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Transcript
MALLEE CATCHMENT Technical Bulletin Technical Bulletin #22 Above: Planting a Desert Greenhood. Left: Australasian Native Orchid Society volunteer at the planting site. Photos: N Reiter, Wimmera CMA. At a glance • Less than 30 plants of this species are known to exist within the This technical bulletin summaries the brownish stripes and suffusions, on long, outcomes of a project to translocate slender pedicels. Murray Sunset National Park, of which only one emerged in 2012; • A supplementation plan was the Desert Greenhood, a threatened orchid, in the Murray Sunset National The Desert Greenhood is listed as prepared for this species and 20 Park during winter 2013. vulnerable under the Commonwealth plants were reintroduced for the Environment Protection and Biodiversity first time within existing habitat in Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) and is the Murray Sunset National Park; Background The Desert Greenhood is a deciduous, perennial, terrestrial orchid emerging annually from an underground tuber. It produces a ground-hugging, stemencircling, crowded basal rosette of four listed as threatened under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 • The main threat to the Desert Greenhood is introduced animals; (FFG). Only eight populations containing • Its preferred habitat is an ecotone about 150 plants are known in Australia, between ecological vegetation with less than 30 plants in Victoria. classes Loamy Sands Mallee and Woorinen Sands Mallee. to ten greenish leaves, that are usually Method withered at flowering time. The plant The seed was sourced from the Murray bears one to eight small (to 20mm long), Sunset National Park population in 2011. light green flowers with darker green or Desert Greenhood plants were grown www.malleecma.vic.gov.au Supplementation of the nationally vulnerable Desert Greenhood (Pterostylis xerophila) Above: Desert Greenhood plants were propagated from seed. Photo: N Reiter, Wimmera CMA. Above: Desert Greenhood tubers. Photo: N Reiter, Wimmera CMA. Above: A rabbit and goat proof fence surrounds the site. Photo: N Reiter, Wimmera CMA. from seed in the Wimmera Catchment • A 30m by 30m goat and rabbit proof • Determine optimal conditions for Management Authority’s Horsham Orchid fence was installed on the site prior Propagation Facility. to translocation. The fence will protect part of the existing population from A suitable site for the successful supplementation of Desert Greenhood was selected based on observations of the remnant population at the Murray Sunset National Park, taking into account threats to the species. The site chosen is in the Murray Sunset National Park and encompasses part (four plants) of the original population. The criteria for pest animals, increasing the chances of successfully collecting seed for future translocation based on the long term success of supplementation; • Continue pest plant and animal control within Murray Sunset National Park; • Continue to propagate Desert recovery efforts. Gates allow access Greenhood ex-situ until an adequate for management and watering and will representation exists of current plants allow for possible browsing by native within Murray Sunset National Park and herbivores during the dormant phase of at least 100 plants are available for re- the orchids; introduction; • Twenty Desert Greenhoods were • Conduct further surveys within the selecting this site were: planted in suitable microclimates within Murray Sunset National Park to locate • The site is secure and managed by the fenced area; suitable sites for translocation and any Parks Victoria; • The site has the same vegetation • Each plant was tagged with a disc 10cm to the north of the plant, mulched and and soil characteristics as the known watered as per the supplementation populations of Desert Greenhood; plan; • The site has minimal weeds and low levels of pest animal disturbance; • The site is easily accessible for watering and monitoring; • The existing population will benefit from increasing plant numbers and partial protection through fencing. This project was carried out under a permit (10006395) under the FFG Act and • A 1,000 litre tank was erected on site additional populations of the Desert Greenhood. Acknowledgements The Mallee Catchment Management for supplementary watering if needed Authority (CMA) engaged the Wimmera during the first growing season; CMA to undertake this project with • Only one of the 30 known plants funding from the Victorian Government. emerged in 2012, but the winter 2013 Parks Victoria is also a project partner, census of the population at rosette and volunteers from the Australasian stage looks promising, with several Native Orchid Society helped with the plants having emerged. translocation. the National Parks Act 1975. Recommendations Further information Recommendations from this project For further information on the Desert Key outcomes include: • The supplementation plan was • Manage the site to eventually achieve developed for the project and approved a translocated population of 100 Desert by the relevant authorities. Greenhood plants; Greenhood supplementation please contact the Mallee CMA on 03 5051 4377. Project Partners Published June 2013 This publication may be of assistance to you but the Mallee Catchment Management Authority refers readers to our Terms and Conditions, available from our website. Printed on 80% recycled Australian paper, made from pre- and post-consumer waste.