Habitats of the Beaconsfield Flora and Fauna Reserve

SITEMAP

Beaconsfield Flora and Fauna Reserve
*Intro to  BFFR          *Location Maps          
*History of BFFR   *Flora                 *Fauna 
*Geology and Landscape        *Habitats            *Rare and Threatened Species 
*Threats to the BFFR
         

Friends of Cardinia Creek Sanctuary         

Managing the Beaconsfield Flora and Fauna Reserve 

Resources For Teachers     

GUESTBOOK          

LINKS

Bushland Habitats       Wetlands       Tree Hollows

Bushland Habitat
Surrounded by farmland and houses, the BFFR provides some of the last high-quality habitat for native wildlife. While native vegetation still occurs in some areas along the Cardinia Creek and on surrounding farms, what often remains is trees and some shrubs, with little understorey of grasses, small shrubs and grouncovers. This vegetation structure and complexity is important for wildlife conservation. 

The photograph above shows some of the high-quality habitat in BFFR. Here, small mammals such as Antechinus and Echidna, reptiles, frogs and bugs can move amongst the Bracken, Sedges and Grasses without being easily seen by hungry predators. Ringtail Possums, Whip Birds and Yellow Robins live in the middle layers, protected amongst the shrubs. Higher in the canopy, larger birds (including birds of prey such as eagles and falcons), wood ducks and possums can feed and sleep in tree hollows. Each of these layers is equally vital for a healthy ecosystem, as each plant and animal has a role as a food source, shelter source, pollinator, pest controller, waste decomposer or distributor of seeds.                                         

Wonderful Wetlands                                                                                         Swamps and wetlands were once common along the Cardinia Creek. In the years following local settlement, many were drained for farmland. Some still occur in the BFFR and provide habitat for a variety of plants and animals. Swamps and wetlands vary in depth, size and the frequency with which they are flooded by the creek. Some dry up over Summer, and some remain all year round. The plants and animals found in each wetland and swamp are specially adapted to the specific conditions. 

The photo to the left shows a billabong in the BFFR. Billabongs are created when a creek's path changes during times of high flow. During most of the year they are separate bodies of water from the flowing creek, and may be flooded when rainfall is high.  This billabong is home to the endangered species of fish, the Dwarf Galaxias (Galaxiella pusilla). It provides protected waters, but is flushed occasionally when the creek is high. Other swamp and wetland areas provide habitat for frogs, skinks, fish, yabbies and eels.  As surrounding suburbs grow, the wetland and swamps have an increasing value, as they filter stormwater before it enters the creek. It is important to protect these habitats by ensuring that we keep our stormwater clean - wash your car on the lawn, dont litter and pick up any litter you see and dont throw ANYTHING down stormwater drains. Remember what a stormwater drain is for - excess rainwater! And remember where it goes - into the Cardinia Creek, and eventually into Westernport Bay!

TO RENT: Cosy home for furred or feathered folk!                                           A dead tree is full of life! Throughout the life of a Eucalyptus tree, small insects live inside the tree, eating away at decomposing wood. When a branch falls off, the rotting bits of 'heartwood' are exposed. When the tree is 80-120 years old, these holes or 'tree hollows' become large enough that they can become homes for animals. Many native animals rely on these tree hollows for shelter and nesting sites. Tree hollows can vary in size and shape, from hollows at the end of broken-off branches, to thin, long cracks and holes as shown in the photograph to the right. Native animals that live in tree hollows in the BFFR include Sugar Gliders, Brushtail Possums, native insectivorous (insect-eating) bats, cockatoos, wood ducks, owls and many other native birds.

Clearing of tree hollows has caused many animals that depend on hollows to become rare, or even to become 'locally extinct'. They are cleared for farming, housing, firewood, and sometimes because they are seen as dangerous or messy. However, they are valuable, and vital for a healthy ecosystem. Tree hollows provide habitat, and in turn, the animals that live inside them provide services such as pollination and seed dispersal for the trees and other plants.

We need healthy bushland, complete with birds, possums and bats. Hollow-bearing trees are protected in the BFFR. Some ways we can protect other hollow-bearing trees are:                                                                                                                           

1) Make sure animals such as cows and horses dont graze under the  trees. These animals can ringbark the trees when rubbing on them and compact the ground around their roots.

2) If you own a wood heater, purchase plantation firewood, or if you have land, grow your own. Do not collect dead timber from the bush OR BFFR!! Remember... LOGS HAVE LIFE INSIDE!!!

3) If hollow-bearing trees are a safety concern, get professional advice from an arborist on how to manage them. You may be able to remove dangerous branches and keep standing parts where hollows exist.

4) Hollow-bearing trees that are standing in a paddock on their own are more prone to falling over in wind. Fence off an area around the tree and let seedlings from the tree germinate or plant around the tree with Eucalypt seedlings (preferably grown from seed from the tree).

5) Plant more trees on your property. As trees age, new young trees are needed to make sure that more tree hollows continue to be available in the future.

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