Media Article
22 July 2009
Grass trees from Fiona Stanley Hospital find new homes in Beeliar Regional Park
One hundred mature grass trees and zamias salvaged from the Fiona Stanley Hospital site at Murdoch have been replanted at rehabilitation sites across the local area.
In what is the first stage of plant salvage and reuse from the Fiona Stanley Hospital site, 86 native grass trees and 14 native zamias have been relocated and replanted ahead of the winter rains at three new rehabilitation sites within Beeliar Regional Park and one site along Farrington Road.
Fiona Stanley Hospital Executive Director Brad Sebbes said the replanted grass trees and zamias join another 100 grass trees and zamia palms that were salvaged from the site before clearing last July.
"The removal of these native species was part of a larger program to salvage and store plants from the site for use in landscaping the hospital grounds after it is built - and also for planting in other local areas in need of rehabilitation.
"In addition to the plants that we have relocated to the rehabilitation sites, a further 100 grass trees and zamias have already been salvaged for use in the hospital's landscaping," Mr Sebbes said.
The relocation of the grass trees and zamias - which is part of the Fiona Stanley Hospital's $2.3million environmental commitment - was undertaken with the assistance of the specialist organisation, Grasstrees Australia.
"We were really pleased to be involved in a project of such size. Grasstrees Australia is dedicated to the preservation of endangered Western Australian native grass trees and zamia palms and it is satisfying to know that 200 of these species have been saved and will be reused at the hospital and surrounding sites," Grasstrees Australia spokesman Tom Gordon said.
"It's terrific to see such commitment from Fiona Stanley Hospital to preserve WA's natural heritage."
The relocation of the plants builds on the rehabilitation work already undertaken by the Fiona Stanley Hospital project over the past year.
Topsoil from the Fiona Stanley Hospital site was stripped, relocated and spread across the rehabilitation sites last year and is expected to be an excellent source of revegetation of native species. More than 80 salvaged tree logs have also been relocated to the rehabilitation sites to provide habitat for local fauna.
Other environmental programs funded by the Fiona Stanley Hospital project include maintaining and rehabilitating significant natural habitat areas on the hospital site, rehabilitation of areas of regional park lands, the purchase and protection of native bushland, investment in community-based conservation programs and funding for Carnaby's Black Cockatoo research.
When it opens in 2014, Fiona Stanley Hospital will be the major tertiary hospital in the south metropolitan area. Work is under way on the Murdoch site and construction of the main hospital buildings is expected to commence later this year.
For more information about the Fiona Stanley Hospital project and its environmental programs, visit www.fionastanley.health.gov.au or call 1800 659 475.
For more information please contact:
Susan Bell or Astrid Serventy
9228 1999 or 0419 540 984 (Susan)
