Strategic tree and forest establishment and regeneration on the Southern Tablelands
Getting Trees
Established
Planting and growing increasing quantities of trees is the scientific solution to Earth's environmental dilemma.
Richard St. Barbe-Baker
Decompaction is the first task, to create a deep friable soil so that trees can swiftly establish unstressed, extensive root architecture.
The tool for the job is the deep ripper, a very narrow, strong tyne which flies downwards like an underground kite. It lifts and fractures the ceramic soil upwards and outwards.
Peter and Guss Marshall
1. Tree and seed stock
High quality planting or seed material is absolutely critical for success.
Plants should have healthy root system and a good, self-supporting, above-ground form.
Ensure the leaves have a good colour, and that the plants are not showing any signs of
disease or injury. Selecting from the appropriate provenance and cultivar range will also
influence the outcome to tree growth. For instance, using a line known to be susceptible to a local pest, or that needs damp sites year-round when your site is dry, or has an
inappropriate form for the site could detract from the overall success of any planting.
When purchasing stock from a commercial supplier select high quality stock that meets the Australian Standard (AS2303 - Tree Stock for Landscape Use). Do not purchase or plant pot-bound trees or trees with J-roots. J-roots are caused when a root hits the bottom of a pot and then grows back up the side of the pot, creating a J shape.
Seeds should not be old. They should be healthy and well filled-out, with a good average
weight for the species. There should have no signs of fungal infection, and the collection site and date should be available.
2. Site preparation
Ripping with bulldozer or tractor
Ripping is a method of creating a narrow deep trench in the soil profile to allow water and aeration, which assists root growth. It is especially useful in areas which have high compaction, as is often found in areas that have grazed. Ripping lines can be laid out along contours to reduce erosion and assist rain collection.
https://treeproject.org.au/landholders/prepare-and-plant/
​
3. Fencing
Fencing and guarding trees against livestock and vermin is essential.
Fencing can account for up to 80% of the cost of a tree project. Bear in mind that tree fences need to be better or stronger than subdivisional fences. Stock will
demand entry to treed areas because of the abundant grass in the early years.
Electric fencing is by far and away the cheapest. You must take the trouble to
educate your animals off shears or at weaning in a small ‘training’ paddock.
Once animals are ‘switched on’ to shock treatment, even one and two wire
fences have proved effective. The issue is not whether electric fences work, it is
whether they are properly erected and maintained with plenty of power, earthing and training of stock. On flat ground electric fences for trees can be built for less than $2500 per kilometre, including labour.
A strategy to cope with rabbits and hares is also necessary. Talk to other tree
planters in your area to ascertain the extent of the problem and how they cope.
It will generally be cheaper to protect individual trees with tree guards than to fence with netting around the whole block. Vermin proof electric fencing is another possibility. You need two bottom offset hot wires only one inch off the ground. Permanent grass
suppression is essential to prevent earthing out.
4. Tree guards
Tree guards protect trees during the early phases of establishment lead to better tree growth and form. They can be made from many materials and are essentially a barrier around the plant that prevents browsing damage and creates a protective microclimate for growth. Newly planted tube stock seedlings are susceptible to browsing damage from rabbits, hares, deer and marsupials. Browsing retards growth and can damage the main growing tip, leading to undesirable multi-stemmed trees, and extreme levels of browsing can kill young plants. Tree guards also protect seedlings from heavy winds, herbicide drift and they increase humidity to create a protective microclimate.
Tree guards come in different sizes and materials, and tree guard selection needs to be appropriate for your plantings and budget.
1. Fibreboard guards
Made of cardboard or paper card with a weather resistant coating and biodegradable. Some companies see excess runs from milk and juice container production. Held in place by bamboo canes, some are slotted with holes at the corners of the guard.
Strengths: Low cost and biodegradable, no time spent removing guards.
Limitations: Relatively short lifespan, especially in wet conditions. One use only. Only available in small sizes.
2. Plastic sleeve guards
Made of thin UV-resistant plastic. Pegged at three sides with bamboo canes.
Strengths: Creates low UV, higher humidity microclimate for good growth. Can be reused.
Limitations: Need to be removed from plantings. Creates plastic waste. Need to be well installed to prevent collapse.
3. Corflute guards
Rigid fluted polypropylene plastic guards. Held in place with a timber stake.
Strengths: Creates low UV, higher humidity microclimate for good growth. Quick installation. Long lasting and can be reused multiple times, recyclable. Rigid form offers good wind protection. Taller, offering more protection.
Limitations: More costly. Need to be removed from plantings.
5. Planting or direct seeding?
Deciding on whether to use tree stock or direct seeding usually comes down to site conditions and budget. Planted tube stock and trees have a higher rate of success overall but require more inputs and the establishment cost is generally higher per tree than direct seeding. Considerable effort goes into site preparation, trench or hole digging, planting and installing tree guards and post-planting care. However, with correct care the survival rate is usually much higher.
Direct seeding has lower cost, but usually also has a higher rate of loss, as many seeds will fail to establish. Timing is critical to seeding success and seeds won’t germinate during dry spells and droughts. Grass competition for light and water can severely hamper seedling emergence and establishment. However, in the right conditions and site, direct seeding has far lower input costs and manual effort and can be very successful. Because of seedling failure, it is necessary to calculate for the likely loss when purchasing seed.
In general, tree stock will perform better in sites that can be actively managed and where competition from other plants, especially introduced annual and perennial grasses is high. Direct seeding is best used where grass competition is low, such as on dry hills with native grasses, or in rehabilitation works such as creating native corridors.
6. Grass control
Grass establishes quickly and competes vigorously with young seedlings for water and nutrients. When growing quickly, grasses can overshadow small seedlings, shading them and causing slow growth. Competition by grasses and weeds is the biggest killer of young trees and they need to be controlled to ensure successful tree establishment and growth.
Grasses and weeds can be supressed by physical and chemical methods.
Physical methods include physical removal, adding mulch around the base of seedlings, or using paper or fibre planting mats to supress weeds and retain moisture. These methods tend to be labour intensive and are most suited to small-scale plantings.
For larger-scale projects, the use of chemical herbicides is faster and can be more effective, depending on the type of weed and weed density. For smaller weed infestations, spot spraying with a backpack is a good approach for moderately sized plantings, using a non-selective knockdown chemical such as glyphosate.
In larger scale plantings, where weeds levels are high, a combination of approaches including burns, slashing, targeted use of species-specific herbicides, and even scraping off of topsoil to remove the weed seed bank can be used. Always plan ahead and seek advice, and attempt to do as little damage as possible to achieve weed removal. There is no point in creating an even larger problem than the one that already exists.
A novel range of biological herbicides are becoming available in a bid to overcome herbicide resistance, reduce toxic residues and be safer for the user. Biological herbicides are made from natural products such as plant extracts, bacteria and fungi, and offer a natural alternative to synthetic herbicides. At this stage, most of these products kill weeds by leaf contact and are not systemic, so accurate spraying is essential.
​
Below are links to some alternative products to glyphosate for weed control as well as other useful supplies :
https://www.contactorganics.com.au/
Examples of corflute treeguards in use at Millpost, Bungendore
Click the image above to read an article about direct seeding locally at Rock Farm.