A Review of Chowilla Regional Reserve 1993 – 2003, Adelaide, South Australia.” Department for Environment and Heritage

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A Review of Chowilla Regional Reserve 1993 – 2003, Adelaide, South Australia.” Department for Environment and Heritage A Review of Chowilla Regional Reserve 1993 – 2003 A Review of Chowilla Regional Reserve 1993 - 2003 November 2003 Department for Environment and Heritage This Review has been prepared and adopted in pursuance of Section 34A of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. Published by the Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia November 2003 Cover photograph: David Scott © Department for Environment and Heritage ISSN: 1322-9354 Prepared by Murraylands Region, Regional Conservation, for the Department for Environment and Heritage This document may be cited as “Department for Environment and Heritage (2003) A Review of Chowilla Regional Reserve 1993 – 2003, Adelaide, South Australia.” Department for Environment and Heritage FOREWORD Regional Reserves are a multiple-use reserve category, established in 1987 under an amendment to the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. They provide a means of protecting significant areas of natural habitat, while still allowing land-uses such as grazing, mining and tourism to take place in accordance with strict guidelines laid down in a management plan. Chowilla Regional Reserve was proclaimed in 1993. The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 requires a report to be prepared for each Regional Reserve at intervals of no more than ten years and prescribes the assessment criteria to be used. This report for Chowilla Regional Reserve addresses the criteria required by the Act and provides recommendations on the future management of the land. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognises a multiple-use category of reserve which they have defined as ‘areas containing predominantly unmodified natural systems, managed to ensure long term protection and maintenance of biological diversity, while providing at the same time sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs’. Regional Reserves conform to that definition. In economic terms, whilst some benefits of continued resource use on Chowilla Regional Reserve have accrued to the pastoral lessees, the contribution to the State’s economy has been minimal. The impacts on landscape and cultural features have been low to moderate and can be directly ascribed to the pastoral activities on the Reserve. At times, the impact on natural resources has been high due to the combined affects of pastoral production and large populations of kangaroos, feral and pest animals. There is room to improve the management of both the pastoral activities and total grazing management in the Reserve to achieve better environmental outcomes. The introduction of the Regional Reserve concept was an important step in a continuing process that has resulted in conservation becoming accepted as a legitimate consideration for natural resource management and utilisation over large areas of the arid-zone in South Australia. Regional Reserves provide an opportunity to learn and understand how best to integrate conservation and resource utilisation in an ecologically sustainable manner. The Review of Chowilla Regional Reserve indicates that there are still areas for improvement in this regard and offers a challenge for all involved. I look forward to a successful outcome for the sustainable management of this reserve in the future. In accordance with the provisions of Section 34A (5) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, I have much pleasure in presenting this report on the use and management of Chowilla Regional Reserve to Parliament. Hon John Hill MP MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION iii A Review of Chowilla Regional Reserve Department for Environment and Heritage TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD..........................................................................................................................................iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................vii 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Regional Reserves ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background to Regional Reserves..............................................................................................1 1.3 Purpose of this Review ............................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Interpretation .............................................................................................................................. 3 1.5 Review Process........................................................................................................................... 3 2 DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION ................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Context for Management ............................................................................................................ 7 2.1.1 Lease to Robertson Chowilla Pty Ltd ................................................................................ 7 2.1.2 Chowilla Regional Reserve Management Plan.................................................................. 8 2.1.3 Management and Consultative Structures..........................................................................9 2.1.4 Achievements in Partnerships............................................................................................ 9 2.2 Natural Features.......................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.1 Land Systems ..................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Conservation Values................................................................................................................. 12 2.3.1 Biodiversity...................................................................................................................... 13 2.4 Cultural Features....................................................................................................................... 15 2.4.1 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage ........................................................................................... 15 2.4.2 Non-Indigenous Cultural Heritage................................................................................... 16 2.4.3 Reserve Management....................................................................................................... 17 3 REVIEW OF USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN CHOWILLA REGIONAL RESERVE .... 18 3.1 Outline ...................................................................................................................................... 18 4 PASTORAL PRODUCTION......................................................................................................... 19 4.1 Background............................................................................................................................... 19 4.2 Impacts of Pastoral Production on Wildlife and Natural Features ........................................... 25 4.2.1 Impacts on Landscape Features ....................................................................................... 25 4.2.2 Impacts of Pastoral Use on Wildlife ................................................................................ 25 4.2.3 Monitoring program.........................................................................................................28 4.3 Impacts of Pastoral Production on Cultural Features ............................................................... 34 4.3.1 Aboriginal Cultural Features............................................................................................ 34 4.3.2 Impacts of Pastoral Production on Non-Indigenous Cultural Values .............................. 35 4.4 Impacts of Pastoral Production on the Economy of South Australia ....................................... 35 5 MINERAL AND PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION .................................. 39 5.1 Background............................................................................................................................... 39 5.2 Impacts of Mineral and Petroleum Activities on Wildlife & Natural Features ........................ 39 5.3 Impacts of Mineral and Petroleum Activities on Cultural Features ......................................... 39 5.4 Impacts of Mining and Petroleum Activities on the Economy of South Australia .................. 39 6 Kangaroo Harvesting...................................................................................................................... 41 6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 41 6.2 Impacts of Kangaroo Harvesting on Wildlife and Natural Features ........................................ 41 6.3 Impacts of Kangaroo Harvesting on Cultural Features ............................................................ 42 6.3.1 Aboriginal Cultural Features............................................................................................ 42 6.3.2 Non-Indigenous Cultural Features ................................................................................... 42 6.4 Impacts of Kangaroo Harvesting on the Economy of South Australia..................................... 42 7 TOURISM AND RECREATION .................................................................................................
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