Trialling the use of controlled burning for exotic vegetation management in novel riparian ecosystems

Throughout Eastern Australia, and much of the New World, rivers have undergone dramatic geomorphic and vegetative change following European settlement. Recent research has documented a shift in the trajectory of river health towards recovery, including an increase in riparian woody vegetation and depositional
landforms. However, there is limited information about the quality of the returning riparian vegetation, specifically the extent to which exotic plant species are contributing to the recovery and the geomorphic effectiveness of riparian vegetation. In response to these observations, this investigation sought to document and quantify the geomorphic and vegetative change that has occurred over the past century along the Paterson River in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Through combining studies of geomorphology and ecological restoration science, this project aimed to link the effects of land management, exotic plant species invasion and geomorphic change on river recovery, and couple this information with trials of large-scale invasive plant species management techniques in the riparian zone. Preliminary trials of field-based, largescale
riparian invasive plant species management were conducted using a combined process of aerial herbicide spraying and controlled burning. Overall, the initial riparian burn showed promising results for the management of invasive riparian plant species and should be considered for future testing.