erosion prone soils of mt pilot section.
northeast victoria susceptible periodic natural disasters including fire, flood , drought. major bushfires have occurred in chiltern-mt pilot national park in 1899, 1912, 1927, 1940 , 2003. bushfires in national parks lead loss of conservation areas, significant species , communities , park infrastructure including toilet blocks, picnic areas, lookouts, car parks, signage , tracks. while species benefit burns through heat activated germination, others isolated populations of black cypress pine or mount pilot spider orchids may face local extinction.
flood events , heavy rains have potential result in severe erosion given park’s duplex soils , steep inclines. during flood events, contaminants such mercury can mobilised , transformed chemicals jeopardize health of park’s aquatic systems. past mining practices have led heavy metal contamination in park’s waterways , sediments.
pest plants including blackberry (rubus fruticosus), bridal creeper (asparagus asparagoides), furze (ulex europaeus) , paterson’s curse (echium plantagineum) have been identified problematic weeds within park pose threat native flora populations. st john’s wort (hypericum perforatum) , prickly pear (opuntia ficus-indica) occurring in mt pilot range have been brought under control continued management required. pest animals known occur within park include red fox (vulpes vulpes), european rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus) , feral cat (felis catus). foxes , cats pose serious predation risks native fauna while rabbits impact on native flora , notorious degree of soil disturbance caused burrowing.
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