Draft management plan for Dryandra woodland

3/3/94

A 10-year concept with a 100-year vision has been released for one of the State's most remarkable bushlands.

It is a draft management plan for the Dryandra woodland - a group of forest blocks near Narrogin in Western Australia's western wheatbelt.

Releasing the draft management plan today Environment Minister Kevin Minson said the woodland was an 'archipelago' of 17 bushland islands surrounded by a 'sea' of cleared farmland.

Mr Minson said it had a rich diversity of wildlife and marked the eastern and western distribution limits for several higher rainfall and wheatbelt species.

It was also popular as an environmental education centre and almost 30,000 people visited the area each year.

The plan, prepared by the Department of Conservation and Land Management, outlined recommendations aimed at integrating nature conservation objectives with sustainable agriculture on surrounding farmlands and developing a nature-based tourism industry.

Mr Minson said Dryandra was the last remaining sizeable area of woodland in the western wheatbelt after extensive clearing for agriculture in the last 40 years.

"It is a fascinating area because it represents the transition from the jarrah forests of the Darling Range to the more open woodlands of the lower rainfall regions," he said.

"It includes more than 800 identified species of native plants and has populations of 21 of the 46 species of native mammals remaining in the wheatbelt and 98 bird species.

"The populations of small marsupials, particularly numbats and woylies also show the impact fox control has on native animals.

"The woodland is an example of the transition from jarrah and marri forests to more open tracts of wandoo, powder bark, York gum and mallet trees.

"It also includes more than 8,000 hectares of mallet plantations which were sown as far back as the 1920s to produce bark for the tannin industry and, more recently, timber for fence posts and tool handles."

Mr Minson said Dryandra covered almost 28,000 hectares of State forest vested in the Lands and Forest Commission for multiple use.

He said the draft plan recommended much of the area be listed as national park with smaller isolated areas designated nature reserves.

The mallet plantations and some plots of sandalwood would remain State forest.

"The aim is to phase out timber harvesting except from the mallet stands," Mr Minson said.

"At the same time, landowners on surrounding farmlands will be encouraged to plant suitable species such as mallet which will not only have landcare benefits, but also assure the supply of suitable timbers for local industry well into the next century and beyond.

"In this way, the nature conservation concepts of Dryandra can be integrated into sustainable agricultural pursuits on the neighbouring farms."

Mr Minson said the plan covered a broad range of issues including access, spread of plant disease, fire management, tourism and recreation.

He said it also covered other commercial uses such as bee keeping and mining, Aboriginal and European heritage, flora and fauna, research and community relations.

The plan had been released for public comment for two months.

Copies of the draft plan were available through CALM's Narrogin office - phone 098 811 113.

Written submissions on the draft should be sent to CALM's Planning Branch, PO Box 104, Como 6152.

Media contact:  Diana Callander 222 9595 or 321 2222