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Specialising in natural resource and social planning; community consultation and facilitation; values mapping and consensus building, mediation and conflict resolution; policy development; program and organisational diagnosis and development.
Grassy White Box Woodlands |
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Project Update: Summer 2001 - 2002Conference: Local solutions for local issues in the North WestArticle by Toni McLeish, RLO in the North A very wise local once said to me that we need to find local solutions for local issues. The significance of this statement led me to use it in the title of the Grassy Box Woodland Landscape Management Conference proposed for May 2002. In order to achieve local solutions for local issues, I felt it was crucial to involve the locals of the North West Slopes of NSW right from the beginning in developing the conference program. Here are a few initial ideas on items that could be included, in the hope that we will meet the needs of all stakeholders at the conference. Proposed items:
People who will be interested in attending, and might like to have input into the agenda include: Landholders, Councils, RLPB, Tourism Organisations, Conservation groups, Bird watchers, Apiarists, Dept Ag, NSW Farmers, Landcare, Native seed collectors, DLWC, Local Schools, Firewood suppliers, NPWS, Bushfire management groups, Veg committees, Catchment boards, Weeds Council. Also prior to the conference I would like to map the distribution of known Grassy Box Woodlands in the North West Slopes. If you can help me with this, know of sites, or own a site that you would be happy to have marked on a map please contact me. The support of vegetation committees, catchment boards and agencies would be much appreciated. Please contact me to provide input or for further information - contact details below. Wellington CavesArticle by Syd Craythorn Planning Manager, Wellington Council, NSW It can take time to recognise what you are really looking at. I recall commuting along part of the Mitchell Highway for many months before noticing that the greatest concentration of dead trees were along the adjoining railway reserve. The curious thing was why it had taken me so many months to notice the association between the dead trees and the railway reserve. On another occasion whilst walking my dogs I discovered Kangaroo grass growing in abundance on a road reserve near home. How did the Kangaroo grass suddenly get there? I couldn't have been walking past it all these years, surely! It is hard to explain that feeling when the obvious hits you fair between the eyes. Even harder to explain is how such a person gets to edit a management plan for the Wellington Caves Writing the new management plan followed the usual format, the literature search, the site mapping and the brilliant analysis. It became apparent that this was not a site to be trifled with. There was geology, geomorphology, hydrology, anthropology, cultural heritage, recreation and tourism to address. There was also the question of managing the floral community. The Wellington Caves are a site fatal to creation theory. Those with an interest in natural history will not forgive me for passing over such significant topics as the evolutionist Charles Darwin and the publication of his famous work 'The Origin of Species'. The first remains of mega-fauna were found at the Wellington Caves. As the management plan came together we belatedly recognised that one land unit was an embattled Grassy White Box Woodland (A paucity of juvenile trees with little in the way of an understorey, apart from African Olive). The top layer of soil had been lost to erosion, due to heavy grazing and cultivation. The fencing was in disrepair and neighbouring stock grazed the reserve at will. Extensive outbreaks of weed species like St Johns Wort and African Olive were colonising the reserve. The fencing has now been fixed and grazing pressure can be managed. There has been no grazing on the Reserve for years. The grass is high, but there is encouraging regeneration (White Box and Kurrajong particularly). The broad leaf weeds went mad, but that has settled down. Council has been spraying the Wort to some effect. The idea now is to combine the spraying with a hot fire, a couple of weeks after the spraying (when the Wort is stressed). The native ground cover species are not abundant amongst the Wort, so we'll select a couple of compartments and compare the response of the Wort to chemical only verses chemical and burning. To add to the worries of the Wort, burnt sites will be seeded with Kangaroo Grass, from you know where. It is hoped that this might provide the Wort with competition. We put half the Kangaroo Grass seed heads through the mulcher, in the hope of obtaining better germination. It will be interesting to see if mulching makes any difference. Greening Australia suggested that the distribution of species within a GWBW conforms to certain patterns. Drainage channels, aspect and soils are obvious influences, but why are most of the bushes under or near the trees (birds?). In spring we are advised to spray a crescent under the trees, to leeward of the prevailing wind, and then plant Acacia. decora speedlings. So for now the vegetation management strategy in the GWBW unit is to encourage juvenile replacements for the overstorey, increase pressure on the Wort, plant A. decora under the trees and spread Kangaroo grass seed on the open spaces. Who will be doing this work I hear you ask? Former Wellington Council mayor, Campbell Gregory, wants to start a group called 'Friends of the Caves'. These friends might develop and implement the vegetation management plan so that Council and the 50,000 annual visitors to the caves can learn something about the management of native vegetation. Management of the surface vegetation is important to management of the caves themselves. We know that clearing native vegetation increases runoff , so if the vegetation is replaced runoff from the site should be reduced. Some of the extra water will be intercepted and absorbed by the vegetation, some will be returned to the atmosphere and some will find its way underground. The more water that finds its way underground the more likely that speleothem growth will reoccur. As the caves can be 'dry' for periods of time and as speleothem growth only occurs when the caves are 'wet', maximising the opportunities to increase infiltration would be critical to speleothem conservation and presentation. Thankfully the days when the reserve was leased for a peppercorn rental are behind us, and hopefully, the friends can teach us how important the management and restoration of native vegetation is to conservation of the Wellington Caves. Acknowledgement: I would like to acknowledge the generous assistance of those who have provided advice to Wellington Council on native vegetation management, particularly the patient Erica Higginson from NPWS. My apologies for the geological speed with which my Council rises to the role of the good steward, but rise it does. This is an edited version of a longer article. Please contact Syd if you would like the longer version. Launch of the "Save the Paddock Trees" campaignArticle by Ray Dowling - RLO in the South A new project to save our paddock trees has been launched by NSW NPWS, DLWC. and Greening Australia. Phil Gibbons from CSIRO and Miles Boak from NPWS introduced the initiative at a special launch held at Borambola, 30 km east of Wagga on December 18th 2001. The Riverina Highlands Vegetation Management Committee was interested in finding out how important paddock trees are in their region. In parts of the south west slopes, almost 50% of some tree species are found in clumps of less than one hectare. If management of these isolated trees does not change, within 40 years they will disappear completely from the South West Slopes landscape. Many of the trees that were left during the initial clearing are at the end of their life span. Isolated trees are more exposed to natural elements such as high winds. Insects that naturally feed on woodland trees become concentrated on the few that remain. Sheep and cattle are attracted to the shelter provided by paddock trees. Their urine and faeces change the nutrient balance of the soils and their weight and hard hooves compact the ground. Fertilisers such as Superphosphate change the nutrient balance in the soil. Trees are still being cleared for firewood collection, fencing materials and paddock management purposes. The main species of trees that are disappearing are Blakely's Red Gum Eucalyptus blakelyi, Yellow box Eucalyptus melliodora, White Box Eucalyptus albens - all species that once grew right across the lower, more fertile parts of the south west slopes. The remaining trees are important for the economic and environmental health of the South West Slopes. Trees provide shelter from wind, heat and cold for pastures, crops and stock. For example, cold and heat stress reduce wool growth and limit live weight gains. Tree roots can intercept and pump considerable volumes of subsurface water, leading to lower water table and a reduction in the risk of salt being carried to the surface. Fallen logs and leaf litter help to slow down and disperse run-off after rainfall, limiting erosion potential, especially along creeks and gullies. Birds, lizards and bats that feed on pest insects live in or amongst paddock trees. For example one honeyeater can consume 24-36 kg of insects per hectare, per year. The remaining paddock trees provide habitat for birds, bats and other native animals. Some of these species are threatened with extinction including the Superb Parrot, the Bush Stone Curlew, and the Squirrel Glider. Tree roots reach lower into the soil substrate and reach nutrients that leach beyond the pasture root zone. Fallen tree debris reintroduces these nutrients back into the top layers of the soil. Some ways to help trees remain part of the landscape include:
There are laws protecting paddock trees. Under the provisions of the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 you may need consent for clearing. In some areas clearing may be covered by a Regional Vegetation Management Plan which contains advice and guidance on managing vegetation. You should check with your local council to see if they have Tree Preservation Orders protecting trees of a certain age, height or width. Trees that provide habitat for species listed as threatened under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 require a licence from NPWS for removal. For a brochure and information you can contact NPWS in Tumut or Queanbeyan, DLWC in Wagga or Greening Australia in Wagga. National Recovery Plan for Grassy White Box WoodlandsGrassy White Box Woodland is listed as an endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. As a result of the listing, a national recovery plan is in preparation which will set guidelines for its protection and management. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is responsible for preparing the draft recovery plan and is coordinating a steering group (the recovery team) of experts and stakeholders representing organisations including the State Council of the Rural Land Protection Boards, NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Local Government Shires' Association, NSW Farmers' Association, Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Rail Infrastructure Corporation, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (Victoria) and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Once the draft has been completed, it will be exhibited for public comment. For further information regarding the national recovery plan, please contact Suzanne Dobbie, National Parks and Wildlife Service on ph: (02) 9585 6661 or email: suzanne.dobbie@npws.nsw.gov.au Is there one bigger?Surely the popular kurrajong tree Brachychiton populneus is one of the most adaptable trees in the southeastern Australian landscape. It was popular with early European settlers because of its more European appearance. Unlike most other Australian trees it grows on a huge diversity of soils - from the more fertile non-calcic brown and red podzolic soils that support much of the Grassy Box Woodlands, to the less fertile siliceous sands much of which still retain original vegetation because it was considered too poor to clear. In all these landscapes kurrajongs thrive. But is there one bigger than the one which is growing on Robert and Gloria Wood's property "Allambie" near Bearbung east of Gilgandra? Measuring 5.2m (17 ft.) at chest height around the trunk and standing an estimated 23m (75 ft) tall this is truly a massive specimen. This tree must be many hundreds of years old. It is growing in a fertile hollow surrounded by a mixed woodland containing amongst other plants, some white box. It would have been interesting to measure the girth of some of the limbs but they were way too high to get to without the aid of a ladder. The tree has been used in the past as the centre for fundraising activities for the local community. This has included lopping the tree during droughts. If you know of a kurrajong that can match these proportions then now is the time to " put up or shut up". Address your correspondence to Geoff Tonkin whose details are below. Conservation Management Networks: A new mechanism for protecting ecological communities in rural production landscapesThe Grassy Box Woodland project was established to pilot a new and more integrated approach to conservation management of at risk ecological communities across the rural landscape. An important part of our project is the establishment of a Conservation Management Network, putting interested landholders and managers in touch with each other and with others (including NPWS personnel and other ecologists) who have expertise in conservation management within a broader landscape context. At a time when recognition of the need for integrated management across the landscape is at an all-time high, Conservation Management Networks, and the role of landholders as 'extension' people, have a key role to play. However, the success of a project such as this is dependent upon a longer-term commitment. If you have experienced positive aspects of the Grassy Box Woodland project, please let Director-General Brian Gilligan know and encourage him to commit to continuing the establishment of Conservation Management Networks and support for the people who are part of them.
Write to Mr Brian Gilligan, Have you got a VCA, or do you know someone who does?Many landowners have agreed to secure nature conservation values on their properties. The intention of these agreements is to conserve these values forever, be they rare or threatened species or special parts of the landscape. Unfortunately, government priorities and programs constantly change, as they are tied to inescapable political cycles. In some cases the survival of species and landscapes that will last for centuries and millennia are dependent on programs that are funded for months. Also, much of the information generated due to studies and surveys never reaches the landowner. Information is difficult to find and experts hard to locate. The knowledge of landowners is essential to the process of land management. No one has more intimate knowledge of the land and its inhabitants - but the sharing of information between landowners is something which is not catered for in current programs. So, how can you as a landowner have access to the experience and expertise of your fellow landowners who have similar interests and responsibilities in relation to nature conservation? Well, a group of professionals who have an interest in nature conservation on private land are proposing a solution to this problem, which will be independent of government funding and time-frames. The landowner 'club' will provide a forum for landowners to discuss their experiences, frustrations and achievements. It will also provide other sources of information such as experts and organisations able to provide landowners with help. The intention is that the "club" will be a mechanism which may provide moral support and encouragement as well as technical help. So, what do you reckon and what do you need to assist you as landowners in your newly recognised role as conservation managers? The group concerned needs to know if this is an initiative that you support. To register your interest and get more information please contact
Heather Pearce from or email corvus.tas@bigpond.com Congratulations!!The GBW project provides funding for the protection of remnant grassy box woodland sites. The following people have been successful in their recent applications and will begin work shortly. A small number of applications remain to be negotiated. Mark Pickford - Cumnock Our project is nearly over ...And the Project Management Group is considering what should be the next steps in working with landholders and land managers in your region on Grassy Box Woodland protection. We are also interested in pursuing the Rural Liaison Officer model which has been so successful in this project. As members of our Network, we would welcome your feedback on where this work should go next. In this Update, there is news on a range of activities which have originated either partly or wholly from this project. But what do you think has worked or hasn't worked? And do you have ideas for the future that you'd like us to consider. Please write, phone or email us with your thoughts as soon as possible - the project comes to an end in the middle of this year. Getting informationRural Liaison Officers (RLOs)
Toni McLeish
Geoff Tonkin
Ray Dowling
Team Leaders for the Rural Liaison Program and Heather Pearce: ph/fax (02) 9818 2684 and email: heather@sydney.net
Erica Higginson - contact in NPWS This project is funded by the Natural Heritage Trust |
CONTENTS:Conference: Local solutions for local issues in the North West Launch of the "Save the Paddock Trees" campaign National Recovery Plan for Grassy White Box Woodlands |