Victorian Volcanic Plains

A lot is happening in the Upper Hopkins

The latest newsletter from the Upper Hopkins Land Management Group is out. There are a number of items that may be of interest to land managers and others on the VVP. Upper Hopkins Land Management Group Newsletter_April 2013

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Don’t fence me out

Whenever I travel through Rokewood I like to stop in at the grassland at the local cemetery to see what is happening. This is one of our most diverse grassland remnants with several threatened flora species.

New 2 wire fence to limit vehicle access to the grassland

Last Monday it was great to see the new fencing had been completed. The Trust received funding to fence the perimeter to exclude rabbits and to fence to deter people from parking or driving over the grassland.

It is a pity it has come to this but a couple of incidents in the last few years meant that the exclusion of vehicles became a priority and it is always good to keep rabbits out. A simple 2 wire fence with steel stakes has been erected either side of the driveway and has signage attached  – “thank you for not parking on our endangered grassland”.

The fence is designed so that the grassland may still be burnt and so that visitors may still walk on the grassland if they go under or between the wires or via the “spring gates” on the fire breaks. The area has been recently burnt and fire trucks still have easy access.

Thank you for not parking on our endangered grassland

A new entrance has been made into the cemetery grounds to take the overflow funeral parking. The cemetery trustees and CFA brigade have been involved in the planning for the new fences and the funds come from a Communities for Nature grant. Both these local community groups are largely responsible for the great condition the grassland is still in.

If you plan to visit the cemetery grassland in the spring please be aware that African Weed Orchid is present at the site and take appropriate hygiene precautions. About 20 flower heads and  tubers were removed from the north west end of the grassland last November.

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Be SWIFFT on threatened reptiles

The next South West Integrated Flora & Fauna (SWIFFT) Team video conference is about reptiles: Research on the ecology and conservation status of reptiles in south east Australia with special focus on Victoria.

Information on the history of listing threatened reptiles in Victoria and contemporary threats including disturbance processes and their impact, the use of translocation as a management tool and human attitudes to reptile conservation will all be presented.

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Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference

The fifth one-day Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference (see attached document ) has the theme “ENHANCING ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION“, this conference aims to communicate new ecological research to natural resource managers, the research community and those with an interest in better environmental management.

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Moolapio Grassland Discovery Day

Come along to the showcase of the Moolapio Grassland and Seed Production Area,    learn about an ecosystem under threat and discuss other Greening Australia grassland projects. The day provides an insightful walk and commentary on the creation, progression and consolidation of the Moolapio grasslands.

Guest Speaker: Dr Paul Gibson-Roy, Senior Restoration Ecologist, Greening Australia, NSW

Dates to choose from: Day 1: Wednesday 7 November, 2012 or Day 2: Thursday 8 November, 2012

Time: 9:15am – 2:00pm (9:45am start)

Location: ALCOA, “Plant Entrance”, Point Henry Road, Point Henry (look for the Greening Australia signs) (Melways: 453,G3) Greening Australia Seed Production Area

Places are limited, early registration recommended. This is a FREE event with morning tea and lunch provided

To REGISTER please email Lyn Willcock  from Greening Australia lwillcock@gavic.org.au by 5pm, 2 November.  Please include the day you wish to attend and any dietary requirements.

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Hancock Victorian Plantations Pty Ltd pledges $305,000 after grasslands cleared

The Australian Government secured a legally enforceable $305,000 pledge from plantation timber company Hancock Victorian Plantations Pty Ltd to repair damage done to a critically endangered grassland in south western Victoria and to better protect what remains.

Between March and May last year, a contractor employed by Hancock Victorian Plantations cleared an area about the size of a soccer field (0.7ha) of a protected ecological community, known as Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, near Mannibadar. The company agreed to spend $305,000 towards the recovery and rehabilitation of grasslands in the region.

Further details on how the $305,000 will be allocated is at this link http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/compliance/judgements.html

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