Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve Interim Management Statement
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Fauna Assessment
- Ecological Burns
Vegetation AssessmentExcluding grazing where vegetation condition does not warrant biomass reduction and maintaining the historical stock grazing regime in other areas is a conservative option for the initial management of the Reserve. The potential of other management regimes to maintain or improve biodiversity values should be investigated.
Trial plots will be relatively large (i.e. 0.25 ha or greater) and use removable/collapsible fencing where required. It is expected that sufficient replicates of grazed/ungrazed areas should be available within the different vegetation classes and vegetation management zones. Assessment methods will involve quadrat surveys and censuses of threatened and regionally significant flora species under various management regimes. A baseline monitoring grid should be established within the first year. A mixture of small (2m x 2m) and large (10m x 10m) quadrats should be employed. Outcomes should be assessed after one year and three years with a final assessment after six years. Parameters that are of significance include vegetation structure and height, relative cover of native and introduced species, native species and introduced species richness, litter and bare ground. Monitoring of tree health throughout the Reserve should also be conducted. Many of these programs would be suitable as joint projects in conjunction with universities, special interest groups or other interested bodies. Fauna AssessmentInformation on the presence and distribution of fauna across the Reserve has not been systematically collected. Detailed fauna surveys should be conducted and the development of a monitoring program for fauna species established in the first year. To some extent habitat structure and condition can be used as an analogue for fauna monitoring. Key indicators include the amount of bare ground, litter, vegetation height, structure and cover. This data should be interpreted in reference to the potential habitat values of the various vegetation communities and the desired habitat characteristics for fauna, especially significant species (see Appendix 4). The following studies are required to provide both general and specific information on fauna values:
These studies should, where possible, extend beyond the Reserve and include areas of nearby and adjoining habitat. Many of these programs and projects would be suitable as joint projects in conjunction with universities, special interest groups or other interested bodies. Although this Interim Management Statement includes management actions directed at providing suitable habitat for a range of woodland fauna, it is expected that it will take many years before the appropriate structure and diversity exists across the Reserve. Consequently while use of the Reserve by those species listed in Appendix 4 should be monitored in the short-term, the success or otherwise of the management approach should be judged over a longer timeframe of 5-10 years. Ecological BurnsEcological burns should be trialed in woodland and grassland areas to investigate their potential for enhancing flora values and as a possible means of controlling biomass. Burns should be in a mosaic and at a management scale (i.e. 0.25 ha). Caution must be exercised in the conduct of these burns. Using fire as a management tool in grassy ecosystems with a long history of grazing either to control weeds or as a means of reducing biomass is greatly complicated by the varying responses of exotic and native species. Lunt (1990) found that following a single burn in April at the Derrimut Grassland Reserve native grasses such as Themeda triandra, Agrostis avenacea, Austrodanthonia caespitosa and Austrodanthonia setacea were more abundant in burnt plots than in unburnt areas. However, there was also a significant increase in *Aira cupaniana, *Briza minor, *Romulea rosea and *Vulpia bromoides in response to the burn. Some introduced species have been found to be less frequent following autumn fires (Lunt 1990; McDougall 1989). Ecological burns should be trialed in different seasons to assess whether seasonality of burns leads to a significant difference in species composition. Burning may stimulate germination of soil-stored seed of shrub species including hard-seeded species such as acacias and may assist some species (including orchids such as Prasophyllum suaveolens) to regenerate or re-invade the Reserve from the Old Euroa Road. It is unlikely, however, that much soil- stored seed of shrub species remains away from the roadside fringe. INTERIM MANAGEMENT DIRECTION – SURVEY AND MONITORING Establish survey programs for flora and fauna. Establish a comprehensive monitoring framework to assess overall management and to compare the outcomes of different management regimes.
Establish trials to investigate the potential benefits of alternative management regimes including grazing and burning. FIRE Although fires from natural and human sources would have been a part of the ecology of this region for many thousands of years, they have been largely excluded from the Reserve since European settlement. There is little evidence of recent fires (such as burn scars on trees and burnt stumps) although some trees show signs of lightning strikes. Extensive or frequent fires are likely to have profound effects on habitat for woodland fauna including threatened species. Accordingly, wildfire should be excluded from and prevented from occurring within the Reserve. Old Euroa Road, Mahers Road and the proposed access track on the southern and eastern perimeter are all effective fire breaks. The proposed stock grazing regime will also reduce fuel loads. Under no circumstance should ploughed or graded firebreaks be constructed within the Reserve. If adjoining landholders require further breaks then Parks Victoria should offer to construct them on the landholders’ land adjacent to fences. Map 6. Priority Weeds Maher’s Road Old Euroa Road
PEST PLANTS All of the Reserve suffers from weed invasion to some degree, largely as a result of previous land use. Most of the weed cover consists of annual and perennial grasses (including Wild Oats *Avena barbata, Rye-grass *Lolium spp., Hair-grass, *Aira spp., Fescues *Vulpia spp, Large Quaking Grass *Briza
are the most important management actions with regard to these species. Active programs of vegetation restoration in those parts of the Reserve that are highly disturbed will also assist in removing and controlling weed threats.
PEST ANIMALS Red Foxes, rabbits, hares and probably cats are present within the Reserve. Foxes are a major threat to a wide range of fauna and should be controlled and preferably eliminated from the site if conservation objectives are to be met. Predation by Red Fox is listed as a threatening process under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (SAC 1991) and the Action Statement for Bush Stone-curlews makes a commitment to ‘give priority to feral predator control programs at important sites within the Bush Stone-curlew’s range…’ (Robinson & Johnson 1997). Although feral cats have not been sighted at the reserve, they potentially represent a similar threat as foxes to native fauna and is also listed as a threatening process under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (SAC 1995). Rabbits are not present in large numbers due largely to the heavy soils across much of the Reserve. Rabbits and rabbit warrens are found in the White Box area surrounding the shearing shed, and, to a lesser extent, along the eastern and western boundaries. These populations should be controlled. Hares are present but seem unlikely to constitute a threat to habitat condition although they may prove problematic when restoration programs commence. Control programs for all these species would be made more effective if conducted in conjunction with neighbouring landholders. INTERIM MANAGEMENT DIRECTION – PEST PLANTS AND ANIMALS Control and where possible eliminate pest plants and animals, especially where they pose an immediate threat to significant species or communities. KANGAROOS The Reserve supports a population of Eastern Grey Kangaroos. This species is not a pest and the present number (of the order of 60-100) is not a threat to conservation values within the Reserve. However, it is likely that this population will increase steadily and that within the foreseeable future kangaroos may have a significant impact on flora and habitat values. Large numbers of kangaroos would also affect management of neighbouring properties and potentially threaten good relationships with these landowners. Kangaroos may also present a road hazard on the adjoining Old Euroa Road if numbers become high and their movements beyond the Reserve boundary increase. In the short to medium term the population should be monitored and some culling may be required. The aim should be to ensure that the population is maintained at a level that allows for sustained vegetation recovery. Neighbours may be issued with permits under the Wildlife Act 1975 to control Eastern Grey Kangaroos causing damage to private property, however, kangaroo control should be the responsibility of Parks Victoria. NOISY MINERS Noisy Miners are considered a threat to existing and potential populations of woodland bird species within the Reserve. Noisy Miner removals have been shown to result in substantial increases in numbers of insectivorous birds for at least 12 months after removal, even where the experimental sites are small or degraded (Grey et al. 1998). As a corollary of this increased bird species richness and diversity, Stothers et al (1999) recorded improvements in tree health because of reduced insect numbers. There is a strong case for a program to remove Noisy Miners from Balmattum Reserve due to the risk of mature tree loss through dieback and the subsequent effects on biodiversity. The effects of removal should be monitored including tree health, populations of other bird species and re-invasion by Noisy Miners. INTERIM MANAGEMENT DIRECTION – KANGAROOS AND NOISY MINERS Monitor and, where necessary, control Eastern Grey Kangaroo populations to ensure that the population is maintained at a level that allows for sustained vegetation recovery within the Reserve. Remove Noisy Miners from the Reserve and monitor effects.
Investigate incorporation of unused, unlicensed road reserves into the Reserve and undertake active management programs on Old Euroa Road. INFRASTRUCTURE Buildings There is a shearing shed with associated yards and infrastructure in the southwestern corner. The shearing shed is in relatively good condition and its attractive siting and surrounds could make it suitable as a base for research projects and educational programs (See Appendix 6). Some of the fencing and yards associated with the shed should be retained but other less significant infrastructure should be removed. The sheep dip is likely to be highly contaminated and should be either emptied of liquids and filled in or the liquid treated in situ before filling. The hayshed to the east of the shearing shed should be removed. Tracks There are no tracks within the reserve and the heavy soils and gilgais restrict vehicle movement. Old Euroa Road and Maher’s Road provide a measure of vehicle access to the western and northern boundaries of the Reserve. A single perimeter track, inside the interior fence should be constructed adjoining fencelines along the southern and eastern sides of the Reserve to provide access for management vehicles and as a simple firebreak. The tracks should be designated as “management vehicles only”, and all vehicles, with the exception of those required for fire management tasks, should remain on the track at all times.
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