Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Answers to Questions on Notice Environment Portfolio
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Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Answers to questions on notice Environment portfolio Question No: 3 Hearing: Additional Estimates Outcome: Outcome 1 Programme: Biodiversity Conservation Division (BCD) Topic: Threatened Species Commissioner Hansard Page: N/A Question Date: 24 February 2016 Question Type: Written Senator Waters asked: The department has noted that more than $131 million has been committed to projects in support of threatened species – identifying 273 Green Army Projects, 88 20 Million Trees projects, 92 Landcare Grants (http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/3be28db4-0b66-4aef-9991- 2a2f83d4ab22/files/tsc-report-dec2015.pdf) 1. Can the department provide an itemised list of these projects, including title, location, description and amount funded? Answer: Please refer to below table for itemised lists of projects addressing threatened species outcomes, including title, location, description and amount funded. INFORMATION ON PROJECTS WITH THREATENED SPECIES OUTCOMES The following projects were identified by the funding applicant as having threatened species outcomes and were assessed against the criteria for the respective programme round. Funding is for a broad range of activities, not only threatened species conservation activities. Figures provided for the Green Army are approximate and are calculated on the 2015-16 indexed figure of $176,732. Some of the funding is provided in partnership with State & Territory Governments. Additional projects may be approved under the Natinoal Environmental Science programme and the Nest to Ocean turtle Protection Programme up to the value of the programme allocation These project lists reflect projects and funding originally approved. Not all projects will proceed to completion. FIRST TRANCHE OF THREATENED SPECIES COMMISSIONER PROJECTS Title Location Description Threatened Amount species/threatened (GST ex) ecological communities Grey Nurse Shark QLD This project will use cutting-edge genetics to understand the population size, structure and trajectory of the critically-endangered east coast Grey nurse shark $50,000 SNP Marker grey nurse shark (Carcharius taurus), a high-priority action in its recently released recovery plan. Development - Close- Grey nurse sharks migrate up and down the east coast of Australia, from Narooma in southern NSW to central Queensland. They are slow but kin genetics strong swimmers and thought to be more active at night. Growing to a maximum of three metres, they historically have been hunted for their fins, flesh and oil. They have also been targeted for their fierce appearance, despite the docile and non-aggressive nature of these ‘labradors of the sea’. This funding will be used to map the genome of grey nurse sharks and advance the use of close-kin genetics to understand the interactions and family trees of the species. By understanding the parent-offspring and sibling relationships, it is possible to estimate population age, size and trends as well as the proportion of males/females and juveniles/adults. This information will be vital in better understanding the species and mapping the success of current and future recovery efforts. Direct conservation TAS This project replaces breeding habitat for spotted handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus) that has been destroyed by invasive species. Spotted handfish $50,000 actions for the Spotted handfish are small, colourful, slow-moving fish that ‘walk’ along the riverbed. Adults are typically 7–9 cm long and found only in south- spotted handfish east Tasmania. The critically endangered species attaches clusters of eggs to semi-rigid substrate like the stalks of kelp and seagrass. The loss of this habitat was identified as one of the primary threats to the spotted handfish in a recent draft recovery plan. This funding will triple the area of artificial spawning habitat previously deployed, replicating the vital habitat spotted handfish need to reproduce. It will also support the science community in assessing the use and success of the breeding habitat and in monitoring spotted handfish colonies. Evaluating threats VIC This project will support efforts to conserve the southern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii) by providing accurate population Southern Bent- $50,000 and recovery of the estimates and trends at one of its remaining two breeding sites. wing bat Southern Bent-wing The southern bent-wing bat was once estimated to number over 200,000 individuals but now is one of only five mammals listed federally as bat critically endangered. Today the species breeds in only two locations, Naracoorte Caves National Park in South Australia and Starlight Cave near Warrnambool in Victoria. Its numbers are estimated at less than 50,000. Understanding what is driving population declines at these two critical sites is vital for the survival of the species. This funding will allow the use of state-of-the-art thermal imaging and other innovative technology to accurately assess the number of bats as they fly out from the cave at night. Health assessments will also be carried out to identify potential drivers of decline. Accurate population estimates are essential for evaluating the effectiveness of current onground, practical action. 1 Title Location Description Threatened Amount species/threatened (GST ex) ecological communities Restoration of habitat VIC This project will restore threatened subtropical and temperate saltmarsh and support the birds that rely on it to survive. Orange-bellied $32,000 for declining This ecological community is found on the sandy/muddy shores and tidal flats of coastal areas. Once occurring in patches through much of Parrot, Temperate migratory shorebirds southern Australia, subtropical and temperate saltmarsh has declined because of increased fragmentation, tidal restriction, increased marine Saltmarsh at Snake Island inundation, loss of mangroves and invasion by exotic plant species. ecological community, Victoria’s coastline provides some of the most significant habitat for migratory shorebirds in southern Australia. Community monitoring of Curlew Sandpiper, shorebirds has revealed that the temperate saltmarsh on Snake Island has lost up to 90% of its shorebird population mainly due to the Fairy Tern, damage to a single culvert and the site drying out. migratory This funding will allow for repair and maintenance works on a culvert at Snake Island, to reintroduce natural tidal flows and recovery of the shorebirds and saltmarsh. resident waterbirds With volunteer effort coordinated by Birdlife Australia and operations support from the local Natural Resource Management organisation, revitalising this saltmarsh will also support migratory birds, including the vulnerable fairy tern. Strategic connectivity QLD Connectivity corridors allow isolated populations of wildlife access to more habitat. This project will establish a connectivity corridor to link Mahogany glider, $30,000 for the Mahogany separate populations of the endangered mahogany glider (Petaurus gracilis). southern glider Mahogany gliders are one of our larger tree-dwelling species; they weigh up to 500g and can be up to 67 cm from head to tail. As gliders are cassowary generally reluctant to cross open ground and rely on trees for both habitat and food, the establishment of corridors is important for the species. This funding will allow the revegetation of three hectares within a priority connectivity corridor for the mahogany glider and address habitat degradation and improve the vegetation integrity in a further 10 hectares. Fencing will also be installed along five kilometres of the priority corridors to exclude large herbivores. This will not only reconnect populations of the mahogany glider but will also benefit the endangered southern cassowary that is threatened by fragmentation and habitat clearing. Connectivity of SA - The project will replant five hectares of the critically endangered Kangaroo Island Narrow-leaved Mallee (Eucalyptus cneorifolia) Woodland Kangaroo Island $50,000 Kangaroo Island Kangaroo and reconnect 69 hectares of fragmented remnants of the ecosystem. Narrow-leaved narrow leaved Mallee Island This low, bushy mallee woodland occurs only on Kangaroo Island and is home to 17 plant species, such as the Kangaroo Island correa, Mallee Woodland, Woodland unique to the island. 3 EPBC plant species - It also provides habitat for a range of other native flora and fauna, including the nationally-threatened shrubs Leionema questre (Kangaroo Leionema Island phebalium), Olearia microdisca (Small-flowered daisy-bush), and Spyridium eriocephalum var. glabrisepalum (MacGillivray spyridium). equestre, The funding will be used to grow and plant 10,000 seedlings, representing up to 70 species native to the planting site. The site will be prepared Spyridium by suppressing weeds, fencing off four hectares of the site to protect it from grazing kangaroos, wallabies and possums, and using tree guards eriocephalum var. to protect the remaining area. It will also support the annual Kangaroo Island Planting Festival. Glabrisepalum and Olearia microdisca 2 Title Location Description Threatened Amount species/threatened (GST ex) ecological communities Pre-translocation VIC - This project is an important first step towards establishing insurance populations of the endangered mallee emu-wren (Stipiturus mallee) in the Mallee Emu-wren, $100,000 studies for the Mallee Murray- wake of fires that destroyed much of its habitat. Black-eared Miner,