Factors Affecting Flora Conservation - Victorian Environmental ...

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103 Appropriate fire regimes are again required to maintain species and stmctural diversity (see previous section on fire). Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and coast tea-tree (Leptospermum laevigatum) may become troublesome weeds. Coastal grassy forest The community has been greafly depleted by the development of agriculture and settlements throughout the coastal region. It was once far more widespread, particularly on the Momington Peninsula and around Western Port. It is represented in the Point Nepean National Park. Weed invasion presents the major threat. Coastal dune scrub Coastal dune scrub at Woolamai Beach, Phillip Island, has been eroded by pedestrian traffic from the access road and Wonthaggi. Il once had a far wider distribution, which clearing for agriculmre has reduced. It is reserved in French Island State Park, Point Nepean National Park, and a number of flora and fauna reserves on the eastern side of Western Port. Appropriate management of this community should include careful, monitored use of planned fire in order to maintain a range of fire age classes. This may also be relevant for habitat management for fauna species. A minor threat is posed by invasion by coast tea-tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), although careful application of fire may also assist in its control. Coastal heathland Such heathland - found on the Momington Peninsula, French Island, scattered around Western Port, and near Wonthaggi - has been substantially reduced in area since European settlement. It frequently occurs with sand headiland. French Island Stale Park and Point Nepean National Park include representative examples. The Wonthaggi heathland reserve, although not secure, also contains valuable examples. Most of the coastline of study areas, except the salt-marsh, mangrove, and mud-flats in Western Port, once carried coastal dune scmb. Point Nepean National Park contains some of the least disturbed examples. The community is threatened by weed invasion, and by soil erosion where recreation has caused the loss of vegetative cover. Coastal banksia woodland Disturbed examples of the much-depleted coastal banksia woodland occur along the Port PhUlip Bay foreshore between Mt Eliza and Portsea. The best remnants on public land are a disturbed stand in the Point Nepean National Park, north of Cape Schanck, and a more extensive and natural stand in the Commonwealth Naval Area at Sandy Point, on the shores of Westem Port. Weed invasion has caused widespread degradation. Coastal tussock grassland This community is confined to the southern cliffs on PhUlip Island, on public land, but not within a conservation reserve. The best example is believed to be in the vicinity of Nafive Dog Creek. Coastal salt-marsh The main examples of coastal salt-marsh in the study area are around the northern shores
104 of Western Port, on the northern shores of French Island, and, to a lesser extent, PhUlip Island. It is reserved in French Island State Park. Most other major occurrences are unreserved. Incidental protection is provided in some wUdlife reserves (Quail Island, Rhyll Swamp), but some important stands around Western Port are unprotected and vulnerable. The major impacts on this community come from rabbit-grazing, oil pollution, and uncontrolled access. In the long term, rising sea levels pose a major if unpredictable threat. Swamp sedgeland This occurs in association with sand heathland and coastal heathland, in nearcoastal locations from Mornington Peninsula to Wonthaggi. Representative examples are reserved in Point Nepean National Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens Annexe at Cranboume, and French Island State Park. Swamp scrub The community has been severely depleted by the draining and clearing of swamps, particularly, the Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp. The remnants are mostly stands fringing saltmarsh on French Island (where they are reserved), and around the northern shore of Western Port. Few of the original extensive swampy stands remain, most being small and on private land. Of these, many are likely to be cleared or further degraded in the near future. Clearing, fragmentation, and draining of swamps are the major threats to swamp scmb. The Role of Isolated Blocks of Public Land Generally speaking, opportunities exist within the major blocks of public land for the creation of reserves to cater for the conservation of vegetation communities in the sub-alpine, montane, moist forest, dry forest, and heathland vegetation categories. Isolated blocks of public land are often significant for flora conservation because they lend to occur in regions that have been largely cleared for other land uses. In the smdy area, this is tme for the vegetation Coastal salt-marsh has been greatly reduced in area - a remnant mangrove communities of the coastal fertile plains. districts and River reserves are particularly valuable because they perform a secondary role as wildlife corridors. Unfortunately, the condition of most river reserves in the study area is poor and unlikely to improve without active management. Rare and threatened species All plant species recorded in the smdy area are listed in Appendix III, with the rare and threatened species listed in Appendix IV. References Ealey, E.H.M. (ed.) (1984). Fighting fire with tire. Graduate School of <strong>Environmental</strong> Science, Monash University, Melbourne. Ferguson, LS. (1985). Report of die Board of Inquiry into the Timber Industry in Victoria. Volume II; Commissioned Papers. Department of Conservafion, Forests and Lands, East Melbourne. GUI, A.M. (1975). Fire and the Australian flora; A review. Australian Forestry 38(1); 4-25. GUI, A.M., Groves, R.H., and Noble, I.E. (eds.) (1981). Fire and the Australian Biota. (Australian Academy of Science: Canberra.) Groves, R.H., and Burdon, J.J. (eds.) (1986). Ecology of Biological Invasions: an Australian perspective. (Australian Academy of Science: Canberra.)
Page 1 and 2: 90 diversity of this zone reflects
Page 3 and 4: 92 Riparian forest is prone to weed
Page 5 and 6: 94 protection and suppression, and
Page 7 and 8: 96 hydrology of alpine bogs is deli
Page 9 and 10: 98 Dry sub-alpine shrubland The maj
Page 11 and 12: 100 Major threats to the forest com
Page 13: 102 small, disturbed examples of bo
Page 17 and 18: 106 8. FAUNA Melbourne Area, Distri
Page 19 and 20: 108 numbers must decrease. During t
Page 21 and 22: no While many species have declined
Page 23 and 24: 112 leopard seal, which usually inh
Page 25 and 26: 114 In addition to these changes, t
Page 27 and 28: 116 Plateau and Lake Mountain, at e
Page 29 and 30: 118 to 75 m high, allow this skink
Page 31 and 32: 120 here, may be found in large num
Page 33 and 34: 122 - - 'S.vCS--, r,:C:^-^»v Austr
Page 35 and 36: 124 (Wilkinson 1961). Since then it
Page 37 and 38: 126 been recorded at the Cranboume
Page 39 and 40: 128 availability may affect short-t
Page 41 and 42: 130 beach and in the dunes. It appe
Page 43 and 44: FIQURE 4: ORAriGE-BELLIED PARROT 14
Page 45 and 46: 134 these areas may be used regular
Page 47 and 48: M7 149 Source: Atlas of Victorian W
Page 49 and 50: 138 adjacent to water. Dredging of
Page 51 and 52: • 34 s, 140 - - ^ FIGURE 10: SWAM
Page 53 and 54: 142 FIQURE 12: BRUSH-TAILED PHASCOG
Page 55 and 56: 144 Eastern horseshoe-bat This spec
Page 57 and 58: 146 gum, mountain grey gum, and mes
Page 59 and 60: 148 such as platypus, water-rat, fr
Page 61 and 62: 150 extensively cleared areas. Some
Page 63 and 64: 152 to be concentrated in those are
Page 65 and 66:
154 Changed stream flow and barrier
Page 67 and 68:
156 The 1939 bushfires resulted in
Page 69 and 70:
158 water-birds, such as the white-
Page 71 and 72:
160 of multi-cellular organisms on
Page 73 and 74:
162 Copepods The following species
Page 75 and 76:
164 Bennett, A.F. (1990). Habitat c
Page 77 and 78:
166 Kitchener, D.J. and Capufi, N.
Page 79 and 80:
168 Schulz, M. (in press.). The Gre
Page 81 and 82:
170 9. MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONME
Page 83 and 84:
172 around French and Phillip Islan
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174 beach seining collected 33 spec
Page 87 and 88:
176 forest and woodland grew furthe
Page 89 and 90:
178 Knowledge of the marine and coa
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180 of acceleration, with erosion l
Page 93 and 94:
182 Marsden, M.A.H., and MaUet, CW.
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184 Table 19 KEY TO GEOMORPFHC CATE
Page 97 and 98:
186 Adequate representation was ass
Page 99 and 100:
References Aldrick, J.M., Hook, R.A
Page 101 and 102:
191 11. PUBLIC LAND USE This chapte
Page 103:
193 Table 23 PARK RECOMMENDATIONS A
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