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Long Hollow Heathland M A N A G E M E N T P L A N Contents Abstract 3 Vision 3 Background 4 Issues 5 References 8 Management Prescriptions 9 Weed Control Specifications 11 Mapped Details 12 Long Hollow Heathland Page 2 Abstract Long Hollow Heathland is an area of Significance values consist of the remnant vegetation and has a key role in remnants of a swamp depression, ‘The Bayside’s bushland and open space Long Hollow Swamp’, of local network. It contains woodlands of significance and there are 12 species of regional significance and heathlands of indigenous orchids recorded in the State significance in addition to being the Heathland. Of these, 8 are listed as rare only location for a number of locally in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. significant species. It is a popular local reserve with an It is the site of the most diverse single active Friends Group. remnant of the noted ‘Sandringham Flora’ and is the most biodiverse remnant of Heathland within Bayside. The primary management objective of the Heathland is the maintenance of the diversity of indigenous vegetation. This plan aims to protect the indigenous significant and worthy of protective remnant vegetation found in Long Hollow management. It is the site of the largest Heathland and to ensure its diversity is remnants of regionally significant Low maintained through management Woodland community and Open Heath including fire, weeding and education of vegetation of state significance (Cropper the general community. As an area of 1996). Cropper (1996) also states that remnant vegetation in suburbia, Long Long Hollow is the most biodiverse Hollow Heathland is at least locally remnant of Heathland within Bayside. Long Hollow Heathland MANAGEMENT PLANPage 3 Background The Office of the Registrar of Geographic tree, regenerative burning and weed Names approved the name ‘Long Hollow control with an added emphasis on Heathland’ in February 1999. Prior to environmental education. One of the this, the Heathland was known as the management directions was the removal Beaumaris Campus Heathland. The area of Coast Tea-tree. is situated approximately 20 kilometres south east of the Melbourne GPO. The Group produced two plans, which directed works in the Heathland. They The Heathland is an uneven rectangle in were a Restoration Plan and a Site shape with the east and west sides Clearing Plan. approximately 215 metres in length and the north and south sides 188 metres and A number of controlled burns and a 113 metres respectively. The area number of unplanned burns have covered is approximately 2.2 hectares. occurred in the Heathland. Post-burn Long Hollow is covered in remnant weed control has been priority of the vegetation comprising heathland, Heathland Group. The quality and woodland and even-aged stands of Coast diversity of the indigenous vegetation in Tea-tree (Leptospermum laevigatum). the Heathland can be attributed largely to the work carried out by this group. The Government of Victoria purchased the area of land from Balcombe Road to Pavey (1996) indicates that the Gramatan Avenue in 1957, for educational Heathland is considered Principal habitat purposes. In 1964 the State Electricity in Bayside and this is due to the high Commission of Victoria purchased the diversity of birds. area on the corner of Gramatan Avenue and Reserve Road. The Heathland area The existing vegetation of the Heathland was transferred from the ownership of the is comprised of mature stands of Coast- Education Department to the Department Tea-tree, heathland vegetation in various of Conservation and Natural Resources stages of development, wet heath (now DNRE) in 1993. vegetation and woodland with heath understorey. It is the only reserve in the Prior to the formation of the Long municipality with woodland vegetation Hollow Heathland Group, previously the and is also the sole location for 28 Beaumaris Heathland Group, the former species. 21 regionally rare species can City of Sandringham carried out limited also be found in the Heathland. maintenance in the area. Vegetation management consisted of clearing of The Heathland is Crown land and is Coast Tea-tree and subsequent mowing managed by the appointed Committee of of the understorey. Following their Management, Bayside City Council. formation in 1982, works by the Long Hollow Heathland Group have concentrated on clearing of Coast Tea- Long Hollow Heathland Page 4 Issues This plan is based upon knowledge of Vegetation Management the Reserve with an advisory committee Vegetation management should include a consisting of a member from each of: priority for natural regeneration of the • The Long Hollow Heathland Group indigenous floral community within the • Beaumaris Conservation Society Inc. Heathland. As the largest remnant of the • Bayside City Council original ‘Sandringham Flora’, it is • Department of Natural Resources & important that ecological relationships Environment. within the Heathland be maintained and conserved. This includes the staged eradication of Coast Tea-tree from the Heathland, (excluding Coast Tea-tree in the vegetative buffer system outside the Reserve, which protects the Heathland from external pressures). SIGNIFICANT SPECIES Some orchid species have been identified within the Heathland as rare within the Melbourne Metropolitan area. As such, the remaining orchid colonies need to be protected and maintained accordingly. This may require maintenance of some tree canopy to insure the survival of these colonies. The Wet Heath community is another significant community that needs to be conserved and where necessary regenerated to maintain ecological relationships. Determine and conserve significant species. WEED CONTROL Weed control within the Heathland is an ongoing issue and weed control within the Heathland should be carried out in accordance with Council contract specifications and updated annually in the specification review. Eradication of pest plant species within the Heathland should be conducted. Long Hollow Heathland MANAGEMENT PLANPage 5 Issues Fauna Management Access & Visitor Management Further surveys are required within the Recreational opportunities within the Heathland to determine what species are Heathland need to be consistent with present within the Heathland and which conservation objectives. Degradation of these species are significant. Once within the Heathland can occur from identified, management strategies can be visitor access, especially with informal established to best manage these species cubby-house building and the informal and the floral communities in which they BMX track. Informal paths within the occur. This will enable planting or track network should be rationalised and maintaining provision of appropriate closed where necessary to allow habitat for native fauna and their regeneration of soil stored seed. contribution to the ecosystem. Control, and where possible, eradication Dog droppings bring excessive nutrients of introduced animals using best practise foreign to the heathland community into methods of removal should also be the Reserve. Excess nutrients can lead to conducted within the Heathland. an increase in weed species, which can out-compete the indigenous vegetation. Fire Risk Management Dogs running off leash through the Control of wildfire is an issue within Reserve damage delicate regenerating urban areas. Should wildfire occur within species, such as orchid colonies and the Heathland, control is to be those species regenerating after burns. conducted with minimum damage to the Soil stored seed may also be disturbed. Heathland. Preventative measures to protect facilities and abutting properties Long Hollow Heathland is designated as through the reduction of potential fire a dog ‘on-leash’ area, as are all Bushland hazards within the Heathland. Large reserves, due to the sensitivity of the site branches of deadfall should be scattered to disturbance by dogs. to reduce fire hazard and where necessary, fine fuel portions of deadfall Provision of appropriate interpretational removed. signs and information to visitors regarding the natural and cultural Formal access points need to be clear for features of the Heathland may assist to all relevant emergency services. increase their care of the area. Ecological Fire Regimes Informal BMX track Fire is an important management tool Long Hollow has had an ongoing within the Heathland for maintaining problem with the creation of an informal vegetation diversity. Appropriate fire and unauthorised BMX track within the regimes for the Heathland should Heathland. As a significant area of continue and be carried out in remnant heathland within Bayside, a accordance with Council contract BMX track within Long Hollow does not specifications. Long Hollow Heathland Page 6 Issues comply with the primary objective of this importance of remnant vegetation. Management plan, which is to maintain Increased promotion of the Heathland the biodiveristy of indigenous through local papers, guided walks and vegetation, nor is it considered active working bees may increase ‘appropriate’ enjoyment of Long Hollow. appreciation of the area. Active steps must be taken, in However, it is the aim of this plan that conjunction with an education campaign the conservation status of Long Hollow within the school, to ensure the long- Heathland be maintained, with only low- term removal of the track. Importance of key interpretational facilities provided, to conserving the vegetation must be enhance the appropriate enjoyment and communicated to those involved