SAVING OUR SPECIES

Help save Myall Woodland in the Conservation status Darling Riverine Plains, Brigalow in NSW: Endangered Ecological Belt South, Cobar Peneplain, Community Murray-Darling Depression, Commonwealth status: Riverina and NSW South Western Endangered Slopes bioregions Saving our Species Saving our Species aims to secure as many threatened species and management stream: ecological communities as possible. This conservation strategy aims Ecological community to secure the ecological community in the long term. The strategy (widespread) was developed by experts who identified the priority management areas and conservation actions required to manage critical threats to Community profile: conserve the ecological community. http://www.environment.nsw.g ov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/p Saving our Species is based on a cost-effective approach that rofile.aspx?id=10973 maximises the number of threatened species and ecological communities conserved through on-ground management action. If Saving our Species delivers you want to contact us please email on the NSW Government's [email protected] legislative requirements under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Map of Myall Woodland in the Darling Riverine Plains, Brigalow Belt South, Cobar Peneplain, Murray-Darling Depression, Riverina and NSW South Western Slopes bioregions occurrence and priority management area(s) *Distribution is mapped as sub- regions where the ecological community is known to occur (BioNet).

Distribution(*) Priority management area Threats to this species are outlined at: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.a spx?id=10973#threats

The actions listed in the management action toolbox guide management at a site, regional or state scale. Action toolbox

Threat Action description Scale

Incremental clearing of remaining remnants, large Consult with landholders to protect areas of the TEC on their land and small, and isolated through a range of incentives such as management agreements or paddock trees for cropping, Site conservation agreements such as those through the Biodiversity pasture improvement, private Conservation Trust. and public infrastructure and other developments. Incremental clearing of remaining remnants, large Provide residents with the TEC on their property with information about and small, and isolated how to identify TEC plant species as well as threats to the community paddock trees for cropping, such as clearing, grazing, weeds and spray drift. This may be done Area pasture improvement, private through stakeholder engagement forums, information packages and and public infrastructure and other community engagement activities. other developments. Provide landholders with information on appropriate plantings and direct seeding (spacing, provenance, design etc.). Define locally appropriate Lack of recruitment caused groundcover condition indices to inform decisions around appropriate by irregular seed production Area grazing regimes. Seek advice from organisations involved in and grazing of seedlings. revegetation such as Local Land Services/Landcare and use local revegetation guidelines where they are available. Encourage land managers to regenerate and/or revegetate cleared areas of the TEC to improve connectivity and condition. Natural regeneration should be encouraged where possible if native Lack of recruitment caused groundcover and some overstorey is still present. However, if replanting by irregular seed production or direct seeding is required it should include not just canopy species Site and grazing of seedlings. but also shrubs and forbs (where seed or seedlings are available). Encourage restoration projects to use genetic material of appropriate provenance in revegetation. Plantings could be continuous or use a stepping stone or buffering approach. Encourage nurseries to collect seeds and grow seedlings from different Lack of recruitment caused locations and sources within the TECs distribution and to keep records by irregular seed production Area, State by providing a list of provenances to landholders buying seeds or and grazing of seedlings. seedlings for revegetation projects. Lopping or pushing of trees Encourage landholders to retain standing dead trees, fallen trees, for stock fodder during coarse woody debris and logs in remnants. Protect hollow-bearing Area, State drought. trees, dead and alive. Invasion and establishment of weed species changing community structure and floristic composition. This is Encourage landholders/managers to engage in early weed identification primarily introduced woody and intervention, and to implement prevention measures using current Area weeds and perennial grasses best management practices. in the north of the State and introduced woody weeds, annual grasses and forbs in the south. Invasion and establishment of weed species changing community structure and floristic composition. This is Undertake staged removal of woody weeds as they often provide primarily introduced woody habitat for native fauna. Replace removed weeds with appropriate Site weeds and perennial grasses native species that can provide suitable habitat. in the north of the State and introduced woody weeds, annual grasses and forbs in the south. Threat Action description Scale

Invasion and establishment of weed species changing community structure and floristic composition. This is primarily introduced woody Develop protocols for vehicles (e.g. during roadside management) to Area, Site weeds and perennial grasses avoid the spread of weeds. in the north of the State and introduced woody weeds, annual grasses and forbs in the south. Manage total grazing pressure to facilitate natural regeneration and structural diversity, and manage biomass to meet conservation Overgrazing by domestic management objectives. This may include grazing only at certain times Site stock. of the year and/or keeping areas free from grazing for periods during the year. Protect areas to foster natural regeneration by excluding grazing at certain sites via exclosures. Exclosure fencing should be done at an Overgrazing by domestic effective scale to include the majority of the extent of existing standing Site stock. trees and to enclose the main area of soil type adequate to allow for effective regeneration & ultimately grazing management (i.e. this may require paddock or Travelling Stock Reserve subdivisions etc.). Human disturbance by off road vehicles, camping, other Increase protection of important remnants on public land through Site recreational activities and fencing, bollards and other deterrents. dumping. Lack of recruitment caused Fence off around senescent paddock trees, protect regeneration and by irregular seed production undertake replacement plantings as required in areas where trees are Site and grazing of seedlings. being lost through attrition. Overgrazing by domestic Consult with landholders about placing artificial watering sites for stock Site stock. outside the identified best-quality areas of the TEC. Death or degradation of Provide landholders with information about the effects of pesticide, vegetation caused by herbicide and fertiliser drift on Myall Woodland and what measures are Area agricultural chemical available to limit this. overspray and drift. Death or degradation of vegetation caused by Undertake planting of other species as spray drift barriers around the Site agricultural chemical potentially affected TEC areas e.g. Belah, Myall. overspray and drift. Herbivory by the Investigate and monitor the impacts of Bag-shelter Moth on Myall processionary caterpillar Woodland. Determine if it is a widespread problem or restricted to Area, Site Ochrogaster lunifer (Bag- certain sites. shelter moth) Reduction in community integrity due to the small size Determine locations of the derived grassland state of Myall Woodland of remnant woodland areas across its range as these areas are the best candidates for restoration Area, State and potential loss of and revegetation. important components of the ecological community. Monitoring actions

Regular monitoring of the effectiveness of management and trends in local populations and ecological communities at a site scale is an important component of all strategies. The toolbox and any site-based management will be adapted, added or removed over time in response to monitoring results.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Guidelines for Conservation Projects.

Find out more about our program

Visit http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/savingourspecies