Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve Interim Management Statement

LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION

The Reserve is in a high priority area for a number of programs aimed at improving vegetation cover and condition and protecting threatened fauna species. The Reserve can act as a focus and a catalyst for these programs in the local area.

Management and development of vegetation links should be encouraged to improve and maintain connections to other major vegetation nodes. In particular, roadsides, stream reserves and nearby remnant blocks should be targeted. Adjoining landowners on the eastern end of the southern boundary, on the eastern boundary and on the opposite side of Maher’s Road should be assisted and encouraged to fence off woodland areas from grazing. Significant areas for conservation on public land in the region are shown on Map 1.
The nearest creeklines all include species of bird not yet recorded on the Reserve. Habitat links, greater than 50 m in width should be established between the Reserve and these creeklines.
Sub-division of land in the immediate vicinity of Balmattum Reserve or conversion to some intensified agricultural uses may increase threats to conservation values on the Reserve and in the landscape as a whole. For example, broadacre olive plantations or vineyards attract Currawongs, Starlings and Indian Mynahs and woodlots of ironbarks may attract more Noisy MIners and large aggressive honeyeaters.
An Environmental Significance Overlay in the Shire of Strathbogie Planning Scheme should be used to protect conservation values in the local area.
INTERIM MANAGEMENT DIRECTION – LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION

Develop vegetation links on roadsides, stream reserves and with nearby remnants and assist and encourage adjoining landholders to protect woodland conservation values.

10. FUTURE MANAGEMENT ISSUES

RE INTRODUCTION OF THREATENED FLORA AND FAUNA

Re-introduction of threatened flora and fauna into secure areas is an acknowledged component of long- term conservation of native grassland and grassy woodland communities (Lunt 1991). However, the development of such programs requires careful planning and execution to ensure that the aims of re-

introductions are likely to be successful and that the existing values of the recipient site are not

compromised.

Balmattum Reserve may provide suitable habitat for the conservation of several species that are not currently known to occur within the site. Any proposal to re-introduce or introduce fauna or flora to Balmattum Reserve must satisfy relevant policy and planning guidelines and be consistent with recovery and action plans developed for the species. Bush Stone-curlews and Rufous Bettong are two possible targets for re-establishment. However, the suitability of Balmattum Reserve as a recipient site for these species or the desirability of developing re-introduction programs would require further consideration.

PREDATOR-PROOF/KANGAROO-PROOF FENCING

The implications of establishing predator-proof and/or kangaroo-proof fencing surrounding the Reserve should be investigated. Such a fence may simplify a number of management issues and provide

opportunities for active conservation programs within the Reserve. However, it may have negative effects including restricting fauna movement in general and impose greater on-going management

requirements. The establishment cost of such a fence would also be high.

WOODLAND THINNING

It is possible that some areas of eucalypt regeneration may eventually require thinning to achieve a desired woodland structure. In areas that currently have a relatively intact tree cover, tree density may be largely self-limiting. Where there is thick regeneration at present, such as in some River Red Gum

areas, this may act as a surrogate shrub layer for fauna species and should be left at present.

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APPENDIX 1: FLORA
Native vascular plant species recorded for Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve from Robinson & Mann (1999) and other sources.
E = Taxa is endangered in Australia (EPBC 1999) e = Taxa is endangered in Victoria (NRE 2000)

v = Taxa is vulnerable in Victoria (NRE 2000)

FFG = Taxa is listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. reg. = Taxa regarded as regionally significant by Robinson & Mann (1999)

Status	Species Name	Common Name	Occurrence
	Acacia verniciflua	Varnish Wattle	Roadside
	Acaena echinata	Sheep’s Burr	Uncommon
	Agrostis aemula var. aemula	Blown Grass	Uncommon
	Agrostis avenacea	Common Blown-grass	Moderately Common
v FFG	Allocasuarina luehmannii	Buloke	Rare
	Amphibromus macrorhinus	Long-nosed Swamp Wallaby-grass	Moderately Common
	Amphibromus nervosus	Common Swamp Wallaby-grass	Uncommon
	Aphelia gracilis	Slender Aphelia	Rare
	Aristida behriana	Brush Wire-grass	Rare
	Arthropodium fimbriatum	Nodding Chocolate-lily	Rare
	Arthropodium minus	Small Vanilla-lily	Uncommon
	Arthropodium strictum	Chocolate-lily	Uncommon
	Asperula conferta	Common Woodruff	Rare
	Austrodanthonia caespitosa	Common Wallaby-grass	Uncommon
reg.	Austrodanthonia carphoides	Short Wallaby-grass	Rare
	Austrodanthonia duttoniana	Brown-back Wallaby-grass	Common
	Austrodanthonia setacea	Bristly Wallaby-grass	Common
reg.	Austrodanthonia tenuior	Wallaby-grass	Rare
	Austrostipa aristiglumis	Plains Spear-grass	Roadside
	Austrostipa scabra	Rough Spear-grass	Rare
	Bothriochloa macra	Red-leg Grass	Uncommon
	Brachyscome basaltica	Swamp Daisy	Uncommon
reg.	Bulbine bulbosa	Bulbine Lily	Rare
	Burchardia umbellata	Milkmaids	Rare
reg.	Caesia calliantha	Blue Grass-lily	Rare
	Callitris glaucophylla	White Cypress-pine	Roadside
	Calocephalus citreus	Lemon Beauty-heads	Uncommon
reg.	Calotis anthemoides	Cut-leaf Burr-daisy	Rare
	Carex inversa	Knob Sedge	Moderately Common
	Carex tereticaulis	Rush Sedge	Uncommon
	Cassinia arcuata	Drooping Cassinia	Rare
	Centipeda cunninghamii	Common Sneezeweed	Uncommon
	Chamaesyce drummondii	Flat Spurge	Uncommon
	Chloris truncata	Windmill-grass	Rare
	Convolvulus erubescens	Australian Bindweed	Uncommon
v	Craspedia paludicola	Swamp Billy-buttons	Uncommon
	Crassula peduncularis	Purple Stonecrop	Rare
	Crassula sieberiana	Austral Stonecrop	Rare
	Cymbonotus preissianus	Austral Bears-ears	Rare
	Deyeuxia quadriseta	Reed Bent-grass	Uncommon
	Dianella longifolia	Pale Flax-lily	Rare
	Dianella revoluta	Black-anther Flax-lily	Rare
reg.	Dichelachne sp.	Plume-grass sp.	Rare
	Drosera peltata	Pale Sundew	Rare
	Eleocharis acuta	Common Spike-sedge	Uncommon
	Eleocharis pusilla	Small Spike-rush	Moderately Common
	Elymus scaber	Common Wheat-grass	Uncommon
	Enteropogon acicularis	Spider Grass	Rare

	Eryngium ovinum	Blue Devil	Uncommon
	Eucalyptus albens	White Box	Uncommon
	Eucalyptus camaldulensis	River Red Gum	Common
	Eucalyptus melliodora	Yellow Box	Rare
	Eucalyptus microcarpa	Grey Box	Common
	Geranium retrorsum	Common Cranesbill	Uncommon
	Goodenia gracilis	Slender Goodenia	Moderately Common
reg.	Goodenia pinnatifida	Cut-leaf Goodenia	Rare
	Haloragis heterophylla	Variable Raspwort	Rare
	Homopholis proluta	Rigid Panic	Rare
	Hydrocotyle laxiflora	Stinking Pennywort	Rare
	Hypericum gramineum	Small St John’s Wort	Rare
	Hypoxis vaginata	Yellow Star	Moderately Common
	Isoetopsis graminifolia	Grass Cushions	Uncommon
reg.	Isolepis cernua	Nodding Club-sedge	Rare
	Isotoma fluviatilis	Swamp Isotome	Moderately Common
	Juncus holoschoenus	Joint-leaved Rush	Uncommon
	Juncus sp.	Knob Rush	Rare
	Juncus subsecundus	Finger Rush	Moderately Common
reg.	Leptorhynchos squamatus	Scaly Buttons	Moderately Common
	Levenhookia dubia	Hairy Stylewort	Rare
reg.	Linum marginale	Native Flax	Uncommon
	Lomandra filiformis	Wattle Mat-rush	Uncommon
	Lomandra multiflora	Many-flowered Mat-rush	Rare
	Lythrum hyssopifolia	Hyssop Loosestrife	Moderately Common
reg.	Microseris scapigera	Yam Daisy	Rare
	Microtis parvifolia	Slender Onion-orchid	Rare
	Myriophyllum crispatum	Water-milfoil	Uncommon
	Oxalis perennans	Perennial Wood-sorrel	Uncommon
	Pimelea curviflora	Curved Rice-flower	Rare
	Plantago gaudichaudii	Narrow-leaf Plantain	Rare
	Poa sieberiana	Tussock Grass	Rare
E,e	Prasophyllum suaveolens	Fragrant Leek-orchid	Roadside
	Rumex brownii	Slender Dock	Uncommon
reg.	Rumex dumosus	Wiry Dock	Rare
	Schoenus apogon	Bog Rush	Uncommon
	Solenogyne dominii	Solenogyne	Moderately Common
reg.	Swainsona procumbens	Broughton’s Pea	Rare
	Thelymitra sp.	Sun Orchid	Rare
reg.	Themeda triandra	Kangaroo Grass	Rare
	Thysanotus patersonii	Twining Fringe-lily	Rare
reg.	Tricoryne elatior	Yellow Grass-lily	Uncommon
	Triglochin procerum	Water Ribbons	Rare
	Utricularia dichotoma	Fairies Aprons	Moderately Common
	Vittadinia cuneata	Fuzzy New Holland Daisy	Roadside
	Vittadinia gracilis	Woolly New Holland Daisy	Rare
	Wahlenbergia communis	Tufted Bluebell	Rare
	Wahlenbergia gracilenta	Annual Bluebell	Rare
	Wahlenbergia stricta	Tall Bluebell	Rare
	Wurmbea dioica	Early Nancy	Uncommon

APPENDIX 2: FAUNA
Fauna recorded from Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve by Robinson & Mann (1999) and Robinson pers. obs..