enhancing biodiversity hotspots along western ... - South West NRM
enhancing biodiversity hotspots along western ... - South West NRM
enhancing biodiversity hotspots along western ... - South West NRM
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4. Mitchell – Forestvale Road<br />
STOCK ROUTE NUMBER: M701<br />
PRIORITY SPECIES: Animals:<br />
yakka skink (Egernia rugosa).<br />
RATING: BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT<br />
SHIRE COUNCIL: ROMA REGIONAL COUNCIL<br />
Along the Mitchell – Forestvale Road there are some large stock route reserves that<br />
have a dense cover of grass, including buffel grass (Pennisetum ciliare). Amongst<br />
those reserves is this site, north of the dingo fence, which is heavily forested in<br />
cypress pine (Callitris sp.) with minimal understorey in many sections. In this cypress<br />
forest is an area of pushed up road material interspersed with dead branches that is<br />
a habitat for yakka skink (Egernia rugosa) (Plate 59), whose healthy abundance<br />
could be determined by the number of scats observed during the field visit.<br />
Plate 59. Yakka skink (Photo: B. Walsh).<br />
THREATS: The major threats to this site are predation by feral cats, foxes and dogs,<br />
and inappropriate fire regime.<br />
CURRENT MANAGEMENT: None.<br />
RECOMMENDATIONS: The priority recommendation for this site is to include it in<br />
the Roma Regional Council pest and weed management programme, with emphasis<br />
on the control of feral predators.<br />
For any future controlled fires at this site, it is recommended that they be of low<br />
intensity, and that any mounds of timber/plant material are unburnt as they are used<br />
as habitat by yakka skink.<br />
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