Draft Craigie Bushland Management Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
APPENDIX 5 ATTACHMENT 1 City of Joondalup Draft Craigie Bushland Management Plan 1 Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 3 Acronyms .......................................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... 6 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 8 1.2 Natural Area Management Plans ............................................................................. 8 1.3 Study Area ............................................................................................................... 8 1.4 Aim and Objectives ................................................................................................ 13 1.5 Purpose ................................................................................................................. 13 1.6 Strategic Context ................................................................................................... 13 1.7 Stakeholder Consultation ....................................................................................... 14 2.0 Description of the Physical Environment .................................................................... 15 2.1 Geology, Soils and Landforms ............................................................................... 15 2.2 Hydrology ............................................................................................................... 21 2.3 Climate ................................................................................................................... 26 2.4 Vegetation .............................................................................................................. 29 3.0 Biodiversity Management .......................................................................................... 44 3.1 Flora ...................................................................................................................... 44 3.2 Fungi ...................................................................................................................... 53 3.3 Plant Diseases ....................................................................................................... 56 3.4 Fauna..................................................................................................................... 60 3.6 Bushfire Management ............................................................................................ 99 3.7 Education and Training ........................................................................................ 103 4.0 Implementation Plan ................................................................................................ 106 4.1 Monthly Weed Inspections ................................................................................... 106 4.2 Monitoring and Reporting ..................................................................................... 106 4.3 Scientific Research and Monitoring ...................................................................... 108 4.4 Management Plan Review ................................................................................... 108 4.5 Summary of Recommended Management Actions ............................................... 109 5.0 References .............................................................................................................. 114 6.0 Appendices .............................................................................................................. 114 2 Acknowledgements • Arbor Carbon; • Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions ; • Department of Fire and Emergency Services; • Eco Logical Australia; • Friends of Craigie Bushland; • University of Western Australia; • Water Corporation. Please formally acknowledge the City of Joondalup if you choose to use any of the content contained within the Draft Craigie Bushland Management Plan. Suggested citation: City of Joondalup, 2018, Draft Craigie Bushland Management Plan, Perth, WA. The City of Joondalup has to the best of its knowledge used the most up to date information and datasets available to inform the development of the Draft Craigie Bushland Management Plan. 3 Acronyms Acronym / Definition Abbreviation AHD Australian Height Datum BAM Act Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 BoM Bureau of Meteorology CALM Department of Conservation and Land Management CAMBA China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement the City City of Joondalup CoJ City of Joondalup CPSM Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation DAFWA Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia DEC Department of Environment and Conservation DEPI Department of Environment and Primary Industries DFES Department of Fire and Emergency Services DoEE Department of the Environment and Energy DoW Department of Water DBCA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions DPC Department of Premier and Cabinet DWG Dieback Working Group EDOWA Environmental Defender’s Office Western Australia (Inc) ELA Eco Logical Australia EPA Environmental Protection Authority EPBC Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 EWSWA Environmental Weed Strategy for Western Australia FCT Floristic Community Type GIS Geographic Information System ha Hectare IOCI Indian Ocean Climate Initiative IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature JAMBA Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement mAHD Elevation in metres with respect to the Australian Height Datum NAIA Natural Areas Initial Assessment No. Number MRS Metropolitan Region Scheme NWCPAG National Wildlife Corridors Plan Advisory Group PEC Priority Ecological Community PUBF Perth Urban Bushland Fungi project PMST Protected Matters Search Tool Syrinx Syrinx Environmental PL TDS Total Dissolved Solids TEC Threatened Ecological Community UWA University of Western Australia 4 WA Western Australia WALGA Western Australian Local Government Association WC Act Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 WONS Weeds of National Significance 5 Executive Summary The Draft Craigie Bushland Management Plan outlines a framework for the environmental management of Craigie Bushland for the next 10 years. Craigie Bushland is located approximately 19km north of the Perth Central Business District in the suburb of Craigie. The reserve covers approximately 56 hectares (ha) of bushland, containing a permanent fenced area of approximately 42 ha. The site is bounded by the Water Corporation Beenyup Wastewater Treatment Plant to the north, the Mitchell Freeway to the east, the Craigie Leisure Centre and Whitfords Avenue to the south and several streets containing residential housing are located to the west. The fenced area was established in 2010 and in 2013 Quenda (also known as Southern Brown Bandicoot) (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer) were first translocated into the fenced area.1 The Quenda were removed from Ellen Brook Nature Reserve in Upper Swan and the Twin Swamps Nature Reserve in Bullsbrook as part of the conservation management actions for the Western Swamp Tortoise (Pseudemydura umbrina).2 Craigie Bushland is classified as a City of Joondalup Major Conservation Area and is ranked in the City’s top five bushland areas, due to its high biodiversity values. Craigie Bushland contains regionally significant vegetation and is recognised for its regional environmental significance by being designated as a Bush Forever site, by the Western Australian Planning Commission in 2000. Craigie Bushland forms part of Bush Forever site 303, in conjunction with Hepburn Heights Conservation Area, Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park and parts of the Beenyup Wastewater Treatment Plant and Mitchell Freeway bushland. As part of the development of the Draft Craigie Bushland Management Plan, a flora, fauna and fungi survey was conducted in spring and summer 2016. The results of this survey were combined with previous surveys to develop a comprehensive species list and ecological assessment of the site. The flora assessment undertaken in 2016 identified three vegetation communities existing at the site. These include Banksia woodland with Tuart, Open Marri Forrest and Tall open shrubland. In September 2016, the Banksia woodlands on the Swan Coastal Plain were Federally listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) as a Threatened Ecological Community (TEC). An assessment in accordance with the EPBC Act Approved Conservation Advice indicated the site contains this Threatened Ecological Community. The majority of the native vegetation on site is in very good to good condition, with portions of the vegetation also rated as in excellent condition. Ecological surveys at Craigie Bushland indicate an accumulated 215 native flora species (including one priority species and six Bush Forever significant species of the Perth 1 Lohr and Valentine (2017) 2 Burbidge et al. (2010) 6 Metropolitan Region), five native mammals, 36 native birds (including two species of conservation significance), 17 native reptiles and 201 assumed native invertebrate