4.2.4

Management strategies and policies for achieving and maintaining healthy and sustainable outdoor environments that may be adopted by public and private land managers, including at least one from the following: – Trust for Nature (Victoria)– Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2020 (Australia)– Victoria’s Native Vegetation Management: A framework for action (Victoria)

Key Knowledge

• understand management approaches used by Aboriginal groups in various parts of Australia and also the management strategies used by land managers and owners and be able to describe a range of management approaches and analyse their effectiveness in particular contexts.

What you need to be do:

• Description of the management strategy, including where you have seen it

• Analysis of how it assists with sustainability in the area

• Evaluation of the effectiveness of the management strategy – positive, negatives and an overall judgment

• Make a judgment about the effectiveness • Draw on your own experiences

Infrastructure

• Building infrastructure such as boardwalks, car parks, tracks, steps and toilets etc to reduce the impact of use

• Seen at Wilson’s Prom, Mount Hotham, Snowy River National Park, Bunorong Marine National Park, The Nobbies, The Knob

• Is able to control impacts on sensitive vegetation, reduce compaction and erosion. Costly to build and maintain at times, some people may still not use it

Wildlife corridors• Establishment or protection of wildlife corridors to enable native

fauna to access remnant pockets of native vegetation. • They allow the movement flora and fauna and provide habitat for

migratory and resident wildlife; • Allow species to re-colonise patches of vegetation and enable the

exchange of genes between wildlife populations and reduce the possibility of inbreeding

•Along rivers in local farming areas, buffer zones outside of national parks

•May take a long time to establish•for many animals they need to be continuous and therefore can be costly to implement manage and maintain, however have been very successful in the local area as providing a means to get to the Avon Wilderness area

Translocation of species

• Occurred in SRNP with Rock Wallabies, Raymond Island with koala population

• Assists in introducing new genes to small populations, helping with increasing population numbers (SRNP) or decreasing the population in one area to reduce the impact of the animals on the natural environment (RI)

• You will need data to support you evaluation

• Western Shield is a nature conservation program which plays an important role in protecting Australia’s native animal population.

• It also has programs specializing in translocation of endangered and threatened animals.

• The program has already had significant success: it has contributed to the removal of the woylie, quenda and tammar wallaby being removed from the threatened species list, many populations of native animals have recovered or been re-established in their former ranges, and the restoration of ecological processes has begun.

• From 1996 to 2000, Western Shield has taken part of 60 translocations, mostly introductions, of 17 species all over the country on private and interstate land

Regulation of behaviour• May involve the banning of certain activities or seasonal closure,

restricting access or duration

- Banning of motorbike riding, mountain biking, horse riding in some national parks

- Has been mildly successful in the Avon wilderness area, although with lack of signage some people are unaware of what is and what isn't allowed. Needs to be enforced with patrols by land managers or fines to improve the effectiveness of the strategy

Signage• Signs to provide information about

species, educate about policies or campaigns or control use

- Seen at all national parks and many other conservation areas

- Some times can be ignored by users, ineffective if damaged etc. Protection of plover habitat while mating signs at bunoroung national park is an example that you may use or the water campaign signs at WP.

Education• Education to make visitors aware of the environmental significance of the

area to encourage them to be active caretakers or education campaigns including information boards and advertising campaigns or interpretive centers

• Can be costly to implement, not all visitors will use them. Makes people better informed

• Examples at WP, the nobbies

Research

• Assist in identifying and monitoring problems that occur.

• Examples would be tagging animals (Rock Wallaby and Tassie Devil)

• Provides data and knowledge, may lead to false information if not conducted properly, often requires government funding, may take a long period of time to find enough information, can assist in the management of endanged species

Baiting / targeted programs for pest species

• undertaking programs to eradicate introduced species to reduce their impact on native flora and fauna; may involve fencing the area and weed eradication or baiting programs

• Willows along Snowy river (very successful in the remote areas)

• Foxes and rabbits in WP and other national parks• Feral Cats and Dogs

• Each have different amounts of effectiveness depending on the area you are looking at.

Fire regimes

• Controlled burning to maintain the ecology of the area.

• Used in many areas around gippsland and most national parks

• Effectiveness can be argued with large bushfires that have occurred recently, often seen not to be done frequently enough.

zoning

• zoning areas for separate and specific uses. Includes:- Wilderness: focuses on keeping the area undisturbed land or

vegetation. Only low impact activities allowed, no roads dividing area.

- Reference: smaller areas in parks, mostly undisturbed for continuation of natural processes

- Recreation/development: high rec use, interpretation and visitor facilities.

- Conservation/recreation zone: conservation and lower impact and dispersed recreation activities. Few facilities provided

- Conservation: limited rec, major focus on protection

Closing of areas / seasonal closures

• Closing some areas or tracks during certain seasons or permanently to limit damage caused. For instances when birds are mating or during winter when certain areas are wet and easily eroded

Management Plans

Victoria’s Native Vegetation Management: A framework for action (Victoria)

Others

• Limiting numbers• Development of codes of practice• Enforce penalties• Permit systems • Limiting types of activities• Revegetation and rehabilitation of areas

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

1. Outline one current management strategy that is employed by land managers to minimise the effect of this damage

2. Describe another current management strategy that is employed by land managers to maintain the health of this environment.

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies in maintaining this environment.

4. Recommend and justify two management strategies or policies that could be used by land managers to maintain the health of Victoria’s natural environment.

5. Describe and evaluate a management strategy that an authority has used to minimise the environmental impact of this activity.

A description, evaluation of a strategy• A management policy for Wilsons Prom requires overnight walkers

to pre-book their walks and limits numbers allowed to camp at each campsite. This policy enables management to restrict the numbers walking in any group and consequently spreads the impact of walking groups, as those who miss out on popular areas are encouraged to visit other less popular spots. It also enables management to educate the walkers as to minimal impact techniques as these can be outlined when they book. This policy has been very successful as despite the large numbers visiting the area, impact is well controlled. As large groups are never on the tracks, track erosion is minimal, likewise campsites are well able to cope with the maximum numbers set. This ensures recreational use of the area will be maintained for future generations.