saving our threatened native animals and plants

RECOVERY AND THREAT ABATEMENT IN ACTION 2003 UPDATE Acknowledgments: This publication has been prepared with the assistance of many people. Copyright NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, June 2003 The publishers would especially like to thank the community groups, ISBN 0 7313 6698 0 individuals and government agencies who contribute to the conservation of threatened native animals and plants across NSW. Design & layout by Point Communications

Published by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 43 Bridge St (PO Box 1967) HURSTVILLE NSW 1481 Minister’s Foreword

With over 1500 native plants and animals listed as threatened in “Australia this country, Australia is facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to conserving our unique biological wealth. In NSW alone is facing extinctions number 79 species. Hundreds more plants, animals and ecological communities are also facing possible extinction unless unprecedented greater commitment and effort is made to reverse this trend. The task of saving our threatened species is a mammoth one, but it challenges is not all doom and gloom. Since the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act was introduced in 1995 a concerted effort has been when it comes made to bring our threatened native animals and plants back from the brink of extinction. to conserving Around the State thousands of individual actions are being taken to help the recovery of hundreds of threatened species, populations our unique and ecological communities, including protecting and restoring habitats, removal of threatening processes, research, breeding and biological re-introduction, and raising community awareness. These recovery actions are only possible through the wealth” collaboration and involvement of numerous community groups, organisations, industry and government agencies together with a strong commitment to research and action by the New South Wales Government. The protection and conservation of native biodiversity is paramount to the prevention of extinctions. The revised NSW Biodiversity Strategy provides a framework for coordinating and integrating government, industry and community efforts, ensuring that available resources are efficiently and effectively applied. The Strategy aims to help recover threatened wildlife by proactively conserving biodiversity. It entails a range of strategies that serve to minimise further risk of decline of our native plants and animals and their habitats. Saving our threatened native animals and plants: recovery planning in action was published in 2000 to provide an overview of all the actions carried out across NSW to ensure the survival of our precious Australian wildlife. A tremendous amount of recovery work has been done since then and has been recorded in a new edition of this publication, Recovery and threat abatement in action – 2003 Update. I trust that the information presented in this publication will inspire us all to help save our threatened animals and plants from extinction and conserve our State’s rich, unique biological diversity.

Bob Debus, MP Minister for the Environment

1 Contents

Minister’s Foreword ...... 1 Fire management...... 23 Eastern bristlebird Introduction ...... 3 Fencing and site protection ...... 24 Zieria parrisiae and Zieria buxijugum Recovery Snapshot ...... 4 Environmental impact assessment...... 24 PART 1: HOW RECOVERY PLANNING AND Koala THREAT ABATEMENT PLANNING WORKS...... 7 Habitat restoration and enhancement ...... 25 What is threatening our native Bellinger River emydura animals and plants? Mitchell’s rainforest snail What is a recovery plan? Captive husbandry ...... 26 Corroboree frog What is a threat abatement plan? Translocation and reintroduction...... 27 A partnership approach Allocasuarina porturensis Green and golden bell frog PART 2: EXAMPLES OF THREAT ABATEMENT ACTIONS IN NSW ...... 8 Community awareness, education and involvement ...... 28 What is being done about threats? Bathurst purple copper butterfly Predation by the red fox Community involvement in the Blue Mountains Invasion by bitou bush and boneseed Recovery team and plan coordination ...... 30 Predation by Gambusia Cumberland Plain woodland holbrooki - the plague minnow Conservation status review...... 31 Gould’s petrel PART 3: EXAMPLES OF RECOVERY ACTIONS IN NSW ...... 11 Glossary of Terms ...... 32

What is being done to save our PART 4: SUMMARY OF RECOVERY threatened species? ACTIONS IN NSW ...... 33 Case study 1 - Declining woodland birds ...... 12 Recovery actions for threatened plants Case study 2 - Frog conservation...... 14 in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003...... 34 Case study 3 - Grassy ecosystems...... 16 Recovery actions for threatened animals Survey and mapping...... 18 in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003...... 38 Plains wanderer Recovery actions for threatened plants Monitoring ...... 18 in and around Sydney 1996-2003...... 41 Mountain pygmy-possum Recovery actions for threatened animals Research ...... 19 in and around Sydney 1996-2003...... 45 Square-stemmed spike-rush Recovery actions for threatened plants Barking owl in northern NSW 1996-2003 ...... 48 Habitat protection...... 21 Recovery actions for threatened animals Little penguin in northern NSW 1996-2003 ...... 54 Feral animal control...... 22 Recovery actions for threatened plants Shoalhaven brush-tailed rock-wallaby in western NSW 1996-2003 ...... 58 Weed control...... 22 Recovery actions for threatened animals Tumut grevillea and Wee Jasper grevillea in western NSW 1996-2003 ...... 61

2 Introduction

The Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 (TSC Act) What are ‘threatened species’? aims to conserve biological diversity and promote Native species, populations and ecological communities of ecologically sustainable development, promote the recovery animals and plants which are presumed extinct, endangered and preservation of threatened native animals and plants or vulnerable in NSW are considered threatened. and their habitats, manage and limit threats which our native animals and plants face, and encourage conservation · Presumed extinct – a native species of animal or plant that through cooperative management. Recovery planning and has not been seen for a long period despite thorough threat abatement planning are an important and compulsory searching. part of the TSC Act. Recovery plans and threat abatement · Endangered – a native species, population or ecological plans aim to recover and prevent the extinction of animals community that is in danger of extinction or whose and plants that are listed as threatened under the TSC Act. survival in the wild is unlikely if threats continue. In NSW the total number of threatened species, populations and ecological communities listed under the · Vulnerable – a native species or ecological community TSC Act is 877*. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife that is likely to become ‘endangered’ unless the threats to Service (NPWS) acknowledges that action is required now its survival stop. to curb the current rate of extinction. More than 40 animals and 38 plants are presumed extinct in Recovery and threat abatement plans identify the actions NSW. Another 76 animals and 317 plants are facing possible needed to save our threatened native animals and plants. extinction and are listed as endangered. There are 28 Recovery is not just about writing a plan. It is about taking endangered populations and 60 endangered ecological action now to ensure the survival of our threatened native communities. A further 391 plants and animals are classified animals and plants. as vulnerable. It is important that these recovery plans guide us in the right direction. For this reason, many actions are under way Listing threatened species simultaneously so that we can learn more about the species we The number of threatened native animals and plants is are trying to save and take appropriate action now to protect constantly changing. The listings are the responsibility of an them. independent committee, the NSW Scientific Committee, Actions such as survey work, ecological studies and habitat that consists of 11 members appointed by the Minister for mapping increase our knowledge of a species and help us to the Environment. The members of the committee are understand what it needs to survive. In this way we learn scientists from a variety of organisations including what is threatening an animal or plant, which in turn allows universities, government agencies, the Ecological Society of us to do something about it. For example, we might have to Australia and the Entomological Society of Australia. The improve fire management, control weeds or put up fencing to NSW Scientific Committee reviews the listings and makes provide protection from feral animals. determinations for new listings, de-listings or amendments to This publication gives an overview of the multitude of those species, populations and ecological communities listed. recovery and threat abatement actions under way in NSW Once the committee has made determinations, the NPWS and describes a number of them in more detail. It also and NSW Fisheries take responsibility for the recovery or presents a series of tables that show all the key recovery threat abatement process. The Scientific Committee also actions taken since recovery planning began in 1995. It lists key threatening processes. updates a previous publication of 2000 and highlights progress since then. Future updates are planned on a regular basis.

* As at 31 December 2002

Amphibians Reptiles Birds Mammals Marine mammalsInvertebrates Plants Fungi Total Species presumed extinct 0 1 12 27 0 1 38 0 79 Endangered species 11 11 27 13 2 12 317 5 398 Endangered population 1 0 5 7 0 1 14 0 28 Vulnerable species 14 24 84 41 5 0 220 3 391 Endangered Ecological Communities 60 Key Threatening Processes 16 * Figures as at December 2002

3 Recovery Snapshot

Recovery and threat abatement plans The total number of threatened species, populations and ecological communities listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act is 877*. The total number of key threatening processes listed is 16. While this publication focuses on recovery and threat abatement planning, there are other important components of threatened species conservation in NSW that have advanced since 2000.

Approved recovery plans 53 Recovery plans currently exhibited as draft 15 Recovery plans in initial to advanced preparation 168

Approved threat abatement plans 1 Threat abatement plans currently exhibited as draft 1 Threat abatement plans in initial to advanced preparation 3

The NPWS currently prepares recovery plans for multiple species and ecological communities where practical. At present NPWS has prepared or is in the process of preparing 25 ‘multiple species’ plans. Therefore the total number of threatened species, populations and ecological communities addressed by the recovery planning process is:

Number in approved recovery plans 67 Number in recovery plans exhibited as draft 15 Number in recovery plans in initial to advanced preparation 253

* Figures as at 31 March 2002

4 Threatened Species Conservation Act Amendments statement (EIS). The Minister or Director-General can then A major area of progress for threatened species conservation set appropriate conditions on any actions through has been a series of amendments to the TSC Act that concurrence or Ministerial consultation. occurred in late 2002. These amendments represent the fine- This process is vital to ensure the continued survival of tuning of the TSC Act, which has now been in operation for threatened species across NSW while at the same time seven years, to improve some limitations and maintain allowing developments across the State to proceed in a alignment with national legislation. Major features include: sustainable manner. The vast majority of adverse impacts on threatened species are identified early in the planning cycle so · improvement to the operations of the NSW Scientific that changes can be built into the proposal which reduce Committee while maintaining its independence impacts to a non-significant level. Many thousands of · improvements to the listing process – eg, modified developments each year fall into this category. Occasionally criteria for endangered populations, presumed extinct, a this can not be achieved. Since the TSC Act came into effect new vulnerable ecological communities category, (until mid 2002) the NPWS issued 212 Director-General’s clarification of fish and marine vegetation listing, and requirements for species impact statements and processed 45 nomination guidelines requests for concurrence. Almost all these requests for · significant improvement to threatened species assessment concurrence were subsequently granted with conditions to – revised significance factors, accreditation of species restrict impacts to acceptable levels. impact statement preparation, ability to vary concurrence conditions and freezing the list for vulnerable species Education, Awareness, Information and Involvement once assessment commences Education, awareness, information and involvement are key components in threatened species recovery and threat · simplified licensing – for scientific, educational and abatement, and have been achieved through a wide range of conservation purposes – and defences to prosecution now projects, publications and resources. include conservation agreements

· improved clarity over use of property management plans · Community awareness and involvement are key through specified approval criteria components of all recovery and threat abatement plans.

· fine-tuning of recovery planning – allowing joint and · The Save our Species (SOS) program provides funding multi-species plans specifically for on-ground education and involvement · requirement for recovery and threat abatement planning projects that help implement recovery plans and threat to consider indigenous issues abatement plans. Over the past five years more than $350,000 has been allocated to over 50 SOS projects. · the ability of Chief Executive Officers (rather than Ministers) to agree to actions in recovery and threat · The NPWS has appointed staff to positions that focus abatement plans. specifically on threatened species education, information and involvement. Environmental Assessment Provisions of the TSC Act · Threatened species information has been made available When considering approval of all developments and through a variety of publications such as manuals, kits, activities, the likely effects on threatened species, recovery plans, pamphlets, fact sheets, reports, populations and ecological communities, their habitats or newsletters, booklets, posters, videos, compact discs, and critical habitat must be carefully assessed and, where possible, media reports. measures implemented to avoid adverse impacts or reduce them to acceptable levels. This is done by a process of · The NPWS website has comprehensive threatened determining the significance of the impact and then, when species information including detailed species profiles, impacts are determined to be significant, conducting detailed recovery plans, threat abatement plans, and information environmental impact assessment through preparation of a on the impact of developments on threatened species species impact statement (SIS) or an environmental impact and monitoring and regulation of threatened species.

5 6 Part 1: How Recovery and Threat Abatement Planning Works

What is threatening our native animals and plants? What is a threat abatement plan? There are many threatening processes contributing to A threat abatement plan sets out what needs to be done to the decline of native animals and plants. The loss or reduce the impact of a threat. Each threat abatement plan disturbance of habitat is likely to be the most significant will be different in its approach. For example, if the of these, affecting native species on a broad scale. This can threatening process is caused by an introduced species, such occur as a result of many different activities, including as a fox or a weed species, the plan may focus on reducing inappropriate land clearing and vegetation removal, the threat at locations where it is having the greatest impact removal of bushrock, the collection of fallen timber and on threatened species. However if the threatening process is dead wood, inappropriate fire regimes, the spread of weeds a result of current human activities, the threat abatement into native vegetation, and grazing by exotic animals such plan may need to develop strategies for alternative activities as rabbits, sheep and cattle. In many cases several processes or alter current planning instruments. will be interacting, for example a native animal might be Recovery plans and threat abatement plans aim to eaten by foxes and cats, in addition to losing habitat minimise negative social and economic consequences, through clearing. The loss of habitat also allows other include ways that people can cooperate in conservation threatening processes to affect native species more acutely, actions, and must consider indigenous people. for example native animals will more readily fall victim to introduced predators if they have lost shelter. A partnership approach Other threats include the spread of diseases and pathogens, Saving threatened native animal and plant species usually salinity, changes to water flows in rivers and streams and relies on the combined efforts of many individuals and inappropriate fire regimes. organisations. One of the roles of the NPWS has been to What is a recovery plan? identify the individuals and groups who may have an influence on whether or not a threatened native animal or A recovery plan sets out what needs to be done to ensure the plant survives. The NPWS brings these people and groups survival of a native species of animal or plant that is under together and encourages them to work cooperatively to save the threat of extinction. Recovery plans are developed for the species. A cooperative approach to tackling threatening individual species, populations or ecological communities. processes occurring across the landscape is the best way to A typical recovery plan might involve pest control, habitat achieve longterm success. management and regeneration or community awareness and Establishing recovery teams to prepare and implement education. It also considers how the actions set out in the recovery plans often achieves this partnership approach since it plan might affect people such as private landholders. brings together experts on the animal or plant with community members who have an interest in saving the species. In addition to threatened species listed under the TSC Act there are also a range of threatened fish and aquatic plants listed under the Fisheries Management Act. Recovery Plans for these species are prepared by NSW Fisheries. Information planning about the recovery of these species can be obtained from NSW Fisheries.

7 Part 2: Examples of Threat Abatement Actions in NSW

What is being done about threats? Key Threatening Processes listed under Threats can be listed under the Threatened Species the TSC Act Conservation Act (TSC Act) when they adversely affect two Alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers, or more threatened species or are likely to cause other native streams, floodplains and wetlands species to become threatened. There are currently 16 threats Anthropogenic climate change listed under the TSC Act. These are called key threatening processes and are listed in the table opposite. Bushrock removal Three of these key threatening processes – predation by Clearing of native vegetation foxes, invasion of native plant communities by bitou bush, Competition and grazing by the feral European rabbit, and predation by the plague minnow (mosquito fish) – are Oryctolagus cuniculus examined in case studies on the following pages. Competition from feral honeybees, Apis mellifera Other key threatening processes are the result of direct High frequency fire human activity. For example, the removal of bushrock from rock outcrops or areas of native vegetation has been listed Importation of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta under the Act. Removal of bushrock destroys important Infection of native plants by Phytophthora cinnamomi habitat for many plants and animals, including the broad- Invasion of native plant communities by bitou bush, headed snake, red-crowned toadlet, spotted-tailed quoll, Chrysanthemoides monilifera striped legless lizard, southern leaf-tailed gecko, rock spider Loss and/or degradation of sites used for hill-topping and a number of plants including Darwinia biflora, Tetratheca by butterflies

glandulosa and Acacia bynoeana. Predation by plague minnow or mosquito fish, Bushrock not only provides shelter for many small animals Gambusia holbrooki

but also hiding places from predators, food sources, egg-laying Predation by the European red fox, Vulpes vulpes sites and a refuge from extreme weather conditions and Predation by the feral cat, Felis catus bushfires. Removal of bushrock destabilises slopes, increases soil erosion and results in the loss of soil moisture essential Predation from the ship rat, Rattus rattus, on Lord Howe Island for germinating plants. Bushrock is also very important during and after bushfires. During fires, bushrock restricts fire Psittacine Circoviral (beak and feather) disease affecting endangered psittacine species and populations by providing areas of bare rock which do not fuel a fire, and provides a refuge for many small animals including lizards, * As at December 2002 insects, invertebrates, frogs, snakes and small mammals. After bushfires, bushrock protects the soil from erosion by rain and wind. It acts as a barrier that collects seeds washed or blown alongside the rocks, and prevents the soil from drying out, enabling the seeds to germinate and grow. Plant and animal communities re-establish more quickly after fire in areas where the rock cover has not been disturbed. Bushrock is protected in national parks and its removal from other public land requires lawful authority. Currently the rules about bushrock removal vary across local government areas. One of the actions in the threat abatement plan may be to make regulations for bushrock removal consistent across all local councils. The plan will also include actions such as collaboration with the nursery industry to eliminate illegal bush rock collection, and the development of more readily available and less damaging alternatives to bushrock.

8 Invasion by bitou bush and boneseed The semi-succulent South African shrub Chrysanthemoides monilifera has become a major environmental weed in Australia. Two of its six subspecies, bitou bush (subsp. rotundata) and boneseed (subsp. monilifera), were introduced to Australia in the 1800s. Bitou bush and boneseed were introduced to Australia both deliberately (eg to stabilise sand dunes, revegetate sand mining operations, and as garden and nursery plants) and accidentally (eg in soil used for ship ballast). Unfortunately, both subspecies subsequently ‘escaped’ and have invaded large tracts of land in NSW, Red fox eating galah young. Photo: John Cooper © NPWS Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. While both subspecies occur in NSW, bitou bush presents Predation by the red fox the main problem. Bitou bush now occurs along 80 per cent Since their introduction to Australia in the 1870s, foxes of the NSW coast and is expanding rapidly with a 36 per have played a significant role in the demise and extinction of cent increase over the last 20 years. Bitou bush dominates many native fauna species. Species of ground-nesting birds most coastal vegetation communities from foreshore to and medium-sized mammals have suffered more than other coastal woodlands and rainforests. The serious nature of this species, and several are now extinct on the mainland. Foxes weed has seen it listed as one of Australia’s 20 worst weeds spread rapidly across the continent and now occur across (or the Weeds of National Significance) by the mainland Australia, with the exception of the far north and Commonwealth Government. some offshore islands. They have also recently been illegally In NSW, bitou bush poses a threat to at least 18 introduced to Tasmania. threatened plant species, two endangered plant populations Foxes continue to threaten native species and in March and seven endangered ecological communities listed under 1998 ‘predation by the red fox’ was listed as a key the TSC Act. There are many other species potentially at threatening process under the TSC Act 1995. The NPWS risk, about which there is insufficient information. In has prepared a threat abatement plan for predation by the recognition of the threat posed by bitou bush in NSW, red fox, which was formally approved by the Minister for the the ‘invasion of native plant communities by bitou Environment in December 2001. The plan provides a bush/boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera)’ was listed as a strategy for fox control in NSW for the conservation of key threatening process under the TSC Act in 1999. native fauna. It includes a model for assessing and prioritising The NPWS is currently drafting a threat abatement plan fauna species that are most at risk of extinction from foxes. It to reduce the threat posed by bitou bush/boneseed to native also lists locations where the susceptible fauna species occur plant communities. The draft plan provides a strategy for and fox control should be undertaken as a high priority. As a bitou bush/boneseed control in NSW for the conservation of result, fox control programs are being conducted in areas native plant communities through the prioritisation of sites where foxes are having the greatest impact on threatened where proposed actions will have the greatest outcome for species. The threat abatement plan has also developed current ‘best practice’ guidelines for fox control which are incorporated into fox control programs by other government agencies, community groups and private landholders. Since the NPWS developed the threat abatement plan, several monitoring programs have been established to measure whether threatened species are responding to fox control. Species such as brush-tailed rock-wallabies, little terns, rufous bettongs and mallee fowl are all being monitored by the NPWS and community groups in a coordinated program to assess fox control efforts.

Bitou bush-infested sand dunes, northern NSW. Photo: J Thomas © NPWS 9 threatened flora. In addition, the draft plan will aim to golden bell frog and southern bell frog. investigate the impact of bitou bush/boneseed on the wider There are presently no effective and specific methods to ecological communities, including animals for which there is control gambusia. Once introduced, it is almost impossible to little information available, but which could potentially be eradicate from the environment, particularly from connected threatened. waterways such as creeks, rivers and streams, and large The threat abatement plan will advocate the preparation permanent water bodies. A number of physical, chemical and of site-specific management plans containing ‘best practice’ biological approaches have been trialled with varying degrees guidelines for bitou bush/boneseed control. As community of success and inherent risks. participation has already proved extremely useful in the The draft threat abatement plan provides a strategy for the battle against bitou bush/boneseed, public awareness and management of gambusia in NSW. Given the widespread education is also a focus of this draft. distribution of gambusia and the difficulties posed by Approximately 60 priority sites will be identified across removing the species from the environment, this plan coastal NSW for control and ongoing monitoring, with sites identifies those frog species considered most at risk from occurring across all land tenures including private land, local predation by gambusia in order to make the most effective government, NPWS and Department of Land and Water use of management resources. Conservation land. The coordination of such an effort will The plan seeks to minimise ongoing human dispersal of be a large task in itself, but one that is required to reduce the gambusia through a program of education and awareness of ever increasing spread and threat from bitou bush/boneseed the risks associated with introducing the species into the along our coastline. environment, particularly habitats of key threatened frog species. Predation by Gambusia holbrooki In addition, the plan seeks to reduce the impacts of – the plague minnow gambusia at sites where control is most critical, by Gambusia has been colloquially described as the ‘animal undertaking a program of gambusia control at key habitats weed’ of our aquatic environment, because of its ability to for high priority threatened frog species. At sites where rapidly reproduce, disperse widely and occupy diverse gambusia removal is not considered feasible, opportunities for habitats, to the detriment of native species. This small, the creation of gambusia-free supplementary habitat will be introduced fish is also highly aggressive and predatory. evaluated. Sites will be monitored on an ongoing basis to Gambusia were originally introduced in 1925 from the assess the effectiveness of the gambusia control program. USA into the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, for the A number of research actions are recommended in order to purpose of mosquito control. They are now common and clarify aspects of the ecology of gambusia and its impacts on widespread, occurring in most freshwater habitats in south- frog species. Additional information is also required on the east Australia, as well as the coastal drainages of Queensland efficacy of proposed control methods and their impact on and some parts of the Northern Territory and Western non-target species. Outcomes from this research will assist in Australia. It has been an extremely successful invader, the future management of gambusia. assisted by human dispersal and facilitated by its high reproductive potential, fast maturation rate, flexible behaviour and broad environmental tolerances. In five months, a population of gambusia can increase to over 100,000 fish after natural mortalities. Internationally, gambusia has been ineffective in controlling mosquito’s and the World Health Organisation no longer recommends its use for malaria control programs primarily because of its harmful impact on native fish. What remains, however, is the legacy of yet another introduced species establishing itself in Australia and impacting on native species including frogs, fish and macro-invertebrates. Predation by gambusia has been identified as a key threatening process by the NSW Scientific Committee for its

impacts on native and threatened frogs such as the green and Illustration: Judy Dendy

10 Part 3: Examples of Recovery Actions in NSW

What is being done to save our threatened species?

Recovery actions take many forms. They can range from simple actions like erecting fencing through to complex genetic analysis to determine conservation priorities. A summary of actions being carried out in NSW is given in the tables at the end of this publication. These actions have been grouped into the following 15 categories:

· surveys and mapping

· monitoring

· research

· habitat protection

· pest species control

· weed control

· fire management

· fencing and site protection

· environmental impact assessment

· habitat restoration and enhancement

· captive husbandry

· translocation and reintroduction

· community involvement and awareness

· recovery team and plan coordination

· conservation status review.

The remainder of Part 3 presents three case studies and a selection of examples of these recovery actions that illustrate some of the work that is being done to save the threatened plants and animals of NSW.

11 CASE STUDY 1 – DECLINING areas for insects and/or WOODLAND BIRDS nectar. Others, like the brown treecreeper, Our Woodland Birds Need Help need well-connected The temperate woodlands of NSW have been extensively patches of habitat to cleared, fragmented and degraded. More than 70 per cent disperse into after of the woodlands of the wheat-sheep belt of NSW have been breeding. cleared for agriculture, mining and other activities. Woodlands with The remaining woodland vegetation is often in small isolated large mature trees remnants that are prone to further degradation due to poor provide a range of management and broader landscape problems such as salinity crucial habitat and tree dieback. components such as In the last two decades, ecological research and nest hollows for brown monitoring of woodland birds has highlighted alarming treecreepers, the declines in nearly half of all woodland-dependent bird threatened barking owl species in Australia. Habitat loss, fragmentation and and many threatened degradation are the major causes of their decline and parrot and bat species. contraction of their geographic range. In NSW, six woodland Large old trees also Brown Treecreeper. Photo: Ken Stepnell © NPWS bird species – the black-chinned honeyeater (eastern provide copious subspecies), brown treecreeper (eastern subspecies), diamond amounts of nectar for firetail, grey-crowned babbler (eastern subspecies), hooded the black-chinned honeyeater and the endangered regent robin (south-eastern form) and speckled warbler – have honeyeater and swift parrot. Woodlands with high-quality recently been listed under the TSC Act as ‘vulnerable’. In shrub and grass cover provide excellent foraging and nesting addition, the population of white-browed treecreepers in the habitat for the hooded robin, speckled warbler, diamond Griffith and part of the Carrathool local government areas firetail and grey-crowned babbler. Dead fallen timber has been listed as ‘endangered’. provides foraging substrates and cover for the hooded robin These species add to the already large list of threatened and the endangered bush stone-curlew. woodland birds in NSW. Recent expert reviews have Increased awareness, community participation and provided evidence that a further suite of declining woodland recognition of stewardship efforts for modifying our bird species will soon become threatened if actions are not management of woodlands are all needed so that we can start undertaken to address the threats to their survival. to protect and manage for the broad spectrum of biodiversity To ensure the long-term survival of our threatened within our precious woodlands. woodland birds and other woodland biota it is critical that their habitats be identified, protected and managed Recovery planning appropriately. Existing large patches of woodlands that have Recovery plans for some of our woodland birds have been mature trees, a good native shrub and/or grass cover and completed and more are currently being developed, including plenty of fallen dead timber and leaf litter are particularly a multi-species plan for six species and one population. important. Many woodland birds, including the hooded These plans set out what needs to be done in order to ensure robin, speckled warbler and black-chinned honeyeater, need the birds’ survival. large patches of woodland because they forage over large One of the major actions in the recovery of the swift parrot and the regent honeyeater is survey work that is conducted by a widespread community of birdwatchers on two weekends each year. These surveys provide valuable information on bird numbers and, importantly, an understanding of feeding areas in NSW. Working with landholders and local councils to protect these feeding sites is another important recovery action. The recovery plan for the barking owl aims to protect breeding pairs, their nesting sites, tree hollows and the surrounding habitat of mature forest and woodland in which

Swift parrot. Photo: Dave Watts © NPWS 12 their prey is found. Community involvement and awareness and conservation status. and further research into the bird’s ecology are also key · In a new partnership with Land Property Information, features of the plan. topographic maps for western NSW are now being The bush stone-curlew primarily occurs on local council produced with threatened species profiles and land and private land, so the actions of this recovery plan photographs printed on the reverse side of the map. provide assistance to local government and private landholders to participate in the species’ recovery. Another · The Wildlife Management Manual for Riverine Plains has focus of the recovery plan is learning more about the species’ been distributed to 300 landholders and 100 community ecology and biology. members in the Riverina. Superb parrots are killed along roadways as they feed on Woodland Birds Coordinator spilt grain. A major recovery action has been an awareness- raising campaign for motorists and grain haulers. There is In western NSW, a woodland birds coordinator successfully also ongoing mapping of nest sites so that they can be raised community awareness of woodland bird conservation in protected from future developments. the wheat-sheep belt. The coordinator organised and presented woodland bird information at a number of field Getting the message out days across the central west, visited individual landholders, The NPWS has been working hard to get the message out spoke regularly to the media – especially radio where she had about threatened and declining woodland birds. a regular morning segment on local ABC about bird issues – and made presentations at conferences and two public forums · Advice has been given to local councils and Rural Lands in Gunnedah and Forbes, both of which were well attended Protection Boards about the importance of roadside by farmers and other local people. vegetation protection. The NPWS is negotiating joint The woodland birds coordinator also produced a brochure management agreements with Rural Lands Protection and colour poster that were widely distributed to schools and Boards specifying how threatened species habitat is to be community groups. protected on land that they manage. The Greening Australia Riverina Wildlife Extension · The NPWS has representatives on native vegetation Officer, funded by the NPWS, continued this important management committees and has been a strong advocate woodland bird extension role in the Riverina region. for protection of threatened species habitat in woodlands. A high-quality wildlife management manual prepared by the The NPWS is also working with individual councils to Threatened Species Unit in the NPWS’s Western Directorate achieve woodland conservation through land-use zoning has been widely distributed to landholders and community and shire-wide habitat protection. members interested in conservation in the region. The Community education and awareness campaigns have manual incorporates ecological information for woodland targeted recovery actions for specific threatened species birds species including the superb parrot, barking owl and and populations. bush stone-curlew as well as practical advice for managing · NPWS is working with Graincorp to inform grain these species and their habitats on private land. The guide transporters about the impact of passing vehicles killing has been a resounding success and it is hoped that wildlife superb parrots feeding on grain spilt from transport management manuals for other regions in western NSW trucks. Signs have been erected at silos to remind drivers will be produced in the near future to help save and manage about the impact of grain spills and community service woodland birds and other threatened plants and animals. announcements have been played on TV during the harvesting season.

·Various publicity efforts by the national coordinator for regent honeyeater and swift parrot recovery led to tremendous community input including habitat identification, tree planting and biannual monitoring.

·With the assistance of a successful publicity campaign, a statewide community survey of the bush stone-curlew was conducted, raising public interest and awareness and gaining valuable information on the species’ distribution

Diamond Firetail. Photo: Ken Stepnell © NPWS 13 CASE STUDY 2 – FROG CONSERVATION can quickly breed, allowing them to rapidly colonise and NSW has a diverse assemblage of frogs, inhabiting a broad dominate an area. They also have the potential to spread range of habitats from desert claypans and sand dune swales, disease to native frog species. Competition with cane toads is alpine streams, bogs and marshlands to permanent lagoons thought to have contributed to the decline of the green and and farm dams. Over the past 30 years, however, there has golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) in northern NSW. been a dramatic decline in In the absence of any effective broadscale control the distribution and techniques, the NPWS has identified community education abundance of many frog and awareness as an important tool in minimising the spread species and although no of cane toads in NSW. To this effect, the NPWS has species has been declared prepared a brochure that informs the community about formally extinct, a where the cane toad is found in NSW, what it looks like, number of species, such and how to avoid accidentally moving it around the as the yellow-spotted tree environment. The distinguishing characteristics of cane frog (Litoria castanea) toads and other similar looking frogs are provided to appear to have minimise harm to native frogs by misidentification. The disappeared from the brochure has been of invaluable assistance at open days environment. To date, where the NPWS and the community gather to collect and 11 species of frog have dispose of cane toads in key areas of infestation such as been declared Grafton and Port Macquarie. endangered, fourteen The plague minnow (Gambusia holbrooki) has penetrated species are listed as many of the waterways in NSW and Australia and poses a vulnerable and there is major threat to a number of species of native frog, fish and currently one aquatic macro invertebrates. A key action in the threat Cover illustration: Judy Dendy endangered abatement plan is minimising the continued spread of the population of frog listed under the TSC Act. The processes plague minnow by humans, particularly to habitats of key threatening the survival of individual frogs are still not fully threatened frog species. understood, but we do know that landscape processes such as Community education climate change, human modification of breeding and Helping Frogs Survive - a guide for frog enthusiasts is a colour foraging habitat, the introduction of predators and diseases fold out brochure published by the NPWS in collaboration such as the frog chytrid fungus have all contributed to the with the NSW Frog and Tadpole Society (FATS). decline. The objective of the brochure is to raise awareness in the The NPWS, through the recovery and threat abatement community about those issues currently affecting the survival planning process and the establishment of a declining frog of frogs and to provide practical advice on how to maintain working group, is working with academic institutions, other their habitats and ameliorate known threats. The intention government departments and community groups to arrest the was to consolidate existing NPWS policy and technical decline and recover these frog species back to a position of information on frog conservation and management into an viability in nature. To date, four frog recovery plans have easy to understand interpretative guide, readily accessible to been finalised and another eight plans are in progress. In the general public, school children and enthusiasts interested addition, many initial actions in partnership with community in keeping frogs in captivity or surveying them in the wild. groups and academic institutions have commenced to The brochure provides practical advice on how to obtain a ameliorate the impacts of some of those landscape processes licence to keep frogs and collect tadpoles, and what to do if a thought to affect frogs in general. displaced or sick frog is found. It incorporates photographs Introduced pests Cane toads were introduced to Queensland from South America in 1935, in an unsuccessful attempt to control cane beetles, a pest of the sugar cane industry. Having no natural enemies, the toads spread west into the Northern Territory and south into NSW. The toxin in cane toads can kill most native animals; as well, they have a voracious appetite and

Cane toad. Photo: Michael Mahony 14 and drawings, identifies introduced pests such as the cane males remaining in the wild. A feature of the recovery plan toad, and displays important contacts, useful websites, further for this species is the development of a breeding population reading and auditory material for identifying frogs in the to provide a future source of animals for reintroduction to field. The brochure also directs readers to NPWS policy and the wild. Experimental reintroduction trials will be technical publications relevant to each conservation issue. undertaken within the next few years. The project has been very successful entering its second Recovery planning has commenced for the northern print run with a total of 10,000 free posters having been corroboree frog and the draft plan will be released in 2003. produced. The threats to this species are considered to be a combination of factors including disease, climate change Disease control (including drought) and past human activities that removed or modified habitat. Recovery actions already under way include monitoring, survey, research and habitat protection. Extensive surveys have found evidence of an overall decline in numbers, despite the location of new populations of the species that effectively extended its known range 20 kilometres north of previous known sites. Planning for the recovery of the booroolong frog (Litoria booroolongensis), has been initiated. Surveys have been conducted across its former distribution along the slopes of Great Divide to clarify its current range. The NPWS and the University of Canberra are currently conducting research Frog with Chytrid fungus infection. Photo: L Berger © NPWS into the population demographics of the species and are Infection by the frog chytrid fungus is recognised as an continuing to monitor existing populations and identify important contributing component to the decline and those processes threatening the survival of the species. possible extinction of frogs in NSW and Australia and has The endangered spotted tree frog (Litoria spenceri) is a recently been listed as a key threatening process under the forest-dwelling species that has suffered a dramatic decline in Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity NSW, probably due to the combined effects of disease, Conservation Act 1999. This waterborne pathogen is a predation by trout and human modification of its habitat. unique, parasitic form of fungi that invades the skin of frogs, After extensive survey efforts in 1999, in which only one including tadpoles, often causing sporadic deaths and up to individual adult male was located in the wild, a program of 100 per cent mortality in some populations. emergency active intervention was required to prevent the The NPWS has published a hygiene protocol, which it species’ extinction in NSW. A captive-breeding program was hopes will minimise the spread of the fungus. The intention established in late 1999 to establish a breeding colony, which is that the protocol will alert individuals to potential risks to in future can provide animals for release to the wild. The frogs and provide practical and simple procedures, which can first release of these captive-bred animals is planned for be used to reduce spread of the fungus and other pathogens spring 2003. between sites where frogs occur and also between individual In addition, progress has continued in the development of a frogs and/or tadpoles when they are handled. number of other recovery plans for threatened species such as The hygiene protocol now forms part of the standard the green and golden bell frog, southern bell frog, wallum licence conditions for workers engaged in frog-related froglet, giant barred frog, Fleay’s barred frog and stuttering frog. activities and informs Animal Care and Ethics Committees when granting research approvals.

Recovery planning Recovery plans for some of our threatened frogs have been completed and more are currently being developed. These plans set out what needs to be done in order to ensure the frogs’ survival. The most recent monitoring results of the southern corroboree frog indicate there are fewer than 100 calling

Red Crowned Toadlet. Photo: Dave Hunter © NPWS 15 CASE STUDY 3 – GRASSY ECOSYSTEMS released for public comment in 2003. Recovery planning for grassy ecosystems will need to be undertaken in the broader Fragmented grassy ecosystems landscape context, to deal with the varied quality of Grassy ecosystems are an important, if poorly recognised, part remnants and the agricultural landscape in which remnants of our natural heritage. They have seriously declined since are found. European settlement because they occupy parts of the landscape that were favoured for the development of cities, The Conservation Management Network Model towns, roads, farms and railways. Before they were A conservation extensively cleared, box woodlands dominated by yellow box, management white box, narrow-leaved grey box and bimble box occurred network (CMN) in a more-or-less continuous band along the western slopes of is a network of the Great Dividing Range, from southern Queensland to remnants of native central Victoria. For example, grassy white box woodland vegetation, their once covered several million hectares in the eastern part of owners or managers the wheat-sheep belt. It is estimated that less than 0.05 per and other interested cent of the original woodlands remain in near-original individuals. condition and they are virtually absent from the reserve The concept was network in Australia. More recently, agricultural developed to achieve technologies have also seriously impacted upon grasslands. the long-term The vegetation that remains occurs as small fragments conservation of scattered across the landscape. Past and continued highly fragmented fragmentation of these ecosystems has caused, and continues ecosystems.

to cause, loss of genetic diversity, reduction in the viability of Logo design by Point Communications A CMN usually individual species and populations and changes in ecosystem focuses on a single functioning, consequently reducing the long-term viability of type of ecological community (eg grassy box woodlands), the ecological community as a whole. As so few little- because the management needs of these communities are disturbed remnants remain, both little-disturbed and relatively uniform. degraded remnants are critical to the survival of the A CMN coordinator supports land holders and managers woodlands. Degraded remnants are particularly important as by providing assistance in the management of remnant habitat for fauna (including the many threatened species and ecological communities, helping them learn about the flora declining woodland birds), for conserving genetic diversity of and fauna, facilitating communication across the network, many woodland species, and for their contribution to assisting with protection measures and sourcing funds. The landscape values. CMN model has been widely acclaimed and endorsed as an Some of these effective tool for the conservation of bushland remnants. grassy vegetation Grassy Box Woodlands Conservation communities are Management Network listed as The Grassy Box Woodlands Conservation Management endangered under Network was officially launched in October 1999 and was the Commonwealth, first such network established in Australia. The Grassy Box NSW and ACT Woodlands CMN aims to protect important remnants legislation. of grassy box woodlands, link the remnants and their owners National into a single network dedicated to protecting and managing recovery plans for this important ecosystem and provide long-term, targeted, grassy white box flexible, effective and responsive support to owners and woodland and managers of remnants who are managing their remnants for natural temperate conservation outcomes. Sites in the CMN are continued to be grasslands are in managed by their existing owner/manager, either as it has been preparation and in the past or with an increased focus on conservation values. are likely to be

Purple Donkey Orchid. Photo: Erica Higginson © NPWS 16 The coordinator assists people managing grassy box established and two new nature reserves (Turallo Nature woodlands across NSW, including farmers, local councils, Reserve near Bungendore and Kuma Nature Reserve near Crown Land Trusts, Rural Lands Protection Boards, State Rail Cooma) have been established to protect grasslands. A major and the Roads and Traffic Authority. The coordinator project report entitled, Planning framework for natural promotes communication, produces interpretive signs and ecosystems - NSW Southern Tablelands and ACT has now been most importantly, is available to discuss management issues released. This project is a collaboration between various surrounding grassy box woodlands as they arise. An important government and non-government agencies and follows goal of the network is to encourage landowners to place some extensive survey and mapping work within the Southern form of long-term protection covenant (a voluntary Tablelands, with a major focus on grassy ecosystems. The conservation agreement or a joint management agreement) planning framework report is a reference document that over the title of the land supporting the remnant. provides guidelines for ensuring that the development and There are currently over 50 sites involved with the Grassy management impacts on natural ecosystems are integrated Box Woodlands CMN project and at least 20 sites are either within existing land use planning and management processes. under a covenant or in advanced stages of negotiation. With the NSW Scientific Committee 2002 listing of the white box-yellow box-Blakely’s-red gum ecological community as endangered, the Grassy Box Woodland CMN has become a major component of the NPWS program to assist in the recovery of this highly cleared and fragmented ecological community. The network has proven such a useful recovery tool for fragmented ecological communities that the NPWS has instigated a second CMN for the Southern Tablelands grassy ecosystems.

Southern Tablelands grasslands Extraordinarily diverse and colourful grasslands and grassy woodlands once covered extensive tracts of the NSW Southern Tablelands. This region stretches between Yass, Boorowa, Crookwell and Goulburn in the north to the upper Shoalhaven River catchment, and the Monaro in the south. Botanists working in the Southern Tablelands have identified some 600 species of plants growing in these grassy ecosystems. In near-pristine grasslands, such as those found on some country roadsides, village cemeteries or travelling stock reserves, the forbs can yield one of the most CMN Newsletter rewardingly colourful sights during spring and early summer. It is then that these wildflowers – daisies, peas, orchids, lilies and others – show themselves in their phenomenal variety. There are also many fauna species living in these vegetation communities – many are confined to grassy ecosystems, some are unique to the Southern Tablelands, and several species are threatened with extinction. Much has been achieved towards more effective conservation of grassy ecosystems. Many landholders throughout the region have put a lot of effort into sustainably managing grasslands and sites of remarkable diversity have been retained on private land holdings. The Old Cooma Common Grassland Reserve, which protects a large population of the threatened Monaro golden daisy, has been

Woodstock Cemetery. Photo: Erica Higginson © NPWS 17 SURVEYS AND MAPPING also mapped, including woodlands, shrublands, other For recovery to be effective it is important to have an grasslands and wetlands. understanding of the distribution and abundance of a species. The mapping project identified seven different types of This often requires extensive survey work to ensure that our ‘primary habitat’, which is the habitat favoured by the plains- knowledge is up to date. Mapping landscape features, such as wanderer except in periods of drought. Primary habitat was vegetation and species locations, contributes to our found to make up 2.3 per cent of the total mapping area of 2.28 understanding of the habitat of species. This in turn allows million hectares. Also identified were a further nine categories biologists to better target surveys, make predictions as to of ‘secondary habitat’ – areas that may be periodically occupied where habitat may occur, develop estimates of population by the species, particularly during drought when primary sizes and develop management regimes aimed at maintaining habitat becomes too sparse and low. Secondary habitat or enhancing the various elements of habitat. All these accounted for 4.3 per cent of the mapping area. things help to plan better for the recovery of a plant or These results were used to identify ‘core areas’, which are animal. key areas for protection and management of plains-wanderer habitat. Core areas are aggregations of primary habitat that Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) – each support about 30 pairs of birds and that are not affected Endangered by irrigation developments (which are associated with At a glance increased fox predation). Core areas are distributed widely across the known range of the plains-wanderer to reduce the A broadscale mapping project of open native grasslands risk of all core areas being struck by one catastrophe (eg fire in south-west NSW is providing information about the and drought). plains-wanderer’s remaining habitat that is essential for Protection and management of core areas includes sensitive management and long-term protection of preventing further clearing of habitat and inappropriate this species. developments that increase fox numbers, and the use of The plains-wanderer is a small, quail-like ground-dwelling habitat-sensitive grazing strategies. bird found in the Riverina. The species is extremely Copies of the maps have been provided to local susceptible to changes in environmental conditions, and landholders as a tool for farm planning and the NPWS has populations fluctuate greatly in size as a result of catastrophes produced an easy-to-use photographic guide for landholders such as drought, flood and fire. The population of the to visually assess the structure of the plains-wanderer habitat plains-wanderer in the NSW Riverine Plain is estimated to on their properties. In this way, grazing can provide be 3100 birds. conservation and economic outcomes. The plains-wanderer’s survival is dependent on long-term MONITORING protection and sensitive management of its habitat. In order to achieve this, we must have an understanding of the To adequately assess recovery success, it is important to distribution and extent of its remaining habitat – open monitor the key characteristics of a species’ occurrence (eg native grasslands. For this reason habitat mapping is a key abundance of a species) and habitat (eg water quality) to recovery action for this species. ensure management actions are meeting stated objectives. From 1999 to 2001 the NPWS conducted a broadscale Mountain Pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus) – mapping project Endangered using a technique known At a glance as aerial The populations of mountain pygmy-possums are affected photographic by feral animals, burnt habitat, fluctuating food supplies interpretation and the impact of recreational activities in ski resorts. (API) to isolate Continued monitoring of numbers enables an annual plains-wanderer assessment of population health. habitat from The mountain pygmy-possum is confined to alpine areas other grassland above the winter snowline. Total population estimates in types. All other NSW are around 500 adults, all occurring within Kosciuszko types of National Park. Continued monitoring of the population vegetation were

Plains-wanderer. Photo: Robert Humphries © NPWS 18 It is not known whether these declines are attributable to one or a number of factors that could include: increased predation by cats that have taken the place of foxes killed by fox baiting that began in 1987; low numbers of bogong moths in 2000; a series of low snowcover years that could lead to increased survival of cats (whose numbers appear to have increased in the resort areas); and cumulative effects of resort usage. To address the mountain pygmy-possum’s declining numbers, feral cat control commenced in the resort areas during winter 2002 and the resort managers at Mt Blue Cow, Perisher Blue Pty Ltd have closed a major part of the habitat Mountain Pygmy-possum. Photo: Linda Broome © NPWS area to all ski sports activity. Monitoring of feral cat numbers to enable an annual assessment of population health numbers, as well as foxes, will be initiated with this control and detect any long-term trends associated with global program. Bogong moths were also recently found to be warming is a key action of the recovery plan. transporting high levels of arsenic to the mountains, the Four populations have been monitored since ecological consequences of which are receiving further research and studies began in 1986, two in ski resorts and two outside monitoring. resort areas. Surveys during the last five years have shown In 2003, 80 per cent of the mountain pygmy-possum that the populations in the resort areas are two of the largest habitat at Mt Blue Cow was severely burnt during the in the park, are genetically distinct, and are likely to be January bushfires. Post-fire trapping revealed only two female refuges from global warming. Key food resources, including recaptures and one juvenile male. Many of the mountain the migratory bogong moth and the seeds of the mountain plum pines (that may be up to 600 years old), which provide plum pine, as well as any impacts from skiing activities on cover as well as food, lost all their leaves and fine branches the health of alpine shrubs within the pygmy-possum habitat in the fire, and at this point it is not known whether they are also monitored each year. will recover. In the period 1986-1999 the average mountain pygmy- Continued monitoring of mountain pygmy-possum possum population at Mt Blue Cow was 30 females and 15 population numbers and their food resources, and of the males. These numbers began declining in 1998, dropped condition of the habitat will be conducted at the four sites precipitously in 2000 and reached an all-time low of eight to assess the outcomes of recovery actions and post-fire females and two males by 2002. At Charlotte Pass numbers recovery. declined over the period 1997-2001, but fortunately had RESEARCH recovered in 2002. A variety of scientific studies are conducted to further our understanding of threatened species and enhance our efforts to conserve them. Ecological studies enhance our knowledge of biology, ecology, habitat requirements and the behaviour patterns of a species. Genetic analysis tells us about the amount of genetic diversity that is present in a particular population and can indicate the viability of a species or population in the wild. Taxonomic studies determine how closely related different species are and can identify important differences between subspecies and populations that can reflect their different management requirements. Impact research determines the nature and extent of the impact that a threatening process may have on a particular species, and helps managers to develop future actions to address threats. Population viability analysis – modelling our knowledge on populations of species – allows us to analyse and predict the impact of events such as fire and drought on populations.

Mount Blue Cow before and after fire. Photo: Linda Broome © NPWS 19 Square-stemmed Spike-rush (Eleocharis tetraquetra) spike-rush. Mowing and slashing during the plant’s winter - Endangered dormancy period was found to be an effective management tool in locations where competition from other species was At a glance problematic for the species’ regeneration. Little was known about the recently rediscovered square- This research is now being used to manage the square- stemmed spike-rush. In order to determine its stemmed spike-rush in NSW, ensuring that populations management requirements, research into its reproductive remain viable. The research will also assist in the review of processes and its response to habitat management the recovery plan. activities has been undertaken. Barking Owl (Ninox connivens) - Vulnerable The square-stemmed spike-rush is a small At a glance plant of the Cyperaceae Research on the barking owl indicates that its home family that is found in range may be substantially larger than was previously and on the margins of estimated - an important factor for consideration in freshwater wetlands recovery planning for this species. and on the margins of streams. It is The barking owl’s habitat of dry woodland and forest has distinguished primarily been greatly modified through agricultural clearing and by its slender four- timber cutting. However, much of its prey remains abundant angled stem and broad and the species is willing to use forest edges. Yet despite this, spikelet. it is one of the rarest owls and is very sparsely distributed. As The species was part of the research to address the curious decline of the thought to be extinct barking owl in south-east Australia, scientists have examined in NSW until it was the home range requirements of barking owls in Goonoo rediscovered by chance State Forest near Dubbo, NSW. at the side of the Goonoo State Forest is 65,000 hectares of primarily cypress Pacific Highway near pine and ironbark which has been intensively harvested during the past century. Surveys of the area in autumn 2001 Square-stemmed Spike-rush. Coffs Harbour in 1997. Photo: Michael Murphy © NPWS This resulted in a found only two pairs of barking owls. The female of one pair nomination to the NSW Scientific Committee to change the was netted and radio-harnessed in March 2001, prior to the status of the plant from presumed extinct to endangered. breeding season. The animal was tracked on 15 full nights Further surveys in 1998 revealed other populations in the and 10 half nights between March and July. In this time 510 Copmanhurst area. In NSW it is now known to occur at recordings of the owl’s location were made. three distinct locations, from Coffs Harbour in the south to The female’s total home range was greater than 6000 Murwillumbah in the north. It also occurs in south-east hectares. By excluding the outermost five per cent of Queensland. locations, several of her A recovery plan was prepared for the species in 1999, longer foraging jaunts are funded by the NPWS and the NSW Roads and Traffic eliminated, providing a Authority (RTA). Research to investigate the management conservative estimate of requirements of the species was identified as a priority of the home range of 5814 recovery plan. Early in the recovery program, no germination hectares. Often, her of seeds or seedlings was observed at any of the known foraging was centred on locations in NSW. Therefore, research funded by the NPWS drainage lines where more and the RTA was undertaken over a three-year period to fertile soils potentially investigate reproductive processes, including an assessment of allowed for greater the species’ response to weeding, mowing, burning and availability of food. herbicide. No previous research The research results indicated that moderate disturbance on owls in Australia has to reduce competition from other species appears to be documented such an optimal for promoting regeneration of the square-stemmed enormous home range.

Barking Owl. Photo: Simone Cottrell 20 Even the much larger powerful owl typically uses less than On 20 December 4000 hectares in similar habitat. It would appear that either 2002, the Minister for this barking owl requires a huge area to fulfil her dietary needs the Environment or she is not constrained in her foraging movements due to declared several areas at the absence of territorial neighbours. However, the latter Manly as critical habitat possibility begs the question why only two owl pairs exist in for the little penguin. all of the Goonoo State Forest. The area was determined The fact that barking owls require thousands of hectares of on the basis of the suitable habitat, a size much larger than was previously biological requirements of estimated, is valuable information in the development of the the population and the recovery plan for this species. potential impacts of known and suspected HABITAT PROTECTION threats. Several legislative mechanisms complement recovery plans The critical habitat area and threat abatement plans by providing protection for the includes known nesting Little penguin sign on Sydney Harbour habitat of threatened species, populations and ecological burrows, likely foraging communities. These include critical habitat listing (a process habitat and identifies potential nesting areas. The in which the NPWS identifies habitat that is crucial to the declaration includes two areas. Area A lies mostly in survival of particular threatened species), voluntary national park and Area B occurs in a residential area. Both conservation agreements (VCAs) that are undertaken parts of the declaration include aquatic areas extending 50 between private landowners and the NPWS, and joint metres out from the mean high water mark. These areas management agreements (JMAs) that are made between include seagrass areas which are likely to be important public authorities and the NPWS, to permanently protect foraging habitat. threatened species’ habitat. A major threat to the Manly little penguin population is the loss of suitable habitat. Predation from foxes and dogs is also a Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) - Endangered threat as is disturbance around nesting habitat. Noise, light At a glance and movement from human activities can delay penguins from Several areas near Manly have been declared as ‘critical returning to burrows to feed chicks and may also deter habitat’ for the little penguin, protecting the species’ penguins from nesting in nearby areas of potential habitat. nesting burrows and foraging habitat from the A regulation accompanying the declaration prohibits a detrimental impacts of human activities. number of activities within the critical habitat area including: the presence of companion animals (such as dogs In October 2000, a recovery plan for the endangered and cats); fishing between sunrise and sunset during the population of little penguins at Manly was approved. This is breeding season; tampering with or damaging nest boxes, the only known breeding population on the NSW mainland. nesting burrows, or moulting penguins; and approaching One of the actions within the plan was to investigate the within five metres of a little penguin on land. feasibility of declaring the little penguins’ habitat as ‘critical It is considered that the protection and maintenance of habitat’ – land that is essential for the long-term survival of these areas in North Harbour is essential to the populations the population. survival. The results of the most recent breeding season The NPWS began this process using the information it (2002/03) indicate that the colony only consists of about 60 had previously generated from habitat mapping and breeding pairs as well as non-breeding individuals. monitoring of the penguin colony. The process of formally declaring the areas as critical habitat took about 18 months to complete. It included full consultation with Manly Council and the Manly community as well as relevant government agencies and harbour users, such as fishers, boaters and divers, to ensure the best possible protection for the penguin colony as well as minimising adverse social impacts. Significantly, private landholders supported the declaration of critical habitat.

Little Penguin. Photo: G Robertson © NPWS 21 FERAL ANIMAL CONTROL that efforts to date have not been sufficiently effective to Feral animals pose a major threat to many of our native arrest the decline altogether. animals and plants. They compete with and prey upon native Since this research program, fox control efforts have been animals, damage native plants and degrade natural habitats. revised. Over 70 bait stations are currently operational with The control of feral animals is often a very important part of 20 private properties being baited in addition to local the recovery of a threatened species. NPWS, Sydney Catchment Authority and Department of Sustainable Natural Resources estate. It is now being Shoalhaven Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby examined whether the revised efforts are more effective in (Petrogale penicillata) - Vulnerable reducing fox numbers to sufficiently low levels to ensure the At a glance long-term survival of the local brush-tailed rock-wallabies. The rate of decline in the population numbers of the WEED CONTROL Shoalhaven brush-tailed rock-wallaby has slowed Weeds compete with natives plants for resources such as light significantly as a result of a fox control program in the and nutrients. They can aggressively invade areas, displacing Kangaroo Valley. plants and animals, and they pose a major threat to native species. The control of weeds is often an important action to In 1995 the NPWS established a fox control program in assist the recovery of a threatened species. the Kangaroo Valley area to protect the local brush-tailed rock-wallaby population. With very strong support and Tumut Grevillea and Wee Jasper Grevillea - involvement from the local community, this program has Endangered since been extended to protect neighbouring rock-wallaby colonies, and the Kangaroo Valley has been included as a At a glance priority site for ongoing fox control under the NSW Fox Two species of grevillea known from isolated patches in Threat Abatement Plan. the South West Slopes have increased in number in The majority of brush-tailed rock-wallaby colonies in the response to the control of aggressive weeds such as area are situated on private property, so the community’s blackberry, sweet briar and willow. acceptance of and participation in the baiting program has Recovery plans for both the Tumut grevillea and the Wee been essential for local rock-wallaby management. Groups Jasper grevillea commenced in 1993. The main recovery such as the Friends of the Brush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby are actions are the control of woody weeds, and putting up heavily involved in the species’ management and have raised fencing to protect plants from browsing by domestic stock thousands of dollars to drive research and education. and feral goats. A three-year research program was undertaken to The Tumut grevillea occurs in small, scattered populations determine the effect of fox control on the fox and rock- along a four kilometre stretch of the Goobarragandra River wallaby populations and to evaluate the effectiveness of east of Tumut, where it grows on five private properties, as community involvement in fox control. The results indicate well as on a Travelling Stock Reserve and also Crown land that the abundance of brush-tailed rock-wallabies in the fox- administered by the Department of Sustainable Natural baited colonies declined at a significantly slower rate than Resources. those in the unbaited area. Similarly, fox numbers were Enrichment planting of the Tumut grevillea, involving the significantly lower in the fox-baited areas. planting of small cuttings propagated from local plants, has Although it appears that the reduction of fox densities significantly boosted the population within the plots. The resulted in the slower decline of rock-wallabies, it is likely landholders on whose property the majority of these plots are located have been very enthusiastic about the project and more plantings are planned for autumn 2003. The Wee Jasper grevillea, known from seven small sites on limestone outcrops between Wee Jasper and Lake Burrinjuck, responded well to blackberry control and fencing to exclude domestic stock. Disappointingly, the January 2003 bushfires and a poorly controlled hazard reduction burn in 2001 have decimated populations on three sites. A fourth site was largely destroyed by feral goats and on a few occasions the

Brush-tailed rock-wallaby. Photo: Barry Slade © NPWS 22 goats have strongholds are (i) subsequently breached Barren Grounds an exclosure fence Nature Reserve and erected to protect this the adjacent population. Budderoo National Weeds, mainly Park and (ii) blackberry and sweet Booderee National briar, smother the Park and the grevillea’s habitat and adjacent Jervis Bay prevent seedlings from National Park. establishing, so While most intensive weed control species of bird are is conducted within able to flee ahead the fenced populations. Endangered Bristlebird. Photo: Jack Baker © NPWS of smoke and This includes flames, fire- poisoning by spraying sensitive birds such as this are likely to be killed or injured by or ‘cutting and fire. Their low birth rate means they are unable to rebuild dabbing’, and physical population numbers if fire is too frequent. Tumut Grevillea. Photo: John Briggs © NPWS removal of the weeds. Scientific studies implicate fire in the local extinction of It has been discovered that the grevillea is very sensitive to numerous populations of eastern bristlebird. Frequent fires the use of herbicides in its vicinity, and in the future many of may cause populations to decline because of insufficient time the weeds will have to be laboriously grubbed out by hand. to rebuild numbers between fires or through alteration or loss Undeterred, and buoyed by their initial success, the of habitat. The studies provide strong evidence that this recovery team is propagating more cuttings for further species is fire-sensitive and have led to the recommendation enrichment plantings, developing an irrigation system to that fire should be excluded from its habitat. water young plants during the drought, and fencing an area This is not an easy management objective to achieve of potential habitat. because unplanned fire is inevitable in and around eastern bristlebird habitat. Also, planned fire may be necessary for FIRE MANAGEMENT the protection of human life and property or for other Native animals and plants respond in different ways to fire, biodiversity conservation values. some have the ability to persist under a range of fire regimes. In planning the recovery of the eastern bristlebird, the In a number of cases, some types of fire regime (eg too- management of fire and fire hazard can be taken into frequent fire) may be detrimental to a species. Recovery account in several ways. In the event of unplanned fires, plans then deal with trying to allow a variable fire regime protection of areas of known eastern bristlebird while trying to exclude those specific fire regimes that are concentrations and suitable fire refuges should be a priority. known to be detrimental. When planning for fuel-reduction zones to protect property against fire, strategic slashing and/or trittering (coarse Eastern Bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus) - mulching) can be used to reduce the dependence on frequent Endangered fuel-reduction burns. Prescribed burns in eastern bristlebird At a glance habitat should be conducted in a way that optimises their This small bird needs the cover of dense, low vegetation chances of avoiding the fire. Prescribed fires are sometimes and is wiped out by fire. Restricting fire in its habitat finished off with fire-fronts meeting from different directions maximises its chances of long-term survival.

The eastern bristlebird has the attributes expected of a fire-sensitive species: ground-dwelling, cover-dependent, a poor flier, poor disperser and low in fecundity (birth rate). The species inhabits a wide range of vegetation types including rainforest, eucalypt forest, woodland, shrubland, swamp, heathland and sedgeland. Its two population

Eastern Bristlebird density 1992-98 at five parts of Barren Grounds where the most recent fires occured in 1991, 1988, 1983, 1980 and 1979. The trend was zero to few birds immediately after fire and recovering to approxiately 2 birds per 5 ha, ten years after fire. 23 (eg back-burning). This fire control measure is likely to began to emerge from seed stock in the soil. However, in block escape routes for eastern bristlebirds and cause a high time it became apparent that this regeneration was being mortality rate. Presumably if a fire stops at some non-lethal stifled by grazing and browsing wallabies. barrier, some animals would escape ahead of the fire. Where The first recovery action for this species was undertaken in possible, when a burnt area is planned as a firebreak, it 1999 with the erection of wire guards around selected plants. should be burnt several days prior to the prescribed burn. Whilst these individuals responded well to this protection, it was clear that a better outcome would be achieved by FENCING AND SITE PROTECTION protecting the entire population. With funding assistance Site protection involves protecting an area that is significant from the National Heritage Trust and with the landholder’s for a plant or animal. It can be as simple as fencing it to agreement, wallaby-proof fences were erected around the exclude potential damage caused by grazing and human whole population in 2001. The new fences have been a disturbance or as comprehensive as conserving an area under successful measure and now, without browsing wallabies, the a joint agreement of land managers. It can also involve seedlings and resprouts are growing well. assessing areas that form essential habitat for a species before Zieria buxijugum, like its close relative, was also discovered any land management activities take place. Site protection in 1987 as a single colony to the west of Pambula. At this may be undertaken on reserves, lands managed by the time 68 plants were in a healthy condition and by 1999 the NPWS and other agencies, and private lands. It is often population had increased to 121 plants over one metre in achieved through cooperative strategies like voluntary height. However, in 2000 they were heavily browsed by conservation agreements and joint management agreements wallabies and the population was reduced to only 32 plants with other land managers. over one metre in height. The location of the site on a rocky outcrop made it Zieria parrisiae and Zieria buxijugum - Endangered difficult and costly to erect and maintain a fence to protect At a glance the entire population, so large wire cages were constructed Fences and specially designed cages have assisted the around individual plants or small clusters of plants. In all, regeneration of populations of the plants Zieria parrisiae 20 cages protecting about 40 plants have been placed and Zieria buxijugum which have been severely damaged throughout the population. The cages have successfully kept by browsing wallabies and domestic goats. hungry wallabies at bay and the plants are doing much better. These protected plants have continued to flower and Zieria parrisiae is known from only a single population on a drop seeds, which should ensure that recruitment can occur private property to once browsing pressure subsides. the west of The wallaby browsing patterns – that is, non-existent in Pambula on the mid-1980s through until 1999, yet heavy from 2000-2002 – far south coast of suggests a possible long-term intermittent pattern. If this is the NSW. When it case there are hopes that the population will come back was discovered in strongly in the future. If browsing continues to the point that 1987, only four many of the unprotected plants appear to be at risk of dying, plants had then consideration will have to be given to a costly program of survived relatively constructing and maintaining a fence around the entire site. intact following ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT intensive browsing by domestic goats. Providing advice on the implications and impacts of After being alerted proposed development activities on threatened species and to the situation their habitats is an important recovery action. The NPWS the landowner provides advice to authorities responsible for regional removed the goats. planning and development approvals. The provision of Some of the information about potential environmental impacts to these original plants authorities ensures a better conservation for threatened began to resprout species, populations and ecological communities. from their stumps and seedlings

Fencing for population Zieria parrisiae. Photo: John Briggs © NPWS 24 Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) - Vulnerable HABITAT RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT At a glance The loss of habitat through urban development and By improving the way in which koala habitat is agricultural practices is one of the most significant factors in identified, the Draft Koala Recovery Plan aims to the decline of many of our native animals and plants. improve the level of protection provided to koala Restoration and enhancement of lost habitat can help many habitat and koalas through the environmental impact threatened animals and plants survive in the wild. It can assessment process. take the form of planting locally found native plant species As for all threatened to provide food, shelter and roosting sites or bush species, populations regeneration and weeding to reduce the competition on and ecological native plants from exotics. There are many local community communities, the groups undertaking effective programs to enhance and restore potential impacts on the natural environment and assisting in the continued koalas from proposed survival and increase in our native species. developments must be Bellinger River Emydura (Emydura macquarii, assessed. But in Bellinger River) - Vulnerable addition to this, the presence of koalas and At a glance their habitat must also Important habitat for the Bellinger turtle has been be considered successfully enhanced and restored by the fencing of separately under State streamsides and the revegetation and rehabilitation of Environmental degraded riverbanks. Planning Policy 44 - Koala. Photo: Andrew Brown © NPWS Koala Habitat The Bellinger River emydura is a rare form of freshwater Protection. SEPP 44 is an important mechanism to ensure turtle found only in the Bellinger River on the NSW north that koalas and their habitat are protected and, under the coast. Threats to the turtle include clearing and degradation Draft Koala Recovery Plan, SEPP 44 will be improved to of riparian (riverside) vegetation and riverbanks, water ensure that all important habitat for koalas is taken into pollution and increased river sediment load, predation of account. nests and adults by foxes, and line fishing. SEPP 44 currently contains a list of 10 tree species of A recovery plan for the species was prepared by the NPWS importance to koalas which are used to determine if an area in 2001. The recovery plan aims to promote the Bellinger supports potential koala habitat. If potential koala habitat is River emydura as a flagship species for the protection and present, this is a trigger to do detailed searches to find out sustainable management of the Bellinger River catchment. whether koalas are using that habitat. If the presence of In 2000-2002 Bellinger Landcare Inc. received funding koalas is confirmed, or they were present in the past, then a from the Natural Heritage Trust and the NPWS to fund koala plan of management must be prepared. riparian zone management by local rural landholders in the Through the Draft Koala Recovery Plan, a list of Bellinger River area. Completed works include the fencing of important koala food trees has been prepared for each of streamsides and provision of off-stream watering points to seven regions, called Koala Management Areas. SEPP 44 will protect riparian areas from domestic stock, construction of soon be updated to reflect the regional differences in koala hardened creek crossings to reduce sedimentation, food tree preferences. This will ensure that all the trees of revegetation of riparian areas and rehabilitation of degraded importance to koalas are considered when determining if an riverbanks. area supports potential koala habitat. These works have been The improved understanding of regional differences in successful in enhancing koala food tree preferences will also assist with the regional and restoring important planning process being undertaken by regional vegetation habitat for the Bellinger committees. Under the Draft Koala Recovery Plan, advice to Valley’s own turtle as well these committees will be prepared explaining how to identify, as a broad range of other protect and manage koala habitat. native animals and plants.

Belinger River Turtle. Photo: Michael Murphy © NPWS 25 Mitchell’s Rainforest Snail (Thersites mitchellae) - CAPTIVE HUSBANDRY Endangered Captive husbandry is the breeding of animals in a controlled Mitchell’s rainforest snail is a large, colourful native land environment in cases where a species is unlikely to survive in snail found only in remnant areas of lowland rainforest and the wild. It may be used as a tool to safeguard against swamp forest on the coastal plain between Ballina and Tweed catastrophic decline and to enhance reproductive potential Heads. As a result of past land clearing in the area Mitchell’s in species or populations. Captive husbandry often goes hand rainforest snail has declined from common to extremely rare. in hand with translocation. The species is now listed as endangered under the TSC Act and critically endangered under the Commonwealth Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act Endangered 1999. At a glance Until recently Mitchell’s rainforest snail was known to A program of rearing southern corroboree frogs in survive at only two localities. A number of previously captivity from eggs collected in the wild has been highly unknown populations have been discovered through funded successful. Further egg collection and captive breeding scientific surveys and increased community awareness over will continue in preparation for eventual reintroduction the last two years. Most of these populations survive in small to the wild where populations have been decimated. habitat remnants that are under threat of clearing or development. Stotts Island Nature Reserve, a rainforest island in the Tweed River near Murwillumbah, is the largest surviving area of habitat for Mitchell’s rainforest snail. In December 1999 the Mitchell’s rainforest snail population on Stotts Island was studied in a joint project by the NPWS and Queensland Museum. The study, which included mapping the Island’s snail habitat and searching for snails, found that Stotts Island provided over 120 hectares of rainforest habitat for an estimated population of several hundred Mitchell’s rainforest snails. The study concluded that Stotts Island was pivotal to the continued survival of the species. The NPWS prepared a recovery plan for the snail in July Corroboree Frog. Photo: Dave Hunter © NPWS 2001. A key recommendation of the plan is the identification of critical habitat under the TSC Act. In October 2001 Stotts Despite the implementation of a series of aggressive Island Nature Reserve was officially declared as critical recovery actions, the southern corroboree frog continues to habitat for Mitchell’s rainforest snail. This declaration affords decline alarmingly and there are now grave fears for its the island the highest protection possible under current continued existence in the wild. Populations remain at only threatened species legislation, and was the first place in NSW 28 sites, and on the basis of monitoring carried out during to be given this level of protection. The NPWS has recently the summer of 2002, the current population of adult males is commenced weed control works on Stotts Island to protect estimated at 75. Experience suggests a strong possibility of the significant ecological values of the island. extinction in the wild and that the establishment of a viable captive population is necessary. A large number of corroboree frog eggs were collected from the wild during the summers of 2001 and 2002 and transported to breeding facilities in Melbourne that have been expanded to accommodate the additional frogs. The captive rearing of these individuals has so far been highly successful with approximately 1500 frogs at different stages of development currently held. Further collections of eggs will be made during the summers of 2003 and 2004 to bring the captive population up to approximately 2500 tadpoles, sub-adults and adults,

Mitchell’s Rainforest Snail. Photo: Michael Murphy © NPWS 26 representing a wide range of genetic variation. The next stage is to facilitate breeding of these captive reared frogs to produce a source for eventual reintroduction into the wild. In the meantime, work will continue on establishing the causes of the decline of the species. This will occur on two fronts: modelling population viability and the decline of the corroboree frog in relation to climate change and investigating the role the chytrid fungus has played in this decline. Further understanding of how either or both of these factors might be operating will be essential in achieving successful reintroduction to field sites in the future. Habitat manipulation (and post-fire rehabilitation) experiments will also be undertaken in order to be able to enhance the prospects for survival of future reintroductions. TRANSLOCATION AND REINTRODUCTION Translocation is the movement of individuals to supplement a population, reintroduce a species where it has become locally extinct or, in extreme situations, to introduce a species to a location outside its former range. Translocations are undertaken in accordance with relevent translocation Allocasuarina portuensis. Photo: David Greig ANBG policies. As the fundamental aim of recovery planning is conservation of native animals and plants in the wild, The NPWS has also funded and implemented a major translocation is only undertaken where it is necessary to bush regeneration program around the plants and is regularly ensure the continued survival of the species. monitoring their growth and fruiting cone production. Results indicate an increase in the number of fruiting cones Allocasuarina portuensis - Endangered and increases in height and stem growth. The NPWS will At a glance continue to monitor the plants to ensure a continued Following a program of cultivation and replanting in improvement of their viability. Sydney Harbour National Park, the numbers of this Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea) - species has increased from 10 to well over 100. Endangered Allocasuarina portuensis is a slender shrub three to five metres At a glance tall that is listed as endangered. It occurs in foreshore The green and golden bell frog has been successfully bred vegetation within Nielsen Park, which is part of Sydney in captivity and work is being undertaken to reintroduce Harbour National Park. The species was discovered in 1986 the species to the wild. The greatest success has resulted when only 10 individual plants were found. From 1986 to at locations where reintroduction has enhanced and 1989 the population diminished to two female plants. This maintained existing populations. meant that the natural population size of Allocasuarina portuensis was at a very critical level and the possibility of The green and golden bell frog is the classic urban extinction was high unless active conservation measures were endangered species. It still occurs in relatively natural habitat taken. in isolated rural areas of NSW but it also occurs in modified Since 1989, a number of cultivated plants of Allocasuarina environments in urban areas, many of which are targeted for portuensis have been planted at several locations throughout redevelopment. Sydney Harbour National Park. Despite a number of these The success of habitat creation, monitoring and long term being affected by severe dry conditions in 2002-03, there are management in ensuring the survival of the species within now 114 plants surviving at eight locations. The NPWS is the brick pit at the Homebush Olympic site provided a currently undertaking a joint project with the Royal Botanic strong incentive to trial reintroduction at selected sites in Gardens at Mt Annan to propagate material for further the Sydney region, because it demonstrated that the species plantings in 2003. can survive and thrive in modified environments.

27 Trials at several locations have been undertaken to COMMUNITY AWARENESS, EDUCATION develop methods that ensure long-term conservation of this AND INVOLVEMENT species. The following examples outline the relative success The recovery of our threatened animals and plants is a of trials involving, i) the reintroduction of frogs bred in collective responsibility to ensure the biodiversity in our captivity to a site where frogs have disappeared, ii) the environment is maintained. The involvement and support of introduction of tadpoles to a site where the frogs do not the community is paramount to the continued success of occur, and iii) the supplementation of an existing population. recovery programs across NSW. Engaging community interest Joseph Banks Reserve in Botany was once an area of and participation is therefore an important part of recovery flourishing habitat for the species. Over the years the planning. It ensures that important aspects of the ecology of population declined in this area and eventually disappeared. species are appreciated and provides opportunities for the In a trial reintroduction of tadpoles undertaken in 1996, community to understand threats and become involved with many tadpoles survived and emerged as froglets and several the recovery process at the local level. adults persisted. Since then there has been an ongoing tadpole release strategy over several years. Habitat has been Purple Copper Butterfly (Paralucia spinifera) - created and the population monitored by Taronga Zoo staff Endangered and local school students. Alas, very few frogs appear to have At a glance survived and a self-sustaining population has not been As a result of the highly successful community awareness achieved to date. and education program for the purple copper butterfly, The Long Reef Golf Course at Collaroy is not a site at community-initiated conservation activities have which the frog was known to occur (it is uncertain whether expanded into unprecedented areas. the species ever occurred there). It was chosen as a trial site for introduction. Thousands of tadpoles bred at Taronga Zoo The purple copper butterfly is one of the rarest butterflies have been released each year since 2000 by researchers from in NSW. Its survival depends upon the native blackthorn the Australian Museum and Long Reef Golf Club. While bush and a particular ant species that assists it through its many tadpoles survived and emerged as adults, none of the larval and pupal stages. The impact of humans has altered juveniles appear to have made it past two years of age the distribution of the blackthorn bush, and trapped the – the age at which females become mature. Again, no purple copper butterfly in approximately 35 isolated and self-sustaining population has been achieved. It is uncertain sometimes tiny patches of habitat between Bathurst, Oberon what is limiting the population but predation and disease and Hartley in central NSW. are considered likely factors. Releases of adults and juveniles There are several reasons why community awareness is that have been reared in captivity are continuing as an instrumental in achieving key conservation actions for the additional strategy. purple copper butterfly: it occurs mainly on private land, An existing population of frogs has survived at the Marsh extensive areas of apparently suitable habitat require further Street wetland habitat near the M5 East motorway at assessment and easily accessible sites need weed control and Arncliffe. The release of supplementary tadpoles bred off-site, habitat augmentation. coupled with habitat enhancement, has been successful in maintaining a good population at this location. While reintroduction trials will continue, results so far show that it is better to maintain and enhance existing populations than it is to create or recreate one. Trials at the above sites are continuing along with another small-scale introduction at Marrickville. Other trial sites are proposed for the future.

Green and Golden Bell Frog. Photo: Stuart Cohen © NPWS.

Purple Copper Butterfly. Photo: Simon Nally © NPWS. 28 conservation of the purple copper butterfly: a seven-year-old Oberon girl surveyed her family’s property and found a population that more than doubled the known range of the species.

Community involvement in the recovery of threatened species in the Blue Mountains At a glance Threatened species in the Blue Mountains have benefited greatly from the ‘community involvement’ aspect of five local recovery plans.

Butterfly Cakes. Photo: Simon Nally © NPWS. Between 2001 and 2003, the Blue Mountains region conducted a special project that identified, developed and The NPWS, with funding assistance from the Natural coordinated community involvement opportunities in a Heritage Trust, conducted a community awareness program number of recovery plan actions. The project included the on the biology and ecology of the butterfly, its threatening rehabilitation of eight swamps, involving several stakeholder processes and the recovery actions required to conserve the groups totalling over 100 people, as well as numerous surveys species. The program included leaflets, newspaper and and monitoring days. website articles, radio segments, television segments and the First-hand experience is one of the most effective forms of distribution of resources to primary schools, secondary education. This is especially true for environmental schools, TAFE students and community organisations. education, and is particularly obvious when people who are As a result the local community enthusiastically adopted directly associated with threatened species habitats are the butterfly, integrating its conservation into the local involved in their management. culture. For example, the owner of the new Bellissimo Café For example, an adventurous community of abseilers and in Lithgow styled the café on the purple copper butterfly. climbers was involved in surveying potential habitat for the This included displaying photographs of the species, endangered Leionema lachnaeoides (a cliff top heath species). disseminating information sheets, displaying the recovery For safety reasons, people familiar with cliff tops were the plan, offering ‘butterfly pasta’ and butterfly cakes and most appropriate for this job. The biggest benefit of identifying the café as a sponsor. Two-thirds of the takings on involving a community of this type was the knowledge the the butterfly cakes and all the tips were donated to the volunteers gained about the threatened plant. This recovery program. knowledge will be taken with them on future cliff top walks The money was used to purchase host plant seedlings grown and on their abseiling and climbing adventures – they will specially by the community nursery, to be planted by primary forever be aware of Leionema. school children on private land set aside for this purpose. Another example of community involvement in the Blue Other efforts of the local community include purple copper Mountains has come from the formation of Landcare groups, butterfly postcards (raising money for the community made up of people living on or near to swamps that are nursery’s habitat propagation program), the naming of a local known sites of the endangered Blue Mountains water skink. newspaper the Copperwing Country Independent, the Blue Mountains swamps bordering urban areas are the development of school butterfly habitat gardens and a bus unfortunate victims of weed invasion and other urban-related shelter purple copper butterfly mural. impacts. As a consequence, Landcare groups have been Key recovery actions were also performed by the formed to control the number of weeds, establish stable community. Habitat weeding and augmentation coordinated by the NPWS has largely been implemented through the efforts of the community. In 2002, 38 people undertook monitoring of butterfly numbers, and 190 people removed vast quantities of weeds such as broom, hawthorn and cotoneaster that were threatening key habitats. In addition to these collective efforts, individuals also made significant contributions to the

Restoration of threatened species habitat. Photo: Xuela Sledge, © NPWS. 29 swamp hydrological systems and enhance the habitat with still poses a significant threat. Herein lies the challenge, as the introduction of native plants (native to the swamp these ecological communities occur in an area that is environment). Education becomes multifaceted when planned to absorb a large proportion of the growth of Sydney, involving people in a project of this type. and it is important that a recovery plan balance conservation A broader membership of the community (particularly with social and economic needs. In addition, three-quarters school children) has been involved in the management of of the remnant bushland occurs on privately owned land, threatened species through Swampwatch. ‘Swampwatching’ is most of which cannot be acquired for reservation. something anyone can do, and encourages all participants to This leads to two clear conclusions, that planning for better understand the skink and the environment in which it recovery of the ecological communities requires: lives. This also helps in the recovery process because · achieving conservation across the landscape, ie swampwatchers are asked to report any sighting. This fulfils a conservation of a system of remnants across a range of monitoring role while offering valuable educational benefits land tenures, within and outside the reserve system; and to those involved. Community involvement in these recovery actions was · planning for the management of large areas of land across greatly enhanced by the appointment of a dedicated western Sydney, which makes it necessary to adopt a Threatened Species Community Projects Officer to broad planning approach, not a site specific approach. coordinate and facilitate the project. Developing this approach across western Sydney requires working with the land use planning and development control RECOVERY TEAM AND PLAN process, ie with the planning system under the Environmental COORDINATION Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). However, In order to implement on-ground recovery actions efficiently, recovery plans have limited statutory powers under the NSW recovery teams require ongoing coordination and liaison planning system. Public authorities can only be bound to between the key team coordinators, team members and actions in a recovery plan by agreement. In addition, a stakeholders such as government agencies, councils, land recovery plan cannot fetter the decision-making powers of managers and community members. A key action for consent authorities. effective implementation of a recovery or threat abatement This approach also requires strong collaboration with key plan is efficient and cohesive team coordination. stakeholders, and the Cumberland Plain recovery plan is being prepared with the assistance of a recovery team which The Cumberland Plain - Endangered Ecological includes representatives from a range of state government, Communities local government, industry and community organisations. At a glance The recovery plan will therefore pursue conservation of Recovery planning for endangered ecological communities in western Sydney requires working with the land use planning system to achieve conservation across the landscape.

The majority of the native vegetation of the Cumberland Plain in western Sydney has been listed as endangered ecological communities. A recovery plan is being prepared that addresses recovery of all these communities in the one plan. The project began by identifying the ecological communities. This was done through preparation of the Native Vegetation Maps of the Cumberland Plain, Western Sydney (NPWS 2002), a project supported by significant financial contributions from the Urban Development Institute of Australia and Landcom. The next step was to identify the threats to the communities and plan for the mitigation of the threats. It was recognised that clearing of bushland for development

Scheyville Forest, Cumberland Plain. Photo: Mike Cufer © NPWS 30 endangered ecological communities by (i) promoting Tree Island following an extensive eradication program. different approaches to conservation planning under Part 3 Culling of avian predators and the removal of the bird-lime EP&A Act, (ii) through consideration of conservation tree from nesting habitat has dramatically reduced the priorities when releasing land for urban development, and number of deaths. The rainforest understorey is now (iii) through the development consent process. In doing so regenerating, and habitat monitoring and management is the recovery plan will draw on the Biodiversity Planning Guide undertaken each year. for NSW Local Government (NPWS 2001). The NPWS is also seeking to establish a second viable Finally, the plan also addresses the restoration of those colony of Gould’s petrel on Boondelbah Island. One hundred bushland areas that are conserved. Management of these nest boxes have been established on the island and between lands requires pest species control, fire management 1999 and 2000, 200 chicks were transferred to their new planning, infrastructure (fences, paths, signage), home. All but five of these successfully fledged and left the interpretative material and neighbour relations. island; some have already returned to breed. In 2002-2003, 12 nest boxes were occupied and five eggs were laid. CONSERVATION STATUS REVIEW The NPWS has prepared a recovery plan for this species to When recovery of a threatened species has been successful guide its recovery. The recovery program has successfully it may undergo a conservation status review. If, for example, retrieved this species from the brink of extinction. the population has been restored to a viable level, or the Surveys undertaken in 2001-02 found that more than 1000 threats to its survival have been significantly diminished, the pairs are now breeding, and the number of young produced NSW Scientific Committee may reclassify the species. When has exceeded 450 for each of the last three years. The this happens the species is moved to a classification with a sustained increase in Gould’s petrel numbers and breeding lower likelihood of extinction: that is, from ‘endangered’ to success has markedly improved its conservation status. ‘vulnerable’, or from ‘vulnerable’ to off the threatened species According to criteria set down by the International Union list altogether. Alternatively, investigations may reveal that a for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the Gould’s petrel is species is declining and it might be necessary to reclassify it no longer ‘Endangered’ but instead fits the lesser category of to a higher level, eg from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘endangered’. ‘Vulnerable’. The Gould’s petrel is now one of a small select Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera subsp. group of species from around the globe whose conservation leucoptera) - Endangered status can be downgraded as a direct result of effective conservation management. At a glance Gould’s petrel was on the brink of extinction due to habitat degradation and predation by pest species. The implementation of a highly successful recovery plan has led to a large increase in numbers of this beautiful seabird and dramatically improved its conservation status.

The Gould’s petrel is an open ocean seabird that breeds on Cabbage Tree Island and Boondelbah Island off Port Stephens each summer. In 1992, the NPWS surveys indicated that Gould’s petrel numbers were sharply declining, with the total breeding population comprising only 200 pairs. Rabbit browsing had degraded habitat and petrel chicks were suffering from predation by pied currawongs and Australian ravens. In Gould’s petrel. Photo: Nicholas Carlile © NPWS addition, petrels were dying after becoming stuck in the sticky fruit of the bird-lime tree (Pisonia umbellifera). Over the past 10 years, with the help of numerous volunteers and with financial support from the Federal Government, the NPWS has been working to save the Gould’s petrel. Rabbits have been eliminated from Cabbage

31 Glossary of TERMS

Attributes: qualities or characteristics belonging to an Recovery plan: a document that identifies the actions to animal or plant. be taken to promote the recovery of a threatened species, population or ecological community. Biodiversity: the variety of life forms, the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain and Reintroduction: releasing animals or planting plants in an the ecosystems they form. area where their existing numbers are low or where they no longer exist, but where they once existed. Dispersal: to move away from an area. Remnant vegetation: a small fragmented portion of the Ecological community: an assemblage of species occupying former dominant vegetation that once covered an area. a particular area. Scientific Committee: an independent committee consisting Endangered ecological community: a community specified of 10 scientists established under the Threatened Species in the Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 in danger Conservation Act, 1995, who are responsible for maintaining of becoming extinct. the list of species, populations, ecological communities and Endangered population: a population specified in the key threatening processes under the Act. Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 in danger Species: a group of organisms which are biologically capable of becoming extinct. of breeding and producing fertile offspring with each other Endangered species: an animal or plant specified in the but not with members of other species. Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 in danger Suppressing: to reduce or put an end to the actions. of becoming extinct. Taxonomy: the classification, identification and description Extinct: species no longer in existence or not located in of organisms based on similarities of biology, biochemistry, the wild during the past 50 years. genetic composition and evolutionary history. Fecundity: the capacity of females to produce young. Low Threat abatement plan: a document under the Threatened fecundity means that few young are produced or that long Species Conservation Act 1995 which identifies the actions timeframes occur between the production of young. to be taken to abate, ameliorate or eliminate the adverse Fire regime: the variation in pattern of fire occurrence. effects of threatening processes on threatened species, For example a particular fire regime may be where fire populations or ecological communities. occurs every five years or it may be low intensity fires. Threatening process: processes such as habitat disturbance Habitat: the living space of a species or community or destruction or pollution that threaten the survival, providing a particular set of environmental conditions. abundance or evolutionary development of a species, population or ecological community. Key threatening process: a threatening process which has been identified under the Threatened Species Conservation Threatened species: those animals, plants, populations or Act, 1995 as adversely affecting two or more threatened ecological communities which are listed as either species, populations or ecological communities or could cause endangered, vulnerable or presumed extinct under the species, populations or ecological communities that are not NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995. threatened to become threatened. Vulnerable species: an animal or plant specified in the Persists: to continue to remain despite opposition. Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 that is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances and factors Population: a group of organisms, all of the same species, threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease occupying a particular area. to operate.

Presumed extinct: an animal or plant no longer in existence or not located in the wild during the past 50 years.

32 Part 4: Summary of Recovery Actions in NSW About the TABLES The tables in this booklet provide an overview of the different actions being undertaken to recover threatened animals and plants in NSW. The tables detail the actions discussed in this booklet that have been undertaken for each threatened species, population and ecological community. The tables are summarised into four regions of NSW: northern, south-eastern, western and, in and around Sydney. Threatened species conservation is coordinated across NSW from decentralised Threatened Species Units located in major centres: Coffs Harbour, Queanbeyan, Dubbo and Sydney. The Biodiversity Management Unit located in the Policy and Science Directorate of the NPWS has responsibility for species that occur statewide. While recovery plans are coordinated from one location, actions are often carried out at more than one location, in these circumstances the species has been listed on tables for all regions where these actions have taken place. The following lists are not complete lists of all the threatened species that occur in these areas. They only list those threatened species, populations and ecological communities for which recovery actions have occurred or are currently taking place. A great deal has already been achieved, but there are still many more threatened species awaiting recovery action. New species, populations and communities as determined by the NSW Scientific Committee are continually being added to the list of threatened species. For a full list of threatened species in NSW see the NPWS website www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au. The last three columns on the tables relate to the status of the recovery plan that addresses each species, population and ecological community:

Recovery plan in preparation - A recovery plan has been commenced for the animal or plant.

Draft Recovery Plan - A draft recovery plan has been placed on public exhibition

Final Recovery Plan - A recovery plan has been finalised and approved by the Minister for the Environment.

Yellow-bellied glider. Photo: Joel Winter © NPWS 33 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in south-eastern NSW ^ 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Plants Acacia constablei ^^ ^^ ^ ^ Acacia georgensis ^^^^^^ Acacia phasmoides ^ Aldrovandra vesiculosa ^^^ Ammobium craspedioides ^^ ^ ^^^ Amphibromus fluitans ^ Baloskion longipes ^ Bossiaea oligosperma ^ Budawangia gnidioides ^ Caladenia concolor ^^^^^^^^^ Caladenia rosella ^^ Caladenia tessellata ^^ Callitris oblonga subsp. corangensis ^^ ^ ^^ Calotis glandulosa ^ Calotis pubescens ^^ ^ Carex raleighii ^^ ^ ^ Chamaesyce psammogeton ^ Correa baeuerlenii ^ Correa lawrenciana var. genoensis ^ Cryptostylis hunteriana ^^^ ^ Cullen parvum ^ Dillwynia glaucula ^^ Discaria nitida ^^ ^ ^ ^ Distichlis distichophylla ^^ Diuris aequalis ^^ ^ ^ ^ Erythranthera pumila ^^^ ^ ^ ^ Eucalyptus aquatica ^^ Eucalyptus imlayensis ^^^ ^ ^ Eucalyptus kartzoffiana ^^ Eucalyptus langleyi ^ Eucalyptus recurva ^^^ ^^^ ^ ^ ^

34 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Eucalyptus saxatilis ^^ ^ Euchiton nitidulus ^^ ^ ^ Euphrasia collina ssp. muelleri ^^^^ Euphrasia scabra ^^ ^ Galium australe ^ ^ Genoplesium plumosum ^^ ^ ^^ ^ Genoplesium rhyoliticum ^^ ^ ^ Genoplesium vernale ^^^ ^ ^^ ^ Gentiana baeuerlenii ^^^ Gentiana bredboensis ^ Gentiana wingecarribiensis ^^^ ^^^ ^ ^ Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. paludosa ^ Grevillea iaspicula ^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Grevillea molyneuxii ^^ ^ Grevillea renwickiana ^ Grevillea rivularis ^^^ ^ ^^ ^ Grevillea wilkinsonii ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ Haloragis exalata subsp. exalata ^ Irenepharsus magicus ^ Leionema ralstonii ^^ ^ ^ Leionema rhytidophyllum ^ Lepidium foliosum ^ Leptospermum thompsonii ^^ Lepidium pseudopapillosum ^ Melaleuca biconvexa ^^^ ^ ^ Persoonia glaucescens ^ Persoonia hirsuta ^ Phyllota humifusa ^^ Pilularia novae hollandiae ^ Plinthanthesis rodwayi ^ ^ Pomaderris cotoneaster ^^ Pomaderris delicata ^^ ^ Pomaderris elachophylla ^^ ^ ^ Pomaderris pallida ^ Pomaderris parrisiae ^^ Pomaderris sericea ^ Prasophyllum affine ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^ Prasophyllum fuscum ^^ ^^^ ^

35 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Prasophyllum retroflexum ^ Prasophyllum petilum ^^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ Prostanthera densa ^ Pseudanthus ovalifolius ^ Pterostylis gibbosa ^^^^ ^ ^ Pterostylis pulchella ^ Pultenaea baeuerlenii ^ Pultenaea parrisiae subsp. elusa ^ Pultenaea pedunculata ^ Ranunculus anemoneus ^^^ Rulingia prostrata ^ Rutidosis leiolepis ^^^ ^ Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides ^^^ ^^^ ^ ^ Senecio garlandii ^ Senecio spathulatus ^ Senecio squarrosus ^ ^^ Swainsona recta ^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^ Thesium australe ^ Triplarina nowraensis ^^^^ ^ ^^ ^ Viola cleistogamoides ^^^ Westringia davidii ^^ ^ ^ Westringia kydrensis ^ Wilsonia backhousei ^ Wilsonia rotundifolia ^ Zieria adenophora ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ Zieria baeuerlenii ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^ Zieria buxijugum ^^ ^ ^ ^ Zieria citriodora ^ Zieria formosa ^^ ^ ^ ^ Zieria granulata ^^ Zieria murphyi ^ Zieria parrisiae ^^ ^ ^ ^ Zieria tuberculata ^

36 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Endangered ecological communities Bega Dry Grass Forest ^^^^^^^ Brogo Wet Vine Forest ^^^^^^^ Candelo Dry Grass Forest ^^^^^^^ Mount Gibraltar Forest ^^^^^^^ Robertson Basalt Tall Open-forest ^ Robertson Rainforest ^ Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands ^ Sydney Coastal Estuary Swamp ^ Forest Complex White Box-Yellow Box Blakely’s ^^^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^ Red Gum Woodland

37 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in south-eastern NSW ^ 1996-2003

Species

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft plan RP inFinal prep RP Amphibians

Litoria aurea Green & Golden Bell Frog ^^ ^ ^ ^

Litoria booroolongensis Booroolong Frog ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Litoria castanea Yellow Spotted Bell Frog ^^^

Litoria raniformis Southern Bell Frog ^^^

Litoria spenceri Spotted Tree Frog ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog ^^ ^ ^

Pseudophryne corroboree Southern Corroboree Frog ^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^^ ^

Pseudophryne pengilleyi Northern Corroboree Frog ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ ^^^^

Birds

Burhinus grallarius Bush Stone-curlew ^^^^

Calyptorhynchus lathami Glossy Black Cockatoo ^^ ^^

Dasyornis brachypterus Eastern Bristlebird ^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^ ^^^^

Lathamus discolor Swift Parrot ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Neophema pulchella Turquoise Parrot ^^^

Ninox connivens Barking Owl ^^^

Ninox strenua Powerful Owl ^^ ^ ^

Pezoporus wallicus Ground Parrot ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Polytelis swainsonii Superb Parrot ^^ ^ ^^^ ^

Sterna albifrons Little Tern ^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^

Thinornis rubricollis Hooded Plover ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

Tyto novaehollandiae Masked Owl ^^ ^

Tyto tenebricosa Sooty Owl ^^ ^

Xanthomyza phrygia Regent Honeyeater ^^ ^^^^^^

38 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Mammals (terrestrial)

Multi-species Forest bats ^^^ ^ recovery plan

Burramys parvus Mountain Pygmy-possum ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^ ^

Dasyurus maculatus Spotted-tailed Quoll ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^

Falsistrellus tasmaniensis Eastern False Pipistrelle ^^

Isoodon obesulus Southern Brown ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ Bandicoot

Kerivoula papuensis Golden-tipped Bat ^^

Mastcomys fuscus Broad-toothed Rat ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^

Miniopterus schreibersii Common Bent-wing Bat ^^ ^ ^ ^

Myotis adversus Large-footed ^^ Mouse-eared Bat

Petrogale penicillata Brush-tailed ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^ Rock Wallaby

Phascolarctos cinereus Koala (South Coast MA) ^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^

Potorous longipes Long-footed Potoroo ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Pseudomys fumeus Smoky Mouse ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^

Sminthopsis leucopus White-footed Dunnart ^^^^ ^ ^

Mammals (oceanic)

Balaenoptera musculus Blue Whale ^^^ musculus

Eubalaena australis Southern Right Whale ^^^

Megaptera novaeangliae Humpback Whale ^^^

Physeter catadon Sperm Whale ^^^

Reptiles

Aprasia parapulchella Pink-tailed Legless Lizard ^^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

Delma impar Striped Legless Lizard ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^

Tympanocryptu Grassland Earless Dragon ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ lineata pinguicolla

Varanus rosenbergi Rosenberg’s Goanna ^^ ^ ^ ^

39 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003 Species

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft plan RP inFinal prep RP Invertebrates

Synemon plana The Golden Sun Moth ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^

Petalura gigantea Giant dragonfly ^^ ^ ^

Endangered populations

Wagga Wagga LGA Squirrel Glider ^^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

40 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in and around SYDNEY ^ 1996-2003

Species

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft plan RP inFinal prep RP Plants Acacia baueri subsp. aspera ^^^ Acacia bynoeana ^^^ ^ ^ ^ Acacia clunies rossiae ^^ Acacia pubescens ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^ ^ Acacia terminalis subsp. terminalis ^^ ^^ Allocasuarina glareicola ^^^ ^ ^ Allocasuarina portuensis ^^^^^^^^ Angophora inopina ^^ ^ Asterolasia buxifolia ^^ Caladenia tesselata ^ Chamaesyce psammogeton ^^^^ Cryptostylis hunteriana ^^ Cynanchum elegans ^^^^^^^^^^ Daphnandra sp. C Illawarra ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^ Darwinia biflora ^^^ ^ ^^^^^ Dillwynia tenuifolia ^^^^ Diuris aequalis ^ Epacris hamiltonii ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^ Epacris purpurascens var. ^^^ purpurascens Epacris sparsa ^ Eucalyptus benthamii ^^^ ^ ^ Eucalyptus camfieldii ^^^ ^^ ^^ Eucalyptus cannonii ^^ Eucalyptus copulans ^^^ ^ ^ ^^^ ^ Eucalyptus fracta ^ Eucalyptus parramattensis ^^ ^ ^ subsp. decadens Eucalyptus pulverulenta ^ Eucalyptus pumila ^^ Eucalyptus sp.(Cattai) ^ Eucalyptus sp. (Howes Swamp) ^^ ^ ^

41 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in and around SYDNEY 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Euphrasia bowdeniae ^^ Grevillea caleyi ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^ Grevillea evansiana ^^ Grevillea juniperina subsp. juniperina ^^^^ Grevillea obtusiflora ^^ ^^ ^ Grevillea parviflora subsp. parviflora ^^^ Grevillea parviflora subsp. supplicans ^ Haloragodendron lucasii ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ ^ Hibbertia superans ^ Irenepharsus trypherus ^^^^ ^ ^^ ^ Kennedia retrorsa ^^ Kunzea cambagei ^^ Kunzea rupestris ^^ ^ ^ Leionemn lachnaeoides ^^^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ Leionemn sympetalum ^ Melaleuca biconvexa ^^^ ^ ^ Melaleuca deanei ^^ Micromyrtus minutiflora ^^ Microstrobos fitzgeraldii ^^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ Microtis angusii ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ Olearia cordata ^^ Persoonia acerosa ^^ Persoonia bargoensis ^^^^ Persoonia glaucescens ^^^^ Persoonia marginata ^^ Persoonia mollis subsp. maxima ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^ Persoonia nutans ^^^^^ Persoonia pauciflora ^^^ ^ ^^ Pimelea curviflora var. curviflora ^ Pimelea spicata ^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^ Pomaderris adnata ^^ Prostanthera askania ^^^ ^ Prostanthera cryptandroides ^^ Prostanthera densa ^ Prostanthera discolor ^^ Prostanthera junonis ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^ Prostanthera stricta ^^ Pterostylis gibbosa ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^

42 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in and around SYDNEY 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Pterostylis saxicola ^ Pterostylis sp. (Botany Bay) ^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ Pultenaea sp. (Genowlan Point) ^^ ^ Syzygium paniculatum ^^^ Tetratheca glandulosa ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^ Tetratheca juncea ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^ Wollemia nobilis ^^^^ ^^^^ ^ Zieria covenyi ^ Zieria granulata ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^ Zieria involucrata ^ Zieria murphyi ^ Endangered populations Dillwynia tenuifolia at Kemps Creek ^^ Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. Parramattensis population in ^ Wyong LGA Marsdenia viridiflora subsp. viridiflora population in the Bankstown, Blacktown, Camden, ^ Campbelltown, Fairfield, Holroyd, Liverpool & Penrith LGAs Pomaderris pruniolia in the Parramatta, Auburn, Strathfield ^ and Bankstown LGAs Wahlenbergia multicaulis in Auburn, Bankstown, Canterbury & ^^^^^ ^ Strathfield LGAs Endangered ecological communities Agnes Banks Woodland ^^ ^^^^^ Blue Gum High Forest ^^^^^^^ Blue Mountains Shale Cap Forest ^ Castlereagh Swamp Woodland ^^^^^^ Community Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark ^^^^^^^ Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion Cumberland Plain Woodland ^^^^ ^^^^^ Duffy’s Forest Vegetation Community ^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^ ^ Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^ Elderslie Banksia Scrub Forest Community ^^^^^^^^ Genowlan Point Allocasuarina nana ^^^ heathland, dwarf heathland

43 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in and around SYDNEY 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Hunter Lowland Redgum Forest in ^^ ^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion Hygocybeae Community of Lane Cove ^^ Bushland Park, 20 species of fungi Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland ^^^^^^ Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest in ^^^^^^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion Kurnell Dune Forest ^^ Kurri Sand Swamp Woodland in ^^^ ^ ^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion Low woodland w/heathland on ^^ indurated sand at Norah Head Melaleuca armillaris Tall Shrubland ^^ in the Sydney Basin Bioregion Moist Shale Woodland in ^^^^^^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion Pittwater spotted Gum Forest in ^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion Quorrobolong Scribbly Gum Woodland ^^ in the Sydney Basin Bioregion Shale Gravel Transition Forest in ^^ ^ ^^^^^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion Shale/Sandstone Transition Forest ^^ ^^^^^ Shorebird Community occuring on ^^ ^ ^ the relict sands at Taren Point Sutherland Shire Littoral Rainforest ^^^^ Sydney Coastal Estuary Swamp ^^ Forest Complex Sydney Coastal River-Flat Forest ^^^^^^^^ Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest ^^^^^^^^ in the Sydney Basin Bioregion Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland ^^^ Warkworth Sands Woodland of ^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion Western Sydney Dry Rainforest in ^^^^^^^^ the Sydney Basin Bioregion White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s ^^ ^ ^ Red Gum Woodland

44 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in and around SYDNEY ^ 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP

Amphibians

Crinia tinnula Wallum Froglet ^^

Heleioporus australiacus Giant Burrowing Frog ^^^^

Litoria aurea Green & Golden Bell Frog ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

Litoria booroolongensis Booroolong Frog ^^ ^

Litoria brevipalmata Green Thighed Frog ^^^

Litoria daviesae Southern New England ^^ Tree Frog

Litoria littlejohni Littlejohn’s Tree Frog ^

Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog ^^ ^ ^^

Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog ^^^

Pseudophryne australis Red-crowned Toadlet ^^ ^ ^ ^^^^

Birds

Botaurus poiciloptilus Australasian Bittern ^

Burhinus grallarius Bush Stone-curlew ^^ ^ ^ ^

Calidris alba Sanderling ^

Calidris tenuirostris Great Knot ^

Calyptorhychus lathami Glossy Black Cockatoo ^^ ^

Charadrius leschenaulti Greater Sand Plover ^

Charadrius mongolus Lesser Sand Plover ^

Climacteris picumnus Brown Treecreeper ^^ victoriae

Dasyornis brachypterus Eastern Bristlebird ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Diomedea cauta Shy Albatross ^^

Diomedea exulans Wandering Albatross ^^

Diomedea melanophris Black-browed Albatross ^^

Erythrotriorchis radiatus Red Goshawk ^^

Haematopus fuliginosus Sooty Oystercatcher ^

Haematopus longirostris Pied Oystercatcher ^

45 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in and around SYDNEY 1996-2003 Species

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft plan RP inFinal prep RP

Irediparra gallinacea Comb-crested Jacana ^^^

Ixobrychus flavicollis Black Bittern ^

Lathamus discolor Swift Parrot ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Leipoa ocellata Malleefowl ^^

Limicola falcinellus Broad-billed Sandpiper ^

Limosa limosa Black-tailed Godwit ^

Melanodryas cucullata Hooded Robin ^ cucullata

Melithreptus gularis gularis Black-chinned Honeyeater ^

Ninox connivens Barking Owl ^^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^

Ninox strenua Powerful Owl ^^

Pandion haliaetus Osprey ^^ ^

Pezoporus wallicus Ground Parrot ^

Phoebetria fusca Sooty Albatross ^^

Pomatostomus temporalis Grey-crowned Babbler ^^

Pterodroma leucoptera Gould’s Petrel ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ leucoptera

Sterna albifrons Little Tern ^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^

Sterna fuscata Sooty Tern ^

Stictonetta naevosa Freckled Duck ^^

Thinornis rubricollis Hooded Plover ^

Tyto capensis Grass Owl ^

Tyto novaehollandiae Masked Owl ^^

Tyto tenebricosa Sooty Owl ^^

Xanthomyza phrygia Regent Honeyeater ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

Mammals (terrestrial)

Aepyprymnus rufescens Rufous Bettong ^^ ^ ^

Cercartetus nanus Eastern Pygmy-Possum ^^ ^ ^

Dasyurus maculatus Spotted-tailed Quoll ^^ ^

Dasyurus viverrinus Eastern Quoll ^

Isoodon obesulus Southern Brown Bandicoot ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Macropus parma Parma Wallaby ^^

Miniopterus australis Little Bent-wing Bat ^^^

Miniopterus schreibersii Common Bent-wing Bat ^^^

46 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in and around SYDNEY 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP

Mormopterus norfolkensis Eastern Freetail Bat ^^^

Myotis adversus Large-footed Mouse-eared Bat ^^

Nyctophilus timoriensis Greater Long-eared Bat ^^

Petaurus australis Yellow-bellied Glider ^^ ^ ^

Petaurus norfolcensis Squirrel Glider ^^ ^ ^ ^

Petrogale penicillata Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^

Phascogale tapoatafa Brush-tailed Phascogale ^^ ^ ^ ^

Phascolarctos cinereus Koala ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Pseudomys gracilicaudatus Eastern Chestnut Mouse ^

Pseudomys oralis Hastings River Mouse ^^ ^ ^

Pteropus poliocephalus Grey-headed Flying Fox ^^^^^ ^

Mammals (marine)

Eubalaena australis Southern Right Whale ^^

Megaptera novaeangliae Humpback Whale ^^

Reptiles

Caretta caretta Loggerhead Turtle ^^

Chelonia mydas Green Turtle ^^

Dermochelys coriacea Leathery Turtle ^^

Eulamprus leuraensis Blue Mountains Water Skink ^^ ^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^^ ^

Hoplocephalus bungaroides Broad-headed Snake ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Hoplocephalus stephensii Stephen’s Banded Snake ^

Invertebrates

Meridolum corneovirens Cumberland Land Snail ^^ ^ ^ ^

Paralucia spinifera Bathurst Copper Butterfly ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^

Petalura gigantea Giant Dragonfly ^^^^^

Endangered populations

Callocephalon fimbriatum Ku-ring-gai Gang Gang ^^ Population

Eudyptula minor Manly population ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^

Menippis fugitivus ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Perameles nasuta population at North Head ^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Petaurus norfolcensis population on Barrenjoey ^^^^ Peninsula

Phascolarctos cinereus population, Pittwater LGA ^^^ 47 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in northern NSW ^ 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Plants Acacia acrionastes ^ Acacia atrox ^^^ Acacia bakeri ^ Acacia courtii ^ Acacia jucunda ^ Acacia macnuttiana ^ Acacia pycnostachya ^^^^ Acacia ruppii ^^ Acalypha eremorum ^ Acronychia littoralis ^^^^^^^^^^ ^ Aldrovanda vesiculosa ^ Alexfloydia repens ^ Allocasuarina defungens ^^^^ Allocasuarina simulans ^ Almaleea cambagei ^ Amorphospermum whitei ^ Amyema scandens ^ Angiopteris evecta ^^ ^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^ Angophora exul ^ Angophora robur ^^ Archidendron hendersonii ^ Arthraxon hispidus ^ Asperula asthenes ^ Astrotricha roddii ^^^ ^^ Austromyrtus fragrantissima ^^ ^^^ ^ ^ Babingtonia prominens ^ Babingtonia silvestris ^ Baloghia marmorata ^ Bertya ingramii ^^ Boronia boliviensis ^^^^ Boronia granitica ^^^ ^^^^ Boronia repanda ^

48 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in northern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Boronia ruppii ^^ Boronia umbellata ^ Bosistoa selwynii ^ Bosistoa transversa ^ Brachyscome ascendens ^ Bulbophyllum globuliforme ^ Caesia parviflora var. minor ^ Callitris baileyi ^ Callitris oblonga subspecies parva ^ Calophanoides hygrophiloides ^ Cassia brewsteri var. marksiana ^ Chiloglottis anaticeps ^ Chiloglottis platyptera ^ Choricarpia subargentea ^ Clematis fawcettii ^ Corchorus cunninghamii ^^^ ^ ^ ^ Corokia whiteana ^ Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. rupestris ^ Cryptocarya foetida ^ Cynanchum elegans ^^ Cyperus aquatilis ^ Cyperus semifertilis ^ Davidsonia jerseyana ^^ ^^ ^ Davidsonia johnsonii ^^ ^ ^ ^ Dendrocnide moroides ^ Desmodium acanthocladum ^^ ^ Digitaria porrecta ^ Diospyros mabacea ^^ ^ ^ Diospyros major var. ebenus. ^ Diploglottis campbellii ^^ ^ ^ ^ Diuris disposita ^ Diuris flavescens ^ Diuris pedunculata ^ Diuris sp. aff. chrysantha ^^ Diuris venosa ^ Drynaria rigidula ^ Eidothea hardeniana ^^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ Elaeocarpus sp. Rocky Creek ^^ ^ ^^^^^ ^ Elaeocarpus williamsianus ^

49 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in northern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Eleocharis tetraquetra ^^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^ Endiandra floydii ^^^^ Endiandra hayesii ^^ Endiandra muelleri subsp. bracteata ^ Eucalyptus approximans ^ Eucalyptus benthamii ^ Eucalyptus boliviana ^ Eucalyptus caleyi subsp. ovendenii ^ Eucalyptus camphora subsp. relicta ^^ ^^^ Eucalyptus dissita ^ Eucalyptus glaucina ^ Eucalyptus magnificata ^ Eucalyptus mckieana ^ Eucalyptus microcodon ^ Eucalyptus nicholii ^ Eucalyptus oresbia ^ Eucalyptus pachycalyx subsp. banyabba ^^^ Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. decadens ^ Eucalyptus rubida subsp. barbigerorum ^ Eucalyptus scoparia ^ Eucalyptus tetrapleura ^ Euphrasia bella ^ Euphrasia collina subsp. muelleri ^ Floydia praealta ^ Fontainea australis ^^ Fontainea oraria ^^ ^ ^^^^ ^ Gaultheria viridicarpa subsp. viridicarpa ^ Geijera paniculata ^ Gentiana wissmannii ^ Geodorum densiflorum ^ Gingidia montana ^ Grammitis stenophylla ^ Grevillea banyabba ^^^ Grevillea beadleana ^^ ^ ^ ^ Grevillea guthrieana ^^^ Grevillea hilliana ^ Grevillea masonii ^^^ Grevillea mollis ^ Grevillea quadricauda ^

50 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in northern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Grevillea rhizomatosa ^ Grevillea scortechinii subsp. sarmentosa ^^^ ^^ ^ Hakea archaeoides ^ Hakea fraseri ^ Haloragis exalata subsp. exalata ^ Hedyotis galioides ^ Hibbertia hexandra ^ Hibbertia marginata ^ Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia ^ Homoranthus binghiensis ^ Homoranthus bornhardtiensis ^ Homoranthus croftianus ^ Homoranthus lunatus ^ Homoranthus prolixus ^ Isoglossa eranthemoides ^^ Lepiderema pulchella ^ Lepidium hyssopifolium ^ Lepidium peregrinum ^^^^ Leucopogon confertus ^ Lindsaea brachypoda ^ Lindsaea fraseri ^ Lindsaea incisa ^ Macadamia tetraphylla ^ Macrozamia humilis ^ Macrozamia johnsonii ^ Marsdenia longiloba ^^^ Maundia triglochinoides ^ Melaleuca groveana ^ Melaleuca tamariscina subsp. irbyana ^ Melichrus hirsutus ^^ ^^^ Melichrus sp. Gibberagee ^^^^ Micromyrtus grandis ^ Monotaxis macrophylla ^ Muellerina myrtifolia ^ Neoastelia spectabilis ^ Ochrosia moorei ^ Olax angulata ^ Olearia flocktoniae ^^^ ^ ^ Owenia cepiodora ^^

51 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in northern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Parsonsia dorrigoensis ^^ Phaius australis ^^ ^ ^ ^ Phaius tankarvilleae ^^ ^ ^ ^ Phebalium glandulosum subsp. ^ eglandulosum Philotheca myoporoides subsp. ^ obovatifolia Phyllanthus microcladus ^ Picris evae ^ Pimelea venosa ^^^^ Plectranthus alloplectus ^ Plectranthus nitidus ^ Prostanthera palustris ^ Prostanthera staurophylla ^ Pseudanthus ovalifolius ^ Psilotum complanatum ^ Pterostylis cucullata ^ Pterostylis metcalfei ^ Pterostylis nigricans ^ Pultenaea stuartiana ^ Quassia sp. Moonee Creek ^^ ^ ^^ ^ Randia moorei ^^^^ Rapanea sp. A Richmond River ^^^ ^^^ ^ ^ ^^ Rutidosis heterogama ^ Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii ^ Sarcochilus hartmannii ^ Sarcochilus weinthalii ^ Senna acclinis ^^ Sophora fraseri ^ Sophora tomentosa ^ Styphelia perileuca ^ Symplocos baeuerlenii ^ Syzygium hodgkinsoniae ^^ Syzygium moorei ^^ Syzygium paniculatum ^ Tasmannia glaucifolia ^ Tasmannia purpurascens ^^^ Thesium australe ^^^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ Tinospora smilacina ^

52 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in northern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Tinospora tinosporoides ^ Triplarina imbricata ^ Tylophora linearis ^ Tylophora woollsii ^^ ^ ^ Typhonium sp. aff. brownii ^ Uromyrtus australis ^^^^ Wahlenbergia scopulicola ^ Xylosma terrae-reginae ^ Zieria adenodonta ^ Zieria floydii ^ Zieria lasiocaulis ^^ ^ ^ Zieria prostrata ^^^^^ ^^^^^ Endangered populations Cryptandra longistaminea, South Grafton ^^ ^ ^ Zieria smithii ^ Endangered ecological communities Lowland Rainforest on Floodplain in ^ the NSW North Coast Bioregion Byron Bay Dwarf Graminoid Clay ^^^ Heath Community Ben Halls Gap National Park Sphagnum ^ Moss Cool Temperate Rainforest Upland Wetlands of the Drainage Divide ^^ of the New England Tableland Bioregion Howell Shrublands in the Northern ^^ Tablelands and Nandewar Bioregions McKies Stringybark/Blackbutt Open ^ Forestin the Nandewar and New England Tableland Bioregions White Box - Yellow Box ^^ Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland

53 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in northern NSW ^ 1996-2003

Species

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft plan RP inFinal prep RP Amphibians

Assa darlingtoni Pouched Frog ^

Crinia tinnula Wallum Froglet ^^ ^^

Litoria brevipalmata Green Thighed Frog ^

Litoria castanea Yellow Spotted Bell Frog ^^ ^^^

Litoria olongburensis Olonburra Frog ^

Litoria piperata Peppered Frog ^^^^

Litoria subglandulosa New England Tree Frog ^

Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog ^^ ^^ ^

Mixophyes fleayi Fleay’s Frog ^^ ^^ ^

Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog ^^ ^ ^

Philoria kundagungan Mountain Frog ^

Philoria loveridgei Loveridge’s Frog ^

Philoria sphagnicolus Sphagnum Frog ^

Birds

Amaurornis olivaceaus Bush-hen ^

Anseranas semipalmata Magpie Goose ^

Atrichornis rufescens Rufous Scrub-bird ^^ ^

Burhinus grallarius Bush Stone-curlew ^^^^ ^ ^

Coracina lineata Barred Cuckoo-shrike ^

Cyclopsitta diophthalma Coxen’s Fig Parrot ^^^ ^^^ ^ coxeni

Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus Black-necked Stork ^

Erythrotriorchis radiatus Red Goshawk ^^ ^^^

Esacus neglectus Beach Stone-curlew ^^ ^ ^ ^

Gallirallus sylvestris Lord Howe Woodhen ^^ ^^^

Haematopus fuliginosus Sooty Oystercatcher ^^

Haematopus longirostris Pied Oystercatcher ^^

54 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in northern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP

Irediparra gallinacea Comb-crested Jacana ^

Lathamus discolor Swift Parrot ^^

Lichenostomus fasciogularis Mangrove Honeyeater ^

Menura alberti Albert’s Lyrebird ^^ ^ ^

Monarcha leucotis White-eared Monarch ^

Nettapus coromandelianus Cotton Pygmy-Goose ^

Ninox connivens Barking Owl ^

Ninox strenua Powerful Owl ^^^

Pandion haliaetus Osprey ^^^^^

Podargus ocellatus Marbled Frogmouth ^

Poephila cincta Black-throated Finch ^^^

Ptilinopus magnificus Wompoo Fruit-Dove ^

Ptilinopus regina Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove ^

Ptilinopus superbus Superb Fruit-Dove ^

Strepera graculina crissalis Pied Currawong ^ (Lord Howe Is subsp)

Sterna albifrons Little Tern ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Todiramphus chloris Collared Kingfisher ^

Turnix melanogaster Black-breasted Button-Quail ^^

Tyto novaehollandiae Masked Owl ^^^

Tyto tenebricosa Sooty Owl ^^^

Xanthomyza phrygia Regent Honeyeater ^^

Mammals (terrestial)

Aepyprymnus rufescens Rufous Bettong ^^ ^^

Chalinolobus dwyeri Large-eared Pied Bat ^^

Chalinolobus nigrogriseus Hoary Wattled Bat ^^

Falsistrellus tasmaniensis Eastern False Pipistrelle ^^

Kerivoula papuensis Golden-tipped Bat ^^

Macropus dorsalis Black-striped Wallaby ^^ ^^

Macropus parma Parma Wallaby ^^

Miniopterus australis Little Bent-wing Bat ^^

Miniopterus schreibersii Common Bent-wing Bat ^^

Mormopterus beccarii Beccari’s Freetail Bat ^^

55 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in northern NSW 1996-2003 Species

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft plan RP inFinal prep RP

Mormopterus norfolkensis Eastern Freetail Bat ^^

Myotis adversus Large-footed Mouse-eared Bat ^^

Nyctimene robinsoni Eastern Tube-nose Bat ^^

Nyctophilus bifax Eastern Long-eared Bat ^^

Petrogale penicillata Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby ^^ ^ ^ ^^^

Petaurus australis Yellow-bellied Glider ^^ ^ ^^^

Phascogale tapoatafa Brush-tailed Phascogale ^^^

Phascolarctos cinereus Koala ^^

Planigale maculata Common Planigale ^

Pseudomys gracilicaudatus Eastern Chestnut Mouse ^

Pseudomys oralis Hastings River Mouse ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^

Pteropus alecto Black Flying-fox ^^

Saccolaimus flaviventris Yellow-bellied Sheathtail-bat ^^

Scoteanax rueppellii Greater Broad-nosed Bat ^^

Syconycteris australis Queensland Blossom-bat ^

Thylogale stigmatica Red-legged Pademelon ^^

Vespadelus troughtoni Eastern Cave Bat ^^

Pteropus poliocephalus Grey-headed Flying-fox ^^

Reptiles

Cacophis harriettae White-crowned Snake ^

Caretta caretta Loggerhead Turtle ^

Chelonia mydas Green Turtle ^

Coeranoscincus reticulatus Three-toed Snake-tooth Skink ^

Dermochelys coriacea Leathery Turtle ^

Emydura macquarii Bellinger River Emydura ^^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^

Underwoodisaurus sphyrurus Border Thick-tailed Gecko ^

Invertebrates

Dryococelus australis Lord Howe Island Phasmid ^

Nurus atlas Beetle ^^

Nurus brevis Beetle ^^

Placostylus bivaricosus Lord Howe Placostylus ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

Thersites mitchellae Mitchell’s Rainforest Snail ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^

56 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in northern NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Endangered populations

Koala Hawkes Nest and Tea ^^^^^ Gardens population

Tusked Frog Nandewar and New ^ England Tablelands Bioregions

Emu NSW North Coast Bioregion ^^ ^ and Port Stephens LGA

Broad-toothed Rat Barrington Tops in the ^^ ^^^ LGAs of Gloucester, Scone and Dungog

57 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in western NSW ^ 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Plants Acacia acanthoclada ^ Acacia jucunda ^ Acacia petraea ^ Artiplex infrequens ^ Atriplex sturtii ^ Bertya sp. ^^ ^^ ^ ^ Bothriochloa biloba ^ Brachycome muelleroides ^ Brachycome papillosa ^ Cadellia pentastylis ^ ^ Caladenia arenaria ^^^^ ^ ^ ^ Callitriche cyclocarpa ^ Calotis moorei ^ Capparis loranthifolia var. loranthifolia ^ Casuarina obesa ^ Cheilanthes sieberi subsp. Pseudovellea ^ Cratystylis conocephala ^ Crotalaria cunninghamii ^ Cullen parvum ^ Cyperus conicus ^ Dentella minutissima ^ Desmodium campylocaulon ^^ ^ Dichanthium setosum ^ Digitaria porrecta ^ ^ Dipteracanthus australasicus ^ subsp. Corynothecus Diuris”Oaklands” ^^ ^ Dodonaea microzyga var. microzyga ^ Dodonaea stenozyga ^ Dysphania plantaginella ^ Dysphania platycarpa ^

58 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in western NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Eleocharis obicis ^ Eriocaulon australasicum ^ Eriocaulon carsonii ^^ ^ Eriostemon ericifolius ^ Erodiophyllum elderi ^ Euphorbia sarcostemmoides ^ ^ Grevillea kennedyana ^^^ ^ ^^ ^ Hakea pulvinifera ^^^^ ^^ ^ ^ Hedyotis galioides ^ Indigofera efoliata ^ Indigofera helmsii ^ Indigofera leucotricha ^ Indigofera longibractea ^ Ipomoea diamentinensis ^ Ipomoea polymorpha ^ Kippistia suaedifolia ^ Lepidium monoplocoides ^ Leptorhynchos waitzia ^ Maireana cheelii ^^ ^^^^ Osteocarpum scleropterum ^ Phyllanthus maderaspatanus ^ Picris evae ^ Pilulari novae-hollandia ^ Pimelea elongata ^^ ^ Pimelea serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia ^ Platyzoma microphyllum ^ Polycarpaea spirostylis subsp. glabra ^ Polygala linariifolia ^ Santalum murrayanum ^ Scaevola collaris ^ Sclerolaena napiformis ^ Sida rohlenae ^ Solanum karsense ^ Stipa metatoris ^ Stipa nullanulla ^^ ^ ^ ^ Stipa wakoolica ^ Swainsona adenophylla ^ Swainsona colutoides ^

59 Recovery actions for THREATENED PLANTS in western NSW 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP Swansona flavicarinata ^ Swainsona murrayana ^^ ^^^^ Swainsona plagiotropis ^ Swainsona pyrophila ^ Swainsona sericea ^ Swainsona viridis ^ Tylophora linearis ^ Xerothamnella parvifolia ^^ ^ ^ ^ Zieria ingramii ^ Zieria obcordata ^^ ^ ^^^ Endangered ecological communities Cadellia pantaslylis Ooline community ^ ^

60 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in western NSW ^ 1996-2003

Species an in prep

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft pl RPFinal RP

Amphibians

Litoria raniformis Southern Bell Frog ^^ ^^^

Neobatrachus pictus Painted Burrowing Frog ^

Birds

Amytornis barbatus Grey Grasswren ^^ ^ ^

Amytornis striatus Striated Grasswren ^^ ^ ^

Amytornis textilis Thick-billed Grass Wren ^

Burhinus grallarius Bush Stone-curlew ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^

Cinclosoma castanotus Chestnut Quail-thrush ^^ ^ ^

Climacteris picumnus Brown Treecreeper ^^^ victoriae (eastern subspecies)

Drymodes brunneopygia Southern Scrub-robin ^^ ^ ^

Grantiella picta Painted Honeyeater ^^

Hylacola cauta Shy Heathwren ^^ ^ ^

Leipoa ocellata Malleefowl ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^

Manorina melanotis Black-eared Miner ^^^^^^^

Melanodryas cucullata Hooded Robin ^^^ cucullata (south-eastern form)

Melithreptus gularis Black-chinned Honeyeater ^^ gularis (eastern subspecies)

Ninox connivens Barking Owl ^^ ^ ^ ^

Pachycephala rufogularis Red-lored Whistler ^^ ^ ^

Pedionomus torquatus Plains-Wanderer ^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^^^ ^

Polytelis anthopeplus Regent Parrot ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Polytelis swainsonii Superb Parrot ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^

Pomatostomus temporalis Grey-crowned Babbler ^^^ temporalis (eastern subspecies)

Pyrroholaemus sagittata Speckled Warbler ^^^

Stagonopleura guttata Diamond Firetail ^^^

61 Recovery actions for THREATENED ANIMALS in western NSW 1996-2003 Species

name Survey andMonitoring mappingResearchHabitatPest protection animalWeed control controlFire managementFencingEIA & site protectionHabitatCaptive restorationTranslocation husbandryCommunityPlan awareness & teamConsv. coordination statusRecovery reviewDraft plan RP inFinal prep RP

Tyto novaehollandiae Masked Owl ^^

Xanthomyza phrygia Regent Honeyeater ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

Mammals (terrestrial)

Cercartetus concinnus Western Pygmy Possum ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Leggadina forresti Forrest’s Mouse ^

Petrogale xanthopus Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby ^^ ^ ^^ ^

Phoscogale tapoatafa Brush-tailed Phascogale ^ ^

Pseudomys apodemoides Silky Mouse ^

Pseudomys bolami Bolam’s Mouse ^

Pseudomys Sandy Inland Mouse ^ hermannsburgensis

Pseudomys pilligaensis Pilliga Mouse ^^ ^^ ^ ^

Sminthopsis macroura Stripe-faced Dunnart ^^

Reptiles

Anomalopus mackayi Mackays Burrowing Skink ^ ^

Aprasia inaurita Mallee Worm Lizard ^

Aspidites ramsayi Woma ^

Ctenophorus decresii Tawny Crevice-dragon ^

Cyclodomorphus Mallee Slender ^ melanops elongatus Blue-tongue Lizard

Cyclodomorphus venustus A lizard ^

Demansia torquata Collared Whip Snake ^

Diplodactylus conspicillatus Fat-tailed Diplodactylus ^

Echiopsis curta Bardick ^

Egernia margaretae Centralian Ranges Rock-skink ^^ ^ ^ ^

Liasis stimsoni Stimsonsís Python ^

Ramphotyphlops endoterus Inland Blind Snake ^

Tiliqua mutifasciata Centralian Blue-tongue ^

Endangered populations

Petrogale penicillata Warrumbungles Brush-tailed ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ Rock Wallaby

Riverina population of the ^ Glossy Black Cockatoo

62