The Bradleys were intuitive pioneers in the techniques that have since been shown to produce superior ecological outcomes in bushland restoration
Simply put, if you remove the weeds, the bush comes back by itself
Simply put, if you remove the weeds, the bush comes back by itself
From 1957, "Eileen and Joan Bradley walked regularly in Ashton Park and on Chowder Head (on the north shore of Sydney Harbour)
Observing that attempts to control weeds by slashing and clearing resulted in rampant regrowth, they formulated an alternative strategy
The sisters hand-weeded where they walked, doing less than an hour a day and being careful to replace the bush litter which—they believed—contained the seedbank for new growth
They waited for the bush to regenerate
In Weeds and their Control (1967) and in Joan's Bush Regeneration (1971) they developed the three principles of the Bradley method of bush regeneration:
Selected hand-tools were the only implements permitted
The Bradleys opposed the use of chemicals and criticized the controlled-burning programme begun in 1971 by the State's Forestry Commission
From 1962 the sisters had kept records of their work. Following an experimental burn in Ashton Park in 1966, they noticed the introduction of weeds and began to watch regrowth after other controlled burning
By 1973 they proclaimed that regular 'cool fires' did more damage to bushland than the wildfires which it was intended to control. In contrast, intense fire stimulates regrowth."
From a biography of Eileen Bradley
Observing that attempts to control weeds by slashing and clearing resulted in rampant regrowth, they formulated an alternative strategy
The sisters hand-weeded where they walked, doing less than an hour a day and being careful to replace the bush litter which—they believed—contained the seedbank for new growth
They waited for the bush to regenerate
In Weeds and their Control (1967) and in Joan's Bush Regeneration (1971) they developed the three principles of the Bradley method of bush regeneration:
- work outward from less infested to more seriously infested areas
- minimize disturbance and replace topsoil and litter
- allow regeneration to set the pace of the work
Selected hand-tools were the only implements permitted
The Bradleys opposed the use of chemicals and criticized the controlled-burning programme begun in 1971 by the State's Forestry Commission
From 1962 the sisters had kept records of their work. Following an experimental burn in Ashton Park in 1966, they noticed the introduction of weeds and began to watch regrowth after other controlled burning
By 1973 they proclaimed that regular 'cool fires' did more damage to bushland than the wildfires which it was intended to control. In contrast, intense fire stimulates regrowth."
From a biography of Eileen Bradley
See Dr Jeff Yugovic's essay: Looking after the bush - Regeneration is better than planting on this page
Read this page by John Seed on the Bradley Method and Deep Ecology
You can purchase Joan Bradley's little book "Bringing Back The Bush" from this page
Read this page by John Seed on the Bradley Method and Deep Ecology
You can purchase Joan Bradley's little book "Bringing Back The Bush" from this page