Gawler Buffer
A northern Urban Forest restoration project
The Gawler Buffer is a part of Adelaide’s green belt situated near the Playford Hills on the northern plains and covers 250 hectares.
This parcel of land is one of the largest remaining urban park developments in Adelaide metropolitan area with excellent environmental outcomes from this restored farming land.
The buffer continues to encourage the return of a variety of birds and other wildlife to the area. The aim of the project is to restore the degraded agricultural land and provide habitat links within a fragmented landscape. Plant communities include Mallee Box (Eucalyptus porosa) grassy woodlands and Peppermint Box (Eucalyptus odorata) grassy woodlands, the latter of which is an EPBC listed plant community.
It also forms part of Adelaide’s Metropolitan Open Space System, which makes sure there is land set aside for open space into the future.
Some remnant plants are present on site, and these areas are being improved as well as expanded through revegetation and weed control.
20 Million Trees Project
In 2014 a project funded through the Federal Government’s 20 Million Trees Programme, focused on completing the restoration of 27 hectares within the Gawler Buffer, where understorey plants had already been established. Over the three year lifespan of the project 12,000 seedlings are being planted to enhance the habitat value of the area and provide a lasting legacy into the future.
Restoration outcomes
Since the Gawler Buffer parcels started to be restored in 2003:
- more than 150,000 seedlings established
- more than 700 kg of seed direct seeded
- many different approaches trailed supporting innovation in native grass and chenopod direct seeding.
Contact
For queries and further information on the Gawler Buffer Urban Forest, contact the Public Land Stewardship team.
