Download Stony Rises Landholder Guide

Stony Rises
Landholder Guide
The Corangamite CMA’s Woodland Recovery
Project - looking after our unique landscape
for biodiversity and farming benefits.
How to use this guide
Introduction
The natural landscape of the Stony
Rises has changed from what early
settlers first observed almost 200
years ago.
This guide has been developed to assist
Stony Rises landholders to make decisions
on how to improve biodiversity values on
their own land, as well as the broader
landscape.
While large areas of remnant vegetation still
remain, much of this is now fragmented.
The diversity of both plant and animal species
has also declined through the introduction
of non-native plants and animals, a lack of
natural disturbances, such as fire, and a lack
of active conservation management.
It is hoped this guide, combined with local
knowledge, can be used to support
landholders and the wider community, to
protect and improve the unique flora and
fauna of the Stony Rises.
Contents
Tree Violet
(Melicytus dentatus)
Introduction3
Native Vegetation Communities
of the Stony Rises
4
Conservation Status of Remnant
Vegetation in the Stony Rises
5
Reconnecting the Stony Rises
6
Native flora of the Stony Rises
8
Bush invaders of the Stony Rises
8
Fauna of the Stony Rises
10
Protecting Native Vegetation
14
Enhancing Native Vegetation
16
Restoring Native Vegetation
18
Stony Rises Landholder - Lois Dupleix
19
The Stony Rises area is located in the
Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP) Bioregion,
broadly located between Colac and
Camperdown in Western Victoria, and
is characterised by the undulating
landscape of volcanic flows with small
wetlands dotted throughout.
The characteristic understorey of these
woodlands is composed of a diversity of
species such as Dogwood (Cassinia
aculeata), Tree Violet (Melicytus dentatus),
Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa), Austral
Brackenfern (Pteridium esculatum),
Native Geranium (Geranium) and Tussock
Grass (Poa ensiformis).
These stony rise lava flows represent the
most recent volcanic activity in Australia.
The newest rises form rockier and more
undulating landscapes, with little to no soil
coverage. While the older areas have
undergone erosion and the deposition of
organic material, effectively building up
fertile soils.
Vegetation types, or classes, are given a
formal classification by the Department of
Sustainability and Environment; in this case,
these woodlands are identified as Ecological
Vegetation Class 203 Stony Rises Woodland.
The native vegetation of the Stony Rises
woodlands project area is termed
‘woodland’ vegetation due to its mediumdensity (30 per cent canopy cover),
medium-height (<15m) tree layer consisting
mostly of Manna Gums (Eucalyptus
viminalis) with some Swamp Gums
(E. ovata), and Blackwood (Acacia
melanoxylon).
Each vegetation class also receives a
Bioregional Conservation Status or
conservation rating. Here, a Vulnerable
rating is given, as the woodlands have
restricted range and are fragmented. If the
vegetation were to be further cleared or
degraded the rating may change to
endangered.
The Stony Rises Woodlands Recovery Project
aims to work with landholders and
community to increase awareness and
understanding of this unique landscape and
its flora and fauna, and work towards
protecting the natural beauty of the Rises
for future generations.
Read on to discover more about the Stony Rises, what are the native
plants, and damaging environmental weeds; what do the birds,
amphibians, reptiles and mammals need to survive and thrive;
and what you can do to protect, enhance and restore this
amazing landscape.
Old Man’s Beard
(Clematis sp.)
Corangamite Region
2
3
Native Vegetation Communities
of the Stony Rises
Conservation Status of Remnant
Vegetation in the Stony Rises
The map below shows the conservation
status of vegetation communities that
are found within the Stony Rises.
The majority of remnant vegetation that
remains is classified as ‘Vulnerable’.
Vulnerable is a classification given to
vegetation communities that have only
10 – 30 per cent of their original
(pre-European) cover remaining.
The dominant vegetation type in the Stony
Rises is Stony Rises Woodland (shown on
the map in orange). This community once
covered approximately 48,250 hectares of
the Victorian Volcanic Plain (part of a
bioregion stretching from Melbourne to the
The map above shows the different
ecological vegetation classes (EVCs) that
are present within the Stony Rises
landscape.
EVCs are unique vegetation types that are
defined by the landscape where they occur
e.g. the geology, soil types, rainfall,
topography; their physical structure i.e.
number of layers such as trees, shrubs,
herbs and groundcovers; and the types of
plants e.g. eucalypts, acacias, native grasses;
and ecological process, such as fire
frequency.
The map also shows that Stony Rise
Woodland is the dominant vegetation
community in this landscape with smaller
4
South Australian border). Today just over
11,600 hectares or 24 per cent of Stony
Rises Woodland remains, with 96.9 per cent
of this remaining coverage found on private
land. Only 306 hectares or 3 per cent of this
total extent is protected in our parks and
reserves.
There are also vegetation communities
within the Stony Rises that are classified as
‘Endangered’ (shown on the map in red).
These vegetation communities cover less
than 10 per cent of their original extant and
are dominated by Swamp Scrub and natural
wetland communities. The majority of these
threatened communities are also only found
on private land.
areas of Swamp Scrub to the east. Prior to
European settlement the area of Stony Rises
would have been larger, with wide areas of
Swamp Scrub along the area’s waterways.
There would have also been larger patches
of Scoria Cone Woodland around areas such
as Mount Porndon and a greater number of
natural wetlands, many of which have been
drained.
Today, the majority of remnant vegetation is
restricted to the more rugged areas of the
Stony Rises. It is important that we protect
and enhance these areas, and restore the
linkages between them to allow native
fauna to move across the landscape to
reproduce and promote genetic variability.
5
Reconnecting the Stony Rises
This map shows the amount of
fragmentation of native vegetation that
has occurred within the Stony Rise
landscape.
Generally, the lighter the colour the more
fragmented the remnant vegetation is,
meaning connections between areas of
woodland are being lost and remaining
patches are becoming more isolated.
Large patches of connected vegetation
provide the best habitat for our native fauna
as well as promote genetic diversity of both
plants and animals.
Small, fragmented patches leave animals
with little habitat to feed and reproduce.
Native plants are also more prone to pest
attack and genetic isolation.
The darker green sections are areas of
remnant vegetation that are largely intact.
The quality of vegetation in these patches are
usually quite high, and they provide
important habitat for native fauna. The focus
in these areas is to protect and enhance the
native vegetation to ensure no degrading
processes can occur.
The areas shaded dark brown are patches of
remnant vegetation that require urgent
protection from threats that may further
degrade these areas such as stock damage,
dieback and pest plants and animals (refer
pages 8 & 9). Management actions such as
fencing, removing degrading processes and
buffering fragmented patches through
revegetation can all benefit these native
vegetation areas.
The lighter brown areas are largely cleared
areas but with isolated patches of remnant
vegetation including scattered trees. These
areas are also high priority revegetation areas,
in particular for linking patches of remnant
vegetation to create biolinks for native fauna
to move across the landscape. The two
shades of yellow are used to indicate areas of
highly fragmented and/or areas of no
remnant vegetation. These areas should be
managed as a site-by site scenario – in some
areas the focus should be to protect what
remains, in others the priority will be to work
with neighbours to connect isolated patches
of remnant vegetation.
Manna Gum
(Eucalyptus viminalis)
Tussock Grass
(Poa sp.)
Native Pelargonium
(Pelargonium australe)
6
7
Native flora of the Stony Rises
Blackwood
(Acacia melanoxylon)
Swamp Gum
(Eucalyptus ovata)
Kangaroo Apple
(Solanum laciniatum)
Dogwood
(Cassinia aculeata)
Sweet Bursaria
(Bursaria spinosa)
Old Man’s Beard
(Clematis sp.)
Kidney Weed
(Dicondra repens)
Tussock Grass
(Poa sp.)
Native Geranium
(Geranium sp.)
Native Pelargonium
(Pelargonium australe)
Austral Bugle
(Ajuga australis)
Austral Bracken-fern
(Pteridium esculatum)
Golden Tip
(Goodia lotifolia)
Tree Violet
(Melicytus dentatus)
Cherry Ballart
(Exocarpos cupressiformis)
Manna Gum
(Eucalyptus viminalis)
Tick Trefoil
(Desmodium sp.)
Twining Glycine
(Glycine clandestina)
Austral Bear’s Ear
(Cymbonotus lsp.)
Running Postman
(Kennedia prostrata)
Bidgee-Widgee
(Acaena novae-zelandiae)
Stinking Pennywort
(Hydrocotyl laxiflora)
Native Bramble
(Rubus parvifolius)
Photos courtesy of Greening Australia
Bush invaders of the Stony Rises
Blackberry
(Rubus fruitcosus)
Cat’s Ear
(Hypochaeris radicata)
Cape Weed
(Arctotheca calendula)
Boxthorn
(Lycium ferrocissimum)
Ragwort
(Senecio jacobea)
Ivy
(Hedera sp.)
Blue periwinkle
(Vinca major)
Don’t confuse with Native Bramble
Cherry Plum Tree
(Prunus sp.)
Thistle
(Silybum sp.)
Yorkshire Fog-grass
(Holcus lanatus)
Willow
(Salix sp.)
Tree Lucern or Tagasate
(Chamaecytisus palmensis)
Don’t confuse with Golden Tip
8
9
Small Bush Birds
10
Sacred Kingfisher
Hardhead
Blue-tongue Lizard
Damsel & Dragonflies
Image: Trevor Pescott
Image: Trevor Pescott
Grey Goshawk
Spot-tailed Quoll
Image: DSE
Image: DSE
Image: Trevor Pescott
Image: Trevor Pescott
Image: DSE
Southern Bent-wing Bat
Image: DSE
Growling Grass Frog
Image: Trevor Pescott
Image: Trevor Pescott
Parrots
Image: DSE
Image: Trevor Pescott
Water Birds / Waders
Image: Trevor Pescott
Kookaburra
Image: Trevor Pescott
Koala
Image: GSDM
Image: James Hattam
Fauna of the Stony Rises
Corangamite Water Skink
Information on our
threatend species can
be found on our
the Stony Rises
Landscape Action Plan
poster.
Information on our
threatend species can
be found overleaf.
Echidna
11
Image: DSE
Image: GSDM
Image: Trevor Pescott
Fauna of the Stony Rises cont.
ragon Flies
Damsel & D
e Lizard
Some of the fastest insects in the
world, they are valuable predators that
eat mosquitoes and flies.
They are effected by wetland drainage,
pollution from sprays and nutrient
run-off.
They are threatened by domestic
pets, and use of chemical pest
controls.
Species such as rosellas and cockatoos
feed on nuts, seeds and nectar and are
important pollinators of native species.
They require tree hollows for nesting,
and are vulnerable if old trees are lost.
Small Bush Birds
Little bush birds such as fairy wrens like
to live amongst the low-growing
shrubs and grasses of native bush, and
are a good indicator of the health of
your native woodland.
They feed on a range of insects, and
require dense cover to protect them
from predators.
12
Usually heard before it is seen, the
kookaburra likes to perch in tall trees
and observe prey such as lizards,
snakes, frogs and insects.
They need hollows in trees to nest,
habitat loss such as wetland drainage,
and log and rock removal threatens
their food sources.
Image: Trevor Pescott
Image: Trevor Pescott
They live around wetlands and
waterways because their larvae
(nymphs) are aquatic.
Live amongst the rocks, logs and leaf
litter in the Stony Rises. They are
efficient predators of snails and other
grubs and bugs, as well as berries and
fruits.
Image: Trevor Pescott
Image: Trevor Pescott
Parrots
Kookaburra
Blue-tongu
/
Water Birds
Waders
Water birds such as herons and swamp
hens are distinctive in local wetlands
and lakes where they eat aquatic
vegetation, insects, small fish, etc.
Swamp hens require water bodies to
nest and raise their young; whereas
herons like tall trees nearby wetlands
to nest.
Echidnas
Eat primarily ants and termites by
digging and exploring the earth
around trees, under rocks and in logs.
Echidnas are at risk from predation
from foxes and dogs, and their habitat
range is at risk from clearing and loss
of connections between patches of
vegetation.
13
Protecting Native Vegetation
Protecting native vegetation is the most
effective and cost effective way to
improve our biodiversity values on the
farm and in the landscape.
The majority of the native vegetation in the
Stony Rises is remnant vegetation, and most
is on private land. This forms a stronghold
for many of our landscape’s local flora
and fauna.
Protecting remnant vegetation not only has
biodiversity benefits but can also provide
agricultural benefits through shelter for
stock leading to improved productivity,
providing habitat for birds and insects that
prey on farm pests, and improved
microclimates to assist in pasture and/or
crop growth.
Protecting remnant vegetation also has
financial benefits through reduced municipal
rates through some shires, e.g. Corangamite
Shire, and in some cases financial support
for implementing onground works.
Focal Species
Recommended
Management Action
Why is this Management Action Important?
All
Exclude stock from
native vegetation and
wetlands
Allowing stock to have uncontrolled access will have
detrimental impacts on native plants, increase soil erosion
/ compaction and encourage weeds to establish. The best
method of excluding stock is fencing.
Retain scattered
(paddock) trees
Scattered trees, alive and dead, form the building blocks for
restoring our landscapes. They provide hollows, nest sites
and food for fauna, act as stepping stones for fauna to move
across previously more vegetated landscapes. Unfortunately
these landscape icons are prone to damage from stock,
dieback due to isolation and insect damage due to a lack
of surrounding vegetation and birds that feed on insects.
Fencing protects scattered trees and promotes natural
regeneration and/or revegetation activities.
Remnant vegetation may also improve the
aesthetics of a property and therefore the
land value when selling your property.
Here is a list of recommended management
actions to help you protect remnant
vegetation on your property.
Grey Goshawk,
Koala, Southern
Bent-wing Bat,
Sacred Kingfisher
Focal species are animals that are threatened
in the Stony Rises.
Ephemeral wetlands
Spot-tailed Quoll,
Southern Bentwing Retain hollow-bearing
Bat, Sacred
trees
Kingfisher
Most Stony Rises fauna requires hollows to breed. Birds such
as rosellas, owls and kookaburras and mammals such as
possums, gliders and bats all depend on hollows. Hollows
may take many decades to form and therefore require
protection.
Spot-tailed Quoll,
Sacred Kingfisher
For some animals, the ground layer of the Stony Rises is just
as important as the tree and/or shrub layer. The Spot-tailed
Quoll in particular is dependent on large logs to raise its
young. Many bird species, such as the Sacred Kingfisher, also
forage through fallen branches and litter for food.
Retain all logs, fallen
branches and leaf litter
Growling Grass
Frog, Spot-tailed
Quoll, Corangamite Maintain rocky habitat
Water Skink, Sacred
Kingfisher
All
Lichen
White-faced Heron
14
Growling Grass
Frog, Hardhead,
Corangamite
Water Skink,
Sacred Kingfisher
Many of the rocky outcrops of the Stony Rises provide habitat
for small native animals such the Growling Grass Frog and
Corangamite Water Skink. Rocky outcrops also contain native
seed that if managed properly can regenerate.
Ensuring permanent
protection of remnant
vegetation on
property’s title
Ensuring your patch of remnant vegetation is permanently
protected means that it is protected forever. A conservation
covenant is a legally-binding agreement that protects native
vegetation for future generations but often doesn’t change
how you currently manage your bush. Corangamite Shire
also offers rate rebates for landholders who enter into a
conservation covenant. Visit www.trustfornature.org.au
for further information.
Maintain natural
wetlands
Many wetlands across the Western District have been
either dammed or drained to suit agricultural purposes.
Today, with a stronger emphasis on water conservation,
landholders are now using alternative watering points
e.g. troughs. Restoring the natural hydrological regime,
allows native flora and fauna e.g. Growling Grass Frog, to
recolonise these special areas and re-establish populations.
15
Enhancing Native Vegetation
After protecting your native vegetation
and removing the immediate threats,
the next stage is to ensure that
management is ongoing.
Pest plant and animal control, reintroducing
natural management regimes and bringing
back missing components of native
vegetation are all great ways of achieving
this. Some of these management actions
can have immediate results – some may
take a number of years to achieve a
desired result.
Focal Species
Every patch of native vegetation is unique
and each needs a planned and integrated
way of achieving long-term success.
All
Recommended
Management Action
Why is this Management Action Important?
Prevent the spread of
environmental weeds
There are many examples of plants that have become
environmental weeds in the Stony Rises. Weeds may alter
the ecological processes in these natural habitats by creating
higher fuel loads e.g. blackberries, and altering natural
water flows e.g. willows. Many environmental weeds can
be controlled. Work with neighbours to ensure weeds are
eradicated over time.
Control and eradicate
pest animals
Pest animals such as rabbits and foxes have a direct impact
on native vegetation, prey on our native fauna and spread
environmental weeds. Some practices that are used to
control pest animals can also be damaging to native wildlife
e.g. off-target poisoning to Spot-tailed Quolls and birds of
prey. Integrating pest management strategies is the best
approach, combining shooting, trapping, baiting and
fumigation methods.
Introduce ecological
burning
Fire has shaped many of Australia’s vegetation communities.
While the Stony Rises is not as dependant on fire to
regenerate as other landscapes, there is a marked increase
in diversity of plant species that have grown after recent
fires. Burning patterns need to resemble different ages (or
mosaics) to also ensure greater diversity of native fauna
species. It is important to involve your local Country Fire
Authority in the planning stages before undertaking any fire
to achieve ecological outcomes.
Introduce ecological
grazing
Under proper grazing regimes, native vegetation can be
enhanced while at the same time also provide economic
benefits. Defer grazing of wetlands during wet periods to
avoid pugging and in remnant vegetation during Spring
and/or Summer to allow native plants to set seed and
regenerate. Make sure the grazing regime that you wish to
encourage meets the ecological requirements of the native
vegetation community that you wish to graze. Generally
woodlands should not be grazed.
Install nest boxes
for birds and small
mammals
Nest boxes will create habitat for a range of bird species
and bats, and may also motivate you to make observations.
Monitor and record sightings of birds and mammals in the
area for your own interest and to report on the Victorian
Wildlife Atlas; ultimately this will increase our understanding
and knowledge of an area that has not been studied
in detail.
Here is a list of recommended management
actions to help you enhance native
vegetation on your property.
Spot-tailed Quoll,
Growling Grass
Frog, Corangamite
Water Skink
Floating Islands,
Pirron Yallock
Crimson Rosella
Spot-tailed Quoll,
Koala
Growling Grass
Frog
Southern
Bent-wing Bat,
Hardhead, Sacred
Kingfisher
Superb Fairy-wren
16
17
Restoring Native Vegetation
While there are large patches of
remnant vegetation in the Stony Rises,
the majority of what remains is
unfortunately fragmented with existing
smaller patches of woodland separated
by larger areas of cleared land.
Fragmentation affects the way native
animals can move across the landscape and
isolates local flora populations preventing
natural genetic variability. Revegetation is a
vital component in landscape restoration.
Icon Species
Spot-tailed Quoll,
Grey Goshawk,
Koala, Southern
Bent-wing Bat,
Sacred Kingfisher
Spot-tailed Quoll,
Grey Goshawk,
Growling Grass
Frog, Koala,
Southern Bentwing Bat, Sacred
Kingfisher
Spot-tailed Quoll,
Grey Goshawk,
Koala, Sacred
Kingfisher
18
Planning strategic biolinks that are wide
enough and that connect high priority
patches of remnant vegetation can have a
positive impact on conservation at a
landscape level. Using locally sourced seed
and selecting the correct plant species also
improves the chances of your revegetation
being successful, both in plant growth and
in habitat for local fauna.
Below is a list of recommended
management actions to help you restore
native vegetation on your property.
Recommended
Management Action
Why is this Management Action Important?
Create strategic
wildlife corridors or
biolinks using locally
indigenous species
While there are still large patches of remnant vegetation
within the Stony Rises, many of these are fragmented and
exist in isolation. Some bird and mammal species can move
between these patches, but many, like the Spot-tailed
Quoll, cannot and therefore require these areas of remnant
vegetation to be connected. Wildlife corridors are important
as they can provide a means for wildlife to move across
a landscape, thus allowing for breeding to occur in fauna
populations. Wildlife corridors should be a minimum of
20 metres wide to support a wide variety of local fauna.
Revegetate
unproductive areas of
the property
Dams, corners of paddocks, waterways and rocky barriers are
sometimes considered less productive areas of the farm. Put
these areas to good use by returning them to a more natural
state and providing habitat for native wildlife, and increase
the biodiversity of your land.
Replant vegetation
layers
The typical strata (or layers) of the Stony Rises mainly
consists of a tree, shrub and ground layer. In some areas one
and/or two of these layers may be not present. If natural
regeneration is not a viable option then it may be appropriate
to supplementary planting to bring back any lost layers
and complete an area’s remnant vegetation structure.
CASE STUDY:
Stony Rises Landholder
Lois Dupleix
Stony Rises farmer Lois Dupleix can
come up with many reasons why
protecting the rocky, shrub-covered land
at the back of her property is a good
thing to do.
But high on the list is the value the
unique volcanic terrain provides for future
generations like her five grandchildren.
Mrs Dupleix has a soft spot for the Stony
Rises, which she bought into in 1992, and
understands the challenges it often presents
for farming. But she believes landholders
can successfully work in with the rocky
terrain and preserve the unique habitats and
vegetation that makes the area so special.
And she has come to appreciate the
protection and diversity on offer from the
scrubland and how the landscape can have
value in farming.
“The rises provide shelter and nutrient rich
feed, giving the cattle a real chance to gain
weight through our harsh winters,” she
said. Mrs Dupleix is among the landholders
on board the Corangamite Catchment
Management Authority’s Stony Rises
Woodland Recovery Project.
The project aims to protect the area’s
natural vegetation and animals which rely
on it for habitat, and reduce the destruction
through improper land management.
The project considers environmental
outcomes within an agriculturural
productive landscape and aims to broaden
the community’s appreciation of this unique
landscape and the flora and fauna that it
supports.
“In winter it’s another climate in there
- it’s four or five degrees warmer,”
Mrs Dupleix said.
For more information about the
Stony Rises Landholder Guide or
Landscape Action Plan go to:
www.ccma.vic.gov.au
19
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
64 Dennis Street, Colac VIC 3250
t: 03 5232 9100 f: 03 5232 2759
e: [email protected]
w: www.ccma.vic.gov.au
This project is a Corangamite CMA initiative in partnership with Greening Australia and the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country Program.