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City of Greater Shepparton
URL: http://www.greatershepparton.com.au/council/environment/vegetationmanagement/roadsidemanagementplanenviro.html
Roadside Management Strategy
The Greater Shepparton City Council adopted the reviewed Roadside Management Strategy in March 2008’
The plan focuses on the management of remnant vegetation located on roadsides and recognises the opportunities to protect and enhance our indigenous vegetation. It covers all rural roads within the City of Greater Shepparton that are not under direct control of VicRoads.
Within the Goulburn Broken Catchment, approximately two thirds of the catchment has been cleared for agriculture, predominantly in the mid and lowers parts of the catchment centred around the City of Greater Shepparton. A large percentage of land within this region is irrigated which has resulted in significant modification to the landscape and has contributed to almost total destruction of some vegetation types.
Our road reserves often represent one of the few remaining examples of intact ecosystems where the remnant vegetation provides many services. These include important fauna habitat corridors and connections between isolated areas of bushland. They can provide a store for important genetic flora and fauna resources and are a source of seeds. Further, they can provide protection for livestock on adjoining properties, assist in erosion control and influence water quality.
The strategy is now presented in two user friendly formats including a handbook for community members and one for road construction and maintenance activities
Roadside Conservation Values Assessment Map
The plan also incorporates the Roadside Conservation Values Assessment Map.
An assessment has been completed of all rural roads within the municipality. Each roadside has been given a rating based on the proportion of remnant native vegetation including grasslands, percentage of weed cover, degree of site disturbance, potential habitat value, width of road reserve, and the presence of any threatened species of flora or fauna.
The roadside conservation values within the municipality have been plotted on a map which is designed to be used in conjunction with management guidelines. The assessment rating includes:
• High Conservation Value
May include some but not necessarily all of the following:
Relatively lower level of disturbance (may have been subjected to disturbance historically, but has since regenerated), various vegetation layers present although not necessarily all, native vegetation occurs across much of the area, low weed levels (may be seasonally high due to annual weeds), supports a range of habitats, may form a wildlife corridor, is linked to other native vegetation (adjoining), provides habitat for rare or threatened flora and fauna species. May benefit from carefully managed weed control and or revegetation, the latter should only be considered if the activities do not adversely impact existing biodiversity values. Opportunities should be explored for vegetation and or habitat enhancement works to be conducted on adjacent land to increase biodiversity values.
• Medium Conservation Value
Moderate disturbance and weed levels (levels could be high at times if annual grassy weeds dominate seasonally), native vegetation occurs mainly in patches, some capacity for natural regeneration, few other habitat features, potential to improve conservation values by changes to management and or revegetation. Probably should be a higher priority for investment in enhancement works than 'Low' areas.
• Low Conservation Value
Poor condition substantially disturbed and or modified, predominately non-native vegetation, little if any native vegetation on site or adjacent, low natural regenerative capacity and few habitat features. May have some potential for revegetation and habitat improvement however investment in these areas should only be undertaken if there is a clear biodiversity gain.
The roadside conservation assessment values are currently under review