Turquoise Coast Island Nature Reserves
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PREFACE All national parks, conservation parks and nature reserves in Western Australia are vested in the Conservation Commission of Western Australia (Conservation Commission) and are managed on its behalf by the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM). CALM prepares management plans on behalf of the Conservation Commission which issues draft plans for public comment and provides final plans for approval by the Minister for the Environment. The Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 (CALM Act) specifies that management plans must contain: v a statement of the policies or guidelines proposed to be followed; and v a summary of operations proposed to be undertaken. In accordance with Section 55 of the CALM Act, the term of this plan will be ten years, or until such time that the plan is superseded by a new management plan. This management plan is for the 13 island nature reserves which represent a chain of approximately 40 islands off the Western Australian coast between Lancelin and Dongara. One island (Target Rock) is proposed for inclusion in the nature reserves. The reference to ‘the islands’ in this management plan refers to both the existing and proposed island nature reserves. This management plan should be viewed in conjunction with the management plan for the Jurien Bay Marine Park in which many of the islands lie. The planning process for both the islands and marine park was undertaken concurrently, and their management will be integrated and implemented together. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This Turquoise Coast Island Nature Reserves Management Plan was prepared by Liesl Jonker (CALM’s Marine Conservation Branch) and Laurina Bullen (CALM’s Management Planning Unit). Many people provided valuable assistance in the preparation of this plan, including: v staff from CALM’s Midwest Region and Moora District, in particular Sue Hancock, Keith Hockey, Andrew Darbyshire, Peter Fishwick, Nigel Sercombe, Kelly Gillen, Anthony Desmond and David Rose (former District Manager, Moora); v staff from CALM’s Science Division; v staff from CALM’s Information Management Branch; and v Friends of Lancelin Island. NOMENCLATURE Inclusion of a name in this publication does not imply its approval by the relevant nomenclature authority. The word ‘Noongar’ can be spelt in numerous ways. The spelling of Noongar in this form should also be seen to encompass all other spellings. ii Table 1. Turquoise Coast Islands Access Summary Access Seabird Reserve Name Island Name Limited Prohibited Breeding Lancelin and Edwards Islands Nature Edwards Island ^ Reserve Lancelin Island ^ Wedge Island Nature Reserve Wedge Island ^ Proposed Nature Reserve Target Rock ^ Buller, Whittell and Green Islands South Green Island ^ Nature Reserve North Green Island ^ Whittell Island ^ Buller Island z ^ Cervantes Islands Nature Reserve South Cervantes Island ^ Middle Cervantes Island ^ North Cervantes Island ^ Ronsard Rocks Nature Reserve South Ronsard Rocks ^ North Ronsard Rocks Outer Rocks Nature Reserve South Outer Rocks ^ North Outer Rocks ^ Essex Rocks Nature Reserve South Essex Rocks ^ Middle Essex Rocks ^ North Essex Rocks ^ Escape Island Nature Reserve Escape Island ^ Boullanger, Whitlock, Favorite, Tern Whitlock Island ^ and Osprey Islands Nature Reserve Boullanger Island ^ Tern Island ^ Osprey Island ^ Favorite Island ^ Sandland Island Nature Reserve Sandland Island ^ Fisherman Islands Nature Reserve South Fisherman Island ¢ ^ North Fisherman Island z ^ Lipfert, Milligan and Snag Islands and Milligan Island ^ Webb Islet and Orton & Drummond Rocks Nature Reserve Orton Rock Lipfert Island ^ Webb Islet ^ Drummond Rock ^ Snag Island ^ Beagle Islands Nature Reserve South-West Beagle Island ^ East Beagle Island z ^ North-West Beagle Island ^ Note: limited access area prohibited access area z prohibited access area due to sea-lion breeding island ¢ prohibited access area due to proximity to sea-lion breeding island ^ seabirds use the island for breeding islands located within the Jurien Bay Marine Park iii CONTENTS PREFACE...............................................................................................................................i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................... ii PART A. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 1. Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Key Values ........................................................................................................................................ 4 3. Public Participation ........................................................................................................................... 4 PART B. MANAGEMENT DIRECTIONS AND PURPOSE .....................................................5 4. Vision ................................................................................................................................................ 5 5. Legislative Framework...................................................................................................................... 5 6. Existing and Proposed Tenure........................................................................................................... 6 7. Management Arrangements with Aboriginal People ........................................................................ 7 8. Land Classification............................................................................................................................ 7 9. Performance Assessment................................................................................................................... 9 PART C. MANAGING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ....................................................10 10. Biogeography .................................................................................................................................. 10 11. Climate, Geology and Geomorphology........................................................................................... 12 12. Native Plants and Plant Communities............................................................................................. 13 13. Native Animals and Habitats........................................................................................................... 15 14. Landscape........................................................................................................................................ 23 15. Fire................................................................................................................................................... 24 16. Environmental Weeds ..................................................................................................................... 25 17. Introduced and Other Problem Animals.......................................................................................... 28 PART D. MANAGING OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE..........................................................29 18. Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................................. 29 PART E. MANAGING RECREATION AND TOURISM .......................................................32 19. Visitor Access.................................................................................................................................. 32 20. Recreation Use and Opportunities................................................................................................... 33 21. Tourism and Commercial Operations ............................................................................................. 35 22. Visitor Safety................................................................................................................................... 37 23. Domestic Animals........................................................................................................................... 38 Part F. MANAGING SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE USE........................................................39 24. Mineral and Petroleum Resources................................................................................................... 39 25. Commercial Fishing and Collection................................................................................................ 40 PART G. INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY..........................................................................42 26. Information, Education and Interpretation ...................................................................................... 42 27. Working with the Community......................................................................................................... 43 PART H. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN .................................................................................45 28. Research .......................................................................................................................................... 45 29. Administration................................................................................................................................. 46 30. Term of the Plan.............................................................................................................................. 46 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................47