Biological

Climate


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Phytophthora cinnamomi (Cinnamon Fungus / Bush Dieback)

A Grass tree (Xanthorea australis) that has been killed by Phytophthora.

Author: Craig Allen


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Phytophthora cinnamomi, or Cinnamon Fungus, is a soil dwelling fungal disease that is spreading through the Otways and other regions throughout Victoria and other Australian states.

In a process known as Bush Dieback, it kills up to 40% of understory plant species - particularly species commonly found in heathy vegetation. It also infects, and kills or reduces the vigour of many non natives, including economically important species such as conifers, eg. Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus species, eg. Eucalyptus regnans (Mountain Ash) and E. Nitens (Shining Gum).

Its spread is aided by the transport of soil and mud carried by vehicles, livestock, machinery, mountain-bikes and bush-walkers.

Phytophthora has been recognised for decades as a critical threat to bush ecosystems, gardens, horticultural enterprises and forestry. However, planning and land management decisions and activities are still being undertaken in ways that facilitate the spread, and many land managers are surprisingly unaware of how critical the threat is.

Areas of dieback have appeared beside most of the tracks that have been surveyed for outbreaks.

Phytophthora management issues urgently need to be resolved

The outbreak of extensive dieback along newly constructed network of mountain-bike tracks in the Forrest-Yaugher area raises questions about the effectiveness with which Phytophthora - one of the most pressing biodiversity threats in Victoria - is being managed.

There is extensive information available about the impacts of Phytophthora and the measures that must be taken to minimise it's spread. It's biology and ecological implications are taught in most university courses that have environmental management components. It's impacts are common knowledge among natural resource management professionals and field naturalists. There are state and federal policies explicitly addressing the threat, and numerous websites and documents providing management advice.

And yet, when DSE staff discovered that tens of kilometers of illegal mountain-bike tracks were being constructed through high habitat value bush using fire rakes and machinery, through Phytophthora sensitive habitats in an area with known phytophthora outbreaks, they did not consider Phytophthora and it's impacts. Instead they designated the track network as an official project, provided tens (reportedly hundreds) of thousands of dollars in funding, and sponsored extensive additional track construction, much of it by unsupervised volunteers and machinery operators. Race events catering for hundreds of riders at a time are now held several times per year, and rapidly advancing dieback is evident throughout the track network and probably in other places subsequently visited by riders.

The track designers and constructors refer to the network as 'Worlds best practise' and 'sustainable'. The DSE manager who originally sanctioned the project now works for a mountain-bike track construction company.

Key sources of further information on Phytophthora

Outbreaks in other places

Outbreaks are present in other parts of the Otways and other parts of the state. Information has been provided to the author of other instances where land management practises have or are being undertaken in a manner that has or is likely to spread the disease.

In due couse details will be provided here of these cases.