Fortescue Marsh Management Strategy 2018-2024 Sept 2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Fortescue Marsh Management Strategy 2018–24 GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Lot 3 Anderson Road Karratha Industrial Estate KARRATHA WA 6714 Phone (08) 9182 2000 dbca.wa.gov.au © State of Western Australia 2018 This work is copyright. All content in this strategy may be downloaded, displayed, printed and reproduced in unaltered form for personal use, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act, all other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. This management strategy was prepared by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Questions regarding this strategy should be directed to: Pilbara Region Parks and Wildlife Service Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Lot 3 Anderson Road Karratha Industrial Estate KARRATHA WA 6714 Phone: (08) 9182 2000 The recommended reference for this publication is: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 2018, Fortescue Marsh Management Strategy, 2018–24, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Karratha. This document is available in alternative formats on request. Cover (main) Fortescue Marsh. Photo – Steve Dillon/DBCA Inset cover (left to right): Perentie. Photo – Hamish Robertson/DBCA. Tecticornia medusa. Photo – Kevin Thiele/DBCA. Yellow-billed spoonbill. Photo – Adrienne Markey/DBCA Back cover Coondiner Pool. Photo – Hamish Robertson/DBCA Executive Summary The Fortescue Marsh (the Marsh) is the largest and most important wetland in the Pilbara region, located on the Fortescue River north of Newman in Western Australia (WA). This management strategy covers 180,000 hectares of unallocated Crown land (UCL), excised from four pastoral leases in 2015 and encompassing most of the Marsh Land System (the strategy area). The Marsh is culturally significant to the Banjima, Nyiyaparli and Palyku traditional owners and there is a long history of use of the area by Aboriginal people. The area provides habitat for several significant fauna species, including the critically endangered night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis), endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) and Pilbara olive python (Liasis olivaceus subsp. barroni). When flooded, the Marsh provides important habitat for large numbers of migratory waterbirds. The Marsh Land System has a regionally significant flora assemblage dominated by samphire (Tecticornia) species and important communities of grove-intergrove mulga and snakewood are found on the fringes. This management strategy outlines the key cultural, natural, economic and community values of the Marsh and its surrounds and provides direction for the protection of these values into the future. It provides a summary of management operations to be undertaken in the area over the next seven years (2018 – 2024). Management objectives and actions highlight priorities for protecting the values of the Marsh and key performance indicators (KPIs) will be used to track progress against the implementation of priority objectives over the life of the strategy. Where possible, the approach is outcome based, providing a framework for adaptive management of the Marsh. While protection of all values within the strategy area is important, this strategy focusses on several critical priorities for management. The successful implementation of the strategy will result in several key outcomes, namely: • Improved baseline knowledge of flora, fauna, ecological communities and Aboriginal cultural values through more surveys, research and mapping and a framework for adaptive management based on these findings. • Strategic fencing of key parts of the strategy area, in conjunction with feral herbivore and stray cattle management and regular consultation with neighbours in relation to straying cattle (Bos taurus). • Containment and eradication of the highest priority weed species, with a focus on Parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata). • Fire management to protect key biodiversity and cultural values. • Significant progress towards the creation of a formal conservation reserve within the strategy area including: o defining a proposed conservation reserve boundary, o progress towards joint management and Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs) through consultation and collaboration with traditional owners, and o completing the requirements for Ramsar listing of the Marsh. • Management of feral cats (Felis catus) through a broadscale baiting and integrated introduced predator control program, used within an adaptive management framework, resulting in improved survival of populations of significant native fauna species. The strategy area is surrounded by national park, UCL and pastoral lease. In addition, within and surrounding the strategy area, are important iron ore deposits that make significant economic contributions to the State and the rest of Australia. Several existing and proposed iron ore mines are located within or very close to the strategy area. Therefore, achievement of these strategic priorities requires cooperation with key stakeholders. Building relationships and management partnerships with Banjima, Nyiyaparli and Palyku traditional owners will be important for the successful i implementation of the strategy. Ongoing consultation and cooperation with mining companies and pastoralists will enable more successful outcomes from the strategy, especially in relation to the management of issues across land management boundaries, such as weed and feral animal control and fire management. Fortescue Marsh and Hamersley Range. Photo Adrienne Markey/DBCA ii Acknowledgments This management strategy was prepared by a Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions planning team consisting of Hamish Robertson, Coral Rowston, Stephen van Leeuwen, Daniel Huxtable (Pilbara Corridors), Clare Atkins and Matt Fossey, with significant input from department staff from the Pilbara Region, Parks and Visitor Services Division, Geographic Information Services, Fire Management Services Branch, Wetlands Conservation Program, Animal Science Program and Environmental Management Branch. Thank you to the members of the Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation Board and Palyku Aborginal Corporation who made contributions to the preparation of this management strategy. Thank you to members of the Fortescue Marsh Reference Group who provided valuable input into the strategy and the planning process and include representatives from Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (Fortescue), BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto Iron Ore (Rio Tinto), Roy Hill Holding Pty Ltd (Roy Hill), Rangelands Natural Resource Management Western Australia (Rangelands NRM), Pilbara Corridors, Pilbara Mesquite Management Committee, Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, The University of Western Australia and Department of Water and Environmental Protection as well as from Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Plumed whistling ducks (Dendrocygna eytoni), 14-Mile Pool. Photo – Adrienne Markey/DBCA iii Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................................................... iii Contents .................................................................................................................................................... iv 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The strategy area and its values ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Strategy area....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Tenure and reservation process ...................................................................................................................... 3 Adjacent lands and their management............................................................................................................ 5 1.3 Management context ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Management opportunities with traditional owners ...................................................................................... 6 Administration ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Management documents ................................................................................................................................. 9 Legislative and policy framework .................................................................................................................. 13 International conservation agreements ........................................................................................................ 15 1.4 Performance assessment ................................................................................................................................