Regional Bushfire Recovery Biodiversity Project
A year in review
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Black summer fires
Nearly two years on
Over the Black Summer fires, it is estimated that more than 430,000 ha of the North East Victoria region was burnt, significantly impacting the environment, our native fauna and flora, and communities.
The fires were widespread across approximately 22% of the catchment, impacting both public and private agricultural lands and several small townships, especially in the Upper Murray, in addition to some of our most valuable natural environments.
The unprecedented fires burnt extensively, over longer periods, and more severely, resulting in reduced unburnt patches to provide shelter to our native species.
Nearly two years later, we are still beginning our recovery journey, and recovery looks different for our species, systems, and people.
While regrowth shoots brought hope early on to some of our landscapes, others will take several decades to recover.
Conservation covenants
Working with local landholders
At least in the Upper Murray, recovery is well underway.
The North East CMA has partnered with Trust for Nature to support the recovery of high-valuable habitat on private land at fire-impacted conservation covenants.
At Jen and Craig Stephens’ 36 ha property next to Burrowa-Pine Mountain National Park, species are returning – including the rare Broad-leaf Hop Bush and the purple-flowered Mountain Dampiera.
Mountain Dampiera (Dampiera purpurea).
Broad-leaf Hop Bush (Dodoneae rhombifolia).
“It was especially reassuring after the bush fires to be in touch with Trust for Nature staff who knew our property well. We see ourselves co-managing a limited resource with access to professionals who have genuine concern and detailed knowledge.
We now have a second generation growing up at Pine Mountain who will appreciate this covenanted land. It’s an ongoing privilege.”
– Jen and Craig, conservation covenantors.
Alpine peatlands
A slow and steady recover
For alpine peatlands impacted by bushfires, recovery may take several decades.
This threatened ecological community is highly sensitive to disturbances. Peatlands are slow to form and, therefore, slow to recover – and their recovery capacity depends on multiple factors, including the severity of fires, previous fire history, and a myriad of other environmental conditions.
While various factors are at play, controlling threats remains a critical management intervention to support these communities.
Alpine Marsh-marigold (Caltha introloba) and other species.
The North East CMA has worked with HVP Plantations to control deer in the surroundings of alpine peatlands at Pheasant Creek Reserve.
The operations across the HVP estate have decreased local deer numbers, but ongoing management and monitoring are critical to protect natural values.
Up at Mt Buffalo, Bogong High Plains, Dinner plains, and Falls Creek, the focus has been on invasive weeds, such as willows and soft rush.
Falls Creek Alpine resort, Parks Victoria, and Biik Environmental (Taungurung) conducted surveillance and treatment of transformative weeds across these fire-impacted areas to control their spread in the post-fire landscape.
On-ground activities at Mt Buffalo complemented an alpine ecology training for Taungurung to strengthen partnerships and capacity building.
Willow (Salix cinerea).
Soft Rush (Juncus effusus).
“It is important to consider that caring for Country encompasses combinations of traditional cultural knowledge and western science.
To grow the skills and knowledge of the young people in the latter will complement the other learnings they have made about Buffalo passed down through elders and community.”
– Ryan Markwick, Project Officer at Biik Environmental
Mountain Pygmy-possum
Population resilience
The Mountain Pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus) was another focus of the project.
While not directly impacted in Victoria, the bushfires severely impacted its population across the border.
With less than 2000 individuals left in the wild, strengthening the resilience of our possums in the Victorian Alps is critical for the species’ survival.
Burramys parvus sampling locations in the Victorian Alps.
The North East CMA has commissioned a study to understand the health of Mountain Pygmy-possum populations better.
The report, prepared by CESAR Australia, indicates that although possum populations are highly fragmented, they maintain genetic diversity.
The analysis reinforced the success of two previous management actions: a genetic rescue at Mt Buller that turned its populations from the least to the most diverse in Victoria; and the connectivity tunnels at Mt Little Higginbotham, which restored the genetic flow across the Great Alpine Rd.
But the findings also indicate that habitat fragmentation still poses an ongoing threat to the Mountain Pygmy-possum populations, and there is much more to be done to protect the species.
Habitat restoration works
The recently completed habitat restoration works at Mt Little Higginbotham were another project achievement.
The old Quarry at Mt Little Higginbotham provided road and building materials for developments between the 1920s and 1970s. However, the quarried area is likely to have been a critical possum habitat in the past.
In partnership with Mt Hotham Alpine Resort, the habitat restoration works aimed to place boulders back on the old Quarry site, increasing habitat and connectivity for local Mountain Pygmy-possum populations.
Carrying tonnes of boulders back to the site was not an easy task. The innovative approach involved a 130-tonne crane, traffic management, and multiple loads over five days of operations.
Crane operating at Mt Little Higginbotham.
In addition to the boulder placement, the site was treated for weeds and revegetated with over 4000 plants to complement connectivity and provide additional food resources for the species in the long term, including the Mountain Plum Pine.
Mountain Plum Pine (Podocarpus lawrencei) fruits.
At the end of operations, 600 tonnes of rocks were strategically added to the site to restore habitat.
And to think that a Mountain Pygmy-possum only weights on average 40 grams!
Mountain Pygmy-possum eating Mountain Plum Pine fruits.
The path ahead
Preparing for the future
Recovery is a long road, but we are leading to the future more prepared and resilient than before. Challenges have brought our communities together and prompted new ways of thinking and management.
Emergency intervention to prevent extinction and support initial recovery is critical. Still, it is estimated that most fauna species will likely take at least ten years to recover completely.
To support the recovery of our native species and landscapes, the North East CMA will continue to work with partners and communities to improve natural resource management practices in the region.
This project was supported by the North East Catchment Management Authority through funding from the Australian Government.