The Habitat Quality of Private Land Box-Ironbark Remnant Vegetation in Southern Australia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Approximately 75% of the Victorian Box-Ironbark ecosystem has been cleared since European settlement. There are few public land areas of high habitat quality, and significant Box-Ironbark remnant vegetation (BIR) is known to exist on private land. A landholder mail survey collected information about BIR to ascertain its size, use and habitat quality. Ground-truthing validated the landholder assessment of habitat quality. Livestock grazing had impacted 50% of BIR, and approximately 20–50% was of moderate to high quality. Fifty-four percent of BIR were less than 15 ha. Remnant size had the largest impact on quality, with larger remnants being of higher quality.