Draft Plan of Management for Bemboka Crown Land Reserve

DRAFT PLAN OF MANAGEMENT FOR BEMBOKA CROWN LAND RESERVE Jackie Miles, Consultant Botanist Hawkshead Road, Brogo 2550 Phone: 6492 7285 22 April 2003 The large area of Crown Land Reserve lying north from the Bemboka cemetery and east from the Recreation Reserve at the confluence of Colombo Creek and the Bemboka River is 18 hectares in area, and carries open grassy woodland derived from Candelo Dry Grass Forest, which is listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Candelo Dry Grass Forest is probably the most depleted ecological community in the region. It has borne the brunt of the agricultural activity in the region, along with Bega Dry Grass Forest. It is naturally restricted in distribution to the driest parts of the Bega and Towamba valleys. And, because it occurs principally around Candelo, which is the heart of the African lovegrass infestation in the region, many remnants have been lost to weed invasion in recent years. Many existing remnants have the groundcover biodiversity greatly reduced due to grazing and weeds, and the trees are often suffering dieback as a result of high levels of insect attack of the foliage. The trees on the Reserve are generally in better health than those seen in most privately owned remnants in the region, and have been reproducing freely. However, because of a previous history of being leased for grazing, probably mostly by cattle, there is a lack of a shrub layer and of the small tree layer of wattles which typically occurs in the absence of grazing pressure. The adjacent road reserve still carries this understorey vegetation, as does the Bemboka River bank. Most of the Reserve carries a grassy groundcover, and in most parts of the site it is of a relatively low species diversity, although still better than that of regularly grazed remnants. Kangaroo grass is dominant on some parts of the site. Other native grasses such as microlaena, paddock lovegrass, plume grass and poa tussock are all common, along with a number of exotic grasses. The area with the most disturbed and weedy groundcover is located on the slopes with a more sheltered southerly aspect nearest the access point onto the block from the Bemboka cemetery and on the highest point of the block where two old internal fences converge. This area seems to have been a cattle camp in the past. The greater the distance from the gate and the old cattle camp site, the better the condition of the groundcover. The far north-western side of the site has the best quality groundcover. The reserve road also carries low numbers of regionally significant native herbs such as bulbine lily, lespedeza and yellow buttons, all species which are much more abundant in the adjacent cemetery, where they are free of grazing pressure. (Update – the cemetery was re-fenced in late 2006 and most of the areas where these plants occurred were severely disturbed, so the cemetery may no longer be such a good repository of regionally significant plant species. It is to be hoped that some of these species could be extended into the Crown Reserve, where they would be subject to less disturbance.) The Crown Land was formerly divided by an internal fence into two paddocks, though this fence is now derelict. The paddock to the west of this fence is in better condition than the remainder of the area, with more regionally uncommon species such as native sorghum, yellow rush-lily, yellow buttons and curved rice-flower, and a greater dominance of kangaroo grass. This may be because of the fence reducing stock access to this section in the past, or because this section has a northerly aspect which tends to make it drier and hence more resistant to invasion by exotic species. The following regionally significant species are found on the site: Eucalyptus melliodora yellow box is an indicator species for Candelo Dry Grass Forest. More typically a species of the tablelands and slopes, it is largely confined on the far south coast to the area between Bega, Tantawangalo and Bemboka, where it can be locally common. As may often be the case with plants living close to the limit of their natural distribution, it frequently looks unhealthy, being badly defoliated by insect attack regularly. It is common, and generally in good health on the Reserve. Eucalyptus tereticornis forest red gum is regarded as being depleted in the wild since, although still common in the Bega valley, it is almost entirely restricted to modified agricultural landscapes, where its long-term persistence may be threatened by dieback and lack of regeneration. It is common on the Reserve. Sorghum leiocladum native sorghum is a robust tussock grass distinguished by “ballet skirts” of hairs around the nodes on the seed stalks, and rusty red seed heads. It is highly palatable to stock and generally only found in ungrazed or lightly grazed situations. However, in these areas it may become very common. It is quite common in the adjacent cemetery, and was seen on the road reserve and fenced-off river bank. It is likely to be found on the Reserve with further appropriately timed surveys. Glycine tabacina and G. ?tomentella these two similar purple pea-flowered twiners are confined to agricultural areas, with hairy glycine (G. ?tomentella) being further restricted to Candelo Dry Grass Forest. Both are scattered over the site, but G. tabacina is more common. Pimelea curviflora var. sericea curved rice-flower is a subshrub to about 30 cm high with tiny yellow or red flowers which are held in the leaf axils. It is uncommon and possibly confined to Candelo Dry Grass Forest remnants. Only a few small plants were found on the north-facing slope at the western end of the site. Calotis lappulacea yellow burr-daisy is generally confined to Candelo Dry Grass Forest, where it is mostly found on roadsides. This may be partly because of a preference for harsh sites such as cutting faces. It occurs on a section of steep bank above Colombo Creek near the north-west corner of the site, and on another similarly eroded site near the Bemboka River. Bulbine glauca yellow bulbine lily is generally confined to ungrazed areas because it is highly palatable to livestock. It is occasionally seen in forest surrounding the farming areas, particularly in association with rocky outcrops, but seems to be most common in agricultural areas. It is common on graves in the cemetery, where it is protected from mowing, and was seen in the road reserve. It may appear in the Reserve in time. Chrysocephalum apiculatum yellow buttons is a short silver-leaved daisy generally confined to Candelo Dry Grass Forest, where it is mostly found in ungrazed situations. It is scattered through the drier western end of the site. Chrysocephalum semipapposum clustered everlasting is a similar but taller plant with a clumped growth habit and narrower leaves, also generally confined to Candelo Dry Grass Forest. It is less common in the district generally than yellow buttons. One cluster of plants occurs near the northern boundary fence. The banks of the Bemboka River carry riparian scrub in only fair condition, due to the presence of woody weeds, including blackberry, hawthorn, cotoneaster, cherry plum, tree of heaven and willow. However, some regionally significant species such as swamp millet and native sorghum also occur in this area. There is a much better developed native shrub layer in this area, which is fenced off from the bulk of the Reserve. The banks of Colombo Creek carry largely exotic vegetation dominated by kikuyu, but do include some areas with native aquatic plants such as swamp millet and smartweed. Management issues Weeds The Reserve has a substantial infestation of St Johns wort, and there is African lovegrass in the reserve road and in the cemetery, although none has been detected on the Reserve itself as yet. The blackberry and other woody weeds on the Bemboka River bank need to be dealt with. At present the level of infestation is manageable, but it could become very much worse with a few more years of neglect. There are also small patches of other woody weeds on the river bank, including cherry plum, tree of heaven, cotoneaster and hawthorn. Willows along the Bemboka River have recently been treated with herbicide and it would be desirable to complete the clean-up of exotic woody weeds in the river by treating the blackberry and other weedy trees and shrubs. There is still abundant native riparian scrub and trees present to replace the exotic vegetation. Blackberry is also scattered throughout the Reserve, and a couple of other woody weeds, briar rose and African boxthorn, are present in low numbers. These all need to be dealt with. Other common, but not noxious, woody environmental weeds are cotoneaster and hawthorn. These would have spread by bird-distributed seed from the nearby village of Bemboka, and are likely to continue to do appear. On-going control of woody weeds will therefore be required, but the amount of effort should not be great after the initial knock-down of the existing infestations, which have developed over a long period. The frontage to Colombo Creek is not fenced off from the remainder of the Reserve. It carries grassy vegetation, with a mixture of exotic and native grasses, and patches of cumbungi and other native aquatic plants in the creek. A few blackberry plants occur in this area. There is also an infestation of periwinkle encroaching through the fence from the neighbouring block on the western boundary. Native vegetation management - grazing It would be preferable for this block not to be leased for grazing again.

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