Mowing Policy

Prepared by Canberra Urban Parks and Places in October 1999.

Used by Parks, Conservation and Lands in the Department of Territory and Municipal Services. 

• Purpose
• Background
• The Resource
• Strategic Direction
• References
• Legislation
• Appendix A

Purpose

The network of urban open space is one of the foundations of Canberra's garden city identity. An influential factor which contributes to this identity are the expansive grassed areas which provide us with active and passive recreation, enable the protection of native flora and fauna, and protect our open spaces from erosion and wind damage. These grassed areas must be mown to maintain public safety, provide community access and to assist with fire fuel reduction. This policy outlines current and future directions for the mowing of grassed areas in urban open spaces in Canberra.

Background

As an agency of the Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Parks, Conservation and Lands has the management role for urban open space, which consists of land that has been identified for long-term public use. Urban open space provides all Canberrans with a range of outdoor passive and active recreational activities in a variety of settings that are accessible to the public.

Parks, Conservation and Lands manage approximately 4000 hectares of dryland (non-irrigated) grass and 125 hectares of irrigated grass. These areas are typically: Town Parks; District Parks; Neighbourhood Parks; or Pedestrian Parkland. Mowing is a major maintenance requirement for these areas.

The mowing service for Canberra's urban open space is provided either by a regional based contract (Inner North and Woden Valley/Weston Creek) or through a mix of government employees and mowing contractors. Performance under these contracts is audited monthly.

The Resource

Subject to weather and climatic limitations, mowing operations are programmed to achieve the most efficient use of resources. It is essential that these programs be followed to ensure the most effective use of available equipment. Spring flush growth conditions cause short term difficulties in maintaining both dryland and irrigated grass to required heights. This factor contributes to increased pressure on resources.

Many areas including semi-natural open space are often left unmown to retain biodiversity, native fauna habitats, and to encourage natural regeneration. Areas that are inaccessible or involve hazards such as rocks or steep slopes are also left unmown.

Strategic Direction

The Department of Territory and Municipal Services is committed to providing quality open space which provides for the recreation and social needs of the community. This includes the mowing of grassed areas to keep these areas at the required standards. In order to sustain this quality of open space, Parks, Conservation and Lands continually assesses processes to standardise mowing. The aim is to supply efficient delivery and equitable service throughout Canberra.

1. Irrigated grasses in Canberra are maintained to ensure consistency of cover for both active and passive recreation.

Irrigated areas are those areas where the use requires a consistency of cover. The areas include irrigated parkland, such as Town or District Parks, some medians, and District and Neighbourhood sportsgrounds. These irrigated areas, especially the medians, help to maintain Canberra's image as the garden city and also provide active and passive recreation for the community.

ACTIONS

• Parks, Conservation and Lands has established mowing regimes to maintain irrigated grass within the required heights. The cutting height required is 38-50mm and the grass must be maintained between 38-70mm. During summer, areas that are less intensively used are irrigated to ensure the survival of the grass.
• Mowing heights and frequencies for sports grounds are set to provide the desired playing heights for particular sports with heights ranging from 18mm for first grade cricket to 38mm for the various football codes.
• The mowing regime throughout the city has been standardised to ensure that all areas are maintained at their appropriate heights. This regime is adhered to except under exceptional circumstances.
• Every care is taken to minimise organic wastes such as grass clippings entering waterways.

2. Service providers conduct dryland grass mowing on a programmed regional basis.

Mowing is measured on a performance basis not a frequency basis, and is undertaken in accordance with the appropriate performance standard of height. Frequency of cut varies with seasonal growth patterns.

ACTIONS

• Mowing maps have been prepared for all suburbs and non-urban roads. These maps indicate the various categories of mowing requirements.
• Parks, Conservation and Lands mows roadside areas for ease of access, to maintain a clear line of sight for motorists and to reduce fire hazard.
• Under the Streetsmart Program, leading up to the Olympics and the Centenary of Federation, major access roads to Canberra and Bruce Stadium will be mown to a medium or high standard.
• Every care is taken to minimise organic wastes such as grass clippings entering waterways.

3. Maintenance of native grassland sites.

Parks, Conservation and Lands manage a number of native grassland sites, some of which contain endangered plant and animal species. To ensure the survival of these species, it is important that the sites are managed correctly and in accordance with the Nature Conservation Act 1980, Natural Temperate Grassland: An endangered ecological community. Action Plan No. 1.

Native grasses are used in a number of road features to reduce the mowing frequency and to promote the use of native grasses. However, most native grasses are slow to establish and can often be invaded by weeds. High establishment costs have been experienced and the use of native grasses in these situations has been limited.

ACTIONS

• Sites are usually mown twice per year to control growth and to allow natural seeding.
• Close liaison with Parks, Conservation and Lands' Wildlife Research and Monitoring Unit is maintained to assess the most appropriate mowing frequency and timing, burning requirements and other management issues.

4. Semi-natural open spaces are mown along their perimeter for community safety reasons.

Semi-natural open spaces are an integral part of Canberra's image as the Bush Capital. These areas enhance the scenic setting of Canberra and provide an attractive environment for the community. Semi-natural open spaces also provide a utilitarian backdrop to community paths, stormwater drainage and minor public utilities. Semi-natural open spaces include remnant bush or rural land, plantations, floodways, creek corridors, drains, and streams. The edges of these areas are mown, where possible, to ensure reasonable access, to maintain a clear line of sight for motorists and to help reduce fire hazard.

ACTIONS

A mowing schedule has been set up for the treatment of these areas:

5. Invasive weeds.

Invasive weeds such as African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula), St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma) and Chilean Needlegrass (Nasella neesiana) are present in some areas around the city. All invasive weeds are managed under the ACT Weeds Strategy.

ACTIONS

• Areas that are mown where these weeds occur are mown before the plants come into seed.
• During summer, to further prevent the spread of weed seeds, equipment is washed down on concrete washdown pads at depots at the end of each day's work, when areas containing these weeds are mown.

6. Snakes.

The establishment of urban areas close to nature reserves and other public open space can lead to situations where some native wildlife invade urban areas in search of food, water and shelter. Many Canberrans living in houses with boundaries adjacent to nature reserves or open space can expect that snakes will sometimes pass through their properties.

ACTIONS

• Mowing cannot prevent snakes from entering backyards or passing through properties; however, 4-8 metre wide strips are mown behind properties backing on to open spaces to assist in making snakes more visible.

References

Australian Capital Territory (1993). The Territory Plan.

ACT Department of Urban Services (1999). Canberra Urban Parks and Places: Native Grass Sites. March 1999.

ACT Department of Urban Services (1999). Canberra Urban Parks and Places: Grass Mowing Manual. January 1999.

Australian Capital Territory Government (1998). Tuggeranong's Urban Parks and Sportsgrounds Plan of Management. Canberra Urban Parks and Places, Bureau of Sport and Recreation. November 2000.

Australian Capital Territory Government (1998). Inner Canberra's Urban Parks and Sportsgrounds Plan of Management. Canberra Urban Parks and Places, Bureau of Sport and Recreation. November 2000.

Australian Capital Territory Government (1998). Woden and Weston Creek's Urban Parks and Sportsgrounds Plan of Management. Canberra Urban Parks and Places, Bureau of Sport and Recreation. November 1998.

Australian Capital Territory Government (1998). Belconnen's Urban Parks and Sportsgrounds Plan of Management. Canberra Urban Parks and Places, Bureau of Sport and Recreation. November 1998.

Australian Capital Territory Government (1999). Draft ACT Code for Residential Development: Intent, Performance Criteria and Acceptable Standards. Appendix III of the Territory Plan. Planning and Land Management. June 1999.

Australian Capital Territory Government (1998). Bushfire Fuel Management Plan. Draft Plan of Management. April 1998.

ACT Government (1998) Environmental Protection Agreement between Canberra Urban Parks and Places and the Environment Management Authority. Department of Urban Services, Environment Management Authority. July 1998.

ACT State of the Environment Report 1994/95.

ACT Government (1998). Natural Temperate Grassland: An endangered ecological community. Action Plan No.1, Environment ACT, Canberra.

Australian Capital Territory Government (1994). Turf Management Manaual. ACT Parks and Conservation Service. November 1994.

Legislation

Nature Conservation Act (1980)

Environmental Protection Act (1997)

Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991

Appendix A

*The cutting height for these grounds is determined by the grass species present and the height of cut of other areas on the same mowing program. Mower blades should be set to the above heights on a hard level surface. The final cutting height may vary slightly from these settings due to local conditions.