ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: “Riverslea Foreshore” (DRAFT)
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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: “Riverslea Foreshore” (DRAFT) June 2013 Prepared by Cape to Cape Catchments Group on behalf of the Shire of Augusta Margaret River TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN .................................. 1 1.3 THE STUDY AREA ................................................................................................. 2 1.4 LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ..................................................... 2 1.5 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ...................................................................... 2 2. CURRENT STATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS: BIOPHYSICAL FEATURES ..... 4 2.1 SITE DESCRIPTION, VESTING AND PURPOSE ................................................ 4 2.2 CLIMATE ................................................................................................................. 4 2.3 TOPOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................ 4 2.4 GEOLOGY ............................................................................................................... 4 2.5 ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY AND LINKAGE .............................................. 4 2.6 SITE VEGETATION ................................................................................................ 5 2.7 WEED BURDEN ...................................................................................................... 6 2.7.1 Isolated very high priority environmental weeds. ................................................ 7 2.7.2 Blackberry ............................................................................................................ 7 2.7.3 Disturbed or degraded areas of lower priority weeds .......................................... 7 2.7.2 Pre and Post Fire Weed Control ........................................................................... 9 2.8 REVEGETATION .................................................................................................... 9 2.9 NATIVE FAUNA ................................................................................................... 10 2.10 INTRODUCED FAUNA ........................................................................................ 11 2.11 PHYTOPHTHORA DIEBACK .............................................................................. 11 2.12 FIRE MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................... 11 2.13 EROSION ............................................................................................................... 12 3. CURRENT STATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS: HUMAN USE ATTRIBUTES ...... 13 3.1 INDIGENOUS HERITAGE ................................................................................... 13 3.2 RECREATIONAL USE ......................................................................................... 13 3.3 FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ............................................................. 13 3.3.1 Pedestrian Access ............................................................................................... 13 3.3.2 Darch Brook Foreshore Trails Access ............................................................... 14 3.3.3 Southern foreshore link to Barrett St Reserve ................................................... 14 3.3.4 Vehicle Access and Parking ............................................................................... 16 3.3.5 Facilities and Infrastructure ............................................................................... 16 3.3.6 Rubbish, Litter and Greenwaste ......................................................................... 17 3.3.7 Dogs and Dog Waste ......................................................................................... 18 3.3.8 Signage ............................................................................................................... 18 3.4 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ....................................................................... 19 4.0 MANAGEMENT ACTIONS ..................................................................................... 20 4.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 20 4.2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES ........................................................................................ 20 4.2.1 Recreation .......................................................................................................... 20 4.2.2 Social/ Community ............................................................................................ 20 4.2.3 Conservation ...................................................................................................... 21 4.3 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS ............................................................................... 22 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 24 APPENDIX 1: VEGETATION CONDITION SCALE ......................................................... 25 APPENDIX 2: NATIVE FLORA SPECIES LIST ................................................................. 26 APPENDIX 2 CONTINUED: NATIVE FLORA SPECIES LIST APPENDIX 3: INTRODUCED FLORA SPECIES OBSERVED DURING SITE ASSESSMENT. ............ 27 APPENDIX 3: INTRODUCED FLORA SPECIES OBSERVED DURING SITE ASSESSMENT. ...................................................................................................................... 28 APPENDIX 4: ISOLATED AREAS OF PRIORITY ENVIRONMENTAL WEED INVASION ............................................................................................................................. 29 APPENDIX 5: METHODS OF WEED CONTROL .............................................................. 30 APPENDIX 6: SUGGESTED SPECIES FOR USE IN NODES OF REVEGETATION .. 31 APPENDIX 7: PHOTOS ........................................................................................................ 32 FIGURE 1: STUDY AREA FIGURE 2: VEGETATION AND WEED MANAGEMENT FIGURE 3: PATHWAYS, EROSION AND INTERPRETIVE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND The ‘Riverslea Foreshore’ is a highly valued bushland reserve in the heart of Margaret River with significant biodiversity, river foreshore protection and recreational values. It encompasses a collection of foreshore stretches which are Shire-managed reserves. While some management actions have been undertaken in the past by the Shire of Augusta Margaret River (the Shire), the Cape to Cape Catchments Group, local landholders and developers, it is recognised that the foreshore would benefit from an overarching, comprehensive plan to guide, plan and prioritise future actions. This document builds on the generic management recommendations of the July 2006, Shire of Augusta Margaret River report: “Assessment, prioritisation and management planning for biodiversity conservation for reserves vested with the Shire of Augusta Margaret River” and previous plans prepared by developers for various sections of the foreshore. The planning process for the development of this environmental management plan (EMP) involves the following: 1. Preparation of draft EMP involving field assessments and significant community consultation. 2. Draft EMP reviewed and approved for advertisement by Shire of Augusta - Margaret River. 3. Public advertising of the draft document and formal community consultation process. 4. Final EMP prepared after consideration of submissions. 5. EMP adopted by Council and implemented by Shire of Augusta - Margaret River. 1.2 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN The Cape to Cape Catchments Group (CCG) prepared the plan between March 2013 and June 2013, following a detailed site assessment and consultation with local residents, key stakeholders and relevant Shire staff. The EMP provides local site information and strategies for the area to guide future management and use of this important foreshore. Development of the plan has involved: • assessment of the current physical and ecological state of the site including native vegetation, weed burden, erosion prone areas, pedestrian and vehicular access and recreational facilities and usage; • identification of threatening processes that need addressing in order to protect or restore values; • consultation with local residents as well as community and agency stakeholders; and • development of detailed, prioritised and budgeted management recommendations for improving and preserving the site values. The purpose of this management plan is to identify management recommendations to maintain and improve the key qualities of the area, namely: • conservation values; • recreation values; • social values; and • river foreshore protection. The objectives are to: 1. maintain and enhance conservation and protection values of the foreshore; 1 Environmental Management Plan: Riverslea Foreshore June 2013 2. facilitate sustainable recreation; and 3. foster community ownership of and responsibility for the foreshore. Limitations must be acknowledged in relation to the term and timing of the project (for example, outside of flowering time for some native plants and winter weeds). The scope of the works did not include a detailed flora and fauna survey of the site, however previous studies have. 1.3