PTP projects are carefully designed and staged to minimise impacts on flora and fauna wherever possible and in accordance with remnant, regulated and significant tree legislation. Where vegetation removal is absolutely necessary, offset requirements will be integrated into the final design and species selections and discussed with local councils as part of a landscape design.
Community Wildlife Program
The Community Wildlife Program involves local communities in helping to offset the loss of habitat caused by necessary vegetation removals. Local school wildlife workshops involve the community in helping to enhance local habitat.
The Community Wildlife Program provides an opportunity for local schools and community members to work with PTP Alliance projects to help enhance wildlife habitat in the local community. We bring our projects, zoologists and local schools and community groups together to provide information sessions, nesting box building workshops, and information about urban ecologies and how to attract native birds and other wildlife into the local area and residents’ back yards.
Protecting flora and fauna during construction
PTP Alliance projects are carefully planned and managed to minimise impacts to flora and fauna. Where possible, construction methodologies can be used to further minimise impacts to root zones. Tree Protection Zones are also used to protect trees that are located close to works and Construction Environment Management Plans are prepared to guide the way we manage and protect flora and fauna.
Where removal of vegetation is absolutely necessary, we work with the local community and local councils to identify opportunities to reuse trunks and limbs for habitat and nature play as well as mulch for ground cover.
Removal of vegetation is carefully supervised by fauna specialists and arborists. All trees are inspected prior to removal and if animals are found, they are removed and relocated by professionals.
Fallen limbs play an important part in local biodiversity and large limbs and trunks removed as part of any PTP Alliance projects are retained to be placed in parks and reserves wherever possible.
Tree hollows are important for local fauna and can take years to form naturally. Almost all of Australia’s parrots, including lorikeets, use tree hollows for nesting (Phillips 2001). A number of mammals such as bats and possums also use hollows to nest.
Where practicable, hollows removed as part of PTP Alliance projects are retained for later reuse to be placed in younger trees and on the ground, providing as much local habitat as possible. Retention and reuse of hollows plays an important role in minimising the short term impacts of tree removal on habitat until new trees are established.
Trunks are also be used to provide nature play opportunities in playgrounds.