Status Performance Assessment: Biodiversity Conservation on Western Australian Islands Phase 1
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CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA STATUS PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ON WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ISLANDS PHASE 1 Conservation Commission performance assessments are undertaken primarily to fulfil the functions described in S 19(g) of the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984. That is to “assess and audit the performance of the Department and the Forest Products Commission in carrying out and complying with the management plans”. They will also help inform its policy development function and its responsibility to advise the Minister on conservation and management of biodiversity components throughout the State. This performance assessment was undertaken in accord with the “Conservation Commission policy and guidelines for the performance assessment of conservation reserve and forest management plans and biodiversity management in WA”. Further details are available at www.conservation.wa.gov.au. The use of Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) data for the production of this report is acknowledged. Approved at Conservation Commission meeting –11th May 2009 Conservation Commission of Western Australia Corner of Hackett Drive and Australia II Drive Crawley WA 6009 Status Performance Assessment - Biodiversity Conservation on Western Australian Islands CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 1 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 3 2. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ISLANDS THAT ARE VESTED IN THE COMMISSION 4 2.1 Terrestrial biodiversity conservation values of Western Australian islands ................. 4 2.1.1 Kimberley Region ........................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Pilbara Region ................................................................................................. 6 2.1.3 Midwest Region .............................................................................................. 8 2.1.4 Swan Region ................................................................................................. 10 2.1.5 South West Region ........................................................................................ 10 2.1.6 Warren Region .............................................................................................. 10 2.1.7 South Coast Region ....................................................................................... 11 2.2 Littoral zone biodiversity conservation values of Western Australian islands ........... 13 2.3 State of knowledge of Western Australian island biodiversity ................................... 14 2.3.1 Terrestrial ...................................................................................................... 14 2.3.2 Littoral zone .................................................................................................. 15 3. CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................ 15 3.1 Biosecurity .................................................................................................................. 15 3.1.1 Quarantine ..................................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Surveillance ................................................................................................... 17 3.1.3 Eradication .................................................................................................... 17 3.1.4 Biosecurity synthesis ..................................................................................... 17 3.2 Climate change ............................................................................................................ 18 3.2.1 Sea level and ocean current changes ............................................................. 18 3.2.2 Storm surge, cyclones ................................................................................... 19 3.2.3 Oceanic current changes ................................................................................ 19 3.2.4 Temperature and rainfall ............................................................................... 19 3.2.5 Climate change and fire ................................................................................. 20 3.3 Fire regimes ................................................................................................................. 20 3.4 Context – Findings ...................................................................................................... 20 3.5 Context – Recommendations ...................................................................................... 21 4. PLANNING ...................................................................................................................... 21 4.1 Security of tenure ........................................................................................................ 21 4.2 Seaward limit of reserve .............................................................................................. 22 4.3 Management Plans ...................................................................................................... 22 4.4 Translocations ............................................................................................................. 23 4.5 Ranking islands for conservation surveillance and management ................................ 25 4.6 Planning – Findings ..................................................................................................... 26 4.7 Planning – Recommendations ..................................................................................... 26 5. INPUTS ............................................................................................................................. 27 5.1 Inputs – Findings ......................................................................................................... 28 5.2 Inputs – Recommendations ......................................................................................... 28 6. MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ........................................................................................... 29 6.1 Management systems – Findings ................................................................................ 29 6.2 Management systems – Recommendations ................................................................. 29 7. OUTPUTS ......................................................................................................................... 30 8. OUTCOMES ..................................................................................................................... 30 8.1 Outcomes – Findings ................................................................................................... 30 8.2 Outcomes – Recommendations ................................................................................... 31 9. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 32 Status Performance Assessment - Biodiversity Conservation on Western Australian Islands ATTACHMENT Ward, T.J. (2008). Brief Overview of Littoral Zone Conservation and Management Issues of Western Australia’s Islands. Greenward Consulting, Perth WA. APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 List of vested larger islands by region, with summary ancillary data APPENDIX 2 Extract from ‘Mammals on Islands Database’ for vested islands APPENDIX 3 Extract from ‘Seabird Breeding Islands Database’ for vested islands APPENDIX 4 Extract from WA Marine Turtle Project database APPENDIX 5 Limited WA island bibliography APPENDIX 6 Department of Environment and Conservation response to the findings and recommendations in this report Status Performance Assessment - Biodiversity Conservation on Western Australian Islands EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Western Australia’s island reserves represent a valuable part of the State’s biodiversity conservation estate. Of the islands, islets and rocks in Western Australia (WA), 635 (24.7%) are vested in the Conservation Commission as conservation reserves. These island reserves harbour threatened species that have become extinct or have greatly declined on the mainland. Many islands are unaffected by the key threatening processes causing decline of mainland biodiversity such as grazing, altered fire regimes, pests and diseases, urban development and pollution. However, in WA, there have been several mammal extinctions associated with introductions of exotic predators to islands and introduction of herbivores has caused ecosystem degradation. The establishment of weeds on conservation reserve islands is also a significant issue. Feral animals have been eradicated on numerous WA islands, including the very important Barrow Island. In total there are 29 recommendations for future action in this report. Biosecurity management action is needed at three levels to prevent additional extinctions on islands and degradation of island ecosystems: quarantine, surveillance and eradication. Global warming and the resulting climate change will further impact on global biodiversity already significantly