City takes on preservation of native shrub

THE City of Greater Geelong is using a method First Nations people have used for 60,000 years to preserve a native shrub at risk of extinction.

The Spiny Rice-flower (Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens) is a small shrub that grows in native grassland on the Victorian Volcanic Plain, particularly in Lara, and is listed as critically endangered.

The City’s Environment team has been cool burning, a technique used by traditional owners to protect and preserve native grasses and the critically endangered Spiny Rice-flower, which allows animals and critters to escape from the burn site unharmed.

It also helps to reduce the intensity of bushfires during dry periods.

Acting Executive Director City Infrastructure Shaun Broadbent said the Spiny-Rice-flower is difficult to introduce into a new site.

“We’re focusing our conservation efforts on protecting the remaining populations,” Mr Broadbent said.

“To conserve a species like the Spiny Rice-flower, we manage threatening processes that are impacting the plant by fencing and signing native grassland sites where populations exist, undertaking weed control and managing weedy biomass through brush cutting.”

The species flowers from May to July and provides a food source for pollinator insects.

The shrub is listed as Critically Endangered under the Commonwealth Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

It is also at significant threat due to factors including habitat loss from development, changing agricultural practices, weed invasion and unfavourable changes in fire frequency.

“Native grasslands on the basalt plains extending from the west of Melbourne to Greater Geelong have been depleted significantly since European settlement,” Mr Broadbent said.

“It’s estimated as little as one per cent of the original extent of native grassland remains today, and these are primarily on small unused parcels of land such as rural roadsides and rail reserves.

“The Spiny Rice-flower is found on some rural roadsides and rail corridors which support high quality native grassland on the plains north of Geelong, and sometimes on private rural properties.”

The City manages some small populations of the species on rural and unused roads.

More information about the City’s preservation efforts can be found at www.geelongaustralia.com.au/environment/