Burn CAS011 Prepared by Elaine Bayes and Chris Johnston, LEAF (Living with Ecology And Fire)

Burn Map Burn Details

Size: 257.6ha Zone: LMZ – Autumn 2015 (TBC) Purpose of Burn: Fuel reduction Forest type: Box Ironbark Comments: This large burn directly adjoins the Muckleford Conservation Reserve to the west. It includes the previously burnt east‐west ‘fire break’ which was last burnt in 1995 and 2007 and comprises about 25% of the proposed burn area. We note that the Conservation Reserve was burnt by wildfire in 1982 FOP comments: FOBIF expressed concern at the impact of the 2011 burn in the Muckleford Forest and asked how this burn would “complement works” in adjacent areas and “assist in ecological resilience and regeneration”. The Muckleford Forest submission sought ‘a review of the approach and areas proposed to Included in this forest is one special management area that be targeted, including community involvement provide specific protection for large old trees, historic workings in determining the approach to be taken’ for this and fauna sites) and the Muckleford Nature Conservation area of forest. Reserve. 154/05 SMZ 63 Fauna Refuge, Historic Site (Dunn’s Reef Along with the 2012 Muckleford Forest burns, Workings) the proposed Donkeys Farm Track burn, this large burn and will increase the percentage of This is within the proposed burn area. the Muckleford Forest burnt within a short period to an unacceptable level. This forest supports a number of threatened species some of We note the significant mining features in the which may be adversely impacted by prescribed burns. Tuans forest. for example appear to be thriving in parts of these forests (Peter Johnston, DEPI survey, reported in Midland Express Recovery in this forest requires reduction on 28/5/2013). But the lack of mature, hollow–bearing trees means the frequency of planned burns to allow for a these animals survive by using other hollows – in stumps and greater range of growth stages to develop. coppiced trees which are commonly burnt out in prescribed [Sources: DEPI Biodiversity Interactive map burns. database; Fire History maps – DSE; FOBIF submission] We are concerned about the ecological impacts of this burn, located adjoining the Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve, and to designated Special Management Areas (mentioned above).

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The following lists include species on DEPI’s Flora and Fauna Database. However….  There are MANY known locations of threatened species which DEPI have not put on the database (up to a 5 year lag time). These species are at risk of being ignored in a burn. Particularly important information is in the report done with royal commission funding which covered the entire state and cost $1.6 Million and included hundreds‐thousands of new locations. None of these have been added and they include important local sites.

o All the data (248 records of 49 species) has not been entered from the 2011 ‘Surveys for rare and threatened flora species North West of Melbourne (for Arthur Rylah Institute, DSE).  All the data (735 threatened flora records of 244 species and 199 threatened fauna records of 48 sp). ‘Collection of floristic & zoological data from volunteer groups in Victoria’, July 2011 (for Arthur Rylah Institute, DSE).

 There are MANY UNKNOWN locations of threatened species as DEPI has not carried out any monitoring in LMZ burn areas, therefore all these species and communities will be at risk.  The process does not include protection of habitat features for mobile threatened species like Powerful Owls, Phascogales, Barking Owls, Swift Parrots, all of which are highly likely to occur in all the LMZ proposed burn areas.

Threatened Animals in CAS011

Victoria could be facing a wave of extinctions 100 species of birds, 13 species of mammals, 5 species of frogs and one reptile was recorded in this burn area. following a dramatic crash in bird numbers in the Box‐Ironbark forests of northern and central 12 of these are listed as threatened under Federal and State Legislation and DSE Advisory List. Victoria over the past five years(VNA, 2009). Federally threatened and legally protected by law (EPBC Act): A systematic study across northern and central o Swift Parrot (ENDANGERED) Victoria (covering a 30,000 km2 region) over the past 15 years has shown that about two‐thirds of State threatened and legally protected by law (FFG bird species, including lorikeets, pardalotes, Act). thornbills and honeyeaters, have o Hooded Robin declined dramatically (VNA, 2009). o Crested Bellbird

o Diamond Firetail

o Speckled Warbler

These threatened birds need: o Brush‐tailed Phascogale  Leaf litter, logs and branches which host  Listed as threatened under DSE advisory list. insects and seeds o Black‐chinned Honeyeater (near  Structure and diversity in the ground and threatened) understorey o Brown Treecreeper (near threatened)  Shrub and grass layer to feed on bugs and o Spotted Quail‐thrush (near threatened) seeds o Brown Quail  Many need hollows to roost and nest in, of all o Hardhead shapes and sizes; in living and dead trees; tree o Musk Duck stumps and even in fallen timber. Hollows can take a hundred or more years to form,  The Hooded Robin, Diamond Firetail and many other birds in CAS011 are Temperate Woodland Species which as a community are also listed as threatened under state FFG legislation.

Data from Flora Information System and Victorian Fauna Database, March 2014

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Diamond Swift Parrot Firetails Nationally Home range is Endangered

2‐20 hectares and longest Photo Chris Tzaros movement 5 km. Where will they go? Photo BA, 2005

Crested Bellbird State Threatened Photo: by Feathers and Photos Hooded Robins Tuans need hollows to breed, shrubs, State litter and debris to forage and feed Threatened safely.

Photo: http://birdway.com.au/index.htm

Threatened Woodland Birds 1 in 5 woodland bird species in Australia are now threatened.

Under the Victorian FFG Act, the Victorian Temperate Woodland Bird Community is listed as a threatened ecological community and is defined as a group of bird species characteristically and commonly found within Box‐Ironbark and other vegetation types. This includes the three bird species listed above.

A number of studies and other projects have demonstrated that this community has been significantly reduced in its distribution and continues to decline (e.g. Robinson and Traill 1996, Bennett et al 2006, Radford et al 2005).

Woodlands are meant to be ‘messy’, with young and old trees, dead stags, shrubs, grasses and other ground cover, logs, twigs and bark, and open grassy patches. Trees, understorey and litter not only benefit birds but improve ecosystem services that provide clean water, healthy soil, climate stability, natural control of diseases and resilience to drought. birds of temperate woodlands are among the most threatened in the country(Birds Australia, 2005)

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Threatened Plant Species within RARE CAS0011 Goldfield Boronia Two rare (DSE advisory list) were recorded: Boronia anemonifolia subsp. aurifodina Photo: Viridans RARE Whirrakee Wattle , Acacia williamsonii Photo: Viridans

Plants and Animals in CAS011 Burn Area First three columns indicates rarity of species and Legislation under which it is protected.  FFG = listed as threatened under Victorian Legislation (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act),  EPBC = listed as threatened under Federal Legislation (EPBC, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act) indicates hightest level of protection.  VROTS = DSE Advisory List (which has no legal power but provides best available advise).

Animal List from Victorian Fauna Database March 2014 CAS011 FFG EPBC VROTS Common Name Scientific Name Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen Australian Raven Corvus coronoides Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata Black Swan Cygnus atratus n Black‐chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis Black‐faced Cuckoo‐shrike Coracina novaehollandiae Black‐fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops Black‐tailed Native‐hen Gallinula ventralis Brown Falcon Falco berigora Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus n Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla Brown Treecreeper (south‐eastern Climacteris picumnus n ssp.) victoriae Brown‐headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris Buff‐rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera f n Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis Crested Shrike‐tit Falcunculus frontatus Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans elegans

4 f v Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis Eurasian Coot Fulica atra *European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Fan‐tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus Galah Eolophus roseicapilla Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscarpa Grey Shrike‐thrush Colluricincla harmonica v Hardhead Aythya australis Hoary‐headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus f n Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata Horsfield's Bronze‐Cuckoo Chrysococcyx basalis Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos Little Raven Corvus mellori Long‐billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris Magpie‐lark Grallina cyanoleuca Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles v Musk Duck Biziura lobata Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala Olive‐backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus Peaceful Dove Geopelia striata Pied Currawong Strepera graculina Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio Purple‐crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala Rainbow Bee‐eater Merops ornatus Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata Red‐browed Finch Neochmia temporalis Red‐rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta Rosella sp. Platycercus sp. Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang Shining Bronze‐Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus Silvereye Zosterops lateralis f v Speckled Warbler Pyrrholaemus sagittatus 5

Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus n Spotted Quail‐thrush Cinclosoma punctatum Straw‐necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata Sulphur‐crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita Superb Fairy‐wren Malurus cyaneus f E e Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor Tree Martin Hirundo nigricans Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera Wedge‐tailed Eagle Aquila audax Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus White‐bellied Cuckoo‐shrike Coracina papuensis White‐browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus White‐browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis White‐browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus White‐eared Honeyeater Lichenostomus leucotis White‐faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae White‐naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus White‐plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus White‐throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus White‐winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana Yellow‐billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes Yellow‐faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops Yellow‐rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa Yellow‐tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops 100 species Mammals Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps Unidentified kangaroo Macropus sp. Unidentified long‐eared bat Nyctophilus sp. Short‐beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus Little Forest Bat Vespadelus vulturnus Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus Gould's Wattled Bat Chalinolobus gouldii Black Wallaby Wallabia bicolor f v Brush‐tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa Large Forest Bat Vespadelus darlingtoni White‐striped Freetail Bat Tadarida australis 13 species Frogs Spotted Marsh Frog Limnodynastes tasmaniensis Southern Bullfrog Limnodynastes dumerilii 6

Common Froglet Crinia signifera Common Spadefoot Toad Neobatrachus sudelli Plains Froglet Crinia parinsignifera 5species Reptiles Garden Skink Lampropholis guichenoti 1 species

Plant List from Flora Information System as of March 2014 CAS011 FFG EPBC VROTS Scientific Name Common Name FFG EPBC VROTS Scientific Name Common Name Acacia acinacea s.s. Gold‐dust Wattle Acacia aspera subsp. aspera Rough Wattle Acacia genistifolia Spreading Wattle Acacia gunnii Ploughshare Wattle Acacia pycnantha Golden Wattle r Acacia williamsonii Whirrakee Wattle *Acetosella vulgaris Sheep Sorrel Acrotriche serrulata Honey‐pots Arthropodium strictum s.l. Chocolate Lily Asteraceae spp. Composite Astroloma humifusum Cranberry Heath Austrostipa spp. Spear Grass Boronia anemonifolia subsp. r aurifodina Goldfield Boronia Brachyloma daphnoides Daphne Heath Burchardia umbellata Milkmaids Cassinia arcuata Drooping Cassinia Cassytha glabella Slender Dodder‐laurel Corunastylis archeri Elfin Midge‐orchid Daviesia ulicifolia Gorse Bitter‐pea Dianella admixta Black‐anther Flax‐lily Dillwynia sericea Showy Parrot‐pea Drosera aberrans Scented Sundew Drosera macrantha subsp. macrantha Climbing Sundew Drosera peltata subsp. peltata spp. agg. Pale Sundew Eriochilus cucullatus s.l. Parson's Bands Red Stringybark subsp. vestita Red Box Eucalyptus tricarpa subsp. tricarpa Red Ironbark Galium gaudichaudii Rough Bedstraw Glossodia major Wax‐lip Orchid Gonocarpus tetragynus Common Raspwort alpina Cat's Claw Grevillea Hibbertia exutiacies Spiky Guinea‐flower 7

Hovea heterophylla Common Hovea Lepidosperma laterale Variable Sword‐sedge Leptospermum myrsinoides Heath Tea‐tree Leucopogon virgatus Common Beard‐heath Lomandra filiformis Wattle Mat‐rush Luzula meridionalis Common Woodrush Microseris sp. 3 Yam Daisy Opercularia varia Variable Stinkweed Orchidaceae spp. Orchid rigida Hairy Geebung Philotheca verrucosa Fairy Wax‐flower Pimelea linifolia Slender Rice‐flower Poa sieberiana var. sieberiana Grey Tussock‐grass Pterostylis nana Dwarf Greenhood Pterostylis sp. aff. parviflora (Northern Victoria) Inland Red‐tip Greenhood Pterostylis spp. Greenhood Rytidosperma caespitosum Common Wallaby‐grass Rytidosperma pallidum Silvertop Wallaby‐grass Rytidosperma setaceum Bristly Wallaby‐grass Rytidosperma spp. Wallaby Grass Senecio phelleus Stony Fireweed Stylidium armeria Common Triggerplant Tetratheca ciliata Pink‐bells Thysanotus patersonii Twining Fringe‐lily Wahlenbergia gracilenta s.s. Hairy Annual‐bluebell Wahlenbergia stricta subsp. stricta Tall Bluebell Wurmbea dioica subsp. dioica Common Early Nancy

Explanation of Threatened Status Legislative Terms. Conservation Status in Australia - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) EX Extinct  A taxon is extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual of the taxon has died. CR Critically Endangered  A taxon is critically endangered when it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future. EN Endangered  A taxon is endangered when it is not critically endangered but is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. VU Vulnerable  A taxon is vulnerable when it is not critically endangered or endangered but is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future. Victorian Conservation Status under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988

L Listed as threatened N Nominated for listing as threatened I Rejected for listing as threatened; taxon invalid or ineligible D Delisted as threatened under the FFG Act Advisory List of Threatened Plants in Victoria (DSE 2005). x Presumed Extinct in Victoria: not recorded from Victoria during the past 50 years despite field searches specifically for the plant, or, alternatively, intensive field searches (since 1950) at all previously known sites have failed to record the plant. e Endangered in Victoria: at risk of disappearing from the wild state if present land use and other causal factors continue to operate. 8 v Vulnerable in Victoria: not presently endangered but likely to become so soon due to continued depletion; occurring mainly on sites likely to experience changes in land-use which would threaten the survival of the plant in the wild; or, taxa whose total population is so small that the likelihood of recovery from disturbance, including localised natural events such as drought, fire or landslip, is doubtful. r Rare in Victoria: rare but not considered otherwise threatened - there are relatively few known populations or the taxon is restricted to a relatively small area. k Poorly Known in Victoria: poorly known and suspected, but not definitely known, to belong to one of the above categories (x, e, v or r) within Victoria. At present, accurate distribution information is inadequate. Advisory List of Threatened Fauna in Victoria, (DSE 2013)

Extinct (EX) A taxon is Extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. A taxon is presumed Extinct when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form Regionally Extinct (RE) As for Extinct but within a defined region (in this case the State of Victoria) that does not encompass the entire geographic range of the taxon. A taxon is presumed Regionally Extinct when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout the region have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form.

Extinct in the Wild (EW) A taxon is Extinct in the Wild when it is known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population (or populations) well outside the past range. A taxon is presumed Extinct in the Wild when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form. Critically Endangered (CR) A taxon is Critically Endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Critically Endangered (see IUCN 2001), and it is therefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Endangered (EN) A taxon is Endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Endangered (see IUCN 2001), and it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Vulnerable (VU) A taxon is Vulnerable when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Vulnerable (see IUCN 2001), and it is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Near Threatened (NT) A taxon is Near Threatened when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future. Data Deficient (DD) A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status. A taxon in this category may be well studied, and its biology well known, but appropriate data on abundance and/or distribution are lacking. Data Deficient is therefore not a category of threat. Listing of taxa in this category indicates that more information is required and acknowledges the possibility that future research will show that threatened classification is appropriate.

Reference List Birds Australia 2005 State of the Birds Report: Woodland Birds VNA, Victorian naturally alliance (2009) , Fact Sheet 1 Bennett, A.F., Radford, J.Q. and Haslem, A. (2006) ‘Properties of land mosaics: implications for nature conservation in agricultural environments’, Biological Conservation 133, 250‐264 Radford, J.Q., Bennett, A.F. and Cheers, G.J. (2005), ‘Landscape‐level thresholds of habitat cover for woodland birds’. Biological Conservation 124, 317‐337 Robinson D. & Traill, B. (1996). Conserving the woodland birds in the wheat and sheep belts of southern Australia. R.A.O.U. (Birds Australia), Melbourne

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