YAOUK NATURE RESERVE PLAN OF MANAGEMENT NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Part of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water August 2009 This plan of management was adopted by the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment on 18th August 2009. Acknowledgments The NPWS acknowledges that this reserve is in the traditional country of the Walgalu people. This plan of management is based on a draft plan prepared by the staff of the South West Slopes Region of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), part of the Department of Environment and Climate Change. Cover photograph of Yaouk Nature Reserve by Jo Caldwell, NPWS. For additional information or any inquiries about this reserve or this plan of management, contact the NPWS South West Slopes Region Office at 7 Adelong Road Tumut, NSW, 2720 or by telephone on 6947 7000. © Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (NSW) 2009: Use permitted with appropriate acknowledgment. ISBN 978 1 74232 423 4 DECCW 2009/594 FOREWORD Yaouk Nature Reserve is located northeast of Adaminaby, within the sub-alpine and montane regions of New South Wales. The reserve covers an area of 2,924 hectares. Yaouk Nature Reserve protects Candlebark shrubland, a sub-alpine vegetation community which has a very limited distribution, is not well represented in conservation reserves, and is highly vulnerable to drought and frequent fire regimes. It also has abundant bird life, with 25 species recorded to date. The reserve also contains Aboriginal sites of considerable interest given the landscape settings and the elevation at which they were found, and was part of a squatter’s run selected in 1838. The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 requires that a plan of management be prepared for each nature reserve. A plan of management is a legal document that outlines how an area will be managed in the years ahead. A draft plan of management for the Yaouk Nature Reserve was placed on public exhibition from 27th June until 13th October 2008. The submissions received were carefully considered before adopting this plan. This plan contains a number of actions to achieve “Better environmental outcomes for native vegetation, biodiversity, land, rivers, and coastal waterways” (Priority E4 in the State Plan) including protection of threatened species, communities and populations; control of introduced plants and animals; and fire management. This plan of management establishes the scheme of operations for Yaouk Nature Reserve. In accordance with section 73B of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, this plan of management is hereby adopted. Carmel Tebbutt MP Deputy Premier Minister for Climate Change and the Environment TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Location, Gazettal and Regional Setting 1 1.2 Landscape 1 2. MANAGEMENT CONTEXT 2 2.1 Legislative and Policy Framework 2 2.2 Management Policies and Principles 2 2.3 Regional Forest Agreements 2 3. RESERVE MAP 4 4. NATURAL HERITAGE 5 4.1 Geology, Hydrology and Landform 5 4.2 Native Plants 6 4.3 Native Animals 7 5. CULTURAL HERITAGE 9 5.1 Aboriginal Heritage 9 5.2 Historic Heritage 10 6. THREATS TO RESERVE VALUES 11 6.1 Climate Change 11 6.2 Introduced Plants 11 6.3 Introduced Animals 12 6.4 Fire Management 13 7. VISITOR OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATION 15 7.1 Information Provision 15 7.2 Education and Recreation Values 15 8. NPWS MANAGEMENT FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS 17 9. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 18 REFERENCES 23 APPENDIX 1 – FAUNA LIST 24 1 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 LOCATION, GAZETTAL AND REGIONAL SETTING Yaouk Nature Reserve (referred to as “the reserve” in this plan) is located approximately 12 kilometres north-east of Adaminaby and 5 kilometres south-east of the locality of Yaouk, within the subalpine and montane regions of New South Wales. Scabby Range Nature Reserve is located approximately 2 kilometres north-east of the reserve’s northern block, which in turn adjoins Namadgi National Park in the ACT. Kosciuszko National Park is situated 8 kilometres to the west. The reserve, comprising two separate parcels of land totalling 2,924 hectares, was gazetted in January 2001 as part of the Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) process. The reserve was previously managed as Crown Land. The RFA provided for major additions to the reserve system, including the establishment of Yaouk Nature Reserve, following assessment of the natural, cultural, economic and social values of forests. Yaouk Nature Reserve was gazetted on the basis that it comprised vegetation classes poorly represented in NSW reserves. The reserve was named for its proximity to Yaouk locality, and because the northern parcel encompasses Yaouk Peak. The major land use of the region is agriculture, including grazing and some cropping. The Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council owns a large parcel of vegetated land between the north and south block. The reserve is within the geographical area of Cooma-Monaro Shire Council, the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority, South East Livestock Health and Pest Authority, and the Wagonga Local Aboriginal Lands Council. 1.2 LANDSCAPE Natural and cultural heritage and on-going use are strongly inter-related and together form the landscape of an area. Much of the Australian environment has been influenced by past Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal land use practices and the activities of modern day Australians continue to influence bushland through recreational use, cultural practices, the presence of introduced plants and animals and in some cases air and water pollution. The geology, landform, climate, plant and animal communities of the area, plus its location, have determined how it has been used by humans. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people place cultural values on natural areas, including aesthetic, social, spiritual, recreational and other values. Cultural values may be attached to the landscape as a whole or to individual components, for example to plant and animal species used by Aboriginal people. This plan of management aims to conserve both natural and cultural values. For reasons of clarity and document usefulness, natural and cultural heritage, non-human threats and on-going use are dealt with individually, but their inter-relationships are recognised. 2 2. MANAGEMENT CONTEXT 2.1 LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK The management of nature reserves in NSW is in the context of a legislative and policy framework, primarily the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act), the NPW Regulation, the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) and the policies of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The policies are based on the legislative background and internationally accepted principles of park management. They relate to nature conservation, Aboriginal and historic heritage conservation, recreation, commercial use, research and communication. Other legislation, international agreements and charters may also apply to management of the area. In particular, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) requires the assessment and mitigation of the environmental impacts of any works proposed in this plan. A plan of management is a statutory document under the NPW Act. Once the Minister has adopted a plan, no operations may be undertaken within Yaouk Nature Reserve except in accordance with this plan. This plan will also apply to any future additions to Yaouk Nature Reserve. Should management strategies or works be proposed for the nature reserve or any additions that are not consistent with the plan, an amendment to the plan will be required. 2.2 MANAGEMENT PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES Nature reserves are reserved under the NPW Act to protect and conserve areas containing outstanding, unique or representative ecosystems, species, communities or natural phenomena. Under the Act (section 30J), nature reserves are managed to: · conserve biodiversity, maintain ecosystem functions, and protect geological and geomorphological features and natural phenomena; · conserve places, objects, features and landscapes of cultural value; · promote public appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of the reserve’s natural and cultural values; and · provide for appropriate research and monitoring. Nature reserves differ from national parks in that the provision for visitor use is not a management principle or purpose. 2.3 REGIONAL FOREST AGREEMENTS Regional Forest Agreements are one of the principle means of implementing the National Forest Policy Statement of 1992. Under this Statement, Commonwealth, State and Territory governments agree to work towards a shared vision for Australia’s forests. This process aims to maintain native forest estate, manage it in 3 an ecologically sustainable manner and develop sustainable forest-based industries. The Statement (1992) provided for joint comprehensive assessments of the natural, cultural, economic and social values of forests. These assessments formed the basis for negotiation of Regional Forest Agreements that provide, amongst other things, for ecologically sustainable forest management. 4 3. RESERVE MAP 5 4. NATURAL HERITAGE 4.1 GEOLOGY, HYDROLOGY AND LANDFORM The two blocks of Yaouk Nature Reserve are separated by Black Cow Peak. The northern block, comprising 2,061 hectares, is steep, encompassing a complex of slopes, major spurs and ridgelines connecting with Yaouk Peak at the centre of the block. Elevations range from 1,200 metres at the boundaries of the block to 1,725 metres at Yaouk Peak. Yaouk Peak and the higher parts of the ridge are characterised by extensive granite outcrops. The southern block of 863 hectares takes in the southern end of the Yaouk Bill Range. It includes two major ridgelines that form the watershed for Back Creek and Jones Creek. Elevations range from 1,100 to 1,420 metres. Jones Creek rises approximately 2 kilometres north-west of the reserve and flows roughly through the centre of the block towards its confluence with the Murrumbidgee River to the south. The valley associated with the creek is a prominent feature in the landscape. Bradleys Creek, Duncan Creek, Long Corner Creek and several other minor ephemeral drainage lines originate within the reserve.