Rehabilitation and revegetation of the Kosciuszko summit area, following the removal of grazing – An historic review

Abstract

The removal of grazing from the high country in NSW and almost 20 years of rehabilitation and revegetation works at a cost of almost $10 million has restored the alpine zone in Kosciuszko National Park to a near natural landscape. Few visitors today would realise that the summer alpine floral display which they now enjoy each summer, hides a once degraded and severely eroded landscape, devoid of many of the natural catchment values so important to the discharge of water to the rivers and to the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme. The rehabilitation of the alpine zone has contributed to and seen the recovery of many native species and communities, some nearing extinction during the grazing years, such that their conservation will be forever ensured. The rehabilitation and revegetation programme is one that the Soil Conservation Service officers and more recently National Parks staff can be justly proud. It was arguably the first and certainly at the time, the largest landscape restoration programme undertaken in NSW. Much was learnt from the programme through observation of long-term natural processes, providing for recognition of the limitations within which the work had to be carried out. Working with nature and utilising sound ecological principles was essential to the success of this landscape restoration programme and to the long-term conservation of the alpine zone.