STEP TWO: PREPARATION

Now is the time to lay the ground work

Illustration by Lyn Hughes Correa reflexa

Use this revegetation calendar to plan your activities:
Revegetation Activity Calendar
We thank the Goulburn Broken Catchment for permission to use their calendar.
It is perfect for our region and there is no point in reinventing the wheel.
Do not underestimate the value of time spent at this point of the project. It will pay off later during planting and in the amount of follow up maintenance required.
The basic steps are:

• Order seed or plants
  Seedbanks do not store all species all the time and so seed should be ordered before seed set to ensure an adequate supply of your chosen species. Most indigenous species set seed in summer through autumn. In addition, some plants require more than 6 months from germination to grow to the required size for planting. If possible, order seed or plants at least 18months before required.
• Organise contractors (if using)
  Contractors can often be very busy. Booking them in as early as possible and keeping in touch to ensure their availability closer to your preferred time is a good way to reduce your stress and keep the project on track.
• Procure supplies
  Fencing supplies are readily available at most farming supply stores and some contractors will organize these as part of their service.
  Tree guards and stakes are generally ordered from gardening suppliers so allow time for their delivery.
  Check in with the nursery or seedbank to see that your order can still be delivered by your due date.
• Initiate weed and pest control program
  Persistent weeds or pests should be tackled first. This will give you time to alter your methods if necessary to achieve control. Sometimes one pest may have been controlling another. Be prepared to adapt your planned program to respond.

While Australia is rich in biodiversity, Australian soils are highly dependent on vegetation cover to generate nutrients and provide stability