Transcript No Slide Title

The Sustainability of Land Uses
in the Strzelecki Ranges
in Victoria, Australia
Daniel M. Mainville
MIEAust., P. Eng.
Department of Sustainability and Environment
Associate Professor John C. Brumley
School of Civil and Chemical Engineering / RMIT University.
Outline
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Introduction
Methodology
Results
Discussions
Summary
Acknowledgments
Introduction
• Location of Study Area
Study Area
Scale
0
47 km
Introduction
• Policy and Legislation
– Catchment and Land Protection Act 1984
– Environment Protection Act 1970
• State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria), 2003
• State Environment Protection Policy (Groundwaters of Victoria), 2002
– Code of Practice
• Code of Forest Practices for Timber Production, 1996
– Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988
– Planning and Environment Act 1987
Introduction
• Policy and Legislation
– Commonwealth of Australia Department of the Environment and
Heritage (2003), Default Target Values for Upland Rivers:
• 2 - 25 NTU for turbidity, and
• 30 - 350 µS/cm for EC (at 25°Celsius)
• Land Uses
– Reserved / Protected Forests
– Forestry
– Agriculture
Land Use - Control Catchment
• Features
– steep slopes
– Mountain Ash plantation,
established in 1972 and 1973
– riparian vegetation - Wet Forest,
EVC 30
– natural surface track, 1850 meters
– fire access track, 2650 meters
– extensive recreational use
– healthy stream
Land Use - Plantation Forestry
• Features
– steep slopes
– Mountain Ash plantation
– riparian vegetation, Central
Highlands Cool Temperate
Rainforest EVC 31-01
– 3550 meters of unsealed roads
and tracks
– healthy stream with
bioturbation
Land Use - Agriculture
• Features
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steep slopes
gravel surfaced road, 3900 meters
natural surface tracks
8 homes with outbuildings
continuous grazing
unrestricted livestock access to
the steam
– visible damage to the
streambanks
– limited riparian vegetation
– in-stream farm dams
Methodology
• Paired Catchment approach
• Water Quality Indicators
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Turbidity
Stream Flow
Electrical Conductivity
Temperature
• Experimental Site Set Up
– Fixed Horizontal Bank
– Electrical Conductivity
– Turbidity Probe
Methodology
• Visual Survey
– the extent of leaf litter and presence of bare earth along the stream
channel and embankments
– areas exhibiting clear indications of lateral corrasion
– tree fall
– bioturbation such as the evidence of foraging and crayfish burrows
– newly incised drainage channels
– landslips
Results
Catchment
Median Turbidity (NTU)
EC (µs/cm)
Temperature (oC)
Manual
Logged
GG - Cont rol
9
25
101
10.3
C9 ĞPlantat ion
28
25
112
10.2
PV- Agriculture
52
61
168
12.6
Timber Harvesting
General Harvesting Area
Buffer
Agriculture
Livestock Crossing
Stream Crossing / Track
Bioturbation
Control Catchment
Forestry Control Catchment
Bioturbation
Bank Disturbance
Crawfish Burrows
Recreation
Wet Area
Slope
Discussion
• Forestry
– Harvesting Operations
– Riparian Vegetation
• Agriculture
– Grazing
– Riparian Vegetation
• Recreational Use
• General
– Roads and Tracks
– Policy
– Community Engagement
Summary
• Research Methodology
• Agriculture
• Forestry
• Recreational Use
Acknowledgments
• Special Thanks To: