2009 State of Our Resources
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2009 STATE OF OU R RESOURCES Recognising the state of natural resources of the Eyre Peninsula Page 2 STATE OF OUR RESOURCES FINAL 1.5.09.DOC - 2102731A PARSONS BRINKERHOFF Natural Resources Management Act 2004 Natural Resources Management Plan for the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Region STATE OF THE REGION REPORT EYRE PENINSULA N:\N07 PLANNING - INVESTIGATIONS\N07 01 - EPNRM PLAN\N07 01 002 - COMPREHENSIVE PLAN\N07 01 002 005 - FINAL NRM PLAN\STATE OF OUR RESOURCES FINAL 1.5.09.DOC EYRE PENINSULA NRM BOARD The Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Plan The natural resources management plan for Eyre Peninsula comprises four volumes. Managing our Resources A strategic plan for the management of the natural resources of Eyre Peninsula guiding the actions of all organisations and individuals to optimise natural resources management outcomes of the region and achieve the shared regional vision. Managing our Resources will be reviewed every five years. Caring for our Resources A framework to encourage changes in attitudes and behaviours towards better care of the natural resources of Eyre Peninsula and to value, protect and improve the condition of these resources. The approach favours education, awareness raising, voluntary compliance and incentives to raise the standard of natural resources management supported by a range of legislative tools within the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 which are defined in Caring for our Resources . Caring for our Resources will be reviewed every five years. Investing in our Resources Investment and business plan for the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Board, a key body for the management of the natural resources of the region. The Investing in our Resources volume outlines how the Board will invest in the management of the natural resources of the region over the next three years. Investing in our Resources will be reviewed annually. State of our Resources Summarises the state of natural resources of the region and identifies threats to these resources to appropriately guide action for improved management of these resources. State of our Resources will be reviewed every five years. Additionally a framework for natural resources management monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement in the region, although not part of the Plan, will be closely linked to the plan and support its implementation. State of our Resources Final 1.5.09.doc STATE OF OUR RESOURCES – STATE OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF EYRE PENINSULA Contents Page number Glossary vii Acronyms xi Managing our Resources 2 Caring for our Resources 2 Investing in our Resources 2 1. Introduction 8 1.1 Natural resources 8 1.2 Purpose of the Plan 9 1.3 State of ourResources 9 1.4 Natural Resources Management Act 2004 10 1.5 The State of our Resources report 10 1.6 The Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Region 12 1.7 Influences on the condition of the resource 12 1.4 Bibliography 17 2. Summary and significance of natural resources of the region 19 3. People and heritage 21 3.1 Demographics 21 3.2 Aboriginal heritage 28 3.3 European heritage 34 3.4 Tourism 42 3.5 Awareness, involvement and community capacity 45 3.6 Key threats and influences on the condition of the resource 47 3.7 Key management initiatives 49 3.8 People and Heritage indicators 50 3.9 Information gaps 51 3.10 Bibliography 52 4. Biodiversity 54 4.1 Native flora 55 EYRE PENINSULA NRM BOARD 4.2 Native fauna 71 4.3 Key conservation areas and reserves 79 4.4 Key threats and influences on the conditions of the resource 80 4.5 Key management initiatives 90 4.6 Biodiversity indicators 97 4.7 Information gaps 98 4.8 Bibliography 99 5. Land 103 5.1 Geological features and landscapes 103 5.2 Soils 110 5.3 Land use 122 5.4 Key management initiatives 131 5.5 Land indicators 138 5.6 Information gaps 139 5.7 Bibliography 140 6. Water 142 6.1 Climatic influence on water resources 143 6.2 Surface water 144 6.3 Groundwater 147 6.4 Aquatic habitats 169 6.5 Water resource development 172 6.6 Key threats and influences on the condition of the resources 174 6.7 Key management initiatives 180 6.8 Water indicators 180 6.9 Information gaps 181 6.10 Bibliography 182 7. Coasts and marine 185 7.1 Overview of the region 185 7.2 Coastal and marine flora and fauna 189 7.3 Conservation areas and reserves i 7.4 Coastal and marine biodiversity and habitats v 7.5 Commercial fisheries and aquaculture ix 2 STATE OF OUR RESOURCES – STATE OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF EYRE PENINSULA 7.6 South Australian marine park program xiv 7.7 Coasts and community xiv 7.8 Key threats and influences on the condition of the resources xv 7.9 Key management initiatives xxi 7.10 Coast and Marine indicators xxiii 7.11 Information gaps xxv 7.12 Bibliography xxvi 8. General references xxviii Abbreviations xxx Glossary 32 List of tables Page number TABLE 1.1 Projected average temperature and rainfall changes for Eyre Peninsula 14 TABLE 3.1 Population by Local Government area 2006 & 1998 22 TABLE 3.2 Main industries within individual council areas by percentage of population employed over 15 years of age 24 TABLE 3.3 Age distribution for individual council areas as a percentage of the total population 25 TABLE 3.4 Social and economic indicators, out of council areas 27 TABLE 3.5 Aboriginal place names and meanings 30 TABLE 3.6 State and National Estate heritage places 36 TABLE 3.7 Community groups with an interest in natural resources management of Eyre Peninsula 46 TABLE 3.8 People and heritage indicators 50 TABLE 4.1 Vegetation communities on Eyre Peninsula 60 TABLE 4.2 Woodland vegetation communities of conservation significance occurring on Eyre Peninsula 62 3 EYRE PENINSULA NRM BOARD TABLE 4.3 Mallee vegetation communities of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula Region 64 TABLE 4.4 Sedgeland vegetation communities of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula Region 65 TABLE 4.5 Plant species of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula region 67 TABLE 4.6 Mammal species of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula region 71 TABLE 4.7 Resident and migratory bird species of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula region 73 TABLE 4.8 Reptiles of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula region 77 TABLE 4.9 Amphibians of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula region 78 TABLE 4.10 Native freshwater fish of conservation significance occurring within the Eyre Peninsula region 78 Table 4.11 Endangered or vulnerable butterflies occurring within the Eyre Peninsula region 79 TABLE 4.12 Key conservation areas on Eyre Peninsula 80 TABLE 4.13 Priority pest plants and animals of the region 84 TABLE 4.14 Potential impacts of climate change on biodiversity 87 TABLE 4.15 Biodiversity Indicators 97 TABLE 5.1 Sites designated as geological monuments on Eyre Peninsula 109 TABLE 5.2 Estimated area and percentage of cleared land with soils susceptible to wind erosion in the Eyre Peninsula NRM Region 116 TABLE 5.3 Estimated area and percentage of cleared land with soils susceptible to water erosion in the Eyre Peninsula NRM Region 116 TABLE 5.4 Estimated area and percentage of cleared land exhibiting soil acidity in the Eyre Peninsula NRM Region 117 TABLE 5.5 Estimated area and percentage of cleared land affected by salinity in the Eyre Peninsula NRM Region 121 TABLE 5.6 Changes in grain production on Eyre Peninsula, 1982 to 2007 133 TABLE 5.7 Land indicators 139 4 STATE OF OUR RESOURCES – STATE OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF EYRE PENINSULA TABLE 6.1 April to September rainfall (mm) – Prescribed Wells Areas 143 TABLE 6.2 Annual rainfall extremes, Eyre Peninsula locations 144 TABLE 6.3 Musgrave Basin aquifer summary 157 TABLE 6.4 Recharge rates for the lenses of the Quaternary limestone aquifers within the Musgrave Prescribed Wells Areas (ML/annum) 158 TABLE 6.5 Assessment of capacity and demands for Musgrave Prescribed Wells Area 161 TABLE 6.62 Water resource indicators 181 TABLE 7.1 Biounit details for the Eyre Peninsula Region 186 TABLE 7.2 Threatened coastal and marine vertebrates 204 Table 7.3 Key coastal parks and reserves i Table 7.4 Major coastal geological monuments within the Eyre Peninsula region ii Table 7.5 Estuaries in region v TABLE 7.6 Coast and Marine Indicators xxiv 5 EYRE PENINSULA NRM BOARD List of figures Follows page number Figure 1.1 Eyre Peninsula NRM region boundary 4 Figure 3.1 Location council areas population trends 212 Figure 3.2 Eyre Peninsula tourism 30 Figure 3.3. Eyre Peninsula Market Summary 2006 32 Figure 4.1 IBRA subregions 44 Figure 4.2 Pre European vegetation type 44 Figure 4.3 Post European vegetation 44 Figure 4.4 Vegetation structure 44 Figure 4.5 National parks 62 Figure 4.6 Heritage agreements 70 Figure 4.7 Roadside vegetation 72 Figure 5.1 Geology and geological monuments 80 Figure 5.2 Rainfall and topography 80 Figure 5.3 Soil groups 82 Figure 5.4 Wind erosion potential 84 Figure 5.5 Areas susceptible to water erosion 86 Figure 5.6 Soil acidity 86 Figure 5.7 Inherent soil fertility 88 Figure 5.8 Dry saline land 88 Figure 5.9 Land use zones 88 Figure 5.10 Average annual period of protection of susceptible land from water erosion (Water Erosion Protection Index) in the Eyre Peninsula region and South Australia for the period 2000–2007 (from May 2008) on page 90 Figure 5.11 Average annual period of protection of susceptible land from wind erosion (Wind Erosion Protection Index) in the Eyre Peninsula 6 STATE OF OUR RESOURCES – STATE OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF EYRE PENINSULA region and South Australia for the period 2000–2007 (From May 2008) on page 92 Figure 6.1 Surface water 108 Figure 6.2 Stream salinity 108 Figure 6.3 Eyre Peninsula groundwater 112 Figure 6.4 Diagrammatic representation of a porition of Southern Basins PWA underground water system 15212 Figure 6.5 Groundwater basins and Obswell monitoring network 114 Figure 6.6 Groundwater salinity 114 Figure 7.1 Marine planning areas and marine biounits 140 Figure 7.2 Marine and Coastal habitats 140 Figure 7.3 Australian Sealion and New Zealand Fur Seals colonies 150 Figure 7.4 Seabirds breeding sites 150 7 EYRE PENINSULA NRM BOARD 1.