Woodland Complexes: Planning and Management for Conservation

ACT LOWLAND WOODLAND CONSERVATION STRATEGY 5 Woodland Complexes: Planning and Management for Conservation 5.1 the importance of addressing the conservation needs of threatened, declining and/or uncommon plants and Principles Underlying animals in an integrated way, and not separated from Conservation Planning for consideration of the ecological communities of which Lowland Woodland they are a part. An understanding of the key life history properties and habitat requirements of species, the Principles for a systematic approach to conservation dynamic processes operating within ecosystems, and planning in the ACT context were developed in 1995 the importance of connectivity in making fragmented when strategic options for native grassland communities more viable across a variety of local and conservation were prepared for Gungahlin (Williams et regional scales are accepted as being essential to al. 1995). The principles and the associated sound conservation planning. methodology were used to identify high priority areas for grassland conservation, based on vegetation In response to ‘the need for more detailed ecological qualities and habitat for threatened species. The ACT analyses to define better the botanical significance of Government adopted the approach at that time, and the understorey and the conservation value of each subsequently three nature reserves were established woodland patch’ (ACT Government 1999a, p. 5), in the Gungahlin area with the primary aim of considerable additional information has been collected protecting Natural Temperate Grassland (an since the 1999 Action Plans for Yellow Box–Red Gum endangered ecological community) and habitat for the Grassy Woodland and threatened birds were Striped Legless Lizard (Delma impar) (a vulnerable prepared. Still more information will be gathered as species). More recently, McIvor and McIntyre (2002) resources, time and seasonal conditions allow, and proposed principles for the conservation management this will be used progressively to improve decision of grassy woodland ecosystems. making for conservation planning and woodland management. The two sets of principles complement each other and are relevant to lowland woodland conservation in the A key objective of this Strategy is to establish a ACT into the foreseeable future. The principles have comprehensive, adequate and representative system been applied generally to development of this of reserves and other woodland areas protected for Strategy, with some directly reflected in its goals, their conservation values. Generally these areas will objectives and actions. Others are appropriate be those with the highest value in terms of meeting considerations when actions are being implemented local, regional and national objectives. Assessment of and can most appropriately be used to inform conservation value includes concepts of size (viability), decisions made by planning and management diversity, representativeness, distinctiveness (rarity) agencies, private landholders and governments. and naturalness. When assessing conservation priorities, the Lowland Replication of protected areas containing lowland Woodland Conservation Strategy considers woodland woodland is an important safeguard against the remnants at scales that take into account their possibility of catastrophic loss or damage from potential contribution to the ACT nature conservation unforeseen circumstances (e.g. major bushfires), estate, as well as the relationship of the ACT to the changed land use priorities or management practices. Southern Tablelands region. The Strategy recognises Replication is essential at local and regional scales to 55 ACT LOWLAND WOODLAND CONSERVATION STRATEGY ensure natural diversity is maintained and as a hedge ■ Regional context: regional biodiversity against stochastic events causing local extinction of conservation significance; distribution across ACT. species. The importance of replication was ■ Ecological characteristics: vegetation condition; dramatically demonstrated in the January 2003 resident populations(s) of threatened species; bushfires that burnt almost all lowland woodland west habitat heterogeneity. of Canberra, while woodlands in the Jerrabomberra, ■ Physical data: size; area/perimeter ratio. Majura and Gungahlin areas were unaffected. With ■ Landscape context: connectivity with other native Yellow Box–Red Gum woodlands having suffered vegetation; altitudinal range. major clearing since European settlement, replication ■ Planning and management: compatible adjacent of large woodland fragments across the region is land uses; potential for regeneration and probably no longer possible, rendering the remaining restoration management. large areas in the ACT significant at both the regional and local scale, particularly for known declining woodland birds. 5.2 Identifying Areas of Highest Canberra’s growth as a city continues to exert Conservation Significance significant development pressures on land in and around existing urban areas. Although some of this Information from woodland surveys carried out in the land is generally regarded as available for ACT since 1995, together with information on development, it may still retain natural features worthy threatened or declining birds and other animals is of consideration for their potential contribution to the summarised in a series of maps and accompanying nature conservation estate or to enhancing the natural notes that describe five woodland complexes for the environment of the city. Rehabilitation of woodland ACT (Figures 5.1a–5.5a). Methods used to derive fragments to improve habitat qualities, to enhance assessments of botanical significance and habitat ecological connectivity, or to assist with increasing the values are summarised in Chapter 3. effective size of remnants will be an important Consideration of conservation value is central to management priority for some time to come, planning and management decisions with regard to particularly in rural areas. Linking woodlands with natural ecosystems. Woodland areas may have both other natural ecological communities such as native natural and cultural heritage values, which may be grasslands, wetland areas and forests increases the related and are sometimes difficult to separate. Some overall conservation value of areas by building habitat people, including many Indigenous people, do not see heterogeneity in the landscape. these values as separate. Natural heritage, as distinct Planning for, and management of conservation areas from cultural heritage, focuses on natural and dynamic in the ACT must take into account the potential impact ecological processes, earth processes (e.g. soil of land uses and other activities on adjacent land. formation), evolutionary processes and the ability of Compatible land uses or management practices will ecosystems to be self-perpetuating (Australian help to moderate adverse external influences on Heritage Commission 2002). nature conservation values. Conservation The focus of this Strategy is conservation of natural management supported by research, monitoring and heritage (the natural values of woodland communities community participation are identified as key actions across the ACT), and the policies and actions required for this Strategy. to achieve conservation of woodland communities and In order to bring together the information on woodland their values. Cultural values are outside the scope of type, vegetation condition, habitat features and this Strategy, which must meet the requirements of an occurrences of threatened and declining species with Action Plan prepared under the Nature Conservation the relevant conservation planning and management Act 1980. The place to document cultural values (e.g. issues, the following attributes, derived from the artefacts of Aboriginal material culture, places of principles outlined above, have been incorporated into historical interest, or ‘cultural landscapes’) and some the material that is the basis for Chapters 5 and 6 of natural values (e.g. earth processes), not immediately the Strategy: 56 ACT LOWLAND WOODLAND CONSERVATION STRATEGY central to woodland conservation is in management locations for rare or declining birds (Taylor and COG plans or other planning and management documents 1992). These locations were also identified as focused on particular places. These documents bring important in the Action Plans for threatened birds (ACT together the complete range of natural and cultural Government 1999b–e). Some of the areas are now values. More generalized or less area-specific issues included in ACT nature reserves (e.g. Ainslie–Majura, (e.g. greenhouse gas reduction measures or Mulligans Flat). However, other areas are managed ecologically sustainable development) are addressed under rural lease (with up to 99 year terms) or are in planning statements such as the Territory Plan, or subject to land use policies or short-term Government policy documents at the strategic level. arrangements that leave their future uncertain in terms of habitat maintenance or enhancement of natural Documenting the conservation values of ACT lowland values. woodlands requires an assessment and integration of several factors, namely: Once areas with the highest conservation significance have been identified, other conservation and ■ the intrinsic value of woodlands as remnants of the management principles can be considered (after previous extent of lowland grassy woodland; Williams et al. 1995). The extent to which these or ■ the value of

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