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Native plants
Native plants play a large role in maintaining the biodiversity of both flora and fauna in Australia. Some of the many benefits associated with planting native trees include:
- Plants that grow naturally in your local area will be well adapted to the local soil and climatic conditions of the area hence they will often grow where nothing else will (eg boggy areas).
- Some native plants have well developed root systems and so can assist in stabilising soil.
- Native plants will also be able to tolerate local climatic extremes such as frost or periodic drought.
- Native species of plants will provide the right habitat and food for native animals, birds and insect populations.
- Plants that regenerate naturally are free and are more likely to grow faster than that of any plant you will plant yourself.
- They provide shade and can help modify local temperature extremes.
- Native plants are easily established and maintained.
- They will not develop into an ongoing weed problem like some exotic plants.
- They will often grow faster and hardier than exotic species and be less susceptible to local pests and diseases.
Native plants provide crucial habitat for many species of Australian animals such as birds and arboreal mammals. Over 50 species of birds (owls, parrots etc) and over 95 species of mammals utilise tree hollows for shelter and safety. While hollow formation in eucalypts can begin from a young age, recent evidence has shown that hollows suitable for vertebrate fauna (birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians) do not occur before the age of 120-180 years. Large hollows will take at least 220 years. Dead and fallen trees also play a vital role in providing habitat for animals as well as maintain forest and woodland nutrient cycles. The removal of dead wood for firewood can have a significant impact on wildlife and ecosystem function.
The understorey is often overlooked as an important part of the natural ecosystem. The sub-layer of canopy known as the understorey includes juvenile trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, mosses, lichens and small trees that occupy vegetation layers below the canopy of taller trees. The understorey provides many natural functions in the environment including:
- Natural pest control;
- Wildlife habitat (protection for smaller species in the food chain);
- Encouragement of smaller woodland birds, many of which are disappearing;
- Protection and enrichment of the soil;
- The ability of some species to fix nitrogen into the soil assisting other species to grow (eg. wattles);
- The maintenance of biodiversity and genetic resources;
- Ensuring a suitable environment for regeneration of canopy trees; and
- Aesthetic values.
It is important to conserve what understorey remains as it represents 90% of native plant biodiversity and impacts directly on the types of wildlife residing in your area.
Logan City's main vegetation areas are the Daisy Hill Conservation Park and the Carbrook Wetlands in the east of the City and the Greenbank Military Training Area in the west.
Logan City has an area of approximately 76 sq km of remnant vegetation; of this 37% is Endangered, 15% is of Concern and 48% is not of Concern under the Vegetation Management Act 1999.
Logan City has over 199 bushland areas which contain a range of differing vegetation communities. These communities are mapped and assessed via the Queensland Herbarium and are represented by Regional Ecosystems (vegetation communities that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil).
There are 29 Regional Ecosystems (REs) found in Logan bushland parks:
| 1 |
12.1.3 |
Mangrove shrubland |
| 2 |
12.3.1 |
Vine Forest |
| 3 |
12.3.3b |
Eucalyptus open-forest to woodland |
| 4 |
12.3.5 |
Melaleuca open- forest to woodland |
| 5 |
12.3.6 |
Melaleuca, Eucalyptus, Lophostemon woodland |
| 6 |
12.3.7 |
Narrow fringing communities of Eucalyptus, Callistemon and Casuarina |
| 7 |
12.3.8 |
Communities associated with freshwater swamps |
| 8 |
12.3.11 |
Eucalyptus and Corymbia open forest to woodland |
| 9 |
12.5.2 |
Eucalyptus and Corymbia grassy woodland to open forest |
| 10 |
12.5.3 |
Eucalyptus open forest |
| 11 |
12.5.3a |
Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora open forest |
| 12 |
12.9-10.3 |
Eucalyptus and Corymbia open forest with shrubby understory |
| 13 |
12.9-10.4 |
Eucalyptus open forest to woodland |
| 14 |
12.9-10.5 |
Shrubby open forest complex |
| 15 |
12.9-10.19a |
Eucalyptus and Corymbia open forest |
| 16 |
12.9-10.10 |
Melaleuca low open forest or thicket |
| 17 |
12.9-10.12 |
Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora open forest with Lophostemon sub canopy |
| 18 |
12.9-10.14 |
Eucalyptus tall open forest |
| 19 |
12.9-10.17 |
Open forest complex of stringy bark, grey gums and iron barks |
| 20 |
12.9-10.17a |
Lophostemon dominated open forest |
| 21 |
12.11.3a |
Gully line open forest of Eucalyptus and Lophostemon |
| 22 |
12.11.5 |
Spotted gum open forest |
| 23 |
12.11.5a |
Eucalyptus and Corymbia open forest |
| 24 |
12.11.5h |
Eucalyptus and Corymbia open forest |
| 25 |
12.11.5j |
Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Lophostemon open forest |
| 26 |
12.11.5k |
Eucalyptus and Corymbia open forest |
| 27 |
12.11.23 |
Eucalyptus open forest |
Vegetation located on Council's bushland areas is protected under Council Local Law 5 Use and Protection of Parks.
The Environmental Protection Agency is the agency responsible for nature conservation in Queensland and is closely involved in identifying and assessing the living parts of the state's natural resources - plants, animals and ecosystems.
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