Lake McLarty Nature Reserve

2008 Management Plan No 60

2008081 LakeMcLartyMgtPcover.ind1 1 16/5/08 7:53:59 AM

CONTENTSPART A: INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11. ManagementPlanArea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22. KeyValues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23. EcologicalCharacter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34. RegionalContext. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

PART B: MANAGEMENT DIRECTIONS AND PURPOSE . . . . . . . . .65. Vision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66. LegislativeFramework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67. ObligationsandAgreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98. PerformanceAssessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119. LandTenure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

PART C: MANAGING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT . . . . . . . .1310. Biogeography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1311. Geology,LandformandSoils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1412. WetlandandCatchmentProtection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1513. NativePlantsandPlantCommunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1914. NativeAnimalsandHabitats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2215. EnvironmentalWeeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2716. IntroducedandOtherProblemAnimals . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3017. Disease. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3318. Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3419. Rehabilitation....................................34

PART D: MANAGING CULTURAL HERITAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3520. IndigenousHeritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3521. Non-IndigenousHeritage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

PART E: MANAGING VISITOR USE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3722. VisitorOpportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3723. Access. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3724. VisitorUse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

PART F INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3925. Information,EducationandInterpretation. . . . . . . . . . . .3926. WorkingwiththeCommunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4027. ScientificandResearchUse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

PART G MONITORING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN . . . . . .4128. TermofthePlan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

ACkNOwLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

MANAGEMENT SUMMARY TABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

MAP1.MANAGEMENTPLANNINGAREA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67MAP2.TENURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

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PART A: INTRODUCTIONThe planning area is located on the Swan Coastal Plainapproximately90kmsoutheastofPerthontheeasternsideoftheHarveyEstuary,withintheShireofMurray(seeMap1).

It comprises two ‘classA’ reserves;Reserve39404andReserve44978 (see Map 2). Together they cover 219 ha, and have thepurposeof ‘ConservationofFloraandFauna’.Thereservesarevested in the Conservation Commission of Western Australia(Conservation Commission) and managed by the Departmentof Environment and Conservation (the Department, DEC).The management plan recommends that the two reserves beamalgamated(seesection9Land Tenure)andofficiallynamedLakeMcLartyNatureReserve.Forthepurposesofthisplan,theywillbereferredtoassuch.

Lake McLarty, a freshwater lake, is an integral part of thePeel–YalgorupSystem,locatedsouthofMandurah(CALM1990).This system is one of the largest and most diverse estuarinecomplexesinWesternAustraliaandincludesexamplesofcoastalsaline, brackish and freshwater lakes, and marshes (such asLakesMcLarty,Mealup,CliftonandPreston).Itisinternationallyimportant as a habitat and refuge site for waterbirds and wasincludedontheListofWetlandsofInternationalImportancein1990(Ramsar1990),comprisingRamsarsitenumber482.ThesouthernpartofLakeMcLartywasaddedtothisRamsarlistingin2001.

LakeMcLarty,likeothershorebirdsitesinAustralia,lieswithinthe geographical area known as the East Asian-AustralasianFlyway.MigratoryspecieswhichusethesitearelistedundertheChina–AustraliaMigratoryBirdAgreement(CAMBA),theJapan–AustraliaMigratoryBirdAgreement(JAMBA)andmorerecently,the Republic of Korea–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement(ROKAMBA)(Seesection7Obligations and Agreements).

LakeMcLarty is includedasawetlandofnational significancein the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia (EA2001), and is classified as a Conservation Category Wetlandin the Geomorphic Wetlands Swan Coastal Plain dataset1. Inaddition,LakeMcLarty, togetherwithLakeMealup,was listedontheRegisteroftheNationalEstateaspartofthePeel-HarveyEstuarineSysteminMay1990,primarilyfortheirsignificanceto waterbirds (Department of the Environment and WaterResources2007a).

Lake McLarty is a regionally significant wetland and akey site in Western Australia for birdwatching. It providessignificantlandscapevalueinaregionofincreasingresidentialdevelopment, and is an important site for educational andresearchopportunities.

1 The Department’s Geomorphic Wetlands Swan Coastal Plain dataset isthepeakcustodialwetlanddatasetused to identifywetlandresourcesontheSwanCoastalPlain.TheDatasetdisplaysthelocation,boundary,geo-morphicclassificationandmanagementcategoryofwetlandsontheSwanCoastalPlain.

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1. MANAGEMENT PLAN AREA

ThismanagementplanincludesReservenumber39404,whichcovers the majority of Lake McLarty, and Reserve number44978, which encompasses the southern area of the lake.Therefore throughout the plan any reference to Lake McLartyNatureReservewillincludeReservenumbers39404and44978,asshowninMap22.

2. kEY VALUES

Maintaining or enhancing the key values of the reserve isthe major focus of this management plan. The objectives andstrategiesintheplanaretargetedtoensurethisisachieved(seeManagement Summary Table).Theway inwhichthesevaluesrelate to the auditing of the management plan is detailed insection8Performance Assessment.

TheoutstandingvaluesoftheLakeMcLartyNatureReservearethosethatcontributetoitslistings,bothasaRamsarsiteandasanationallyimportantwetland.Thesevaluesincludethatit:

• supportspopulationsofbirdspeciesimportantformaintainingthebiologicaldiversityoftheSwanCoastalPlain;

• providesamajorrefugeformigratorywaterbirds,especiallysomerarerspeciesfavouringfreshwaterwetlands;

• is an internationally significant waterbird habitat whichregularly supports one percent (or more) of the nationalpopulationsofsevenspeciesofwaterbird3;and

• is a rare or unique example of a natural or near naturalwetland, characteristic of those that were once widespreadontheSwanCoastalPlain.

(EA2001,DEH2003)

Otherkeyvaluesare:

• theimportanceofthereservefortheprotectionofthreatenedandpriorityfaunaspecies;

• vegetation communities representative of those oncewidespreadontheSwanCoastalPlain;and

• communityinvolvement–thelocal‘ownership’andinterestshowninLakeMcLartyasdemonstratedbythehighlevelofvolunteerismtoundertakeworksandmonitoring.

2 TheplanonlycoverstheLakeMcLartyNatureReserveanddoesnotincludeadjoiningnaturereserves,asfundingwasprovidedtotheSwanCoastalDis-tricttoinvestigate,throughamanagementplanningprocess,optionsforhabitatmanagement,particularlywithregardstocattlegrazing.

3 seeWaterbirdsinsection14Native Animals and Habitats.

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3. ECOLOGICAL CHARACTER4

Lake McLarty is one of the most ecologically importantfreshwater,seasonallakesontheSwanCoastalPlain.Ithasbeenestimated that80%of theoriginalwetlandson theplainhavebeeneitherlostorseriouslydegradedduetofilling,clearingandotherlanduseimpactssinceEuropeansettlement(Balla1996).The closed heath vegetation community around the lake isrepresentativeofcommunitiesthatwereoncemoreextensiveonthecoastalplain.Whenflooded,thiscommunityisparticularlyimportantformoultingavianspeciessuchastheEurasiancoot(Fulica atra).TheemergentvegetationatLakeMcLartyconsistspredominantlyofsomesedgemarginswhichareimportantforbreeding swans and other waterbirds. Small fragments of theintroduced aquatic weed Typha orientalis also provide somehabitatvalue.

LakeMcLartyconsistentlysupportsahighnumberofwaterbirds(Storeyet al.1997).Thelakealsosupportsarangeofinvertebratespeciesthatprovideanabundantfoodsourcetothenumerouswaterandshorebirdsthatinhabitit.Thecurrentwaterregimeatthelakecreatessuitablefeedinghabitatsforpalaearcticwadersand isoneof the few local lakes tosupport thispre-migrationfeeding(Craiget al.2004).Overthepast25years,thenumberoftimesover20000waterbirdshavebeencountedatLakeMcLartyhasincreased.

Lake McLarty provides fresh water in summer for the birdsof Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary and supports a residentbird population, as well as a large number and variety oftransequatorial shorebirds. In addition, occasional winterobservations of red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis), curlewsandpiper(Calidris ferruginea)andcommongreenshank(Tringa nebularia)indicatethatwhensuitablehabitatisavailableatthelake,italsoprovideshabitatforfirstyearmigrantswhoremainin Australia over the Austral winter (Craig et al. 2004). LakeMcLartyregularlysupportsmorethanonepercentofthetotalAustralian/world population of two Australian resident waderspecies,thered-neckedavocet(Recurvirostra novaehollandiae)(5.1% of the Australian population) and red-capped plover(Charadrius ruficapillus) (1.6%),whichqualifies itasbeingofinternationalsignificanceunderRamsarguidelines.

Atotalof160birdspecieshavebeenrecordedwithinthenaturereserve,including81speciesofwaterbirds,31and36ofwhichare protected under the JAMBA and CAMBA respectively (M.Singor, pers. comm.). In total, 41 wader species have beenrecorded at Lake McLarty, of which 29 species are migratorywaders that use the lake on a seasonal basis (M.Singor pers. comm.).LakeMcLartyistheonlywetlandinthebroaderLakeMcLartysystem(comprisingLakeMcLarty,anunnamedswampimmediately north-west, Mealup Lake, ‘Robert Bay Swamp’

4 EcologicalCharacterisdefinedintheRamsarConvention(ResolutionIX.1ofthe9thmeetingoftheConferenceofPartiestotheConventiononWet-lands,Uganda,November2005) as “…thecombinationof the ecosystemcomponents,processesandbenefits/servicesthatcharacterisethewetlandatagivenpointintime”(LambertandElix2006).

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and ‘Carraburmup Swamp’) in which the ruff (Philomachus pugnax)regularlyoccurs(albeitinlownumbers)(DEH2000b).Uncommonmigratorywaders, suchas the long-toedstintandpectoralsandpiper,restatthelakeanditisalsooccasionallyadroughtrefugeforducksontheSwanCoastalPlain.

Atthetimeofwritingthismanagementplan,theDepartment,in association with the Peel Harvey Catchment Council hadcommissioned the preparation of an Ecological CharacterDescription (ECD) for the Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar site.This is being done in accordance with the nationally agreedFramework forDescribingtheEcologicalCharacterofRamsarWetlands(DepartmentoftheEnvironmentandWaterResources2006). ECDs typically consider all aspects of a wetland; itsbiota, hydrology, geomorphology, physico-chemistry andsocial,culturalandeconomicsignificance.TheCommonwealthDepartmentofEnvironmentandWaterResourceshasprovidedpartfunding,withcashandinkindcontributionsfromDEC,thePeelHarveyCatchmentCouncilandtheCityofMandurah.

ThespecificobjectivesforthePeel-YalgorupSystemECDhavebeensummarisedasfollows:

• identify the ecosystem components and processes of thewetlands,andtheecosystemservicestheydeliver;

• developaconceptualmodel(s)thatdescribesthe‘ecologicalcharacter’intermsofecosystemcomponents,processesandservices;

• identify key ecological attributes that are impacted bythreatening processes and “limits of acceptable change”for these attributes upon which management actions andmonitoringcanbebased;and

• identifyandsummariseknowledgegapsinthedataavailableforthewetlands.

4. REGIONAL CONTExT

Lake McLarty is located within the Peel–Yalgorup System,which,atthetimeofwriting,wasoneofonly12RamsarsitesinWesternAustralia (Departmentof theEnvironmentandWaterResources 2007b). At 26 530 ha (EA 2001), it is the largestRamsar site in the south-west of Western Australia (Weaving1999).ThePeel–YalgorupSystemincludesthePeelInlet,HarveyEstuary, Lakes Mealup and McLarty and the Yalgorup Lakes(LakeClifton,LakePreston,DuckPond,BoundaryLake,LakePollard,MartinsTank,LakeYalgorup,LakeHayward,NorthandSouth Newnham Lake (Burbidge and Craig, 1996b). Althoughnotlistedinitsownright,LakeMcLartyalonemeetstheRamsarcriteriaforinternationalsignificancewithrespecttowaterbirds5

(BurbidgeandCraig1996b).

5 Criterion 5: A wetland should be considered internationally important ifit regularly supports 20000 or more waterbirds. Criterion 6: A wetlandshouldbeconsideredinternationallyimportantifitregularlysupports1%oftheindividualsinapopulationofonespeciesorsubspeciesofwaterbird.

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The Peel–Yalgorup System is the most important area forwaterbirdsinsouth-westernAustralia,withmorethan150000individuals recorded in February 1977 (DEH 2000b). The siteisrecognisedas importanthabitat forspecies listed inJAMBA,CAMBA(WetlandsConservationSociety1996)andROKAMBA,and is an important regional resource for Western Australia.The Peel–Yalgorup System has been placed on the Register ofNationalEstate(WAGovernment1992).

ThecatchmentofthePeelInletandHarveyEstuaryis11300km2andismostlycleared(DEH2000a).LandusessurroundingLakeMcLartywithinthePeel-HarveyInletcatchmentinclude:

• theKooljerrenupNatureReserve (Reservenumber23756),gazettedforthepurposeofConservationofFloraandFauna,locatedtothesouthofthelake;

• LakeMealup,whichislocatedtothenorthofLakeMcLarty.PartofLakeMealupiscontainedwithinLakeMealupNatureReserve (Reserve No. 6627) and the balance is owned andmanagedbytheLakeMealupPreservationSocietyInc.;and

• agriculturaldevelopmentzoned‘specialrural’tothenorth-east,south-westandeast,andresidentialdevelopmenttothewest.

The western side of the nature reserve is bordered by a rural– residential subdivision (Birchmont Estate). This subdivisionhas a minimum lot size of twohectares with an emphasis on“mergingofdevelopmentwiththelandscape”(ShireofMurray2004). In order to conserve the rural environment, the Shirehas stipulated that all trees and vegetation shall be retainedunlesstheirremovalisauthorisedbyCouncil.Otherconditionsinclude the requirement for a 92000L water storage tankprior to house construction (minimising the requirement forgroundwater extraction) and for all drainage water generatedwithin the estate, whether from roads or the land, to becontained on-site. Hence, adjoining land uses pose significantthreattothevaluesofthereserve.Tothisend,theDepartmenthaspreparedaGood Neighbour Policy(DEC2007),toformallystateitsaimtobuildandmaintainmutuallybeneficialrelationswithallofitsneighbours,andtooutlinethewayinwhichtheDepartmentdealswitharangeofcross-boundarymanagementissues,including:

• weedandpestanimalcontrol;

• access and activities on Department-managed lands andwaters;

• offreserveconservation;

• naturalresourcemanagement;

• fencing;

• firemanagement;and

• communityinputtoDepartmentplanningandoperations.

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ThreatstoLakeMcLartyfromthesurroundingcatchmentincludecontinued residential development, subsequent groundwaterextraction,andtheadditionofnutrientstothelakesystemviagroundwater or surface runoff (DEH 2000a). The completionof the Peel Deviation of the Kwinana freeway to the east ofthe lake (expected in2009)will increaseaccess to landwithinthe catchment and facilitate further residential development,placingincreasedpressureonLakeMcLarty(WAPC1997).

PART B: MANAGEMENT DIRECTIONS AND PURPOSE5. VISION

ThevisionforLakeMcLartyNatureReserveis:

To be recognised by the community for its international significance as a wetland providing refuge for both migratory waders and local waterbirds, and as a place where natural, cultural and aesthetic values are appreciated and protected. Natural systems and processes will continue to function, and habitats will be managed in partnership with the community to maintain and improve the lake’s Ramsar and other natural values.

6. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEwORk

Legislation and Policies

NaturereservesarecreatedundertheLand Administration Act 1997, vested in the Conservation Commission and managedby DEC. The Department has prepared this managementplan in accordance with the legislative specifications of the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 (CALMAct).Theobjective formanagementplans fornature reservesasdefinedinsection56of theCALMAct is to ‘maintain and restore the natural environment and to protect, care for and promote the study of indigenous flora and fauna, and to preserve any feature of archaeological, historic or scientific interest’.

TheDepartmentisalsoresponsibleforadministeringtheWildlife Conservation Act 1950 (Wildlife Conservation Act), whichprovidesfortheconservationandprotectionofindigenousfloraandfaunaonalllandsandwaterswithintheState.

There are a number of other Acts affecting the Department’sactivities or conferring specific powers on the Department.SomeoftheseActsarebrieflydescribedbelow.

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

The Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) establishes a legislativeframework that allows the Commonwealth to manageenvironmentalprotectionthroughanassessmentandapprovalsprocess,andbiodiversityconservationthroughspeciesandsite

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listing, recovery and management planning. The ecologicalvalues of Ramsar wetlands are listed as a matter of nationalimportanceunderthisAct,asaremigratoryspecieslistedunderthe Act, nationally listed threatened species and ecologicalcommunities, and the national heritage values of NationalHeritageplaces(MacintoshandKennedy2004).

ThepresenceofthemigratorybirdsprotectedundertheJAMBAandCAMBA,andmorerecentlyROKAMBA,affordstheplanningareaadditionalprotectionundertheEPBCAct.Anyactionthathas, will have, or is likely to have a significant impact on amatterofNationalEnvironmentalSignificance(suchasRamsarwetlands and migratory species listed under internationaltreaties) is required to undergo an environmental assessmentandapprovalsprocess.Thisislikelytoinclude,forexample,landsubdivisionsinthesurroundingarea.

TheEPBCActalsoestablishedstandardsformanagingRamsarwetlandsthroughtheAustraliaRamsarManagementPrinciples,whicharestatedasregulationsundertheAct.TheActdescribesthe principles and guidelines for the management of Ramsarwetlands(EA2001).

Environmental Protection Act 1986

The Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EnvironmentalProtection Act) provides for the prevention, control andabatement of pollution and environmental harm, and forthe conservation, preservation, protection, enhancement andmanagement of the environment. Activities that impact onwetlands, such as filling, draining, mining, discharges orclearing,areprohibitedwithoutauthorizationunderthisAct.

The Environmental Protection (Swan Coastal Plain Lakes) Policy 1992wasdevelopedunderPartIIIoftheEnvironmentalProtection Act. The purpose of this policy is to protect theenvironmental values of lakes on the Swan Coastal Plain.The policy affords the protection of the ecosystem health ofapproximately 1100 specified wetlands on the Swan CoastalPlain, including the protection of the ecological structure,functionandprocessesofthewetland,aswellastheprotectionof the beneficial uses including its use for study, education,recreation, aesthetic enjoyment and the benefit of the publicgenerally (EPA 1992). Hence, it protects the environmentalvaluesofLakeMcLartyandprohibitsanyunauthorised filling,excavation or mining, drainage (into and out of the wetland),effluentdischargeandalterationofwaterlevels.

TheEnvironmental Protection (Clearing of Native Vegetation) Regulations 2004 were developed under the EnvironmentalProtectionActtoensurethatanyclearingofnativevegetationisdoneunder theauthorityofapermit,unless theclearing isfor an exempt purpose. Exceptions do not apply in identifiedEnvironmentally Sensitive Areas6, of which Lake McLarty isone.

6 EnvironmentallySensitiveAreasaregenerallyareaswherethevegetationhashighconservationvalueandcannotbecleared.

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Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972

All registered sites within the planning area are protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (Aboriginal Heritage Act). This Act also ensures the protection of places and objects customarily used by or traditional to, the original inhabitants of Australia. A register of such places and objects is maintained under the Act, however, all sites are protected under the Act whether they have been entered on the register or not.

Native Title Act 1993

The Commonwealth Native Title Act 1993 (Native Title Act) requires that native title claimants and representative bodies be advised when a management plan is being prepared or major public works undertaken. The South-West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council is the native title representative body for the planning area and has a number of functions prescribed under the Native Title Act.

The following State and Commonwealth policies relate specifically to the management of wetlands:

Wetlands Policy of the Commonwealth Government of Australia 1997

This policy provides strategies to ensure that the activities of the Commonwealth Government promote the conservation, ecologically sustainable use and, where possible, enhancement of wetland functions. A principle aim is to ensure that the Commonwealth Government’s actions are consistent with those expected under the Ramsar Convention and, in particular, to promote the adoption of Ramsar’s ‘wise use’ principle for managing wetlands (ANCA 1997).

Wetlands Conservation Policy for Western Australia 1997

The Wetlands Conservation Policy for Western Australia 1997 (Wetlands Conservation Policy) is the result of the Government’s recognition of the fundamental importance of conserving and managing wetlands in a sustainable manner. It outlines the Government’s commitment to identifying, maintaining and managing the State’s wetland resources, including the full range of wetland values, for the long term, and identifies the agencies involved and their responsibilities. Under this policy, a Wetlands Coordinating Committee was established, with representatives from various agencies and community conservation groups, to facilitate interaction between management agencies, and coordinate the implementation of the policy and the activities of relevant agencies with respect to wetlands. This Committee is chaired by the Department and provides a forum for information exchange regarding the management of wetlands within Western Australia.

Departmental Policies

Policies of the Department specifically mentioned in this plan relate to the management of threatened species and ecological communities, weeds, fire, plant diseases, pest

Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:8Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:8 19.05.08 16:41:1019.05.08 16:41:10

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animals, rehabilitation, recreation and tourism, communityeducationandinterpretation,communityinvolvementandtheDepartment’sGoodNeighbourpolicy.ThesepoliciesarelistedintheReferencesection.

7. OBLIGATIONS AND AGREEMENTS

Australia is a participant of, and signatory to, a numberof important international conservation agreements thatinfluence the management of Lake McLarty by promotingconsistentstandardsofmanagementforwetlands.Inbecomingsignatory tosuchagreements,Australia iscommittedto fulfillcertain obligations in managing important wetlands. SuchagreementsincludetheConventiononWetlands(Ramsar,Iran,1971), JAMBA,CAMBA,ROKAMBAandtheConventionontheConservationofMigratorySpeciesofWildAnimals.

The Convention on wetlands (Ramsar, Iran 1971)

The Convention on Wetlands, (more commonly known as theRamsarConvention), is an intergovernmental treatydedicatedto the conservation and ‘wise use’ of wetlands. It encouragesContractingPartiestodesignatesitescontainingrepresentative,rareoruniquewetlandtypes,orthatareimportantforconservingbiological diversity to the list of Wetlands of InternationalImportance (Ramsar sites). These sites need to be managedto ensure their species ecological values are maintained orimproved.AustraliabecameaContractingParty in1974.LakeMcLarty, as part of the Peel–Yalgorup System Ramsar site, isincludedonthislist.

ThePeel–YalgorupSystemRamsarsitemeetsfouroftheeightRamsarcriteriaforlisting:

1. includes the largestandmostdiverseestuarinecomplex insouth-westernAustraliaandalsoparticularlygoodexamplesofcoastalsalinelakesandfreshwatermarshes;

3. isoneofonlytwolocations insouth-westernAustraliaandone of very few in the world where living thrombolites (atype of microbialite, superficially similar in appearance tostromatolites)occurinhyposalinewater;

5. comprisesthemostimportantareaforwaterbirdsinsouth-westernAustralia,supportinginexcessof20000waterbirdsannually,withgreaterthan150000individualsrecordedatonetime(February1977);and

6. regularly supports 1% of the population of at leastsix shorebirds: red-necked avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae), red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis),red-capped plover (Charadrius ruficapillus), banded stilt(Cladorhynchus leucocephalus),caspiantern(Sterna caspia)andfairytern(Sterna nereis).

(DEH2003)

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TheRamsarInformationSheetforthissitecanbeaccessedviathewebpageoftheDepartmentoftheEnvironmentandWaterResourcesat:

<http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/wetlands/search.pl?smode=RAMSAR>.

Under the Ramsar Convention, contracting parties must beinformedattheearliestpossibletimeiftheecologicalcharacterofanywetlandinitsterritoryandincludedinthelistofwetlandshas changed, is changing or is likely to change as the resultof technological developments, pollution or other humaninterference.

Japan–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA)/ China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA)/ Republic of korea–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (ROkAMBA)

Australia has signed treaties with Japan and China to protectmigratory birds. The JAMBA and CAMBA treaties provide forco-operation between the respective governments to protectmigratory species and theirhabitats.LakeMcLarty supports atotalof31and36JAMBAandCAMBAspeciesrespectively,whichplacesitasthefourthhighest-rankingwetlandforthesespeciesinsouth-westernAustralia(BurbidgeandCraig1996a).Itisalsothehighest-rankingnon-estuarinesite for thesespecies inthesouth-west(BurbidgeandCraig1996a).

In December 2006 Australia entered into a further agreementwith the government of the Republic of Korea (South Korea)for the protection of migratory birds. The agreement, knownas the Republic of Korea–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement(ROKAMBA)cameintoeffecton13July2007.

The text of the ROKAMBA is similar to the JAMBA andCAMBA agreements, requiring protection of migratory birdsfrom take or trade, exchange of research information andpublications, formulation of joint awareness raising activities,andparticipation in flyway cooperative activities. It includes alistofmigratorybirds,allofwhicharealsoincludedinJAMBAand/orCAMBA(Asia-PacificShorebirdNetwork2007).

Togetherthesethreeagreementsprovideforbilateralcooperationwith the countries responsible for key staging areas formigratoryshorebirdsintheEastAsian-AustralasianFlyway.Theagreementsalsogivea strong foundation for theconservationeffortsoftherecentlylaunchedEastAsian-AustralasianFlywayPartnership(Asia-PacificShorebirdNetwork2007).

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of wild Animals (Bonn, 1979)

The aimof theConventiononMigratorySpecies is toprotectlistedspeciesacrosstheirentiremigratoryrange.Australiahas

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been a Range State7 under this Convention since 1991. TheConvention obligates contracting parties to take measures forthe conservation of migratory species of wild animals listedunder the Convention, and for which they are a range state.Migratory species listed under this Convention are a matterof national environmental significance under the EPBC Act’sassessmentandapprovalprovisions.

8. PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

TheConservationCommissionhastheresponsibilityofauditingtheimplementationofthismanagementplanandwillmeasurethe overall management performance and the effectiveness ofitbyassessingtheKeyPerformanceIndicators(KPIs)aslistedin the Management Summary Table, and other parametersas appropriate. It is not efficient to measure all aspects ofmanagement given resource and technical impediments –consequently, indicators will target ‘key’ components of theplan. Key performance indicators are the minimum set ofindicators that enable major trends and impacts on values tobedetermined.Inthecaseofthisplan,itincludesevaluationofameasureandtarget,minimumreportingrequirementsandamanagementresponsetoanytargetshortfall.Thesecomponentsprovideabasisforadaptivemanagement,wherebymanagementisalteredifnecessarytomeetadesiredoutcome.

The Department is responsible for providing information totheConservationCommissiontoallowit toassessthesuccessof the Department’s management in meeting targets specifiedin the KPIs. The frequency of these reports will depend upontherequirementsofeachKPI,thesatisfactoryestablishmentofbaselineinformationagainstwhichtoaudit,andanyunforeseenchanges to the environmental conditions. Where a reportidentifies a target shortfall, a response to the ConservationCommission is required. The response may identify factorsthat have led to the target shortfall, and propose alternativemanagement actions where appropriate. The ConservationCommission will consider the Department’s response on thetargetshortfallandevaluatetheneedforactioninthecontextofitsassessmentandauditfunctionundersection19(1)(g)(iii)oftheCALMAct.TheConservationCommissionwillmaketheresultsofauditsavailabletothepublic.

9. LAND TENURE

The planning area comprises two ‘class A’ nature reserves:Reserve number 39404, covering an area of 184.37 ha, andReserve number 44978, covering 34.73 ha. Both have thepurpose‘ConservationofFloraandFauna’andarevestedintheConservation Commission and managed by the Department.Theyshouldbeamalgamatedintoasinglereserveof219ha.

7 ARangeState isdefinedasanystate thatexercises jurisdictionoveranypartoftherangeofthatmigratoryspecies,orastate,flagvesselsofwhichareengagedoutsidenationaljurisdictionallimitsintakingthatmigratoryspecies.

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Although the planning area is commonly referred to as LakeMcLartyNatureReserve, ithasneverbeennamedofficially. ItisrecommendedthatthetwoconsolidatedreservesbeofficiallynamedLakeMcLartyNatureReserve.

A gazetted road reserve marks the eastern boundary of thereserve,althoughit isnotusedandiscurrentlyvegetated(seeMap2).Duetothenarrowvegetatedbufferaroundthelake,theDepartmentandtheConservationCommissionbelievetheroadreserve should be added to the conservation estate. Similarly,there is alsoa significantamountof vegetationon theprivatepropertyadjacenttotheeasternsideofthenaturereservewhicheffectivelydoublesthewidthofthevegetatedbuffer.Subjecttoreaching agreement with the owners, consideration should begiventoacquiringthesevegetatedareasbydirectpurchase,oras a condition of subdivision if the current agricultural landis subdivided in future. In themeantime, theDepartmentwillactivelyencouragelandownerstoretainand/orenhancenativevegetationontheirpropertiesthroughvoluntaryagreements.

Inadditiontothelegislativerequirementsdescribedinsection6Legislative Framework, the Department and the ConservationCommissionwill recommend thatany futuresubdivisionswillbesubjecttotheprincipleofnetconservationbenefit,andthatenvironmental conditions to minimise environmental impactsshouldbedulyplacedonproponents.Thiscouldinclude:

• minimumsetbacksof100mfromthewetlandboundary(asidentifiedintheGeomorphic Wetlands Swan Coastal Plaindataset8 (DEC 2006c)) for any development (this distancemayneedtobeincreased,dependinguponthethreatsposedbytheadjacentlanduses);

• requirementsforvegetatedbuffers;

• retention or acquisition of native vegetation on privateproperty contiguous with the reserve boundary, andrevegetationrequirements;

• limits to bore extraction on adjacent private property(e.g. maximum draw of 500 kL/annum as per Birchmontsubdivision);

• largeon-sitewaterstoragecapacityforanydevelopments;

• physicalseparationofprivatesubdivisionsandthereservebyavehicleaccesstrack/roadanddog-prooffencing;

• nopublicaccesstothereserveexceptat(1)clearlydesignatedentrances through the fence and (2) on defined pathways;and

• incorporation of best management practices by adjacentlandowners.

8 Geomorphicwetlandboundarieshavebeendeterminedinthedatasetbasedoncharacteristicsofsoils,hydrologyandvegetationandprovidesamoreaccuraterepresentationofthewetlandboundarythandoesthehighwatermark.

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PART C: MANAGING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

10. BIOGEOGRAPHY

The National Reserve System Program (NRS) was adopted topreserve Australia’s native biodiversity on a regional scale,and initiate a protected reserve system that meets the world’sbest standards in terms of comprehensiveness, adequacyand representativeness (Thackway and Cresswell 1995). As aframeworkfordevelopingthisreservesystem,theNRSinitiatedtheInterimBiogeographicRegionalisationforAustralia(IBRA),which provides a framework for conservation planning for acomprehensive,adequateandrepresentativesystemofprotectedareas to conserve Australia’s terrestrial biodiversity. The NRSdividesAustraliainto85bioregions,eachreflectingaunifyingsetofmajorenvironmentalinfluences,whichshapetheoccurrenceof flora and fauna and their interaction with the physicalenvironment.Twenty-sixbioregionsoccurinWA(EA2001).

Lake McLarty is located in the Swan Coastal Plain sub-regionof theSwanCoastalPlainbioregion, a low-lyingcoastalplain,mainlycoveredwithwoodlands,whichisdominatedbybanksia (Banksia spp.) ortuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala)onsandysoils, swamp sheoak (Allocasuarina obesa) on outwash plains,andpaperbarks (Melaleuca spp.) in swampyareas. In theeast,the plain rises and is dominated by jarrah (E. marginata)woodland,whiletheoutwashplains,oncedominatedbyswampsheoak–marri(Corymbia callophylla)woodlandsandpaperbark shrublands,areextensiveonlyinthesouth(EA2000).

At the time of writing this management plan, 10.39% of theSwan Coastal Plain sub-region was secure in conservationreserves9,withanadditional5.46%otherwisemanagedby theDepartment (mainly as State forest)10. Proposals in the Forest Management Plan2004–2013(ConservationCommission2004)will increase representation. The Swan Coastal Plain has thelargestpercentageofareaclearedofanyIBRAregioninWesternAustralia (CALM 2003). Therefore it is vital to protect LakeMcLarty Nature Reserve as it contains remnants of the nativevegetationofthisregion.

The Peel–Yalgorup System is recognised as one of fourinternationally significant wetlands in the Swan Coastal Plainbioregion,with thesmallerLakeMcLartySystem identifiedasone of 25 nationally important wetlands within the bioregion(CALM2003).

9 Conservation Reserves tenure categories comprise State forest, timberreserve, national park, conservation park, nature reserve, marine naturereserve, marine park, marine management area, section 5(1)(g) reserve,section5(1)(h)reserve,ExecutiveDirectorfreeholdandmiscellaneousre-serve.

10 TenureiscurrentasofJuly2007andIBRAisversion6.1.

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11. GEOLOGY, LANDFORM AND SOILS

LakeMcLartyisashallow,oval,medium-sized,freshwaterlakewith a gently sloping bottom. Open water covers a maximumareaofapproximately2.1km(northtosouth)by1.25km(easttowest)(Craiget al.2004).Thelakeliesinanaturaldrainagedepression within the coastal plains and is isolated from theeasternshorelineoftheHarveyEstuary(distanceof600m)byavegetatedfossilduneridge(Craiget al.2004).

Thelakeispartofthe‘Bibra’suiteofwetlandswhichoccurasalinearbeltneartheinterfaceoftheBassendeanandSpearwooddune systems on the Swan Coastal Plain (Semeniuk 1988).The wetlands form as contact depressions with groundwaterimpoundedagainstaSpearwoodridge(EnvironmentalCapability1995).

Lake McLarty is located within the Spearwood dune systemand lies on the Cottesloe soil association. This associationis characterised by shallow soils, with limestone frequentlyexposed near the surface (WAPC 1997). The Spearwood dunesystem is classified as having moderate agricultural potential,althoughproductivityreliesonlargequantitiesofgroundwaterand added nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus(WAPC1997).

Thelakebedcomprisesathinlayerofsiltwhichdevelopsintoathickerlayer(40mmmaximum)ofsiltymudatthenorthernend. This overlays a firm sand with shell fragment substrate(Craiget al.2004).

Lake McLarty is classified as having a high to moderate acidsulphate soilsdisturbancerisk.The landsurrounding the lakeis classified as low risk in shallow soils (0–3m) and high tomoderateinsoilsgreaterthan3mindepth(DEC2006a).

Acidsulphatesoilsarenaturallyoccurringsoilsandsedimentsthat contain sulfide minerals, predominantly pyrite (an ironsulfide). Below the watertable in an undisturbed state, thesesoils are benign. However, if the soils are drained, excavatedor exposed by lowering the water table, the sulfides will reactwithoxygentoformsulfuricacid(DEP2003).Theacidicwaterwhichleachesfromthesesoilsisoftenhighinarsenicandheavymetals. In addition, the oxidation of iron sulphide minerals(mainlypyrite)maymake the soil extremelyacidic (Appleyard2005).

Disturbanceofacidsulphatesoilscancauseecologicaldamageto aquatic and riparian ecosystems, contaminate groundwaterwith arsenic, aluminium and heavy metals and reduceagriculturalproductivitythroughmetalcontaminationofsoils(predominantlybyaluminium)(DEP2003).Oncedisturbeditisverydifficulttostopthesoilsgeneratingaciditywithdisturbedsitescontinuingtodischargesulfuricacidandmetals intotheenvironmentforcenturies(Appleyard2005).

ThelandontheeasternsideoftheHarveyEstuaryhaspreviouslybeenconsideredunsuitableforrurallivingpurposes,asitislowlyingwithahighwatertable.However,developmentisalready

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occurringonthewesternsideofLakeMcLarty.Thisdevelopmentwill increase and demand for rural–residential subdivision ontheeasternsideofthelakeislikelywithcompletionofthePeelDeviationoftheKwinanaFreeway.

Therearecurrentlynomajorthreatstothesoilsorlandformsofthenaturereservefromactiverecreationassuchactivitiesarerestrictedtowalkingandnatureappreciation.

12. wETLAND AND CATCHMENT PROTECTION

Hydrology

Lake McLarty, like the majority of the wetlands on the SwanCoastalPlain, is a surface expressionof thegroundwaterwithwaterlevelsrisingandfallingseasonally,dependingonrainfall.Wetlandsofthesouth-westofWesternAustraliaareinfluencedbyaMediterraneanclimate.Withinthisclimateregime,waterlevels generally rise during the wetter winter months anddecrease dramatically in summer. This seasonal hydrologicalcycle creates biological, chemical and physical characteristicsuniquetothewetlandsoftheSwanCoastalPlain.

There is no natural surface drainage system for much ofthe Swan Coastal Plain as rainfall on the sandy soils rapidlypermeates through the soil to the groundwater (WAPC 1996).TherearenostreamsflowingintoLakeMcLarty.

The general gradient of the groundwater drainage patterns inthePeel–HarveyCatchmentareviatheslowwesterlymovementof groundwater from the scarp to the sea. This is relativelyconsistent across the Swan Coastal Plain (WAPC 1996). Asevaporation and a reduction in groundwater levels reduce thewaterlevelsinthelake,thegradientofthegroundwatermovestore-fillthelakefromtheeastandwest.

TheeasternsideofthelakewithintheBassendeandunesystemislowlying,flat,poorlydrainedwithhighgroundwaterconditions.Thegroundwater can rise to,or above, the surface andwater-loggingorfloodingoccurs.Thesegroundwaterconditionsrenderthe land less suitable for urban/housing development (WAPC1996).Traditionalapproachestoalleviatewaterlogging/floodingusedsubsoildrainagetolowerthegroundwaterindevelopmentareas.However thisapproachwasnotappropriateandpolicieswere introduced by the then Department of Environment topreventloweringofthegroundwatertable(WAPC1996).

SeveraldrainsthatwereconstructedintheLakeMcLartyareaintheearly20thcenturyhavealterednaturaloverlanddrainageintothelake.Drainagecontinuedintothe1960s,whenthedrainonthesouthernsideofthelakewasconstructedtoenablethesouthernareastobemoreviableforfarming(G.Langleypers. comm.).Thenaturalwatersystemthatran into the lake fromtheeastwasblockedanddivertedattimeofdrainconstruction.Priortothattime,muchofthelandsurroundingthelakewasinundated.

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There is now one major drain associated with Lake McLarty.The drainage channel immediately to the south of the lakehas been breached and diverted east-west. It is presumed thatthischannelwasformedtoreducewaterlevelsinthelakeandprovidebetter conditions forpasturegrowth in adjacent areas(Environmental Capability 1995). The western section of thechannel leads to the Harvey Estuary and the eastern sectioninto farmland. In1996aweirwasconstructedon thewesternsection of the channel to control water flow from the lake totheestuary,althoughithasneverbeenopened.Apartfromthisrecentchange,thecurrenthydrologyregimehasexistedforatleast25years(Craiget al. 2004).

Management of the drain and weir is the responsibility of theDepartment.ManagementofgroundwaterresourceswithinthePeelHarveyCatchmentistheresponsibilityoftheDepartmentofWater.

Managing water Levels

LakeMcLartyislocatedinthePeelHarveyCatchmentwithinanareaofpredominantlywinterrainfall(approx.880mm/annum)and with a high surface evaporation rate (approx. 1800 mm/annum, mainly in summer). Rainfall recorded adjacent to thelakeaverages1082mm/annum(G.Mathews,pers. comm.).Thelake is marginally seasonal, drying out in most years for 1–5monthsduringlatesummerandautumn.Thepatternofwaterlevelchangeswithinthelakeispredominantlydictatedbylocalrains, both via a direct surface inflow and an increase in thewatertable(Craiget al. 2004).

Thewater levels of the lakehavebeenmonitoredmonthlyonthewesternsideofthelakebythePeelPreservationGroupsince1996.Between1996and2003,theaveragemaximumdepthofthelakewas1m(B.Bucktin,pers. comm.).Between1996and1999, the maximum depth usually occurred between AugustandSeptember.However,betweentheyearsof2000and2003,maximum depth was recorded in October (B.Bucktin, pers. comm.).Whenwaterlevelsarehigh(evenatthelowestobservedpeak level), the lake floodswell into theMelaleuca fringe andinundates the pastures immediately to the south (Craig et al.2004).

Generally,rainfallwithinthePeel–HarveyCatchmentdecreasesmarkedly from October and is insufficient to provide inflowto the lake. This, in combination with a high rate of surfaceevaporationandaloweringofthewatertable(asaresultofhighsummer temperatures), results in a gradual decrease in thewaterlevelsofthelake(Craiget al.2004).

The cycle of inundation and drying of the lake has variedsignificantlyovertheyearsinwhichthelakehasbeenmonitored.In1988,fringingshrubswereinundatedinspring,thelakewasshallow (most less than0.3m)by late summeranddry foratleastonemonth inautumn (Craiget al. 2004).More recently(in2002and2003),thelakedriedmuchearlier,inJanuaryandFebruary, and remained dry for a longer period, six and fivemonthsrespectively.Summerdryingaidsinreducingnutrient

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cycling within the wetlands, thus reducing overall nutrientlevels.

The timing of inundation and drying of Lake McLarty isimportant for bird species and bird numbers. Although thetimingoflakedryingwasvariablewithintheyearsofsampling,the low water levels and abundant food supply, required toensuremigratorywadersbuildupbodyweight,weremaintained(Craiget al.2004).

The impacts of future development on land surrounding LakeMcLarty on the hydrology of the lake is unknown. Howeverthereispotentialfor(a)anincreaseingroundwaterextractionin the area surrounding the lake, (b) a reduction in naturalgroundwater inflows and (c) additional nutrients entering thelake,viathegroundwaterorasrunoff.Changesinhydrologyofthelakemayresultinprematuredryingorprolongedflooding,thus impacting on the feeding habitat of the waders. LakeMcLarty’scurrentwaterregimecreatessuitablefeedinghabitatsforpalaearcticwadersandisoneofthefewlocallakestosupportthispre-migrationfeeding(Craiget al.2004).

Conditions for residential development surrounding the lakeprohibit the lowering of groundwater by subsoil drainage,with cost implications for development (WAPC 1996). Theconditions of the ‘special rural’ subdivision to the west of thelakerequirealllandownerstohavea92000Lrainwatertank.Asacomparison,theresidentialpercapitaconsumptionofwaterinthePerthmetropolitanareain2004/05financialyearwas296Lperday(WaterCorporation2007).Restrictionsongroundwaterextractionfromdomesticboresapplywithinthesubdivisioninrelationtogardensandlawns,withaborelicencerequiredfromthe Local Council. The flat topography and high groundwatertablemakedrainageanimportantconsiderationinplanningforresidentialdevelopmentaroundthelake.

Groundwater levels at Lake McLarty are currently monitoredtwice annually by the Department of Water from four boreslocated within a three kilometer radius of the lake. Theestablishmentoffurthermonitoringboreswithinthesubdivisionandtotheeastofthelakeisrequiredtodeterminetheimpactofcontinuedresidentialdevelopmentongroundwaterlevelswithinthecatchment.

Managing water Quality

ThewaterqualityofLakeMcLartyisinfluencedbygroundwaterand, during periods of high rainfall, runoff from surroundingland.Nutrientsareaddedtothelakesystemasaresultofrunofffrom adjacent land and due to the presence of cattle in thereserve.WaterqualitymonitoringiscurrentlyundertakenonamonthlybasisbythePeelPreservationGroup(PPG),andatleasttwiceayearbytheDepartment.

Monthlymonitoringby thePPGbetween2001andearly2004indicatedthatthepHofthelakewaswithinthenormalrange(7.0–8.5)(B.Bucktinpers. comm.)foranon-colouredwetlandin southwestern Australia (DEH 2000a). Salinity of the lake

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was highly correlated with water depth, with the averagehighest salinity recorded in summerand the lowest inwinter.The levels of salinity at the lake ranged from 1350 mg/L inspringto9300mg/Linlateautumn.Thepresenceofsamphire(Sarcocornia spp.) at the lake is an indicator that it may bebecoming more saline (see section 15 Environmental Weeds).Continuedwaterqualitymonitoring at the lake is essential toestablish patterns/cycles in the water quality of Lake McLartyover time. Monitoring of water levels, dissolved oxygen, pH,salinity,presenceofmacroinvertebratesaswellastotalnitrogen,phosphorus and chlorophylla would give a good indication ofthehealthofthewetlandsystem.

TheDepartmenthasestablishedawetlandsmonitoringprogramin the south-west, as a component of the project “WetlandsMapping, Classification and Evaluation Program for PriorityAreas,SWWesternAustralia”.Theproject,whichincludesLakeMcLarty,isbeingconductedtoestablishbaselineconditionfora small selection of representative wetlands. The monitoringwill be conducted every six months, in Autumn and Spring,andincludeswaterquality,macroinvertebrates,waterbirdsandvegetation.

Increasedresidentialdevelopmentonlandsurroundingthelakehasthepotentialtoincreasenutrientrunoff,fromfertilisersandeffluentdisposalsystems,thusaffectingthewaterqualityofthelake.Fertilisershavebeenappliedtothelandsurroundingthelaketomaintainpasturegrowthforcattle.UndertheconditionsoftheBirchmontsubdivisiononthewesternsideofthelake,thebreedingorkeepingofstockwillnotbepermittedwithoutthewrittenapprovaloftheShireofMurrayinconsultationwiththeDepartmentofAgricultureandFood.Given thesoil structure,thewesternsideofthelakeismoreabletosustainthislandusethantheeasternside.

Aconditionofthesurroundingdevelopmentisthatanydrainagewaters generated within the subdivision will be containedon-site. In addition, public education through local and StateGovernment agencies could assist in reducing over-fertilisingand loss of nutrients to drainage. Environmental Capability(1995) advised that surrounding developments should berequired to have alternative effluent disposal systems ratherthanconventionalseptictanksandleachdrains.

Establishingnewandmaintainingexistingbuffervegetationisvitalinassistingtomaintainandimprovewaterquality.Abufferwillactasafilterandstoragefornutrients,aswellasprovidinga physical barrier to problem insects such as midges betweenthe lake and surrounding development. To maximise buffersaround the lake, fringing vegetation should be re-establishedindegradedareassuchasthewesternandsouthernshorelines.Similarly, the Department will (1) seek to add the vegetatedroadreservetotheeastofthenaturereserve,and(2)liaisewithlandownersaroundthelaketomaintainanyexistingvegetationontheirprivateproperty.Considerationshouldalsobegiventoincludingremnantvegetationontheeasternsideofthelakeasaconservationoffsetifagriculturallandissubdividedinfuture(seesection9Land Tenure).

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ManyoftheecologicalproblemsfacingLakeMcLartyandotherlakesonthecoastalplainrelate towholeofcatchment issues,withmostofthe3072km2catchmentoftheSwanCoastalPlainbeing cleared (Weaving 1999). Appropriate management ofgroundwaterqualityandlevelsisrequiredthroughoutthePeelHarveyCatchmentinordertoensurethehealthofLakeMcLartyand the ecosystems it supports. Therefore involvement by theDepartment, the Shire of Murray, the Peel Harvey CatchmentCouncilandlocallandholdersisrequiredtomanagethewholecatchmentwithanintegratedapproach.

InresponsetoahistoryofhighphosphorouslevelsinthePeel-Harvey catchment, the Environmental Protection Authority(EPA), with assistance and coordination provided by the PeelHarvey Catchment Council, is developing a Water QualityImprovementPlan(WQIP)forthePeelHarveycatchment(DEH2006).TheWQIPwillbesupportedbytheprescriptionsintheECDforthePeel-YalgorupSystemRamsarsite.

Nearly70%ofthephosphorousdischargeswithinthecatchmentcomefromagriculturalactivities(DEH2006).Urbanareasonlyaccountforsixpercentofthelandusebyareabutcontributemorethan20percentofthephosphorousinputs,predominantlyfrom gardens, lawns and septic tanks (DEH 2006). The WQIPaimstoreducecurrentphosphorousdischargesfromthePeel-Harveycoastalcatchmentbyatleast48percentinordertoreachtargetssetbytheEPAin1992.Itcontainskeyrecommendationstoachieveloadreductions,including:

• fullconnectionofallcurrentandfuturehomestoreticulatedsewerage or effective alternative onsite systems to replaceexistingseptictanks;and

• all new developments to incorporate water and nutrientsensitivedesignaccordingtolocalplanningpolicies.

(DEH2006)

TheDepartmentwillsupportsuchrecommendations,particularlywhencommentingondevelopmentproposalsonlandadjoiningLake McLarty to minimise impacts of such developments onthelake.

13. NATIVE PLANTS AND PLANT COMMUNITIES

The vegetation communities of the Lake McLarty NatureReserve have been identified as representative of types oncemoreextensiveonthecoastalplainwhicharenowofrestrictedoccurrence elsewhere. However, the vegetation within thenaturereservehaschangedconsiderablyoverthelast60years.

Between the years of 1951 and 1967 sections of the naturereserve near the Birchmont homestead were farmed. Thesouthernsectionofthelakewascleared,burntandploughedforcrops.Thisareawasfencedandcattlegrazedtheremainderofthesouthernregionsofthelake.Duringthistimethewesternside of the lake was densely covered with bulrushes (speciesunknown) and the remainder of the lake was open water(G.Langleypers. comm.).

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In 1981, a study of the lake indicated that the emergentvegetation comprised extensive stands of introduced bulrush(Typha orientalis) in the open water areas and broad areas ofBaumea (including B. articulata) sedges along the margins(Craiget al.2004).Atthistime,areasofopenwateronlyoccurredatthenorthandsouthendsofthelakeandtheovergrowthofbulrushwasconsideredapossiblethreat.Anarrowfringeoflowshrubsandpaperbarkswasmostextensiveatthenorthernend(Jaensch 1988). Little bottom vegetation was recorded at thelakeuntilautumn1997,whenextensivegrowth,predominantlyduckweed(Lemna sp.),wasobserved(Craiget al.2004).

Gibsonet al. (1994)classifiedtheLakeMcLartyNatureReserveasavegetationtyperepresentativeofdeeperwetlands(seasonallyinundated to 1m), dominated by species such as floodedgum (Eucalyptus rudis), freshwater paperbark (Melaleuca rhaphiophylla) and robinredbreastbush (M. lateritia).Averagespeciesrichnesswasverylowwhichwasthoughttoreflectthelongperiodofinundationofthiswetland.

By2001,itwasreportedthatthelakefloorwasalmostbarren,with only fragments of T. orientalis remaining (Craig et al.2004). Sedge margins had essentially disappeared, althoughstrikeswererecurringtemporarilyasthewaterrecededinlatesummer (Craig et al. 2004). Since the reduction in sedges,sparse/short ephemeral grasses and weeds have colonised thenewlyexposedlakeareas.Theeventscontributingtothelossofsedgesandreedsatthelakearenotknown.

The survey by Craig et al. (2004) describes stands of banbar(Melaleuca teretifolia) and freshwater paperbark fringing thenorthernandeasternmarginsofthelake,withanunderstoreyofTypha orientalis inplaces.Thesouth-westerncornerof thelake isdominatedbypasture and themid-western shore is anopeneucalyptwoodlandwithagrassunderstorey (Craiget al.2004).Davis(2000)recordedTuartwoodlandsonhighergroundfurtherfromthelake.

A general survey of the lake’s vegetation in 2004 listedapproximately 30 plant species. This survey identified banbaras the dominant species within the fringing vegetation(R.Kerslake pers. comm.).Large tuarts and flooded gumspersistonthewesternside,withswamppeppermints(Taxandria linearifolia ms11) and tuarts located on the eastern side ofthe lake. Other species present include spearwood (Kunzea glabrescens), freshwater paperbark, golden-wreath wattle(Acacia saligna), peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) and sheoaks(Allocasuarinaspp.).

Sixspeciesoforchidhavebeenrecordedinthenaturereserve,including two species, pink fairy (Caladenia latifolia) andcowslip (Caladenia flava), that were observed in the southernand northern regions respectively (R. Kerslake pers. comm.).Emergent sedges and rusheswere locatedon thewestern andeastern sides of the lake, predominantly Juncus kraussi andnativeandintroducedbulrushspecies,withaproportionofthe

11 Thisspeciesisconsideredtobeamanuscriptname,awaitingpublication.

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T. orientalislocatedinthecentreofthelake(R.Kerslakepers. comm.).T. orientaliswasalsopresentindisturbedareasofthelake,suchasthesouthernandeasternsides.Agriculturalgrassesand legumes found on neighbouring farms were recordedon the eastern and southern areas of the lake (see section 15Environmental Weeds).

Thewesternsideofthelakehasbeenhighlydegradedasaresultofhistoricallanduse,withalmostalloftheoriginalvegetationremoved. In July 2003, this area was fenced and rehabilitatedwith native species that were grown from seed collected inthe area. This rehabilitation to restore the fringing wetlandvegetationwasundertakenby thePeelPreservationGroup, inconjunctionwithPinjarraHighSchool.

Rehabilitationhasbeensuccessfulwithplantedspeciesbecomingestablished and regeneration of native species occurring (seesection19 Rehabilitation), althoughweeds remain a problem.Thepresenceofsignificantareasofmarinecouch(Sporobolus virginicus),anativegroundcover,withinthisrehabilitationareaisencouragingandlikelyaresultoftheexclusionofstock.

All native flora in Western Australia is protected under theWildlifeConservationAct.Protectedflorathatislikelytobecomeextinctorisrareorotherwiseinneedofspecialprotectioncanbedeclared tobe ‘rare flora’undersection23Fof theWildlifeConservationAct,andiscurrentlymanagedinaccordancewiththeDepartment’sproposedPolicy Statement No. 9–Conserving Threatened Species and Ecological Communities (subject tofinalisation).Inaddition,speciesthateitherdonotmeetcriteriafor listing as threatened because of insufficient information,have been recently removed from the threatened list, or arenear threatened and require monitoring are placed on theDepartment’sPriorityFloralist.Speciesonthislistaregroupedinto Priority categories 1 through to 5 (where 1 is of highestpriority).

TherearenoknownrecordsofrareorpriorityfloraintheLakeMcLartyNatureReserve.However,twodeclaredrareflora,onePriority112,fourPriority3,threePriority4(raretaxa)speciesandtwoThreatenedEcologicalCommunities(TECs)(onevulnerableandoneendangered)are located in theadjacentKooljerrenupNatureReservetothesouth.TheAustinBayNatureReservetothenorthofLakeMcLartyalsosupportstwoTECs(vulnerable)andtheMcLartyNatureReserve(A247329),tothenorthofLakeMcLarty,containsclosedheathwhichsupportstheuncommonplantspeciesBrachyloma pressii (DEH2003).

12 Priority1species(poorlyknowntaxa)arethosethatareknownfromoneorafew(generally<5)populationswhichareunderthreat.

Priority3species(poorlyknowntaxa)arethosethatareknownfromsev-eralpopulationsandarenotbelievedtobeunderimmediatethreat.

Priority4species(raretaxa)arethoseconsideredtohavebeenadequatelysurveyedandwhilebeingrare(inAustralia)arenotcurrentlythreatenedbyanyidentifiablefactors.

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14. NATIVE ANIMALS AND HABITATS

Lake McLarty, along with nearby Lake Mealup, provides freshwaterinsummerforthebirdsofPeel–YalgorupInletandHarveyEstuary and supports a resident bird population. The bed ofLakeMcLartysupportsareasofsedge,whichareimportantforbreedingswansandotherwaterbirds(DEH2003).Onoccasionsbetween late springandearly summer,over20000birdshavebeenobservedonasingleday(Craiget al.2004).

There has been one survey for invertebrates at Lake McLarty,conductedinthesummerof2000,whichidentifiedthatthelakesupportsahighdiversityof invertebrate fauna (Davis2000).Atotal of 46 species of invertebrates were identified, which arean important food source for the waterbirds that use the lake(Davis2000).

The Wildlife Conservation Act provides for the Minister forthe Environment to declare native species as “…fauna whichis likely tobecomeextinct, or is rare, orotherwise inneedofspecial protection”. Four species recorded at Lake McLarty–Carnaby’sblackcockatoo(Calyptorhynchuslatirostris),forestred-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso),the Australasian bittern13 and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)–areaffordedsuchprotection.

TheDepartment’sproposedPolicy Statement No. 9–Conserving Threatened Species and Ecological Communities (subject tofinalisation) also provides for the recognition of ‘priority’species.Themaskedowl (Tyto novaehollandiae) is classified aPriority3species(taxawithseveral,poorly-knownpopulations,someonconservation lands).Thisclassification identifies thatadditional research is required todetermine trueconservationstatus.

The chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), which is also classified as‘rareorlikelytobecomeextinct’,isfoundintheKooljerrenupNatureReservetothesouthofLakeMcLarty.

waterbirds

Atotalof160birdspecieshavebeenrecordedwithinthenaturereserve, including 81 species of waders and other waterbirds,31and36ofwhichareprotectedundertheJAMBAandCAMBArespectively(M.Singor,pers. comm.).Forty-onewaderspecieshave been recorded at Lake McLarty, of which 29 species aremigratorywadersthatusethelakeonaseasonalbasis(M.Singorpers. comm.).Recentcountsofhighnumbersofwaterbirdsatthelakeinclude39249birdson27December2002and31256on16January2003 (M.Singor,pers comm.).LakeMcLarty isknowntobeanexcellentplacetoobservewadersinsummerandisoneofthebestsitesinsouth-westernAustralia.

13 TheAustralasianBitternhasonlybeenrecordedatLakeMcLartyononeoccasion, in November 1983 when it was heard calling. It has not beenrecordedtheresinceandisnolongeraresidentorvisitorthere(M.Singor,pers.comm.).

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The Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) for the Peel-YalgorupRamsarsite(DEH2003)identifiessixwaderspecieswhichthesite regularly supports significant populations of (see section7 Obligations and Agreements). Four of these have beenrecorded at Lake McLarty: red-necked avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae), red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis), red-capped plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) and banded stilt(Cladorhynchus leucocephalus). More recent surveys at LakeMcLarty have identified internationally significant populationsof three additional species not listed in the RIS: black-wingedstilt (Himantopus himantopus), curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), and sharp-tailed sandpiper (Calidris acuminata)(M.Singor,pers.comm.).ItisanticipatedthatwhentheRISforthePeel-YalgorupSystemisnextupdated,thisinformationwillbeincorporated.

Lake McLarty meets the criterion for national significancefor at least 10 species: the seven named above as well asmarsh sandpiper (Tringa ategnatilis), commongreenshank (T. nebularia)andwoodsandpiper(T. glareola).Thelong-toedstint(Calidris subminuta)andpectoralsandpiper(C. melanotos)donothaveaminimumcountcriterion,althoughbasedonrecentcountsinthereserve,LakeMcLartyisnationallysignificantforthelong-toedstint.ThelakehasthehighestcountsofpectoralsandpipersfromAustralia(M.Singorpers. comm.,BurbidgeandCraig1996b),andisregionallysignificantforatleast15speciesof waterbirds. In addition, 14 waterbird species have beenrecordedbreedingatvarioustimesatthelakebetween1983and2006(M.Singorpers. comm.).

The number of birds visiting the lake has increased sincedocumentedmonitoringcommencedintheearly1980s.Sincean extensive survey of the waders and waterbirds at LakeMcLarty was conducted by Jaensch et al. (1988) between1981–85,theecologyofthelakehasbeensignificantlymodifiedwiththelossofextensiveT.orientalis bedsandBaumea sedgemargins, leaving open water and mudflats (Craig et al. 2004).The disappearance of the lake’s emergent vegetation has hadan impact on the species of birds that visit the lake (Craig et al.2004).Forexamplelittlegrassbirds(Megalurus gramineus),crakes and Australian reed warblers (Acrocephalus australis)have become less common in the reserve as the emergentvegetation has disappeared, although reed warblers are stillcommonenough(M.Singorpers. comm.).However,althoughthediversityofspeciesmayhavedecreasedslightly,theoverallnumbersofbirdsvisitingLakeMcLartyhasincreasedsincethisoriginalsurvey(fromthelate1990sonwards).Itshouldbenotedthatthenumberofbirdspotentiallyvisitingthelakeissubjectto the sizeofmigratingpopulations andglobal variations andtrends.

Lake McLarty currently provides a range of habitats thatsupport a varietyofbird species atdifferent timesof the year.Habitatssuchaslowrush-landinterspersedwithareasofopenwater or mud are important for feeding by long-toed stints,wood sandpipers, otheruncommonwaders, egrets andherons(Jaenschet al.1988).

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Exposedmudflatsareanessentialhabitatandfeedinggroundformigratorywaders,whichusethe lakeasamid-termandpost-departure feeding site (Craig et al. 2004). Between the dryingoutofthelakeandit’sre-fillingasaresultofthewinterrains,the wader species present are restricted to Australian residentspeciessuchastheblack-wingedstilt(Craiget al.2004).Highwater levels exclude migratory waders and as a result, thesebirds do not use the lake until weeks or months after theirarrivalinthearea.

The southern part of the lake is consistently used by alarge number of waterbirds, such as the glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus),yellow-billedspoonbill(Platalea flavipes)androyalspoonbill (Platalea regia)14, and including migratory waders(A.N. Burbidge pers. comm.). Resident Australian waders andmigratorynorthernhemispherespeciesdifferintheirutilisationof the lake, but both use the lake as a non-breeding feedinggroundandrefugearea(Craiget al. 2004).

Cattlehavegrazedinthereservesincethe1880s.TheDepartmenthas informally allowed this practice to continue as the cattlereducethelevelofgrassessurroundingthelake,andhave,overaperiodofmanyyears,effectivelycontributedtothecreationofhabitatfortherangeofwaterbirdsthatnowutilisethelakeonaregularbasis.

To ensure the continued presence and diversity of birds thatutilise Lake McLarty, it is essential to protect the range ofhabitats that the lakeprovides.Thiscouldentail, forexample,controlling the amount of both Typha orientalis and nativeemergentrushesandsedgestopreventexcessiveencroachmentonto the lakebed. Reducing grass/weed levels surroundingthe lake is also vital to ensure that exposed mudflats remainavailableforutilisationbywadingbirds.

Adeclineinthenumbersoflong-toedstint,woodsandpiperandtoalesserextentpectoralsandpiperandruffhasbeenrecordedin recent years (Craig et al. 2004). However, the reduction inthesespecieshasnotbeenrestrictedtoLakeMcLarty,withthelong-toed stintandwoodsandpiper showingamarkeddeclineoverthewholeoftheSwanCoastalPlainincludingForrestdaleLake,KogolupLakeandThomsonsLake(Craiget al. 2004).

TheopeningoftheDawesvilleChannelinApril1994significantlychanged the water levels of the Peel-Harvey Estuary, thusreducingtheaccessibilityofmudflatstosmallerwaders(Craiget al.2004).Thischangemayhavecontributedtothesignificantincrease in numbers of red-necked stint and sharp-tailedsandpiperatLakeMcLarty(Craiget al.2004).

In addition, adverse environmental changes at wetlands insurrounding areas (such as the increase in salinity at LakeMealup)mayhavecontributedtothechangeinbirdnumbers.Disturbances from the Peel–Harvey Estuary such as powerboats,jet-skis,fishing,crabbingandotherrecreationalactivities

14 Thesespeciesdidnotoriginallyoccurinthesouth-westandhavegraduallyextendedtheirrangessincelateinthe19thCenturyasaresult(probably)ofhuman-inducedchangestohabitatandclimatechange.

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mayhaveanimpactonuseofthelakebywaterbirds.Giventheseimpacts,andincreasingsalinitylevelsinLakeMealup,thereisgreater emphasison the regional importanceofLakeMcLartyfor the resident bird population. Increased development andassociated impacts (e.g. increased nutrient run-off, utilisationof groundwater resources, disturbance from people and pets)within the Lake McLarty catchment area has the potential tosignificantlyimpactonthisimportantwetlandecosystem.Thesefactors need to be considered when developing managementstrategiesforthenaturereserve.

Cattle

Cattle have been grazed within the area that is Lake McLartyNature Reserve since the 1880s. Until recently, cattle fromneighbouring properties continued to graze parts of thesouthern half of the reserve on an ad hoc basis. This practicehadcontinuedwithouta formal leasingarrangementwith theDepartment. However, at the time of writing, cattle had notbeeninthereserveforanumberofyears,andopinionsvaryastowhetherornottheyshouldbereinstated.

Thepresenceofcattleappearstohavebothpositiveandnegativeeffectsonthevaluesofthereserve.Observationsovertheyearsindicate that there have been benefits from cattle in reducingthelevelofintroducedgrassessurroundingthelake,whichhascontributedtothecreationandmaintenanceofsuitablehabitat(e.g.mudflats)forarangeofwaterbirds.

ThelonghistoryofcattlegrazingatLakeMcLartyhascontributedto itshighlymodifiedenvironment,which ishowitwaswhenitwasnominated for,andgained, itsRamsar listing.Hence, itisacknowledgedthatcattlegrazingwaspartoftheprocessthatcontributedtothesecircumstances.

However, there are also negative impacts of grazing. Cattlecanadversely impactwetlandecosystemsthrougherosion, theintroductionandspreadofweeds,nutrientenrichment,grazingand trampling of native vegetation, and compaction of soil.UndertheCALMActandRegulations,cattlegrazingwouldnotgenerallybepermittedwithinanaturereserve.

Possible alternatives to grazing as a means of maintaininghabitat should be investigated by the Department, and shoulditbefoundthatcontinuedabsenceofcattlefromLakeMcLartyispreferable,othermethodsofweedcontrolwouldneedtobeimplemented. Otherwise the lake would most likely becomea closed fen – much like Herdsmen Lake and the southernpart of Lake Joondalup. Based on the knowledge gained fromresearchelsewhere (e.g.Nilsson et al1982,Nilsson1985), thecurrentgrazingregimeislikelytoposelessrisktothehabitatof the internationally significantwaterbird species thanwouldthe immediate cessation of all grazing, the effect of which iscurrentlyunknown.

Department scientists are of the opinion that a scientificassessmentoftheimpactsandbenefitsofcattlegrazingshouldbeundertakenbeforetheuseofgrazingasamanagementtool

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is disregarded. Consequently, closely monitored and restrictedcattle grazing will be reinstated within parts of the naturereserve, in the short-term at least, to prevent loss of mudflathabitats until the impacts or other management options(to maintain habitat) are more fully assessed. These optionsinclude (a) regular slashing/mowing of the grass and (b)limitedapplicationofherbicide,bothofwhichhaveconstraintsassociated with them (see section 15 Environmental Weeds).Both of these would be undertaken in conjunction with arehabilitationprogram.

Any grazing that does occur will only do so under a formallease/licence, with cattle likely to be restricted to (i) specifiedareasinthesouthernandsouth-easternpartofthereserveand(ii)seasonaluse;untiltheimpactofthisactivityonthewetlandsystemisbetterunderstoodandasuitable,alternativemethodofeffectivelyreducinglevelsofintroducedgrassesisidentified.Allowing controlled grazing to occur within sections of thenature reserve will aid in determining the impact of cattle intheshort-termon:

• waterbirdpopulations;

• controlofpasturegrasses;and

• generalvegetationandwetlandhealth.

This will enable long-term decisions to be made about theongoing use of cattle as a management tool in the naturereserve.

Theareaofthereservetobegrazedwillbedeterminedthroughnegotiationswithpotentiallesseesandbasedonthesuitability/viabilityforcattletograzecertainsectionsofthelakeandhabitatmaintenanceobjectives.Thelesseewillberequiredtoconstructtemporaryfencingtocontainthecattle.However, ifnecessary,theDepartmentmaycontributetothecostofthis.Stipulationson the number of cattle permitted within the reserve will beoutlinedaspartoftheleasearrangements.

Invertebrates

Invertebratesareanessentialcomponentofwetlandfoodwebs,comprising much of the diet of waterbirds and waders. Inaddition, theymayactas indicators forassessmentofwetlandhealth(Daviset al. 1993).

Inthesummerof2000,aninformalsurveyoftheinvertebrateswasconductedatLakeMcLarty(Davis2000).Priortothisstudy,therehadbeennoprevioussurveysconductedofinvertebratesin or around the lake. Invertebrates were sampled from fivelocations around the lake so as to include free-swimminginvertebrates from shallow and deep water, and core samplesfromthroughoutthelake.Atotalof46speciesofinvertebrateswere identified, seven species from the orders Ostracoda,Zygoptera and Diptera. These seven species were consideredimportant due to their abundance in the lake and role in thefood webs that exist within the lake community, providingabundantfoodforthenumerouswaterbirdsandshorebirdsthat

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inhabit Lake McLarty (Davis 2000). The more abundant anddominant species present were considered to provide a largeproportionofbirddietsoversummer.

FurtherstudiesoftheinvertebratesatLakeMcLartyarerequiredas the previous survey was only undertaken at one point intime and the relative quality or health of the lake is difficultto establish. Summer sampling would also understate thenumberof invertebratespeciespresent(Davis2000).However,theproductivityoftheaquaticinvertebratefaunaisconsideredhigh and capable of supporting a large waterbird population(Craiget al.2004).Itwashypothesisedthatthelargenumbersof birds present on the lake during summer months may beattributedtotheabundantlifethatexistsinthelakesedimentand shallow waters near the lake edges, such as Chironomid(midge)larvae,otherDiptera(fly)larvaeandColeoptera(beetle)larvaeandadults (Davis2000).Theenergy resourcesprovidedbyinvertebratesfoundinthelakeareusedbyestuarine,inlandandmigratorybirds.

The use of bio-indicators from single invertebrate ordersmay provide a useful means of biological monitoring (EPA1987). Species such as damselfly nymphs (Xanthagrion erythroneurum), aquatic beetles (Berosus spp.) and bitingmidge larvae (Ceratopogonidae), which are associated withhealthyurbanlakes,arepresentatLakeMcLarty.Thesespeciesaresensitivetochangesinwaterqualityandtheirabundanceisadirectindicationofthewaterqualitystatus(EPA1987).

15. ENVIRONMENTAL wEEDS

TheEnvironmental Weed Strategy for Western Australia (CALM1999)(EnvironmentalWeedStrategy)describesenvironmentalweeds as ‘… plants that establish themselves in naturalecosystems and proceed to modify natural processes, usuallyadversely,resultingindeclineofthecommunitiestheyinvade’.Weeds displace indigenous plants, particularly on disturbedsites, by competing with them for light, nutrients and water.Someoftheirotherimpactsincludethepreventionofseedlingrecruitment, changes to soil nutrients, and changes to theabundanceofindigenousfauna.Theycanalsohaveasignificantadverseimpactonotherconservationvaluesbyalteringanimalhabitats, harbouring pests and diseases, and increasing firehazardorchangingfireregimes.

The Environmental Weed Strategy (CALM 1999) providesan integrated approach to weed management and ratesenvironmentalweedsashigh,moderate,mildandlowaccordingtotheirpotential invasiveness,distributionandenvironmentalimpacts. This rating system provides the basis for identifyingcontrolstrategies,withthehighestratedspeciesandspeciesthatpose a threat to conservation values within the reserve, beingthe focus for weed management (see Management Summary Table). Further guidance for management is provided by theDepartment’sPolicy Statement No. 14 – Weeds on CALM Lands (CALM1986b)andproposedPolicy Statement –Environmental Weed Management(subjecttofinalconsultation).

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Astheinter-relationshipbetweensoildisturbance,weedinvasionandnativeplantsiscomplex,weedcontrolshouldbeundertakenin a strategic and integrated manner with guidance from theEnvironmental Weed Strategy (CALM 1999). Rehabilitationof areas following weed removal is important to prevent re-invasionofweedspecies(seesection19Rehabilitation).

Atotalof13weedspecieswereidentifiedduringasurveywithinthe Lake McLarty Nature Reserve in 2005 (R. Kerslake pers. comm.). According to the Environmental Weed Strategy, twoof these species are High impact species (see below), sevenModerate,twoLow,andtwoeitherunlistedornotrated(CALM1999). Many of these weeds are pasture grasses and legumesthathaveencroached fromneighbouring farmproperties.Themajorityofthe13weedspeciesarelocatedontheeasternsideofthelakeinareaswherecattlehavebeenallowedtograze.Thespreadoftheseweedspecieshasbeenfacilitatedbythepresenceof cattle in the reserve. In addition, the increasing spread ofgoosefoot(Chenopodium pumilio)onthenorthernedgeofthenaturereserve,andthepresenceofsamphire(Sarconia spp.)areindicatorsthattheseareasmaybebecomingmoresaline.

Greatbromegrass (Bromus diandrus)and introducedbulrush(Typha orientalis) are rated as high priority weed species andposethegreatestthreattonativevegetationinthereserve.Todate there have been no major control programs undertakenforeitherof theseweeds.Greatbromegrass isa seriousweedof pastures and crops in southern Western Australia (Husseyet al. 1997). Introduced bulrush is an aggressive coloniser indisturbed wetlands in the Swan Coastal Plain (Hussey et al.1997)andhasthepotentialtoreducetheareaofopenwaterandexposedmudflatsatLakeMcLarty.

ExposedmudflatsaroundLakeMcLartyareanessentialhabitatand feeding ground for migratory waders. Colonisation andspread of T. orientalis around Lake McLarty has the potentialto significantly displace and change fringing vegetation andhencealterwaterbirdhabitat.Toensurethecontinuedpresenceof waders at Lake McLarty, it is essential that the amount ofT. orientalis be controlled to prevent encroachment onto thelakebed or lake edges. In addition, as the lake dries in thesummer months, the T. orientalis dries creating a significantfire hazard. The current distribution T. orientalis aroundthe lake provides shelter, nesting sites and a food source forbirdsandotherwildlife,andactsasabuffertonutrientinput.ThereforeitscompleteremovalneedstobecarefullyconsideredandintegratedwithrevegetationstrategiesincorporatingTypha speciesthatareendemictotheregion.

UnlikeLakeMealuptothenorthwhereT. orientalisdominatesthe main lakebed, the distribution of T. orientalis at LakeMcLartyispredominantlyconfinedtotheeasternandnorthernedgesofthelakeandisnotcurrentlyconsideredamajorthreat.It is not clear why Lake McLarty has a reduced infestationof T. orientalis compared to Lake Mealup, although waterlevels may influence the current distribution patterns. LakeMcLartyisgenerallydeeperandholdswaterforalongerperiodthroughout the year than Lake Mealup, which may reduce

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conditions favourable for the establishment of T. orientalis (P.Wilmotpers. comm.).Mappingandmonitoringthedistributionof T. orientalis at Lake McLarty and initiation of appropriatecontrolmethods isrequiredtoensurewaterbirdhabitat isnotlost(seeManagement Summary Table).

Weeds that are, or may be, a problem to agriculture or theenvironment can be ‘declared’ under the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976.ThisActstipulatesthatlandholderswithdeclaredplantsontheirpropertyareobligedtocontrolthem,althoughitalsopreservestheDepartment’srightto determine priorities and the level of control according toresources.Cottonbush(Gomphocarpus fruticosus),adeclaredweed,was located ina smallclumpon thenorth-westernsideofthelakeclosetotheroadduringthe2005survey.Outbreaksof this weed have since been treated and removed. However,controlandongoingmonitoringofitspresencethroughouttheplanningareaisrequiredoverthelifeofthisplan.

PasturegrassesdominatetheterrestrialweedsatLakeMcLarty,particularlyinthemoredisturbedareas(westernandsouthernsides) surrounding the lake.This is the resultofuse for ruralactivities and cattle grazing since the 1880s (see section 14Native Animals and Habitats).

Priorities forweedcontrolwithinthereservearebasedontheprinciples and rankings of the Environmental Weed Strategy(CALM1999),aswellastheirpotentialimpactsonbiodiversityatalocallevel.Otherlocalconcernssuchasongoingmaintenanceto limit the return of species previously controlled are alsoconsidered.

Intheabsenceofcattleinthereserve,itispossiblethatpasturegrasses will continue to proliferate and reduce the area ofmudflatavailabletowaterbirds.Hence,theplanemphasisestheneed to investigate other options for controlling these weeds,suchasherbicideapplicationandremovalbymechanicalmeans.However, there are constraints associated with both of thesemethods.Thelatterislabourintensiveandexpensive,requiresfrequentmanagementaction,andmay in itself leadto furtherhabitat degradation, while the former could have impacts onnon-target species if not carefully applied or applied at thewrong time of year. Most herbicides should not be used nearwaterways and those that can, such as glyphosate, have beendemonstratedinlaboratorystudiestobeslightlytoxictobirds,fish, invertebratesandmammals(UnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture,ForestService1995).

Suffice to say,herbicideuse is acknowledgedas analternativecontrol method for emergent vegetation. It is possible theremay be a window of opportunity for the use of herbicide butas stated previously, further research into the benefits and/orimpacts of this is needed before any such action would beundertaken in the reserve (see section14 Native Animals and Habitats).Thatsaid,itishighlyunlikelythatitwillbeusedatLakeMcLartyoverthelifeofthismanagementplan.

Any weed control will be undertaken in conjunction withrehabilitationwithnativespecies.Rehabilitationofthewestern

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and southern edges of the lake is planned. This will facilitatethere-establishmentofnativespeciesinplaceofthenumerousweed species thathavedominated these areas in thepast (seesection19Rehabilitation).

16. INTRODUCED AND OTHER PROBLEM ANIMALS

Problem animals are those species that have the potential tocauseseriousimpactonnaturalsystemsthroughdirecteffectssuchaspredation,habitatdestruction,competitionforfoodandterritory, introduction of disease and through environmentaldegradation (i.e. overgrazing). Problem animals can be eithernative species that are impacting on natural or agriculturalvalues, or feral animals that are introduced species that havebecomeestablishedaswildornaturalisedpopulations.

AprimaryobjectiveoftheDepartmentistoachievethesystematicandsafecontrolofpestanimalsonlandsthatitmanages.TheDepartment’sproposedPolicy Statement – Management of pest animals on CALM-managed lands (subjecttofinalconsultation)provides guidance for this by identifying State-wide prioritiesandstrategicapproachestomanagement.

Feral animals such as cats, rabbits and foxes, and domesticpets (cats and dogs) pose a threat to the ecosystems withintheLakeMcLartyNatureReserve.Therearealsoanumberofacclimatised ‘native’ speciespresent in thenaturereserve thatmight compete with native fauna for nest hollows, such asgalahs(Cacatua roseicapilla)andcorellas(bothlong-billedandlittle) (C. tenuirostris and C. sanguinea)15. These species, andferalbeecolonies,willbecontrolledwhenandasnecessary inaccordancewithoperationalpriorities,butatthetimeofwritingthisplan,werenotdeemedtobeasignificantproblematLakeMcLarty.

Astrategicapproachtothemanagementofanypestanimalorassemblageofpestanimalsshouldbebasedonfourkeyactivities(afterBraysher1993):

• defining the level of damage to identified values and thereduction in pest animal density required to reduce orpreventthedamage;

• developing clear objectives in terms of the desiredconservationoutcome,anddevelopingoptionsforpestanimalmanagement (e.g. localeradication, strategicmanagement,crisismanagementandnomanagement);

• implementing the favoured option: large-scale (regional)approaches to pest animal management is usually mosteffectivebutrequiresco-ordinatedactionbybothprivateandGovernmentlandmanagers;and

• monitoring/evaluatingtheplantoassesstheefficiencyofanyspecificcontroloperation.

15 Galahsandcorellas(littleandlong-billed)arenativespeciesformerlynotfoundontheSwanCoastalPlain.

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Catsandfoxesareefficientpredatorsandcanhaveadevastatingeffect on native fauna of the lake (WRC 2001). Historicallyoblongturtles(Chelodina oblonga)wereprolificatthelakebutappear to have largely disappeared (foxes have been reportedtodiguphibernatingturtles)(Craiget al.2004)andmaybeamajorcontributortotheirdemise.

Afoxbaitingprogramcommencedinthenaturereserveattheendof2006.Theprogramisplannedtocontinueonamonthlybasis for at least five years, until the end of 2011. At the endof the five years, the Department will assess the success ofthe program and determine whether there is a need for it tocontinue,resourcespermitting.

Feralcatsarepresentwithinthereservebuttheextentoftheirimpact is not known. The potential of cats (both feral anddomestic) to prey on waterbirds, particularly hatchlings, is asignificantconcern.Rabbitsarealsopresentandcaninhibittheregenerationofnativeplants,hinderingthere-establishmentofunderstoreyspeciesorgrazingonplantedseedlings.

Control of feral cats and rabbits is not currently undertakenat Lake McLarty. Control programs covering a larger area,inclusive of Kooljerrenup and Mealup Nature Reserves andpossibly surrounding agricultural land (in collaboration withlandowners),maybeconsideredinthefutureassuchprogramsare currently being undertaken at Lake Mealup (NationalHeritage Trust 2003). However at the time of writing, theoutcomesofthisprogramhadnotbeenquantified(LakeMealupPreservationSociety,pers. comm.2006).

Under the CALM Regulations, dogs are not allowed onto thereservewithoutlawfulauthority.InthecaseofLakeMcLarty,thisisconsistentwithprotectionofthenaturalvaluesofthelake,inparticularthehighnumberofwaterbirds.Adog-resistantfenceexistsbetweenthelakeandthesubdivisiononthewesternsideofthelakeinordertoreducetheimpactofstrayingdomesticdogs.Theeffectivenessofthefenceinexcludingdogsmayneedtobeimprovedduringthelifeoftheplan.Inaddition,aneducationprogram informing the public of the impact of dogs and catson waterbirds is required. One such program was establishedin2005bymembersof localcommunitygroups (suchasPeelPreservation Group and Coolup Land Conservation DistrictCommittees and local Shires) and individuals associated withtheShorebirdConservationProject(seesection25Information, Education and Interpretation).

Midges and Mosquitoes

Midges and mosquitoes are natural components of aquaticecosystems on the Swan Coastal Plain, although nutrientenrichmentpromoteshigherdensitiesof larvae.Aspoorwaterquality of a wetland can be attributed to factors occurringthroughout the catchment, management of midges andmosquitoesisundertakenonacase-by-casebasisinconjunctionwithlocalgovernment.

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Midges breed in wetlands, intertidal areas and the edgesof streams and rivers. Midge swarms from wetlands occurduring spring and summer and can affect residents living upto a kilometre from the wetlands. Midges are not currently aproblem at Lake McLarty. However, with increased residentialdevelopment surrounding the lake, problemsmay arise in thefuture.

Chemicalcontrolcanbeusedforshort-termreductioninmidgenumbers. Monitoring of midge larvae is carried out by localgovernments to determine the timing of larvicide treatmentsandtoassesstheeffectivenessoftreatments.Inthelong-term,restoring wetland health and establishing buffers betweenthe lake and residential areas will reduce midge numbers andsubsequentproblemsfromthese.

Mosquitoes are native insects that breed in salt, brackish orfreshwater.Thespeciesofmosquitopresentwithinfreshwaterand saltwater systems vary. Unlike mosquito species foundassociated with saltmarshes (e.g. Aedes camptorhynchus),species of freshwater mosquito are not commonly known forcarryingmosquito-bornediseases suchasRossRiverVirus (S.Harrington pers. comm.). Lake McLarty is therefore unlikelyto support large populations of mosquitoes vectoring virusesand to date has not been subject to aerial spraying to reducenumbers(D.Eastwellpers. comm.).

Nevertheless, Lake McLarty is monitored for mosquito larvaeand adult mosquitoes by the Shire of Murray. A mosquitomonitoringsiteislocatedatthewesternendofMillsRd,southofLakeMcLarty(EnvironmentalCapability1995).ThissitehasrecordedhighnumbersofA. camptorhynchus inthevicinityofthetrappingsiteandA. clelandi, A. camptorhynchus andCulex sp. in the trap. These mosquitoes favour warm shallow waterinshadedareasattheperipheryofwetlandsinwhichtobreed(EnvironmentalCapability1995).

Mosquito numbers will continue to be monitored at LakeMcLartyandsprayingprogramsmaybeconsideredifproblemsarisewithincreasingnumbersofresidentsinthearea.However,records from elsewhere show that spraying has led to wadermortalities(Craiget al.2004).

TheConservationCommissionopposes, inprinciple,mosquitocontrol on nature reserves, Ramsar wetland sites and otherwetlands with high conservation value. However, it doesrecognise that mosquito control adjacent to residential areasis sometimes necessary to reduce the risk of mosquito bornediseases (suchasRossRivervirusandAustralianencephalitis)ortoreduceanextremenuisance.

With an increase in the population surrounding the lake andnearbyHarveyEstuary,thereisapossibilityof futurepressureforcontrolofmosquitoesandmidgesattheirknownbreedingsites. The establishment of an adequate vegetation bufferbetweenthelakeandsurroundingdevelopmentwillreducetheimpactofthesepestinsectsonresidents(Bowenet al.2002).

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17 DISEASE

Atpresent,themostsignificantdiseasethreattoplantswithintheplanningarea is thediseaseknownas ‘dieback’, causedbythe introduced microscopic pathogen Phytophthora. TherearenowknowntobeeightspeciesofPhytophthoraoccurringwithin the native plant communities of Western Australia,although it is recognised that P. cinnamomi is the mostdamaging. Susceptible plants, once infested, are killed and inmany cases eliminated from the site leading to dramatic andpermanent changes to native plant communities and theirdependent fauna. As a result of this fungus-like pathogen,increasesinsalinityhavebeendetectedatothersitesaswellasareductionofaestheticvalues.

Infection of native vegetation with Phytophthora cinnamomiresultsinthedestructionofsusceptiblespeciesandadramaticchange in vegetation community structure. This introducedsoil-borne plant pathogen kills a range of susceptible plantspecies,particularlythosebelongingtothefamiliesProteaceae,Myrtaceae, Epacridaceae and Papilionaceae (Dieback WorkingGroup 2005). The result is not only a loss of vegetationcommunities but of habitat and food sources for nativeanimals.

P. cinnamomiisnaturallydispersedviasurfaceandsub-surfacewaterflowandbyroot-to-rootcontactbetweeninfectedplants.However,themostsignificantspreadofthepathogenoverlargedistances isvia themovementof infectedmoist soilandplantmaterial by vectors such as humans, vehicles and animals.Infestation is most common where human activities and usehavetakenplaceintheabsenceofastricthygieneregime.

A disease interpretation assessment was conducted at LakeMcLarty Nature Reserve and McLarty Nature Reserve (to thenorthof the lake) inOctober2004.Thisassessment identifiedwhetherornotthenaturereserveswere ‘interpretable’ forthepresenceofdisease(particularlyP. cinnamomi).TheentireLakeMcLarty Nature Reserve and sections of the McLarty NatureReserve were identified as ‘uninterpretable’ for the presenceof P. cinnamomi. Uninterpretable areas are those dominatedby resistant vegetation, such as freshwater paperbark. Theseresistantspecies‘shadeout’susceptibleplantspeciesmakingitimpossibletointerpretwhetherdiseaseispresent.

The preliminary assessment of McLarty Nature Reserve dididentify large interpretable areas, in which Armillaria sp. wasfound to be present. However, this fungus is native to thearea and will not pose a significant threat to the health ofthe vegetation unless the environmental conditions within orsurrounding the reserve are changed to favour the spread ofthefungus.

Dieback management within both of the nature reserves willoccur in accordance with the Department’s Policy Statement No. 3 – Management of Phytophthora and disease caused by it (CALM 1998). It is recommended that a disease survey beundertakenwithintheMcLartyNatureReserveto identifyandmapareasofdiebackandthoseareasthatareprotectable.This

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will ensure that any infestedareas are appropriatelymanaged,particularly with regards to the disturbance or movement ofinfected soil, so itdoesnot impact adverselyonLakeMcLartyNatureReserve.

18. FIRE

Some wetlands have adapted to a natural cycle of burning.However, in the case of Lake McLarty, wildfire is a significantthreat both to the natural values of the nature reserve andto adjoining properties. Disturbance by wildfire could lead tothe invasion of agricultural weeds (a major problem in manyreserveswithnarrowbufferssuchasLakeMcLarty),preventingthe regeneration of native species. Wildfire could also lead toanincreaseinTypha orientalis acrossthelakebed.Thisspeciesis highly flammable, persists and spreads after fire, and largeinfestationsconstituteamajorfirehazard.

Intheeventofafirewithinthenaturereserve,theDepartmentisguidedbytheprovisionsoftheBush Fires Act 1954andPolicy Statement No. 19 – Fire Management(CALM2005).TheintentoftheDepartment’sfiresuppressionworkswillbetominimisethesizeofanywildfires.

The Department has the lead role in fire suppression withinthereserveandwouldbeassistedbytheShireofMurray(FireProtection Officers and bushfire volunteers). Shire of Murraybrigadeswouldmost likely formthe initialattackdueto theircloseproximitytothereserve.

Pre- and post-suppression works is the responsibility of theDepartment and would include rehabilitation of any fire linesthatareconstructedaspartofsuppressionefforts.

No prescribed burning is currently undertaken within LakeMcLartyNatureReserve andnone is proposed for the termofthisplan.

TheDepartmentmaintainsafireaccesstrackforemergencyusealong the southern boundary in conjunction with a 50metrefuelreducedbuffer.Aboreandconcretetankarelocatedonthesouth-western corner of the reserve to provide water for fire-fightingpurposes.

19. REHABILITATION

Rehabilitation is the establishment of a stable, self-regulatingecosystem followingdisturbances,consistentwith thepurposefor which the area is managed. The Department’s Policy Statement No. 10 – Rehabilitation of Disturbed Land (CALM1986a) provides guidelines for the rehabilitation of landsmanagedbytheDepartmentbasedonthefollowingprinciples:

• manage(asfaraspossible)toavoiddisturbance;

• rehabilitation should be the last option in a series ofmanagement decisions designed to protect environmentalvalues;and

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• rehabilitationshouldaimtorestoreoriginalvaluesandhelptoenhanceallpotentialusesprovidedthepriorityusesarenotadverselyaffected.

In 2003, the western side of the lake was rehabilitated by thePeelPreservationGroupwithassistancefromalocalschoolaspartofaSouthernPeelPartnershipLandcareProject(‘Crossing the Boundaries’).Theprojectaimedtore-connecttheexistingnativefringingvegetationinthesouthwiththatinthenorthbyrehabilitatinganareaalongthewesternboundary.Thissectionof the lake was chosen for rehabilitation as it was anticipatedthat the lake and surrounds would be exposed to human anddomesticanimalintrusioninthenearfuture,particularlyfromthesubdivisionalongitswesternborders.

Therehabilitationareaof2.3hawasfencedtobekangarooandemu friendly,but restrictiveofdogsandcattle.Seedcollectedat the site was used to propagate species for planting (K.Wilson, pers. comm.). The rehabilitation has been successfulwithbothplantedspeciesandnaturalrevegetationestablishingwell, facilitated by the exclusion of cattle. Monitoring of thesuccessoftherehabilitationanddegreeofweedestablishmentwillcontinuetobecarriedoutbytheDepartmentandthePeelPreservationGroup.

Rehabilitation is planned for the southern and south-easternsides of the reserve once restrictions on cattle access are inplace. Further rehabilitation works will also be undertaken inthe south west corner adjacent to the Birchmont subdivision,andsomeinfillplantingwillbedoneintheolderrehabilitationnearthewatertankonthewesternsideofthelake.

Any rehabilitation activity at the nature reserve should onlyinclude local native plant species and soils that are freeof Phytophthora and other plant diseases. The Departmentwelcomes community input and involvement in rehabilitationprojectsatthenaturereserve(seesection26Working with the Community).

PART D: MANAGING CULTURAL HERITAGE

20. INDIGENOUS HERITAGE

The conservation of Indigenous heritage is important inmaintaining the identity, health and well being of Indigenouspeople(AHC2002).InWesternAustralia,theAboriginal Heritage Act 1972 protects places and objects customarily used by, ortraditionalto,theoriginalinhabitantsofAustralia.AregisterofsuchplacesandobjectsismaintainedundertheAct,howeverallsitesareprotectedundertheActregardlessofwhethertheyhavebeenenteredontheregister.

Akey issue formanagement is to ensure thatAboriginal sitesare protected from damage, and that obligations are fulfilledaccordingtotheAboriginalHeritageActandtheCommonwealthNative Title Act 1993beforeanyplanningorpublicworksoccur.

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The latter act requires the Department to notify AboriginalrepresentativebodiesandNativeTitleclaimantsofanyintendedpublicworkormanagementplan.

Although an extensive study of the area has not yet beenundertaken,therearenoknownAboriginalsiteswithintheLakeMcLartyNatureReserve.However,nearbysiteswithinthePeelInlet/Harvey Estuary region include Warrangup Spring, StonyPoint,HerronPointandIslandPoint.ThesesitesareknowntohavebeenAboriginalcampinggrounds.

21. NON-INDIGENOUS HERITAGE

Lake McLarty was named after one of the first and mostprominent pioneering families of the Murray District. JohnMcLartywasoriginallyatenantfarmerinthe1840s,andlaterabuildingcontractorandoneofPinjarra’sfirstpublicans.

In 1860 John and his wife, Mary Ann, built the ‘BlythewoodHomestead’whichisstilllocatedsouthofPinjarra(Craiget al.2004). John McLarty developed a cattle business centered onBlythewood and other properties in the district. McLarty wasgiven the contract to build the seawall behind the PeninsulaHotel(Mandurah)in1872inanattempttokeeptheseaentrancetothePeelInletopen(Craiget al.2004).Inthe1870s,EdwardMcLarty,sonofJohnandMaryAnn,establishedthesignificanthomestead property of Edenvale in Pinjarra which, like theBlythewood Homestead, still exists today (H. Burgess pers. comm.). In 1972 the Old Blythewood homestead was given totheNationalTrust(DEH2005).

LakeMcLartyand itssurroundshavehadahistoryof farmingforanextendedperiodoftime.In1848ArthurBirchestablishedhisfarmbesidesawetlandknownas‘BigLake’,nowknownasLakeMcLarty.Bythe1870sBirchhadbuiltalimestonecottagenext to the lake, which he named ‘Birchmont’ and by 1880Birchheld1000acresof freeholdlandandleased70000acresof Crown land between Harvey Estuary and the Peel Inlet. Inadditiontogrowingwheat,thefamilyhad2000sheep,100cattleandbredhorses(about500ontheproperty)(Craiget al.2004).Inthedaysof thehomestead, thehouseholdwatersupplywasprovidedbyaspringnearthehomestead(Richards1978).Sincethe 1880s, the south and south-western side of the lake havebeen used for rural activities (feed stock and irrigated marketgardens)(Richards1978).

TheoldBirchmontHomestead still stands, locatedona smallriseclosetothesouth-westboundaryofthelake.Thehomesteadremains inprivateownership. It ishistorically significantasagoodexampleoftheearlysettlementintheareaandislistedonthe Shire of Murray’s Municipal Heritage Inventory (HeritageCouncil of Western Australia 2004), although this provides itwithlimitedstatutoryprotection.

The land immediately surrounding the Lake McLarty NatureReserve,whichwassubjectto farmingdevelopmentsoonafterEuropeansettlement,iscurrentlyextensivelycleared.Thelandontheeasternsideofthelakeisusedforgrazingasmallnumber

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ofcattle,someofwhichstillrangethesurroundingsofthelake(Craiget al.2004).Approximately22haoftheoriginalfarmlandsurrounding the old homestead and the remaining propertyhas been sold and sub-divided by developers. An applicationtosubdivide thehomesteadpropertyof26ha into10 lotswasconsideredbytheShireofMurrayandapprovedbytheWesternAustralian Planning Commission in December 2005, subjecttoanumberofconditions,onebeingthatthehomesteadistoremainatitscurrentsite.

PART E: MANAGING VISITOR USE

22. VISITOR OPPORTUNITIES

As a nature reserve, Lake McLarty is gazetted for the purposeof ‘conservation of flora and fauna’. As such, only low impactrecreationispermitted,andthenonlywhenitdoesnotadverselyaffectthenaturalvaluesandecosystemsofthereserve.

TheDepartment’sPolicy Statement No. 18 – Recreation, Tourism and Visitor Services (DEC 2006b) outlines the principles,operationalguidelines,proceduresandadministrativecontrolsinrelationtofacilitatingrecreationandtourismonthepublicconservationestate.ThismanagementplancomplieswithPolicyStatementNo.18.

AsLakeMcLartyisanaturereserve,gazettedforthepurposeofconservationoffloraandfauna,onlyfacilitiesprovidingforpassiverecreationpursuitswillbeprovided.Furthermore,commerciallicenceswillonlybeconsideredforpassiverecreationalactivities(forexamplebirdwatchingtoursorguidednaturewalks)whichare compatible with the reserve’s purpose and the objectivesof this management plan. Applications for such licences willbe considered on a case-by-case basis, and would be requiredto be in line with the Department’s policy (DEC 2006b) oncommercialactivitiesinnaturereserves.

AnyincreaseinvisitoruseresultingfromresidentialdevelopmentaroundLakeMcLartywillneedtobecarefullymanaged.

23. ACCESS

AccesstoLakeMcLartyisprovidedforpassiverecreationaluses(such as birdwatching andnature appreciation), aswell as formanagementandemergencyvehicles.

Vehicularaccesstothesouthernpartofthereservetoallowoff-roadparkingmaybeconsideredifandwhenfuturesubdivisionsoccur.

Accesstothereserveforpedestrians,includingbirdwatchers,iscurrentlyrestrictedtotwopoints:agatelocatedonthewesternside of the lake and another gate to the south of the lake offMillsRoad.Manypartsofthelakeareinaccessibleduringwinter.Thereiscurrentlylittledemandfordesignatedpedestrian-only

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tracks within the reserve, and so none have been provided to date. This could be reviewed over the life of the plan if demand for pedestrian access increases as a result of adjacent residential development.

The firebreaks and management tracks are gated and provide access for management and emergency vehicles only.

The use of recreational watercraft (including model boats) in the lake is prohibited. However the use of canoes for research and management purposes by approved users will continue to be allowed.

24. VISITOR USE

Visitor use at Lake McLarty is expected to increase over the life of the management plan as residential development on adjoining land progresses and the area becomes more accessible with the completion of the Peel Deviation Freeway to the east of the lake (expected in 2009). Any such increase will need to be carefully managed as it will place added pressure on the natural values of the reserve. Hence it will be considered and planned for through this management plan (see section 23 Access).

The natural values of the reserve provide opportunities for nature appreciation, bird watching and environmental education, and this will remain the focus for visitor activities during the life of this management plan.

Birdwatching and Nature Appreciation

The importance of Lake McLarty as a place of refuge and a feeding ground for nationally and internationally significant waterbird species attracts birdwatchers from around Australia and the world, with birdwatching being the main recreational pursuit in the reserve. The southern and western sides are the most accessible points for birdwatching.

To facilitate birdwatching and nature study at the reserve, it is proposed to construct a viewing platform on the western side of the lake. This is to be complemented by educational information at the site. Defined access points are also required to ensure the wetland ecosystem is not adversely impacted upon by visitors.

Walking

With increasing residential development immediately surrounding the lake, and the associated increase in population in the area, there is likely to be greater pressure to provide opportunities for walking within the reserve. However, disturbance to waterbirds from walkers is a major concern. To address this potential problem pedestrian access will be limited to the two existing entry points, on the western and southern boundaries.

Opportunities for bushwalking also exist in nearby Kooljerrenup Nature Reserve to the south.

Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:38Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:38 19.05.08 16:41:1619.05.08 16:41:16

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PART F INVOLVING THE COMMUNITYVarious Departmental policy statements provide managementdirectionforinvolvingthecommunityincluding:

• Policy Statement No. 15 –Community involvement (Public Participation and Volunteers)(CALM1991);

• Policy Statement No. 18 – Recreation, tourism and visitor services(DEC2006b);

• Policy Statement No. 25 – Community education and interpretation (CALM1988);and

• Good Neighbour Policy(DEC2007).

Further guidance is provided by the Department’s VisitorInterpretationManualandbestpracticeprinciples.

A range of communication strategies that target differentaudiences is used, including: information; interpretation;education; community involvement; and liaison, consultationandadvisoryservicestostakeholdergroups.

25. INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION

Lake McLarty Nature Reserve provides a valuable opportunityforimprovingcommunityawarenessaboutwetlandecosystemsand the values of Ramsar-listed wetlands. An effectiveinformation, education and interpretation program is vital toachievethevisionandobjectivesofmaintaining,enhancingandcommunicatingreservevalues.

In2004,LakeMcLartywasselectedasoneof10priorityshorebirdsitesacrossAustraliaforarangeofcommunity-drivenshorebirdconservationprojects.TheShorebirdConservationProjectwasfundedbytheNationalHeritageTrustandcoordinatedbyWorldWildlifeFundAustralia.Theproject,runoverfouryears,aimsto:

• increase the awareness,understanding and involvementbycommunitiesinconservationofshorebirdhabitatandwherepossibleenablecommunitiestoconserveandwiselymanageimportantshorebirdsites;

• prepareasitecommunicationplan,brochuresandappropriateeducationalsignageforthereserve;

• implementamoredetailedmonitoringprogram;and

• organise guided tours and information evenings about thewetland.

The program is concentrating on raising awareness about thereserve’sconservationvalues,particularlythosethatcontributeto its Ramsar listing, potential human impacts, and positiveactionvisitorscantake tosupportmanagementof thereserveandofotherwetlands.Animportantpartofanyinterpretation/education program is the provision of information on theimpactsofdomesticcatsanddogsonwaterbirds.

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Educationalfacilitiesatthereservearelimitedtoaninformationsignlocatedonthewesternsideofthelake.Giventheimportanceofthesiteaswaterbirdhabitat,itisahighprioritytoupgradethe signsand information for thepurposeofpublic educationandinterpretationtoassistinachievingconservationobjectives.ThismaybeundertakenaspartoftheShorebirdConservationProject. In addition, it is proposed that a viewing platform beconstructedonthewesternsideofthelake.Thisstructurecouldthensupportfurtherinterpretativesignsandinformationonthevaluesof reserve.Any signswill incorporate anexplanationoftheRamsarConvention.

Theinternet,particularlytheDepartment’sNatureBasewebpage,also provides a valuable means of distributing information onthesignificantvaluesofthereserve.

The proximity of Lake McLarty to the Peel estuary increasesthepotentialforvisitorstobeexposedtomosquitoesthathavea high possibility of carrying Ross River virus. As mosquitoesare an essential part of the lake’s ecosystem and mosquitocontrol has the potential to jeopardise the natural values, theDepartment and the Conservation Commission would prefernot to take measures to reduce mosquito numbers. Instead,increasingvisitor awarenessmayhelp reduce the incidenceofinfection.

26. wORkING wITH THE COMMUNITY

Community involvement is an integral component of theDepartment’s operations. The community, as groups orindividuals, isencouraged tobe involved inboth theplanningandmanagementofLakeMcLartyNatureReserve.

Lake McLarty Nature Reserve is highly valued by the localcommunity and several community groups within the regionarededicatedtoconservationofthereserve.Thesegroupshaveplayedanactive role in theplanningandmanagementof thisreserve. Such groups include the Peel Preservation Group,Coolup Land Conservation District Committee, the Crossing the Boundaries – Southern Peel-Harvey Landcare Project andlocalschools.

Ongoing community support is essential for the successfulimplementation of this management plan. The Department’sPolicy Statement No. 15 – Community Involvement (Public Participation and Volunteers) (CALM1991)outlinesinitiativesto provide more volunteer opportunities and training to boththe volunteers and Departmental staff in the management ofvolunteers.

Volunteer activities are encouraged and supported at LakeMcLarty,andcommunitygroups,localschoolsanduniversitiesare encouraged to take part in volunteer activities such aswaterbird surveys, water monitoring, rehabilitation, andinterpretationandeducation.TheDepartmentwill seek toco-ordinatecommunitygroupstofacilitatesuchwork.

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27. SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH USE

There aremanyopportunities for researchwithin the reserve,includingstudiesofwaterlevelsandquality,invertebratesand,particularly,waterbirds.ThePeelPreservationGroupcurrentlymonitorswaterlevelsonamonthlybasis,andmembersofBirdsAustraliaconductmonthlymonitoringofpresenceandnumbersofbirdspecies.TheShireofMurrayconductsmosquito larvaetestingasrequired.

ResearchbyuniversitiesandcommunitygroupswillcontinuetobeencouragedandsupportedbytheDepartment.

It is appropriate that research and monitoring programsinvolveawiderangeofpeopleandgroups.Theinvolvementofvolunteers, educational institutions and individual researcherscanreduce thecostsof suchprogramsandassist inprovidinginformationtotheDepartmentandtothebroadercommunity.However, it is important that all research undertaken in thereserveiscoordinatedbytheDepartment,asthiswillensureanintegrated approach, avoid duplication, minimise impacts andenableprojectstobeprioritised.

PART G MONITORING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PLANThestrategiesoutlinedintheplanwillbebuiltintotheworksprogram of the Department’s Swan Coastal District, which isresponsiblefortheday-to-daymanagementofthereserve.

The Conservation Commission will assess the effectiveness ofthis management plan via regular audits of Key PerformanceIndicators (KPIs) or other mechanisms as deemed necessary.KPIs for this management plan are listed in the Management Summary Table.

28. TERM OF THE PLAN

Inaccordancewith theCALMAct, the termof thisplan is foraperiodof10years fromthedate theplan isapprovedby theMinisterfortheEnvironment.Attheendofthe10-yearperiod,it is recommended that an audit of the management plan beundertakenandtheplanreviewedwithfullpublicconsultationandthenre-submittedtotheMinisterforapproval.TheCALMAct also specifies that in the event of such a revision notoccurringby theendof theplan’s specified life span, theplanwill remain in force in its original form, unless it is eitherrevoked by the Minister or a new plan is approved. RevisionsoramendmentstotheplanareallowedunderSection61oftheCALMAct.

The Conservation Commission may initiate a review of themanagement plan before the 10-year term expires. Shouldsignificantchangestothisplanberequired,publiccommentontheproposedamendmentswillbesought.

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REFERENCESAHC(2002)Ask First. A guide to respecting Indigenous heritage

places and values. Australian Heritage Commission,Canberra.

ANCA (1997) Wetlands Policy of the Commonwealth Government of Australia. Australian Nature ConservationAgency,Canberra.

Appleyard,S.(2005)An overview of acid sulfate soils management issues and a preliminary assessment of impacts within the Herdsman Lake catchment – Draft. Department ofEnvironment,WesternAustralia.

Asia-Pacific Shorebird Network (2007) <http://www.shorebirdnetwork.org/news070207rokamba.html>.Accessed29May2007.

Balla, S.A. (1996) Wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain. WaterAuthorityofWesternAustralia,WaterandRiversCommissionandtheDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection,Perth.

Bowen,B.,Froend,R.andO’Neil,K.(2002)Literature Review of Wetland Values, Threats and the Function and Management of Wetland Buffers.DraftReporttoWelkerEnvironmental.

Braysher,M.(1993)Managing Vertebrate Pests: Principles and Strategies.BureauofRuralSciences,Canberra.

Burbidge, A. and Craig, M. (1996a) Western Australian Bird Notes,49:12–13.

Burbidge, A. and Craig, M. (1996b) Western Australian Bird Notes,78:10–13.

CALM (in prep.) Policy Statement – Environmental Weed Management (subjectto finalconsultation).DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

CALM(inprep.)Policy Statement – Management of Pest Animals on CALM-managed lands (subject to final consultation).DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

CALM(inprep.)Policy Statement No. 9–Conserving Threatened Species and Ecological Communities (subjecttofinalisation).DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

CALM (1986a) Policy Statement No. 10 – Rehabilitation of Disturbed Land. Department of Conservation and LandManagement,Perth.

CALM (1986b) Policy Statement No. 14 – Weeds on CALM Lands.DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

CALM(1988)Policy Statement No. 25 – Community Education and Interpretation. Department of Conservation and LandManagement,Perth.

CALM(1991)Policy Statement No. 15 – Community Involvement (Public Participation and Volunteers). Department ofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

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CALM (1998) Policy Statement No. 3 – Management of Phytophthora and disease caused by it. Department ofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

CALM (1999) Environmental Weed Strategy for Western Australia. Department of Conservation and LandManagement,Perth.

CALM (2003) Bioregional Summary of the 2002 Biodiversity Audit for Western Australia. Department of ConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

CALM (2005) Policy Statement No. 19 – Fire Management.DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

Conservation Commission (2004) Forest Management Plan 2004–2013.ConservationCommissionofWesternAustralia,Perth.

Craig, M., Darnell, J., Davis, C., Davis, M., Kirkby, T. andSingor, M. (2004) Lake McLarty – Ornithological Surveys.Unpublished.

Davis,M.(2000)A report on invertebrate sampling at McLarty Lake, including a list of invertebrate species.Unpublished.

Davis, J.A., Rosich, R.S., Bradley, J.S., Growns, J.E., Schmidt,L.G. and Cheal, F. (1993) Wetland Classification on theBasis of Water Quality and Invertebrate Community Data.Wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain: Volume 6. DraftreporttoWaterAuthorityWAandEnvironmentalProtectionAuthority,Perth.

DEC (2006a) Acid Sulfate Soil Risk Map, Swan Coastal Plain.DepartmentofEnvironmentandConservation,Perth.

DEC (2006b) Policy Statement No. 18 – Recreation, Tourism and Visitor Services. Department of Environment andConservation,Perth.

DEC(2006c)Geomorphic Wetlands Swan Coastal Plain dataset.DepartmentofEnvironmentandConservation,Perth.

DEC(2007)Good Neighbour Policy.DepartmentofEnvironmentandConservation,Perth.

Department of Environmental Protection (2003) Acid Sulfate Soils in Western Australia. Department of EnvironmentalProtection,Perth.

DEH(2000a)Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for fresh and marine water quality – Aquatic Ecosystems.DepartmentoftheEnvironmentandHeritage,Canberra.

DEH (2000b) <http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/wetlands/report.pl?smode=DOIW&doiw_refcodelist=WA083>. Accessed 24February2005.

DEH (2003) Ramsar Information Sheet 36 Peel-Yalgorup System, Western Australia. <http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/wetlands/report.pl>.Accessed20March2007.

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DEH (2005) Australian Heritage database – Old Blythewood,SouthWesternHwy,Pinjarra,WA.<http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=10769>.Accessed24February2005.

DEH (2006) Coastal Water Quality, Western Australia’s Peel-Harvey estuarine system. Paper prepared for the 2006AustralianStateoftheEnvironmentCommittee.DepartmentoftheEnvironmentandHeritage,Canberra.

Department of the Environment and Water Resources (2006)Draft – Framework and Guidance for Describing the Ecological Character of Ramsar Wetlands – National Framework and Guidance for Describing the Ecological Character of Australia’s Ramsar Wetlands – Module 2 of the Australian National Guidelines for Ramsar Wetlands – Implementing the Ramsar Convention in Australia.Department of the Environment and Water Resources,Canberra.

Departmentof theEnvironment andWaterResources (2007a)Peel-Harvey Estuarine System, Mandurah, WA. Register ofthe National Estate. <http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;feedback=yes;place_id=20>.Accessed10April2007.

Departmentof theEnvironmentandWaterResources (2007b)Australia’s Ramsar Sites. <http://www.environment.gov.au/water/wetlands/publications/ramsar/pubs/ramsar.pdf>.Accessed26February2007.

DiebackWorkingGroup(2005)Managing Phytophthora dieback in bushland: A guide for landholders and community conservation groups. Edition 3. Dieback Working Group,Perth.

EA(2000)Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) and Development of Version 5.1 Summary Report.EnvironmentAustralia,Canberra.

EA(2001)A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia, Third Edition.EnvironmentAustralia,Canberra.

EnvironmentalCapability (1995)Foreshore Management Plan – Birchmont Special Rural Subdivision. EnvironmentalCapability, E.M Goble-Garratt & Associates, Ben Carr &Associates,WesternAustralia.

EPA (1987) A baseline monitoring program for the urban wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain.<http://www.epa.wa.gov.au/docs/1089_EPP_SCPW04.pdf>. Accessed 28 February2005.

Gibson,N.,Keighery,B.,Keighery,G.,Burbidge,A.andLyons,M. (1994) A floristic survey of the southern Swan Coastal Plain.DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,Perth.

Heritage Council of Western Australia (2004) List of the Municipal Inventory of Heritage Places. <http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/>.Accessed9September2004.

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Hussey,B.M. J.,Keighery,G. J.,Cousens,R.D.,Dodd, J. andLloyd,S.G.(1997)Western Weeds – A guide to the weeds of Western Australia.ThePlantProtectionSocietyofWesternAustralia(Inc.),Perth.

Jaensch, R., Vervest, R. and Hewish, M. (1988) Waterbirds in Nature Reserves of south-western Australia 1981–1985: Reserve Accounts.RAOUReportNo.30.

Lambert, J. and Elix, J. (2006) Workshop Report Ecological Character Description for Ramsar Wetlands. Prepared forthe Commonwealth Department of the Environment andHeritage.CommunitySolution,Sydney.

Macintosh,A.andKennedy,L.(2004)EPBC: A Conservationist’s Guide (3rd Edition). WWF Australia and the TasmanianConservationTrust,Canberra.

NationalHeritageTrust(2003)Management Plan for Covenanted Bushland at Lake Mealup Pinjarra.LakeMealupPreservationSociety,WesternAustralia.

Nilsson,L.,Hansson,L.A.andHögström,L.(1982)LakeKävsjönasabirdlake–breedingandrestingwaterfowlin1972–1980–andrestorationofitsshoremeadows.Var Fagelvärld:41.InSwedishwithEnglishsummary.

Nilsson,L.(1985)Experiencesoflakerestorationexperiments:LakeKävsjönandLakeLaduviken.Var Fagelvärld Suppl. 10.InSwedishwithEnglishsummary.

Ramsar(1990)<http:/www.wetlands.org/reports/>.Accessed20August2004.

Richards,R.(1978)The Murray District of Western Australia: A History.ShireofMurray,WA.

Semeniuk, C.A. (1988) Consanguineous Wetlands and theirDistributionontheDarlingSystem,SouthwesternAustralia.Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia.70:69–87.

ShireofMurray(2004)Town Planning Scheme 4 – Schedule 4.ShireofMurray,WA.

Storey, A.W., Land, J.A.K. and Davis, P.M. (1997) Monitoring the Ecological Character of Australia’s wetlands of international importance (Ramsar Convention).DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,WesternAustralia.

Thackway,R.andCresswell,I.D.(1995)An Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia: A Framework for Establishing the National System of Reserves, Version 4.0. AustralianNatureConservationAgency,Canberra.

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Water Corporation (2007) Water Supplied Daily to the Perth Metropolitan area (plus parts of the South West Region) in the 04/05 financial year.<http://www.watercorporation.com.au/S/supply.cfm>.Accessed3April2007.

Weaving,S.(1999)Peel –Harvey Catchment – Natural Resource Atlas.SpatialResourceInformationGroup,AgricultureWA,Perth.

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WAPC(1997)Inner Peel Region Structure Plan. Final.WesternAustralianPlanningCommission,Perth.

Wetlands Conservation Society (1996) Western Australian Wetlands.BlackSwanPress,WA.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONSA.N.Burbidge–ScienceDivision,DEC.

H.Burgess–PeelHeritageCouncil.

D.Eastwell–ShireofMurray.

S.Harrington–DepartmentofHealth,WA.

R.Kerslake–DepartmentofAgricultureandFood.

G.Langley–formerfarmerofareasurroundingLakeMcLarty.

G.Mathews–(Viasubmissiontodraftplan)–localresident.

Lake Mealup Preservation Society – (Via submission to draftplan).

M.Singor–BirdsAustralia.

P.Wilmot–LakeMealupPreservationSociety.

K. Wilson – Landcare Development Officer, Southern Peel-HarveyLandcareProject.

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ACkNOwLEDGEMENTSThis management plan was finalised by Kathryn McGuanefromDEC’sManagementPlanningUnit.Manypeopleprovidedvaluableassistance,inparticular:

• Murray Love, former Senior Operations Officer from DECMandurah, who provided input and advice during thedevelopmentofthemanagementplan;

• Tania Jackson and Daryl Moncrieff, formerly from DEC’sManagement Planning Unit, who prepared the draftmanagementplan;

• The Conservation Commission which provided advice onboththedraftandfinalplans;

• BrianBucktin,whoprovideddataonwaterlevelsandwaterqualityatLakeMcLartyfrom2000–2004;

• Marcus Singor, who provided information and advice onwadersandwaterbirds;

• Members from the Peel Preservation Group, who providedwatermonitoringdataandinformation;and

• OfficersfromthePeelHarveyCatchmentCouncil.

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rve

mar

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ster

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unda

ryo

fthe

nat

ure

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rve.

Thi

ssh

ould

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adde

dto

the

natu

rere

serv

e.

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ere

isa

sig

nific

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nto

fveg

etat

ion

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priv

ate

prop

erty

adj

acen

tto

the

east

ern

side

oft

hen

atur

ere

serv

ew

hich

effe

ctiv

ely

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les

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wid

tho

fthe

veg

etat

edb

uffe

r.Su

bjec

tto

reac

hing

agr

eem

entw

ithth

eow

ners

,con

side

ratio

nsh

ould

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give

nto

ac

quiri

ngth

ese

area

sby

dire

ctp

urch

ase,

ora

san

env

ironm

enta

lcon

trib

utio

nif

the

curr

ent

agric

ultu

rall

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iss

ubdi

vide

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OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

rote

ctth

eva

lues

oft

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serv

eby

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gar

eas

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test

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uein

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eco

nser

vatio

nes

tate

.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.s

ecur

ing

addi

tions

toth

ere

serv

ew

here

verp

ossi

ble,

in

clud

ing

the

road

rese

rve

onth

eea

ster

nsi

deo

fthe

lake

;

2.a

mal

gam

atin

gRe

serv

e44

978

into

Lak

eM

cLar

ty

Nat

ure

Rese

rve

(Res

erve

num

ber3

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sulti

ngin

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cons

olid

ated

rese

rve

of2

19h

ecta

res;

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ffici

ally

nam

ing

the

two

rese

rves

that

com

pris

eth

ena

ture

re

serv

e“L

ake

McL

arty

Nat

ure

Rese

rve”

;

4.s

eeki

ngto

ent

erin

tov

olun

tary

agr

eem

ents

with

rese

rve

neig

hbou

rsto

pro

tect

rem

nant

veg

etat

ion

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futu

re

purc

hase

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dditi

onto

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rese

rve;

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nser

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ona

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eDe

part

men

twill

reco

mm

end

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futu

re

subd

ivis

ions

adj

oini

ngth

ere

serv

ew

illb

esu

bjec

tto

the

prin

cipl

eof

net

con

serv

atio

nbe

nefit

,and

that

env

ironm

enta

lcon

ditio

nsto

m

inim

ise

envi

ronm

enta

lim

pact

ssh

ould

be

duly

pla

ced

onp

ropo

nent

s.

5.n

egot

iatin

gen

viro

nmen

talc

ontr

ibut

ions

with

dev

elop

ers

shou

ldfu

rthe

rsub

divi

sion

sbe

app

rove

d.

PART

C. M

AN

AGIN

G T

HE

NAT

URA

L EN

VIRO

NM

ENT

12.

wET

LAN

D A

ND

CAT

CHM

ENT

PRO

TECT

ION

Man

agin

g w

ater

Lev

els

•La

keM

cLar

tyis

as

urfa

cee

xpre

ssio

nof

gr

ound

wat

erth

ath

asfo

rmed

whe

reth

ew

ater

tabl

ein

ters

ects

with

the

grou

nd

surfa

ce.T

here

fore

,the

lake

’sw

ater

leve

ls

are

dire

ctly

affe

cted

by

man

agem

ento

fthe

re

gion

alg

roun

dwat

ers

yste

m.

•Th

esu

rface

wat

erle

vels

oft

hela

keh

ave

been

mon

itore

dm

onth

lyo

nth

ew

este

rns

ide

ofth

ela

keb

yth

ePe

elP

rese

rvat

ion

Gro

up

sinc

e19

96.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Tom

aint

ain

aw

ater

leve

lreg

ime

that

sup

port

sth

ela

ke’s

wat

er-d

epen

dent

eco

syst

ems

and

mee

tsth

ene

eds

ofth

era

nge

ofw

ater

bird

sth

atu

seth

ela

ke.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.n

egot

iatin

ga

Mem

oran

dum

ofU

nder

stan

ding

with

Sta

te

and

loca

lgov

ernm

enta

genc

ies

and

othe

rlan

dm

anag

ers

toe

nsur

ein

tegr

ated

pla

nnin

gan

dm

anag

emen

tof

Lake

McL

arty

,to

enab

leth

eDe

part

men

tto

achi

eve

the

obje

ctiv

eso

fthi

spl

an;

2.l

iais

ing

with

the

Depa

rtm

ento

fWat

erre

gard

ing

the

mon

itorin

gan

dm

aint

enan

ceo

fwat

erle

vels

;

Chan

ges

in

grou

ndw

ater

le

vels.

No

sign

ifica

nt

chan

geto

th

ecu

rren

thy

drol

ogy

ofth

ela

ke

(incl

udin

gse

ason

al

patt

erns

).

Ever

ytw

o–th

ree

year

s

49

MA

NAG

EMEN

T SU

MM

ARY

TA

BLE

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

PART

B. M

AN

AGEM

ENT

DIR

ECTI

ON

S A

ND

PU

RPO

SE

9. L

AN

D T

ENU

RE

•Th

epl

anni

nga

rea

com

pris

estw

o‘c

lass

A’

natu

rere

serv

esth

ats

houl

dbe

am

alga

mat

ed

into

as

ingl

ere

serv

eof

219

ha

and

offic

ially

na

med

Lak

eM

cLar

tyN

atur

eRe

serv

e.

•A

gaze

tted

road

rese

rve

mar

ksth

eea

ster

nbo

unda

ryo

fthe

nat

ure

rese

rve.

Thi

ssh

ould

be

adde

dto

the

natu

rere

serv

e.

•Th

ere

isa

sig

nific

anta

mou

nto

fveg

etat

ion

on

the

priv

ate

prop

erty

adj

acen

tto

the

east

ern

side

oft

hen

atur

ere

serv

ew

hich

effe

ctiv

ely

doub

les

the

wid

tho

fthe

veg

etat

edb

uffe

r.Su

bjec

tto

reac

hing

agr

eem

entw

ithth

eow

ners

,con

side

ratio

nsh

ould

be

give

nto

ac

quiri

ngth

ese

area

sby

dire

ctp

urch

ase,

ora

san

env

ironm

enta

lcon

trib

utio

nif

the

curr

ent

agric

ultu

rall

and

iss

ubdi

vide

din

futu

re.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

rote

ctth

eva

lues

oft

here

serv

eby

sec

urin

gar

eas

of

grea

test

val

uein

toth

eco

nser

vatio

nes

tate

.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.s

ecur

ing

addi

tions

toth

ere

serv

ew

here

verp

ossi

ble,

in

clud

ing

the

road

rese

rve

onth

eea

ster

nsi

deo

fthe

lake

;

2.a

mal

gam

atin

gRe

serv

e44

978

into

Lak

eM

cLar

ty

Nat

ure

Rese

rve

(Res

erve

num

ber3

9404

),re

sulti

ngin

a

cons

olid

ated

rese

rve

of2

19h

ecta

res;

3.o

ffici

ally

nam

ing

the

two

rese

rves

that

com

pris

eth

ena

ture

re

serv

e“L

ake

McL

arty

Nat

ure

Rese

rve”

;

4.s

eeki

ngto

ent

erin

tov

olun

tary

agr

eem

ents

with

rese

rve

neig

hbou

rsto

pro

tect

rem

nant

veg

etat

ion

via

futu

re

purc

hase

ofl

and

fora

dditi

onto

the

rese

rve;

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•Th

eCo

nser

vatio

nCo

mm

issi

ona

ndth

eDe

part

men

twill

reco

mm

end

that

any

futu

re

subd

ivis

ions

adj

oini

ngth

ere

serv

ew

illb

esu

bjec

tto

the

prin

cipl

eof

net

con

serv

atio

nbe

nefit

,and

that

env

ironm

enta

lcon

ditio

nsto

m

inim

ise

envi

ronm

enta

lim

pact

ssh

ould

be

duly

pla

ced

onp

ropo

nent

s.

5.n

egot

iatin

gen

viro

nmen

talc

ontr

ibut

ions

with

dev

elop

ers

shou

ldfu

rthe

rsub

divi

sion

sbe

app

rove

d.

PART

C. M

AN

AGIN

G T

HE

NAT

URA

L EN

VIRO

NM

ENT

12.

wET

LAN

D A

ND

CAT

CHM

ENT

PRO

TECT

ION

Man

agin

g w

ater

Lev

els

•La

keM

cLar

tyis

as

urfa

cee

xpre

ssio

nof

gr

ound

wat

erth

ath

asfo

rmed

whe

reth

ew

ater

tabl

ein

ters

ects

with

the

grou

nd

surfa

ce.T

here

fore

,the

lake

’sw

ater

leve

ls

are

dire

ctly

affe

cted

by

man

agem

ento

fthe

re

gion

alg

roun

dwat

ers

yste

m.

•Th

esu

rface

wat

erle

vels

oft

hela

keh

ave

been

mon

itore

dm

onth

lyo

nth

ew

este

rns

ide

ofth

ela

keb

yth

ePe

elP

rese

rvat

ion

Gro

up

sinc

e19

96.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Tom

aint

ain

aw

ater

leve

lreg

ime

that

sup

port

sth

ela

ke’s

wat

er-d

epen

dent

eco

syst

ems

and

mee

tsth

ene

eds

ofth

era

nge

ofw

ater

bird

sth

atu

seth

ela

ke.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.n

egot

iatin

ga

Mem

oran

dum

ofU

nder

stan

ding

with

Sta

te

and

loca

lgov

ernm

enta

genc

ies

and

othe

rlan

dm

anag

ers

toe

nsur

ein

tegr

ated

pla

nnin

gan

dm

anag

emen

tof

Lake

McL

arty

,to

enab

leth

eDe

part

men

tto

achi

eve

the

obje

ctiv

eso

fthi

spl

an;

2.l

iais

ing

with

the

Depa

rtm

ento

fWat

erre

gard

ing

the

mon

itorin

gan

dm

aint

enan

ceo

fwat

erle

vels

;

Chan

ges

in

grou

ndw

ater

le

vels.

No

sign

ifica

nt

chan

geto

th

ecu

rren

thy

drol

ogy

ofth

ela

ke

(incl

udin

gse

ason

al

patt

erns

).

Ever

ytw

o–th

ree

year

s

50

KEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

KEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

Man

agin

g W

ater

Lev

els

(con

tinu

ed)

• Th

e pa

tter

n of

wat

er le

vel c

hang

es w

ithin

th

e la

ke is

dic

tate

d by

loca

l rai

ns. T

he la

ke is

m

argi

nally

eph

emer

al a

nd d

ries,

on a

vera

ge,

for 1

–4 m

onth

s of

the

year

.

• Th

e tim

ing

of in

unda

tion

and

dryi

ng o

f Lak

e M

cLar

ty is

impo

rtan

t for

bird

spe

cies

and

bird

nu

mbe

rs.

• G

roun

dwat

er, a

nd s

ubse

quen

tly, w

etla

nd

wat

er le

vels

may

be

unde

r thr

eat a

s a

resu

lt of

a c

ombi

natio

n of

dry

clim

ate

and

grou

ndw

ater

abs

trac

tions

in s

urro

undi

ng

area

s.

• M

anag

emen

t of t

he g

roun

dwat

er re

sour

ce

with

in th

e Pe

el-H

arve

y Ca

tchm

ent i

s th

e re

spon

sibi

lity

of th

e De

part

men

t of W

ater

.

THIS

WIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y: (c

onti

nued

)

3. w

orki

ng c

oope

rativ

ely

with

the

Depa

rtm

ent o

f Wat

er to

en

sure

that

the

man

agem

ent o

f the

lake

’s w

ater

leve

ls

cons

ider

s w

ater

bird

and

oth

er fa

una

habi

tats

; and

4. l

iais

ing

with

the

Depa

rtm

ent o

f Wat

er to

est

ablis

h at

leas

t tw

o m

ore

wat

er m

onito

ring

bore

s in

the

area

sur

roun

ding

th

e la

ke.

Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:50Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:50 19.05.08 16:41:1819.05.08 16:41:18

51

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

Man

agin

g w

ater

Lev

els

(con

tinu

ed)

•Th

epa

tter

nof

wat

erle

velc

hang

esw

ithin

th

ela

keis

dic

tate

dby

loca

lrai

ns.T

hela

keis

m

argi

nally

eph

emer

ala

ndd

ries,

ona

vera

ge,

for1

–4m

onth

sof

the

year

.•

The

timin

gof

inun

datio

nan

ddr

ying

ofL

ake

McL

arty

is

impo

rtan

tfor

bird

spe

cies

and

bird

num

bers

.

•G

roun

dwat

er,a

nds

ubse

quen

tly,w

etla

nd

wat

erle

vels

may

be

unde

rthr

eata

sa

resu

ltof

ac

ombi

natio

nof

dry

clim

ate

and

grou

ndw

ater

abs

trac

tions

ins

urro

undi

ng

area

s.

•M

anag

emen

toft

heg

roun

dwat

erre

sour

ce

with

inth

ePe

el-H

arve

yCa

tchm

enti

sth

ere

spon

sibi

lity

ofth

eDe

part

men

tofW

ater

.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y: (c

onti

nued

)

3.w

orki

ngc

oope

rativ

ely

with

the

Depa

rtm

ento

fWat

erto

en

sure

that

the

man

agem

ento

fthe

lake

’sw

ater

leve

ls

cons

ider

sw

ater

bird

and

oth

erfa

una

habi

tats

;and

4.l

iais

ing

with

the

Depa

rtm

ento

fWat

erto

est

ablis

hat

leas

ttw

om

ore

wat

erm

onito

ring

bore

sin

the

area

sur

roun

ding

th

ela

ke.

•G

roun

dwat

erle

vels

atL

ake

McL

arty

are

cu

rren

tlym

onito

red

twic

ean

nual

lyb

yth

eDe

part

men

tofW

ater

from

four

bor

eslo

cate

dw

ithin

ath

ree

kilo

met

erra

dius

oft

hela

ke.

The

esta

blis

hmen

toff

urth

erm

onito

ring

bore

sw

ithin

the

subd

ivis

ion

and

toth

eea

st

ofth

ela

keis

requ

ired

tod

eter

min

eth

eim

pact

ofc

ontin

ued

resi

dent

iald

evel

opm

ent

ong

roun

dwat

erle

vels

with

inth

eca

tchm

ent.

12.

wET

LAN

D A

ND

CAT

CHM

ENT

PRO

TECT

ION

Man

agin

g w

ater

Qua

lity

•Fa

ctor

ssu

cha

snu

trie

ntru

noff

from

su

rrou

ndin

gre

side

ntia

land

rura

llan

din

fluen

ceth

ew

ater

qua

lity

ofL

ake

McL

arty

.

•Th

eDe

part

men

tis

resp

onsi

ble

form

onito

ring

the

wat

erq

ualit

yin

the

lake

.The

yar

eas

sist

edb

yth

ePe

elP

rese

rvat

ion

Gro

up.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Tom

aint

ain

ahe

alth

yaq

uatic

eco

syst

em,t

here

bye

nsur

ing

the

prov

isio

nof

afe

edin

ggr

ound

and

refu

gefo

rwat

erbi

rds

and

prot

ectio

nof

the

rese

rve’

sec

olog

ical

val

ues.

Chan

ges

in

abun

danc

e,

spec

ies

dive

rsity

and

st

ruct

ure

ofn

atur

ally

oc

curr

ing

aqua

ticm

acro

-in

vert

ebra

te

popu

latio

ns.

No

decl

ine

in

the

abun

danc

eor

div

ersi

ty

ofn

atur

ally

oc

curr

ing

aqua

ticm

acro

-in

vert

ebra

te

popu

latio

ns

base

don

200

0le

vels.

Ever

ytw

o–th

ree

year

s

52

KEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

KEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

Man

agin

g W

ater

Qua

lity

(con

tinu

ed)

• Es

tabl

ishi

ng n

ew a

nd m

aint

aini

ng e

xist

ing

buffe

r veg

etat

ion

is v

ital i

n as

sist

ing

to

mai

ntai

n an

d im

prov

e w

ater

qua

lity.

A bu

ffer

will

act

as

a fil

ter a

nd s

tora

ge fo

r nut

rient

s, as

wel

l as

prov

idin

g a

phys

ical

bar

rier t

o pr

oble

m in

sect

s su

ch a

s m

idge

s be

twee

n th

e la

ke a

nd s

urro

undi

ng d

evel

opm

ent.

• An

inte

grat

ed, w

hole

of c

atch

men

t app

roac

h is

requ

ired

for m

anag

ing

grou

ndw

ater

qua

lity

and

leve

ls th

roug

hout

the

Peel

Har

vey

Catc

hmen

t.

• Th

e EP

A, to

geth

er w

ith th

e Pe

el H

arve

y Ca

tchm

ent C

ounc

il, is

dev

elop

ing

a W

ater

Q

ualit

y Im

prov

emen

t Pla

n fo

r the

cat

chm

ent,

whi

ch c

onta

ins

key

reco

mm

enda

tions

to

achi

eve

redu

ctio

ns in

pho

spho

rous

.

THIS

WIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1. s

uppo

rtin

g th

e Pe

el P

rese

rvat

ion

Gro

up in

con

tinui

ng to

m

onito

r the

wat

er q

ualit

y (in

clud

ing

diss

olve

d ox

ygen

, pH

, sal

inity

, tot

al n

itrog

en a

nd p

hosp

horu

s, an

d m

acro

-in

vert

ebra

tes)

of t

he la

ke e

very

six

mon

ths;

2. e

nsur

ing

that

the

man

agem

ent o

f wat

er q

ualit

y co

nsid

ers

wat

erbi

rd a

nd o

ther

faun

a ha

bita

ts;

3. c

ontin

uing

to re

-est

ablis

h bu

ffer v

eget

atio

n su

rrou

ndin

g th

e la

ke;

4. w

orki

ng c

oope

rativ

ely

with

sta

te a

nd lo

cal g

over

nmen

t au

thor

ities

rega

rdin

g th

e m

anag

emen

t of s

urfa

ce a

nd

subs

urfa

ce d

rain

age;

5. m

aint

aini

ng th

e De

part

men

t’s ro

le o

n th

e Pe

el-H

arve

y Ca

tchm

ent C

ounc

il; a

nd

6. s

uppo

rtin

g th

e re

com

men

datio

ns o

f the

EPA

’s W

ater

Q

ualit

y Im

prov

emen

t Pla

n fo

r the

Pee

l Har

vey

catc

hmen

t, pa

rtic

ular

ly w

hen

com

men

ting

on d

evel

opm

ent p

ropo

sals

on

land

adj

oini

ng L

ake

McL

arty

.

Chan

ges

in

salin

ity a

nd

tota

l nitr

ogen

an

d ph

osph

orus

le

vels

of t

he

lake

.

No

sign

ifica

nt

incr

ease

in

the

salin

ity

or c

hang

es in

le

vels

of t

otal

ni

trog

en a

nd

phos

phor

us in

th

e la

ke.

Ever

y tw

o–th

ree

year

s

Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:52Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:52 19.05.08 16:41:1819.05.08 16:41:18

53

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

Man

agin

g w

ater

Lev

els

(con

tinu

ed)

•Es

tabl

ishi

ngn

ewa

ndm

aint

aini

nge

xist

ing

buffe

rveg

etat

ion

isv

itali

nas

sist

ing

to

mai

ntai

nan

dim

prov

ew

ater

qua

lity.

Abu

ffer

will

act

as

afil

tera

nds

tora

gefo

rnut

rient

s,as

wel

las

prov

idin

ga

phys

ical

bar

riert

opr

oble

min

sect

ssu

cha

sm

idge

sbe

twee

nth

ela

kea

nds

urro

undi

ngd

evel

opm

ent.

•An

inte

grat

ed,w

hole

ofc

atch

men

tapp

roac

his

requ

ired

form

anag

ing

grou

ndw

ater

qua

lity

and

leve

lsth

roug

hout

the

Peel

Har

vey

Catc

hmen

t.

•Th

eEP

A,to

geth

erw

ithth

ePe

elH

arve

yCa

tchm

entC

ounc

il,is

dev

elop

ing

aW

ater

Q

ualit

yIm

prov

emen

tPla

nfo

rthe

cat

chm

ent,

whi

chc

onta

ins

key

reco

mm

enda

tions

to

achi

eve

redu

ctio

nsin

pho

spho

rous

.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.s

uppo

rtin

gth

ePe

elP

rese

rvat

ion

Gro

upin

con

tinui

ngto

m

onito

rthe

wat

erq

ualit

y(in

clud

ing

diss

olve

dox

ygen

,pH

,sal

inity

,tot

aln

itrog

ena

ndp

hosp

horu

s,an

dm

acro

-in

vert

ebra

tes)

oft

hela

kee

very

six

mon

ths;

2.e

nsur

ing

that

the

man

agem

ento

fwat

erq

ualit

yco

nsid

ers

wat

erbi

rda

ndo

ther

faun

aha

bita

ts;

3.c

ontin

uing

tore

-est

ablis

hbu

fferv

eget

atio

nsu

rrou

ndin

gth

ela

ke;

4.w

orki

ngc

oope

rativ

ely

with

sta

tea

ndlo

calg

over

nmen

tau

thor

ities

rega

rdin

gth

em

anag

emen

tofs

urfa

cea

nd

subs

urfa

ced

rain

age;

5.m

aint

aini

ngth

eDe

part

men

t’sro

leo

nth

ePe

el-H

arve

yCa

tchm

entC

ounc

il;a

nd

6.s

uppo

rtin

gth

ere

com

men

datio

nso

fthe

EPA

’sW

ater

Q

ualit

yIm

prov

emen

tPla

nfo

rthe

Pee

lHar

vey

catc

hmen

t,pa

rtic

ular

lyw

hen

com

men

ting

ond

evel

opm

entp

ropo

sals

on

land

adj

oini

ngL

ake

McL

arty

.

Chan

ges

in

salin

itya

nd

tota

lnitr

ogen

an

dph

osph

orus

le

vels

oft

he

lake

.

No

sign

ifica

nt

incr

ease

in

the

salin

ity

orc

hang

esin

le

vels

oft

otal

ni

trog

ena

nd

phos

phor

usin

th

ela

ke.

Ever

ytw

o–th

ree

year

s

13.

NAT

IVE

AN

IMA

LS A

ND

HA

BITA

TS

•La

keM

cLar

ty,a

spa

rto

fthe

Pee

l-Yal

goru

pSy

stem

,was

des

igna

ted

toth

eLi

sto

fW

etla

nds

ofIn

tern

atio

nalI

mpo

rtan

ceu

nder

th

eCo

nven

tion

onW

etla

nds

(Ram

sar,

Iran,

197

1)in

199

0.It

isa

lso

liste

din

the

Dire

ctor

yof

Impo

rtan

tWet

land

sin

Aus

tral

ia

(as

part

oft

heM

cLar

tyS

yste

m).

•Ca

ttle

gra

zing

has

occ

urre

dw

ithin

the

rese

rve

sinc

eth

e18

80s,

alth

ough

(at

the

time

ofw

ritin

g)n

otw

ithin

the

past

fe

wy

ears

.Gra

zing

atL

ake

McL

arty

has

co

ntrib

uted

toth

ecr

eatio

nof

val

uabl

eha

bita

tfor

wat

erbi

rds.

•Th

epl

anni

nga

rea

isa

nim

port

antb

reed

ing

grou

ndfo

rloc

alb

irds,

and

supp

orts

31

and

36s

peci

esp

rote

cted

und

erth

eJA

MBA

and

CA

MBA

,res

pect

ivel

y,an

dis

as

umm

erre

fuge

fo

r29

mig

rato

ryw

ader

spe

cies

.

•A

tota

lof1

60b

irds

peci

esh

ave

been

re

cord

edin

the

rese

rve,

incl

udin

g81

spe

cies

of

wat

erbi

rds,

and

supp

orts

four

spe

cial

ly

prot

ecte

dsp

ecie

san

don

epr

iorit

yfa

una

spec

ies.

OBJ

ECTI

VES

1.T

oco

nser

vein

dige

nous

faun

a,w

itha

nem

phas

iso

nth

reat

ened

and

prio

rity

spec

ies

and

thos

epr

otec

ted

by

inte

rnat

iona

lagr

eem

ents

.

2.T

oco

nser

vea

nde

nhan

ceth

ere

serv

efo

rwat

erbi

rds

asp

er

the

man

agem

entr

equi

rem

ents

forR

amsa

r-lis

ted

wet

land

s.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.m

aint

aini

ngs

hore

bird

hab

itatb

yco

ntro

lling

the

type

and

st

ruct

ure

ofs

hore

line

vege

tatio

nby

:

–

allo

win

gca

ttle

gra

zing

toc

ontin

ueu

nder

afo

rmal

le

ase/

licen

ce,w

ithc

attle

rest

ricte

dto

(i)s

peci

fied

area

sin

the

sout

hern

and

sou

th-e

aste

rnp

arto

fthe

rese

rve

and

(ii)s

easo

nalu

se,u

ntil

the

impa

cto

fthi

sac

tivity

on

the

wet

land

sys

tem

can

be

esta

blis

hed;

and

–

asse

ssin

gan

dtr

ialli

nga

ltern

ativ

em

anag

emen

topt

ions

to

cat

tleg

razi

ngfo

rmai

ntai

ning

mud

flath

abita

tsfo

rsh

oreb

irds;

2.p

rote

ctin

gna

tive

faun

afro

min

trod

uced

and

pro

blem

an

imal

sth

roug

hap

prop

riate

con

trol

regi

mes

whe

re

nece

ssar

y(s

eeIn

trodu

ced

and

othe

r Pro

blem

Ani

mals

);

Num

bero

fm

igra

tory

w

ater

bird

sut

ilisi

ngth

ela

kea

sa

sum

mer

refu

ge

and

feed

ing

grou

nd.

Chan

ges

ins

peci

es

dive

rsity

an

dsp

ecie

sco

mpo

sitio

nof

mig

rato

ry

wad

ers.

Subj

ect

ton

atur

al

varia

tions

,no

dec

line

in

the

num

ber

ofm

igra

tory

w

ater

bird

svi

sitin

gla

ke.

Subj

ect

ton

atur

al

varia

tions

,m

aint

ain

orin

crea

se

the

spec

ies

dive

rsity

an

dsp

ecie

sco

mpo

sitio

nof

mig

rato

ry

bird

sfro

m2

007

leve

ls.

Ever

yth

ree

year

s. Ev

ery

thre

eye

ars.

55

• Th

ere

are

no k

now

n re

cord

s of

rare

or

prio

rity

flora

in th

e La

ke M

cLar

ty N

atur

e Re

serv

e.

• Th

e m

ain

thre

ats

to th

e ve

geta

tion

are

wat

er

leve

ls a

nd q

ualit

y, en

viro

nmen

tal w

eeds

, hu

man

dis

turb

ance

(inc

ludi

ng p

ets)

, cat

tle

graz

ing

and

fire.

• Th

e w

este

rn s

ide

of th

e la

ke h

as b

een

high

ly

degr

aded

as

a re

sult

of h

isto

rical

land

use

, w

ith a

lmos

t all

of th

e or

igin

al v

eget

atio

n re

mov

ed.

2. m

aint

aini

ng v

eget

atio

n bi

odiv

ersi

ty b

y re

duci

ng

thre

aten

ing

proc

esse

s;

3. m

aint

aini

ng th

e va

riety

of h

abita

ts th

at a

re a

vaila

ble

at

the

lake

to s

uppo

rt th

e di

vers

ity o

f bird

spe

cies

, inc

ludi

ng

enco

urag

ing

som

e ar

eas

of e

mer

gent

nat

ive

vege

tatio

n to

re-e

stab

lish

to p

rovi

de h

abita

t for

targ

eted

bird

spe

cies

(e

.g. A

ustr

alia

n re

ed w

arbl

er);

4. r

ehab

ilita

ting

degr

aded

are

as a

roun

d th

e la

ke to

rest

ore

a ve

geta

tion

buffe

r; an

d

5. m

aint

aini

ng fe

nces

with

in th

e re

serv

e to

ens

ure

that

cat

tle

graz

ing

occu

rs o

nly

in d

esig

nate

d ar

eas.

Chan

ges

in ra

nge

of h

abita

ts

avai

labl

e.

Mai

ntai

n or

incr

ease

th

e va

riety

of

hab

itats

av

aila

ble

at th

e la

ke fr

om 2

007

leve

ls.

Ever

y fiv

e ye

ars.

15.

ENVI

RON

MEN

TAL

WEE

DS

• Th

irtee

n w

eed

spec

ies

have

bee

n id

entif

ied

with

in th

e re

serv

e. A

s ra

ted

in th

e En

viron

men

tal W

eed

Stra

tegy

for W

este

rn A

ustra

lia

two

spec

ies

are

rate

d as

Hig

h an

d se

ven

as M

oder

ate

acco

rdin

g to

thei

r im

pact

on

biod

iver

sity

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

To p

reve

nt s

peci

es lo

ss a

nd c

omm

unity

dec

line

from

wee

d in

vasi

on.

THIS

WIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1. c

ontr

ollin

g en

viro

nmen

tal w

eeds

rate

d as

hig

h or

m

oder

ate

in th

e En

viron

men

tal W

eed

Stra

tegy

for W

este

rn

Austr

alia,

and

dec

lare

d w

eeds

, inc

ludi

ng c

otto

nbus

h;

2. m

appi

ng a

nd a

nnua

lly m

onito

ring

the

dist

ribut

ion

of T.

or

ienta

lis a

nd im

med

iate

ly c

ontr

ollin

g ne

w s

atel

lite

clum

ps;

and

Chan

ges

in

abun

danc

e an

d di

strib

utio

n of

prio

rity

envi

ronm

enta

l w

eeds

as

iden

tifie

d in

the

Envir

onm

enta

l W

eed

Stra

tegy

for

Wes

tern

Aus

tralia

.

No

incr

ease

in

the

abun

danc

e an

d di

strib

utio

n of

hig

h an

d m

oder

ate

rate

d en

viro

nmen

tal

wee

ds fr

om

2007

leve

ls.

Ever

y th

ree

year

s.

Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:55Lake McLarty Mgt Plan.indd Sec1:55 19.05.08 16:41:1919.05.08 16:41:19

55

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

13.

NAT

IVE

AN

IMA

LS A

ND

HA

BITA

TS

(

cont

inue

d)

•Th

ela

kes

uppo

rts

ahi

ghd

iver

sity

of

inve

rteb

rate

faun

a,w

hich

are

an

impo

rtan

tfo

ods

ourc

efo

rthe

wat

erbi

rds

that

use

it.

•Th

em

ain

thre

ats

toth

ena

tive

faun

aan

dfa

una

habi

tats

are

cha

nges

in

hydr

olog

y(w

ater

leve

lsa

ndw

ater

qua

lity)

,en

viro

nmen

talw

eeds

,unp

lann

edfi

re,a

nd

pred

atio

nby

foxe

san

dca

ts,a

nd,p

oten

tially

,th

eab

senc

eof

cat

tleg

razi

ng.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y: (c

onti

nued

)

3.E

ncou

ragi

nga

nds

uppo

rtin

ggr

oups

(e.g

.Bird

sAus

tral

ia,

com

mun

ityg

roup

s,te

rtia

ryin

stitu

tions

)to

unde

rtak

esp

ecifi

cre

sear

cha

nd/o

rmon

itorin

gpr

ojec

tsw

ithin

the

rese

rve;

and

4.s

uppo

rtin

gth

epr

epar

atio

nan

dim

plem

enta

tion

of

reco

very

pla

nsfo

rany

thre

aten

edfa

una

spec

ies

that

are

id

entif

ied

inth

ere

serv

e.

Exte

nto

fem

erge

nt

vege

tatio

n.

No

incr

ease

in

the

exte

nt

ofe

mer

gent

ve

geta

tion.

Ever

yth

ree

year

s.

14.

NAT

IVE

PLA

NTS

AN

D P

LAN

T

C

OM

MU

NIT

IES

•Ve

geta

tion

com

mun

ities

inth

ere

serv

ear

ere

pres

enta

tive

ofth

ose

once

wid

espr

ead

on

the

Swan

Coa

stal

Pla

inth

ath

ave

now

bee

nsi

gnifi

cant

lyc

lear

ed.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Toc

onse

rve

indi

geno

usp

lant

spe

cies

and

com

mun

ities

.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.i

dent

ifyin

gan

dco

nser

ving

veg

etat

ion

and

flora

that

is

rare

,thr

eate

ned

orin

nee

dof

spe

cial

con

side

ratio

n;

Dens

itya

nd

dive

rsity

of

nat

ive

vege

tatio

n.

An

impr

ovem

ent

inth

ede

nsity

an

ddi

vers

ity

ofu

nder

stor

ey

vege

tatio

nfro

m

2007

leve

ls.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

•Th

ere

are

nok

now

nre

cord

sof

rare

or

prio

rity

flora

inth

eLa

keM

cLar

tyN

atur

eRe

serv

e.

•Th

em

ain

thre

ats

toth

eve

geta

tion

are

wat

er

leve

lsa

ndq

ualit

y,en

viro

nmen

talw

eeds

,hu

man

dis

turb

ance

(inc

ludi

ngp

ets)

,cat

tle

graz

ing

and

fire.

•Th

ew

este

rns

ide

ofth

ela

keh

asb

een

high

ly

degr

aded

as

are

sult

ofh

isto

rical

land

use

,w

itha

lmos

tall

ofth

eor

igin

alv

eget

atio

nre

mov

ed.

2.m

aint

aini

ngv

eget

atio

nbi

odiv

ersi

tyb

yre

duci

ng

thre

aten

ing

proc

esse

s;3.

m

aint

aini

ngth

eva

riety

of

hab

itats

that

are

ava

ilabl

eat

the

lake

tos

uppo

rtth

edi

vers

ityo

fbird

spe

cies

,inc

ludi

nge

ncou

ragi

ngs

ome

area

sof

em

erge

ntn

ativ

eve

geta

tion

tore

-est

ablis

hto

pr

ovid

eha

bita

tfor

targ

eted

bird

spe

cies

(e.g

. Aus

tral

ian

reed

war

bler

);

4.r

ehab

ilita

ting

degr

aded

are

asa

roun

dth

ela

keto

rest

ore

ave

geta

tion

buffe

r;an

d

5.m

aint

aini

ngfe

nces

with

inth

ere

serv

eto

ens

ure

that

cat

tle

graz

ing

occu

rso

nly

ind

esig

nate

dar

eas.

Chan

ges

inra

nge

ofh

abita

ts

avai

labl

e.

Mai

ntai

nor

incr

ease

th

eva

riety

of

hab

itats

av

aila

ble

atth

ela

kefr

om2

007

leve

ls.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

15.

ENVI

RON

MEN

TAL

wEE

DS

•Th

irtee

nw

eed

spec

ies

have

bee

nid

entif

ied

with

inth

ere

serv

e.A

sra

ted

inth

eEn

viron

men

tal W

eed

Stra

tegy

for W

este

rn A

ustra

lia

two

spec

ies

are

rate

das

Hig

han

dse

ven

asM

oder

ate

acco

rdin

gto

thei

rim

pact

on

biod

iver

sity

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

reve

nts

peci

eslo

ssa

ndc

omm

unity

dec

line

from

wee

din

vasi

on.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.c

ontr

ollin

gen

viro

nmen

talw

eeds

rate

das

hig

hor

m

oder

ate

inth

eEn

viron

men

tal W

eed

Stra

tegy

for W

este

rn

Austr

alia,

and

dec

lare

dw

eeds

,inc

ludi

ngc

otto

nbus

h;

2.m

appi

nga

nda

nnua

llym

onito

ring

the

dist

ribut

ion

ofT.

or

ienta

lisa

ndim

med

iate

lyc

ontr

ollin

gne

ws

atel

lite

clum

ps;

and

Chan

ges

in

abun

danc

ean

ddi

strib

utio

nof

prio

rity

envi

ronm

enta

lw

eeds

as

iden

tifie

din

the

Envir

onm

enta

l W

eed

Stra

tegy

for

Wes

tern

Aus

tralia

.

No

incr

ease

in

the

abun

danc

ean

ddi

strib

utio

nof

hig

han

dm

oder

ate

rate

den

viro

nmen

tal

wee

dsfr

om

2007

leve

ls.

Ever

yth

ree

year

s.

56

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

15.

ENVI

RON

MEN

TAL

wEE

DS

(con

tinu

ed)

•Ty

pha

orien

talis

has

the

pote

ntia

lto

furt

her

redu

ceth

ear

eao

fope

nw

ater

atL

ake

McL

arty

.Alth

ough

its

curr

entd

istr

ibut

ion

is

limite

d,T

ypha

has

bee

nw

ides

prea

don

the

lake

bed

prev

ious

lya

ndm

aya

gain

bec

ome

am

anag

emen

tiss

ue.

•O

ther

wee

dsp

ecie

sth

reat

enin

gre

serv

eva

lues

incl

ude

cott

onbu

sh(a

dec

lare

dw

eed)

,br

ome

gras

s(h

igh

prio

rity

wee

dsp

ecie

s)a

nd

goos

efoo

t.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y: (c

onti

nued

)

3.t

rialli

ngd

iffer

entc

oste

ffect

ive

met

hods

toc

ontr

olT.

or

ienta

listo

det

erm

ine

the

mos

teffe

ctiv

em

etho

dfo

rLak

eM

cLar

ty.

16.

INTR

OD

UCE

D A

ND

OTH

ER P

ROBL

EM

A

NIM

ALS

•Pr

oble

ma

nim

als

asso

ciat

edw

ithth

ere

serv

ein

clud

efo

xes,

cats

(fer

ala

ndd

omes

tic),

dogs

an

dra

bbits

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

reve

nt,a

ndw

here

pos

sibl

e,n

egat

eth

eim

pact

sof

pr

oble

ma

nim

als

onth

ere

serv

e’s

valu

es.

Chan

ges

in

the

num

bers

of

mos

quito

es

trap

ped

with

in

the

rese

rve.

No

sign

ifica

nt

incr

ease

in

the

mos

quito

po

pula

tions

pr

esen

tatt

he

lake

.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

•Fo

xes

and

cats

may

pos

ea

thre

atto

nat

ive

faun

a,a

ndit

isth

ough

ttha

tfox

esm

ayh

ave

been

am

ajor

cau

seo

fdec

line

inth

elo

cal

popu

latio

nof

obl

ong

turt

les.

•A

fox

baiti

ngp

rogr

amc

omm

ence

din

the

natu

rere

serv

eat

the

end

of2

006,

whi

chis

pl

anne

dto

con

tinue

on

am

onth

lyb

asis

at

leas

tunt

ilth

een

dof

201

1.

•M

osqu

itoa

ndm

idge

bre

edin

gw

ithin

th

ela

keis

ap

oten

tialp

robl

emfo

rfut

ure

resi

dent

s.Th

eSh

ireo

fMur

ray

mon

itors

m

osqu

itola

rvae

num

bers

adj

acen

tto

Lake

M

cLar

ty.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.p

repa

ring

aco

ntro

lpro

gram

forp

robl

ema

nim

als

base

don

the

follo

win

gcr

iteria

:

a.

exi

stin

gan

dpo

tent

iali

mpa

cto

fthe

spe

cies

;

b.

the

effi

cien

cya

nde

ffect

iven

ess

ofc

ontr

olm

easu

res;

c.

ava

ilabi

lity

ofre

sour

ces;

and

d.

the

cap

acity

forl

ong-

term

mon

itorin

gof

the

popu

latio

n;

2.e

stab

lishi

nga

form

alle

ase/

licen

ceto

allo

wc

lose

ly

mon

itore

dca

ttle

gra

zing

toc

ontin

uein

the

rese

rve

(see

Na

tive

Anim

als a

nd H

abita

ts);

3.r

einf

orci

ngth

eve

geta

tion

buffe

raro

und

the

lake

to

nega

tep

oten

tialp

robl

ems

with

mid

ges

and

mos

quito

es;

4.r

efer

ring

prop

osal

sto

spr

ayfo

rmid

gea

ndm

osqu

ito

cont

rolt

oth

eCo

nser

vatio

nCo

mm

issi

on;a

nd

5.i

ncre

asin

gco

mm

unity

aw

aren

ess

ofth

ene

edto

kee

pdo

mes

tica

nim

als

outo

fthe

rese

rve,

and

incr

easi

ngth

eef

fect

iven

ess

ofth

edo

g-re

sist

antf

ence

on

the

wes

tern

si

deo

fthe

lake

ifn

eces

sary

.

57

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

15.

ENVI

RON

MEN

TAL

wEE

DS

(con

tinu

ed)

•Ty

pha

orien

talis

has

the

pote

ntia

lto

furt

her

redu

ceth

ear

eao

fope

nw

ater

atL

ake

McL

arty

.Alth

ough

its

curr

entd

istr

ibut

ion

is

limite

d,T

ypha

has

bee

nw

ides

prea

don

the

lake

bed

prev

ious

lya

ndm

aya

gain

bec

ome

am

anag

emen

tiss

ue.

•O

ther

wee

dsp

ecie

sth

reat

enin

gre

serv

eva

lues

incl

ude

cott

onbu

sh(a

dec

lare

dw

eed)

,br

ome

gras

s(h

igh

prio

rity

wee

dsp

ecie

s)a

nd

goos

efoo

t.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y: (c

onti

nued

)

3.t

rialli

ngd

iffer

entc

oste

ffect

ive

met

hods

toc

ontr

olT.

or

ienta

listo

det

erm

ine

the

mos

teffe

ctiv

em

etho

dfo

rLak

eM

cLar

ty.

16.

INTR

OD

UCE

D A

ND

OTH

ER P

ROBL

EM

A

NIM

ALS

•Pr

oble

ma

nim

als

asso

ciat

edw

ithth

ere

serv

ein

clud

efo

xes,

cats

(fer

ala

nd d

omes

tic),

dogs

an

dra

bbits

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

reve

nt,a

ndw

here

pos

sibl

e,n

egat

eth

eim

pact

sof

pr

oble

ma

nim

als

onth

ere

serv

e’s

valu

es.

Chan

ges

in

the

num

bers

of

mos

quito

es

trap

ped

with

in

the

rese

rve.

No

sign

ifica

nt

incr

ease

in

the

mos

quito

po

pula

tions

pr

esen

tatt

he

lake

.

Ever

y fiv

eye

ars.

•Fo

xes

and

cats

may

pos

ea

thre

atto

nat

ive

faun

a,a

ndit

isth

ough

ttha

tfox

esm

ayh

ave

been

am

ajor

cau

seo

fdec

line

inth

elo

cal

popu

latio

nof

obl

ong

turt

les.

•A

fox

baiti

ngp

rogr

amc

omm

ence

din

the

natu

rere

serv

eat

the

end

of2

006,

whi

chis

pl

anne

dto

con

tinue

on

am

onth

lyb

asis

at

leas

tunt

ilth

een

dof

201

1.

•M

osqu

itoa

ndm

idge

bre

edin

gw

ithin

th

ela

keis

ap

oten

tialp

robl

emfo

rfut

ure

resi

dent

s.Th

eSh

ireo

fMur

ray

mon

itors

m

osqu

itola

rvae

num

bers

adj

acen

tto

Lake

M

cLar

ty.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.p

repa

ring

aco

ntro

lpro

gram

forp

robl

ema

nim

als

base

don

the

follo

win

gcr

iteria

:

a.

exi

stin

gan

dpo

tent

iali

mpa

cto

fthe

spe

cies

;

b.

the

effi

cien

cya

nde

ffect

iven

ess

ofc

ontr

olm

easu

res;

c.

ava

ilabi

lity

ofre

sour

ces;

and

d.

the

cap

acity

forl

ong-

term

mon

itorin

gof

the

popu

latio

n;

2.e

stab

lishi

nga

form

alle

ase/

licen

ceto

allo

wc

lose

ly

mon

itore

dca

ttle

gra

zing

toc

ontin

uein

the

rese

rve

(see

Na

tive

Anim

als a

nd H

abita

ts);

3.r

einf

orci

ngth

eve

geta

tion

buffe

raro

und

the

lake

to

nega

tep

oten

tialp

robl

ems

with

mid

ges

and

mos

quito

es;

4.r

efer

ring

prop

osal

sto

spr

ayfo

rmid

gea

ndm

osqu

ito

cont

rolt

oth

eCo

nser

vatio

nCo

mm

issi

on;a

nd

5.i

ncre

asin

gco

mm

unity

aw

aren

ess

ofth

ene

edto

kee

pdo

mes

tica

nim

als

outo

fthe

rese

rve,

and

incr

easi

ngth

eef

fect

iven

ess

ofth

edo

g-re

sist

antf

ence

on

the

wes

tern

si

deo

fthe

lake

ifn

eces

sary

.

58

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

17.

DIS

EASE

•La

keM

cLar

tyN

atur

eRe

serv

eis

‘u

nint

erpr

etab

le’f

orth

epr

esen

ceo

fPh

ytop

htho

ra ci

nnam

omi.

How

ever

sec

tions

of

the

adja

cent

McL

arty

Nat

ure

Rese

rve

are

‘inte

rpre

tabl

e’a

nds

usce

ptib

leto

this

pa

thog

en.

•Ph

ytop

htho

ra ci

nnam

omi c

ould

hav

ean

impa

ct

onre

vege

tatio

npr

ogra

ms

inth

ere

serv

eif

the

spec

ies

plan

ted

are

vuln

erab

leto

it.

•P.

cinna

mom

ican

be

spre

adb

yhu

man

s,ve

hicl

esa

nda

nim

als

mov

ing

infe

sted

soi

lan

dpl

antm

ater

ial.

OBJ

ECTI

VE:

To

prev

ent

the

intr

oduc

tion

and

spre

ad,

of

Phyt

opht

hora

cin

nam

omi.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.s

urve

ying

the

adjo

inin

gM

cLar

tyN

atur

eRe

serv

efo

rP.

cinna

mom

i inf

ectio

n an

dqu

aran

tinin

gaf

fect

eda

reas

;

2.r

educ

ing

the

risk

ofin

trod

ucin

gan

dsp

read

ing

the

dise

ase

tou

ninf

ecte

dar

eas

byli

miti

nga

cces

sto

affe

cted

are

as,

and

ensu

ring

appr

opria

teh

ygie

nes

tand

ards

form

achi

nery

an

dve

hicl

esw

hen

unde

rtak

ing

wor

ksw

ithin

the

rese

rve;

3.e

nsur

ing

soils

and

oth

erm

ater

ials

bro

ught

into

the

rese

rve

are

free

ofP.

cinn

amom

i;an

d

4.r

aisi

ngc

omm

unity

aw

aren

ess

ofth

eim

pact

san

dm

anag

emen

tiss

ues

asso

ciat

edw

ithd

ieba

ck(s

eeIn

volvi

ng

the

Com

mun

ity).

18.

FIRE

•W

ildfir

eis

as

igni

fican

tthr

eatt

oth

ena

tura

lva

lues

oft

here

serv

e,a

ndto

adj

oini

ng

prop

ertie

s.

•Th

eDe

part

men

thas

the

lead

role

infi

re

supp

ress

ion

with

inth

ere

serv

ean

d,in

the

even

toff

ire,w

ould

be

assi

sted

by

the

Shire

of

Mur

ray

•Fi

rem

anag

emen

tatL

ake

McL

arty

is

guid

edb

yth

eBu

shF

iresA

ct1

954

and

the

Depa

rtm

ent’s

Fire

Man

agem

entP

olic

y.

•Fi

res

ins

mal

lres

erve

ssu

rrou

nded

by

agric

ultu

rall

and

usua

llyp

rom

ote

wee

din

vasi

on.

•La

rge

infe

stat

ions

ofi

ntro

duce

dbu

lrush

are

a

fire

haza

rd.

OBJ

ECTI

VE:

Top

rote

ctth

ebi

odiv

ersi

tyo

fthe

rese

rve,

as

wel

las

peop

le

and

prop

erty

,by

min

imis

ing

the

impa

cto

fwild

fire.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.m

inim

isin

gth

ear

eao

fTyp

hain

fest

atio

nsto

pre

vent

the

build

up

offu

el;

2.m

aint

aini

ngth

eco

ncre

teta

nka

ndb

ore

onth

ew

este

rn

side

oft

hela

kefo

rfire

figh

ting

purp

oses

;

3.e

nsur

ing

that

acc

ess

forf

irep

rote

ctio

npu

rpos

esis

co

nsid

ered

and

pro

vide

dw

hen

any

subd

ivis

ions

are

pr

opos

ed;a

nd

4.c

onsi

derin

gse

lect

ive

pres

crib

edb

urni

ngo

nly

fort

he

prot

ectio

nof

spe

cial

lyp

rote

cted

,thr

eate

ned

orp

riorit

ysp

ecie

s.

19.

REH

ABI

LITA

TIO

N

•De

grad

atio

nan

dlo

sso

fnat

ural

veg

etat

ion,

pa

rtic

ular

lyo

nth

ew

este

rns

ide

ofth

ela

ke,h

aso

ccur

red

hist

oric

ally

as

are

sult

of

farm

ing

prac

tices

and

cat

tleg

razi

ng.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Tore

stor

ede

grad

eda

reas

oft

here

serv

eto

ac

ondi

tion

rese

mbl

ing

the

natu

rale

nviro

nmen

t.Ch

ange

inth

ear

eao

flan

dre

habi

litat

ed

with

inth

ere

serv

e.

Land

inth

eso

uthe

rna

nd

wes

tern

par

ts

ofth

ere

serv

esa

tisfa

ctor

ily

reha

bilit

ated

.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

59

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

17.

DIS

EASE

•La

keM

cLar

tyN

atur

eRe

serv

eis

‘u

nint

erpr

etab

le’f

orth

epr

esen

ceo

fPh

ytop

htho

ra ci

nnam

omi.

How

ever

sec

tions

of

the

adja

cent

McL

arty

Nat

ure

Rese

rve

are

‘inte

rpre

tabl

e’a

nds

usce

ptib

leto

this

pa

thog

en.

•Ph

ytop

htho

ra ci

nnam

omi c

ould

hav

ean

impa

ct

onre

vege

tatio

npr

ogra

ms

inth

ere

serv

eif

the

spec

ies

plan

ted

are

vuln

erab

leto

it.

•P.

cinna

mom

ican

be

spre

adb

yhu

man

s,ve

hicl

esa

nda

nim

als

mov

ing

infe

sted

soi

lan

dpl

antm

ater

ial.

OBJ

ECTI

VE:

To

prev

ent

the

intr

oduc

tion

and

spre

ad,

of

Phyt

opht

hora

cin

nam

omi.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.s

urve

ying

the

adjo

inin

gM

cLar

tyN

atur

eRe

serv

efo

rP.

cinna

mom

i inf

ectio

n an

dqu

aran

tinin

gaf

fect

eda

reas

;

2.r

educ

ing

the

risk

ofin

trod

ucin

gan

dsp

read

ing

the

dise

ase

tou

ninf

ecte

dar

eas

byli

miti

nga

cces

sto

affe

cted

are

as,

and

ensu

ring

appr

opria

teh

ygie

nes

tand

ards

form

achi

nery

an

dve

hicl

esw

hen

unde

rtak

ing

wor

ksw

ithin

the

rese

rve;

3.e

nsur

ing

soils

and

oth

erm

ater

ials

bro

ught

into

the

rese

rve

are

free

ofP.

cinn

amom

i;an

d

4.r

aisi

ngc

omm

unity

aw

aren

ess

ofth

eim

pact

san

dm

anag

emen

tiss

ues

asso

ciat

edw

ithd

ieba

ck(s

eeIn

volvi

ng

the

Com

mun

ity).

18.

FIRE

•W

ildfir

eis

as

igni

fican

tthr

eatt

oth

ena

tura

lva

lues

oft

here

serv

e,a

ndto

adj

oini

ng

prop

ertie

s.

•Th

eDe

part

men

thas

the

lead

role

infi

re

supp

ress

ion

with

inth

ere

serv

ean

d,in

the

even

toff

ire,w

ould

be

assi

sted

by

the

Shire

of

Mur

ray

•Fi

rem

anag

emen

tatL

ake

McL

arty

is

guid

edb

yth

eBu

shF

iresA

ct1

954

and

the

Depa

rtm

ent’s

Fire

Man

agem

entP

olic

y.

•Fi

res

ins

mal

lres

erve

ssu

rrou

nded

by

agric

ultu

rall

and

usua

llyp

rom

ote

wee

din

vasi

on.

•La

rge

infe

stat

ions

ofi

ntro

duce

dbu

lrush

are

a

fire

haza

rd.

OBJ

ECTI

VE:

Top

rote

ctth

ebi

odiv

ersi

tyo

fthe

rese

rve,

as

wel

las

peop

le

and

prop

erty

,by

min

imis

ing

the

impa

cto

fwild

fire.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.m

inim

isin

gth

ear

eao

fTyp

hain

fest

atio

nsto

pre

vent

the

build

up

offu

el;

2.m

aint

aini

ngth

eco

ncre

teta

nka

ndb

ore

onth

ew

este

rn

side

oft

hela

kefo

rfire

figh

ting

purp

oses

;

3.e

nsur

ing

that

acc

ess

forf

irep

rote

ctio

npu

rpos

esis

co

nsid

ered

and

pro

vide

dw

hen

any

subd

ivis

ions

are

pr

opos

ed;a

nd

4.c

onsi

derin

gse

lect

ive

pres

crib

edb

urni

ngo

nly

fort

he

prot

ectio

nof

spe

cial

lyp

rote

cted

,thr

eate

ned

orp

riorit

ysp

ecie

s.

19.

REH

ABI

LITA

TIO

N

•De

grad

atio

nan

dlo

sso

fnat

ural

veg

etat

ion,

pa

rtic

ular

lyo

nth

ew

este

rns

ide

ofth

ela

ke,h

aso

ccur

red

hist

oric

ally

as

are

sult

of

farm

ing

prac

tices

and

cat

tleg

razi

ng.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Tore

stor

ede

grad

eda

reas

oft

here

serv

eto

ac

ondi

tion

rese

mbl

ing

the

natu

rale

nviro

nmen

t.Ch

ange

inth

ear

eao

flan

dre

habi

litat

ed

with

inth

ere

serv

e.

Land

inth

eso

uthe

rna

nd

wes

tern

par

ts

ofth

ere

serv

esa

tisfa

ctor

ily

reha

bilit

ated

.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

60

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

19.

REH

ABI

LITA

TIO

N (c

onti

nued

)

•Re

habi

litat

ion

ofth

ew

este

rns

ide

ofth

ela

ke

was

und

erta

ken

in2

004

usin

gna

tive

spec

ies

grow

nfro

ms

eed

colle

cted

from

the

rese

rve.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.r

ehab

ilita

ting

with

pla

nts

that

hav

ebe

enp

ropa

gate

dfro

m

seed

san

dcu

ttin

gsc

olle

cted

eith

erfr

omw

ithin

the

rese

rve

orfr

omp

rove

nanc

efro

mth

eSw

anC

oast

alP

lain

;

2.c

oord

inat

ing

reha

bilit

atio

nw

orks

with

wee

dco

ntro

l,fir

epr

otec

tion

and

catt

lee

xclu

sion

;

3.e

ncou

ragi

ngm

embe

rso

fthe

loca

lcom

mun

ity,c

omm

unity

gr

oups

and

sch

ools

top

artic

ipat

ein

reha

bilit

atio

nw

orks

,an

dto

see

kex

tern

alfu

ndin

gfo

rsuc

hw

orks

;

4.e

nsur

ing

mul

cha

nds

oilu

sed

inre

habi

litat

ion

wor

ksd

oes

notc

onta

inu

nwan

ted

seed

sor

pla

ntd

isea

ses;

5.e

ncou

ragi

ngn

atur

alre

gene

ratio

nas

muc

has

pos

sibl

eby

m

anag

ing

graz

ing

pres

sure

from

cat

tlea

ndra

bbits

;and

6.u

nder

taki

ngre

habi

litat

ion

wor

kso

nth

eso

uthe

rna

nd

sout

h-ea

ster

nsi

des

ofth

ere

serv

e,a

ndc

ontin

uing

re

habi

litat

ion

onth

ew

este

rns

ide.

PART

D. M

AN

AGIN

G C

ULT

URA

L H

ERIT

AGE

20.

IND

IGEN

OU

S A

ND

21

. N

ON

-IND

IGEN

OU

S H

ERIT

AGE

•Th

ere

are

nok

now

nAb

orig

inal

site

sin

the

rese

rve,

alth

ough

regi

ster

eds

ites

exis

twith

in

the

Peel

Inle

t/Har

vey

Estu

ary

area

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

rote

ctth

ere

serv

e’s

cultu

ralh

erita

ge.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.n

otify

ing

rele

vant

Nat

ive

Title

Cla

iman

tsa

nda

utho

ritie

sw

hen

prop

osin

gto

und

erta

kep

ublic

wor

ksin

regi

ster

ed

herit

age

site

s;

2.e

nsur

ing

man

agem

enta

ctiv

ities

do

noti

mpa

ctu

pon

cultu

ralh

erita

gev

alue

s;an

d

3.c

olla

ting

info

rmat

ion

onc

ultu

ralh

erita

ges

ites

and

addi

ng

them

toth

ere

gist

ero

nth

eDe

part

men

t’sR

ecre

atio

nan

dTo

uris

mIn

form

atio

nSy

stem

(RAT

IS)d

atab

ase.

PART

E. M

AN

AGIN

G V

ISIT

OR

USE

23.

VISI

TOR

ACCE

SS

•Vi

sito

racc

ess

toth

ere

serv

eis

lim

ited

to

gate

slo

cate

don

the

wes

tern

and

sou

ther

nsi

des

ofth

ela

ke,a

lthou

ghth

eso

uthe

rn

acce

ssis

form

anag

emen

tveh

icle

son

ly.

Wal

kers

als

ous

em

anag

emen

tand

fire

ac

cess

trac

ks.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

rovi

des

afe

and

conv

enie

nta

cces

sw

ithin

the

res

erve

,fo

rvi

sito

rsa

ndm

anag

emen

t,th

atis

con

sist

ent

with

res

erve

va

lues

.

61

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

19.

REH

ABI

LITA

TIO

N (c

onti

nued

)

•Re

habi

litat

ion

ofth

ew

este

rns

ide

ofth

ela

ke

was

und

erta

ken

in2

004

usin

gna

tive

spec

ies

grow

nfro

ms

eed

colle

cted

from

the

rese

rve.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.r

ehab

ilita

ting

with

pla

nts

that

hav

ebe

enp

ropa

gate

dfro

m

seed

san

dcu

ttin

gsc

olle

cted

eith

erfr

omw

ithin

the

rese

rve

orfr

omp

rove

nanc

efro

mth

eSw

anC

oast

alP

lain

;

2.c

oord

inat

ing

reha

bilit

atio

nw

orks

with

wee

dco

ntro

l,fir

epr

otec

tion

and

catt

lee

xclu

sion

;

3.e

ncou

ragi

ngm

embe

rso

fthe

loca

lcom

mun

ity,c

omm

unity

gr

oups

and

sch

ools

top

artic

ipat

ein

reha

bilit

atio

nw

orks

,an

dto

see

kex

tern

alfu

ndin

gfo

rsuc

hw

orks

;

4.e

nsur

ing

mul

cha

nds

oilu

sed

inre

habi

litat

ion

wor

ksd

oes

notc

onta

inu

nwan

ted

seed

sor

pla

ntd

isea

ses;

5.e

ncou

ragi

ngn

atur

alre

gene

ratio

nas

muc

has

pos

sibl

eby

m

anag

ing

graz

ing

pres

sure

from

cat

tlea

ndra

bbits

;and

6.u

nder

taki

ngre

habi

litat

ion

wor

kso

nth

eso

uthe

rna

nd

sout

h-ea

ster

nsi

des

ofth

ere

serv

e,a

ndc

ontin

uing

re

habi

litat

ion

onth

ew

este

rns

ide.

PART

D. M

AN

AGIN

G C

ULT

URA

L H

ERIT

AGE

20.

IND

IGEN

OU

S A

ND

21

. N

ON

-IND

IGEN

OU

S H

ERIT

AGE

•Th

ere

are

nok

now

nAb

orig

inal

site

sin

the

rese

rve,

alth

ough

regi

ster

eds

ites

exis

twith

in

the

Peel

Inle

t/Har

vey

Estu

ary

area

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

rote

ctth

ere

serv

e’s

cultu

ralh

erita

ge.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.n

otify

ing

rele

vant

Nat

ive

Title

Cla

iman

tsa

nda

utho

ritie

sw

hen

prop

osin

gto

und

erta

kep

ublic

wor

ksin

regi

ster

ed

herit

age

site

s;

2.e

nsur

ing

man

agem

enta

ctiv

ities

do

noti

mpa

ctu

pon

cultu

ralh

erita

gev

alue

s;an

d

3.c

olla

ting

info

rmat

ion

onc

ultu

ralh

erita

ges

ites

and

addi

ng

them

toth

ere

gist

ero

nth

eDe

part

men

t’sR

ecre

atio

nan

dTo

uris

mIn

form

atio

nSy

stem

(RAT

IS)d

atab

ase.

PART

E. M

AN

AGIN

G V

ISIT

OR

USE

23.

VISI

TOR

ACCE

SS

•Vi

sito

racc

ess

toth

ere

serv

eis

lim

ited

to

gate

slo

cate

don

the

wes

tern

and

sou

ther

nsi

des

ofth

ela

ke,a

lthou

ghth

eso

uthe

rn

acce

ssis

form

anag

emen

tveh

icle

son

ly.

Wal

kers

als

ous

em

anag

emen

tand

fire

ac

cess

trac

ks.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Top

rovi

des

afe

and

conv

enie

nta

cces

sw

ithin

the

res

erve

,fo

rvi

sito

rsa

ndm

anag

emen

t,th

atis

con

sist

ent

with

res

erve

va

lues

.

62

KEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

KEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

23.

VISI

TOR

ACCE

SS (c

onti

nued

)

•Ca

noei

ngo

nth

ela

keis

onl

ype

rmitt

ed

form

anag

emen

tand

sci

entif

icre

sear

ch

purp

oses

.

ThIS

wIl

l BE

ACh

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.m

aint

aini

ngd

esig

nate

dac

cess

poi

nts

toth

ere

serv

eto

fa

cilit

ate

wal

king

and

bird

wat

chin

gac

tiviti

es;

2.i

nsta

lling

an

info

rmat

ion

sign

ate

ach

ofth

eac

cess

poi

nts;

3.c

ontin

uing

top

erm

itpe

dest

rian

acce

sso

nm

anag

emen

tan

dfir

eac

cess

trac

ksu

nles

sot

herw

ise

sign

post

ed;

4.p

endi

ngfu

ture

sub

divi

sion

s,co

nsid

erin

gup

grad

ing

vehi

cle

acce

ssto

the

sout

hof

the

lake

off

Mill

sRo

adto

allo

wo

ff-ro

adp

arki

ng;

5.p

endi

nga

futu

rein

crea

sein

vis

itorn

umbe

rs,c

onsi

der

deve

lopi

ngd

efin

edw

alki

ngtr

ails

ifre

quire

d;a

nd

6.p

rohi

bitin

gth

eus

eof

recr

eatio

nalw

ater

craf

t(in

clud

ing

mod

elb

oats

)in

the

lake

,and

allo

win

gth

eus

eof

can

oes

only

fore

duca

tion,

rese

arch

and

man

agem

entp

urpo

ses

bya

ppro

ved

user

s.

24.

VISI

TOR

USE

•Th

em

ostp

opul

arv

isito

ruse

sat

the

rese

rve

are

bird

wat

chin

gan

dna

ture

app

reci

atio

n.

•Vi

sito

ruse

atL

ake

McL

arty

ise

xpec

ted

to

incr

ease

ove

rthe

life

oft

hem

anag

emen

tpl

ana

sre

side

ntia

ldev

elop

men

ton

adjo

inin

gla

ndp

rogr

esse

san

dth

ear

eab

ecom

esm

ore

acce

ssib

lew

ithth

eco

mpl

etio

nof

the

Peel

De

viat

ion

Free

way

.

•Fa

cilit

ies

are

limite

dto

an

info

rmat

ion

boar

don

the

wes

tern

sid

eof

the

lake

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE:

Top

rovi

def

orp

assi

ve,l

ow-im

pact

vis

itor

uses

in

am

anne

rth

atis

con

sist

ent

with

the

res

erve

’spu

rpos

ean

dva

lues

,and

w

hich

min

imis

esc

onfli

ctb

etw

een

visi

tors

.

ThIS

wIl

l BE

ACh

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.p

rom

otin

gvi

sito

ruse

that

isc

onsi

sten

twith

the

prot

ectio

nan

dpr

omot

ion

ofth

ere

serv

e’s

valu

es;

2.e

nsur

ing

that

vis

itoru

ses

don

otim

pact

on

the

valu

eso

fLa

keM

cLar

ty;a

nd

3.c

onst

ruct

ing

avi

ewin

gpl

atfo

rmo

nth

ew

este

rns

ide

of

the

lake

.

PART

F.

INVO

lVIN

G T

hE

COM

MU

NIT

Y

25.

INFO

RMAT

ION

, ED

UCA

TIO

N A

ND

IN

TERP

RETA

TIO

N

•In

form

atio

n,e

duca

tion

and

inte

rpre

tatio

npr

ovid

eta

rget

edc

omm

unic

atio

nw

ithth

epu

blic

.

•It

isim

port

antf

orth

eef

fect

ive

impl

emen

tatio

nof

the

man

agem

entp

lan

that

com

mun

ityu

nder

stan

ding

and

sup

port

is

fost

ered

OBJ

ECTI

VES

1.T

oin

crea

sec

omm

unity

aw

aren

ess,

appr

ecia

tion

and

unde

rsta

ndin

gof

the

rese

rve’

sva

lues

,and

tog

ain

supp

ort

form

anag

emen

tpra

ctic

es.

2.T

oin

crea

sec

omm

unity

aw

aren

ess,

appr

ecia

tion

and

unde

rsta

ndin

gof

Lak

eM

cLar

ty’s

natio

nala

nd

inte

rnat

iona

lim

port

ance

forw

ater

bird

s.

63

KEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

KEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

23.

VISI

TOR

ACCE

SS (c

onti

nued

)

•Ca

noei

ngo

nth

ela

keis

onl

ype

rmitt

ed

form

anag

emen

tand

sci

entif

icre

sear

ch

purp

oses

.

ThIS

wIl

l BE

ACh

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.m

aint

aini

ngd

esig

nate

dac

cess

poi

nts

toth

ere

serv

eto

fa

cilit

ate

wal

king

and

bird

wat

chin

gac

tiviti

es;

2.i

nsta

lling

an

info

rmat

ion

sign

ate

ach

ofth

eac

cess

poi

nts;

3.c

ontin

uing

top

erm

itpe

dest

rian

acce

sso

nm

anag

emen

tan

dfir

eac

cess

trac

ksu

nles

sot

herw

ise

sign

post

ed;

4.p

endi

ngfu

ture

sub

divi

sion

s,co

nsid

erin

gup

grad

ing

vehi

cle

acce

ssto

the

sout

hof

the

lake

off

Mill

sRo

adto

allo

wo

ff-ro

adp

arki

ng;

5.p

endi

nga

futu

rein

crea

sein

vis

itorn

umbe

rs,c

onsi

der

deve

lopi

ngd

efin

edw

alki

ngtr

ails

ifre

quire

d;a

nd

6.p

rohi

bitin

gth

eus

eof

recr

eatio

nalw

ater

craf

t(in

clud

ing

mod

elb

oats

)in

the

lake

,and

allo

win

gth

eus

eof

can

oes

only

fore

duca

tion,

rese

arch

and

man

agem

entp

urpo

ses

bya

ppro

ved

user

s.

24.

VISI

TOR

USE

•Th

em

ostp

opul

arv

isito

ruse

sat

the

rese

rve

are

bird

wat

chin

gan

dna

ture

app

reci

atio

n.

•Vi

sito

ruse

atL

ake

McL

arty

ise

xpec

ted

to

incr

ease

ove

rthe

life

oft

hem

anag

emen

tpl

ana

sre

side

ntia

ldev

elop

men

ton

adjo

inin

gla

ndp

rogr

esse

san

dth

ear

eab

ecom

esm

ore

acce

ssib

lew

ithth

eco

mpl

etio

nof

the

Peel

De

viat

ion

Free

way

.

•Fa

cilit

ies

are

limite

dto

an

info

rmat

ion

boar

don

the

wes

tern

sid

eof

the

lake

.

OBJ

ECTI

VE:

Top

rovi

def

orp

assi

ve,l

ow-im

pact

vis

itor

uses

in

am

anne

rth

atis

con

sist

ent

with

the

res

erve

’spu

rpos

ean

dva

lues

,and

w

hich

min

imis

esc

onfli

ctb

etw

een

visi

tors

.

ThIS

wIl

l BE

ACh

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.p

rom

otin

gvi

sito

ruse

that

isc

onsi

sten

twith

the

prot

ectio

nan

dpr

omot

ion

ofth

ere

serv

e’s

valu

es;

2.e

nsur

ing

that

vis

itoru

ses

don

otim

pact

on

the

valu

eso

fLa

keM

cLar

ty;a

nd

3.c

onst

ruct

ing

avi

ewin

gpl

atfo

rmo

nth

ew

este

rns

ide

of

the

lake

.

PART

F.

INVO

lVIN

G T

hE

COM

MU

NIT

Y

25.

INFO

RMAT

ION

, ED

UCA

TIO

N A

ND

IN

TERP

RETA

TIO

N

•In

form

atio

n,e

duca

tion

and

inte

rpre

tatio

npr

ovid

eta

rget

edc

omm

unic

atio

nw

ithth

epu

blic

.

•It

isim

port

antf

orth

eef

fect

ive

impl

emen

tatio

nof

the

man

agem

entp

lan

that

com

mun

ityu

nder

stan

ding

and

sup

port

is

fost

ered

OBJ

ECTI

VES

1.T

oin

crea

sec

omm

unity

aw

aren

ess,

appr

ecia

tion

and

unde

rsta

ndin

gof

the

rese

rve’

sva

lues

,and

tog

ain

supp

ort

form

anag

emen

tpra

ctic

es.

2.T

oin

crea

sec

omm

unity

aw

aren

ess,

appr

ecia

tion

and

unde

rsta

ndin

gof

Lak

eM

cLar

ty’s

natio

nala

nd

inte

rnat

iona

lim

port

ance

forw

ater

bird

s.

64

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

INFO

RMAT

ION

, ED

UCA

TIO

N A

ND

IN

TERP

RETA

TIO

N (c

onti

nued

)

•Th

ere

isli

mite

dco

mm

unity

aw

aren

ess

of

Lake

McL

arty

’sim

port

ance

as

ana

tiona

lly

and

inte

rnat

iona

llys

igni

fican

twet

land

.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.p

rovi

ding

info

rmat

ion

tov

isito

rso

nre

serv

eva

lues

and

is

sues

suc

has

its

impo

rtan

cefo

rmig

rato

ryw

ater

bird

s,vi

sito

rsaf

ety,

perm

itted

act

iviti

esa

ndre

gula

tions

;and

2.i

nsta

lling

sig

nsa

ndin

form

atio

nfo

rthe

pur

pose

of

publ

ice

duca

tion

and

inte

rpre

tatio

nto

ass

isti

nac

hiev

ing

cons

erva

tion

obje

ctiv

es.

26.

wO

RkIN

G w

ITH

TH

E CO

MM

UN

ITY

•Co

mm

unity

invo

lvem

enti

san

inte

gral

co

mpo

nent

oft

heD

epar

tmen

t’so

pera

tions

.

•Co

mm

unity

gro

ups

and

indi

vidu

als

are

enco

urag

edto

be

invo

lved

inth

em

anag

emen

tofL

ake

McL

arty

.

•Co

mm

unity

sup

port

ise

ssen

tialf

or

the

succ

essf

ulim

plem

enta

tion

ofth

is

man

agem

entp

lan.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Tofa

cilit

ate

effe

ctiv

eco

mm

unity

invo

lvem

enti

nth

em

anag

emen

toft

here

serv

e.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.c

ontin

uing

toe

ncou

rage

,pro

mot

ean

dsu

ppor

tvol

unte

ers

and

com

mun

ityg

roup

sw

ithe

ssen

tialr

esou

rces

toh

elp

them

car

ryo

utth

eira

ctiv

ities

;and

2.i

nvol

ving

the

com

mun

ityin

the

impl

emen

tatio

nof

this

m

anag

emen

tpla

n.

Chan

gein

th

enu

mbe

rs

ofv

olun

teer

sho

urs

cont

ribut

ed

tore

serv

em

anag

emen

t.

20p

erce

nt

incr

ease

inth

enu

mbe

rso

fvo

lunt

eerh

ours

co

ntrib

uted

to

the

man

agem

ent

ofth

ere

serv

efro

m2

006

leve

ls.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

27.

SCIE

NTI

FIC

AN

D R

ESEA

RCH

USE

•Da

tac

olle

cted

att

here

serv

ein

clud

esw

ater

qu

ality

indi

cato

rs,w

ater

leve

ls,b

irdc

ount

san

dm

osqu

itola

rvae

cou

nts.

Opp

ortu

nitie

sex

istf

orfu

rthe

rstu

dies

toc

ompl

emen

tpr

opos

als

inth

ism

anag

emen

tpla

n,

part

icul

arly

inre

latio

nto

impa

cts

and/

or

bene

fits

ofc

attle

gra

zing

and

alte

rnat

ives

for

habi

tatm

aint

enan

ce.

•Al

lres

earc

hsh

ould

be

co-o

rdin

ated

by

the

Depa

rtm

ent.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Toi

ncre

ase

know

ledg

ean

dun

ders

tand

ing

ofk

eyv

alue

sto

pr

ovid

efo

rim

prov

edm

anag

emen

tof

the

pla

nnin

gar

eaa

nd

tom

onito

rthe

pos

sibl

eim

pact

sas

soci

ated

with

impl

emen

ting

the

man

agem

entp

lan.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.c

ondu

ctin

gre

sear

cha

ndm

onito

ring,

as

reso

urce

spe

rmit

and

acco

rdin

gto

prio

rity,

that

focu

ses

onis

sues

and

va

lues

requ

ired

tore

port

on

this

man

agem

entp

lan,

and

th

ees

tabl

ishm

ento

fbas

elin

ein

form

atio

n;

2.e

ncou

ragi

nga

nds

uppo

rtin

g,w

here

verp

ossi

ble,

ext

erna

lag

enci

es,o

rgan

isat

ions

,vol

unte

erg

roup

san

din

divi

dual

sto

und

erta

kere

sear

cha

ndm

onito

ring

proj

ects

whe

reth

ey

cont

ribut

eto

bio

dive

rsity

con

serv

atio

nan

dre

flect

vis

itor’s

us

eof

the

area

;and

3.s

uppo

rtin

g,a

ndw

here

pos

sibl

e,s

eeki

ngg

rant

app

licat

ions

to

enc

oura

ges

cien

tific

rese

arch

and

mon

itorin

gw

ithin

the

plan

ning

are

a,p

artic

ular

lyin

rela

tion

toim

pact

san

d/or

be

nefit

sof

cat

tleg

razi

nga

nda

ltern

ativ

esfo

rhab

itat

mai

nten

ance

.

Rese

arch

with

in

the

rese

rve

isc

ondu

cted

ac

cord

ing

to

Depa

rtm

enta

lpr

iorit

ies

and

Gov

ernm

ent

initi

ativ

es,

and

toa

ssis

tw

ithth

epe

rform

ance

as

sess

men

tfo

rthi

sm

anag

emen

tpl

an.

Rese

arch

un

dert

aken

is

that

whi

chh

as

been

dee

med

a

high

prio

rity.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

*Not

e:th

ere

spon

seto

targ

etsh

ortfa

llfo

reac

hof

the

keyp

erfo

rman

cein

dica

tors

isfo

rthe

Dep

artm

entt

oin

vest

igat

eth

eca

use

and

repo

rtto

the

Cons

erva

tion

Com

mis

sion

fora

ctio

n.

65

kEY

POIN

TSO

BJEC

TIVE

S A

ND

STR

ATEG

IES

kEY

PERF

ORM

AN

CE IN

DIC

ATO

RS*

Perf

orm

ance

M

easu

reTa

rget

Repo

rtin

g Re

quir

emen

ts

INFO

RMAT

ION

, ED

UCA

TIO

N A

ND

IN

TERP

RETA

TIO

N (c

onti

nued

)

•Th

ere

isli

mite

dco

mm

unity

aw

aren

ess

of

Lake

McL

arty

’sim

port

ance

as

ana

tiona

lly

and

inte

rnat

iona

llys

igni

fican

twet

land

.

THIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.p

rovi

ding

info

rmat

ion

tov

isito

rso

nre

serv

eva

lues

and

is

sues

suc

has

its

impo

rtan

cefo

rmig

rato

ryw

ater

bird

s,vi

sito

rsaf

ety,

perm

itted

act

iviti

esa

ndre

gula

tions

;and

2.i

nsta

lling

sig

nsa

ndin

form

atio

nfo

rthe

pur

pose

of

publ

ice

duca

tion

and

inte

rpre

tatio

nto

ass

isti

nac

hiev

ing

cons

erva

tion

obje

ctiv

es.

26.

wO

RkIN

G w

ITH

TH

E CO

MM

UN

ITY

•Co

mm

unity

invo

lvem

enti

san

inte

gral

co

mpo

nent

oft

heD

epar

tmen

t’so

pera

tions

.

•Co

mm

unity

gro

ups

and

indi

vidu

als

are

enco

urag

edto

be

invo

lved

inth

em

anag

emen

tofL

ake

McL

arty

.

•Co

mm

unity

sup

port

ise

ssen

tialf

or

the

succ

essf

ulim

plem

enta

tion

ofth

is

man

agem

entp

lan.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Tofa

cilit

ate

effe

ctiv

eco

mm

unity

invo

lvem

enti

nth

em

anag

emen

toft

here

serv

e.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.c

ontin

uing

toe

ncou

rage

,pro

mot

ean

dsu

ppor

tvol

unte

ers

and

com

mun

ityg

roup

sw

ithe

ssen

tialr

esou

rces

toh

elp

them

car

ryo

utth

eira

ctiv

ities

;and

2.i

nvol

ving

the

com

mun

ityin

the

impl

emen

tatio

nof

this

m

anag

emen

tpla

n.

Chan

gein

th

enu

mbe

rs

ofv

olun

teer

sho

urs

cont

ribut

ed

tore

serv

em

anag

emen

t.

20p

erce

nt

incr

ease

inth

enu

mbe

rso

fvo

lunt

eerh

ours

co

ntrib

uted

to

the

man

agem

ent

ofth

ere

serv

efro

m2

006

leve

ls.

Ever

yfiv

eye

ars.

27.

SCIE

NTI

FIC

AN

D R

ESEA

RCH

USE

•Da

tac

olle

cted

att

here

serv

ein

clud

esw

ater

qu

ality

indi

cato

rs,w

ater

leve

ls,b

irdc

ount

san

dm

osqu

itola

rvae

cou

nts.

Opp

ortu

nitie

sex

istf

orfu

rthe

rstu

dies

toc

ompl

emen

tpr

opos

als

inth

ism

anag

emen

tpla

n,

part

icul

arly

inre

latio

nto

impa

cts

and/

or

bene

fits

ofc

attle

gra

zing

and

alte

rnat

ives

for

habi

tatm

aint

enan

ce.

•Al

lres

earc

hsh

ould

be

co-o

rdin

ated

by

the

Depa

rtm

ent.

OBJ

ECTI

VE

Toi

ncre

ase

know

ledg

ean

dun

ders

tand

ing

ofk

eyv

alue

sto

pr

ovid

efo

rim

prov

edm

anag

emen

tof

the

pla

nnin

gar

eaa

nd

tom

onito

rthe

pos

sibl

eim

pact

sas

soci

ated

with

impl

emen

ting

the

man

agem

entp

lan.

T HIS

wIL

L BE

ACH

IEVE

D B

Y:

1.c

ondu

ctin

gre

sear

cha

ndm

onito

ring,

as

reso

urce

spe

rmit

and

acco

rdin

gto

prio

rity,

that

focu

ses

onis

sues

and

va

lues

requ

ired

tore

port

on

this

man

agem

entp

lan,

and

th

ees

tabl

ishm

ento

fbas

elin

ein

form

atio

n;

2.e

ncou

ragi

nga

nds

uppo

rtin

g,w

here

verp

ossi

ble,

ext

erna

lag

enci

es,o

rgan

isat

ions

,vol

unte

erg

roup

san

din

divi

dual

sto

und

erta

kere

sear

cha

ndm

onito

ring

proj

ects

whe

reth

ey

cont

ribut

eto

bio

dive

rsity

con

serv

atio

nan

dre

flect

vis

itor’s

us

eof

the

area

;and

3.s

uppo

rtin

g,a

ndw

here

pos

sibl

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Place holder

for

A4 size foldout

map

2008081-0508-400

2008081 LakeMcLartyMgtPcover.ind2 2 16/5/08 7:53:59 AM