Dry Forests and Woodlands

Dry forests and woodlands dominate the remnant vegetation on the drier slopes and ridges in Nillumbik. They have an open to closed canopy of gums that includes scattered large old trees. The mid-storey of small trees and shrubs is open to sparse, but can be more dense on lower slopes. The under-storey is a mix of grasses, lilies, orchids and herbs, which grow among fallen leaves, branches and rotting logs.

Dry forests and woodlands provide the habitat for a rich variety of indigenous flora and fauna.

Why dry forests and woodlands are important

Dry forests and woodlands create the bushland character of Nillumbik, and contribute to the forested highlands that are such a feature of eastern Melbourne.

They are extensive, occur on both public and private land and connect Kinglake National Park to the Yarra River and Warrandyte State Park. This landscape ‘connectivity’ is vital to maintaining a healthy environment, keeping the natural systems operating well and providing pathways for animals in an otherwise fragmented landscape.

Dry forests and woodlands provide essential habitat for myriad native animals, especially invertebrates, and plants, including rare and threatened species.

What healthy dry forests and woodlands look like

Healthy dry forests and woodlands have trees of different ages, including big old trees with numerous hollows. Fallen branches and rotting logs create feeding places and shelter for a rich diversity of native birds and animals. The shrub layer is sparse and its native peas, heaths and wattles are not stunted from over-browsing by deer or wallabies. The understorey is mostly tussock grasses interspersed with native herbs, sedges, rushes, lilies, orchids and other wildflowers. It has few or no weeds. Leaf litter protects the soil and creates foraging areas for ground-dwelling animals.

In spring, these forests and woodlands are full of wildflowers, insects, bird song and nesting activity.

A rich variety of animals including rarer species such as the Spot-tailed Quoll, Brush-tailed Phascogale, Common and White-footed Dunnart, Spotted Quail-thrush, Powerful Owl, Speckled Warbler, Swift Parrot, Tree Goanna and Southern Toadlet may be found.

Rare and threatened plants that occur in these forests and woodlands, include Round-leaf Pomaderris, Clover Glycine, Red Ironbark and Matted Flax-lily and numerous orchids.

Dry forests shown in yellow. The approximate area of dry forest and woodland in Nillumbik is 21,000 ha, of which 15,000 ha is on private land.

 

The threats to our Dry Forests and Woodlands, and how they can be addressed

▼Lack of knowledge, skills and resources

What is the threat?

Land owners are often keen to care for their land but may not have enough knowledge to feel confident in doing so, or they lack the resources such as time or money to tackle major works.

How we can return it to health

Build skills, share information and provide resources:
Equip land owners with the knowledge and skills to manage grassy and woody weeds, and provide information on rare and threatened species, and pest animal management.

▼Incremental land clearing and disturbance

What is the threat?

The total area and quality of dry forests and woodlands is gradually declining as a result of legal and illegal clearing and damage to the understorey. This can affect the forest’s connectivity leading to increased isolation of plant and animal populations. It also exposes the soil to compaction and erosion, enabling weeds to invade. Excessive removal of dead trees and logs for firewood removes important habitat.

How we can return it to health

Prevent further clearing and restore connectivity:

  • Increase community understanding of the consequences of clearing and/or damaging native vegetation.
  • Use regulatory tools such as planning controls and perpetual covenants to prevent further loss and degradation of forests and woodlands.
  • Use natural regeneration and revegetation to restore habitat along key vegetation corridors and between isolated remnants.
  • Encourage the responsible sourcing of firewood or use alternative fuels.

▼Invasion by woody weeds

What is the threat?

Woody weeds such as Sweet Pittosporum, Bluebell Creeper, Boneseed, Blackberry and Cootamundra Wattle invade and dominate the mid-storey, altering the habitat structure and shading out the native understorey.

How we can return it to health

Minimise the impact of woody weeds:

  • Focus control efforts for woody weeds in the highest quality areas of dry forest and woodland.
  • Prioritise other areas as resources allow.
  • Enhance and utilise the regulatory framework and incentives to support weed control efforts.

▼Invasion by grassy and herbaceous weeds

What is the threat?

Introduced grasses and weedy herbs and bulbs can out-compete native species. They reduce the diversity of species on the forest floor and negatively impact habitat for ground-dwelling animals and birds.

How we can return it to health

Minimise the impact of grassy and herbaceous weeds:

  • Focus control efforts on patches of high value understorey such as orchid-rich areas or critical habitat for ground-dwelling fauna.
  • Trial ecological and traditional burning to restore the health of the understorey.

▼Shortage of tree hollows for animals that need them

What is the threat?

Past tree harvesting has reduced the number of hollow-bearing trees. Many remaining trees are less than 80 years old and too young to produce hollows, with many of the existing old hollow-bearing trees occurring along roadsides where they risk removal from road widening and maintenance work.

How we can return it to health

Protect and supplement tree hollows

  • Retain and protect large hollow-bearing trees including on roadsides.
  • Establish methods to assess the availability of tree hollows and the numbers needed by hollow-dependent species.
  • Supplement natural hollows with nest boxes designed for rare and threatened species.
  • Trial methods for accelerating development of tree hollows.
  • Rake hoe litter and other flammable material away from the trunks of hollow-bearing trees prior to initiating controlled burns.

▼Damage by pest animals

What is the threat?

Introduced Sambar deer graze heavily on native vegetation especially shrubs, and cause significant damage to trees by rubbing on them. They damage soil and creek lines by trampling and creating wallows. Deer trampling on breeding sites are a significant threat to the rare Southern Toadlet. Wallabies and rabbits are also over-abundant and browse heavily on native shrubs and orchids.

How we can return it to health

Minimise the impact of pest animals:

  • Take a collaborative approach across public and private land for the management of pest animals such as deer and rabbits.
  • Use exclusion fencing to protect significant or sensitive sites such as Southern Toadlet breeding sites and where wattles, heaths, native peas and orchids are found.

▼Predation by foxes and cats

What is the threat?

Foxes and cats prey on small native animals, particularly those that spend a lot of time on the ground.

How we can return it to health

Reduce predation pressure:

  • Target fox control programs to breeding and dispersal times for rare animals and ground dwelling birds.
  • Increase community understanding of the threats cats pose to native animals, and provide training in the use of cat traps.