Making Space for Native Restoration

Over the past two months, Friends of Bullock Creek volunteers have been focused on tackling some of the site's most persistent invasive weeds, with significant progress made in removing ivy throughout the reserve.

To support ongoing management, ivy infestations have been mapped against the site's Landscape Plan, helping volunteers prioritise future work. Larger infestations, including those beneath the boardwalk and along the Stone Street boundary, have been covered with heavy-duty polythene. This method suppresses regrowth by blocking sunlight and reduces the need for herbicides, providing a more environmentally sensitive approach to weed control.

Alongside the ivy programme, volunteers have been clearing exotic trees and shrubs, particularly cotoneaster and blackberry, to prepare new areas for native planting in 2027. During spring and summer 2026, these sites will undergo follow-up "cut and paste" treatment, targeting any remaining live stumps and stems to prevent regrowth before restoration planting begins.

While weed control isn't always the most visible part of restoration, it's one of the most important. Every invasive plant removed creates more space for native species to flourish and brings Bullock Creek another step closer to becoming a healthier, more resilient wetland ecosystem.