Sample monitoring and evaluation plan

This is a sample monitoring and evaluation plan required for projects receiving a grant of
less than $35,000.

Grant reference 2009/RR/xxxx

number:

Organisation Somewhere Street Bushland Reserve

Project title: Improve native vegetation in Somewhere Street Bushland

Reserve

Amount awarded: $15,000

Project start date: 3 March 2009

Project completion date: 2 March 2011

1. Introduction to monitoring and evaluation plan

The Somewhere Street Bushland Reserve Bushcare wants to improve native vegetation in the
Somewhere Street Bushland Reserve by:
- protecting remnants of Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest in a 1 ha bushland reserve
- reducing areas of Asparagus Fern, Jasmine, Morning Glory and other weed species growing in
the reserve
- enhancing flora and fauna habitat corridors on the foreshore of the waterway adjacent to the
site
- encouraging new members to join the existing Bushcare group.

Trust indicators used to measure progress towards achieving success include:

- area regenerated
- area from which introduced species will have been removed
- target species for which habitats will have been improved or enhanced
- area of project site that supports sediment and erosion controls
- number of volunteers involved/hours contributed.

Participants in the project include:

- Council’s Bushland Coordinator
- Contractor to be engaged by council
- all existing and new members of the Somewhere Street Bushcare Group

Council’s Bushland Coordinator will be responsible for:

- managing and administering the project
- engaging the contractor
- coordinating monitoring and evaluation of project progress; and
- reporting on the project.

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 2. Monitoring & Evaluation Plan.

Objective Activity Project Measure Measure Tools/ Resources Measured by: Measure taken Date
Required every: completed
To protect remnants of Improve habitat for List target species List Digital camera, Bushland Baseline then 12 5 May 2009
Swamp Oak Floodplain target species quadrants, Coordinator monthly
Forest in a 1 ha photopoints
bushland reserve.
Conduct site survey Number of flora Number of flora Digital camera, Bushland Baseline then 12 5 May 2009
species occurring species quadrats Coordinator monthly
on project site (List)

Regenerate site Area regenerated Area in Square Baseline and then 6

Area of connected metres monthly
vegetation Area in Square
established metres
To reduce areas of Remove weeds 1. Area weeded 1. Square meters 1. Tape measure Bushland Baseline then 1 2 February
Asparagus Fern, 2. Area 2. Square metres 2. Attendance Book Coordinator month intervals 2011
Jasmine, Morning Glory maintained
and other weed species
growing in the reserve
To enhance flora and Implement erosion Area of the project For example 24 sq Digital camera Bushland Baseline then 6 2 November
fauna habitat corridors control measures site that supports metres Coordinator monthly 2010
on the foreshore of the sediment and
waterway adjacent to erosion control
the site
Introduce track Area revegetated Area revegetated Digital camera Bushland Baseline then 6 2 March 2011
closures, plant and Coordinator monthly
mulch in degraded
areas

To encourage new Extend no of Individuals Number Attendance book, Bushland Baseline then 6 5 May 2009
members to join the people involved engaged Number of new indicating new people Coordinator monthly
existing Bushcare group New people people engaged
involved
Involve participants Individuals Number of Workshop with Bushland Before each report is March 2010
in evaluation engaged volunteers involved/ morning tea Coordinator due March 2011
workshops to hours contributed
evaluate project

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Progress against indicators will be monitored regularly by the Bushland Coordinator. While
project progress against timelines will be tracked every 2 months, overall project effectiveness
will be assessed on a 6 monthly basis. This will be determined using:
-photo points, allowing for determination of improvement in site condition
-quadrats, allowing for determination of improved species diversity/ site coverage
and
-site survey.

All measurements taken during the course of the project will be stored electronically at
council.

Should the need arise, the Bushland Coordinator will seek Trust approval to alter project
timelines. It is important that the project is adapted around any delays in progress associated
with potential inclement weather, difficulties in securing contractors and other challenges.

3. How will project achievements be evaluated and communicated?

Measurements and other project information will be collated as described in the plan and
collated for progress and annual reports. Results presented to the Bushcare group and any
other project participants. As well as allowing identification and implementation of any
improvements to the project, project participants can reflect on and acknowledge the
achievements made.

Changes to baseline measures will also be added to Schedule C and submitted with progress
and annual reports.

Before we do this, we will make additional measurements and compare them with the
baseline measures we take before the project starts. These will be recorded and we can
discuss any changes in what we are doing should occur to achieve our goal of the improved
native vegetation in the reserve.

At project completion, the Bushland Coordinator will:

- Collate all information in the final report to be submitted to the Trust
- Determine the effectiveness of the project in meeting project objectives and
achieving project outcomes and
- Determine the appropriateness of the project activities and project approach to
achieving objectives

We will have a small workshop of core participants and ask them how the project had gone,
present them with the information we have collected and ask them for their feedback. We will
also ask Reserve users what they think of the improvements using a short survey form.

The project participants will hold a small event to acknowledge the completion of the project,
and promote the works to the local community. Participants will also present on the project
outcomes to the other council Bushcare groups at the next large scale event. Council will
seek out local media opportunities to promote outcomes to the wider community.

The Somewhere Street Bushcare Group intends to apply for further funds to undertake similar
regeneration activities in another nearby bushland reserve once we define our next objectives
to achieve our goal of fully regenerating the site to native vegetation that can be sustained.

DECC 2009/99
Published January 2009

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