Local Biodiversity Strategy A strategic plan for biodiversity conservation in the City of Canning over the next 20 years FrontFront Cover: Cover: Conostylis Conostylis bracteata bracteata. .Credit: Credit: S.Mawson S.Mawson InsideInside Cover: Cover: Convict Convict Fence Fence on on the the Canning Canning River River Credit:Credit: D. D. Graham Graham Contents Executive Summary 7 1 Context 12 1.1 What is Biodiversity and its Benefits 13 1.2 What is a Local Biodiversity Strategy? 13 1.3 Definition of Conservation, Protection and Retention 13 1.4 Legislative and Policy Framework 13 1.5 Local Strategic and Planning Context 15 2 Biodiversity Assets 17 2.1 Regional Context 17 2.2 Geology, Landforms and Soils 17 2.3 Vegetation 18 2.3.1 Diversity of vegetation 19 2.3.1.1 The most common vegetation complexes in the City 19 2.3.1.2 The most threatened vegetation complexes 20 2.3.1.3 The most retained vegetation complex in the City 20 2.3.2 Protection status of vegetation 23 2.4 Threatened Species and Ecological Communities 24 2.4.1 An overview and significant flora 24 2.4.2 Fauna 27 2.4.3 Threatened ecological communities 31 2.5 Waterways and Wetlands 33 2.6 Ecological Linkages 33 2.6.1 Impact of natural area fragmentation 33 2.6.2 Regional and Local ecological linkages 33 2.7 Threats to Biodiversity 35 2.7.1 Overview 35 4 2.7.2 Feral animal control 36 2.7.3 Human activities 37 2.7.4 Climate change 38 2.7.5 Current approaches to the control of threats to biodiversity 39 3 Prioritisation of Local Natural Areas for Biodiversity Conservation 41 3.1 Methodology 41 3.2 Criteria for determining conservation significance 41 3.2.1 Local ecological linkages 43 3.3 Opportunities and constraints to local natural area protection 44 3.4 Conservation Priorities 49 3.4.1 Areas of Priority Conservation Action 49 3.4.2 Improving Connectivity 53 4 Implementation 54 4.1 Integrating biodiversity into land use planning 56 4.1.1 Local Planning Strategy 56 4.1.2 Local Planning Scheme and Local Planning Policy 56 4.1.2.1 Local Planning Policies 57 4.2 Bushland Management 58 4.2.1 Strategic reserve management 58 4.2.2 Greening the City - Increase of local species 59 4.2.3 Private Landholder Incentives and Community Support 61 4.3 Communication 62 5 Action Plan 63 References 66 Glossary 69 Appendix A: Ecological Criteria for Local Natural Area Prioritisation 71 Appendix B. Site Specific Recommendations for Areas of Priority Conservation Action 73 Banded Orb-weaver, Argiope trifasiata. Credit: S.Mawson The local biodiversity strategy also proposes mechanisms to To measure the effectiveness of the proposed implementation protect existing native vegetation. This will be achieved by measures, specific targets are defined for each of the strategy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY changing the land reservations of selected natural areas and objectives. the development of Local Planning Policies. Best practise management of the areas will be supported by reserve management plans and a bushland management strategy. Local Biodiversity Strategy Objective Targets to be achieved by 2033 How to achieve them? To increase the protection status of significant 1.1 Formally protect 250ha of native vegetation Section 3.4.1 Table 10: biodiversity in the City, including on local in the City (and achieve 5% of pre-European • Change of selected reserve purpose (50ha) government managed or owned lands, and on vegetation extent protected in the City) • Minimising impacts of future land use. private land. To appropriately manage local natural areas to 2.1 All local conservation reserves vested in the Develop and adopt a bushland management reduce threats to biodiversity. City are managed in accordance of the approved strategy for all City vested Local Natural Areas – management plan see section 4.2. 2.2 Conservation signage is installed at all conservation reserves 2.3 Continuous decrease in weed cover and feral animal distribution is recorded in all conservation reserves managed by the City 2.4 No new dieback infestations are recorded within the City’s natural areas To increase the viability and resilience of natural 3.1 Each high conservation value natural area is Implementation of protection and restoration areas by establishing buffers and ecological connected to at least three other significant natural measures for natural areas and replanting of linkages; considering the impacts of climate areas through a network of ecological linkages native vegetation within the regional and local change. 3.2 Revegetate at least 250ha of degraded or ecological linkages – see Section 3.4.2 and 4.2. cleared land using local species to increase the native vegetation cover in the City to at least 10% of its area. 6 3.3 At least 20% increase in locally native tree species in the City streets and parks. To increase the distribution and abundance of 4.1 All viable natural areas will show current • See Section 4.2. Acacia applanata. Credit: S.Mawson fauna, including threatened fauna. records of threatened and priority fauna where they would have occurred prior to fragmentation. This local biodiversity strategy is prepared in accordance The local biodiversity strategy includes a comprehensive To increase local community awareness and 5.1 All current community groups are actively • See Section 4.2. with the State endorsed methodology for local biodiversity analysis of native vegetation and fauna in the City of Canning support for biodiversity conservation. participating in the management of natural areas conservation planning, developed through the Western municipality. The City currently contains less than seven percent in the City Australian Local Government Association’s Perth Biodiversity land coverage of native vegetation and many of these natural 5.2 At least 70% of native vegetation mapped on Project. areas are small in size and fragmented. This represents a rural lands is retained The local biodiversity strategy has the vision that: challenge for the City to ensure the ongoing viability of natural 5.3 10% increase in participation in the City’s areas into the future. To address the high level of fragmentation, environmental initiatives Over the next 20 years, the diversity of indigenous species the local biodiversity strategy proposes to implement a and ecosystems is conserved, resilient to threats, restored and revegetation program across the City, particularly in areas valued by the local community. Table 1. Local Biodiversity Strategy Targets identified as local ecological linkages. The key objectives of the strategy are: Despite the small area of remaining native vegetation, the City Actions required to achieve the City's objectives for biodiversity • Continued support of community volunteers in bushland • To increase the protection status of significant biodiversity in contains a large diversity of flora and fauna. In 2011 a study can be divided in to six groups: restoration activities the City, including on local government managed or owned undertaken by Perth Biodiversity Project found an area of • Improved provisions for biodiversity in the City’s local • Mainstreaming biodiversity consideration within all City lands, and on private land. native vegetation on the Canning River foreshore recorded one planning framework and their application in the future land business units and adopting a communication strategy that • To appropriately manage local natural areas to reduce of the highest numbers of ecological values across the Perth use decisions engages all government and community stakeholders. threats to biodiversity. and Peel region. Over 738 species of flora and fauna occur in • Development of a strategic local reserve management plan Specific actions, their priority, responsibilities and key • To increase the viability and resilience of natural areas by the five regionally significant vegetation complexes within the • Development of a plan for restoration of natural areas within performance indicators are listed in the Action Plan. establishing buffers and ecological linkages; considering the City. Specially protected flora and fauna occurs within these regional and local ecological linkages impacts of climate change. complexes including the Endangered Banksia Woodlands of the • Development of an incentive package to encourage • To increase the distribution and abundance of fauna, Swan Coastal Plain and the endangered Carnaby’s Cockatoo vegetation retention and increased use of local plants in including threatened fauna. and vulnerable Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. landscaping by developers and private landholders • To increase local community awareness and support for biodiversity conservation. Action Plan Action Priority Responsibility Key Performance Indicator Contributing to Priority: High – complete by 2018-2019 | Medium – complete by 2019-2022 | Low – complete by 2033 target (Table 1) 11 Implement the strategic reserve Ongoing Parks and Place At least 80% of conservation reserves 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, Action Priority Responsibility Key Performance Indicator Contributing to management plan Improvement Canning being actively managed by 2022 3.2 target (Table 1) 12 Undertake periodic fauna monitoring Ongoing Parks and Place All viable natural areas will show 2.1, 4.1 Integration into the land use planning framework and keep records of all incidental fauna Improvement Canning current records of threatened and observations for all natural areas. priority fauna where they would have 1 Integrate Local Biodiversity Strategy High Canning Sustainable WAPC endorses the City’s local 1.1 occurred prior