Priorities in bushland restoration: some boiled down rules

Project Description

Restoring natural vegetation means working in living systems full of interacting players: native species, weeds, different plant functional groups and all the ways they compete, collide and sometimes help each other. No wonder restoration sites can feel overwhelming.

In this AABR Fest 2024 presentation, bush regenerator Pete Juniper cuts through that complexity with “Some Boiled Down Rules” for setting priorities in bushland restoration. Drawing on years of on-ground work in both small Sydney reserves and large coastal sites, Pete outlines simple thinking tools to help you decide:

• where to start on a complex site
• how to focus effort for the biggest ecological gain
• when to disturb, when to hold back
• which weeds truly need urgent attention
• and how to make real space for native regeneration.

If you’re looking for practical, clear guidance on prioritising weed control and restoration tasks in messy, real-world bushland, this session offers a grounded, accessible framework you can take straight back to the field.