MWRPP Report 14.7: Seaford Wetlands Monitoring Program: report on first ‘after’ survey and photo-point monitoring.

This report details work done in March 2014 for the Seaford Wetlands vegetation monitoring program. In particular, it details: i) The resurvey of 24 permanent quadrats – 12 that are being used to monitor vegetation change, and 12 that are being used to assess the effectiveness of slashing as a means to control Phragmites australis (common reed), and ii) Photos that were taken at six photo-monitoring points.Over the period of the monitoring program (almost one year to date), Phragmites reed beds have naturally expanded and contracted in areas of different elevation dependent on the suitability of the water regime at those elevations for its growth. For example, common reed has expanded in some areas along the periphery of wetlands cells SCW1 and SCE2 in elevated areas. This is likely to be because relatively wet conditions during the past year have favoured Phragmites growth in these areas. Some contraction of common reed beds at lower elevations within these wetland cells was observed, this is likely to be due to water levels being unsuitable (to deep for too long) for its growth during much of its growing season (spring-summer). The success of slashing in controlling common reed was also dependent on water regime. At lower elevations, regrowth of Phragmites in slashed quadrats was minimal; high water levels are likely to have prevented its regrowth. In contrast, at higher elevations, regrowth of Phragmites almost completely covered the slashed quadrats. It is recommended that control of common reed via slashing is most likely to be successful at lower elevations and where cut culms are subsequently submerged for considerable periods of time, i.e. for many months and for much of its growing season. Finally it is recommended that a whole-of-site assessment of vegetation change be done next year that comprises not only analyses of quadrat resurvey data but also an assessment of aerial photography and weed mapping at the site-scale.