1. Managing Grasslands in a Growth Area
Annette Salkeld
Team Leader - Environment

2. Overview The context of grassland management Grasslands in Wyndham
Issues related to grassland management
Challenges and opportunities

4. Who manages grasslands in Wyndham?
Public
Wyndham City Council (WCC) - Conservation reserves, offset sites, other reserves, roadsides
Parks Victoria – reserves
Melbourne Water – riparian lands / reserves
VicRoads – roadsides
VicTrack – rail corridors
Other State lands
Private
Developers – conservation reserves, private lands (within the UGB
Land bankers – private lands (outside of UGB)
Private land owners/managers - native vegetation offset sites
Quarries
Farmers – rural properties
Small land holders – rural acreage
We also have the community groups who partner with these entities to care for areas of grasslands – friends groups and the like.
And maybe others……..

5. Growth Corridor – Planning Considerations
Wyndham Planning Scheme
Melbourne Strategic Assessment / Biodiversity Conservation Strategy
Precinct Development Plans
Planning Overlays
Native Vegetation Removal Regulations (State)
EPBC Act (Federal)

6. It’s complicated!

7. Grasslands in Wyndham
Council manages 65 conservation sites including significant roadside reserves
Within the Urban Growth Boundary - small to medium remnants – multiple tenures
largely by the planning system
Some sites protected via planning overlays
Outside the Urban Growth Boundary – proposed Western Grasslands Reserve – 15,000 ha, approx. 70% in Wyndham
90% still in private ownership

8. Council managed sites Various sizes and locations
Many high-quality remnants, species rich
Professionally managed and monitored
Aim is to manage and enhance
Involvement of the community on some sites
But - easily damaged
Bottom photo – Ballan Road

9. Developer managed sites
Identified under the Melbourne Strategic Assessment process
Generally have long term (10 year) management plans
Often small/fragmented sites, without community access
Not always well managed – weedy, littered
Not greatly valued by the community
Some eventually handed over to Council

10. Private land Farms, small acreage, quarries
Varied quality – but some good remnants
Varied management capacity – skills, knowledge, finances
Serious problem with weed invasion
Properties within the future grasslands reserve – disincentive for investment in land
Wyndham, Landcare, CMA provide support

11. Land banker holdings
Significant tracts of private lands outside of urban growth boundary
Some is farmed by owners, others tenanted
Little investment into long term land management
Major weed issues

12. Challenges Multiple types of land tenure / management
Different motivations
Fragmentation of ecosystems
Weeds, dumping
Illegal damage/clearing
Limited public knowledge / understanding
Challenges

13. Opportunities Urban reserves – community connection
Collaborating with land bankers / developers
Working with farmers
Enthusiasm of tree changers
Coordination between agencies
Advocating for change
Opportunities

14. Thank you