Reduced Camping and Plan in Place to Protect and Preserve Coastal Cypress Pines

With a clear vision to improve open public spaces and natural vegetation, Reflections Holiday Parks is working with environmental management experts, Arborsafe and Ecological Consultants Australia , and Byron Shire Council, toimprove the quality of the tree community within the group’s Terrace Reserve park.

Since 10 April 2018, Reflections has also been actively working with Dimitri from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, OEH, to ascertain the appropriate approval pathways and requirements.  Reflections is keeping Byron Shire Council informed on the progress to date.

Reflections Holiday Parks CEO Steve Edmonds said misinformation had led to concerns for the future of the park’s Coastal Cypress Pines within its Southern Precinct, when in actual fact a clear plan and Vegetation Management Strategy was in place to protect and enhance these important trees.

“Reflections has appointed ArborSafe who have a long history in identifying and recording the trees in order to monitor their health,” Mr Edmonds said.

“We have also appointed Ecological Consultants Australia who are experts in the management and coexistence of threatened species in urban environments.

“We have been working with Byron Shire Council for some time on solutions to protect and regenerate the Coastal Cypress Pines within the Terrace Reserve Holiday Park and no trees require removal for the implementation of our revised plans for the Southern Precinct.

“Camping activities have been enjoyed in the Southern Precinct of the park for 40+ years and we have put a plan in place so that this traditional holiday pastime can continue.

“We have proposed a significant reduction in sites in the Southern Precinct to protect the trees; since 2014, Reflections has reduced camping sites in the Southern Precinct from 57 sites down to 38.

“Our current proposal is to further reduce sites down to 29 which will see an overall reduction of 51 per cent of camping sites in that area.

“Our Arboricultural Impact Assessment and report outlining, ecological considerations of vegetation management within the Southern Precinct have been provided to council and outline practical strategies to improve and enhance the health andwell-being of the trees.”

As well as reducing guest sites by more than half, Reflections Holiday Parks’ proposal to Byron Shire Council includes:

– The introduction of re-vegetation and replanting underneath according to a proposed Vegetation Management Plan;

– Installation of a 10m buffer zone along the top of the estuary to increase the regeneration area, improve public access and amenity;

– Protection of root zones with a proprietary root-protection system (load cells) where camping activities encroach into root zone areas;

– A reduced vehicle size in the Southern Precinct down to camper trailers and tents;

– Ongoing arboricultural inspections to monitor, assess and manage the trees and revegetation.

Mr Edmond’s said implementation of these recommendations for the park would see improved health of existing trees on site, increased tree numbers and an overall increase of the area and condition of the ecological community.

As the Trust’s first proactive approach to improving the Coastal Cypress Pines, Reflections has handed back a significant number of camping sites providing a 10-metre setback between the road edge and the park boundary along Terrace Street.  This open space provides an excellent opportunity to revegetate this road verge with further plantings of Coastal Cypress Pines.

Mr Edmonds said Coastal Cypress Pines were also significantly present in the adjacent residential areas with the Group keen to work with OEH in assisting residents in their endeavours to preserve and enhance this species.