance biodiversity; it takes up valuable space that can be optimised for greater purposes.
If you’re considering rewilding your nature strip, I highly recommend working with a community group such as KooyongKoot Alliance or Balwyn Rotary to help with the process. Rewilding can be labor intensive, but it’ll be of significant benefit to your local environment and bring joy to those who walk by it.
Sarah Brennan is convenor of the Lighter Footprints Forests Working Group
Source of featured image: KooyongKoot Alliance https://kka.org.au/