The landscape study area into which the proposed medium-density suburban patch is to be inserted is a 180km2 portion of land with its centre located approximately 6 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD (refer to Figure 1). Consisting of a mix of developed and undeveloped land, the area in question is typical of much of the greater Brisbane region. Viewed through the lens of the P-C-M model, it is dominated by a relatively homogenous matrix of medium-density development interspersed with patches of commercial-industrial development, vegetation, and cleared open space (refer to Figure 2). It is these final two categories of patch that have been deemed appropriate for the proposed development to occur.
The process of determining the optimum location …show more content…
The initial insertion arrival mode is that of a horizontal edge arrival expanding outwards from the existing suburban development to the South and east of the site. It is anticipated that future transformations to the mosaic sequence will continue in this manner and the selected location of the site has been chosen to minimise this continued expansion into the existing vegetation patch. With suburban development to the South and West, and QE2 Sports Complex and the Mount Gravatt Cemetery to the East, it is expected that any expansion would move North towards Toohey Conservation Park, gradually encroaching into the vegetation patch as development moves outwards over a period of 5 years. It is hoped that the presence of the Griffith University campus and a series of steep slopes along the Northern perimeter of the site will limit this expansion, thus protecting the further shrinkage of the existing vegetation …show more content…
While the development will result in encroachment into the existing vegetation patch, reducing its scale by approximately 25%, the disturbance change input does not reduce the number of vegetation patches in the landscape study area. While the reduction in the size of the vegetation patch is certainly not ideal, retaining the present number of patches maintains species richness within the landscape study area (Dramstad, Olson & Forman 1996, 23). The relatively straight edges along the Northern boundary of the site reduce the convolution of the existing patch and it is anticipated that these boundaries will encourage species movement along this boundary within the confines of the vegetation patch rather than into the new development thus minimising the risks associated with wildlife occupying developed areas (Forman 1995, 107). The vegetation patch into which the development is inserted is situated within the Brisbane River Catchment, with the upper reaches of the Oxley, Norman, and Bulimba Creek catchments located within the patch. To reduce negative effects on these waterways the proposed development is constrained to an area that does not impede on the headwaters of these waterways. The clearing of vegetation associated with suburban development presents the risk of increased erosion and sedimentation of
The process of determining the optimum location …show more content…
The initial insertion arrival mode is that of a horizontal edge arrival expanding outwards from the existing suburban development to the South and east of the site. It is anticipated that future transformations to the mosaic sequence will continue in this manner and the selected location of the site has been chosen to minimise this continued expansion into the existing vegetation patch. With suburban development to the South and West, and QE2 Sports Complex and the Mount Gravatt Cemetery to the East, it is expected that any expansion would move North towards Toohey Conservation Park, gradually encroaching into the vegetation patch as development moves outwards over a period of 5 years. It is hoped that the presence of the Griffith University campus and a series of steep slopes along the Northern perimeter of the site will limit this expansion, thus protecting the further shrinkage of the existing vegetation …show more content…
While the development will result in encroachment into the existing vegetation patch, reducing its scale by approximately 25%, the disturbance change input does not reduce the number of vegetation patches in the landscape study area. While the reduction in the size of the vegetation patch is certainly not ideal, retaining the present number of patches maintains species richness within the landscape study area (Dramstad, Olson & Forman 1996, 23). The relatively straight edges along the Northern boundary of the site reduce the convolution of the existing patch and it is anticipated that these boundaries will encourage species movement along this boundary within the confines of the vegetation patch rather than into the new development thus minimising the risks associated with wildlife occupying developed areas (Forman 1995, 107). The vegetation patch into which the development is inserted is situated within the Brisbane River Catchment, with the upper reaches of the Oxley, Norman, and Bulimba Creek catchments located within the patch. To reduce negative effects on these waterways the proposed development is constrained to an area that does not impede on the headwaters of these waterways. The clearing of vegetation associated with suburban development presents the risk of increased erosion and sedimentation of