RESOURCES | LGNSW Roadside Vegetation Resources

Roadside reserves are a complex environment to work in due to competing values and issues. Councils are responsible for considering road safety, conservation, cultural values, firewood collection, bushfire risk, legal requirements, recreational use and development pressures.

So how can Council deliver roadside environmental management when it is under resourced to deliver road infrastructure needs and environment management demands are competing for available resources?

The solutions lie in an integrated approach and embedding roadside environmental management into IP&R. LGNSW through its Council Roadside Reserves project funded by the Environmental Trust has a number of resources now available to assist councils with this process.

Council Roadside Environmental Management Framework (CREMF) – provides a holistic overview, including detail on legislative responsibilities, regulatory requirements, how to minimise risk and how to make the process of improving roadside environments more efficient and cost-effective.

RAM Guide – a step-by-step guide to determine the conservation value of roadside reserves using the rapid assessment methodology (RAM).

RVMP template – This comprehensive template will assist you in preparing a Roadside Vegetation Management Plan that complies with relevant legislation, and can be dovetailed to fit within your council’s existing IP&R framework.

Before you start working in the road corridor, you need to consider what approvals and permits may need to be in place. Five REF templates have been developed to enable councils to choose the most appropriate one for the scale of work they’re undertaking. They include:

• REF Template – Major Works

• REF Template – Minor Works

• REF Template – Routine Works (General)

• REF Template – Routine Works – Mowing and Slashing, and

• REF Template – Routine Works – Shoulder Grading

Accompanying the REF templates are the:

• REF approval pathway

• REF Environmental Safeguards and Mitigation Measures Workbook

• REF Methodology Workbook

• Guidelines to prepare a REF

• Example Pre-construction checklist

The two workbooks link to the templates and provide key examples and methodology to assist councils with common environmental considerations around roadside works.

Integration of natural assets into councils systems and processes has also been identified by councils as a key area for further direction, resources and assistance. Two key documents are available to assist:

• Asset Management Plan Template – Roadside Trees

• Asset Management Plan Template – Roadside Vegetation

Supporting these templates is the Strategic Asset Management Plan Amendment Guidelines for those councils also looking at updating their strategic asset management plan to include natural assets.

For more information please contact CRR Project Officer Kathy Godfrey at kathy.godfrey@lgnsw.org.au

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