Biodiversity - EPA · T3.2 Land biodiversity: by 2010 have five well-established biodiversity...

162 S TAT E O F T H E E N V I R O N M E N T R E P O RT 2 0 0 8

B IODIVERSITY

Trends

Goals

Native Vegetation

• VegetationExtent:STABLE

• VegetationCondition:UNKNOWNOVERALL but IMPROVEDslightlyforKingoonyaDistrictinthePastoralregion

• AreaoflandunderProtectedStatus:INCREASED1%since2003,butslowingcomparedtolastSoE Report

• IndigenousRevegetationactivity:DECREASING

T3.1Losenospecies:losenoknownnativespeciesasaresultofhumanimpacts.

South Australian Strategic Plan 2007

T3.2 Land biodiversity: by 2010 have five well-establishedbiodiversitycorridorsaimedatmaximisingecologicaloutcomesparticularlyinthefaceofclimatechange.

South Australian Strategic Plan 2007

‘Lose no species’isastatementofaspiration.Speciesdeclineandbecomeextinct naturally. This aspiration reflects theforesight,mindsetandcommitmentneededbyallSouthAustraliansifwearetopreventfurtherlossofourknownnativespeciesduetohumanimpacts,andifwearetoconserveourbiodiversityforfuturegenerations.

Native Vegetation and a sustainable South Australia

ToachieveasustainablefutureforSouthAustraliaoneofthekeytargetsforsustainabilityintheSouth Australian Strategic PlanistoLose No Species. Nativevegetationisanintegralcomponentofournaturalenvironment.

163S TAT E O F T H E E N V I R O N M E N T R E P O RT 2 0 0 8

Indicators

Asindigenousspeciesprovidehabitatforanimalsnativevegetationisfundamentaltosustainability.

NaturallandscapesandthenativevegetationtheycontainareimportantcomponentsoftheAustralianidentity.Nativevegetationprovidesplacesofscenicbeautythatareveryimportanttoourtourismindustryandatanindividuallevel,supportourcultural,spiritualandrecreationalneeds.Naturallandscapesareutilisedtoderivelivelihoodandnativevegetationinparticularhasaroleinsupportingfarmingandotherproductionactivities.

Nativevegetationisaneconomicresourceforgenetic,biochemicalandagriculturalproducts,suchastanninsorquandongfruits.Importantly,nativevegetationprotectslandscapesagainstlandandwaterdegradation.Preventingdegradationandlossofnativevegetation is significantly less costly than restoringandreplacingit(Williams2005).

Ingainingsupportfortheconservationorsustainablemanagementofnativevegetation,thevaluethatitcanbringtothequalityofpeople’slivesisacriticalconsideration. The benefit of native vegetationfallsintothetriplebottomlineconceptofsocial,economicandenvironmental benefits.

Many of the environmental benefits, such asprotectingsoilfromwindandwatererosion, are identified as ecosystem services.Stemmingfromtheobservationthatecosystemsprovidearangeofgoodsandservicesthatunderpinandbenefit our economic production systems andqualityofhumanlife,ecosystemservices are defined as the conditions andprocessesthroughwhichnaturalecosystems sustain and fulfil human life (Williams2005).

Overthelastfewyearstherehasbeengreaterrecognitionoftheroleofnativevegetationecosystemsinsupportingthehealthyfunctioningofourcatchmentsandlandscapes.InVictoria,anassessmentoftheecosystemservicesfortheGoulbournBrokenCatchmenthighlightedvegetationincludingnativespecies,foritsvaluetoecosystemsservices(Binning et al2001).

CasestudiesbyEamus et al(2005)drewattentiontotheroleofnativevegetationintheprovisionofecosystemservices.Servicesincludedcarbonsequestration,climateregulation,maintenanceofhydrologicalbalanceincatchmentsandwaterquality.Theseunderscore

theimportanceofnativevegetationinmaintainingasustainableenvironmentforhumans.Theeconomicvalueofthese ecosystem services is identified aspertinenttoensurethattheirvalueisincludedineconomicconsiderations.

Inconjunctionwithafforestationandreafforestation,nativevegetationcouldprovidearesponsetoclimatechangeascarbonsinksincludedinemissiontradingschemes (Australian Greenhouse Office 2006).Climatechangeislikelytoresultinrisingtemperaturesandchangesinrainfallpatterns,inturnaffectingtheintensityandfrequencyofdroughts,bushfires, floods and storms (Australian Greenhouse Office 2006). Climate changeisexpectedtoimpactonnativevegetationbuttheextentofthatiscurrentlyunknown(DEH2007).Thedependenceofspeciesorcommunitiesofspeciesontheexistingclimateandtheirabilitytorespondtochangesisanimportantconsiderationforthefuturesustainabilityofnativevegetation.

CONDITION INDICATOR

• Extent and Condition of remnant vegetation

Theextentandconditionofnativevegetationisconsideredthebestavailablemeasurecurrentlyavailabletodeterminetheconditionofecosystemdiversity.

RESPONSE INDICATORS

• Area of land held under protected status

Acomprehensive,adequateandrepresentativereservesystemisnecessarytoprotectandmaintainecosystem,speciesandgeneticbiodiversity.

• Area of revegetation using indigenous species, native species and exotics

Whilerevegetatedareasdonothavethesame environmental benefits as remnant nativevegetation,theycontributetowardstherestorationofmanyecologicalvalues.Itiscriticalthatlandisrevegetatedwithlocallyoccurringnativespeciestoachievemaximumbiodiversityoutcomes.

Paddock treesPaddock trees are defined as scatteredtreesorsmallpatchesoftreeslocatedinpaddocksusedpredominantlyforgrazingandcropping.InSA,asinmostothertemperateregionsofAustraliatheyarenotmappedandtheirdistributionandcontributiontooverallvegetationcoverisunknown.PaddocktreesrepresenttreespeciessuchasRed,BlueandPinkGumthatarenotwellconservedinpatchesofintactnativevegetation.Paddocktreesprovideresourcestoallmannerofwildlife.

Acasestudytomappaddocktreesacrossanareaof270,000Hainthestate’sSouthEastregionwascompletedin2005(Carruthers2005).Canopycoverofthesetreeswasfoundtorepresent14.4%ofthetotalnativevegetationcoverforthearea.Resultsdemonstratethatpaddocktreesareageographicallywidespreadfeatureoftheregion,distributedoverapproximatelyhalfofthestudyarea.Withinthisdistribution,paddocktreesatverylowdensities(i.e.upto2%canopycoveror0.25to4treesperHa)coveronequarterofthestudyarea.

Thestudyfoundthattreerecruitmentinpaddocksintheregionisnegligible.Legalclearanceisthemainthreattopaddocktreesinthestudyarea.Extrapolatingcurrentratesofclearanceanddieback,paddocktreesarepredictedtodisappearfromthestudyareawithin150years.

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

What is the current situation?

CONDITION INDICATOR: Extent and condition of remnant vegetation

Thisindicatorisconsideredthebestavailablemeasureoftheconditionofterrestrialbiodiversity.Theextentshowshowmuchremainsafterclearingbutisonlyhalfthepicture.HumanshavehadanimpactonmostofSouthAustraliaandthishasgreatlyalteredtheconditionofmuchofthenativevegetation.Itisimportanttoalsoconsiderthatcondition.

While86%ofSouthAustraliaiscoveredbynativevegetationthemajorityofthisareaexperiencesanaridclimateandtherehasbeenminimalclearance.Instead,thelandismanagedunderarangeofactivitiesthathaveresultedinmodification of the vegetation. In the State’sagriculturalregionwhererainfallishighertheamountofclearancehasbeenhighwithonly29.5%ofnativevegetationremaining. This figure is based on the same definition of the agricultural region aswasusedintheStateofEnvironment2003andremainsunchanged.

SouthAustraliahasbeenmappedinto56bioregionsbasedonInterimBiogeographicRegionalisationfor

Australia(IBRAversion6.1)subregions(ThackwayandCresswell1995).ThesebioregionsprovideanindicationoftheuniquegeographicandnaturalfeaturesoftheStateandareusedtoreportbiodiversitypriorities.Withintheseregions,33of56havegreaterthan90%nativevegetationcoverandwouldbeconsideredintactlandscapes(McIntryeandHobbs2000).Thesebioregionshavenotbeenclearedbecauseofanaridclimate.Threeothersubregionsincludedinthenorthernareaarelargeareasofsaltlakesthataretypicallybare.Intheremaining19bioregionsclearanceoccurredforagriculturalpursuitsand26.5%ofthenativevegetationremains.(Table5.1andMap5.2)

Condition of native vegetation

Theimportanceofvegetationconditioninlandmanagementpolicyhasincreasedinrecentyears,inparticularthroughNaturalResourceManagement(NRM).Initsbroadestsensevegetationconditionisaboutthestateofbeingorhealthofthevegetation,whichincludestheprocessofchange(KeithandGorrod2005).However,thereremainsdebateabouthowtomeasureconditiondependingonthepurposeand practical difficulties of ecological

Map 5.1: Remnant native

vegetation cover across

the agricultural zone of

South Australia


processes(KeithandGorrod2005).WithintheNationalNaturalResourceandManagementMonitoringandEvaluationFrameworkvegetationcondition has been defined as an indicatorinthecontextofbiodiversityconservation.Atthenationallevelworkisbeingdonetoestablishanapproachtovegetationconditionassessmentatsitesagainstbenchmarks(ParkesandLyon2005),howevertheexpansionofthisprocessintotheStatesisinconsistent.Vegetationconditioninformationisrequiredtomonitorandreportatregional,stateandnationallevelswithitbeingcollectedagainstvaryingcriteriaforsiteassessments,spatialmodellingandremotesensing(Gibbonetal2005).

Pastoral zone

Duringdrytimes,particularlyintheearlyyearsofEuropeanoccupation,largenumbersoflivestockconcentratedaroundthefewpermanentwatersuppliesresultinginhighgrazingpressureandtramplingofvegetation.Thisinturnleadtosoildisturbanceanderosion.Today,themajorityofpastoralleasesinSouthAustraliahavebeenfullydevelopedandmanagementstrategieshavebeenimplementedtoreducetheimpactofgrazingbylivestockonthenativevegetation.Selectivegrazingpressureshaveresultedinchangestospeciescomposition.Feralgrazingisalsoamajorpressureonnativevegetationinpastoralareas.

Map 5.2: Percentage of native

vegetation cover within IBRA

sub regions of South Australia

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

Subregion Code Ibra Area Veg Area Veg %

Barrier Range BHC1 1088190 1087660 100

Barrier Range Outwash BHC4 786385 786170 100

Sturt Stony Desert CHC2 2319585 2315645 100

Diamantina-Eyre CHC4 853910 850840 100

Lake Pure CHC7 70080 70080 100

Mann-Musgrave Block CR1 1903030 1902475 100

Wataru CR2 424120 424120 100

Everard Block CR3 519805 519805 100

Tieyon, Finke P3 FIN3 1115585 1115185 100

Pedirka FIN4 846645 846645 100

Northern Flinders FLB5 1684140 1683210 100

Kintore GVD4 4379660 4379660 100

Tallaringa GVD5 3646605 3646280 100

Northern band, Carlisle NUL1 720980 720140 100

Central band, Nullabor Plain NUL2 4096430 4095520 100

Simpson Desert SSD2 2189840 2186265 100

Breakaways, Stony Plains STP1 4370610 4362195 100

Peake-Dennison Inlier STP4 256295 256295 100

Macumba STP5 1009995 1009005 100

Coongie CHC6 2099835 2074380 99

Kingoonya GAW5 4946845 4916540 99

Eastern, Maralinga GVD3 7534470 7476825 99

Yellabinna GVD6 4497775 4457235 99

Hampton HAM 44945 44510 99

Oodnadatta STP2 4627370 4581095 99

Murnpeowie STP3 2978195 2946545 99

Gawler Volcanics GAW2 1778330 1746435 98

South Olary Plain, Murray Basin Sands MDD1 1887680 1847960 98

Yalata NUL3 1143560 1125930 98

Warriner SSD4 949690 926705 98

Olary Spur FLB3 2025260 1973210 97

Myall Plains GAW1 974230 941675 97

Arcoona Plateau GAW4 1185920 1161405 98

Strzelecki Desert, Western Dunefields SSD5 5162630 4753660 92

Southern Flinders FLB4 2057230 1802135 88

Dieri SSD3 4679410 3526725 75

Gawler Lakes GAW3 3424955 2184485 64

Arid Subregion Total 84280220 80744650 96

Murray Scroll Belt RIV6 173790 100720 58

Talia EYB4 1086015 604615 56

Lowan Mallee MDD4 960060 453400 47

Kangaroo Island KAN1 441435 209065 47

Eyre Mallee EYB5 2288325 814970 36

Eyre Hills EYB3 1168240 342915 29

Murray Mallee MDD2 2116480 438745 21

Tintinara NCP4 708025 136135 19

Southern Yorke EYB1 435440 79345 18

Mount Lofty Ranges FLB1 299880 46420 15

Murray Lakes and Coorong MDD3 248960 35645 14

Bridgewater NCP1 447215 63910 14

Fleurieu KAN2 370005 45360 12

Lucindale NCP3 743205 95545 13

Broughton FLB2 1028760 105755 10

St Vincent EYB2 1088495 97625 9

Glenelg Plain NCP2 142005 12975 9

Mount Gambier VVP2 84645 3820 5

Wimmera MDD5 133000 6135 5

Table 5.1: Vegetation area remaining within IBRA subregions


Thereisconsiderableinformationavailableonthecurrentconditionofnativevegetationinthepastoralareasof the State, based on the scientific assessmentandmonitoringofallpastoralleasesunderthe Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989.Insomeareas,inappropriategrazingpracticesoverthepast150yearshaveleadtolanddegradation,alossofproductivitypotentialandanimpactonbiodiversity.

AspartoftheStateGovernment’sPastoral Lease Assessment Program from1990-2000,morethan5,500permanentphotopointmonitoringsiteswereestablishedinthepastoralzone.Theseweresetuptoprovideabaselinetomonitortheconditionofsoilandvegetationresourcesovertime.UnderthePastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989, leaseassessmentsaretobecarriedoutevery14years.Theseincludearevisitandremeasuringofthesesites.

In2005thesecondleaseassessmentprogrambeganintheKingoonyaareaandtodate22stationshavebeenreassessed.TheleaseassessmentprogramfortheGawlerRangesbeganinlate2006anditisdueforcompletionstatewideby2014.

LandconditionisassessedusingtheLand Condition Index (LCI)approachandhasbeencarriedoutonthemajorityofleasessouthofthedogfencewheresheephavetraditionallybeenrun.Onthemoreextensivecattlepropertiesnorthofthatfence,theLCIhasnotbeenused,butforpartoftheMarlaOodnadattaNRMDistrict,photopointmonitoringhasbeencomplementedbyassessmentsoflandcoverchangesusingLandsatimagery.Thesemeasurementsarelimitedinstrumentsformeasuringvegetationcondition,particularlyfromanecosystembasisandtheirvaluewillbeminimalinprovidingcomparisonswithconditionmeasurementstakenusingmoredetailedmethods.

Inthesheeppastoralzoneanadditional20,000landconditionsamplinglocationswere assessed in the first round (1990-2000)withapproximately100locationsformingthebasisforthecalculationofLCIscoresforeachlease.

TheLCIshowssamplinglocationsashavinghigh,moderateorlow‘disturbance’ordeparturefromtheoriginal,pristinecondition.Thesedisturbancecategoriesarebasedon:

• soilsurfacedisturbanceanderosion;

• vegetationcoverandcomposition;

• thelevelofvisiblegrazingimpact.

MiningandexplorationexpansioninSouthAustraliahasalsotendedtofocusonthepastoral zone and poses a significant risk tonativevegetation.Theappropriatemanagementofnativevegetationateverystageofthedevelopment,operationanddecommissioningofminesinSouthAustraliaisextremelyimportant.Atpresent,minesareexemptfrommostoftheprovisionsoftheNative Vegetation Act 1991 andwhilechangesoutlinedelsewhereinthischapterhaveimprovedaccountabilitywithinthissector,thereisstillconsiderableworkrequiredtoprotectnativevegetationfromminingandexplorationactivities.

Kingoonya District (SA Arid Lands NRM)

Thecompletionofthesecondroundofassessmentsforthisdistricthasenabledacomparisonoftheconditionofthevegetation(Table5.2).Datawascollectedatatotalof2,515LCIpointsin1991(Round1)and2,325in2005/06(Round2).Hummockgrasslandslocationswerepickedupinthesecondassessmentandanextravegetationcommunity(nonchenopodshrubland)wasassessedinthedistrict.TherehasbeenanapparentincreaseinthenumberofpasturecommunitiesofModerateDisturbanceRating,withtheincidenceofboththeHighandLowDisturbanceRatingsdecreasing.

VegetationconditionhasimprovedslightlyacrossthedistrictwithanaverageLCIof2.12inRound1and2.17inRound2.Allvegetationcommunitieshavegenerallyremainedstablewiththeexceptionoftheephemeralplains(Table5.3).Thismaybeattributedtothecurrentdryconditions,thenatureofephemeralplainsandgrazingpressures.Thechenopodshrublandsareextremelyresilientandhaveimprovedslightly.

Agricultural regions

Incontrast,theassessmentoftheconditionofnativevegetationwithintheagriculturalregionscannotbereported.The State NRM Plan identifies thefollowingtarget:

“By2011,nofurthernetlossinnaturalhabitatextentandconditionbelowthatof2006”(DWLBC2006).

BushBids – market based incentive program for biodiversity stewardship IntheEasternMountLoftyrangesaprogramfundedbytheMaintainingAustralia’sBiodiversityHotspotsprogram(CommonwealthGovernment)wasimplementedtoimprovetheconditionandmanagementofnativevegetation.

TheBushBidsprojectusedasinglebid,reverseauctionprocesstoestablishmanagementcontractswithownersof2,274Hanativevegetationon70privatelyownedsitesintheEasternMountLoftyRanges.

Theapproachrequiredarelativebiodiversityvaluetobedeterminedandforlandholderstoenteratenderpriceforthecostofconservationandmanagementofthenativevegetationunder10yearagreements.Landholderscommittedtoachievingtargetedlevelsofmanagementandthreatcontrolincludingcontrollingtotalgrazingpressure,weeds,feralanimals,litterremovalandothertypesofunwanteddisturbance.Theprojecthasprotectedhabitatat49sitesfor27threatenedspeciesandover400Haofthreatenedplantcommunities.

BushBidscombinedmeasuresoflandscapecontext(sitearea,connectivity,fragmentationindices,habitattype)withtraditionalmeasuresofsitescale,structure,functionandplantspeciesdiversitytoderivearelativebiodiversityvaluescore.Overthe10yearagreementperiodassessmentswillbeundertakentomeasureevidenceofimprovementsinthebiodiversityvaluesofthesites.

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

Vegetation community LCI Disturbance Rating (% count)Assessment 1991 Assessment 2005/6

High Moderate Low Total High Moderate Low Total

Chenopod shrublands 14.16 15.62 34.92 64.03 8.04 29.16 28.0 65.20

Low woodlands 14.49 9.57 6.43 30.49 5.63 20.56 3.96 30.15

Hummock grasslands 0.29 0.08 0.13 0.50 0 0 0 0

Mount Eba country 1.75 1.71 0.96 4.42 1.46 2.19 0.26 3.91

Ephemeral plains 0.04 0.13 0.33 0.50 0.04 0.30 0 0.34

Non Chenopod shrubland NA NA NA NA 0 0.34 0.04 0.38

Total 30.06 27.11 42.77 99.94 15.17 52.55 32.26 99.98

Vegetation community LCI Score LCI ScoreAssessment 1991 Assessment 2005/6

Chenopod Shrublands 2.31 2.31

Low Woodlands 1.73 1.94

Mount Eba Country 1.82 1.69

Hummock Grasslands 1.67 NA

Ephemeral plains 2.38 1.88

Non Chenopod NA 2.11shrublands

AVERAGE LCI 2.12 2.17

Note: Low Disturbance = 3; Medium Disturbance = 2; High Disturbance = 1

AllNRMregionsaredevelopingprocessestomeasureandmonitorthistarget.Insomeregionsdatahasbeencollectedbuttheabilitytoreportitmeaningfullyisnotcurrentlyavailable.

Coastal vegetation

CoastalvegetationiscoveredintheCoastal Water Quality and Pollution chapter

What are the pressures?

Forms of Clearance

Clearanceofnativevegetationtakesseveralformsincludingactiveclearanceoradeclinethroughdegradationandpoormanagement.

Lossofnativevegetationcoverandassociatedhabitatcanoccurthrough:

• Legalclearanceresultingfromformalconsentwithanoffsetenvironmentalbenefit, eg clearance of scattered treesforacentrepivotirrigatororclearanceforapprovedhousesites;

• Specific clearance activities under particularregulationsthatdonotrequireconsent,eg5mfuelbreaksandaccesstracks;

• Illegalclearancethatis:

o detectedthroughsatellitemonitoringorreportedbyconcernedlocallandowners;and

o undetectedornotdiscoveredwithinthefouryearlegallyspecified timeframe for the initiationoflegalproceedings.

Threatstonativevegetationthatleadtodeclineanddegradationinclude:

• Grazingstockwithinnativevegetation.Damagearisesfromtramplingofplants,browsingofseedlingsandresultantpoorrecruitmentandintroductionofweeds.

• Senescenceoftreesandplantscombinedwithalackofregen-erationofreplacementstock.Inmanyareastherehasbeennooccurrenceofnewtrees,sothatasoldtreesthatsurvivedlandclearanceforagriculturedeclineanddiethelandscapebecomesincreasinglysparselyvegetated.

• Invasionofremnantscrubbyferalanimals,weedsandoverabundantnativespecies(seeIntroducedSpecies).Thesedisplacenativespecies,disruptecosystemprocessesanddegradehabitatquality.

• Inappropriate fire regimes –

Table 5.2: Condition of pasture communities in the Kingoonya Soil Conservation District, 1991and 2005/06

Table 5.3: Condition of pasture

communities (average LCI) in the

Kingoonya Soil Conservation District,

1991and 2005/06

Waitpinga Headland after rehabilitation, 2006.

Photos: Ron Taylor.


frequency,intensityandseasonality.MostAustralianvegetationcommunitieshaveadaptedtosomedegree to the incidence of fire with a number of species benefiting from fire-stimulated germination . However if fire is too frequent, there may be insufficient time for germination,growthtoreproduc-tiveageandseedproduction,allofwhichcanleadtolossofspeciesanddegradationofhabitat.Issuesofpotential changes to fire frequency andintensityassociatedwithclimatechange are a significant issue for environmentalmanagers.

• Fragmentationandisolationofremnantsthatcanleadtospeciesbeingunabletorecoloniseaftera disturbance such as a fire. In a fragmentedlandscapethepotentialexistsfortheextinctionoflocalandregionalspeciesfollowinglargescalenaturaldisasters,orovertimeasremainingparcelsofnativevegetationbecometoosmalltosupportviablepopulations.

• Inappropriatemaintenanceandgrazingpressuresonremnantnativevegetationonroadsides.

• Humanimpactsuchastrampling,vehiclemovement,removalofdeadwood,soilcompaction,rootdisturbance.

Firewood removal

The removal of firewood from parks and roadsides is illegal and fines are endorsedundertheNational Parks and Wildlife Regulations 2001.

Wood typically collected for firewood provides shelter for native species – small mammals,lizardsandinsects.Asitisorganic,woodprovidesnutrientstokeepsoilhealthyandisafoodsourceformicro-organisms.Itcanalsoshelterseedsuntiltheypropagateandregenerateconservationareas.DeadtreesprovidenestingsitesforcriticallyendangeredspeciessuchastheSouthEastRed-tailedBlackCockatoo.Fallentimberalsoprovidesperchesandforaginghabitatforgroundforagingbirdssuchasrobins.

The impact of firewood removal is more thantheremovalofthetimberasitalsogenerates increased vehicle traffic that carvesupthelanddamagingparksandincreasingtheriskofsoil-bornediseasesandthespreadofweeds(DEHMediareleasewww.environment.

sa.gov.au/data/press/firewood_270707.pdf). Recordingtheenforcementofregulations for firewood removal began in August 2005 and 10 fines have been issuedwhentherewasnodoubtthatanoffencehadbeencommitted.Cautionsareanalternativemethodforsendingamessageaboutinappropriateactiontothepublic.

Fire management

FireplaysanimportantroleinshapingAustralia’s biodiversity and is a significant factoraffectingnativevegetationanditsecologicalhealth.

Bushfires can have devastating effects on thecommunityandnativevegetation.However, many species of flora and fauna are well adapted to cope with fire and someevenrelyonit.Shouldfuelhazardlevelsaccumulatetoveryhighorextremelevelsinlongunburntnativevegetationorwheretherehasbeennolowerriskmechanicalfuelreductionactivity,neighbouringcommunitiesandassetsmaybethreatened.Frequentand/orverylargebushfires can adversely affect biodiversity valuesandalsohavehydrologicalimplicationswithincreasedwaterrequirementsasvegetationrecovers.Habitatfragmentationandincreasedsettlement,grazingpressure,diseaseandweedinvasioninlandscapesshapedbyfire make ecologically appropriate fire managementacomplextask.

DEHFireManagementPolicyprovidesaframeworkforthemanagementoffire in South Australia’s reserve system spcecifically on or adjacent to DEH land.Theimplementationofthispolicyis facilitated through fire management plansforregionsorparksthatidentifythe risks associated with fire and detail strategiestomanageit.BetweenSeptember2003andJune2008,1,253,700hectareswereburnt,includingareaswherenativevegetationhadbeencleared.

Prescribedburnsareundertakentomanage fire and these require approval undertheNativeVegetationAct1990.BothDEHandForestrySAusethismethodtomanagetheirland.BetweenSeptember2003andJune2008,DEHconductedprescribedburnsover8,070Ha.Aspartoftheapprovalprocess,thereisarequirementtomonitornativevegetationbeforeandafteraburn.ThisinformationisusedtoassesstheimpactofburningagainsttheobjectivesoftheNative Vegetation Act.Theprogramhas

The aftermath of Kangaroo Island Bushfires,

2007. Photo: DEH.

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

beenconductedforalmostthreeyearsanddataanalysiswillinvestigatetrendsin:

• Speciespresence/absenceatregional scales following fires;

• Speciespresence/absenceforparticularvegetationtypesonaregionalbasis;

• Presence/absenceofweeds.

DEH’s fire management program will be importantforevaluatingthelong-termimpact of fires on vegetation extent and conditionacrossthestate.Ithashighrelevanceforgainingunderstandingoftheimpactofclimatechangeastheincidence of wildfires is expected to increase.

Climate change

Climatechangewillbecomeacriticalfactorinthechallengetomanagebiodiversity.Theabilityofplantsandanimalstomigrateasclimatechangeoccurs is a significant issue in the managementofnativevegetationasacorridorforthemigration(DEH2006).NativevegetationprovidescoreareasofhabitatforSouthAustralianbiodiversity.

Managementofnativevegetationneedstoensureadaptationcanoccurinthefaceofclimatechangewhileconservingtheexistingbiodiversity.Itisimportanttoensurethatcoreareasaremanagedinsuchawaythattheirintegrityismaintainedandpopulationsareviable.Providinglinkagestootherareasformigrationacrosslandscapesforspecies,genesorindividualsarerequired.Linkagescanbeacrossrainfallgradientsortopographicgradientsdependingontheneedsoftheentitythatistobeconserved.

Theeffectofclimatechangeishighlightedbyincreasesintemperatureandchangestorainfallpatterns(CSIRO2001).Changesinclimatecouldleadtochangesinsuitablelocationsforplantsandanimals,whichinaclearedlandscapecouldbecomemorerestrictedduetoexistinglanduses.SealevelriseswouldrepositionSouthAustralia’scoastline.Vegetationontheexistingcoastlinewouldhavetomigratetotheappropriatenewlocationhowever,duetoexistinglanduseinsomeareastheremaybenocapacityforthismigrationandvegetationsuchasMangroveswillbelost.

Climatechangeisaseriousemergingthreattobiodiversityandthereisaneedtoimproveourunderstandingof

aspeciesresponseandtodevelopthemostappropriateandpracticalsolutionstomoveforwardinaninformedway(DEH2007).Theobjectiveinthestatestrategy,Tackling Climate Change identifies theneed“To increase the capacity of ecosystems to adapt to climate change” (DepartmentofPremierandCabinet2007).Thestrategyhighlightstheneedtodetermineprioritiesforbiodiversityconservationandtoidentifyopportunitiestobuildresilienceinecosystemsandimproveecologicalfunctionandconnectivity.

Vegetation clearance

HistoricallySouthAustraliahasextensivelycleareditscoverofnativevegetation,significantly contributing to the decline in biodiversity,landdegradationandlossofecosystemservices.ClearanceactivitieshavecontributedtoaquarterofallplantsandanimalsrecordedinSouthAustralianowbeingconsideredthreatened.

Legal Clearance Approvals 2001-2007

Theinformationpresentedreportsonlylegalclearancerequiringformalconsent.InSouthAustraliaapprovalforbroadacreclearanceofpreviouslyundisturbedvegetationcannotbegrantedbytheNativeVegetationCouncil.Thislevelofclearanceiseasilydetectedandisnowquiterare.Table5.4summarisesnativevegetationclearanceapprovalsfromJuly2001toJune2007.Thereisclearlyanongoingupwardtrendintotalareacleared.

Caremustbetakenininterpretingthese figures. In most years they have been heavily influenced by a small numberoflargeapplications.Inadditionthe figures do not show the quality ofthevegetationunderapplication.Itisdifficult to meaningfully compare, for example,removalof0.02Haofintactstringy-barkforestintheAdelaideHillsthathasbeenclearedundertheregulationsforahousesite,withtheclearanceof100Haofdegradedregrowthchenopodshrublandclearedforcropping.There are also provisions for Significant Environmental Benefits to offset this clearanceasdiscussedlaterinthereport.

Change Detection Program

TheNativeVegetationCouncilhasintroducedachangedetectionprogramtomonitoranylossinextentofnativevegetationcoveracrosstherural

Red Mallee (Eucalyptus oleosa) over Triodia,

NW of S.Aust. Photo: Peter Lang


agriculturalregionsofSouthAustraliausingsatelliteimagery.Reportsofclearancescanbeprovidedbythepublic, officers of various government agenciesaswellasthroughtheChangeDetectionProgram.

Satelliteimageryoverthesamelocationatdifferenttimesprovidesthebasisoftheprogram.Anyobservedchangesarethencross-referencedwithaerialphotography,contactwithlandholdersandongroundinspections.Thiseliminateschangedetecteddueto,forexampleplantedvegetation,approvedorexemptclearanceactivities,seasonal variations and bushfire related vegetationchanges.Archivedsatelliteimageryandhigh-resolutionaerialphotographydatingbacktothe1950sarealsoaccessedtohelpdeterminetheageofthevegetationanditsclearancehistory.

Whereadetectedchangecannotbe verified using external methods, theDepartmentofWaterLandandBiodiversityConservation(DWLBC)willwritetolandholdersinvitingtheirassistanceinprovidingadditionalrelevantinformation.Wherenecessary

Financial Year Clearance Applications Regulations b Total Clearance (under Section 28 of Native Vegetation Act) Area (ha) Area (ha)

Area of (ha) Scattered Trees Canopy area Total areadegraded scrub of Trees cleared a (ha)

2001-02 148 933 18.7 167 0 167

2002-03 386 241 4.8 391 0 391

2003-04 254 271 5.4 259 7.2 267

2004-05 296 379 7.6 304 495 799

2005-06 930 c 413 8.3 938 56.1 995

2006-07 504 375 7.5 512 1880 d 2390

Notes:a. Equals area of degraded scrub plus canopy area of trees to give a total area of clearance approved under section 28 of theNative Vegetation Act.

b. Area of clearance approved under the Native Vegetation Regulationsc. Includes 891 ha of previously cleared regrowth.d. Includes mining applications totalling 1803 ha, with one application of 1660 ha.These figures do not include approvals where the vegetation is expected to regenerate: eg brush-cutting (Melaleuca uncinata) or ecological burns. Tree area was generated by multiplying tree numbers by the average canopy area of 0.02 hectares

Region 04/05 05/06 06/07

Adelaide 41 60 54

Kangaroo Island 14 27 12

Murraylands 31 36 21

Outback 8 6 4

South East 26 48 31

Flinders Ranges 1 0 4

West 16 29 15

Yorke and Mid Nth 26 23 17

Total 163 229 157

anonsiteinspectionwillbeundertakentoverifydetectedchangesthatcannotbeexplainedbyothermeans.Clearancedetectedthroughthisprogramfrom2004to2007indicatesthatillegalclearanceisminimalinSouthAustralia.

Other pressures

Anumberofotherpressuresonnativevegetationoverlapintootherareasofthisreportandarecoveredelsewhere.Theseinclude:

• Changed hydrology – see Water Quantity(whichisparticularlyimportantinsomeofthesoutherlyregions,liketheAdelaideandMountLoftyRangesregions),

• Disease – see Introduced Species,

• Abundant native herbivores – see Introduced Species,and

• Urban sprawl – see Urban Form and Population.

Table 5.4: Vegetation clearance statistics for South Australia, 2001-07

Table 5.5: Reports of illegal clearance in hectares of native vegetation by region, 2004-2007

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

RESPONSE INDICATOR: Area of land held under protected status

Protected Area Statement

SouthAustralia’sprotectedareasystemisanimportanttoolfortheconservationofbiodiversitywithinthebroadercontextofintegratedlandscapemanagement.InJune2008itwasestimatedthat25.8%ofthestatewasundersomeformofprotectedstatussubjecttovariouslegislationandownership.Theexistingprotectedareasystemhasincreasedby1%since2003.Itisimportanttoconsiderhowsuccessfullythislandisbeingmanagedforbiodiversityconservationandameasureofthisshouldbeconsideredforfuturereporting.

TheDepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritage(DEH)managesthenetworkofpublicprotectedareasandalsosupportslandownersmanagingtheprivateconservationsystemofHeritageAgreementsandIndigenousProtectedAreas.SinceAugust2003thenumberofparksunderformalprotectionandmanagedbyDEHhasrisento338andincludes:

• 14newlyproclaimedparks(4,675Ha);

• 13parksthathadadditionalareasproclaimed(41,450Ha);and

• 23parksthatwereproclaimedunderahigherlevelofprotection(733,020Ha)withsixofthem(619,590Ha)proclaimedundertheWildernessProtectionAct,thehighestformofstatutoryprotection.

On1May2006the1993proclamationofpastorallandsaspartoftheStrzeleckiRegionalReservewasdeemedinvalidresultinginareductiontothereservesystemofapproximately356,800Ha.Therefore,whenreportingonDEHmanagedreservesthereisadecreaseinareaeventhoughthenumberofreserveshasincreasedastheresumptionwasgreaterthantheadditions.

Indigenousownersaresupportedinthemanagementoftheirlandsfortheprotectionofnaturalandculturalfeaturesinaccordancewithinternation-allyrecognisedstandardsandguidelinesfor the benefit of all Australians. Since 2003anadditionalreservehasbeenaddedtotheCommonwealthIndigenousProtectedAreasinSouthAustralia,an

What are we doing about it?

increaseinareaof597,810hectares(www.environment.gov.au/indigenous/ipa/index.html).

UndertheForestry Act 1950,ForestrySAmanagesNativeForestReservesincludingsince2003,3additionalreserves(1,595Ha).ForestReservescontainareasofnativevegetationthataremanagedforconservation.

TheHeritage Agreement Scheme waslaunchedin1980toprotectareasthathave significant biodiversity under privateownershipandpredominantlyoperatesacrosstheagriculturalregionoftheState.Onceapprovedalandownercanapplyforgrantstoassistwiththemanagementoftheland,suchasfundingforfencingorweedcontrol.

In2003theHeritage Agreement Scheme protected557,870Haandsincethelastreportthatareahasincreased8%to611,170Ha.Itshouldbenoted that the figure reported for 2003 hasbeenrevisedduetothemethodofcapturingheritageagreements.Therewasaconsiderablebackloginthecaptureofolderagreementsandthisworkhasbeenacceleratedinrecentyears.

HeritageAgreementsinthemselvesdonotdirectlyaddressongoingmanagementrequirements.Toadequatelymeasurewhetherpositiveoutcomesarebeingachievedbythesystemdetailsareneededofwhethertheconditionintheseremnantsisincreasing,stableordecreasing.Thereisalsoaneedforabettersystemtoprovidelongtermmanagementassistanceforaffectedlandholders.

SouthAustraliahascommittedtotheestablishmentoftheNationalReserveSystem (NRS) as part of a certified approachtotheconservationofnativebiodiversity.In2005,theNaturalResourceManagementMinisterialCouncil(NRMMC)issuedtheDirectionsfor the National Reserves System – A PartnershipApproach(theDirectionsStatement)toguidedeliveryoftheNRSProgram.

TheInterimBiogeographicRegionalisa-tionforAustralia(IBRA)providesthenationalandregionalframeworkfordeliveringtheNRSprogram.

TheDirectionsStatementoutlinesastrategicapproachformakingquantifiable progress towards the establishmentandmanagementofaComprehensive,AdequateandRepresentativeterrestrialprotected

Waitpinga cliff erosion project at

commencement of planting. Photo: Ron Taylor

Waitpinga cliff erosion project 8 years later.

Photo: Ron Taylor.


areasystem(CARReserveSystem)anditstargetsinclude:

• Examplesofatleast80%ofthenumberofextantregionalecosystemsineachIBRAregionaretoberepresentedintheprotectedareasystem-Comprehensive

• Protectedareasneedtobeselectedandmanagedtomaximisetheprobabilityofsurvivaloftheirbiotaincludingreplicationofecosystems;ensuring areas are of sufficient size andconditiontoensurelongtermsustainability;aremanagedinabioregionalcontextandoptimiseopportunitiesforspeciesdispersal-Adequate

• Examplesofatleast80%ofthenumberofextantregionalecosystemsineachsubregionarerepresentedintheprotectedareasystem-Representative

SouthAustralia’sprogresstowardsaneffectiveCARReserveSystemhasbeenassessed.TheinformationusedtomeasurethestatusisIBRA,ahierarchyofnestedregions.Associationsarenestedinsubregionsthatareinturnnestedinregions.Comprehensive-nesshasbeenachievedfor82%oftheregions,withrepresentativenessachievedin55%ofthem.TheabilitytomeasuretheadequacycomponentofCARassessmentsisstillbeingdevelopednationally.

Park management plans

DEHmanages301areasthatareprotectedundertheNational Parks and Wildlife Act 1972andtheWilderness Protection Act 1992andforwhichthereisalegalrequirementtoprepareformalmanagementplans(reservesundertheCrown Lands Act 1929arenotlegallyrequiredtohavemanagement

Map 5.3: Areas protected under the NPW

reserve system in South Australia

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

plans).Preparedtoprovidedirectionoverapproximatelyadecade,theseplansareusedtoestablishthecontextoflonger-termrolesforreservesinmeetinglegislativeandpolicyobjectivessuchasconservingbiodiversityinthefaceofclimatechange.

At30June2008,managementplanshadbeenadoptedfor189oftheDEHmanagedreserves.Thatrepresentsa30%increasefrom2003when129reserveshadmanagementplansfromatotalof282.Thepreparationofmanagementplanshasbeenacceleratedfromanaverageof3.9plansperyearbetween1997-98and2003-04—atotalof27plans,toanaverageof19planscompletedperyearbetween2004-05and2007-08foratotalof75.

ManagementplansarepreparedassoonasispracticableanduntiloneisadoptedforareservetheareaismanagedinaccordancewiththeappropriateAct.Thecurrentaimistoensurethatby2011allreserveswillhaveamanagementplannomorethan10yearsold.

Totrulyunderstandwhethermanagementplansareachievinggoodoutcomes,progresstowardstheiraimsmustbemonitored.ForfutureStateoftheEnvironmentreportsitwillbedesirablenotonlytomeasurethenumberofplansthathavebeenadopted,butalsowhicharebeingsuccessfullyimplemented.

RESPONSE INDICATOR: Area of revegetation

Revegetationexcludingregenerationisaveryusefulindicatorfornativevegetationaswellasbroaderlandmanagementpurposesandevencarbonstorage.RevegetationworkinagriculturalregionsofSouthAustraliahasbeenundertakentoaddressarangeofnaturalresource

managementproblemsincludingthosethathavearisenfromclearanceofvegetation(Emesetal2006).InformationonrevegetationactivityinSouthAustraliahasbeencollectedonanannualbasisbyDWLBCsince1999.Revegetationactivitycoverstheestablishmentofperennialvegetationincludingindigenousnativeplants,foddershrubs,farmforestryandcommercialforestry.

Revegetationisundertakenforarangeofreasonsincludingaddingvaluetotraditionalfarmingsystems,suchasprovidingwindbreaksornewpotentialperennialcrops,egbroombush.Itisalsousedtoaddresslandandwaterdegradationissuesandbiodiversitydecline. Revegetation benefits differ dependingontheapplication.Theuseofindigenousspeciesmimickinganaturallocalplantassociationwillhave significant biodiversity value while others,liketimberplantations,havehighcarbonvaluewithlimitedbiodiversityvalue.Theeffectsofadrierclimatearelikelytohaveaconsiderableimpactonthesurvivalrateofplantingsandneedstobeconsideredinforwardplanningforfuturerevegetationactivities.

Table5.10summarisesthemajorrevegetationactivityinSouthAustraliafrom1999to2006,andisbasedonthenumbersandareaofseedlingordirectseedingandgivesnoindicationofthesuccessofthere-vegetationwork.

Overallthetableshowsthatrevegetationactivityhasremainedrelativelyconstantthroughouttheperiodexceptforalargeincreaseinhardwoodplantingsin2000.Plantingofindigenousspecies(revegetationforbiodiversity)hasremainedstableovertheperiodwhileindustrialforestryplantingsforcommercialpurposesshow

% regional ecosystems (associations) number % with some protection in a subregion subregions subregions

Nil (0) 5 9

Very Low (<25) 1 2

Low (>25 – 50) 6 11

Medium (50 – 80) 13 23

High >80 31 55

56 100

Source: DEH 2008. Note: Representativeness is based on numbers of IBRA associations protected within their respective subregion.

Land Status Number Area (Ha)

Conservation Reserves 33 130,040

Conservation Parks 244 5,868,950

Game Reserves 10 25,890

National Parks 21 4,535,145

Recreation Parks 14 3,165

Regional Reserves 7 9,691,840 a

Wilderness Areas 9 684,540

NPWS subtotal 338 20,939,570 b

Heritage Agreements 1372 611,170

Indigenous Protected Areas 5 3,739,695 c

Native Forests 61 16,050

Total 1776 25,306,485

Source: DEH 2008. Notes: Calculated in Lamberts Conformal Conic and rounded to the nearest 5 Ha.a. There was a resumption of 356,000 ha of the Regional Reserves which has caused a known decrease in protected areas.b. Due to improvements in the accuracy of the data, the reported area of reserves has become more precise compared to the last reporting period.c. One reserve overlaps with existing adjacent park and duplication has been removed. Locality Forests have been removed as they have no legal protection other than Native Vegetation Act 1991.

Table 5.6: Summary of South Australia’s protected areasTable 5.7: Details of South Australia’s

protected areas


% regional ecosystems (associations) number % with some protection in a subregion subregions subregions

Nil (0) 5 9

Very Low (<25) 1 2

Low (>25 – 50) 6 11

Medium (50 – 80) 13 23

High >80 31 55

56 100

Source: DEH 2008. Note: Representativeness is based on numbers of IBRA associations protected within their respective subregion.

% regional ecosystems (subregions) number % with some protection in a region regions regions

Nil (0) 1 6

Very Low (<25) 0 0

Low (>25 – 50) 1 6

Medium (50 – 80) 1 6

High >80 14 82

17 100

Source: DEH 2008. Note: Comprehensiveness is based on numbers of IBRA subregions protected within their respective region

thegreatestvariability.Despiteclimbingsteadilytoapeakof5,130Hain2004,indigenousrevegetationdroppedby34%to3,390Hain2006.Thisreductionneedstobefurtheranalysedandmonitoredforany longer term trend in the figures.

TheexpansionofTasmanianBlueGumplantingsforwoodchippingandcarboncredits,hasraisedissuesaboutthesustainableuseofgroundwaterresources.IntheSouthEastofthestate it was identified that deep rooted plantationswereaccessingshallowgroundwaterresources(Benyon2004).Thiswillresultinplantationshavingadirectimpactongroundwaterrechargeintheregionswherewatertablesareshallowandasaresultofthisalteredhydrology,willimpactindirectlyonlocalsurfacewaters.

Significant Environmental Benefits 2001-2007

WiththereviewoftheNativeVegetationAct1991in2003-04,amendmentsintroducedarequirementforapprovedclearancetobeoffsetbyanenvironmentalgain,referredtoasaSignificant Environmental Benefit (SEB).

Table5.11showstheSEBsestablishedtooffsettheclearancesummarisedintheconditionindicatorsection.Applicants

canoffsettheclearancethroughmanagementorrestorationofexistingnativevegetationorrevegetationofaclearedarea.WherethisisnotpossibleapplicantscanoffsetclearanceviaapaymentintotheNativeVegetationFund,establishedin2003.SEBmoneyintheFundispooledbyregionandusedto establish biodiversity benefits. The use ofthepaymentoptionhasincreasedoverthepastfouryears,indicatingthatitismorefavourabletoapplicantsandthusmayneedreviewtoensurethatthetwooptionsremainequitableandthereisactiveengagementinrevegetationactivities.

Programs and policy

InrecognitionofthevitalrolethatnativevegetationplaysinmaintaininghealthyecosystemsthehighlevelofprotectiongiventotheremainingstockinSouthAustraliacontinuesandeffortsareincreasing.

SouthAustraliahasledthenationinvegetationclearancelegislation,withthe first such controls introduced in 1983.Sincethennativevegetationlegislationhasevolvedwithanumberofamendmentsintroducedthroughlegislativereviews.Themostrecentandsignificant changes were amendments to theNative Vegetation Act 1991in2003

Table 5.9: Comprehensive, Adequate

and Representative terrestrial

protected area system

(CAR Reserve System) –

Representativeness

Table 5.8: Comprehensive,

Adequate and Representative

terrestrial protected area

system (CAR Reserve System)

– Comprehensiveness

National Tree Day.

Photo: Adelaide City Council

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

and2004.Thosechangesintroducedtheconceptofnoclearanceofintactstratumofvegetation,ineffectprecludingtheNativeVegetationCouncilfromgrantingconsenttoapplicantsseekingapprovalforthebroadacreclearanceofnativevegetation.

Clearance,includingofintactstratum,thatisassociatedwithapprovedactivitiessuchasinfrastructureworks,majordevelopmentsandminingwerepreviouslyexemptfromtheprovisionsoftheNativeVegetationAct.HoweverfollowingtheintroductionofamendmentstotheNativeVegetationRegulationsin2003,a significant environmental benefit must offsetsuchclearances,inthesamewayasclearancesapprovedbytheNativeVegetationCouncil.Developers,miningcompaniesandgovernmentinstrumentali-tiesarenowboundbythesamerulesasotherlandholders.

Penalties (fines) handed down for breachesoftheNative Vegetation Act 1991 arepaidintotheNativeVegetationFundandmustbeusedbytheNativeVegetationCounciltoachieveenvironmental benefits.

NaturalResourcesManagement(NRM)legislationwasintroducedin2004providingfornewregionalNRMboards,aStateNRMCouncilandtheamalgamationofpreviouslyseparatewater,soiland

landmanagement,andanimalandplantcontrollegislation.TheState Natural Resources Management PlancontainsstrategicpolicyformanagingSouthAustralia’snaturalresourcesandwasreleasedin2006.

Theintentistobetterintegratethemanagementofallournaturalresourcesincludingnativevegetation,throughimprovedlegislation,administration,communicationandregionalinvolvement.AreviewoftheadministrationoftheNative Vegetation Act 1991andRegulationsisbeingundertakenanditishopedanewdirectionwillbedevelopedfornativevegetationmanagementtoimprovetheoverallrelationshipbetweenit,naturalresourcemanagementanddevelopment.

South Australia’s first statewide nature conservationstrategyNo Species Loss –A nature conservation strategy for South Australia 2007-2017presentspolicydirectionsandtargetsthatwillguidetheprotection,conservationandsustainableuseofSouthAustralia’sbiodiversityoverthenext10years. No Species Lossisadirectresponsetothetargetof‘losenospecies’(T3.1)withintheSASP,TheStateGovernmentwillleadtheimplementation,butwillbesuccessfulonlywithacommittedandcoordinatedeffortinvolvinggovernment,communityandindustry.

Type of revegetation 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Indigenous 3,770 4,050 3,910 4,060 4,540 5,130 4,630 3,390

Native (non indigenous) 1,050 380 790 330 100 190 920 230

Native Grasses* 10 20 40 60 20 30 30 50

Farm Forestry 0 630 250 450 440 510 60 170

Saltbush 1,490 1,210 1,300 320 1,090 580 640 170

Tagasaste 570 210 70 10 50 10 10 0

Product Species (eg broombush) 10 50 10 100 30 70 30 10

Industrial Forestry - hardwood 2,940 21,130 6,730 6,010 590 6,640 1,120 1,300

Industrial Forestry - softwood 3,050 2,940 90 890 560 590 4,430 3,800

Total 12,890 30,620 13,190 12,230 7,420 13,750 11,870 9,120

Source: DWLBC Emes et al 2006, with numbers rounded to the nearest 10 hectares.

Financial Year Clearance Applications (ha) Regulations (ha) Total Benefit Area (ha) Financial off-set $

2001-02 1,120 0 1,120 0

2002-03 739 0 739 0

2003-04 944 36 980 10,100

2004-05 508 4,442.8 4,940 26,300

2005-06 1,500 288 1,790 217,000

2006-07 1,050 1,300 2,350 323,000

Table 5.10: Summary of major revegetation activity in South Australia

Table 5.11: Summary of Significant Environmental Benefit to offset clearance applications


Whilethereisnowahighdegreeofprotectionfornativevegetation,manyareasareisolatedandindangeroffurtherfragmentationanddegradationthroughpressuressuchaspestsandwildfire. In the past there has been insufficient emphasis on managing the state’sremainingnativevegetationasawhole.

TheGovernmentcontinuestomovetowardsalandscapescaleapproachtoprotectionofbiodiversitywiththeestablishment of five biodiversity corridors acrosspublicandprivatelandthroughtheNatureLinksprogram(T3.2, South Australia’s Strategic Plan).ThecorridorssupportthedeliveryofNoSpeciesLossbybringingtogetherlandscapescalebiodiversitymanagement,regionaldevelopmentandnaturalresourcemanagement.

The five biodiversity corridors build on existingmajorinitiativesincludingthestate’snetworkofparksandreserves,largescaleecologicalrestorationprojectssuchasBounceback,revegetationinitiativesandprogramsformarineplanningandMarineProtectedAreas.DraftcorridorplansarebeingpreparedforcommunityconsultationwiththedraftNatureLinksEastmeetsWestcorridorplanbeingreleasedin2006.

Aswellasincreasingourunderstandingoftheimplicationsofclimatechangeandaddressingtheunderlyingcausesataninternationalandnationallevelitisimportantthatactionistakenonthegroundtoaddressthisissue,aswellasthemanyotherthreatstobiodiversity.Itisbelievedthatlarge-scaleecologicalrestorationprograms,suchasthoseenvisagedundertheNatureLinksinitiative,canhaveavaluableroleinamelioratingtheimpactofclimatechangeandimprovingecosystemresiliencebyincreasingtheavailabilityandconnectivityofhabitats.

Toassistwiththere-establishmentofnativevegetation,pre-EuropeanvegetationmappinghasbeencompletedfortheSouthEast,Murraylands,MountLoftyRanges,Mid–North and Yorke Peninsula and workhasbegunoncreatingaRiverMurrayForest.

TheBiologicalSurveyProgramofSouthAustraliacommencedin1971withtheintentionofprovidingasystematicsurveyof South Australia’s remaining flora and fauna.Theprogram’sgoalistoachieveacompletesurveyofthestateby2015.The flora information is used to create

complementary floristic vegetation maps forthestate.ThequalityandcoverageoftheinformationcollectedaspartoftheBiologicalSurveywillgiveSouthAustraliaoneofthemostcompleteinventoriesofnative flora and fauna in Australia.

RegionalBiodiversityStrategiesarebeingdevelopedaspartoftheimplementationtheState Natural Resources Management Plan andNo Species Loss.TheseplansprioritiseconservationactivityandprovidearegionalapproachtotheimplementationofNo Species Lossfortheconservationandmanagementofbiodiversity.

In2004theNational Parks and Wildlife Act 1972wasamendedtocreatealegislativeframeworkforcooperativemanagementofnationalandconservationparksoverbothCrownandAboriginalfreeholdland.ThisinnovativeinitiativeleadsdevelopmentinthisareainAustralia.TheamendmentseffectivelyenablegreaterapplicationoftheActtoprotectconservationvaluesoflandwithoutthatlandcomingundergovernmentownership.

Nationally,programsaimedatproductionoutcomesofvegetationandbiodiversity have utilised market–based instrumentstoprovideorincreasefinancial rewards for changes that result inenvironmentaloutcomes(DEH2007).Ingeneraltheseinstrumentsputaneconomicvalueonnativevegetationandprovideatoolfortradingforitsprotection.

Inthelongtermtheseincentivesmightimprovesustainabilityofnaturalassetsthroughexpandingtheresponsibilityfromgovernmentandinterestedpartiestothewidercommunity.Theycanalsoplayaroleinmeasuringecosystemservicesforguidingdirectionsinpolicy(MaherandThackway,2007).SeveralprogramsexistinSouthAustraliathatenableindividualstobecomeinvolved.TodatetherehavebeentheBiodiversityHotspotsprogramintheSouthAustralianMurrayDarlingBasinNRMregion,theRiverMurrayForestsalongtheRiverMurrayandSustainableLandscapesbeingtrialledintheAdelaideandMountLoftyRangesNRMregion.ThereisalsoaHotspotsProgramintheSouthernFlindersthatisbeingrunbyGreeningAustralia.

Tulya Wodli Riparian Restoration project.

Photos: Adelaide City Council.

Native Vegetat ion


What more should we be doing?

BIODIVERSITY

References

TheEnvironmentProtectionAuthorityrecommendsthefollowing:

R5.1 Improverevegetationandrestorationthroughdetailedinformationontechniquesandselectionofspecies.

R5.2 Incorporatetheprotectionofimportantecosystemsintolanduseplanning.

Australian Greenhouse Office (2006) Investing in trees as greenhouse sinks – an overview for industry.DepartmentoftheEnvironmentandHeritage,Canberra.

Benyon,R.G.andDoody,T.M.(2004)Water use by tree plantations in southeast South Australia,TechnicalReportno.148.26p.Keywords:Wateruse/Transpiration/ForestplantationsEucalyptus.CSIROForestryandForestProducts,Mt.Gambier,SouthAustralia

BinningC,CorkSJ,ParryR,SheltonD(2001)Natural Assets: An Inventory of Ecosystem Goods and Services in the Goulburn Broken Catchment. CSIROLandandWater,Canberra,ACT.

CarruthersS.(2005).A landscape approach to determine the ecological value of paddock trees.DepartmentforWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaidewww.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/assets/files/NVland-scapeapproachpaddocktrees_2005.pdf

EnvironmentAustralia(1999)Australian Guidelines for Establishing the National Reserve System. GovernmentofAustralia,ACT.

CSIRO(2001)Climate Change Impacts for Australia. CSIRO,Brisbane.

DepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritage(2006)NatureLinks: East meets West Corridor Plan Draft.GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

DepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritage(2007)No Species Loss – A Nature Conservation Strategy.GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement(1998)Establishment of a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative Terrestrial Conservation Reserve System in Western Australia, GovernmentofWesternAustralian,Perth

DepartmentofPremierandCabinet(2007)South Australian Strategic Plan 2007. GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide

DepartmentofPremierandCabinet(2007)Tackling Climate Change: South Australia’s Greenhouse Strategy 2007-2020.GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide

DepartmentofPrimeMinisterandCabinet(2007)Report of the Task Group on Emissions Trading.GovernmentofAustralia,ACTwww.pmc.gov.au/publications/emissions/docs/emissions_trading_report.rtf

R5.1 R5.2

Growing Prosperity T1.1, T1.14

Improving Wellbeing

Attaining Sustainability T3.1, T3.2 T3.1, T3.2, T3.3, T3.5,1

T3.7, T3.9, T3.1

Fostering Creativity and Innovation

Building Communities

Expanding Opportunities

Alignment of Recommendations with South Australia’s Strategic Plan targets

Acacia cyperophylla (Minnie Ritchie). Photo:

Wetlands International.

ForfurtherdetailonSouthAustralia’sStrategic Planvisitwww.stateplan.sa.gov.au


DepartmentofEnvironmentandHeritage(2001)National Framework for the management and monitoring of Australia’s Native Vegetation.NaturalResourceManagementMinisterialCouncil,GovernmentofAustralia,ACT.

DepartmentforWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation(2006).State Natural Resources Management Plan 2006. GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

Emes,J.,Holman,E.&Tiller,J.(2006)Re-establishment of Vegetation in South Australia 2005.DepartmentofWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation.2006/11.GovernmentofSouthAustralia,AdelaideISBN0-9752098-8-4

Gibbon,P.,ZegreA.,Jones,S.andRyanP.(2005)Mapping vegetation condition in the context of biodiversity conservation. EcologicalManagementandRestoration,1-2.

HowdenM,HughesL,DunlopM,ZethovenI,HilbertDandChilcottC(2003),ClimateChangeImpactsOnBiodiversityInAustralia,OutcomesofaworkshopsponsoredbytheBiologicalDiversityAdvisoryCommittee,1–2 October 2002, Government of Australia,ACT.

Keith,D.andGorrod,E.(2005),The meanings of vegetation condition.EcologicalManagementandRestoration,7-9

KrockenburgerAK,KitchingRLandTurtonSM(2003),Environmental Crisis: Climate Change and Terrestrial Biodiversity in Queensland,CooperativeResearchCentreforTropicalRainforestEcologyandManagement,RainforestCRC,Cairns,Queensland

NativeVegetationCouncil(2003),Annual Report of the Native Vegetation Council 2002/2003.DepartmentofWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,GovernmentofSouthAustraliaAdelaide.

NativeVegetationCouncil(2004)Annual Report of the Native Vegetation Council 2003-04.DepartmentofWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

NativeVegetationCouncil(2005) Annual Report of the Native Vegetation Council 2004-05.DepartmentofWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

NativeVegetationCouncil(2006)Annual Report of the Native Vegetation Council 2005-06.DepartmentofWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

Maher,C.andThackwayR.(2007),Approaches for Measuring and Accounting for Ecosystems Services Provided by Vegetation in Australian. DepartmentforAgriculture,FisheriesandForestry,GovernmentofAustralia,ACT.

Thackway,R.andCresswellI(1995),AnInterimBiogeographicRegionalisationforAustralia:aframeworkforsettingprioritiesintheNationalReservesSystemCooperativeProgramVersion4.AustralianNatureConservationAgency,GovernmentofAustralia,ACT.

NationalLandandWaterResourceAudit(2001)Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001.NLWRA,GovernmentofAustralia,ACT.

NaturalResourceManagementMinisterialCouncil(2005),Directions for the National Reserve System A Partnership Approach,GovernmentofAustralia,ACTwww.environment.gov.au/parks/publications/nrs/directions/index.html

Parkes,D.andLyon,P.(2005),Towardsanationalapproachtovegetationconditionassessmentthatmeetsgovernmentinvestor’sneeds:Apolicyperspective.EcologicalManagementandRestoration7(S1),3-5.

Williams,J.(2005),NativeVegetationandRegionalManagement:Aguidetoresearchandresources.GreeningAustralia,ACT.

South Australia’s Strategic Plan www.saplan.org.au/

Native Vegetation www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/native/overview/index.html

Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (2006) State Natural Resources Management Plan www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/nrm/state_nrm_plan/index.html

Department for Environment and Heritage (2007) No Species Loss – A Nature Conservation Strategy for South Australia 2007-2017 www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/pdfs/nsl_strategy.pdf

NatureLinks www.environment.sa.gov.au/naturelinks

Biological Survey Program www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/biosurveys.html

Further information

R5.1 R5.2

Growing Prosperity T1.1, T1.14

Improving Wellbeing

Attaining Sustainability T3.1, T3.2 T3.1, T3.2, T3.3, T3.5,1

T3.7, T3.9, T3.1



Expanding Opportunities Acacia cyperophylla (Minnie Ritchie). Photo:

Wetlands International.

Native Vegetat ion


B IODIVERSITY

Trends

Goal

Threatened Species

• ThenumberofplantsandanimalsandecologicalcommunitiesatriskisINCREASING

• RecoveryeffortshaveINCREASEDsignificantly across the state, but remainlessthanarerequiredtominimisethepotentialforspeciesloss.

T3.1 Lose no species – lose no known nativespeciesasaresultofhumanimpacts.

South Australia’s Strategic Plan 2007

Threatened Species and a sustainable South Australia

SouthAustraliafacesparticularchallengesandopportunitiesinmanagingournaturalbiodiversityintothefuture.Pastvegetationclearance,leavinginadequateamountsofhabitatforpopulationstosurvive,hasleftmanySouthAustraliannativeplantsandanimalshighlyvulnerable.Thishasleftmanyofournaturalsystemsandthespeciesthatinhabitthoseareasdegradedandatriskoffurtherdeclinefromexistingthreatssuchaspestspecies,fragmentationandlossofecologicalconnectivity.

Undercurrentconditions,basedontheamount,distributionandconditionofremaininghabitatintheMountLoftyRanges,ecologistspredictthatasmuchas50%ofthebirdspeciesthatonceinhabitedtheareawillbebecomelocallyextinct.

Climatechangewillgreatlyincreasepressureonournaturalsystemsandastemperaturesincreaseandclimaticeventsbecomemoreextremetheeconomicsofusingthelandandmarineenvironmentswillalter.Increasesinthehumanpopulationandregionalisationof

thepopulationsuchasthatseenbytheso-calledseachangeandgreenchangephenomenawillplacegreaterpressureonallenvironmentsandneedtobealleviatedasamatterofurgency.

HealthyecosystemsarethefoundationofSouthAustralia’sdevelopment.ExamplesofthiscanbeseenalongtheRiverMurrayandintheSouthAustralianAridLandsregionwheretheviabilityofmanyindustriesincludingagriculture,horticultureandtourism,andthewealththattheygenerateisunderpinnedbynaturalenvironments.Ecosystemservicesprovidedbyahealthyenvironmentincludecleansingofwater,soilmanagementandimprovementprocessesandplantandanimalinteractions.ThehealthofallourecosystemsandthespecieswithinthemarevitaltomaintainingSouthAustralia’scurrentpopulation,ongoingprosperityandsustainabledevelopment.

Lossofnativespeciescanalsocontributeto loss of future benefits. The genetic materialinplantsandanimalscandeliversocial,economicandenvironmentalbenefits via the biotechnology industry. Thisincludesthedevelopmentofdisease-resistantcropsandmedicinaltreatmentsfordiseases.

Inadditiontoprovidingtheresourcebase for our water, food and fibre, indigenousspeciesandecosystemshavetheirownintrinsicvalue.ManyAustraliansplaceahighvalueonnativeplantsandanimals,whichcontributetorecreationactivitiesaswellasasenseofculturalidentityandspiritualenrichment.ManynativeplantsandanimalsarecentraltoAboriginalandTorresStraitIslandercultures.Itcouldbearguedonanethicalandmoralbasisthatwedonothavetherighttoexploitorcausetheextinctionofanyspecieswesharethisplanetwith.

AustraliaisalsopartytoanumberofinternationalconventionsandagreementssuchastheConventiononBiologicalDiversity,whichcoversallecosystems,speciesandgeneticresources,andrequirescountriestodevelopandimplementstrategiesforthesustainableuseandprotectionofbiodiversity.

Althoughmuchhasbeenhappeningatalllevelstohaltthedeclineofbiodiversity,thedeclinecontinues.Atastatelevel,morespeciesandecologicalcommunitiesarethreatenedwithextinctionthanarebeingmanagedforrecoveryleavinguswithanextinctionrisk

Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby.

Photo: Tim Lubcke


thatisexpectedtoincreasewithclimatechange.

Climatechangewillincreasinglyaffectpublicinfrastructure,watersuppliesandprimaryproduction,buttherateandnatureofthesechangesiscurrentlyunclear.Theimpactofclimatechangeonprimaryindustriesandsocialfactorswillcontributetoaworseningofproblemsfacedbythreatenedspeciesandecosystems,ashumancapacitytomanagethescaleandrelativesuddennessofchangeacrossourvastlandscapeswilldiminishinrelativeterms.

Anewapproachisneededtodealwiththerangeofexistingthreatsandadditionalrisksofclimatechange.Thegovernmentcontinuestomovetowardsalandscape-scaleapproachtothemanagementofnaturalresourcesandtheprotectionofnativespecies.Along-termlandscapeapproachwillhelpthedevelopment of strategies of sufficiently largescaletoimproveecosystemresilienceandenhancetheabilityofspeciestocopewithstresses,bothexistingandthoseexacerbatedbyclimatechange. Additionally, specific recovery actions,particularlythosethatfocusonthespeciesrecoverylevel,willalsoberequiredtoaidthesurvivalofindividualthreatenedspecies.

Thisapproachwillbemosteffectivewhenitisintegratedwiththelanduseplanningsystem,NRMinfrastructure,regionalinfrastructureandindustrydevelopment,whileengagingwiththecommunityandbuildingcapacity.

Futurebiodiversityprogramsneedtoconsiderwholeoflifeimpactsonbiodiversityandintegrateandmakedecisionsonthelong-termgoodandnotontheshort-termscalesthatcurrentlydetractfromanylong-termstrategytodealwithbiodiversity.Theinstrumentsandinfrastructureshaveadjustedthespatialscaletotherightlevel,howeverintergen-erationalconsiderationshaveyettobefullyincorporatedintodecisionmakinginthisarea.

Thecommunityisalsoplayinganactiveroleinthisarea,particularlyinon-groundactivities.Thisengagementhighlightstheimportanceofprotectingourthreatenedspeciesfromfurtherdeclineandthevaluethatthecommunityplacesonthisissue.ThesemanygroupsincludetheThreatenedPlantActionGroup,themanyFriendsofParksgroups,NativeFishAustraliaandtheThreatenedSpeciesNetwork.

Indicators Key FactsCONDITION INDICATOR

• Number of extinct, endangered and vulnerable species and ecological communities.

Thenumberofspeciesconsideredextinct,endangeredorvulnerableovertimeisthebestavailablemeasureoftherateofdeclineofspecies,butisnotideal.Caremustbetakenwithitsinterpretationasanumberofspeciesthatmaymeetthecriteriaforthesecategoriesarenotlistedassuch.

InSouthAustraliathetermthreatened species refers to those that are classified asrare,vulnerableorendangered(includingextinct)onSchedules7,8and9respectivelyoftheNational Parks and Wildlife (NPW) Act 1972.

RESPONSE INDICATOR

• The number of recovery plans prepared and being effectively implemented

Thenumberofrecoveryplanspreparedandmoreimportantlybeingimplementedprovidesanindicationoftheextentofourresponsetohelpreversethedeclinesinourthreatenedspeciesandecologicalcommunities.Itdoesn’thoweverdeterminethesuccessoftheseactionsinbringingaboutchangewhichisashortcomingoftheexistingindicator.

What is the current situation?

CONDITION INDICATOR: The number of extinct, endangered and vulnerable species and ecological communities

Threatened species

Thenumberofspeciesconsideredextinct,endangeredorvulnerableisthebestavailablesurrogatefortherateofdeclineand,ultimately,lossofspecies.Thisisnotanidealmeasureandcaremustbetakenwithitsinterpretation.Inmanycaseschangesinstatuscanbetheresultofchangesinourknowledgeandcommunityconcerns.Somerecentchangesinconservationstatuscanlargelybeattributedtothesefactors.Itmayalsobelikelythatchangestostatusinthefuturewillbeasaresultofeffectiverecoveryactions.Itdoeshoweverprovidesomeinsightintowhichparticularspecies

• LossofSouthAustralia’snativeplantandanimalspeciessincethearrivalofEuropeansettlershas been significant with at least 26plants,28mammals,sevenbirdsandtwoamphibianshavingalreadybecomeextinct.

• SouthAustraliahastwoofthenation’s15biodiversityhotspots,theSouth-EastandtheMountLoftyRanges/KangarooIsland.Theseuniqueareasarerichinplantandanimalspeciesparticularlyendemicones,i.e.thoserestrictedto a specific region or site.

• TheconservationstatusofSouthAustralia’smarinespeciesandcommunitiesislargelyunknown.

Sea Lion. Photo: David Mudge

Threatened Species


B IODIVERSITY

arebelievedtobethreatened,andthestatusreviewassessmentprocessprovidesusefulindicationsofmanagementandresearchneedsandoptions,andallowsustofocusonmonitoringtrendsinthosespecies.

InSouthAustralia1,136ofthe6,773plant,mammal,bird,reptileandamphibianspeciesrecorded(thatis16.8%)arelistedasthreatenedatthestatelevel:814plant,98mammal,163bird,53reptileandeightamphibianspecies(Table5.12).Thereare26plant,28mammal,sevenbirdandthreefreshwater fish taxa that are presumed to havebecomeextinctinSouthAustraliasinceEuropeansettlement.

Specifically, threatened flora statistics have changedfrom785specieslistedin2000to814in2008.That’sanincreaseof29speciesor4%onthelistsofendangered,vulnerableandrarespecies.

Threatenedfaunastatisticshavechangedfrom256specieslistedin2000to323in2008,anincreaseof67species(26%).Atotal of 142 flora species and 93 fauna specieshavebeenaddedtothelistsforthe first time in 2008. A further 11 flora and 25faunaspeciesthatwerepreviouslylistedhavebeenassignedtoaworsestatus category. Six previously-listed flora speciesand18previously-listedfaunaspecieshavebeenplacedinabetterstatuscategory.143specieshavebeenremovedfromthethreatenedspeciesschedulesaltogether:123becausetheydidnotmeetthecriteriaforlistingdueeithertoabetterstatusthanpreviouslyassessedorabetterstatusfordifferenttaxonomicentities,and20fortaxonomic(recentnamechange),reasonsalone.

Endangeredspeciesareunderthemostthreatandlikelytobecomeextinctinthenearfutureunlesstheunderlyingcircumstancesandfactorsthreateningtheirsurvivalceasetoexist.SpeciesthatareconsideredtobeextinctfromthestatearealsoincludedinthiscategoryundertheNPWAct,incasealivingpopulationhappenstobediscovered.Vulnerablespeciesarethoselikelytomoveintotheendangeredcategoryinthenearfutureunlessthecircumstancesandfactorsthreateningtheirsurvivalceasetoexist.Rarespeciesarethosethatareunderlessthreat,butduetotheirlownumbers,restricteddistribution,observeddeclineorbecausetheyarenaturallyuncommon,areatsomerisk.

SomespeciesarealsolistedasthreatenedatthenationallevelundertheEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 (EPBCAct

1999).Theseplantsandanimalstendtoreceivepriorityforconservationactivitiesbecausetheyarethreatenedatboththenationalandstatelevels.

Thisincreaseinnumbersdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatwenowhave95morethreatenedplantsandanimals,althoughsomenewoneshavebeenaddedtothelist.Otherfactorsthathaveinfluenced the number include taxonomic revisions(whichmayresultinonespeciesbeingsplitintomany)andrecordsofnewplantsandanimalspreviouslyunrecordedinSouthAustralia.Forexample,inthelastfouryearseightnewspeciesofreptilehavebeenrecordedinSouthAustralia.

Withimprovedinformationandknowledge,anumberofextraspecieshave now been identified as of conservationconcern.

Nospecieswereremovedfromthe2000listofthreatenedspeciesduetopopulationrecovery.However,theSouthernMarsupialMole(Itjari-itjari)asanexamplehashaditsconservationstatusdowngraded(thatisfromendangeredtovulnerable)asaconsequenceofnewinformation.

Arecentassessmentofthestatusoffreshwater fish highlighted several threatenedspecies.AnactionplantoguiderecoveryeffortshasbeendevelopedfromthisassessmentandisavailableonlineattheDepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritagewebsite(www.environment.sa.gov.au).

AssessmentoftheconservationstatusofmarinespecieshasbegunandinformationonthestatusofSouthAustralianmarinefish, sharks and rays is expected to be availableinlate2008.

Nationally threatened species

Atotalof183speciesthatoccurinSouthAustraliaarethreatenedatthenationallevel,thisisaround10.8%ofallnationallythreatenedspecies (EPBC Act 1999).

Nationally threatened ecological communities

Anecologicalcommunityisagroupofinteractingspeciesthathaveadaptedtoparticularconditionsofsoil,topography,waterregimesandclimate.Anumberofecologicalcommunitiesareconsideredthreatenedwithextinction.TheCommonwealthGovernmenthasrecognisedtheneedtoprotectandrecoverthesecommunitiesthroughenablingtheirlistingasthreatenedundertheEPBC Act 1999.

Tawny Frogmouth. Photo: David Mudge.


There are currently five ecological communitiesoccurringinSouthAustraliathatarelistedasendangeredorcriticallyendangeredundertheAct:

- BulokeWoodlandsoftheRiverinaandMurrayDarlingDepressionBioregions;

- ThecommunityofnativespeciesdependentonnaturaldischargeofgroundwaterfromtheGreatArtesianBasin;

- SwampsoftheFleurieuPeninsula;

- PeppermintBox(Eucalyptusodorata)GrassyWoodlandofSouthAustralia;

- Iron-grassNaturalTemperateGrasslandofSouthAustralia.

AnominationforthelistingofInlandGreyBoxWoodlandundertheEPBC Act 1999 iscurrentlybeingassessed.

NPWSA Status Plants (as a % Mammals (as a % Birds (as a % Reptiles (as a % Amphibians (as a %of the total number of the total number of the total number of the total number of the total number

recorded in SA - 5858*) recorded in SA - 180#) recorded in SA - 473#) recorded in SA - 235#) recorded in SA -27#)

Endangered** 187 47 42 9 0

% (3) (26) (9) (4) (0)

Vulnerable 196 20 32 9 4

% (3) (12) (7) (4) (15)

Rare 431 32 89 35 4

% (7) (18) (19) (15) (15)

Total 814 98 163 53 8

% (14) (56) (34) (23) (30)

Source: DEHNotes:# Total numbers of fauna species from BDBSA Fauna Taxonomic system (includes all current species accepted to

occur officially in SA)* Total numbers of flora species from BDBSA Flora Taxonomic system (includes all current species accepted to

occur officially in SA)** Includes species considered to be extinct in South Australia.Note: Fish are not currently listed in South Australia but the 32 fish are identified as threatened (17 Endangered, 11 Vulnerable and 4 Rare) in the Draft Action Plan for South Australian Freshwater Fishes

Status Plants Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians

Extinct 0 16 1 0 0

Critically Endangered 1 0 2 0 0

Endangered 34 11 8 2 0

Vulnerable 59 21 18 8 1

Conservation Dependant 0 1 0 0 0

Total 94 49 29 10 1

Source: DEH

Table 5.12: Species listed as threatened in South Australia, 2007

Table 5.13: Number of nationally threatened species occurring in South Australia

Legis lat ionSouthAustralia’senvironmentallegislativeandpolicyframeworkprovidesanimportantfoundationfortheconservationandsustainableuseofbiodiversity.Howeverlegislationwithstrongerprovisionsforprotectionandconservationwouldassistinplanninganddecision-makingrelatingtoresourcesandlanduse,andwiththeintegrationofbiodiversityconsiderationsintootherpoliciesandlegislation.TheconservationofbiodiversityasacentralconsiderationforthevariousdevelopmentActswouldgreatlyassistinthedeterminationofoutcomesundervariouspiecesofbiodiversitylegislation.

Workhascommencedonconsultationandpreparationofadiscussionpaperthatlooksatrationalisingexistingpolicy,reducesadministrationandcompliancecostsforbusinessandimprovestheprotectionandconservationofterrestrial,aquaticandmarinebiodiversity.

Bore Drains, Muloorina Waterhole.

Photo: Travis Gotch


SinceEuropeansettlementSouthAustralia’slandscapehasbeensignificantly reshaped and our native speciesseriouslyimpactedasaresult.Speciesdeclinehasbeenobservedacrossallregionsofthestate,particularlyintheagriculturalareaswherehabitatdestruction or modification has disrupted ecosystemsandcreatedalandscapeofremnantislandsorfragmentedpatchesofdegradednativevegetation.Vegetationclearancewasdisproportion-atelyhigheronthebetterqualityland.

Key threats to species identified inpreviousSoE reportsstillpersist.Thesethreateningprocessesincludecompetitionandlanddegradationbyrabbits,feralgoatsandcamels,inappropriatelivestockgrazingregimes,predationbyferalcatsandfoxes,over-abundantnativespecies,diebackcausedbyplantdiseasessuchastherootrotfungusPhytophthora cinnamomi, invasionbyweeds,degradationofwaterbodies,continuedlossofhabitat,lossofdrought refuges and altered fire regimes. Manyofthesethreatsarestatewide

Threatened Species


B IODIVERSITY


RESPONSE INDICATOR: The number of recovery plans prepared and implemented

Arecoveryplanisadocumentthatoutlinesthemanagementactionsrequiredfortherecoveryofaparticularthreatenedentity(population,species,groupofspeciesorecologicalcommunity).Theplanprovidesdetailsonhowtominimiseoreradicatethethreatsandriskstothesethreatenedentities. It also identifies knowledge gapsandresearchneeds.Atpresent,becauserecoveryplansarerequiredundernationallegislationandbecausetheAustralianGovernmentfundsrecoveryplandevelopmentandimplementation,mostrecoveryplansarewrittenfornationallythreatenedspecies.Amoresuitableindicatorforthissectionwouldfocusonoutcomesofrecoveryratherthanbeingbasedonoutputshowevercurrentdataisinsufficiently comprehensive to do this.

Table5.14summarisesthecurrentstatusofrecoveryplansandotherrecoveryactions.Thisindicatesthat82specieshaveformalrecoveryplansapprovedunderCommonwealthlegislation,themajorityofwhicharebeingimplementedtosomedegree.

Afurther185specieshaverecoveryplansinpreparationand120specieshavenoformalrecoveryplans,butaresubjecttoarangeofrecoveryactionsincludingresearchandmonitoring,oron-groundactionssuchashabitatprotection.

Thenumberofthreatenedspecieswithcompletedrecoveryplanshasincreasedto82fromthe21reportedintheState of the Environment Report 2003.Duetothelargenumberofrecovery actions identified, funding shortfallsoftenmeanthatactioncannotbeimplementedtotheextentrequiredformostspecies’recovery.

An“Action Plan for the Conservation of Threatened Freshwater Fish in South Australia”hasrecentlybeenprepared.This plan provides significant guidance forconservationeffortsforseveralthreatenedsmall-bodiedfreshwaterfish species at risk from wetland habitat dryingduetoworseningdroughtconditions.

Fish Passage, Torrens Outlet.

Photo: Steven Mudge.

whileothersaffectparticularregionssuchasthepastoraloragriculturalzones.Ongoingvegetationclearanceandtheexpansionofminingoperationsacrossthe state are also significant threats at ascalethatimpactsonthreatenedspecies.

In addition to these significant pressures, SouthAustralia’sspeciesarenowchallengedbyhumaninducedclimatechange.PredictionssuggestthatSouthAustraliawillexperiencea1-6%increaseinmeantemperatureby2070,warmingmoreinlandthannearthecoast.

Expectedhigherrainfallinthenorthwilllikelybeaccompaniedbya25-30%declineinrainfallintheagriculturalregionsby2070,mainlyaffectingwinterandspringfalls.Weatherpatternsarelikelytobemoreextreme.Environmentalwater flows are expected to decrease whiledroughtandstormfrequencywillpossiblyincreasetogetherwiththeriskofflood and bushfire, rising sea levels and stormsurgesinsomecoastalareas.

Theprojectedincreaseinwatertemperatureinmarineandcoastalenvironments,increasedstormsurges,andrisingsealevel,willdrownsomecoastalhabitatssuchasmangrovesandcoastalsamphires.Theywillalsoimpactothercoastalvegetation,changefeedingpatternsformarinespecies,changewatercurrentpatternsandpossibly alter nutrient upwellings – all of whichthreatenexistingpatternsinthedistributionandextentofmanymarinecommunitiesandhabitats.

HowSouthAustralia’sspeciesandecosystemswillrespondtotheseclimaticchangesisuncertain.Speciesmaysimplybecomeextinctinashorttimeframe.Othersmaychangeindistributionandabundance,populationdynamics,lifehistorypatternsandreproductivecycles.Threatenedspecies,includingsomethatarenotcurrentlylisted,maybeatincreasedriskofextinction,whileinvasiveandover-abundantnativespeciesmaygainopportunitiestoestablishthemselvesinwiderareas.Ecologicalprocessescouldwellchange.


Implementationofrecoveryplanactions,underpinnedbystrong,enablinglegislationisnottheonlywaytoprotectindividualthreatenedspecies.OfSouthAustralia’sthreatenedplantspecies,31%havebeencollectedandarebeingconservedexsituasaresultofapartnershipwiththeRoyalBotanicGardens,Kew,MillenniumSeedBank(UK).Whileindividualspeciescanbeprotectedinthismannerecologicalrelationshipsareunlikelytobere-established.

In2005theCoongieLakesweredeclaredaNationalPark.Thisdeclarationprovidesprotectionandenablesgreatermanagementofits

biologicalassetsandsystems.TheCoongieLakesareaprovideshabitatforatotalof205birdspeciesofwhich24arerare,vulnerableorendangeredinSouthAustralia.

BouncebackisasuccessfulecologicalrestorationprogramthathasbeenoperatingintheFlindersRangesandVulkathunhaGammonRangesNationalParksandonsurroundingpropertiessince1992.Theprogramhasconsiderablecommunitysupportwhichhasbeenasignificant contributor to its success. A dramaticreductioningrazingpressurehasbeenachievedthroughthecontrolofrabbits,feralgoatsandkangaroos.Combinedwiththevirtualelimination

Cl imatechange impact onNativeSpeciesTemperatureandrainfallplaymajorrolesindeterminingwhereindividualspeciesofplantsandanimalscanlive,growandreproduce.Someanimalandplantspeciesarelikelytocomeunderincreasingstressfromclimatechange,causinglong-termchangesthatcouldresultinlossofspeciesoranincreaseinthreatenedspecies.

• Reductions in the condition and reproductive performance of species

Speciescouldbecomerestrictedtosmallareasordisappearaltogether,forexampleMalleeBox(Eucalyptusporosa)communitiescurrentlyoccurinheavysoilsoverlimestoneinlargeshallowdepressionseastwardsofStreakyBayonEyrePeninsula.Shouldaveragerainfallandwatertablelevelsbereducedthroughclimatechange,itislikelythisspecieswillbecomerestrictedtodrainagelines,asithasalreadyinthenorthernagriculturaldistrictsofSouthAustralia.

• Changes to the timing of species lifecycles

Speciesmaybreedearlierorlaterintheseasonthanpreviously.CapebarrenGeese are a species that is dependent on the flush of new green grasses at thebreakoftheseasontobeginbreeding.Shouldclimaticconditionschange,thebreedingpatternofCapeBarrenGeesemaybealtered.

• Changes in the location of species habitats

Speciesmayneedtomovesouthwardsorintorangesinordertokeeppacewithshiftingclimatezones.ThishaspreviouslyhappenedintheFlindersRanges,whichprovidehabitatformanyspeciesthatwouldotherwisenotsurvivethearidclimate.ThepresenceintheFlindersRangesofatleast23plant,fourbird, three reptile and one frog species having southern affinities have been recorded.Thesepopulationsareviewedaspopulationisolatesorrelicts,fromamuch wetter period and contribute to the significance of the Flinders Ranges. Theyarelikelytobeseverelyaffectedbypredictedtemperatureincreasesandlowereffectiverainfallassociatedwithclimatechange.

• IncreasesintheriskofextinctionforspeciesthatarealreadyvulnerableSpecieswithlimitedclimaticranges,dispersalability,specialisedhabitatrequirements,smallpopulationsand/orlowgeneticdiversity,arethemostvulnerabletoextinction.ExamplesincludetheNoddingGrass-lily(Stypandra glauca), a small blue flowered lily that is restricted to cracks in granite outcrops,andtheSouthernBrownBandicoot(Isoodon obesulus obesulus)nowonlyfoundintheMountLoftyRanges,theSouthEastandonKangarooIsland.

Southern Marsupial Mole (Itjari-itjari).

Photo: Joe Benshemesh

Behr’s cowslip orchid. Photo: Peter Lang.

Threatened Species


B IODIVERSITY

offoxesandthesuppressionofferalcatpopulationsinkeyareas,thishasenabledtherecoveryoflocalnativespecies.

Thegovernmentcontinuestomovetowardsalandscape-scaleapproachtoprotectionofnativespeciesbythe establishment of five biodiversity corridorsacrosspublicandprivatelandthroughtheNatureLinks program(T3.2,South Australia’s Strategic Plan).Thesecorridorsbuildonexistingmajorinitiativesincludingthestate’snetworkofparksandreserves,largescaleecologicalrestorationprojectssuchasBounceback,revegetationinitiativesandprogramsformarineplanningandMarineProtectedAreas.DraftcorridorplansarebeingpreparedforcommunityconsultationwiththedraftNatureLinksEastmeetsWestcorridorplanhavingbeenreleasedin2006.

Thecorridorssupportthedeliveryof No Species Loss – A Nature Conservation Strategy for South Australia 2007-2017, whichwasreleasedin2007.NoSpecies Loss, the first statewide nature conservationstrategyinSouthAustraliaisawhole-of-governmentpartnershipwiththecommunity.ItisaresponsetoSouth Australia’s Strategic Plan targetof ‘lose no species’andprovidesaframeworktoachievethataim.Implementationwillonlybesuccessfulwithacommittedandcoordinatedeffortfromgovernment,communityandindustry.

River Murray

ThereareanumberofthreatenedspeciesprojectsalongtheRiverMurrayCorridorthathaveprovidedgreatlyimprovedinformationontheregionalstatusandecologyoftheirtargetspecies,andhavehelpedtodetermineandimplementappropriateactionfortheirrecovery.Thespeciesincludethe

RegentParrot,Bush-stoneCurlew,CarpetPython,GoldenBellFrog,Broad-shelled Tortoise, Yarra Pygmy Perch and SouthernPurple-SpottedGudgeon.Manyofthesespecieshavesufferedfromhabitatlossandfragmentation,drought,riverregulationandextractionofwater,andhabitatdegradation.

InformationisalsobeingcollectedonthreatenedspeciesintheMurrayMallee.TheThreatenedMalleeBirdsprojectisassessingthedistribution,statusandhabitatrequirements(atbothasiteandlandscapescale)ofthreatenedmalleebirdspeciesintheregionandabetterunderstandingofmanagementissues,suchasgrazingimpactsandhabitatrestoration,isdeveloping.Themain threats facing mallee birds are fire, degradationofhabitatandisolationofsubpopulations,combinedwiththepotentiallyexacerbatingeffectsofclimatechange,particularlymorefrequentandprolongeddroughts.

ThereisalsoaSAMurrayDarlingBasinThreatenedFloraRecoveryProject,whichhasbeengatheringinformationandimplementingrecoveryactionsforseveral threatened flora species.

TheRiverMurrayForestprojectisalarge-scalehabitatestablishmentandbiosequestrationinitiative,whichaimstoestablishanadditional2.5milliontreesintheRiverMurraycorridorandnorthernMurrayMalleeenvironments.Thisprojecthasincludedanassessmentofbiodiversity‘assets’(includingthreatenedspecies)whicharelikelytobenefit from revegetation in the Murray Mallee.

Threatened species Completed recovery Recovery plan Recovery plan Other recoveryin South Australia plan# being implemented in preparation actions underway

Mammals 98 20 (20%) 14 (14%) 21 (21%) 17

Birds 163 21 (13%) 7 (4%) 29 (18%) 21

Reptiles 53 6 (11%) 3 (6%) 7 (13%) 6

Fish 32* 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 17 (53%) 17

Amphibians 8 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (13%) 8

Plants 814 34 (4%) 34 (4%) 110 (14%) 51

Total 1168* 82 (7%) 58 (5%) 185 (16%) 120

Source: DEHNotes:# Includes recovery plans that are complete but not current.* Please note while fish are not listed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 there are 32 threatened fish species in SouthAustralia listed in the Draft Action Plan for South Australian Freshwater Fishes

Golden Bell Frog. Photo: Tony Robinson.

Table 5.14: Status of species recovery in South Australia, 2007


AridRecoveryProjectAridRecoveryhasdevelopedintoAustralia’spremieraridzoneconservationpartnership.TheprogramisajointconservationinitiativebetweenBHPBilliton,thelocalcommunitythroughtheFriendsofAridRecovery,theSADepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritageandtheUniversityofAdelaide.

Thisisauniquedemonstrationofhowmining,tourism,pastoralismandconservation can provide mutually beneficial conservation outcomes. The developmentofaworldclassconservationprojectadjacenttothehugecopper,uranium,goldandsilverOlympicDammineandprocessingplantshowsthatcontemporary mining operations can benefit regional environmental values.

Begunin1997,AridRecoveryhasnowsecured86squarekilometreswithrabbit,foxandcatprooffences,andremovedtheseferalpests.Thereservehasprovidedanareaofcompleteprotectionenablingtheregenerationofnativevegetationandthereintroductionoffourlocallyextinctmammals.Todate,breedingpopulationshavebeenestablishedfortheGreaterBilby,BurrowingBettong,WesternBarredBandicootandGreaterStick-nestRat.

Morerecently,releasesofNumbatsandWomaPythonshavebeentrialled.ThepythonsarenativepredatorsthatAridRecoveryhopeswillrestoreanaturalecologicalbalancerequiredforthepopulationsinsidethereservetobecomeself-sustaining.

Oneofthelong-termgoalsofAridRecoveryistoworktowardsferalspeciesmanagementandecosystemregenerationbeyondthefence.Ongoingcat,rabbitandfoxcontrolhasbeenundertakenoutsidethereservesincetheprojectcommencedandAridRecoveryisnowleadingamajornationalresearchprojectintobroad-scalecatandfoxmanagement.

AridRecoveryhasrecentlyundertakenreleasesoftheGreaterBilbyoutsidethefence.Hopefully,continuedferalpredatorcontroloutsidethereservewillenabletheBilbystoexpandtheirrangetoencompassmoreoftheiroriginalhabitat.

Not only have the reintroduced species benefited from the removal of feral animals,butmanyotherspeciesincludingtheSpinifexHoppingMousearenowthriving. Arid Recovery’s research has shown there are now five times as many naturallyoccurringsmallmammalsinsidethereservecomparedtooutsidethefence.Thevegetationisalsomakingnoticeablerecoverythroughthesuccessfulrecruitmentofnewmulgas,wattles,hopbushandbullockbush.

Bilby awaiting release. Photo: Hugh McGregor

Small Monkey-flower. Photo: DEH

Threatened Species



BIODIVERSITY

NatureLinks East meets West Corridor Plan Draft, (2006).DepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritage,SouthAustralianGovernment

No Species Loss – A Nature Conservation StrategyforSouthAustralia,(2007).DepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritage,SouthAustralianGovernment

State Natural Resources Plan 2006, (2007).DepartmentforWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,SouthAustralianGovernment

South Australian Arid Lands Draft Biodiversity Strategy Flinders and Olary Ranges Conservation Priorities,(2007inpreparation).DepartmentforWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,SouthAustralianGovernment

South Australian Arid Lands Draft Biodiversity Strategy Stony Plains Conservation Priorities, (2007inpreparation).DepartmentforWater,LandandBiodiversityConservation,SouthAustralianGovernment

South Australia’s Strategic Plan 2007,(2007).DepartmentofPremierandCabinet,SouthAustralianGovernment

References

South Australia’s Strategic Plan http://www.saplan.org.au/

Department for Environment and Heritage http://www.environment.sa.gov.au

Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity http://www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au

State Natural Resources Management Plan www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/nrm/state_nrm_plan/index.html

Department for Environment and Heritage (2007) No Species Loss – A Nature Conservation Strategy for South Australia 2007-2017 www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/pdfs/nsl_strategy.pdf

Threatened Species in South Australia http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened.html

Fur ther in format ion


R5.3 Developconservationlegislationtoprotectandrestorethreatenedspeciesandcommunities.

R5.4 Increaseinvestmentinlandscape-scalehabitatreconstructiontoachieveSouthAustralia’sStrategicPlantargetT3.1(Losenospecies)andtofacilitateadaptationofecosystemsandspeciestoclimatechange.

ForfurtherdetailonSouthAustralia’s Strategic Planvisitwww.stateplan.sa.gov.au

R5.3 R5.4

Growing Prosperity T1.22

Improving Wellbeing

Attaining Sustainability T3.1 T3.1


Building Communities T5.9




• Abundanceofrabbits:INCREASINGduetoreducedfrequencyandsporadicnatureofoutbreaksofRabbitHaemorrhagicDisease.

• Abundanceofferalcats:INCREASINGintheAdelaideandMountLoftyRangesregionandAridLands.

• Abundanceofferalcamels:INCREASING

• Abundanceofferalgoats:INCREASINGintheAridZone;DECLININGonKangarooIslandduetoeffectiveeradication.

• Abundanceoffoxes:DECLININGinhighpriorityconservationareasandwherelivestockprotectionisrequired.STABLEinotherpartsofthestate.

• Abundanceofferalpigs:STABLEintheRiverlandandfarnortheastAridLands;SLOWLY DECLININGonKangarooIslandduetoeradication.

• Distributionofbridalcreeper:INCREASING;abundanceSTABLEorDECLININGinmostaffectedregionsduetobiologicalcontrol.

• Distributionofferalolivesandsilverleafnightshade:INCREASINGinallaffectedregions.

• Distributionofblackberry:STABLEinmostregions;DECLININGintheAdelaideandMountLoftyregionandonEyrePeninsula.

• Distributionofboneseed:STABLEfromtheAridLandstoSouthEastregions;DECLININGintheAdelaideandMountLoftyRangesregion.

• Distributionofgorse:DECLININGduetointensivecontrolprogramsacrossallregions.

• Number of identified marine pests: STABLE

Trends

GoalsIn t roduced Species T3.1 Losenospecies:losenoknown

nativespeciesasaresultofhumanimpacts.

South Australia’s Strategic Plan 2007

Integratedmanagementofbiologicalthreatstominimiseriskstonaturalsystems,communitiesandindustry.

South Australian Natural Resources Management (NRM) Plan 2006 – Goal 4

Introduced Species and a sustainable South Australia

Biologicalinvasionsbynon-nativespeciesarealeadingthreattonaturalecosystemsandbiodiversity(WalkerandStefan,1997).InSouthAustralia,invasiveanimalspecieshavecausedthelossofabundanceofnativeplantandanimalspecies,whichoftenleadstoecosystemchange.

SinceEuropeansettlementinSouthAustralia24terrestrialmammalspecieshavebecomeextinctwiththeintroducedfoxandrabbitimplicatedinmostofthoselosses.Thevascularlandflora of the state now consists of 3378 nativespeciesand1288introducedspecies(Barker et al.,2005).

Invasivespeciesimposeenormouseconomiccostsonagriculture,forestry,fisheries and other human enterprises. A recentnationalsurveybytheAustralianBureauofStatistics(ABS)foundthatweedsandpestsrankedasthehighestNRMissueamongstfarmers,havingsignificant financial impact in terms of lossesincropsandlivestockproduction,andthecostsofcontrol.Ofthevariousinvasivespecies,weedscausethegreatest financial losses, more than $600mperannuminSouthAustralia.

Whiletheeffortstocontrolestablishedweedscontinue,itisalsonecessarytominimisethechancesofnewonesbecoming established. There is significant effortappliedinagriculturalareasduetotheextentoftheproblemhowever,thepastoralareaalsohasriskthatrequiremanagement.Anumberofnewandsmallincursionsthatcouldbeeradicatedhaveoccurredinpastoralareas,butarereceivingminimalattention.Itisimportant

Key facts • Around65%ofSouthAustralia’s

weedswereoriginallyintroducedasgardenplants.

• SevenspeciesofferaldeerhavebeendetectedinSouthAustralia.

• Eightvegetables,12pulseandoilseedcrops,and12nativeplants have been confirmed as potentialhostsoftheparasiticplantbranchedbroomrape(Introducedspecies)

• Geneticresistancetorabbithaemorrhagicdisease(RHD)has been confirmed in SouthAustralianrabbits,withpopulationsrecoveringtohighdensities.

• TheNatural Resources Management Act 2004 providestheframeworkformanagementofkeypestplantsandterrestrialpestanimalsinSouthAustralia.

In t roduced Species

R5.3 R5.4

Growing Prosperity T1.22

Improving Wellbeing

Attaining Sustainability T3.1 T3.1


Building Communities T5.9




B IODIVERSITY

torecogniseinthepastorallandscapethatintroducedspeciesposethemostsignificant threat to landscape condition andthereisastrongneedforlargescale,crossboundaryprograms.

Invasivespeciescanalsohavesocialimpacts,suchasthreatstothestate’srecreational fishing from Caulerpa taxifolia,impactsonhumanhealthduetostarlingsandferalpigeonsfoulingrainwater supplies and increased fire risk frominvasivegrassessuchasCoolataigrassinperi-urbanareas.Thethreatofstingingattacksfromimportedredfire ants highlights the importance of attemptingtoeradicatepestsshortlyafterarrivaltoavoidgreatexpansionoftheirrange.TheseantsarecurrentlypresentonlyinQueensland,andSouthAustraliaiscontributingtoamajoreradicationprogramtopreventthemspreadingelsewhereinAustralia.

Manyinvasivespecieswereoriginallyimportedforuseaspets,gardenplantsorfood,andhavesincebecomeseriouspeststhroughdeliberatereleaseorescapefromproperties.Common(Indian)MynaswerereleaseddeliberatelyinCanberrainthelate1960sasasongbird,butarenowanestablishedpestinthecity,pushingoutnativebirds.MynasareapotentialpestforSouthAustraliaandreportsofincursionsaredealtwithpromptly.

Weedssuchasbridalcreeper,Englishbroom,boneseedandfountaingrassareescapedgardenplants,whilethestate’sCaulerpa taxifolia infestationprobablyoriginatedfromahouseholdaquarium.Therearestrictcontrolsoverthekeepingofexoticanimalsduetoconcernsforpublicsafetyandpotentialriskstotheenvironmentandprimaryindustries.

Invasivespeciesposecurrentandpotentialthreatsinterrestrial,riparianandmarineenvironmentsstatewide.Lifeformsincludevertebrates,invertebrates,plants,algaeandpathogens(includingfungal,bacterialandviral).Therearenumerouswaysinwhichinvasiveintroducedspeciesaffectnativespecies,ecosystems,primaryindustriesandcommunities,includingcompetition,predation,disease,physicalbarriersandinjuries.

Someinvasivespeciescanirreversiblytransformecosystemsbychangingwater, nutrient, soil and/or fire cycles. Theaccelerationofinternationaltradeandtraveloverthepastcenturyandthedevelopmentofcomplextransport

networkswithinAustralia,hasenabledbothdeliberateandinadvertentmovementofintroducedspecies,oftendeliveringunexpectedandsometimesdisastrousconsequences.

Asasocietyweneedtomanageexistingpeststoreducetheirimpactandpreventfurtherspread,whilebeingpreparedtorespondtonewthreatsfromexoticincursions.

Theimpactofadverseclimatechangeonthedistributionofintroducedspeciescould be significant. Species that arecurrentlyrestrictedinrangeduetoclimaticunsuitabilitymayspreadwithclimatechange.ItispossiblethatpredictedclimatescenariosmaybettersuitMediterraneanpestspeciessuchasferalolivesandalsoinadrierclimate,enablethespreadofaridlandspeciessuchascamels.Afurtherimpactofclimatechangewillbethatof increased fire risk with its potential impactontheestablishmentanddistributionofpestplantsandanimals.

Indicators

PRESSURE INDICATORS

• Distribution and abundance of key terrestrial, marine and freshwater pest animals and plants

Thedistributionofpestplantandanimalspeciesthatareknowntocausesignificant threats to biodiversity, primary industriesandcommunitiesprovidesanindicationoftheextentoftheircurrentimpact.

• Number of new incursions of pest plants and animals and responses

Newlyemergingpestplantsandanimalsareadditionalthreatstobiodiversity,primaryindustriesandcommunities.

“Exot ic” V “Al ien”Exoticspeciesarethoseintroducedfromoverseas.Theyincludetheclassicweedyandpestanimalsfoundworldwideandarangeoflessinvasiveanimalsandplantsthatarehumancompanions,butwithoutasavageenvironmentalimpact(egsparrows)

AlienspeciesareAustraliannativesthatarefoundinareasotherthantheiroriginallocations.Thesespeciesmayhavebeenintroducedaccidentallyordeliberatelybyhumans,ormayhaveintroducedthemselvestonewareasduetoofclimatechangeoranthropocentricchangestolanduse.Theymaybevery significant pests.

What defines a pest species?

Apestspeciesisonethathasasignificant environmental, economic, socialand/orhealthimpactovera large area, for a significant proportionofthehumanpopulationand/orthreatensnaturaloragriculturalenvironments.



Pressure Indicator: Distribution and abundance of key terrestrial pest animals

Table5.15showsthecurrentpercentageareaofkeyterrestrialanimalsinSouthAustralia,basedonnationallyagreedindicatorsoftheNationalLandandWaterResourcesAudit(NLWRA).Thegreater the figure then the greater the extentofcurrentimpacts.Coordinatedcontrolprogramsseektoreducetheareaanddensityofpestsandmaintaintheseatlowlevels.

European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

RabbitsarestillAustralia’smostwidespreadanddestructivevertebratepestdespitetheintroductionofmyxomatosisandRabbitHaemorrhagicDisease(RHD).Rabbitsarecommonandwidespreadthrough85.5%ofSouthAustralia.

RHDisnowcommonthroughoutthestatefollowingitsintroductionin1995.Outbreaksoccurregularlyeachyearthroughoutthearidzone,butlesspredictablyinhighrainfallareas.AtsitesmonitoredbytheDepartmentofWaterLandandBiodiversityConservation(DWLBC)AnimalandPlantControlGroupRHDhasdroppedtotalrabbitnumbersbymorethan70%sinceitsintroduction.

OutbreaksofRHDwerelesscommonduringthedroughtyearsof2005-2007andcurrentresearchbyDWLBCandInvasiveAnimalsCooperativeResearchCentreisendeavouringtodeterminewhetherthisisaresultofunderlying

Density Category Rabbits Foxes Feral Feral Feral Wild Dogs Feral Cats Feral Pigs Starlings Deer Camals Goats

Absent 0.5 0.5 94.6 40.2 72.5 17.1 0.0 92.7 71.0

Abundant & Localised 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Abundant & Widespread 0.0 43.4 0.0 3.4 0.0 0.0 40.7 0.1 4.9

Common & Localised 14.0 0.0 0.5 1.7 1.3 0.0 0.0 4.1 0.6

Common & Widespread 85.5 56.4 1.1 35.2 11.1 47.9 59.5 0.0 10.6

Occasional & Localised 0.3 0.0 3.6 4.2 12.7 19.6 0.0 3.3 12.6

Occasional & Widespread 0.0 0.0 0.1 15.5 2.6 15.6 0.0 0.0 0.5

Present but Density Unknown 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Unknown occurrence 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Source: created from NLWRA Draft Distribution Maps for Invasive Animals – SA 2006 www.nlwra.gov.au/Natural_Resource_Topics/Invasive_Species/index.aspxNote: figures are rounded up to nearest 0.1%, and therefore may total over 100%

geneticchangesinrabbitsorthevirus,orifitisrelatedonlytoseasonalconditions.Thedecreaseinoutbreakshasresultedinhigherrabbitnumberssince2005.

CoordinatedrabbitbaitingandwarrendestructionprogramsbyNRMBoardsremainanimportantactivitytocomplementbiologicalcontrols.IntheAridLandsregion,incentivepaymentsforwarrenrippingandthe‘Bounceback’programoperateonreservesandpastoralproperties.Severallocalactiongroupsaresupportedinthisway.OntheEyrePeninsulaandintheupperSouthEastandMurrayMallee,broadscalebaitingwith1080oatsandwarrenrippingoccurincollaborationwithlandholders.Moreincentiveprogramsareneededtoincreaserabbitharbourdestructionbylandholders.RegularmonitoringisrequiredonKangarooIslandtomaintainitsrabbitfreestatus.

European red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

TheEuropeanredfoxiscommonorabundantinmostregionsofthestatewiththenotableexceptionofKangarooIsland.Itsdistributiontendstocorrelatewiththatofrabbits,whichformamajorpartofitsdiet.Foxesarewellrecognisedasakeythreattonativefauna.

Foxcontroliscostly,labourintensiveand must be maintained indefinitely. Eradicationisnotfeasiblebecauseofthehighreproductiveanddispersalrateofthespecies.

Priorityisgiventomanagingfoxnumbersinselected,highconservationareasaroundthestate.Largescalebaitingprograms,suchasthosecarriedoutaspartofOperationBounceback(seeThreatened Specieschapter),havereducedfoxnumbersoverthepast10yearsintheFlindersandGammonRanges

Table 5.15 Percentage area of State infested by abundance class for key terrestrial pest animals

Feral Cat.



B IODIVERSITY

andonpartsoftheEyrePeninsula,andstabilisedthemintheAridLandsregion.

Elsewhereinthestate,foxesremaina problem, despite significant baiting programs.TheSouthEastNRMBoardhasalargecoordinatedfoxcontrolprogramtoreducepredationonlambs.

DevelopmentofbiologicalcontrolforfoxesisrequiredforareassuchastheAridLandsregionwherefoxeshaveinvadedextensiveareasandlabourisscarce.AnumberofNRMBoardsareresearchingbestpracticedesignforbaitingprograms.InareasofSouthAustraliawithdiverselanduses,suchastheSouthEastregion,baitingispatchyandcontrolis less efficient. In these regions varying landholderattitudestopoisonsalsoimpactonbaitingefforts.

Feral goats (Capra hircus)

Feralgoatsoccurinthesouthernandcentralareasofthestate,particularlytheGawlerandFlindersRangesandeasternpastoralareassouthofthedogfence.AerialsurveydataindicatearecentreversalinthedownwardtrendingoatnumbersthathadbeenapparentintheAridLandszonesince1990,withnumbersincreasingforeachofthelastthreeannualsurveys(seeFigure5.1).Goatstendedtoconcentratearoundwateringpointsduringthedroughtof2007,leadingtoseverelocaldamage.

Elsewhere,numbersarebelievedtobedeclining,althoughthereisalackofaccuratedata.

IntheAdelaideandMtLoftyRangesNRMregionnumbersareprobablydecliningasaresultofcontrolprogramsinseverallargeareasinfestedwithferalgoats.Thereisanincreasingproblemwithescapingdomesticgoats.

On Kangaroo Island the 2008 bushfires providedanopportunitytoaimforisland-wideeradication.Radio-collaredJudasgoatsarebeingusedtolocateanddestroyferalgoatsinamajorprojectbeingundertakenbytheKangarooIslandNRMBoard,theInvasiveAnimalsCRC,andSouthAustraliangovernmentagencies.PartsofFlindersChaseNationalParkthatwerepreviouslyinfestedwithgoatsarenowbelievedtobefreeofthispest.

Feral deer (Cervidae)

Presentin5.4%ofthestate,feraldeerstilloccurinrelativelylocalisedpopulationsintheSouthEast,MidNorth,Kangaroo

IslandandMountLoftyRanges.Therehashowever,beenanincreaseintheirabundanceanddistributionthroughoutthe state in the past five to 10 years. Thishasbeenduetoaccidentalanddeliberateliberationoffarmeddeeraswellasnaturalincreasesintheferalpopulation.

Thesizeofthisincreaseandtheabsolutenumberofferaldeerareunknown.IntheSouthEastregion,accidentalordeliberateliberationfromdeerfarmsandbyhuntersiscausingtheferalpopulationtoincreasewellaboveitsexpectedrecruitmentrate.TheSouthEastNRMBoardimplementsongrounddeercontrolprogramswithshootingfromhelicoptersbeingthemosteffective.RecentsmallliberationsofdeerwerereportedintheEyrePeninsularegionandcoordinatedlandholderandNRMBoardshootingprogramsarebeingconsidered.

OnKangarooIslandferaldeernumberswereincreasinguntil2005whenintensivemanagementofferalpopulationsbegantoreducethetrend.Fallowdeerhavebeenwildontheislandsince1999.Amanagementplanisinplaceanderadicationactionsarebeingundertakenforthisspecies.Newmethodsofferaldeerdetectionandcontrolarebeingtrialledontheisland,strongerbiosecuritymeasuresarebeinginvestigatedanddeerfarmfencesareinspectedannually.

Feraldeercompetewithnativewildlife,grazeonanddamagenativevegetation,pasturesandcrops,destroythenestsofgroundlayingbirdsandcanpose a traffic hazard on regional roads.

Feral camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Commonandwidespreadover35.2%ofthestate,feralcamelsoccurinthefarnorth,wheretheycompetewithnativeherbivoresanddamagewaterholes.

Itisestimatedthatnumbershavedoubledoverthepasteightyearsandaregrowingatarateof10%perannum.Anaerialsurveyconductedinastudyareaof62,863km2inthefarnorthwestofSouthAustraliainJune2007estimatedanaveragedensityofcamelsrangingbetween0.62-0.65camelspersquare-kilometre(Lethbridge,2007).SouthAustraliaisthoughttosupportabout18%oftheestimated750,000feralcamelsthatoccurnationally.

FeralcamelcontrolisamajorprojectfortheAridLandsNRMBoard.Currently,

RepeltheInvadersProgramKangarooIslandandmanyotheroffshoreislandshaveescapedinvasionbysomeintroducedpestsincludingrabbitsandfoxes,twoofAustralia’smostdevastatinginvasivespecies.

TheKangarooIslandNRMBoard’sRepeltheInvadersProgramisdesignedtokeepthesepestoutandtoeradicateandcontrolthosealreadypresent.TheKangarooIslandWeedsGroupassiststheboard.Speciestargetedincludeferalgoats,deer,pigsandcats,andweedssuchasbridalcreeper,bridalveilandotherspeciesthataredeclaredundertheNRMAct.

FormoreinformationonKangarooIsland’sRepeltheInvadersProgram,see:

www.kinrm.sa.gov.au/TakingAction/Controllingpests.aspx

Feral goats.


crossbordermanagementofferalcamelsinvolvesaerialshootingandresearchintore-invasionrates.

Feral cats (Felis cattus)

Feralcatsarecommonorabundantinallregionsofthestate.NumbershavefallentosomeextentfollowingintroductionoftheRHD,asrabbitsareakeysourceofprey.

KangarooIslanddatashowsnumbersofferalcatstobestable.Catcontrolontheislandinvolveslocalisedtrappingandstrongdomesticcatcontrolincluding sterilisation, confinement, micro-chippingandregistration.Non-toxicbaitswillbetrialledinthenext12monthstodetermineanyeffectsonnon-targetspecies,potentiallyfollowedbytrialstodetermineimpactsofcatsontheisland’sbiodiversity.

Effective control of feral cats is difficult to achieveasdomesticcatsarecontinuallyrecruitedintotheferalpopulation.Priorityiscurrentlygiventohighconservationareas,whichhasresultedinreducednumbersintheFlindersandGammonRangesandpartsofEyrePeninsula.

FeralcatnumbersareincreasingintheAridLandsduetoincreasinghumanpopulation,althoughtheferalpopulationlevelsarealsodependentontheprevalenceofbothrabbitsandfoxesinthisregion.IncreasedpublicawarenessoftheproblemsferalcatscausewouldbeaneffectivefuturemanagementstrategyinallregionsofSouthAustralia.

IntheAdelaideandMountLoftyRangesregionnumbersofferalcatsareincreasingandareactivelymanaged.

Feral cats remain a significant problem statewide.

Feral pigs (Sus scrofa)

Feralpigsarefoundinmorethan7.5%ofthestate,distributedacrossfourareas.

InthefarnortheasttheyoccuralongthewatercoursesandatthewaterholesoftheInnaminckaRegionalReserveandtheWarburtonCreek,andbetweenGoyder’sLagoonandBirdsvilleontheDiamantinaRiver.Thesepopulationsareephemeralandrecededuringdroughtwhenlittlepermanentwaterisavailable.

IntheRiverlandferalpigsarepresentintheupperreachesoftheMurrayRiver

fromRenmarktotheSouthAustralianborder.TheyarealsopresentatthewesternendofKangarooIsland,wheretheyarenowbeingtargetedforcontrolfollowing the 2007 fires. Feral pig control onKangarooIslandinvolvestrappingandshootingaswellasbaitingtrialsundertakenasacollaborativebetweentheKangarooIslandNRMBoardandtheInvasiveAnimalsCooperativeResearchCentre.

IntheAdelaideandMountLoftyRangesferalpigsarealsotargetedforeradication.FeralpigdistributionininlandorseasonallydryareasofAustraliaisrestrictedtothevicinityofwatercoursesand their associated floodplains.

ThereisariskoffurtherferalpiginvasionthroughinvasioncorridorsfromQueenslandandNewSouthWales.

Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)

Starlingsaredistributedacrossthestate’sagriculturalareasandarewidespreadinbuiltenvironments.Theyareapestforhorticultureandviticulture,andtheenvironment.Theyaffectamenityandcreatesocialandhealthproblemsinurbanandperi-urbancommunities.

Anecdotalevidencesuggeststhattheabundanceofstarlingsisincreasinginthewesternareasofthestate.

AresearchprojectonstarlingmanagementiscurrentlyunderwayatCedunaontheEyrePeninsula.StarlingsrequiremanagementintheAdelaideandMountLoftyRangesregiontoprotectcropping,grazing,perennialhorticulture,nativevegetationandurbanlanduses.

Feral horses and donkeys (Equus spp)

FeraldonkeysareaconsiderableprobleminthenorthofSouthAustraliaastoalesserextent,arehorses.

Donkeysareabundantinthenorthwesterlyareas,intheAlinytjaraWiluraraNRMRegionandparticularlyintheMusgraveRanges.Theabundanceofferalhorsesislowinthecentraldesertareas.

Thesepestsarefoundparticularlyaroundpermanentandsemi-permanentwatersourcessuchasspringsandrockpools,wheretheydamagesensitivevegetationandnegativelyimpactwaterquality.Theirgrazingimpactsnativevegetationacrosstheirentirerange.


Figure 5.1: Number of Goat Groups and Individual Goats,

1977 - 2007

1977

197919

8119

8319

8519

8719

8919

9119

9319

9519

9719

9920

0120

0320

0520

07

24000 400000

300000

200000

100000

0

20000

16000

12000

8000

4000

0

Go

at

Gro

up

s

Go

at

Goat Groups

Goat

Source: DWLBC


B IODIVERSITY

PRESSURE INDICATOR: Distribution and abundance of key terrestrial pest plants

Onlyasubsetofthenaturalisedcomponent of South Australian flora is abundant enough to have significant impactandofthesesomesuchasbromes(Bromus spp.) andryegrasses(Lolium spp.) havespreadtotheirecologicallimits.

DeclarationsundervarioussectionsoftheNatural Resources Management Act 2004 areusedtofacilitatethecontainmentofweedsthathavenotyetreachedtheirlimitsandthedestructionofweedsthatarenotyetestablished:90speciesaredeclaredunderthisAct.

Of the 20 Weeds of National Significance (WoNS)thataretargetsofnationalcontrolstrategies,10areestablishedinSouthAustralia.Thesearealligatorweed,athelpine,blackberry,boneseed,bridalcreeper,Chileanneedlegrass,mesquite,gorse,parkinsoniaandwillows.Afurther72plantsdeclaredunderthe Natural Resources Management Act 2004havebeenmappedbyDWLBC(dataat www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/pests).

Table5.16showsthecurrentareainfestedbysevenWoNSspeciesconsideredkeypestplants(weeds)inSouthAustralia,basedonnationallyagreedindicatorsoftheNationalLandandWaterResourcesAudit(NLWRA).Notethattherelativelyhighpercentagesfor“Absent” islargelyduetointoleranceofthelistedweeds(excludingmesquite)toaridlandconditions,howeverthismaychangeunderadverseclimatechangescenarios.

Thereisgenerallyagreaterdiversityandabundanceofweedsinsouthernareasofthestate,whichhavehigherrainfallandgreaterhumanactivity.Aswithvertebratepests,coordinatedcontrolprogramsseektoreducetheareaanddensityofweedsandmaintaintheseatlowlevels.All

weedslistedinTable5.16aredeclaredplantsunderthe Natural Resources Management Act 2004.

Bridal creepers (Asparagus asparagoides and A. declinatus)

Bridal creepers are the most significant weedscompetingstronglywithnativevegetationinthestate.Belowgroundtheyformadensematoftubers,whichpreventsregenerationofotherplants.Aboveground,annualclimbingshootsoccurfromautumntospringandsmothernativegroundcovers.Berriesareproducedenablingseedtobespreadlongdistancesbybirds.

A. asparagoides iscommonacrossthesouthernpartoftheState.ThemostcommonformissusceptibletotherustPuccinia myrsiphylli,whichhasbeendistributedasabiologicalcontrolagentbyCSIROsince2000andhasreducedtheweed’sdensityatmanysites.

Bridalcreeper’sdistributionisstillincreasingatthemarginsofitsrange,butitsabundanceisstableordeclininginmanyareasduetospreadoftherust.Unfortunatelyanewlydetectedformofthespeciesisnotsusceptibletotherust(seeincursionsbelow).

PopulationsofA. asparagoides arecurrentlystableontheEyrePeninsula,butincreasinginisolatedareas.TheSouth East NRM Board is in the final year ofathreeyearrustfungusdistributionprojectandtherustisnowestablishedinmostareas.Somechemicaltreatmenttobridalcreeperalsooccursinthisregion.

ThemajorityofbridalcreeperinfestationsonKangarooIslandareinfectedwiththerustfungus.

A. declinatus isscatteredonsouthernEyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, KangarooIsland,FleurieuPeninsulaand

Density Category Blackberry Bridal Branched Feral olive Gorse Mesquite Silverleafcreeper broomrape nightshade

Absent 91.0 77.1 97.6 87.2 94.0 98.8 83.5

Abundant & Localised 0.0 2.8 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0

Abundant & Widespread 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Common & Localised 2.0 1.2 0.9 2.1 0.2 0.0 1.4

Common & Widespread 0.9 6.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 0.0 2.3

Occasional & Localised 5.9 9.0 1.6 9.5 4.1 1.2 10.9

Occasional & Widespread 0.7 3.8 0.0 0.7 0.4 0.0 1.9

Present but Density Unknown 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Unknown occurrence 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Source: created from NWLWA Draft Distribution Maps for Invasive Plants – SA 2006 see www.nlwra.gov.au/Natural_Resource_Topics/Invasive_Species/index.aspxNote: figures are rounded up to nearest 0.1%, and therefore may total over 100%

Table 5.16: Percentage area of State infested by abundance class for key terrestrial pest plants

Feral horses.


theSouthEast,andisalsounaffectedbyexistingstrainsoftherust.ItisbeingtargetedforcontrolbyNRMBoardsandtheDepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritage(DEH),asisanotheremergingasparagusweed,A.scandens.

Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus sp. agg.)

BlackberryisfoundinthehighrainfallregionsofSA,fromthesouthernMountLoftyRangestothesouthernFlindersRanges,southernEyrePeninsulaandthelowerSouth-East.Itisaninvaderofnativebushandpasture,preventingaccesswithitsdensespinygrowth.

Thisweeddoeshavehabitatvalueforanumberofnativemammalsandbirds,soitisveryimportanttostageitsremovaltolimitanyadverseimpact.Thedistributionanddensityofblackberryisstable;withaccessibleinfestationscontainedbyherbicidecontrol.

NewstrainsoftherustPhragmidiumviolaceumhavebeenreleasedinSouthAustraliasince2007,butwillrequiremoretimetobecomewidespreadandhave a significant impact. Importantly, recentgeneticandtaxonomicworkhasshowntherearemanydistinctspeciesofblackberryandonlysomewillbesusceptibletotheruststrains.

Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. monilifera)

BoneseedwasintroducedtoAustraliaasagardenshrubinthe1840s.ItismostabundantamongremnantnativevegetationoftheMountLoftyRanges,withsmallerinfestationsinothersettledareasofthestate.Birdsandfoxesdispersethehardroundseedsafterbeing attracted by the thin flesh layer ofthefruit.

BoneseedpopulationsontheEyrePeninsulaarebeingtargetedforeradicationastheyfalloutsidetheNationalBoneseedContainmentLine.BoneseedhasanextremelylargepotentialdistributionintheSouthEastregionandexternalfundingandapublicawarenesscampaignhavecontributedtothemaintenanceofstableboneseedpopulationlevelsthere.

ThereisasingleknownpatchofboneseedintheParachilnaGorgeintheAridLandsregionandthatisbeingactivelycontrolled.ThereiscurrentlynoboneseedonKangarooIsland.

Intensiveprogramsofboneseedremovalbyhand-pullingandherbicides,co-ordinatedbyNRMBoards,havereduced

oreliminatedmanyofthesmallerinfestations.However,asboneseedpersistsformanyyearsasaseedbankinthesoil,infestationsmayregenerateunlessfollowupinspectionandcontrolworkismaintained.Itsdistributionmustthereforeberegardedasstableeventhoughitislessvisibleduetothecontrolprograms.

Since1990,aseriesofinsectshavebeenreleasedintheAdelaideHillsaspotentialbiologicalcontrolagents.Thesehaveeitherfailedtosurviveduetopredationbynativeantsorhavehadanegligibleimpactonboneseed.Firstreleasesoftheboneseedleafbucklemitewillbemadein2008.

Gorse (Ulex europaeus)

Thespinyshrub,gorseisaprobleminhighrainfallareasincludingtheMtLoftyRanges,ClareValleyandthelowerSouthEast.IsolatedoccurrencesonKangarooIsland,EyrePeninsulaandotherareasoftheSouthEastregionarethesubjectoferadicationprogramsundertheNationalGorseStrategy.Theoveralldistributionofgorseisdecliningduetointensivecontrolprograms.

Thegorsespidermiteisnowwidelydistributedasabiologicalcontrolagent,recentlyjoinedbygorsethrips.ThemostpromisingbiologicalcontrolhasbeentheunexpectedemergenceoftheindigenousparasiticplantCassytha pubescens attackinggorseinfestations,anovelphenomenonbeingstudiedbyAdelaideUniversityscientists.

Mesquite (Prosopis spp.)

Mesquites,variousspeciesofthegenusProsopis arethornyshrubsorsmalltreeswiththepotentialtoformdenseimpenetrablethickets.

Experienceinotherstateshasshowntheirpotentialtospreadandformthicketsthatcompetewithmoredesirablerangelandvegetationandexcludelivestock,andforthisreasonallProsopisspecieshavebeendeclared.Theyhavepersistedatafewlocalitiesinthestate’spastoralzonewheretheywereplantedintheearlytwentiethcentury.Mesquite’srangehasalwaysbeensmallandisdecliningduetointensivecontrolwork.

EradicationhasbeensuccessfulatLakeTorrensStation,IronKnob,Marree,Maldorkey,WhyallaandtheoldsaltworksatPortAugusta.ItisimportantforSouthAustraliatocontinuesupportforthenationalstrategytomanagemesquite,as

Feral deer.



itisahighriskfordistributioninthisstate.

AsurveyconductedforDWLBCin200304locatedtheremainingmesquiteatWoomera,PortAugustaandseveralpastoralstations.Eradicationoftheseinfestationsiscontinuing.

Feral olive (Olea europaea)

Feralolivesarethedescendantsoftreesplantedforfruitproduction.TheyaremostabundantintheMtLoftyRangeswheretheyestablishthemselvesinnativevegetationandformdensecanopiesthatpermanentlyreplacesomenativecommunities,notablybluegum(Eucalyptus leucoxylon)andgreybox(E. microcarpa).

OlivesarealsowidespreadintheNorthern and Yorke region. The cost and effortassociatedwithcontrolofolivesisprohibitivetomostlandholdersresultinginmanyroadsideinfestationsremainingunmanaged.Anexternallyfundedandcoordinatedcontrolprogramisrequiredtoaddressferalolivemanagementacrossthestate.

Oliveseedisspreadbybirds,especiallyEuropeanstarlings(Sturnus vulgaris),andfoxesthatfeedonthefruits.Feralolivescontribute to the fire risk as they form highly flammable thickets and regenerate densely after a fire.

Feralolivecontrolhasconcentratedontheirremovalfromsitesofhighestconservationvalue,oftenwithvolunteerlabour,andondiscouragingthesitingofnewolivegrovesinhighriskareas.Thedistributionofolivesisincreasingduetolong-rangedispersalbybirds,particularlywithneworchardplantingsaroundthestate.

Branched broomrape (Orobanche ramosa)

Branchedbroomrapeisanon-photosynthetic,parasiticweedthatoverseasimpactsheavilyonvegetablecrops,legumesandcanola.Ithasdust-likeseedandremainsconcealedundergroundexcept for a short flowering season.

Seedsgerminateandattachtotherootsofbroadleavedhostplants,includingsomenativespecies.ItsonlySouthAustralianpopulation has been confined to 7,048 Ha withina197,052HaquarantinezoneeastofMurrayBridge,monitoredannuallybyanationaleradicationprogram.

Thedistributionandabundanceofbranchedbroomrapeisdeclininganditsspreadhasbeencontainedbyintensiveinspectionandquarantine.

BIODIVERSITY

Dodder (Cuscuta spp.)

Doddersareannualparasiticplantswiththread-likestemsthattwinearoundtheirhosts,whichincludeawiderangeoflegumesandbroadleafcropplants.

Goldendodder (Cuscuta campestris)isamajorpestoflucerneandvegetablecrops,andhasbeenthesubjectofastate-levelcontainmentprogramintheRiverlandsince1981.Itsdistributionisnowstableandcontainedbyintensiveinspectionofpropertiesandriverbanks,withenforcedcontrolasnecessary.

TheSouthEastNRMBoardisimplementingaregionalpolicytodealwithisolatedincursionsofgoldendodderintotheseed-growingareas,andtocontainlocalisedpopulationsofreddodder(C. planiflora)andChileandodder(C. suaveolens).Remotedetectionmethodsarerequiredtoimprovemonitoringandsurveillanceofdoddersinthisregion.

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium)

Silverleafnightshadeisadeep-rootedperennialweedofpastureandcropping,nowpresentinallregionsoftheState.ThelargestinfestationsareintheMidNorth,easternEyrePeninsulaandupperSouthEastregionwhereregularcontrolmeasuresareimplemented.

ThereisonerecordofsilverleafnightshadeonKangarooIslandhoweveritissuspectedthatmoreinfestationsarepresent.Improvedpublicawarenessisrequiredtodetermineitsfulldistribution.

Silverleafnightshadeisdroughttolerantandformslargeinfestationsthroughspreadofseedandvegetativereproduction. Infestations are very difficult todestroybyherbicidesormanagementpractices.Controlprogramsconcentrateoncontainmentbyeliminatingsmallsatelliteinfestationsandminimisingthespreadofingestedseedbylivestockmovements.Itsdistributioncontinuestoincreaseduetolackofeffectivecontroltechniques.

PRESSURE INDICATOR: Distribution and abundance of key marine pest plants and animals

ThecoastalwatersofSouthAustraliaareunderthreatfromarangeofintroducedmarinepestspecies.Therearecurrently38marinepestspeciesrecordedinSouthAustralianwaters.Therehavebeennonewspeciesrecordedsincethe2003 State of the Environment Report.

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum

elaeagnifolium). Photo: Steven Mudge.


Marinepestscanhavemajorimpactsonbiodiversityandseafoodproduction.Pestspeciescanout-competenativeonesforhabitatandfood,therebyadverselyaffectingtheecosystemsonwhich fishing and aquaculture industries depend.Onceapestisestablishederadicationisrarelypossibleandcontrolisaveryexpensiveexercise.Biosecurityprogramsareinplacetoidentify,raiseawareness,assessandrespondtoallpests that pose a significant threat to our fish stocks and their habitats.

MostmarinepestspeciesthathaveestablishedthemselvesinSouthAustralianwatershavebeenintroducedinballastwateroronthehullsandanchorsofvisitingvessels.Anysevereincursionofmarinepestspeciesispotentiallydisastrousforthestate’scommercial and recreational fisheries causing significant environmental, economicandsocialimpacts.

Earlydetectionandmonitoringbythecommunityarevitaltoolsincontrollingthespreadandminimisingtheimpactofmarinepests.

Therearesomemarinepestspeciesthat,whilenotcurrentlypresentinSouthAustralian waters, pose a significant riskdueeithertotheproximityofpestpopulationsininterstatewatersorthesuitabilityoflocalconditionsfortheircolonisation.SpeciescurrentlyofconcerntoSouthAustralianmarinescientistsincludetheJapaneseSeaStarAsteriasamurensisandtheAsiandatemusselMusculista senhousia(bothcurrentlyinTasmaniaandVictoria)andJapaneseKelpUndaria pinnatifida (currentlyinTasmania),

The most significant marine pests that haveestablishedinSouthAustralianwatersaretheinvasiveseaweedCaulerpa taxifoliaandtheEuropeanFanwormSabella spallanzanii.

Invasive seaweed (Caulerpa taxifolia)

Caulerpa taxifolia was first discovered inWestLakesandtheupperPortRiverin2002.Thespeciesislikelytohavebeenanescapedaquariumspecimenorintroducedthroughcontaminatedrecreationalequipment.

AneradicationprogrambeganinJune2002andhaseffectivelyeradicatedthepestfromWestLakeshowever,eradicationofthePortRiverpopulationisacceptedtobeunlikely.Theweedwas identified at North Haven marina in early2008.

European Fan Worm (Sabella spallanzanii)

Thisspeciesofmarinewormisbelievedtoformdensepopulations,out-competingnativespeciesforhabitat.Itisafoulingorganismandmayalsoimpactmarineinfrastructureandaquaculturedevelopments.

The species was first found in South Australiain1985atOuterHarbourandhassince established itself. There are significant populationsofEuropeanFanWorminupperGulfStVincentandalthoughsurveyinghasbeenlimited,itisbelievedtobefairlywidespread.

PRESSURE INDICATOR: Distribution of key freshwater pest animals

Thereareanumberofintroducedfreshwater fish species in South Australia that significantly impact our freshwater ecosystems. Most pest fish are well establishedhavingarrivedinthe19thcentury.Newerthreatsaredirectlyrelatedtotheaccidentalandintentionalreleaseofexoticaquariumspecies.

Pest fish compete with native species for availablefoodandhabitat,canpredateonnativespeciesandcanalsoimpactwaterqualitywithadverseimpactsonentireecosystems.Thereisverylittleinformationavailableonthedistributionandextentofthesespecies.

KeypestspeciesincludeEuropeanCarp,Eastern Gambusia, Redfin Perch, Rainbow Trout,BrownTroutandTench.ReleaseofanyofthesefollowingcaptureisillegalundertheFisheries Management Act 2007.

SpeciesnativetootherdrainagebasinsofAustraliaareincreasinglybeingreleasedintoSouthAustralianwaterways,withunknownbiologicalrepercussions.

European Carp Cyprinus carpio

EuropeanCarphaveextendedtheirrangetoalmostthewholeoftheMurray-Darling Basin and are difficult to control. Environmentalrehabilitationisseenasameansofimprovinghabitatqualitytofavour native fish. Biological approaches to carpcontrolarealsobeingexplored.

Potentialmolecularapproachesincludeimmunocontraceptiontoreducecarpfertility,‘daughterlesstechnology’inwhichmodification of a sex-determination gene resultsintheexclusiveproductionofmaleoffspring,andtheintroductionofafatalitygenetokillindividualsatalaterdate(Koehnet al,2000).



B IODIVERSITY

Eastern Gambusia / Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

TheEasternGambusiawasintroducedtoAustraliainthe1920sformosquitocontrol.Ithadlimitedeffectivenessatthattaskandis now a significant pest in freshwater rivers andstreams.Thespeciesisabletobreedseveraltimesayearenablingittorapidlyestablishpopulations.

Redfin Perch (Perca fluviatilis)

The Redfin or European Perch is found intheMurray-DarlingBasin,GulfstreamsandtheSouthEastofSouthAustralia.Itis popular for recreational fishing and is widelystockedindamsandwatercoursesforthispurpose.Althoughwidelythoughttobeanativespecies,itisanintroducedpredator.

Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

TheRainbowTroutwasintroducedfromNewZealandinthe1890s.HavingahighertemperaturetolerancethanBrownTrout,itcaneasilyestablishself-sustainingpopulationsintheAdelaideregion.RainbowTroutfeedonawiderangeofaquaticinsects,crustaceans,molluscs,terrestrial insects and native fishes and as suchposeaseriousthreattobiodiversity.

Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)

TheBrownTroutwasintroducedinthe1860sandhasspreadwithhumanassistanceandbymigration.Self-sustainingpopulations require cool, swiftly flowing waters – conditions that are generally restrictedtotheAustralianAlpsandTasmania.PopulationsintheMountLoftyRangesaremaintainedthroughthesystematicintroductionofhatcheryrearedstockunderstategovernmentpermit.Thisisaseriousthreattolocalbiodiversity.

Tench (Tinca tinca)

TenchwereintroducedintotheRiverMurrayin1876andhavespreadrapidlythroughouttheMurray-DarlingSystem.AsmallpopulationisthoughttoexistintheOnkaparingaRiver.Tenchdonotrepresentas serious a threat to native fish as some otherspecies.

Other pest species of concern (diseases and pathogens)

Phytophthora cinnamomii isafungus-likeorganismthatrotstherootsofsusceptibleplantscausingdeath.AseriousthreattobiodiversityitislistedasakeythreateningprocessundertheEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

PhytophthorahasspreadthroughouttheMountLoftyRanges,partsofKangarooIslandandissuspectedtohavespreadtothelowerEyrePeninsula.ThereisnoknownmethodoferadicatingPhytophthoraandcontrollingitsspreadreliesonquarantiningaffectedareasandadoptingstronghygieneprocedures.FurtherinformationonPhytophthoracanbefoundatwww.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/plantsand.html

Chytridiomycosisisapotentiallyfatalepidermaldiseaseofamphibians,affectingSouthAustralia’snativefrogs(Berger et al,2004).CausedbythefungusBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis, thediseaseemergedinAustraliainthe1970sandisbelievedtobewidespread.Researchin2004demonstratedthatmortalityratesfromthefungusincreaseincoolertemperatures.

Mundulla Yellows isaslow,progressingyellowinganddiebackdiseaseofeucalypts and other native plants, first observednearMundullainthe1970s.Thecauseisnotfullyunderstoodhowever,thereisstrongevidencetosuggestthatthecauseisrelatedtosoilchemistryratherthanpathogenicorganismsandpests.Thelackofavailabilitytoplantsoftraceelementswithinthesoil,restrictedbyproblematicpHandothersoilchar-acteristics,islikelytobeamajorfactor.Thishasbeenevidencedbytherecoveryofaffectedtreesthathavehadrequiredtraceelementsimplanted.

PRESSURE INDICATOR: Number of new incursions and responses

Therehavebeenincursionsoftwovertebratepestspeciessince2003.SinglecanetoadshavebeeninadvertentlytransportedtoSouthAustralianinproduceorgoodsandasinglecommonmynawasdetectedatPortAugustaaswellastwoatPortAdelaide.Allthebirdswereremovedandnofurtherindividualshavebeenfoundatthesesites.

There have been five incursions of declaredpestplantsatthestateorregionallevelsincemid2003.Themostsignificant has been the Western Cape ecotypeofbridalcreeper.

Poisonbuttercup(Ranunculus sceleratus)wasfoundinNovember2003over6haof floodplain heavily damaged by feral pigsatChowillaintheRiverland.ThesiteisaRAMSARwetlandmanagedbytheDepartmentforEnvironmentandHeritageandtheinfestationisbeingaddressedwithaferalpigcontrol

Feral pigs on Kangaroo Island.

Photo: Scott Jennings.


program.TheonlypoisonbuttercuppreviouslyknowninSouthAustraliawasapopulationnearMurrayBridgethathasbeeneradicated.OneinfestationofAcacianilotica(pricklyacacia,aWoNS)has been confirmed at Cordillo Downs in theAridLandsregionintheNRMBoard’ssurveyandprogramonpricklebushes.Oneadditionaloutbreakofgoldendodderwasfoundin2006intheSouthEast NRM region. Officers of regional NRMBoardshavefollowedupseveralreportsoftheillegalsaleofthedeclaredwaterweedsEichorniacrassipes(waterhyacinth)and Salvinia sp.(salvinia).

Cane toads (Bufo marinus)

CanetoadsarenowfoundintheupperreachesofboththeMurray-DarlingBasinandLakeEyreBasininQueenslandandareslowlymovingdownstreamtowardsSouth Australia. Without significant humanassistance,itwilltakethecanetoadsmanyyearstocoverthedistancealongriversfromQueenslandtotheMurrayRiverinSouthAustralia.

TheriskofcanetoadsreachingtheLakeEyreBasincreeksandwaterholesinthenorth-eastofthestateisasomewhatgreaterrisk.Currentpopulationsarearound400kmupstreamfromSouthAustraliaandthelikelihoodofasignificant flood event carrying them downtheCooperCreekisunknown.

Human-aidedtransportofcanetoadsintoSouthAustraliahasoccurredwithoccasionalandrandomfrequencyoverrecentyears.TheseincidentsarerespondedtobyDWLBCandtodateonlysingleanimalshavebeenlocatedhavingbeeninadvertentlytransportedingoodsorproducefromQueenslandandtheNorthernTerritory.Althoughthereisnoriskofapermanentpopulationestablishingwhenasinglecanetoadisinvolved,areasarethoroughlysearchedandindustriesandresidentsintheimmediate vicinity are notified to confirm thatnoothertoadsarepresent.NRMBoardsandDLWBCreceivereportsofcanetoadseachyearfrommembersofthepublic.Mostturnouttobemisidentified native frogs.

Theriskpathwaysforhuman-aidedmovementofcanetoadsarebroadandspreadacrossmanyindividualbusinessesandindustriesthatmovegoodsandproducefromnorthernAustralia.Cooperationhasbeensoughtfrommajorindustrysectorssuchastheroadtransport,nurseryandfreshproduceindustries.

Informationfactsheetsoncanetoadshavebeendistributedwithinthesesectorstoencouragevigilanceincheckingproduce,machineryandpackagingbeforeandafterarrivalinSouthAustraliaforanycanetoadsinadvertentlytransportedsothattheircaptureisreportedtoDWLBC.

Western Cape form of bridal creeper

TheWesternCapeformofbridalcreeper(Asparagus asparagoides) was first identified in 2004 at eight locations in thesouth-easternSouthAustralianandwesternVictoriaborderregion(Colesetal.,2006).In2006asecondinfestationwaslocatedintheAdelaideHillsaroundtheAnsteyHillnaturereserve.

Fieldobservationsandlaboratoryresearch confirmed that this form is largely resistanttotherustbiologicalcontrolagent(Puccinia myrsiphylii),raisingconcernsthatitcouldreinfestareaswherecommonbridalcreeperhasbeencontrolled.

ThedistributionoftheWesternCapeforminthesoutheastwassurveyedin2005,identifying224locationswithatotalinfestedareaof40Ha,rangingfromMillicenttojusteastoftheborderwithVictoria.Infestationsoccurwithinnationalparks,forestryareasandonprivateland.TheAdelaideHillsinfestationwasmappedin2006,overanarea20Ha.Bothregionalinfestationsarenowsubjecttointensivecontrolprograms,managedthroughtheSouthEastandtheAdelaideandMtLoftyRangesNRMBoards.Itishopedthatlong-termannualmanagementwillleadtototaleradicationin10to15years.


The Natural Resources Management Act 2004 providestheframeworkformanagementofkeypestplantsandterrestrialpestanimalsinSouthAustralia.FormerAnimalandPlantControlBoardshavebeenconsolidatedintoeightNRMBoards,allowinganintegrationofmanagementresponsestowater,soilandpestissues.

UndertheAct,pestplantsandterrestrialvertebratepestsaredeclared,prohibitingthemovement,possession,saleandreleaseofspeciesandinmostcases,requiringtheircontrolbylandholders.DeclarationsareenforcedbyNRMBoards

Feral fox.



B IODIVERSITY

throughcoordinatedcontrolprograms,withtechnicalandpolicysupportfromDWLBCandoverseenbytheStateNRMCouncil.

NRMBoards,DWLBC,DEH,DepartmentofPrimaryIndustriesandResources(PIRSA)andindustryandcommunitygroupsalsocollaborateoneducationandawarenessactivities,research,planningandstrategiccontrolprogramsforparticularpests,industriesorregions.Thisincludesactionsfornon-declaredpests.Goal4oftheStateNRMPlan2004givesoveralldirectionforthemanagementofbiologicalthreats,complementedbytheinclusionofpestmanagementactionsinthestrategicplansofeachNRMBoard.

PestriskassessmentsforweedsandvertebrateshavebeenundertakenbyNRMBoardsusingaprocessdevelopedby DWLBC. This has identified species of

highriskandhighfeasibilityforcontrol,whichareprioritiesforcoordinatedcontrolprograms.Thisriskmanagementapproachisfosteringanincreasedfocusonpreventionandearlyintervention,toavoidanewsetofpestsbecomingwidespread.

Forexisting,widelyestablishedpeststheemphasisisondevelopmentofimprovedcontroltechniques,includingbiologicalcontrolandprovisionofmanagementinformation.AnumberofNRMBoardshavepestmanagementstrategieseitherinplaceorindraftform.Landholdershaveprimaryresponsibilityforpestmanagement.

TheNaturalResourcesManagementandPrimaryIndustriesMinisterialCouncils(NRMMCandPIMC)haveapprovedthedevelopmentofanationalframeworktitledAusBIOSECto

Howdowemanagespeciesforcedtomovebyclimatechange?

Speciesoccuronlyinareastowhichtheyaresuitedbyfactorssuchasclimate,thefire regime, topography, soil type and theotherspeciespresent.Ifanyoneofthesefactorschangestoorapidlyorbyasignificant amount, species need to relocate to survive.

Globalwarminghasalreadycausedsomespeciestomovehigherupmountainsinordertoescapeincreasingclimatictemperatures.Biologicalinvasionsresultingfromclimatechangewillcreateproblemsforhumansocietieswhereproductionand land tenure are based on geographically fixed parcels of land. Many native specieswillmigratetomoresuitablehabitatswhennecessaryunlesstheyhavebeen confined to an isolated patch of the landscape by human settlement and/orlandclearance.

Migratingspecies(whethernativeorexotic)maybeperceivedaspestsintheirnewhomeranges.Nativespecieswithpoormobilityorthoselivinginfragmentedhabitatsmaybeunabletomovequicklyenoughtokeeppacewithachangingclimateandmaysufferrangecontractionandeventualextinction.Suchspecieswillrequirearangeofstrategiesincludingtranslocationprogramstoensuretheirsurvival.Migrationof1-2kmayearmaybenecessarytokeeppacewiththeecologicalconsequencesofclimatechange1.Nativespeciesunabletorelocatethatquicklywillneedtranslocationprogramstoensuretheirsurvival.

ReferenceCramer,W.,Shugart,H.H.,Noble,I.R.,Woodward,F.I.,Bugmann,H.,Bondeau,A.,Foley,J.A.,Gardner,R.H.,Lauenroth,W.K.,Pitelka,L.F.,andSutherst,R.W.Ecosystemcompositionandstructure(1999).Theterrestrialbiosphereandglobalchange:implicationsfornaturalandmanagedecosystems.EditorsB.Walker,B., Steffen, W., Canadell, J., and Ingram, J. Cambridge University Press, pp. 190–228. Cambridge

Blackberry.


improvepreparednessandcapacitytorespondtobiosecurityissues.Astatebiosecuritystrategyisbeingdevelopedin2008jointlybyDWLBC,PIRSAandDEHtoidentifypriorityareasforpreparedness,prevention,incursionresponseandongoingmanagementofpestsanddiseaseswithinSouthAustralia.

Management of terrestrial vertebrate pests

Atthenationallevel,theVertebratePestsCommitteesetspolicydirectionstoachievebetteroutcomesformanagingpestanimalsandledthedevelopmentoftheAustralianPestAnimalStrategy.TheimplementationofthisstrategywithinSouthAustraliaisbeingledbyDWLBC.

In2005thegovernmentadoptedtheSouth Australian Deer Strategywiththeobjectiveofreducingtheimpactofferaldeer.Actionsimplementedincludeinspectionsoffencesondeerfarms,appointmentoftheSouthEastDeerAdvisoryCommittee,landholdersurveysonthedistributionandimpactofferaldeerfortheMidNorthandSouthEastandaneradicationprogramonKangarooIsland.

TheSouthAustralianAridLandsNRMBoardisleadingaNaturalHeritageTrustfundedCross Regional Feral Camel Project.Astrategicandintegratedapproachisrequiredtoreversetherapidexpansionofthecamelproblemusingacombinationofmanagementoptions.

RecoveryofrabbitpopulationsfromtheimpactofRHDandstrategiestoextenditsusefulnessasabio-controlagentarebeingaddressedbyNRMBoards.TheyaretestingbaitreleaseofRHDasameansofinitiatingoutbreaksinareaswherethevirushasbeeninactive.Theboardsarealsoraisingcommunityawarenessofthere-emergingthreatandneedforconventionalcontrolactivities.

DWLBCiscurrentlyconductingcollaborativeresearchthroughtheInvasiveAnimalsCooperativeResearchCentre(CRC)toidentifythefactors influencing recovery of rabbit populationsfromRHD.

Largeregionalfoxprogramsfocusonkeyconservationareaswheremaximum benefits can be derived from reducingtheimpactofpredationonarangeofat-riskspeciesandprovidingasubstantialexpansionofavailablehabitat.OperationBouncebackisan

examplewithlandholdersneighbouringtheFlindersRangesNationalParkgettinginvolvedinregionalfoxbaiting.

TheCommonStarlingisparticularlyproblematiconEyrePeninsulawithverylarge flocks forming over the summer monthsandcausingenvironmental,economicandsocialimpacts.Collaborativeresearchintoaspectsofstarlingbiology,behaviourandmanagementisbeingconductedontheWestCoastandinvolvestheEyrePeninsulaNRMBoard,DWLBC,PestatPtyLtdandtheInvasiveAnimalsCRC.

Management of pest plants

TheAustralianWeedsCommitteeandtheAustralianWeedsStrategyprovidepolicyandinvestmentframeworksfornationalweedmanagement,implementedinthisstatethroughDWLBC.

Thebranchedbroomrapeeradicationprogramisanationallyfundedincursionresponseforoneoftheworld’sworstagriculturalweeds.CollaborationbetweenDWLBC,NRMBoards,PIRSAandthelocalcommunityhasenabledeffectivelimitationoftheweed’sdistributionandcontainmentofitsfurtherspread. Research has identified control techniques,whicharebeingappliedbyaffectedlandholderstopreventtheweed’semergence.Eradicationislong-termduetolongevityofsoilseedbanks.

HostingtheWoNScoordinatorforbridalcreeperhasfacilitatedgreaterawarenessanduptakeofbestpracticemanagementforthisandotherWoNSinSouthAustralia.Fiveregionalasparagusweedscommitteesoperatehere,applyingrecentlydevelopedmanagementguidestoeradicate,containandsuppresspriorityinfestationsthatthreatenbiodiversity.

FourNRMBoardshavesigned25yearMemorandumsofUnderstandingwiththeNationalGorseTaskForcetoeradicategorseinfestations.MappingofwillowspeciesandAthelpinehasenabledstrategicprioritizationofinfestationsforcontrolprograms.

DWLBCcollaborationwiththeCRCAustralianWeedManagementandtheCRCFutureFarmingIndustrieshasfostereduptakeofweedriskmanagementforthenurseryandgardenindustries,botanicgardensandnewpastureintroductions,reducingfutureweedproblems.

Rabbit plague




creeper(Asparagusasparagoides(L.)Druce)intheSouthEastofSouthAustraliaandWesternVictoria(2006),PlantProtectionQuarterly21(3),104-108

Koehn,J.,Brumley,A.andGehrke,P..ManagingtheImpactsofCarp(2000).BureauofRuralSciences,Canberra.

Lethbridge,M.R..DraftFinalReport,2007CamelsurveyofSouthAustraliaandWesternAustralia(2007),FlindersUniversity,Adelaide

Lonsdale,W.M..Globalpatternsofplantinvasionsandtheconceptofinvisibility(1999).Ecology80:1522-1536

Lynes,B.CandCampbellS.D..Germinationandviabilityofmesquite(Prosopispallida)seedfollowingingestionandexcretionbyferalpigs(Susscrofa)(2000).TropicalGrasslands34:125-128.

Rejmanek,M.andRichardson,D.M.Whatattributesmakesomeplantspeciesmoreinvasive?(1996)Ecology77:1655-1661.

SouthAustralianDeerStrategy,(2005).DWLBC,GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

StateNaturalResourcesManagementPlan2006,DWLBC,GovernmentofSouthAustralia,Adelaide.

BIODIVERSITY


R5.5 Improveincentivesandsupportforenvironmentalstewardshiponprivateland,includingforthecontrolofinvasiveplantsandferalanimalsby2012.

R5.6 Promote a national weed labelling scheme that identifies the weed potentialofspeciestoplantbuyersandsellers.

R5.7 Include the regulation of introduced freshwater fish species under natural resourcemanagementlegislation.

R5.8 Improve the early identification of pest incursions to reduce their impacts andthecostoferadication.

References

Australian Pest Animal Strategy – A nationalstrategyforthemanagementofvertebratepestanimalsinAustralia,(2007).NaturalResourceManagementMinisterialCouncil,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra.

Australian Weeds Strategy – A national strategyforweedmanagementinAustralia,(2007).NaturalResourcesManagementMinisterialCouncil,CommonwealthofAustralia,Canberra.

Barker,W.R.,Barker,R.M.,Jessop,J.P.andH.Vonow,H.(2005).CensusofSouthAustralianVascularPlantsEdn5.00.JournaloftheAdelaideBotanicGardenSuppl.1.

Berger,L.,Speare,R.,Hines,H.B.,Marantelli,G.,Hyatt,A.D.,Mcdonald,K.R.,Skerratt,L.F.,Olsen,V.,Clarke,J.M.,Gillespie,G.,Mahony,M.,Sheppard,N.,Williams,C.,andTyler,M.J.,Effectofseasonandtemperatureonmortalityinamphibiansduetochytridiomycosis(2004),AustralianVeterinaryJournalVolume82,No7,July2004,31-36.

Coles,R.B.,Willing,K.L.,Conran,J.G.and Gannaway, D.. The identification anddistributionofWesternCapebridal

R5.5 R5.6 R5.7 R5.8

Growing Prosperity T1.14, T1.9, T1.14 T1.14 T1.14 T1.14

Improving Wellbeing

Attaining Sustainability T3.1, T3.2, T3.3, T3.5 T3.1, T3.3 T3.1, T3.3 T3.1, T3.3

T3.9, T3.11





Feral olive tree ForfurtherdetailonSouthAustralia’sStrategic Planvisitwww.stateplan.sa.gov.au



Wace,N.Assessmentofdispersalofplantspecies – the car borne flora in Canberra (1977).ProceedingsoftheEcologicalSocietyofAustralia10:166-186.

Walker,B.andStefan,W.Anoverviewoftheimplicationsofglobalchangefornaturalandmanagedterrestrialecosystems(1997).ConservationEcology1(2):2

National feral animal information database www.feral.org.au

National weeds website www.weeds.org.au

Australian government weeds web portal www.weeds.gov.au

Department of Water Land and Biodiversity Conservation www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/pests

National Land and Water Resources Audit www.nlwra.gov.au/Natural_Resource_Topics/Invasive_Species/index.aspx

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