FAQ

The Coastwest Grants Program is provided by the Western Australian Planning Commission with the aim to improve the condition and amenity of Western Australian coastal environments.  They support projects designed to address the challenges that coastal environments face such as climate change, population growth, competing uses and degradation

Grants are provided to partnerships of community groups and coastal managers to undertake on-ground coastal and marine rehabilitation, restoration and preventative conservation projects. The grants also look to build the skills and capacity of Western Australian communities and to encourage and maintain their involvement in coastal planning and management.

The objectives of the Coastwest grants are to:

• contribute to the implementation of local and regional coastal plans and strategies;
• assist in the identification, protection and maintenance of environmental values, aesthetic qualities, biodiversity and water quality in the coastal zone;
• foster sustainable recreational and tourist use of the coast by assisting in the maintenance of the recreational amenity and provision of public access to the coast; and
• build capacity in Western Australian communities in order to increase their involvement in coastal zone management activities, through joint coastal research activities, education and training.

The City of Nedlands in conjunction with the Swanbourne Coastal Alliance has received $19,306.63 (ex GST) from the Western Australian Planning Commission through the Coastwest Grants Program 2017/18 to undertake the project “Restoration and Habitat Protection Swanbourne Dunes”.

This project aims to restore degraded areas of the coastal dune system in Swanbourne.  The project will increase the ecological value of the coastal dunes by reducing erosion and invasive weeds as well as increasing habitat and improving the aesthetics of the area.

Objectives

• Removal of invasive weeds
• Revegetation with local provenance native seedlings
• Maintenance of public access such as beach fencing
• Improvement of bushland condition
• Reducing erosion
• Increasing habitat of fauna such as the resident White-winged Fairy-wrens
• Strengthening two regional greenways - the coastal greenway and the Bold Park to Kings Park Greenway
• Protection of environmental values and biodiversity within the coastal zone
• Increasing the atheistic quality of the area
• Building capacity by involving the community

The timeframe for this project will be for a period of some nine months. The schedule of works are:

ACTIVITY	TIMEFRAME
Site preparation work	October 2017 – March 2018
Stabilisation work	March – May 2018
Planting	June/July 2018

Approximately 4000 locally occurring native shrubs and ground covers are being planted in degraded areas along the dunes (refer to species list below).  All species are low growing coastal species chosen so that existing views are not obstructed.  Please note there are existing Acacia trees on the site that can grow up to 6m.  These are existing populations that will be retained as part of the project and they will naturally regenerate overtime.

SPECIES	COMMON NAME
Leucophyta brownii	Cushion Bush
Scaevola crassifolia	Thick-leaved Fan-flower
Myoporum insulare	Blueberry Tree
Eremophila glabra	Tar Bush
Melaleuca huegelii	Chenille Honeymyrtle
Acacia cyclops	Coastal Wattle
Ficinia nodosa	Knotted Club Rush
Olearia axillaris	Coastal Daisybush
Spyridium globulosum	Basket Bush
Rhagodia baccata	Sea Berry Saltbush
Spinifex longifolius	Beach Spinifex
Enchylaena tomentosa	Ruby Saltbush
Threlkeldia diffusa	Coast Bonefruit
Atriplex isatidea	Coast Saltbush

This project assists in implementing the following documents and strategies:

• Perth Biodiversity Projects Natural Area I Assessments (2008)
• City of Nedlands Natural Areas Management Plan 2013 - 2018 (refer to City's website)
• The Allen Park Management Plan 2013 – 2018 (refer to the City's website)
• Western Suburbs Greening Plan (2002) (see document library)
• City of Nedlands Greenways Policy (see document library)

The planting of local plants will occur in this area:

The coastal dunes in Swanbourne form part of the regional coastal greenway as identified in the City of Nedlands Greenways Policy and the Western Suburbs Greening Plan 2002.

Greenways are important because they:

• Preserve and create open space
• Improve air quality
• Improve water quality through biofiltration
• Provide habitat for fauna such as birds, butterflies and lizards
• Provide corridors for wildlife
• Increase biodiversity
• Reduce Erosion
• Provide a role in environmental education
• Use local native seedlings that our insects and birds have evolved with