The characteristics and management problems of the vegetation and flora of the Huntingfield Area, southern Tasmania

Abstract

The Huntingfield area has a varied vegetation, including substantial areas of Eucalyptus amygdalina heathy woodland, heath, buttongrass moorland and E. amygdalina shrubby forest, with smaller areas ofwetland, grassland and E. ovatashrubby forest. Six floristic communities are described for the area. Two hundred and one native vascular plant taxa, 26 moss species and ten liverworts are known from the area, which is particularly rich in orchids, two of which are rare in Tasmania. Four other plant species are known to be rare and/or unreserved in Tasmania. Sixty-four exotic plant species have been observed in the area, most of which do not threaten the native biodiversity. However, a group of fire-adapted shrubs are potentially serious invaders. Management problems in the area include the maintenance of open areas, weed invasion, pathogen invasion, introduced animals, fire, mechanised recreation, drainage from houses and roads, rubbish dumping and the gathering of firewood, sand and plants.