2007 Annual Report - Central Queensland University

2007 Centre for Plant & Water Science Annual ReportSELECTION OF NATIVE PLANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT UNDER HIGHVOLTAGE POWER LINESA field trial was established at Stanwell Power Station under high voltage power lines with theaim of stabilising the batter slope, and selecting suitable plant species for revegetation of barrenareas under power lines in central Queensland. The site that had been left barren for 20 yearswas chosen for the study. The site was graded and a layer of top soil placed, before introducingthree treatments. The treatments comprised; hydromulching, stone mulching and greenwastemulching. Seedlings of 60 natives shrub and ground cover species (other than grasses) wereestablished on each of the stone mulched and greenwaste mulched treatments. Thehydromulched treatment, however, was exposed to two treatments – direct seeding and plantingof tube stocks of up to 10 grass species. All three plots were connected to a drip irrigationsystem and were watered occasionally.The results to date show survival of more than 90% of the planted seedlings. Furthermore, theplants established in the greenwaste mulched treatment are growing faster than those grown inrock-mulched treatment. Further monitoring of plant growth, root distribution, canopy cover,soil water changes and sustainability of established species will be undertaken both to evaluatethe establishment techniques and to select suitable species for wider areas of centralQueensland.Fig 1. The project leaders Dr N. Ashwath and M. Carige inspecting the seedlings of nativespecies maintained at CQUniversity nursery (left), which were later planted at Stanwell PowerStation (right) on stone mulched and greenwaste mulched plots.PROJECT STAFF Principal Investigator: A/P Nanjappa AshwathCo-investigators: M. Carige (Ergon Energy), L. Painter, V. BardenFUNDINGErgon Energy, Powerlink, Central Queensland University42