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Glenelg Hopkins

22 February 2021 by

Pimelea conservation trust

spiny rice flower

Our Pimelea Conservation Trust Fund supports landowners and property managers who have Spiny Rice-flower (Pimelea spinescens) present on their land and wish to conserve this highly threatened plant species. Funding is available annually by application for activities that are directly related to the objectives of the Pimelea spinescens Recovery Plan.

The Fund was established in 2005 as part of a Conservation Agreement with Multiplex Developments in relation to the protection and conservation of Spiny Rice-flower (Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens), under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. A Trust Committee has been established, with representatives from Federal, State and Local governments to administer the funds in accordance with the Conservation Agreement, with Trust for Nature acting as trustee for the fund. The Conservation Agreement outlines an annual program of funds to be allocated by the Trust Committee for Pimelea Recovery Activities. Generally, the total amount available each year is $12,000. However, this amount may vary should the Trust Committee assign more funds to an annual allocation or allocate future funding to multi-year projects.

Download the Pimelea Recovery Plan

Apply for funding

Grant applications open 7th June

Applications for funds to support activities to conserve Pimelea are open from 7th June and close 27th August.

All applicants will be reviewed and recommended by the Pimelea spinescens Recovery Team.

Successful applicants will be selected from the Recovery Team’s recommendations PCTF Committee in November.

A project’s time frame will be dependent on the project, and all applicants will be informed of the outcome in December via email. Successful applicant(s) will receive a formal letter in the post.

Download the application form
funding

Impact of the Fund since 2005

Each year, the Fund supports the management of two reserves which contain Spiny Rice-flower: Altona Nature Conservation Reserve and Pimelea Nature Conservation Reserve.

Since 2005 the Fund has supported both regional and Melbourne metropolitan environmental groups, the Country Fire Authority, consultants, Melbourne’s Royal Botanical Gardens, and private landowners in:

  • An examination of the species genetic diversity and population structure by the Royal Botanical Gardens, helping to set conservation activities for the species and ensure Spiny Rice-flower’s long-term survival;
  • Development of a new Spiny Rice-flower Recovery Plan;
  • The employment of a Pimelea Conservation Officer to support both the Pimelea Conservation Trust Fund and Pimelea spinescens Recovery team;
  • An assessment of all the Spiny Rice-flower translocations that have been carried out to date, providing analysis of ways to improve future translocation activities (see Resources below);
  • The development of a Spiny Rice-flower monitoring protocol endorsed by the Pimelea spinescens Recovery Team;
  • Research, asking if supplementary planting will improve the recruitment capacity of populations;
  • Four local community education days about the species, its environment and optimal management;
  • Optimal management in the form of an ecological burn and monitoring at nine different Pimelea spinescens sites;
  • Stock/rabbit proof fencing installed at four sites;
  • Weed control at five sites over a period of five years;
  • Vermin eradication at two sites;
  • The production of the Pimelea and Her Grassland Friends children’s book (see Resources below).
  • Seed collection has occurred from eight sites that are not currently represented in the Pimelea spinescens seed bank.
  • Supplementation has occurred at  four Brimbank Council sites that have small and isolated P. spinescens populations.
  • A direct seeding project has just been implemented to learn what is the best method to germinate P. spinescens from seed in the field.
  • A research project that is tracking the gender presentation of individuals during a flowering season and then accessing the female’s and hermaphrodite’s seed quality.
trust activities

Pimelea spinescens Recovery Team

In 2007, a Pimelea spinescens working group was formalised as the Pimelea spinescens Recovery Team. The Pimelea spinescens Recovery Team is a group working towards better conservation and management strategies for Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens and Pimelea spinescens subsp. pubiflora.

The Recovery Team coordinates the implementation of the Recovery Plan via:

  • Openly sharing information regarding our experiences with this species;
  • Regularly reviewing and updating protocols/guidelines for the species conservation;
  • Review funding applications and recommend to the PCTF Committee;
  • Review past and present conservation management methods, to be critiqued and recommendations made;
  • Encourage research and regularly provide technical advice around processes that would impact Pimelea spinescens;
  • Review and advise all publications, translocation plans and reports regarding Pimelea spinescens, which will inform future practice.

The current Recovery Team comprises of representatives from Trust for Nature, state government (Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria and VicRoads), 22 local governments, six Catchment Management Authorities, Country Fire Authority, environmental consultants, Landcare groups, and universities.

Meetings

Meetings occur three times a year, at various locations in Western Melbourne or regional centres. The formal meeting is held in the morning and after lunch attendees visit several local Pimelea spinescens sites. Meetings are open for any Pimelea spinescens manager or community member to attend and/or raise an issue concerning this species. The meetings usually occur in March, July and November. If you’re interested in attending the next meeting, contact Trust for Nature’s Pimelea Conservation Officer.

Guidelines and protocols

The Recovery team have several endorsed documents available which have been developed to guide the management of this species to achieve best practice, available in the Guidelines and Resources below. These documents are constantly evolving to incorporate the most up to date research and on ground observations.

Contact the Pimelea Conservation Officer

Resources

Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens Recovery Plan 2006

Download pdf

Review of Spiny Rice-flower translocations in Victoria

Download pdf

Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

External website

Pimelea and Her Grassland Friends children's book

External website

Guidelines

Guidelines for monitoring

Download pdf

Long term monitoring protocols

Download pdf

Monitoring field sheet

External website

Seed collection protocols

Download pdf

Translocating Pimelea spinescens

Download pdf

Burning Pimelea spinescens

Download pdf

Management in a fire control line

Download pdf

24 November 2020 by

Bandicoots make a comeback

Southern Brown Bandicoot

In lowlands nestled to the east of the famous peaks of the Grampians National Park, a local landholder has recently placed a covenant on 146 ha of high-quality habitat.

Situated just outside of Halls Gap, the property includes Plains Grassy Woodland, a wetland and 68 ha of high-quality habitat for the nationally endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot, with a very healthy population of the marsupial. It is the first recorded, sizable and naturally occurring population of Southern Brown Bandicoots to have been recorded in this part of the northern Grampians in the last 20 years—up until very recently they were thought to be almost locally extinct. The landholder has put in place a fox control program.

The property is also home to Western Swamp Crayfish, Southern Pygmy Perch, Tree Goanna, Diamond Firetail, Barking Owl, Powerful Owl and Bush Stone Curlew. The land has long been on a Trust for Nature wish-list for permanent protection. Habitat of this size and quality, with connectivity to the existing Grampians National Park, supports great conservation outcomes and biodiversity in the Glenelg Hopkins region.

Long before the covenant was secured, the landholder contacted our office to share photos to identify species on their land and after building a relationship with the landholder, we have finally been able to work together to protect this habitat permanently for future generations to enjoy. This project was funded with support of the Victorian Government.

For more information about projects in the Glenelg-Hopkins region contact our Conservation Officer  Adam Merrick on (03) 8631 5888 or adamm@tfn.org.au.

Tips

The landholder has also worked with Nature Glenelg Trust to restore wetlands for aquatic  wildlife. Here are some tips for looking after wetlands (and remember to check with your local water authority before doing any works on waterways):

  • restore wetland hydrology by blocking/restoring drainage
  • remove weeds and monitor for pest fish species
  • do not use herbicides or pesticides near waterways or wetlands.
Tips

24 November 2020 by

Council rebates for covenants

rebates for covenants

Do you know that around one third of the 48 regional and rural councils in Victoria offer some form of rate rebate or concession to covenantors? Councils take differing approaches to this issue so it is worthwhile knowing the approach of your local council.

These rebates can make a difference to landowners’ ability to take care of their land as they recognise the cost it takes to steward land.

The City of Greater Bendigo and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council offer a full rate rebate to ‘acknowledge and  reward conservation efforts of private landholders’. The Pyrenees Shire Council offers a 50 per cent rebate, while others such as the Cardinia Shire Council, Mansfield Shire Council and the Greater Shepparton City Council offer a per hectare rebate (between $20-$50 up to a specified capped amount). The City of Greater Geelong calculates  covenanted land at the lowest ‘farm rate’ (37% deduction).

Native habitat on private land in Victoria continues to be lost but the extinction trend can be reversed by protecting key remnants, building ecosystem resilience and increasing connectivity of habitat. The protection offered by  conservation covenants make a vital contribution to this process and rates concessions or exemptions are recognition of this contribution by generous landowners.

If you would like to know more about rates rebates or concessions in your shire, check your council website or  contact our Policy Advisor Cecilia Riebl (Monday to Wednesday) on (03) 8631 5819 or ceciliar@tfn.org.au.

contact us

24 November 2020 by

Restoring Grampians wetlands

Grampians wetlands

The Glenelg Hopkins region supports 44 per cent of Victoria’s total wetland area and this doesn’t even include the many meadows and marshes—mostly freshwater—that have been erased historically or are modified beyond being able to provide functional ecosystem services.

In the north of the region around the southern Grampians there are several wetlands that act as important wildlife sanctuaries and natural filters, improving water quality as water gathers and moves through the landscape.

Trust for Nature is currently working with Nature Glenelg Trust, the new owners of two large wetlands to develop management plans and covenants for the wetlands.

These actions would protect habitat for two key threatened species; the Brolga and the Growling Grass Frog. It’s estimated there are just 1,000 Brolgas in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria due to habitat loss and wetland drainage. Growling Grass Frogs are one of the largest frogs in Australia and their numbers have declined by 50 per cent in the last 10 years due to a fungal disease, habitat degradation, water pollution and predation by introduced fish species.

Significant in the region is the 420 ha Walker Swamp, near Dunkeld. It is an extensive and complex system of inter connecting swamps and wetlands that drain the Wannon River onto the plains where the river emerges from the escarpment in the southeast of the Grampians. It comprises four wetland vegetation classes, and all are listed as endangered or vulnerable reflecting the historic and ongoing threats to freshwater wetlands in this valuable agricultural and pastoral district. Walker Swamp was drained in the 1950s for agriculture, followed by forestry years later.

Nature Glenelg Trust has recently undertaken a range of works to restore natural function to the wetland complex. Rehabilitating this environment will help the wetland function as much as possible. It is intended that this site will also be protected with a conservation covenant.

The Nature Glenelg Trust is working with the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority and Trust for Nature to reverse historical drainage and protect the swamps forever.

The Victorian Government’s Our Catchments Our Communities and climate change initiatives are supporting this work and the protection of other wetlands in the region.

For more information about projects in the Glenelg-Hopkins region contact Adam Merrick (03) 8631 5888 or adamm@tfn.org.au

Trust for Nature is currently working with Nature Glenelg Trust, the new owners of two large wetlands to develop management plans and covenants for the wetlands.

These actions would protect habitat for two key threatened species; the Brolga and the Growling Grass Frog. Growling Grass Frogs are one of the largest frogs in Australia and their numbers have declined by 50 per cent in the last 10 years due to a fungal disease, habitat degradation, water pollution and predation by introduced fish species.

wetlands