Dreeite NCR Management Statement (PDF File 2.2 ... - Parks Victoria

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Dreeite Nature Conservation ReserveManagement objectives and targets (short-medium term)- Record flora in the Parks Victoria Environmental Information System and theDSE Flora Information System (FIS), and encourage seasonal survey programs.FaunaDreeite NCR contains permanent wetlands, rocky outcrops, and extensive areas ofStony Knoll Shrubland, which provide diverse habitat for fauna. The reserveprovides known habitat for the nationally significant 5 Corangamite Water SkinkEulamprus tympanum marnieae and Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis, and anumber of threatened water bird species. Major threats to the Corangamite WaterSkink are habitat loss and fragmentation, degradation of remaining habitat (e.g.through weed invasion) and the impacts of introduced animals, including predation(Robertson 1998). Dreeite NCR is one of only 14 sites where the Corangamite WaterSkink has been observed over the past four years, increasing the number of reservedsites to seven (Peterson pers. comm. 2003). Five other species of frogs, including thegreen morph of Southern Brown Tree Frog Litoria ewingii have also been recorded inDreeite NCR (Peterson 2003). Dreeite NCR has also been identified as a potential sitefor the reintroduction of the critically endangered Eastern Barred BandicootPerameles gunnii (Peterson pers. comm 2003).Significant bird species recorded in Dreeite NCR include Brolga Grus rubicunda,Lewin’s Rail Rallus pectoralis, Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa, Australasian ShovelerAnas rhynchotis, Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii and Whiskered Tern Chlidoniashybridus (Peterson pers. comm. 2003).Refer to Appendix 2 for fauna records from Dreeite NCR.Management objectives and targets (short-medium term)- Record fauna in the Parks Victoria Environmental Information System and theAtlas of Victorian Wildlife, and encourage seasonal survey programs.Biosites 6Three Biosites are recorded near Dreeite NCR, these are:- Site # 637 ‘Beeac/Dreeite Rd’ (State significance) (Located approximately 1 kmnorth of the Dreeite NCR)- Site # 718 ‘Beeac-Dreeite Road - BROLGA 101’ (National Significance) (Locatedapproximately 3 km southeast of Dreeite NCR)- Site # 653 ‘Pipe Clay Lake’ (State significance) (Located approximately 3 kmnortheast of Dreeite NCR)Refer to Appendix 3 for further details.5Threat status for flora and fauna follows DSE (2003, 2005)6‘Biosites’ are sites of biological conservation significance and their location and details are maintainedon a register by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.4
Dreeite Nature Conservation ReserveLandscape contextDreeite NCR represents one of the largest areas of Stony Knoll Shrubland reservedfor conservation in the region. The surrounding landscape is characterised byundulating stony rises, small freshwater and saline wetlands, and large saline lakesincluding a number of lakes included in the Western District Lakes Ramsar site (NRE2002). Dreeite NCR is bordered to the west by Hay’s Road and bordered to the north,east and south by private property, most of which also contains Stony KnollShrubland and wetlands (Figure 4). Given the significance of habitat on adjoiningand nearby property, options to expand or enhance the existing reserve, throughland purchase or covenanting should be investigated.Other nearby reserves in the bioregion include Lake Cundare and Lake BeeacWildlife Reserves, and the Lake Corangamite, Cundare, Beeac Swamp and CundarePool Lake Reserves (Figure 3). Grazing is the predominant land use in the area (Rosset al. 2003).Threatening ProcessesPest plantsPest plants are considered a moderate threat to the conservation values of the DreeiteNCR. A ‘Habitat Hectares’ assessment of Dreeite NCR (March 2003) noted thereserve is moderately impacted by weeds. Weed cover is generally high in areaswhere there are no shrubs present. Ongoing pest plant control is recommended tocontrol pasture grasses (e.g. Bromus spp. and Vulpia spp.) and other weed species thathave the ability to alter the structure of the vegetation and pose a threat to speciesreliant on the ecosystem. Hemlock Conium maculatum and Thistles (Sonchus spp. andCirsium spp.) have been observed in the reserve.Management objectives and targets (short-long term)- Control the establishment and spread of pest plants, particularly exotic pasturegrasses, and encourage the establishment of native plant species in their placethrough grazing and other management techniques.- Liaise with Corangamite Shire and surrounding landowners to ensure control ofenvironmental weeds that occur along Hay’s Road adjoining Dreeite NCR, toprevent their spread into the reserve.Pest animalsFoxes are present throughout the district, but the impact of predation on nativefauna in the reserve is unknown. However, they may pose a significant threat tosmall mammals, ground nesting or feeding birds, and reptiles, including theCorangamite Water Skink (Robertson 1998). Rabbits are likely to be present inDreeite NCR but the impact of rabbits in the reserve is also undetermined.Management objectives and targets (short-long term)- Control foxes to maintain habitat values of the reserve for small mammals,reptiles and other ground-dwelling fauna.- Maintain rabbit numbers at less than 5 per spotlight km.5
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Dreeite NCR Management Statement (PDF File 2.2 ... - Parks Victoria

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