Vehicles to be blocked from nature reserve

Vehicles to be blocked from nature reserve

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Premier Mark McGowan, Member for East Metropolitan Region Matthew Swinbourn, Eileen Davis, Karl Titelius, Colleen Rankin, Landcare SJ Executive Officer Francis Smit and Labor candidate for Darling Range Hugh Jones. Photograph – Aaron Van Rongen.

Fencing, in the form of an exclusion barrier, to prevent vehicles illegally destroying native bushland around Brickwood Reserve has been promised by both major parties.

Brickwood Reserve includes threatened ecological communities including Banksia Woodland.

Executive Officer at Landcare Serpentine Jarrahdale Francis Smit said the reserve is on the National Trust Register.

“Brickwood Reserve has been recognised as having significant environmental features, including three nationally listed threatened ecological communities and one of the largest and most intact examples of a critically endangered threatened ecological community on the Swan Coastal Plain,” Mr Smit said.

“The Friends of Brickwood Reserve Group have worked hard to maintain the reserve.”

The current fencing is inadequate according to Mr Smit who said the new fencing will be vital to demonstrate the bushland is managed and important.

“The new high-tensile wire fencing is intended as a deterrent to unauthorised vehicle access,” he said.

“In particular, motor cycles and 4WDs which have gained access over the years, damaging sensitive bushland areas, bringing in weeds and disease and dumping household waste including green waste. “

Brickwood Reserve has various walking tracks and recreation is encouraged.

“Landcare SJ was overwhelmed by the response from both major parties at our request for financial support to fence Brickwood Reserve,” Mr Smit said.

“We have been trying for a number of years to secure sufficient funding. The fencing is high tech and expensive, and funding for this type of vehicle exclusion barrier has been very difficult to obtain through normal grant processes.”

The Liberal Party committed $130,000 to the fencing on Tuesday, February 16.

The Labor Party also committed $130,000 on Wednesday, February 17 when Premier McGowan visited the reserve.