Land Management Plan 2004 - 2050 Flinders University South ...

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Flinders University Land Management Plan Flinders University 2004 - 2050 South Australia 4.4 Catchment Management There are four stormwater outlets from the suburban catchment of Bellevue Heights into the study area. The high velocity of flows that typically follows rainfall events has created gully erosion in the vicinity of these outlets, and requires management to prevent it becoming worse. The riparian zones downstream of each outlet have also become populated with both woody and herbaceous weeds. The Catchment Board has indicated their preferred treatment would be small detention basins, where possible, to reduce flow velocity and allow sediments to settle out prior to entering the creek system. The outlet at the eastern end of Precinct 6 is regarded as a priority, due to the severe erosion immediately downstream of the outlet. Revegetation utilising indigenous species (refer Appendix A), will need to follow the construction of detention basins - to assist in bank stabilisation. The outlet at the southern end of Precinct 6, discharging from The Boulevard, does have some erosion evident however, a detention basin is not considered necessary at this stage. Woody weed removal is recommended as part of the establishment of the fuel reduction zone along the boundary line. Revegetation, using aquatic macrophytes along the drainage line (refer Appendix A), will need to follow the weed removal - to assist in bank stabilisation. Within Precinct 7 there are two outlets at the eastern end, within 10 metres of each other. Woody weed removal has been undertaken in the vicinity of this area, however there are still numerous herbaceous weeds. Downstream of the outlets, the creek has exposed rocky sections. It has not been determined if this is naturally occurring or is the result of stormwater flow. Nevertheless, the terrain in this locality is not conducive to the construction of a stormwater detention basin therefore it is recommended that this area be revegetated using aquatic macrophytes from the list in Appendix A. On the eastern slope of Precinct 3 there is an outlet which discharges from Bellevue Drive. This is located in steep terrain and there is dense growth of herbaceous weeds immediately downstream. Due to the topography in this location, and the fact that erosion does not appear to be a problem, this outlet is not considered a priority. In the longterm it would be desirable to revegetate the area with indigenous riparian species. The provision of in stream habitat, through revegetation, has improved water quality and resulted in an increased occurrence of indigenous aquatic fauna, such as frogs. 4.5 Pest Animals The management of pest animal species is considered to be a low priority for Flinders University. Pest animal issues do arise within the campus periodically; however, effective control requires a regional approach. The pest animal species that need to be monitored are predominantly foxes, rabbits and hares. Generally, populations of pest animals are kept at levels where their presence is not causing undue concern. It is unlikely that these species will ever be eradicated from the area, as they are common throughout the Southern Mount Lofty Ranges. Therefore, without the implementation of regional control strategies, these species would continue to re-infest the Flinders University area. Ongoing monitoring, and utilisation of appropriate control techniques when required, should be sufficient to prevent pest animals becoming a major management issue. 4.6 Legislative Requirements There are a number of Acts, at both Commonwealth and State level that impact upon FUSA land. A summary of these and relevant policy documents and guidelines has been prepared and is provided as Appendix C, however a few of particular significance are briefly outlined below: Animal and Plant Control (Agricultural and Other Purposes) Act 1986 This Act provides for the control of animals and plants for the protection of agriculture and the environment and for the safety of the public. Species that are ‘proclaimed’ are required to be controlled by the property owner. There are several plant species that were observed within the project area that are listed as proclaimed under the Act within the Mitcham Council area these include; Olives, Aleppo Pines, Bridal Creeper, Salvation Jane and Boneseed. If an attempt is not made to control proclaimed plant species, the Animal and Plant Control Commission or delegated authority (in this case Mitcham Council) has the power to enforce their control by either issuing fines or undertaking the control work and billing the land owner (refer http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_act/aapcpaopa1986683/ ). Country Fires Act 1989 The Act provides for the prevention, control and suppression of fires, and the protection of life and property in fire and other emergencies. Section 40 requires private landowners to take reasonable steps to protect property on the land from fire and to prevent or inhibit the outbreak of fire on the land, or the spread of fire through the land. It also permits the relevant authority (in this case Mitcham Council) to issue enforcement ‘clean-up’ notices. The Act does not prevent individuals from taking civil action against land owners or asset managers in the event they suffer damage or loss as a result of fire (refer http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_act/cfa1989182/ ) Native Vegetation Act 1991 The Act aims to provide incentives and assistance to landowners in relation to the preservation and enhancement of native vegetation and to control the clearance of native vegetation. The Act applies to land outside the Adelaide Metropolitan region (which excludes the Hills Face Zone) therefore all land east of the electricity easement, namely Precincts 6 and 7, are covered by the Act. Clearance of any native vegetation is prohibited under the Native Vegetation Act, 1991 unless there is an exemption that covers the clearance, such as for firebreaks, fuel reduction zones and track construction, or the Native Vegetation Council grants specific consent. It is recommended that consultation be undertaken with the Native Vegetation Council before any native vegetation is removed for the implementation of actions within this management plan. This includes clearance or disturbance of native vegetation for fuel reduction zones, access tracks and any other clearance of native vegetation that may be required. The Native Vegetation Council can then give advice and direction on what actions are exempt under the Act and what vegetation clearance or disturbance requires a clearance application to be submitted to the Native Vegetation Council (refer http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_act/nva1991194/ ). ⏐ AUGUST 2004 ⏐ PAGE 12
Flinders University Land Management Plan Flinders University 2004 - 2050 South Australia 5. Sustainable Management Practices 5.1 Removal of pest plants and environmental weed species Within the precincts that contain areas of moderate and high quality native vegetation (Precincts 4, 6 and 7) bushcare principles and philosophies should be utilised when undertaking weed control operations. This involves undertaking weed control in a way that minimises the impact on native vegetation. In areas of native vegetation where the objective is to enhance and improve the quality of the area, weed control should be undertaken within the least weedy areas first. However, some weed control may be undertaken to meet other objectives, such as reduce fuel loads, which do not meet the above principle. For the undeveloped areas of Flinders University, part of the weed control recommended is to reduce the fuel load along the boundaries of the University whilst other weed control is targeted at eradication of particular weeds. Additionally, it is recommended the removal of widespread weed species, such as Olives, be undertaken within the high quality areas first. 5.1.1 Weed control methods A number of weed control methods can be utilised to effectively control most weed species. Appendix A details five different methods that can be used including cut and swab, drill and fill and hand pulling. The methods employed will depend on the targeted species, the accessibility of the site and the number of plants to be controlled. The types of herbicides used and the rates at which herbicides are used during weed control can also vary. For cut and swab, drill and fill, and stump injection a mixture of Garlon and Diesel can be utilised to kill tree species such as Olives. When utilising the spraying method a Glyphosate based herbicide, such as Roundup, is generally used. If the spraying is to be undertaken in close proximity to a watercourse or riparian zone, more water friendly herbicides, such as Roundup Biactive or Weedmaster Duo, should be used. Additionally, surfactants can be used with the herbicide when controlling species such as Bridal Creeper, which has a glossy leaf surface. The surfactant makes the herbicide more effective. This work should be undertaken in Spring when the plant is actively growing and will more readily take up the chemical. It will also reduce the likelihood of the herbicide being washed off by rain. activities undertaken in early spring before the native species flower should not have an adverse impact on their reproduction. This allows for all of the winter growth of the introduced species to be removed and therefore reducing the fire risk in the area. If required, a second slashing of these areas can be undertaken in early January after the native grass species have dropped their seed. 5.1.3 Timber harvesting Several companies and organisations were contacted to ascertain interest in use of Aleppo Pine or Olive timber. The Aleppo Pine timber contains a high proportion of resin, making it unsuitable as a building material. Larger specimens may be used in the manufacture of pallets, however the current girth and height of the trees is insufficient to make harvesting commercially viable. The difficulty of access within the Aleppo Precinct also makes commercial harvesting a marginal proposition. In 20 years, the pines may have reached a sufficient size, at which time this option should be re-examined 7 . Timber from the larger olive trees is often fine grained and therefore has some value for wood-turning. Both the Mitcham and Marion Council community centres indicated an interest in using the timber for their senior citizen’s wood-carving and wood-burning programs. Prior to the removal of large specimens the representatives of both centres should be contacted so that those interested in using the timber can collect it soon after removal. Additionally, mechanical removal of woody weeks such as gorse and broom, can be achieved through using “tree poppers”. The added benefit of this technique is that it ensures no chance of regrowth. Hand pulling can be undertaken for herbaceous species, bulbs and smaller woody species. Hand pulling of plants is easiest in the wetter months of the year when the soil is soft and therefore easier to pull out. Care should be taken not to disturb too much of the soil around each plant. For species that have a bulb, such as sparaxis or watsonia, a screwdriver can be used to gently lift the bulb out of the ground. For best results, this should be undertaken in late spring when the plant has nearly completed its growing phase, as they are easier to extract 5.1.2 Mowing regime The mowing regime in areas where native grasses are present should be altered slightly to promote the growth of the native species whilst maintaining the objective of reducing the fire risk in an area. Native grasses are present in considerable numbers in all precincts except Precincts 1 and 2. Therefore, any regular mowing within the other precincts should be modified. This includes slashing or mowing to maintain fire breaks along the perimeter of the University grounds as well as the slashing which is undertaken next to paths and roads. The regime that should be implemented involves altering the timing of the slashing so that the native grass species can go to seed but the fuel load is kept to a minimum. Native grasses usually start to flower in October and finish seeding in late December (it can vary depending on climatic conditions), therefore slashing 7 Pers comm. Neil Hunter – Timber harvest contractor, 21/5/04 ⏐ AUGUST 2004 ⏐ PAGE 13
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