FAQs - Enviroscape Master Plan

Enviro-scape master planning is a strategic operational process that coordinates the future development of the City’s park precincts. It considers water quality and conservation (hydro-zoning, eco-zoning), the natural and built environment and climate change, along with accessibility, amenity, community use and ensuring the precinct is fit for purpose. The plan developed aims to ensure that community needs are served at the most economic whole-of life cost.

There are 67 parks in the City of Nedlands. The enviro-scape plans to be prepared for each of these parks to address the following issues:

• Water Use:  The Department of Water has capped the City’s annual allocation of ground water used for irrigation at 709,300 kilolitres, based on 7,500 kilolitres per hectare of irrigated area per year.  There is a possibility the Department of Water will reduce the allowance of water use to approximately 6,000 kilolitres per hectare, per year (equivalent to 2.4 Olympic-sized pools).
• Climate Change:  Continued climate change with increased temperatures and reduced rainfall, but increased intensity, requires a change of thinking in management practices.
• Passive Recreation Use:  An increase in demand and usage for passive recreation requires the need to improve the management of turf and to ensure turf selection for passive recreation is best matched to the uses.  The aim for the correct management of recreation grassed surfaces is to ensure they will withstand deterioration in quality.
• Water Quality:  The quality of the ground water is currently reduced due to the rain water being directed via drainage systems to the Swan River, instead of naturally dispersing into the water aquifer which sits below the ground surface.
• Vegetation:  The health and retention of native vegetation, most notably trees, is impacted by the quality of the ground water and how the water is applied.
• User accessibility:  Increased demand and a changing user profile requires a rethinking of accessibility.

This process includes hydro-zoning which is a water conservation practice that defines zones of usage and plant types with differing watering requirements, and eco-zoning where the watering needs of plants are met by rainfall alone.

The planning process also considers the management of groundwater aquifers in terms of the total water cycle that includes storm water capture and infiltration into the aquifer, where it is stored, and eventual abstraction of the groundwater for watering of parks.

The initiatives identified in the two rounds of consultation and resulting in the Enviro-cape Master Plan, will be delivered as part of the Capital Works Program for 2021/2022 and into the following financial year.  

The Capital Works Program is reviewed on a yearly basis and as part of this review, the priorities may change as a result of the condition and age of the assets changing. The Assets that require renewal will be replaced in accordance with this Enviro-Scape Master Plan. 

Our future environment is likely to have reduced water allowances for irrigation, increased park user numbers requiring better managed turf surfaces, and a need to maintain or increase tree canopy cover.  As a result, the City needs to identify and implement practical solutions to continue to provide appealing and functional parks.

The alternative to replacing grass and mulching would be to reduce watering to grass areas, beyond the boundary of the turf areas, to levels that would not support satisfactory grass growth and which would eventually result in large areas of sparse, brown and sandy ground.