Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report

Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report Summary of outcomes from the regional co-design workshop 23 September 2020 Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment i Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Ownership of intellectual property rights

Unless otherwise noted, copyright (and any other intellectual property rights) in this publication is owned by the Commonwealth of Australia (referred to as the Commonwealth).

Creative Commons licence

All material in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence except content supplied by third parties, logos and the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

Inquiries about the licence and any use of this document should be emailed to [email protected].

Cataloguing data

This publication (and any material sourced from it) should be attributed as: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 2020, Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Canberra, November. CC BY 4.0.

ISBN 978-1-76003-355-2

This publication is available at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/bushfire-recovery/regional-delivery- program

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 Telephone 1800 900 090 Web awe.gov.au

The Australian Government acting through the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has exercised due care and skill in preparing and compiling the information and data in this publication. Notwithstanding, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, its employees and advisers disclaim all liability, including liability for negligence and for any loss, damage, injury, expense or cost incurred by any person as a result of accessing, using or relying on any of the information or data in this publication to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Acknowledgements

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment wants to thank workshop participants for their input. Thanks to Hannah Fraser, Kelly de Bie and Libby Rumpff for their workshop facilitation and for compiling this report.

Cover photo credits: Bushfire landscape: Beyond Coal & Gas Image Library CC BY-NC 2.0. Eastern Bristlebird: David Cook CC BY-NC 2.0

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment ii Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Contents

1 Executive summary...... 1 2 Background ...... 2 2.1 Regional bushfire recovery funding ...... 2 2.2 Workshop approach ...... 5 3 Workshop findings ...... 6 3.1 Proposed management actions ...... 6 3.2 Other actions not included in the strategy ...... 8 3.3 Additional budget ...... 9 Appendix A: Workshop agenda ...... 11 Appendix B: Participating organisations ...... 13 Appendix C: Regional profile for the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region ...... 15

Maps Map 1: The seven bushfire affected regions that are the focus of regional investment ...... 2 Map 2: A map of the NSW north coast and tablelands region, showing bushfire severity of the 2019–20 bushfires ...... 3

Tables Table 1: Proposed budget breakdown for bushfire recovery actions for the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment iii Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

1 Executive summary

The Australian Government is investing $110 million to provide strategic on-ground support for the most impacted native species, ecological communities and natural assets across seven bushfire affected regions. A series of co-design workshops were held with regional stakeholders across the seven regions to guide the Australian Government's continued investment in bushfire recovery.

The aim of each workshop was to engage and collaborate with regional stakeholders to:

1) identify priorities amongst species, ecological communities and natural assets, identified as high priorities for urgent management intervention, that require additional funding to secure their recovery following the devastating 2019–20 summer bushfires 2) identify an action plan to guide the allocation of additional funds from the Australian Government to maximise the chances of recovery of those priority species, communities, and assets, and to build on existing planning and recovery work. This action plan can also act as a guide for other investors. The Rainforests of the NSW North Coast stakeholder workshop was held on the 30th September 2020. With an indicative budget of $13 million, participants identified priority actions and developed a partial strategy for aiding the recovery of priority species and assets. However, given the richness of the conversation and time constraints, the strategy was not completed within the workshop. The strategy developed in the workshop included traditional owner led healing of country; habitat enhancement and weed control; fire management; pest control; riparian management; species or threatened ecological community specific actions and data validation. Further discussion is required to understand to what extent educating the community about appropriate fire management and developing a panel to coordinate actions in the region should be included in the plan. Participants emphasised the need for all of these actions to be conducted across land tenures.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 1 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

2 Background 2.1 Regional bushfire recovery funding The Australian Government is investing $110 million to provide strategic on-ground support for the most impacted native species, ecological communities and natural assets, such as World Heritage Areas and Ramsar listed wetlands, across seven bushfire affected regions: the Rainforests of south-east Queensland, the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands, the Greater Blue Mountains and World Heritage Area, the Forests of the NSW south coast, Australian alpine environment, Forests and coastal ecosystems of East Gippsland, and Kangaroo Island (Map 1).

Map 1 The seven bushfire affected regions that are the focus of regional investment

A series of co-design workshops were held across the seven bushfire affected regions. The broad aim of these workshops was to engage and collaborate with regional stakeholders to inform Australian Government investment in on-ground bushfire recovery, targeted at medium-term recovery of priority species.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 2 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

The workshops were designed to build on existing recovery planning work for each region, by sharing and consolidating knowledge of existing and proposed efforts and identifying a plan for action that targets gaps in investment. Specifically, the workshops aimed to:

1) identify priorities amongst the large number of species, ecological communities and natural assets which have been identified as high priorities for urgent management intervention and that require additional funding to secure their recovery following the devastating 2019–20 summer bushfires 2) identify an action plan to guide the allocation of additional funds from the Australian Government to maximise the chances of recovery of those priority species, communities, and assets, and to build on existing planning and recovery work. The Rainforests of the NSW North Coast region (Map 2) has been allocated an indicative amount of $13 million to support action that targets gaps in investment for the relevant priority species. The workshop agenda is at Appendix 1, and the list of attendees is at Appendix 2. The regional profile which outlines the priority species, priority actions and existing investment is found at Appendix 3.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 3 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Map 2 A map of the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region, showing bushfire severity of the 2019–20 bushfires

The Australian Government will use the action plans developed at this workshop to guide investment across the seven bushfire affected regions. Action plans will be reviewed by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and some aspects will be further explored with targeted stakeholders to identify key actions that can be delivered for priority environmental matters by June 2022. Investment decisions will also take into account community capacity and existing funding and recovery actions underway in the region. These investments will primarily be administered through existing delivery arrangements, for example with NRM regions and/or state governments. This will include developing or continuing formal and informal partnerships with other organisations and community groups where this will enhance recovery outcomes.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 4 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

2.2 Workshop approach During the regional workshop, the following steps were taken:

1) Participants heard perspectives from the Australian and NSW Government as well as the Northern Tablelands and North Coast Local Land Services on the: a) impacts of the 2019–2020 fires, and the shared list of draft priority matters (which are species, ecological communities and natural assets) and actions b) existing management and planning efforts within the region, relevant to the priority matters c) any perceived gaps in investment (from the regional stakeholders). 2) After a short discussion on actions and priorities, participants were split into three groups to review the information in the regional profile (Appendix 3) and to develop an action plan that maximises the chances of recovery of priority matters by 2030. An indicative budget for the action plans were defined, and participants were informed the budget should be spent by June 2022. Action plans were designed to provide high level detail on discrete actions (e.g. pest management, weed control), including the locations within the regions that actions are to be implemented, the priority matters targeted by each action, and the approximate budget allocated to each action. Participants in each group were also asked to discuss how they would allocate an additional $2 million of funding if it became available. Participants were asked to assume that: a) monitoring was included in each action (and to budget accordingly) b) budget was likely to be available to continue actions beyond 2022, not from this source of funding but as part of ‘business-as-usual’ biodiversity conservation efforts by all levels of government and non-government sources. 3) Participants were also asked to focus on action focused plans. Surveillance efforts could be included where addressing uncertainty is critical but should be accompanied with on-ground action. It was also noted that action plans should be developed given best available knowledge at the time of the workshop, noting that there will be flexibility to later refine and adapt details of the actions identified in the plan, if significant new information justified these changes. 4) Each group then presented their strategy to the larger group. Similarities and differences across plans were discussed as a group, to identify the actions that had achieved a consensus. The output for the workshop was one action plan, created based on these whole of group discussions.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 5 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

3 Workshop findings

Participants broadly agreed on a set of actions and an indicative budget allocation for those actions, although a consensus on the budget splits for some actions was not reached due to the limited time available to discuss what can be complex issues. Some actions were not discussed in depth and the question of organisational and community capacity to engage with and/or deliver some actions given the ongoing impacts of the bushfires was raised but not fully considered.

The consensus strategy dedicated 10–20 per cent of the budget towards traditional owner led management, and habitat enhancement (including weed control), fire management, pest control and riparian management (including erosion control). Funding was also allocated to species/threatened ecological community specific actions and data validation. In addition, involvement of traditional owners across all actions was highlighted as a priority, along with outcomes-focused monitoring. Community education and establishing a panel to oversee actions in the region were also considered important, but further discussion is required, and no budget was allocated to these activities. 3.1 Proposed management actions Traditional owner management Participants allocated between 10–20 per cent of the budget to funding traditional owners to lead management of Country. This incorporates planning, implementation and capacity building, with support from government agencies where relevant. Actions undertaken will most likely include cultural burning and weeding activities. The need to assess and implement actions for culturally important places and species was also raised. A relevant model was discussed at the workshop, which has integrated traditional and Western knowledge to develop a management plan for the land from Nambucca Valley to the Clarence River. The on-ground assessment work being undertaken by the Yaegl people was discussed as an example of work underway in the region by traditional owners which would benefit from further investment. It was noted that traditional owners should be engaged in all actions mentioned below. Further discussion with other traditional owner groups in the region will be required, as only some groups were represented at the workshop.

Fire management Funding is sought for fire management planning, implementation and monitoring across the region, with a special emphasis on buffer regions around rainforests, refugia, threatened plants and threatened ecological communities. There were differing views about the funding split between planning and implementation, as some participants felt that planning is not a recovery action (noting this investment is focused on the recovery of threatened species and ecological communities). Participants who supported investment in planning suggested this work should involve an understanding of the impacts and ecological needs of priority assets, and a review of the benefits and risks associated with existing and proposed practices (beyond prescribed burning) in reducing the impact to all priority assets into the future. For instance, thinning of overabundant natives such as wattle and removal of large fallen timber to reduce fuel loads was raised, however the effectiveness and potential adverse impacts of this action (e.g. loss of ground habitat for a range Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 6 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report of vertebrates and invertebrates) was highlighted. Participants noted the importance of accounting for climate change in planning. Implementation is a focus, but there needs to be consideration of the capacity to implement actions within 18 months (i.e. due to weather and logistics).

Habitat enhancement Weed control would be a focus, in conjunction with other actions (such as managing moisture retention in the landscape and consideration of re-planting) in suitable areas, accounting for risk (e.g. some actions may not be appropriate within the Gondwana World Heritage Area). The focus of investment would be weeds that change landscape function (e.g. transformer weeds), or where impacts are severe (i.e. a ‘tipping point’), and investment would balance existing and emerging weed issues. Areas suggested by individual participants included: Bundjalung National Park, Bungawalbin State Conservation Area, Willi Willi Bat Cave, northern tablelands, private land adjoining natural assets, areas containing coastal Threatened Ecological Communities and areas of Gondwana World Heritage Area containing fire sensitive ecosystems. Funding for training and capacity was highlighted, as was working strategically across tenures, in partnership with local government and traditional owners.

Pest animal control Pest animal control incorporated both feral predator and herbivore control. Participants noted that pest animal control would require a cross tenure approach. Though there is currently pest management underway across the region, the phase 1 Australian Government bushfire recovery funding is ending in 2021 and participants noted it was an important opportunity to continue investment while populations have been impacted by drought and fire.

Herbivore control Participants discussed the need to manage feral herbivores, especially pigs and deer (but also goats and horses). Reducing the population of feral herbivores was considered a strategic action with broad benefits, both for priority plants, threatened ecological communities, the Gondwana World Heritage Area, and aquatic species (i.e reduce erosion risk). Actions beyond existing control programs (baiting, shooting) were raised as important components for funding (e.g. fencing).

Predator control Participants discussed controlling foxes, cats, dogs and cane toads. Managing predator populations is also likely to benefit multiple priority species, like ground dwelling mammals, amphibians and birds. Cats and foxes were highlighted as a focus. It was noted that dogs may have local impacts on populations of threatened species, and that targeted control of dogs is therefore required, although participants expressed differing views on dog control. It is important to note that dingoes are of particular cultural relevance to some groups of traditional owners in the region, so management of dogs requires consultation with traditional owners.

Riparian management Participants noted the importance of erosion control across the region. With funding constraints, participants proposed a focus on riparian management in impacted areas for priority aquatic species. Depending on the requirements of each location, actions may include exclusion fencing for stock, planting, weeding, or other erosion control works. Participants noted the additional benefits of erosion control to other priority matters and areas, beyond aquatic species. Time for discussion

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 7 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report was limited, but an indicative range of 10–25 per cent was allocated, reflecting the differing views of participants on the contribution of these actions to threatened species recovery relative to other actions. Participants noted the importance of adequately funding other strategic actions which may provide greater benefit to more of the priority assets. Given the restricted scope for where erosion control is implemented (i.e. riparian areas), some participants felt that 10 per cent of the budget was reasonable. However, further discussion is required to confirm how much of the budget is allocated to this action.

Species specific management Ex-situ restoration of plants Ex-situ restoration was considered a potential action for priority plant species, particularly those from the priority threatened ecological communities, the Gondwana World Heritage Area and those priority species known to be susceptible to myrtle rust. Actions discussed included local provenance seed collection, developing a seed bank (where possible), propagation and planting.

In-stream interventions There is an existing captive breeding program for several priority fish species (including Eastern Freshwater Cod and Purple Spotted Gudgeon). A small amount of funding would allow sections of stream to be rehabilitated to serve as release sites. The installation of Eastern Freshwater Cod hotels/nest boxes near known populations or translocation sites to enhance breeding success was also raised.

Terrestrial animal interventions More discussion is required to compile appropriate interventions for terrestrial vertebrate and invertebrate fauna, but participants considered it important to set aside funding for actions once specific needs and funding gaps had been established. Actions mentioned included ex-situ conservation of invertebrates, provision of nectar/pollen resources in the fire scar and carrying out actions specified in existing recovery plans for threatened species.

Validation surveys There was substantial discussion of the need for additional monitoring or validation of impacts of threats on species. Participants noted some funding should be allocated to monitoring and validation but had difficulty agreeing on the budget given the importance of funding other actions included in the strategy. It was noted that at least 5 per cent could be directed to validating desktop surveys of assets and threats with field data, to ensure funding is targeted and effective. 3.2 Other actions not included in the strategy The following actions were discussed by at least one group:

Education One of the breakout groups discussed the need for community outreach and education about appropriate fire management. Participants believed that funding should be directed to landholder engagement and education, to avoid the risk of ecologically inappropriate fire management practices.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 8 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Governance Given the number of bushfire recovery actions occurring in the area, one of the breakout groups discussed the importance of developing a panel of people to oversee management, collaboration and coordination in the region.

Monitoring (of natural values of the World Heritage Area) The importance of long-term monitoring of the outstanding universal values of the Gondwana World Heritage Area was discussed, to provide a baseline and inform future management decisions.

Management of connectivity Protection of rainforest and refugial areas was raised as an important focus for all actions. As well as management of buffer zones, expansion of these assets via funding for actions to improve connectivity (i.e. planting) was raised. 3.3 Additional budget More discussion would be required to determine where an additional $2 million would be spent. However, given the upper bounds for the consensus strategy exceed 100 per cent of the budget, there is justification for expanding funding across the existing suite of actions. In addition, the actions above (monitoring, education and governance) are candidates for funding.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 9 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Table 1 Proposed budget breakdown for bushfire recovery actions in the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region Note: all actions include traditional owner involvement, community engagement and monitoring

Action class Action Location Assets targeted Approximate budget per cent (%) Traditional owner led Indigenous led land management Entire region (across cultural All 10-20% healing of country + training + capacity building landscape) Habitat enhancement Weed control + additional actions to Targeted across region, notably Gondwana WHA, priority plants, 20-30% manage moisture retention including Gondwana WHA, refugia, threatened ecological communities, riparian areas and buffer regions. priority animal and aquatic species Tenure blind. Fire management Review existing fire management, update Entire region, special emphasis on All 20-30% plans, and implement management buffer regions around rainforests + refugia + threatened ecological communities Pest control Predator (foxes, cats, dogs, cane toad) and Across region targeted at rainforest Predators: small mammals, frogs, 25% herbivore control (pigs, deer, goats, + riparian + buffer regions and other ground dwellers. horses) surrounding public land Herbivores: refugia, priority plants, Oxleyan Pygmy Perch, upper montane threatened wetlands. Riparian management Management of riparian areas to reduce Targeted, across the region Aquatic priority species 10-25%* erosion Species/threatened Ex-situ restoration of plants Targeted, across the region Priority plants especially species 5% ecological community affect by myrtle rust, + threatened specific actions ecological communities In stream interventions and release of Aquatic priority species (e.g. spiny 2+% captive bred aquatic species crays) Interventions for terrestrial animals, Priority terrestrial animals* 5% including invertebrates Validation Validate maps to confirm threats, species Entire region All 5%* responses, quantify key interactions

Note: * signifies that discussion was not completed at the workshop due to time limitations

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 10 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Appendix A: Workshop agenda

Wednesday 30 September 2020

Purpose: to build on existing recovery planning work being undertaken in this region, by sharing and consolidating knowledge of existing and proposed efforts and identifying a plan for action that targets gaps in investment.

The workshop aims to:

1) work with regional partners to identify the regional priorities amongst the species, ecological communities, natural assets and heritage values that have been identified as high priorities for urgent management intervention, but require additional funding to secure their recovery following the devastating and unprecedented 2019-20 summer bushfires 2) identify an action plan for allocating additional funds from the Australian Government to maximise the chances of recovery of those priority species, communities, assets and values. The workshop will focus on sharing information between participants to get a clear understanding of the current state of knowledge of: the impact of these wildfires on the relevant priority species and ecological communities • the key threats facing the priority species • the key management actions to address these threats, including their effectiveness and feasibility • the recent, current and confirmed future management actions underway, with an understanding of where and when actions have been implemented • the gaps in investment for species/communities that if resolved, could result in maximising the chances of recovery. The workshop will be facilitated by Dr Libby Rumpff, University of Melbourne and will focus on a structured elicitation of potential on ground actions for priority species and ecological communities that require additional funding to best maximise the chance of recovery. Potential actions will be explored to try and arrive at a consensus.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 11 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Table 1 Detailed workshop agenda

Time (AEST) Activity 9:30am Videoconference begins Welcome – Dr Fiona Fraser, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 9:45am Facilitator will outline plan for the workshop – Dr Libby Rumpff • aims, approach, outputs. 10:00am What do we know so far? • Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment – Sam Dutton • NSW Department of Industry, Planning and Environment – Russell Madeley • North Coast / Northern Tablelands Local Land Services – Louise Orr • Questions. 10:40am Short break 10:50am Participants will break into three groups to develop conservation strategies • Groups will be given a funding envelope and be asked to allocate the funding to consolidate gaps in investment and maximise the chances of recovery for priority species/communities by 2030. Groups will be asked to identify where funding should be directed spatially using a worksheet mapping attachment. • The allocation of participants to each discussion group will be provided in the outlook invitation. 12:40pm Lunch break

1:00pm Groups will come back together and present the strategies 1:50pm Facilitator will lead the discussion on strategies to determine if there is a preferred way forward or a consensus strategy asking: • Where are the similarities and differences? • Can we iterate and combine elements? • Are differences about values, uncertainty, or something else? • Candidates for adaptive management? 3:20pm Facilitator will outline next steps 3.30pm Workshop ends

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 12 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Appendix B: Participating organisations

Attendees

Armidale Regional Council

Big Scrub Landcare

Birdlife Australia

Botanic Gardens and Centennial Parklands

Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel

Coffs Harbour Local Aboriginal Land Council

Department of Primary Industries (NSW) *

Department of Industry, Planning and Environment (NSW) *

Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation

Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area Technical and Scientific Committee

Jaliigirr Biodiversity Alliance *

Kempsey Shire Council

Ngullingah Jugun (Our Country) Aboriginal Corporation

North Coast Local Land Services *

North Coast Regional Landcare Network

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services *

NSW Aboriginal Land Council

Rous County Council

Southern Cross University

Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council

Taronga Zoo

University of New England

WWF Australia

Yaegl Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 13 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Observers

Conservation Volunteers Australia

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

Department of Environment and Science (QLD)

Plus additional representatives from some organisations above marked with *

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 14 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Appendix C: Regional profile for the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 15 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

2019–20 Bushfires recovery planning regional profile Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands

September 2020

This regional profile draws from multiple sources of information and planning processes, including those undertaken by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 16 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Note: minor edits have been to the regional profile which was provided to workshop participants to allow for publication.

Cover photo credit: Darcy Grant

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 17 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Executive summary

The Australian Government is investing $110 million over two years to provide strategic on- ground support for the most impacted native species, ecological communities and natural assets such as World Heritage Areas and Ramsar wetlands across seven bushfire affected regions. The ‘Rainforests of NSW north coast and tablelands’ has been identified as one of these regions.

• An indicative allocation of $13 million will be used for discussion about how to direct investment in the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region. • Recovery activities can occur on public and private land and must be completed by June 2022. • Funds can be spent anywhere within the region, not only the burnt areas or rainforest communities, if they are supporting the recovery of matters directly affected by the recent bushfire. A broad analysis of available data, including burnt area, fire severity and impact on assets is summarised below.

• Based on a national analysis by the Australian Government the following matters have been identified as priorities for investment: − Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area – its outstanding universal values relate to major stages of the Earth’s evolutionary history, ongoing geological and biological processes, and exceptional biological diversity. It is a hotspot of biodiversity with ancient and primitive species alongside a large diversity of rare and threatened species. It contains the greatest density of plant and animal lineages and communities with ancient origins in Gondwana, many of which are restricted to the Gondwana Rainforests, and protects the largest stands of rainforest remaining in this region. − 10 vertebrate animals, including Hastings River mouse, Parma wallaby, Rufous Scrub- bird, Rainforest Cool-skink, Mortiz’s Leaf-tail gecko plus nine frog species − New England Peppermint Grassy Woodlands and Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia Threatened Ecological Communities, both listed as Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). − 17 invertebrate animals and 13 crayfish in the genus Euastacus − 11 plant species. • The NSW Government has identified additional priorities: − five Threatened Ecological Communities listed under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 − three additional animal species, together with a suite of bats, large forest owls and key species occurring in the Gondwana Rainforest World Heritage Area − seven plant species that are illustrative of species that were significantly impacted by the bushfires and facing additional cumulative threats to post-fire recovery.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 18 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

• Protection of unburnt areas / refugia; minimising impacts from human activities; weed, erosion and sedimentation control; feral predator and herbivore control; and disease control are identified as key actions for these priority matters. • There is existing funding on species surveying, mapping and monitoring protocols. These will not be a focus of this funding; actions that survey or monitor species must be directly connected to on ground recovery actions. The purpose of the workshop will be to:

1) test and validate or edit the priority matters and actions for this region 2) discuss where in the region recovery efforts should be focused. The region

The Rainforests of NSW north coast and tablelands region (referred to hereafter as Rainforests of NSW) is defined by the boundaries of the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services region and the North Coast Local Land Services region and covers 7,155,320 hectares.

A total of 268,845 hectares (73 per cent) of the Gondwana Rainforest of Australia World Heritage Site is within the region. Of this, 123,202 hectares (46 per cent) was affected by fire. Coarser fire extent and severity mapping used by the NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment suggests a slightly higher figure of 165,305 hectares was affected by fires.

Note: The NSW figure is based on broader range mapping of fire extent at 3 February 2020: RFS Fire Ground Map. The Australian Government figures are based on a fire severity dataset (AUS GEEBAM, July 2020, produced by NSW for the Australian Government) which limits burnt area extent to a subset of areas within the broader RFS-derived extent mapping. It displays a narrower footprint of fire extent as some patches are shown as being unburnt.

Traditional owners

Aboriginal people have a strong cultural connection with the lands and waters of the Rainforests of NSW region and are actively engaged in managing and protecting their country.

Gaagal Wanggaan National Park is jointly managed through a leaseback agreement between the Gumbaynggirr people and National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. The Gumbaynggirr people have determined native title rights for this park. The park is located on the mid north coast between Nambucca Heads and Scotts Head, and was not burnt in the 2019-20 bushfires.

The Githabul people have determined native title rights over national parks and state forests in the region. The Githabul Indigenous Land Use Agreement recognises these rights and is a joint management arrangement covering 11 national parks and reserves, Tooloom Falls Aboriginal Place, a number of state forests and a stock reserve in the Kyogle, Woodenbong and Tenterfield areas, north east NSW. The Githabul National Parks Management Committee advises the National Parks and Wildlife Service on park management. This area was burnt.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 19 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

The Western Bundjalung people have determined native title rights over national parks, state forests and Crown lands in the region. The Western Bundjalung Indigenous Land Use Agreement includes 24 national parks and 19 state forests covering the area between Grafton and Tenterfield. It establishes consultative arrangements between the native title holders and National Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Corporation, NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment Crown lands and DPI Fisheries. This area was burnt.

The Bundjalung people of Byron Bay have determined native title rights and four Indigenous Land Use Agreements with the NSW Government covering lands, beaches and coastal waters in the far north coast of NSW: Arakwal ILUA 1, Byron Bay ILUA 2, Ti Tree Lake ILUA 3, and Byron Bay (Cavanbah) ILUA 4. The traditional owners work with Byron Shire Council, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Crown lands and a range of community groups to manage the lands. The Arakwal National Park Management Committee is an advisory committee for seven national parks. This area was not burnt.

The Bandjalang people have determined native title rights over 19 national parks and 14 state forests and Crown lands in the region, between Evans Head and Woody Head and north west to Casino. This area was burnt.

The Yaegl people have determined native title rights over nine national parks, three state forests, Crown lands, waterways and the sea in the Yamba and Maclean areas and to the south of that area. This area was burnt.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service works with the Wollumbin Consultative Committee for the management of Wollumbin National Park. This area was not burnt. The National Parks and Wildlife Service also works with the Aboriginal community in the management of Serpentine Nature Reserve through a Memorandum of Understanding.

There are seven Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) in this region which are managed for their conservation values by traditional owners, refer to Table 2 below for details. In addition to Indigenous rangers working on these IPAs, there are Indigenous rangers and green teams undertaking caring for country activities on public and private lands in the region including the Githabul Aboriginal Rangers, the Ngulingah Nimbin Rocks Rangers, the Darrunda Wajaarr Rangers and the Mid North Coast Rangers (TIDE). 2019–20 fire extent and severity

Approximately 23 per cent of this region was burnt in the 2019–20 fires, with 50 per cent (ha) of the fire scar occurring on public land. Over 43 per cent of public lands in this region were burnt, compared with 15 per cent of private land.

A summary of fire impact and severity in this region is shown in Table 1 and a fire severity map is at Map 1.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 20 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Table 1 Fire impact and severity in the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region

Region Total Total hectares Per cent (%) Fire Severity Per cent (%) hectares burnt of total Index burnt at high hectares or very high burnt severity Rainforests of NSW 7,155,320 1,633,194 23% 40 45%

North Coast NRM 3,204,543 934,911 29% 42 47%

Northern Tablelands NRM 3,950,777 698,283 18% 39 44%

Note: Three classes of fire severity have been mapped (GEEBAM) with the most severe being “very high”. The fire severity index (max of 100) weights the three different classes of severity, with higher weights to more severe classes. This index is used in the calculation of the spatial priority index (SPI) discussed below. The “per cent burnt at high or very high severity” figure gives an alternative, complementary view of how severe the 2019–20 fires were. For context, the most severely burnt NRM had a burnt area of 38 per cent and a figure of 83 per cent for high and very high severity.

Australian Government data suggests that fire impacted approximately 40 per cent of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area across NSW and Queensland, of which 41 per cent burnt with a high or very high severity. Mapping used by the NSW Department of Industry, Planning and Environment suggests a higher figure of 54 per cent of the area was burnt. Many areas have not been subject to wildfire since the 1950s. Rainforests are highly fire- sensitive ecosystems and can be significantly impacted even at very low fire severity. As an example, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park suffered 25 per cent total rainforest canopy loss – in excess of 2,500 hectares.

Australian Government data indicates that 123,202 ha (46 per cent) of the World Heritage Area located in the Rainforests of NSW region was burnt. This includes 16 of the 28 Gondwana Rainforest reserves in NSW, and 14 of the 26 reserves which are in the region. Mapping by NSW suggests that 165,305 hectares and 61 per cent of the World Heritage Area in this region was burnt (see reference above for information on the differences in mapping data).

There is significant concern within the Aboriginal community regarding Aboriginal cultural heritage impacts, including biodiversity impacts, from fires within this region as a result of the 2019–2020 bushfires. The NSW Government has undertaken post fire rapid Aboriginal cultural heritage assessments in national parks with the Githabul people, Western Bundjalung people, Yaegl people and Bandjalang people

Little Llangothlin Nature Reserve Ramsar Wetland was not directly impacted by the bushfires, however fires were present less than 7 kilometres to the north-east. It is not considered further in this document.

Three Indigenous Protected Areas in the Rainforests of NSW region were impacted by the fires, based on a review of the fire mapping data available (Table 2).

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 21 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Table 2 Indigenous Protected Areas burnt during the 2019–20 fires

Indigenous Protected Area Size (ha) Fire impact Wattleridge IPA 645 Yes - large proportion burnt with pockets of high intensity fire Minyumai IPA 2,163 Yes Ngunya Jargoon IPA 864 Yes – some areas of high intensity fire, note that this fire is isolated and confined to the IPA Tarriwa Kurrukun IPA 930 No - but fires adjoining northern part of property in Single National Park Dorodong IPA 81 No - fires to approxmitely 4km to the north and 10km to the west Boorabee and The Willows IPA 2,900 No Gumma IPA 103 No

Map 1 Fire severity mapping, Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 22 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority matters impacted by 2019–20 bushfires

The Wildlife and Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel (Expert Panel) has released provisional lists of species known or presumed to have been severely impacted by the 2019–20 bushfires and which are considered the highest priority for management intervention – referred to below as ‘priority matters’.

The potential impact of the 2019–20 fires on matters of national environmental significance listed under the EPBC Act, together with priority non-listed species identified by the Expert Panel has been further rapidly analysed using spatial data on the known and likely distributions of these species. Using currently available mapping, a total of 176 priority matters have been identified within the region:

• one natural asset: Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area • four Threatened Ecological Communities • 43 priority vertebrate animals • 57 invertebrate animals • 71 priority plant species. A full list of these matters including hectares burnt, fire severity and a spatial priority index score is provided (Appendix 1). For context, based on available data, the median number of matters across all NRM regions is 12, and the maximum is 322 (South East NSW).

A spatial priority index (SPI) has been developed by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment as a relative value score for the potential degree of consequence of the 2019-20 bushfires for species and other natural values. The score is out of 100. High SPI matters are likely to have smaller, and therefore entirely burnt, ranges with a large proportion of high severity fire. The SPI is used by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment as a broad guide to bushfire impacts and a means of understanding and comparing impacts at a national scale. Finer grained data and ecological information is required to provide a more comprehensive understanding of environmental impacts and management responses for particular ecological communities or species, including information on fire history and species response to fire (for example even low severity fire can have significant impact on rainforest species). Further information on the SPI is at Appendix 2. Areas of focus for recovery investment

Based on a review of the data, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment suggests the following national priorities for investment in the Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands region. The priorities, in particular the species lists, will continue to be revised as our knowledge base grows and further information from field impact assessments becomes available.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 23 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority natural assets

• Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area with 46 per cent of its area burnt in this region. The World Heritage Area encompasses a diversity of ecosystems which have been severely impacted by the 2019–2020 fires. Initiating actions to support the recovery of fire-affected ecosystems is a high priority in both rainforests and associated wet sclerophyll forests which provide additional habitat and linkages for rainforest species. Some 56 types of rainforest and 66 types of wet sclerophyll forest have been identified in the world heritage area, of which 12 rainforests and 33 wets sclerophyll forests are estimated to be at medium or high risk of decline due to fire in combination with other threats. Loss of ecosystem diversity would significantly impact on the world heritage values.

Threatened Ecological Communities

• New England Peppermint (Eucalyptus nova-anglica) Grassy Woodlands – listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act with 84 per cent of its range within the region. Of this 41 per cent was burnt. • Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia – listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act with 46 per cent of its range within the region. Of this 39 per cent was burnt. Additional Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs) are listed under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and have been identified by the NSW Government as priority communities because they were significantly impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires and are facing additional cumulative threats to post-fire recovery (Table 3). In addition to listed TECs, Rainforests and Wet Sclerophyll Forests, a wide range of Dry Sclerophyll Forests, Heathlands and Wetlands have also been identified as being severely impacted by the fires. These are listed in Attachment 1.

Table 3 Threatened Ecological Communities identified as priorities in NSW for this region

NSW Threatened Ecological Community Per cent (% Management actions to reduce fire- burnt 2019-20 related risks of decline, and promote post (range of fire recovery estimates) White Gum Moist Forest in the NSW North 33-54% • post-fire ground survey Coast Bioregion • targeted fencing to exclude grazing Grey Box-Grey Gum Wet Sclerophyll Forest 51-59% • monitor myrtle rust in the NSW North Coast Bioregion • monitor tree health • weed survey/treatment Carex Sedgeland of the New England 22-31% • post-fire ground survey Tableland, Nandewar, Brigalow Belt South • targeted fencing to exclude grazing and NSW North Coast Bioregions • control of feral pigs, horses, deer, goats Montane Peatlands and Swamps of the New 25-59% • manage access England Tableland, NSW North Coast • weed survey/treatment Upland Wetlands of the Drainage Divide of 25-59% • restrict approvals for water extraction the New England Tableland Bioregion • planning to accommodate co- dependency of management actions

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 24 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority vertebrate animals

The following animals have been identified as comprising attributes of the Outstanding Universal Values of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, as referenced in the Australian Government’s state of conservation advice to the World Heritage Committee, and are priority species identified by the Expert Panel as requiring urgent management intervention. Species shown in bold below have been identified as high priorities based on the Australian Government’s rapid analysis of data. • Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillate • Rufous Scrub-Bird Atrichornis rufescens • Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus • Parma Wallaby Notomacropus parma • Hastings River Mouse Koonto Pseudomys oralis • Albert’s Lyrebird Menura alberti • nine frog species in the genera Philoria, Litoria, and Mixophyes (see Appendix 2 for a list of relevant species) Information on the total species range and area within the region, extent of habitat burnt and fire severity for priority species is provided in Appendix 1.

The following additional animal species (Table 4) have been identified as priorities for investment by the Australian Government and/or the NSW Government due to predicted impacts at a national or state level:

Table 4 Additional priority animal species identified for investment Expert National (the State Comment Panel Department (Department priority of of Planning Agriculture, Industry and Water and Environment) the Environment) Clarence River Cod X X This species is listed as Endangered under the EPBC Act and has 100 per cent of its range in the region, 35 per cent of which was burnt, 45 per cent at high or very high severity. Mortiz’s Leaf-tail X X This species has 74 per cent of its range in Gecko the region, 36 per cent of which was burnt, 43 per cent at high or very high severity. Granite Leaf-tailed X X This species has 81 per cent of its range Gecko within the region, of which 29 per cent burnt, 43 per cent at high or very high severity. Rainforest Cool- X X This species has 81 per cent of its range in skink the region, 36 per cent of which was burnt, 48 per cent at high or very high severity. Dusky Antechinus X X 39 per cent of range burnt, dependent on dense understorey, vulnerable to predation and too frequent fire.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 25 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Expert National (the State Comment Panel Department (Department priority of of Planning Agriculture, Industry and Water and Environment) the Environment) Considered at risk of increased endangerment. X Insectivorous bats provide important ecosystem services, are data deficient and considered at high risk. Species of A suite of particular concern include the Eastern insectivorous bats Bent-winged Bat, Little Bent-winged Bat (for which the only known maternity roost site in NSW, located in the Gondwana Rainforests, was burnt), Hoary Wattled Bat, and Eastern Pipistrelle. Large forest owls X Considered at high risk due to combined effects of drought, extensive extent of the wildfires, and logging, resulting in severe decline in prey, hollows and habit (Barking, Powerful, Masked and Sooty Owls) Key Gondwana X A suite of species considered at high risk Rainforests World from combined effects of severe fire, high Heritage Area frequency fire, predation, and loss of tree species hollows (e.g. Fawn-footed Melomys, Stephen’s Banded Snake and Rufous Bettong).

Spotted Quail X 49 per cent of range burnt, vulnerable to Thrush predation, dependent on low vegetation. Considered at risk of increased endangerment. Coastal Petaltail X Figures on per cent area burnt not currently available. Lives in coastal swamps, restricted distribution, considered vulnerable to high severity fire. EPBC Act listing: Endangered Note: Kate’s Leaf-tail Gecko has 100 per cent of its range in the region, 77 per cent of which was burnt, 60 per cent at high or very high severity. It has not been included in the list above because funding of $154,475 has recently been granted to Border Ranges-Richmond Valley Landcare Network Incorporated to undertake post-fire surveys and recovery actions, including pest control, for this species. Priority invertebrate species

Thirteen crayfish in the genus Euastacus are considered to comprise part of the outstanding universal values of the Gondawana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area and have been identified as priority species by the Expert Panel. A number of these species are identified in Appendix 1, including Ellen Clark’s Crayfish which had 100 per cent of its range within the region, of which 77 per cent was burnt, 58 per cent at high or very high intensity.

In addition, 17 priority invertebrates are identified that had 100 per cent of their range within the region, of which more than 50 per cent was burnt (Table 5) . Many of these species have a range of 300-1500 hectares.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 26 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Table 5 Additional priority invertebrates identified for investment

Per Per cent cent Per cent (%) (%) of (%) of of range Matter Scientific name range range burnt at burnt within high/ v. high within region region Palethorpe's Pinwheel Snail Rhophodon palethorpei 100% 100% 97% Mottled Grass-skipper Anisynta cynone anomala 100% 77% 72% Sunburst Pinwheel Snail Letomola lanalittleae 100% 98% 41% Mount Sebastopol Bristle Snail Austrochloritis marksandersi 100% 93% 44% Sebastopol Pinwheel Snail Egilomen sebastopol 100% 90% 35% Kookaburra Pinwheel Snail Macleayropa kookaburra 100% 80% 44% Macleay Valley Pinwheel Snail Gyrocochlea janetwaterhouseae 100% 69% 46% a lace bug Eritingis trivirgata 100% 69% 37% Mount Seaview Pinwheel Snail Elsothera kyliestumkatae 100% 68% 48% Boonanghi Pinwheel Snail Macleayropa boonanghi 100% 68% 47% Kippara Forest Bristle Snail Austrochloritis kippara 100% 80% 24% a lace bug Epimixia vulturna 100% 75% 15% Mount Seaview Bristle Snail Austrochloritis seaviewensis 100% 65% 24% Kempsey Copper Pinwheel Snail Diphyoropa macleayana 100% 59% 44% Aeluropis Skipper, Mountain Skipper Mesodina aeluropis 40% 93% 68% Macleay Valley Woodland Snail Galadistes akubra 100% 58% 48% Wauchope Pinwheel Snail Gyrocochlea wauchope 100% 55% 26%

Priority plant species

Eleven priority plant species have been identified that have more than 90 per cent of their range within this region, of which more 80 per cent burnt, and more than 50 per cent of this at high or very high severity (with the exception of Binghi Homoranthus which had a 33 per cent high severity rating):

• Kardomia prominens • Boronia inflexa subsp torringtonensis • Eucalyptus pachycalyx subsp. Banyabba Banyabba Shiny-barked Gum • Cassinia heleniae • Prostanthera staurophylla • Macrozamia johnsonii • Gentiana wissmannii New England Gentian • Eucalyptus scopulorum

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 27 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

• Olearia oliganthema • Homoranthus binghiensis Binghi Homoranthus • Styphelia perileuca. Two additional species are considered to comprise part of the values of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area as referenced in the Australian Government’s state of conservation advice to the World Heritage Committee, but are not included on the Expert Panel’s list of priority species:

• Nightcap Oak Eidothea hardeniana – listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act. This species is monitored at individual level under the NSW Saving our Species program. An estimated 61 of 253 plants were killed by fire and 78 plants were damaged; emergency ex- situ collection of germplasm has been undertaken and monitoring is being undertaken to investigate survival, recovery and fire thresholds. An additional 80 new unburnt plants were discovered during the post-fire assessment (new total of 388 plants). • Antarctic Beech Nothofagus moorei – preliminary data indicated that most stands of this species were unburnt at the time of the State of Conservation update. Burnt stands showed a small proportion of trees affected, with re-sprouting occurring (Australian Government 2020). Further assessment suggests that initial fire mapping may have underestimated impacts and that associated peat soils have been lost, and further analysis is required to better understand impacts. These species have not been included as high priorities for investment by the Australian Government, given existing recovery efforts and impacts. However, the NSW Government considers they remain priorities due to the high risk to these species from climate change and changing fire regimes and limited resources to assess delayed fire impacts.

A significant number of additional plants have more than 90 per cent of their modelled habitat within the region, of which more than 60 per cent of this was burnt, many at more than 50 per cent high or very high severity (refer Appendix 1).

The following additional critically endangered flora species have been identified by the NSW Government as illustrative of species that were significantly impacted by the 2019–20 bushfires and are facing additional cumulative threats to post-fire recovery (Table 6). A full list of the additional flora species identified is in Appendix 3.

Table 6 Additional flora species identified by the NSW Government for investment

Species Predicted risk drivers Euphrasia arguta Drought / High fire frequency / Fire severity / Weeds / Erosion Pimelea cremnophila Herbivory / Fire severity Pimelea bracteate Herbivory / Disease / Cumulative fire risk Rhodamnia rubescens Disease Callitris oblonga subsp. corangensis Drought / Fire severity

Note: Pimelea cremnophila was also identified as a priority by the Expert Panel – refer Appendix 1 for fire severity information

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 28 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority actions for recovery

The Expert Panel has provided advice on the kinds of actions that can best encourage recovery and avoid the extinction of a species or ecological community. These actions apply specifically to matters on the Expert Panel’s published list of priority matters.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment understands the following recovery actions as priorities for investment to assist the recovery of animals and plants in the Rainforests of the NSW region, noting that some of these immediate actions may no longer be required.

Additional and/or more specific recovery actions identified by the NSW Government are indicated in italics below.

Actions for priority natural assets

• Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area: these would include the same actions as below, including validation of impacts to world heritage values to inform conservation and adaptive management. Actions for Threatened Ecological Communities

Note these are general for all priority Threatened Ecological Communities

• supporting fauna (including through controlling introduced predators) • weed, erosion and sedimentation control • minimising grazing and trampling pressure on recovering vegetation (including fencing), followed by assisted revegetation in key areas if needed. • protection of fire sensitive communities (rainforests) from future fires • disease control post fires, phytophthora and myrtle rust. Actions for priority animals

• protection of unburnt areas / refugia • management of silivicultural/forestry impacts • management of land-clearing and habitat fragmentation impacts • feral predator and herbivore control. Actions for priority plants

High priority:

• excluding prescribed fire from areas currently below recommended fire frequency thresholds for species

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 29 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

• implement protection measures (including rapid response to wildfire) for species at risk from too frequent fires

• minimising development impacts and habitat disturbance from human activities

• preventing illegal collection or over-collecting of germplasm or plants

• carefully planned translocation where necessary

• herbivore control

• disease control post fires / phytophthora and myrtle rust.

Medium priority:

• field inspections – seedling emergence and resprouting assessment • excluding forestry/silvicultural impacts • weed control. For some fire-affected species recovery actions may not yet be well understood, and additional research may be needed to guide recovery. A list of specific recovery actions identified by the Expert Panel relevant to the priority animal and plant species identified for investment is at Appendix 4. Actions funded to date

Australian Government

As part of the Australian Government’s initial $50 million Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery investment, $4.11 million has been directly invested in the Rainforests of NSW region:

• $1.5 million has been allocated to the NRM regions for recovery actions including pest animal control, weed control and habitat restoration: − $750,000 to North Coast Local Land Services − $750,000 to Northern Tablelands Local Land Services • $617,275 for Tranche 2 bushfire recovery grants, with all activity occurring in the region focusing on survey and assessment of threatened plants and Kate's Leaf- tailed Gecko • $2 million has been provided to North Coast Local Land Services for the protection of Koala’s in Northern NSW. A further $477,000 has been provided to the NSW Government for work on threatened species occurring within this region: Little Bent-winged Bat, Parma Wallaby, Pygmy Cypress Pine, Red- legged Pademelon, Sphagnum Frog, Stuttering Frog, Pughs Mountain Frog, Eastern Bristlebird, Native Guava, Scrub Turpentine, Bell’s Turtle and Lowland Rainforest in the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin Bioregions, as well as work on forest eucalypt dieback associated with psyllids, Bell Miners and myrtle rust.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 30 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

An additional $2 million has been provided to the NSW Government for state-wide pest control work, targeting pigs, goats, deer and foxes.

$5.28 million has been granted for projects (Tranche 1 and 2) where some activities are being undertaken in the region. These activities include threatened species assessment and field survey, developing methods for monitoring and establishing monitoring programs, identifying priority recovery actions, habitat restoration work and establishing captive breeding colonies.

Funds of $374,757 will be spent by the National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub in on-ground surveys within this region or research of direct relevance to species in the region, such as the Koala as well as natural assets, including the impacts of myrtle rust including in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage property.

Appendix 5 provides information on these allocations and project activities. NSW Government

Threatened species

The NSW Government’s Saving our Species (SoS) program allocated $23 million across the state to protecting 400 threatened species and ecological communities in 2019–20. The existing SoS funding, supplemented by Tranche 1 Australian Government post-fire funding, supported emergency fire response actions and assessment during the fires and in the immediate post-fire response.

Within the NRM regions, SoS and partners contributed $3.43 million in cash and $2.31 million of in-kind investment at 470 sites for 195 projects. Of the 38 priority species identified by the Expert Panel that have identified SoS sites within the NRM regions, SoS and partners contributed $1.77 million cash and $0.9 million of in-kind investment.

Activities include:

• developed innovative mapping products to define burnt areas and fire severity information that underpins knowledge about impacts and bushfire recovery priorities • providing immediate support for the wildlife rehabilitation and care sector including $1 million in emergency bushfire funding, $500,000 of this funding was made available as grants to wildlife rehabilitation sector through the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife • rapidly establishing a program of supplementary feeding for important populations of key threatened species including Koala, Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, and Mountain Pygmy Possum • seed collection for a number of threatened plant species • aerial shooting program – largest program undertaken on national parks and reserves in NSW to remove feral predators and herbivores • post-fire weed control activities in national parks and reserve

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 31 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

• undertaking site assessments for species and communities identified by the Australian Government as those most in need of urgent management intervention to assess the recovery of key species and ecological communities. Funds to Local Land Services

The NSW Government allocated $17 million to Local Land Services (LLS) for a range of activities:

• $3.15 million to Northern Tablelands LLS • $5.4 million to North Coast LLS. Funding is available for pest animal control, weed control and animal welfare services, which could include ground cover reestablishment. The majority of this funding will be directed towards private land, which also contributes to biodiversity conservation.

Funds to landholders for fencing

The NSW Government has also committed $209 million to assist landholders re-establish boundary fences between private property and crown land such as national park, state forest and Travelling Stock Reserves. This helps landholders contain domestic stock so grazing does not impact on these areas which are important for biodiversity conservation. To date, North Coast LLS has provided $6.2 million to private landholders through this program, and Northern Tablelands LLS has provided $4.5 million.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 32 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Caveats

The information presented in this document is largely drawn from the Bushfire Recovery Environmental Analysis Decision Support (BREADS) tool, version v20.05 21Aug2020. It was prepared by the Geospatial and Information Analytics (ERIN) Branch, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

The BREADS tool has been developed to synthesize existing available environmental information to support broad level Natural Resource Management decision making needs in the context of the 2019-2020 bushfires. It includes a spatial priority index (SPI) which ranks a set of given Management Units (for example Regional Land Partnerships Management Units) by weighting and combining their potentially fire-affected environmental values, taking into account both their burnt and unburnt areas, as well as the size of their overall distribution.

The tool is being continuously improved in parallel with work across the portfolio on a national response to the environmental impacts of the 2019/20 bushfires. It is likely to evolve as new information and insight on priority setting for investments comes to bear.

The BREADS tool uses outputs of a complex geospatial intersection across datasets for fire severity, fire history environmental values, tenure and management units.

Data inputs:

• Fire History Index derived from MODIS MCD64A1 v006 (monthly, 500m, since 2000) • the severity data is GEEBAM July 2020. Search "GEEBAM"on http://www.environment.gov.au/fed/catalog/main/home.page • Preliminary Analysis Area (PAA) comprising IBRA regions in southern and eastern Australia, as displayed at http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a8d10ce5- 6a49-4fc2-b94d-575d6d11c547/files/preliminary-analysis-area-19-jan-2020.pdf • the Database of Species of National Environmental Significance stores maps and point distribution information about Species of National Environmental Significance as listed in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 • NRM regions 2017 • Expert Panel list of priority matters and recommended recovery actions.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 33 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

References

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. 2020. Gondwana Rainforests of Australia state of conservation update April 2020. [online] Available at: https://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/publications [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 34 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Appendix 1: Priority assets with fire extent and severity information

Bold indicates high priority species based on the Australian Government analysis; underline indicates species identified as comprising key attributes of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. Natural assets

Table 1 Natural assets with fire extent and severity information

Matter Range EPBC Act status Total area Area in NRM Burnt % burnt Fire % high & states/territories (ha) region (ha) (ha) Severity very high Index World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World NSW, QLD List and National 368,727 268,846 123,202 46% 39 43% Heritage Area Heritage List

*Note: Little Llangothlin Nature Reserve Ramsar wetland is not included here as it was unburnt. Threatened ecological communities

This list is derived from Australian Government data on the distribution of Threatened Ecological Communities listed under the EPBC Act, and the Expert Panel’s list of priority threatened ecological communities for fire affected NRM regions.

Table 2 Threatened ecological communities with fire extent and severity information

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 35 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Matters Range states/ EPBC Act listing Expert Panel – Total ha of Total ha Ha fire % within territories regional TEC within extent in fire extent priority nationally region region in region Critically Very High 14,647 6,758 2,644 39% Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia NSW, QLD Endangered Coastal Swamp Oak (Casuarina glauca) Forest of High 40,137 16,678 2,984 18% New South Wales and South East Queensland NSW, QLD Endangered ecological community

Note: While Littoral Rainforest and Coastal Vine Thickets of Eastern Australia ecological community also occurs within the region, it is not included on the Expert Panel’s list and the data suggests that it has not been burnt in the 2019-20 bushfires.

Priority animals

Table 3 Priority animals with fire extent and severity information

MAMMALS

Hastings River Mouse, Pseudomys oralis QLD, NSW Endangered 1,134,198 958,359 84% 474,994 50% 41% 46% 16 Koontoo Parma Notamacropus QLD, NSW 2,120,909 1,391,212 66% 717,386 52% 41% 45% 12 Wallaby parma New Holland Pseudomys QLD, NSW, Mouse, Vulnerable 9,941,275 4,482,294 45% 1,582,517 35% 41% 46% 5 novaehollandiae VIC, TAS Pookila Brush-tailed Petrogale QLD, NSW, Vulnerable 11,897,065 3,500,383 29% 1,404,083 40% 41% 45% 4 Rock-wallaby penicillata VIC

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 36 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Per cent Range in Hectares of Per cent of of Range EPBC Act Total Range in Spatial NRM region species species Severity species Matter Scientific name states / listed range of NRM region Priority (% of range burnt range burnt Index range territories status species (ha) Index total) in region in region burnt at very high Long-nosed Potorous QLD, NSW, Potoroo (SE tridactylus Vulnerable 8,087,787 2,547,542 31% 715,852 28% 39% 42% 3 VIC, SA Mainland) tridactylus Yellow- QLD, NSW, Petaurus australis 22,190,938 5,044,214 23% 1,549,057 31% 41% 46% 2 bellied Glider VIC, SA Spot-tailed Quoll, Spotted-tail Dasyurus Quoll, Tiger QLD, NSW, maculatus Endangered 26,144,091 6,840,810 26% 1,628,576 24% 41% 46% 2 Quoll VIC, ACT maculatus (South- (southeastern mainland population) Greater QLD, NSW, Petauroides volans Vulnerable 24,997,159 5,154,800 21% 1,570,259 30% 41% 46% 2 Glider VIC, ACT Koala (combined populations of Phascolarctos Queensland, cinereus QLD, NSW, New South (combined Vulnerable 42,031,620 6,067,717 14% 1,479,713 24% 41% 46% 2 ACT Wales and populations of the Qld, NSW, ACT) Australian Capital Territory) Golden- Phoniscus NSW, QLD 39,956,791 4,269,873 11% 1,472,959 34% 41% 45% 2 tipped Bat papuensis QLD, ACT, Ornithorhynchus NSW, SA, Platypus - 38,351,206 5,698,245 15% 1,531,294 27% 41% 45% 1 anatinus TAS, VIC

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 37 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

BIRDS

Rufous Atrichornis QLD, NSW Endangered 661,860 454,408 69% 176,556 39% 41% 46% 11 Scrub-bird rufescens Albert's Menura alberti QLD, NSW 441,145 255,862 58% 18,472 7% 43% 46% 3 Lyrebird Superb Menura ACT NSW 14,784,281 2,362,648 16% 1,092,760 46% 40% 44% 3 Lyrebird novaehollandiae Qld Vic Red-browed Climacteris ACT NSW 17,105,059 3,442,137 20% 857,816 25% 40% 44% 2 Treecreeper erythrops Qld Vic Glossy Black- Calyptorhynchus QLD, NSW, Cockatoo 48,312,651 7,139,138 15% 1,633,194 23% 41% 46% 2 lathami lathami ACT, VIC (eastern) Black-faced Monarcha NSW Qld Vic Migratory 67,599,486 6,016,068 9% 1,600,823 27% 41% 46% 1 Monarch melanopsis Regent Anthochaera QLD, NSW, Critically 23,988,334 3,525,230 15% 367,797 10% 41% 44% 1 Honeyeater phrygia VIC, ACT, SA Endangered Eastern QLD, NSW, Ground Pezoporus wallicus - 4,389,980 183,780 4% 27,737 15% 35% 32% 0 VIC Parrot Eastern Dasyornis QLD, NSW, Endangered 369,597 23,263 6% 112 0% 20% 1% 0 Bristlebird brachypterus VIC

REPTILES

Kate's Leaf- Saltuarius kateae NSW 26,236 26,236 100% 20,185 77% 51% 60% 47 tail Gecko

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 38 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Rainforest Harrisoniascincus QLD, NSW 1,066,745 859,107 81% 311,421 36% 42% 48% 12 Cool-skink zia

Mortiz’s Leaf-tail Saltuarius moritzi NSW 3,077,905 2,290,740 74% 815,988 36% 40% 43% 11 gecko

Granite Leaf- Saltuarius NSW Qld 690,170 559,733 81% 163,244 29% 39% 43% 8 tailed Gecko wyberba

Red-tailed Calyptotis NSW 1,935,033 1,205,383 62% 375,081 31% 38% 39% 6 Calyptotis ruficauda

Georges' Snapping Turtle, Bellinger River Wollumbinia Critically NSW 1,415 1,415 100% 104 7% 27% 18% 5 Snapping georgesi Endangered Turtle, Georges Helmeted Turtle Three-toed Coeranoscincus Snake-tooth QLD, NSW Vulnerable 1,220,405 475,692 39% 65,116 14% 39% 39% 3 reticulatus Skink Manning River Helmeted Myuchelys purvisi NSW 22,873 4,074 18% 1,535 38% 28% 21% 2 Turtle, Purvis' Turtle Bell's Turtle, Western Wollumbinia belli NSW, QLD Vulnerable 48,655 20,969 43% 490 2% 27% 18% 1 Sawshelled

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 39 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

FISH

Clarence River Cod, Eastern Maccullochella ikei NSW Endangered 60,232 60,232 100% 20,801 35% 40% 45% 14 Freshwater Cod Oxleyan Nannoperca QLD, NSW Endangered 57,766 22,230 38% 10,141 46% 36% 37% 6 Pygmy Perch oxleyana Non-parasitic QLD, NSW, Mordacia praecox 820,600 82,511 10% 62,759 76% 44% 50% 3 Lamprey VIC

FROGS

Pugh's Frog Philoria pughi NSW 344,286 344,286 100% 179,834 52% 38% 41% 30

Sphagnum Philoria NSW 960,687 883,301 92% 451,735 51% 43% 49% 28 Frog sphagnicolus New England treefrog, Litoria NSW, QLD 1,650,609 1,550,771 94% 555,928 36% 41% 48% 14 Glandular subglandulosa Frog Mountain Philoria NSW, QLD 535,166 442,689 83% 185,671 42% 38% 41% 13 Frog kundagungan Giant Barred Frog, Mixophyes iteratus QLD, NSW Endangered 955,213 730,565 76% 218,991 30% 42% 46% 8 Southern Barred Frog

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 40 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Fleay's Frog Mixophyes fleayi QLD, NSW Endangered 6,435,665 2,803,730 44% 191,377 7% 45% 51% 3

SPINY CRAYFISH

Ellen Clark's Euastacus clarkae NSW 27,392 27,392 100% 19,834 72% 47% 58% 43 Crayfish Hairy Cataract Euastacus pilosus NSW 170,179 170,179 100% 71,708 42% 41% 50% 17 Crayfish Small Mountain Euastacus simplex NSW 1,253,404 1,253,404 100% 380,630 30% 40% 46% 14 Crayfish Bloodclaw Euastacus gumar NSW 242,973 242,973 100% 55,833 23% 46% 51% 9 Crayfish Small Euastacus NSW 492,068 284,486 58% 95,156 33% 36% 36% 8 Crayfish spinichelatus

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 41 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

INVERTEBRATES

Palethorpe's Rhophodon Pinwheel NSW 628 628 100% 628 100% 65% 97% 40 palethorpei Snail Mottled Anisynta cynone Grass- NSW 628 628 100% 485 77% 70% 72% 30 anomala skipper Mount Austrochloritis Sebastopol NSW 1,885 1,885 100% 1,762 93% 38% 44% 26 marksandersi Bristle Snail Sunburst Letomola Pinwheel NSW 314 314 100% 307 98% 37% 41% 26 lanalittleae Snail

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 42 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Macleay Valley Gyrocochlea NSW 4,084 4,084 100% 2,799 69% 40% 46% 18 Pinwheel janetwaterhouseae Snail Boonanghi Macleayropa Pinwheel NSW 1,256 1,256 100% 860 68% 44% 47% 17 boonanghi Snail Mount Seaview Elsothera NSW 1,571 1,571 100% 1,075 68% 42% 48% 17 Pinwheel kyliestumkatae Snail Kippara Austrochloritis Forest NSW 1,256 1,256 100% 1,001 80% 30% 24% 16 kippara Bristle Snail a lace bug Epimixia vulturna NSW 628 628 100% 469 75% 26% 15% 16

Mount Austrochloritis Seaview NSW 3,455 3,455 100% 2,253 65% 30% 24% 16 seaviewensis Bristle Snail Kempsey Copper Diphyoropa NSW 1,533 1,533 100% 897 59% 39% 44% 15 Pinwheel macleayana Snail

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 43 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Per cent Range in Hectares of Per cent of of Range EPBC Act Total Range in Spatial NRM region species species Severity species Matter Scientific name states / listed range of NRM region Priority (% of range burnt range burnt Index range territories status species (ha) Index total) in region in region burnt at very high Macleay Valley Galadistes akubra NSW 5,026 5,026 100% 2,925 58% 40% 48% 14 Woodland Snail Aeluropis Skipper, Montane Iris- Mesodina NSW 1,571 628 40% 585 93% 54% 68% 14 skipper, aeluropis Mountain Skipper Wauchope Gyrocochlea Pinwheel NSW 1,859 1,859 100% 1,031 55% 30% 26% 13 wauchope Snail Lustrous Rhophodon Pinwheel NSW 2,199 2,199 100% 1,090 50% 44% 52% 9 kempseyensis Snail Macleay Waxy Luturopa NSW 628 628 100% 252 40% 51% 64% 9 Pinwheel macleayensis Snail Nandewar Range Scelidoropa NSW 1,256 314 25% 302 96% 55% 82% 9 Pinwheel nandewar Snail Carrai Macleayropa Pinwheel NSW 1,571 1,571 100% 530 34% 44% 53% 8 carraiensis Snail Macleay Valley Georissa laseroni NSW 2,827 2,827 100% 925 33% 52% 71% 8 Microturban

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 44 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Tetramorium an ant NSW 628 314 50% 184 58% 32% 29% 4 confusum Thylacine Acanthaeschna NSW, QLD, 4,695 3,438 73% 838 24% 53% 58% 4 Darner victoria VIC Molycria a spider QLD, NSW 8,916 3,141 35% 1,581 50% 40% 50% 3 mammosa a spider Graycassis dorrigo NSW, QLD 942 942 100% 186 20% 23% 7% 2

Macksville Austrochloritis NSW 1,256 1,256 100% 93 7% 27% 18% 2 Bristle Snail paucisetosa a tenebrionid Coripera NSW, QLD 2,199 2,199 100% 177 8% 22% 6% 2 beetle morleyana

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 45 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Per cent Range in Hectares of Per cent of of Range EPBC Act Total Range in Spatial NRM region species species Severity species Matter Scientific name states / listed range of NRM region Priority (% of range burnt range burnt Index range territories status species (ha) Index total) in region in region burnt at very high Eastern Australatya Freshwater 25,758 5,968 23% 2,524 42% 39% 44% 1 striolata Shrimp Orange Alpine NSW, VIC, Xenica; Oreixenica correae 10,052 314 3% 302 96% 47% 66% 1 ACT Correa Brown Venatrix a spider NSW, QLD 3,253 314 10% 186 59% 23% 7% 1 australiensis Giant Petalura gigantea NSW 99,294 5,384 5% 545 10% 64% 81% 0 Dragonfly Storenosoma NSW, QLD, a spider 6,898 628 9% 177 28% 31% 27% 0 terraneum VIC, ACT a spider Lampona fife NSW 314 314 100% - 0% 0% 0% 0 a lucanid Safrina dekeyzeri NSW, QLD 314 314 100% - 0% 0% 0% 0 beetle Nandewar Austrorhytida Carnivorous NSW 7,853 314 4% - 0% 0% 0% 0 nandewarensis Snail Large Caliagrion NSW, QLD, 3,769 314 8% - 0% 0% 0% 0 Riverdamsel billinghursti VIC Yessabah Coenocharopa Pinwheel NSW 942 942 100% - 0% 0% 0% 0 yessabahensis Snail Contorted Letomola Pinwheel NSW 1,256 1,256 100% - 0% 0% 0% 0 contortus Snail

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 46 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 47 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report

Appendix 2: The Spatial Priority Index (SPI)

This index:

• is intended to indicate the degree of consequences of fire for species persistence, with species near the top having smaller, more severely burnt ranges

• should be taken as a broad guide only, and not used solely for determining priorities for action. It has not been scientifically peer reviewed

• was developed by bushfire analysts within the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, as part of development of the BREADS tool, described above

• is derived from overlapping the fire severity data with the known and likely habitat for each matter in a region

• is weighted by the species distribution model (SDM) total known and likely area, so large ranging species are treated equivalently to narrow endemics

• is weighted by the SDM area, so large ranging species are scored less than endemics

• takes into account the importance of unburnt areas for highly impacted species

• includes fire severity using an index which weights ‘very high’ severity as five times that of ‘low/moderate’ severity and 1.7 times that of ‘high’ severity

• includes a fire history index for the last twenty years derived from MODIS MCD64A1 v006 (monthly, 500m, since 2000). Class "Low" combines unburnt areas with areas burnt only once and so in this version has a weight set of zero. Class 2 and Class 3 reflect increasing numbers of fires and decreasing of intervals between fires. Weights applied to fire history are currently set at about half those of fire severity. This reflects the early stage of development of our fire history index, uncertainty around the ecological consequences of fire history as it plays out across different ecosystems, and that the bushfire response efforts currently underway are more driven by perceived impacts of the 2019/20 fire season than fire history

• is not ‘set in stone’ but intentionally changeable depending on the weights applied in the BREADS tool. We are currently working on a sensitivity analysis approach to show the implications of changing weights

• could be added to in the future to incorporate a range of other criteria relevant to decision making for bushfire recovery.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 48 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Picture 1: Picture from BREADS tool showing SPI calculations

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 49 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Appendix 3: Additional plants identified as priority species by NSW Government

Species Predicted risk drivers Acacia beadleana Drought / High fire frequency Callistemon sp. Waratah trig (J.B.Williams NE85940) Drought / Fire severity Eucalyptus scopulorum Drought / High fire frequency Grevillea acanthifolia High fire frequency Hibbertia rhynchocalyx Drought / High fire frequency / Disease / Fire severity / Cumulative fire risk Olearia sp. Henry River (J.B.Williams 21/Oct/1966) Drought / Fire severity Pomaderris helianthemifolia Fire severity / Cumulative fire risk Prostanthera sp. Rowleys Creek (L.M.Copeland 4288) Herbivory / Fire severity / Erosion Zieria hindii High fire frequency / Fire severity Luzula flaccida subsp. Long Anther (K.L.Wilson 828 et Herbivory al.) Cassinia theodorii Drought Juncus laeviusculus Drought Allocasuarina defungens High fire frequency Astrotricha cordata High fire frequency Bertya sp. (Chambigne NR, M. Fatemi 24) High fire frequency Bertya sp. (Clouds Creek, M. Fatemi 4) Drought / Fire severity Diuris eborensis Fire severity Eucalyptus pachycalyx subsp. banyabba Drought / High fire frequency / Other threats Grevillea guthrieana High fire frequency Hakea dohertyi Drought / Fire severity / Erosion / Cumulative fire risk Macrozamia johnsonii Drought / High fire frequency / Fire severity Philotheca obovatifolia Disease / Fire severity / Cumulative fire risk Zieria floydii Drought / High fire frequency / Cumulative fire risk Almaleea cambagei Drought / Herbivory Asterolasia beckersii Drought / Herbivory Chiloglottis anaticeps Drought / Herbivory Grevillea mollis Disease / Cumulative fire risk Hibbertia hexandra Disease Homoranthus binghiensis Drought / Herbivory / Cumulative fire risk Melichrus sp. Gibberagee Drought / Weeds / Erosion / Other threats Pimelea venosa Herbivory / Cumulative fire risk Pterostylis metcalfei Drought / Herbivory / Weeds / Other threats Triplarina imbricate Weeds Uromyrtus australis Disease

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 50 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Species Predicted risk drivers Grevillea beadleana Drought Macrozamia humilis Drought Leucopogon confertus Cumulative fire risk Grevillea linsmithii Disease / Cumulative fire risk Hibbertia marginata High fire frequency / Fire severity Prostanthera palustris High fire frequency

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 51 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report Appendix 4: Specific recovery actions identified by the Expert Panel for priority species

Table 1 Recovery actions for animals species

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 52 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority species Ecological Rapid on- Protect Emergency salvage of plant and animal Supplementary Feral predator and herbivore Additional actions traits ground unburnt species for ex-situ conservation or shelter, food, control to reduce the pressure on / comments assess areas wild-to-wild translocation. water native species where appropriate Salvage/capture Salvage/translocate Exclude herbivores Control into ex situ to nearby unburnt from unburnt/ introduced habitat or havens regenerating predators vegetation Petrogale Large Yes; In old Yes Unlikely; ex situ Unlikely Yes but now Yes Yes; NSW: undertaking penicillata herbivore; Very surveys are already exists; unlikely; short especially priority fox control. Brush-tailed susceptible to needed to note that Qld term feeding an fox. Feeding and water Rock-wallaby impacts from identify the don’t support ex option until veg stations commenced introduced core situ or salvage regenerates, but Nov 2019/Jan-Feb herbivores and populations, actions only required 2020 depending on predators and their where fire has site. These have status been intense, now been wrapped and unlikely to up as sufficient be required natural food has now. returned. Atrichornis Habitat Yes; in north Yes Maybe Maybe; if suitable Unlikely; Unlikely Maybe; Post-fire surveys rufescens specialist - priority unoccupied sites are provision of especially have been carried Rufous Scrub- (rainforest- action is available fallen cats out in New England bird eucalypt survey to timber/habitat NP (near Armidale). ecotone) describe structure 5 of 11 bird extent and possible but territories affected nature of untried/ needs by fire. impact testing. Likely to be less important than allowing natural recovery of leaf litter fauna and shrub growth. Dasyornis High predicted Yes Yes Maybe; Ex situ North: No; potential No Yes Yes Preliminary aerial brachypterus mortality from captive breeding habitat in the north survey at Nadgee Eastern fire; Required facilities already has been burnt, and NP (SE corner NSW) Bristlebird habitat has exist, but there is only three birds indicates high been declining no capacity for remaining.. proportion of (can thus be new founders in South: Yes; habitat burnt considered captive breeding emergency salvage specialised) program and undertaken in Vic, facilities may not with temporary be financially housing for EBBs to

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 53 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority species Ecological Rapid on- Protect Emergency salvage of plant and animal Supplementary Feral predator and herbivore Additional actions traits ground unburnt species for ex-situ conservation or shelter, food, control to reduce the pressure on / comments assess areas wild-to-wild translocation. water native species where appropriate Salvage/capture Salvage/translocate Exclude herbivores Control into ex situ to nearby unburnt from unburnt/ introduced habitat or havens regenerating predators vegetation secure to rescue from continue. imminent fire. Need However, analysis for northern considering best population, options and see if especially in Qld, this species would at very high risk benefit from of extirpation, translocation to and salvage may other habitat. be the best option Menura alberti High predicted Yes Yes Maybe; but note No; unburnt habitat No Unlikely; introduced Maybe; Camera and Albert's Lyrebird mortality from that Qld does not likely to be occupied herbivores especially acoustic meters at fire support ex situ uncommon in the cats existing sites - nor salvage bird's range although deployed by UWS, actions foxes are Tweed Council, and present in FNPW/NRFABCON low densities Rainforest Cool- Rainforest Yes; Yes No No No Unlikely Maybe, Collect genetic data skink species that including especially to examine genetic Harrisoniascincus may be populations cats, foxes divergence between zia particularly west of the are at low Border Ranges and sensitive to fire Main Range density in Lamington impacts; may at the species be vulnerable Lamington, range to increased and the predation from population predators after near fire Springbrook, that have not been reported for over a decade

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 54 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority species Ecological Rapid on- Protect Emergency salvage of plant and animal Supplementary Feral predator and herbivore Additional actions traits ground unburnt species for ex-situ conservation or shelter, food, control to reduce the pressure on / comments assess areas wild-to-wild translocation. water native species where appropriate Salvage/capture Salvage/translocate Exclude herbivores Control into ex situ to nearby unburnt from unburnt/ introduced habitat or havens regenerating predators vegetation Kate's Leaftail Traits don’t Yes Yes Unlikely Unlikely No Unlikely; semi Maybe; but Gecko indicate high arboreal often out of Saltuarius kateae vulnerability to reach of fire, but 100% predators of its range was burnt Moritz's Leaf- Habitat Yes Yes Unlikely Unlikely No Unlikely; semi Maybe; but tailed Gecko specialist that arboreal often out of Saltuarius prefers long reach of moritzi unburnt predators habitat Granite leaf- No traits that Yes Yes Unlikely Unlikely No No; lives among Maybe; but tailed gecko stand out for rocks often out of Saltaurius fire reach of wyberba vulnerability, predators but reasonable fire overlap for a species with a very small range Philoria pughi Yes Yes Unlikely; but No No Maybe Yes, pigs Good forestry Pugh's Frog potentially destroy management necessary burrows. practices important pending post-fire assessment Philoria Yes Yes Maybe No No Maybe Unknown sphagnicola Sphagnum Frog Philoria Yes Yes No; Qld does not No No Maybe; pig control Unknown Lantana control, in kundagungan support ex situ (relatively recent burnt brushbox Mountain frog, or salvage invader to main communities until Red & Yellow actions range) canopy closes. Mountain Frog Possibly control

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 55 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 56 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 57 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority species Ecological Rapid on- Protect Emergency salvage of plant and animal Supplementary Feral predator and herbivore Additional actions traits ground unburnt species for ex-situ conservation or shelter, food, control to reduce the pressure on / comments assess areas wild-to-wild translocation. water native species where appropriate Salvage/capture Salvage/translocate Exclude herbivores Control into ex situ to nearby unburnt from unburnt/ introduced habitat or havens regenerating predators vegetation Euastacus unlikely to be fish (Trout SEAP) across clarkae feasible & Redfin) crayfish, including the priority species NSW DPI: Species not listed in NSW. Only recommended option at this stage is surveys. Mud Gully Yes Yes Maybe; need to Maybe; wild-to-wild No Yes; horses, pigs Maybe; pigs, Consistent Crayfish assess feasibility translocations foxes plus conservation Euastacus possible in the future Cane Toad assessment (e.g. dalagarbe also listed SEAP) across as a crayfish, including potential the priority species threat NSW DPI: Species not listed in NSW. Only recommended option at this stage is surveys. Smooth Crayfish Yes Yes Yes; emergency No, but maybe later; No Yes; horses, pigs Maybe; pigs, Consistent Euastacus rescue to ex-situ has a very small foxes plus conservation girurmulayn range, extent of fire Cane Toad assessment (e.g. overlap needs to be also listed SEAP) across resolved with on as a crayfish, including ground survey potential the priority species before feasibility of threat NSW DPI: Species translocation can be not listed in NSW. considered Only recommended option at this stage is surveys. Bloodclaw Yes Yes Yes; some No, but maybe later; No Yes; horses, pigs Maybe; pigs, Consistent Crayfish already range 100% fire- foxes plus conservation Euastacus gumar conducted (but affected, so Cane Toad assessment (e.g. insufficient) translocations also listed SEAP) across

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 58 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Priority species Ecological Rapid on- Protect Emergency salvage of plant and animal Supplementary Feral predator and herbivore Additional actions traits ground unburnt species for ex-situ conservation or shelter, food, control to reduce the pressure on / comments assess areas wild-to-wild translocation. water native species where appropriate Salvage/capture Salvage/translocate Exclude herbivores Control into ex situ to nearby unburnt from unburnt/ introduced habitat or havens regenerating predators vegetation unlikely to be as a crayfish, including feasible now, but potential the priority species could be considered threat NSW DPI: Species in the future. not listed in NSW. Only recommended option at this stage is surveys. Blue-Black Yes Yes Yes; emergency No, but maybe later; No Yes; horses, pigs Maybe pigs, Consistent Crayfish rescue to ex-situ has a very small foxes plus conservation Euastacus range, extent of fire Cane Toad assessment (e.g. jagabar overlap needs to be also listed SEAP) across resolved with on as a crayfish, including ground survey potential the priority species before feasibility of threat NSW DPI: Species translocation can be not listed in NSW. considered Only recommended option at this stage is surveys. Morgan's Yes Yes Yes; emergency No, but maybe later; No Unknown Unknown; Consistent Crayfish rescue to ex-situ has a very small threats conservation Euastacus range, extent of fire poorly assessment (e.g. morgani overlap needs to be understood SEAP) across resolved with on crayfish, including ground survey the priority species before feasibility of NSW DPI: Species translocation can be not listed in NSW. considered Only recommended option at this stage is surveys. • Hairy Yes Yes Maybe; need to Maybe; wild-to-wild No Yes; horses, pigs Maybe; pigs, Consistent Cataract assess feasibility translocations foxes plus conservation Crayfish possible in the future Cane Toad assessment (e.g. Euastacus also listed SEAP) across pilosus as a

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 59 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 60 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report

Table 2 Recovery actions for plant species

Scientific name Common name Criteria Kardomia prominens D, I, J Boronia inflexa subsp torringtonensis B, D, E, J Eucalyptus pachycalyx subsp. Banyabba Banyabba Shiny-barked Gum B, D, E Cassinia heleniae E Prostanthera staurophylla Not listed Macrozamia johnsonii Johnson’s Cycad A, D, E, I Gentiana wissmannii New England Gentian A, C, E, J Eucalyptus scopulorum A, D, E Olearia oliganthema D Homoranthus binghiensis Binghi Homoranthus A, B, D, E, J Styphelia perileuca A, D, E, J

The criteria are as follows:

A. Interactive effects of fire and drought

B. Short fire intervals (impacts of high fire frequency)

C. Post-fire herbivore impacts

D. Fire-disease interactions

E. High fire severity

F. Weed invasion

G. Elevated winter temperatures or changed temperature regimes

H. Fire sensitivity

I. Post-fire erosion

J. Cumulative exposure to high risks

K. Other plausible threats or expert-driven nominations

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 61 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Picture 1 Suggested management actions for high priority plant species

Criteria[1] Management Action A B C D E F G H I J Urgency of action[2]

Field inspections – damage and threats x x x x x Immediate

Germplasm collection x x x Immediate

Field inspections - resprouting assessment x x x Immediate

Field inspections - seedling emergence assessment x x x x Immediate

Disease – field assessments and emergency germplasm x Immediate collection of cuttings where resprouting is affected

Exclude forestry/silvicultural impacts x x x x x Immediate

Alleviate herbivory x x x Immediate

Field inspections - recovery assessment x Medium-term

Irrigation x Medium-term

Carefully planned translocation x x x x x x x x x Medium-term

Weed control x x x Medium-term Exclude prescribed fire x x x x x x x x x x Medium-term Rapid response to wildfire x x x x x x x x x x Medium-term Minimise development impacts x x x x x x x x x x Ongoing Alleviate pollinator competition from feral bees and European x x x x Medium-term wasp / Ongoing Prevent illegal collecting or over-collecting of germplasm or x x x x x x x x x x Ongoing plants Minimise habitat disturbance from human activities x x x x x x x x x x Ongoing

Wildlife and Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel 2020 Provisional list of plants requiring urgent management intervention, Released on 23 April 2020

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 62 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report

Appendix 5: Australian Government funding investment

Summary

Table 1: summary of Australian Government funding Table 2 Summary of NSW Government funding

Source Funding Source Funding NRM (Phase 1 and 2 bushfire recovery) $1,500,000 Save our Species 2018-19 $23,000,000 Some funds invested in emergency fire response actions and assessment Environmental Restoration Fund $2,000,000 State bushfire recovery to North Coast & Northern NCLLS - $5,400,000 Koalas on North Coast Tablelands Local Land Services for pest animal NTLLS - $3,150,000 control, weed control and animal welfare NSW Government bushfire recovery – pests $2,000,000 Supporting our neighbour’s boundary fencing $209,000,000 state-wide program (state-wide) ($10,700,000 spent to date in NCLLS & NTLLS) NSW Government bushfire recovery – threatened $477,000 species relevant to region Tranche 1 - Bushfire recovery grants with some $4,267,287 activities occurring in / relevant to the region Tranche 2 - Bushfire recovery grants with some $1,014,207 activities occurring in / relevant to the region Tranche 2 - Bushfire recovery grants with all $617,275 activity within region NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub $374,757

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 63 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Details

Table 3 Detailed funding allocaiton for bushfire recovery for wildlife and habitats

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description NSW GOVERNMENT Save our Species 2019-20 $23,000,000 Some funds invested in post- bushfire recovery NSW Bushfire Recovery $5,400,000 North Coast LLS Pest animal control, weed control and animal health (including ground Program cover re-establishment), mainly across private land. NSW Bushfire Recovery $3,150,000 Northern Tablelands LLS Pest animal control, weed control and animal health (including ground Program cover re-establishment), mainly across private land. Supporting our $209,000,000 Landholders via LLS Supporting private landholders to re-establish boundary fences between Neighbour’s boundary (statewide) crown land such as National Parks, State Forest and Travelling Stock fencing program $10,700,000 Reserves. invested so far in region AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FUNDS TO NRM Environmental $2 Million North Coast Local Land Protecting Koalas of Northern The project will deliver services designed to protect Koalas of Northern Restoration Fund Services NSW New South Wales including threat abatement, protection and restoration of key Koala habitat. The project will partner with landowners, local and NSW governments to protect and restore priority Koala habitat in the Belmore River area of north coast of NSW. Voluntary conservation agreements will be used to protect priority habitat, while on-ground works will include revegetation, fencing, weed control, managed grazing and tailored fire planning and implementation will restore and enhance priority Koala habitat. Funds to NRM – Phase 1 $200,000 North Coast Local Land Support to RLP Service This project will assist the recovery of fifteen nationally significant Services Providers for Emergency Pest threatened species in areas impacted by the 2019/2020 bush fires Mitigation and Habitat through the implementation of priority pest animal, pest weed and habitat Protection (Phase One) augmentation site identification activities. Management interventions will occur in fire affected areas and areas of unburnt

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 64 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description refuge patches. The project will complement protected area threatened species management activities by undertaking pest control activities on adjoining public and private lands. Funds to NRM – Phase 2 $550,000 North Coast Local Land Support to RLP Service This project will assist the recovery of seventeen nationally significant Services Providers for Emergency Pest threatened species in areas impacted by the 2019/2020 bush fires Mitigation and Habitat through the implementation of priority pest animal and pest weed control, Protection (Phase Two) habitat augmentation (nest box installation), fire management and fauna surveys. Management interventions will occur on private and public lands in fire affected areas and areas of unburnt refuge patches in proximity to the fire-affected areas. The project will complement other bush fire recovery programs by undertaking activities in partnership with other government and non-government organisations and traditional owners. Funds to NRM – Phase 1 $200,000 Northern Tablelands Local Support to RLP Service This project will assist the recovery of threatened species in areas Land Services Providers for Emergency Pest impacted by the significant 2019/2020 bushfires through the Mitigation and Habitat implementation of priority pest animal and weed control. Management Protection (Phase One) interventions will occur in direct fire affected areas and areas of unburnt refuge patches in proximity to the fire-affected areas. Funds to NRM – Phase 2 $550,000 Northern Tablelands Local Support to RLP Service This project will assist the recovery of threatened species in areas Land Services Providers for Emergency Pest impacted by the significant 2019/2020 bushfires through the Mitigation and Habitat implementation of priority pest animal control (building on similar Protection (Phase Two) measures in Phase One 2019-2020) along with the further outcomes of habitat augmentation, habitat protection and monitoring programs to guide future actions. Management interventions will occur in those areas directly fire-affected and areas of unburnt refuge patches in proximity to the fire-affected areas. FUNDS TO NSW GOVERNMENT State Emergency $2,000,000 NSW Government Pests State-wide: 700 hours of aerial shooting targeting feral pigs, goats and intervention State-wide deer; 30,000 km of aerial baiting (foxes). State Emergency $477,000 NSW Government Threatened species Funding contribution made to NSW Department of Planning Industry and intervention Environment for emergency interventions to protect threatened plants and animals. Relevant for region: Species name Common name Total budget Little Bent-winged Miniopterus australis $ 10,000.00 Bat

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 65 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description Macropus parma Parma Wallaby $ 30,000.00 Callitris oblonga Pygmy Cypress Pine $ 45,000.00 Red-legged Thylogale stigmatica $ 30,000.00 Pademelon Philoria sphagnicolus Sphagnum Frog $ 20,000.00 Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog $ 20,000.00 Philoria pughi Pughs Frog $ 20,000.00 Dasyornis brachypterus Eastern Bristlebird $ 80,000.00 Rhodomyrtus psidioides Native Guava $ 35,000.00 Rhodamnia rubescens Scrub Turpentine $ 35,000.00

Western Sawshelled Myuchelys bellii $ 60,000.00 Turtle, Bell's Turtle

Forest eucalypt dieback associated with over- BMAD $ 22,000.00 abundant psyllids and Bell Miners Introduction and establishment of Exotic Rust Fungi of the order Myrtle rust $ 35,000.00 Pucciniales pathogenic on plants of the family Myrtaceae Lowland Rainforest Lowland Rainforest in the in the NSW North NSW North Coast and $ 35,000.00 Coast and Sydney Sydney Basin Bioregions Basin Bioregions

FUNDS TO NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE PROGRAM THREATENED SPECIES HUB Additional funds to NESP $110,000 NESP Threatened Species Fire and rust – the impact of The project aims to determine the susceptibility and impact of myrtle rust TSR Hub for research Recovery Hub myrtle rust on fire regeneration on Myrtaceae species in fire affected regions in NSW and Qld, including relating to the recovery of Lead agency: University of reserves in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area. wildlife and habitat from Queensland Includes surveys at various sites: the recent bushfires

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 66 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description • reserves within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage property (e.g. Lamington and Main Range National Park)

• Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia Threatened Ecological Community - specific sites to be determined

• coastal heath and woodland environments – northern NSW and SE Queensland – expanding on research funded by PBSF (e.g. Bundjalung and Cooloola/Noosa National Parks)

• research funded by PBSF and Saving our Species NSW will be undertaking surveys in the Hunter region in NSW, which will be integrated with findings from this project.

Additional funds to NESP $ 144,757 NESP Threatened Species 8.1.3 Post-fire impact This project aims to provide new knowledge on frog responses to fire TSR Hub Recovery Hub assessment for priority frogs through targeted on-ground surveys, drawing on previous and ongoing Lead agency: Australian Hub research on threatened species monitoring to help establish or National University modify monitoring programs post fires. This project will facilitate a robust assessment of fire impact on frogs, guiding management responses and evaluations of extinction risk, while also establishing a knowledge base to ensure improved preparedness for future fires. Species and locations to be determined. Additional funds to NESP $60,000 NESP Threatened Species 8.3.8 Survival and recovery of This project aims to understand how and where threatened mammals, TSR Hub Recovery Hub threatened animal species in reptiles and frogs in the Gondwanan forest region of southern Queensland Lead agency: University of fire-affected World Heritage and northern NSW have been affected by the 2019/2020 fires. Based on Queensland Areas (Gondwana Rainforests survey and mapping data, we will recommend where to target focus) management of threatened species including feral predator control, weed control, and monitoring of recovery. Additional funds to NESP $60,000 NESP Threatened Species 8.4.5 Better managing fire and This project will aim to develop new insights into how to better manage TSR Hub Recovery Hub their impacts for Koala fires and their impacts to ensure the long-term persistence of Koalas in Lead agency: University of conservation fire prone parts of the species’ range, including a better understanding of: Queensland fire regimes across Koala habitat; the role of fire management practices and other factors in responding to the risk of fire in a range of Koala habitats; the determinants of fire impacts on koalas and population recovery post fire; and a framework for prioritising pre- and post- fire management for Koalas. GRANT FUNDING

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 67 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description Grants – Tranche 1 $291,037 Griffith University Threatened species assessment Activities: 1) survey threatened fish, frogs and crayfish in coastal wallum Note: Grant activities (and and recovery in burnt coastal wetlands in South-east Queensland and Northern NSW to document investment) not confined wallum wetlands distribution, abundance, and threats; 2) develop methods for ongoing to Northern NSW monitoring; 3) identify and prioritise critical habitat and rehabilitation and recommend recovery actions; and 4) establish captive breeding colonies of at-risk fish populations. Relevant locations to this region: coastal northern New South Wales (e.g. Broadwater, Bundjalung and Yaraygir National Parks) Species: Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog Pseudomugil mellis Honey Blue Eye Litoria cooloolensis Cooloola Sedge Frog Crinia tinnula Wallum Froglet Nannoperca oxleyana Oxleyan Pygmy Perch Litoria olongburensis Wallum Sedge Frog Tenuibranchiurus Swamp Crayfish glypticus

$297,040 The Trustee for South Habitat repair and species The project is located on six privately protected conservation reserves in Endeavour Trust recovery on six South NSW owned and managed by South Endeavour Trust. It aims to: secure Endeavour Trust reserves habitat recovery, protect the habitat values of two unburnt reserves directly adjacent to heavily burnt bushland, secure the recovery of 15 Priority fauna species and 3 Priority Endangered Ecological Communities present on the reserves, establish a long term fauna and flora monitoring program. Relevant reserves for region: Bezzants Lease (2,535 ha), Kewilpa (832 ha) and possibly Motherumbah (1,150 ha). $168,528 Queensland University of Mapping fire-threatened fauna This project will look at the distribution and abundance of recently Technology with scent detection dogs, discovered, highly threatened and poorly known species, namely the cameras and live traps. endangered Silver-headed and Black-tailed Dusky Antechinuses. In 2019, scent detection dogs markedly improved detectability of these species. Together with detailed camera and live trapping, we will compare detection methods to assess pre- versus post-fire distribution, predict abundance of the antechinuses and feral predators, and model how changes in habitat/climate/fire may affect these and co-occurring priority fauna. Relevant area for region: Mt Nothofagus NP and Washpool NP.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 68 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description $723,811 University of NSW Building capacity for resilience This project will develop adaptive fire management strategies, to improve and recovery of threatened prospects for 8 priority ecological communities and 7 species, integrating ecological communities remote sensing, ground survey and citizen science with management. Address 4 threats, using a monitoring design to evaluate recovery and build capacity for decision making: frequent fire, and post-fire weed invasion, erosion and predation. Relevant location: Binnaburra, Lismore and Dorrigo for the Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia. Philoria sphagnicola Sphagnum Frog Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog Mixophyes fleayi Fleay's Frog Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog Eulamprus leuraensis Blue Mountains Swamp-Skink Litoria littlejohni Littlejohn's Frog Heleioporus australiacus Giant Burrowing Frog

$751,982 University of Newcastle Securing threatened frogs from This project will undertake recovery actions for nine priority frogs, aiming bushfire impact to secure their persistence in habitats severely impacted by fires. Actions 1) quantify the extent habitat damage and determine whether frogs have persisted at sites post-fire by extensive field surveys; 2) establish mitigation works in association with land management partners to provide resilience to selected frog populations; 3) use field assessments plus population genetics to establish biobanks where population extinction is predicted (<10 years). Areas relevant to region: New England Tableland; Gibraltar/Washpool /Ewingar Range. Litoria subglandulosa Glandular Frog Philoria sphagnicola Sphagnum Frog Litoria piperata Peppered Frog Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog Philoria pughi Pugh's Sphagnum Frog Heleioporus australiacus Giant Burrowing Frog Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog Litoria littlejohni Littlejohn's Frog

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 69 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description Litoria daviesae Davies' Tree Frog

$428,164 Envite Incorporated Bungwalbin Reserves Bushfire Fire burnt through 98 per cent of the 12,250 ha Bungwalbin group of 7 Recovery for Wildlife and reserves in north-eastern NSW. Feral pig and weed control will contribute Habitat to the recovery of 11 priority threatened species, endangered coastal floodplain forest and lowland rainforest threatened ecological communities limiting decline and preventing extinctions. Bandjalang Indigenous bush regenerators will be engaged and mentored by professional bush regeneration contractors to assist restoration of cultural and natural values. Monitoring post fire response of flora and fauna will contribute to improved understanding of future actions required for recovery. Dasyurus maculatus Spotted Tail Quoll Calyptorhynchus lathami lathami Glossy Black Cockatoo Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog Petaurus australis Yellow-Bellied Glider Pteropus poliocephalus Grey-Headed Flying-Fox Phascolarctos cinereus Koala Ornithorhynchus anatinus Platypus Anthochaera (Xanthomyza) phrygia Regent Honeyeater Potorous tridactylus Long-Nosed Potoroo Nannoperca oxleyana Oxleyan Pygmy Perch Phoniscus papuensis Golden-Tipped Bat

$246,900 Western Sydney University Assessing fire impacts on This project aims to assess the impacts of the extreme wildfires on habitat golden-tipped bats and other occupancy and use by forest microbats, with a focus on the Golden-tipped microbats Bat. We will survey for Golden-tipped Bats and the broader microbat community across levels of fire severity in southern and northern NSW, use radio-tracking to investigate how fire affects use of foraging and roosting habitat features, and test the benefits of roost supplementation. This research will guide effective management actions for reducing their extinction risk. $150,575 Birdlife Australia Raising the Regent from the This project will undertake five key aspects of work for the post-fire ashes recovery of the Regent Honeyeater: post-fire surveys in the breeding area in the Burragorang Valley (NSW) to assess habitat loss/fire impact and

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 70 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description search for potentially unburnt areas, undertaking searches for the species in unburnt but potential habitat in spring 2020 to determine post-fire habitat use (coastal side of Great Dividing Range from Sydney to the north coast), completing a Population Viability Analysis (PVA) for the species, undertaking Noisy Miner control at several contemporary breeding sites to offset loss of burnt habitat in the coming season, and trialling the reintroduction of Needle-leaf Mistletoe in critical breeding habitat at formerly used sites in the Capertee Valley. $170,200 Birdlife Australia Bushfire recovery of cryptic Undertake a comprehensive, national assessment of fire-affected threatened birds in the eastern Mainland Ground Parrots and Eastern Bristlebirds across their known heathlands ranges, collaboration across VIC, NSW and QLD. Outputs: a national assessment of bushfire impacts, a national approach to monitoring and prioritised actions to support the post-fire recovery of these birds. Relevant location for region: Border Ranges National Park; Gibraltar Range National Park. $654,500 The Trustee for Nature Saving the spinys: urgent Aims to inform conservation of all 22 priority Euastacus species impacted Glenelg Trust actions to conserve the by the bushfires. Activities: 1) determine the extent of range limits, Euastacus freshwater crayfish identify critical remnant populations and threats to those populations 2) resolve taxonomic status of the undescribed priority species and identify evolutionarily significant units within species, develop genomic markers and eDNA to support range mapping, 3) Explore feasibility of conservation translocations, 4) develop a Species Expert Assessment Plan to inform EPBC Act assessment and guide recovery actions. Various locations in NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD. Euastacus clarkae Ellen Clark's Crayfish Euastacus suttoni Sutton's Crayfish Euastacus claytoni Clayton's Spiny Crayfish Euastacus polysetosus Many-bristled Crayfish Euastacus diversus Orbost Spiny Crayfish Euastacus spinichelatus Small Crayfish Euastacus girurmulayn Smooth Crayfish Euastacus sp. 1 Arte Spiny Crayfish Euastacus sp. 2 Cann Spiny Crayfish Euastacus pilosus Hairy Cataract Crayfish

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 71 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description Euastacus gumar Bloodclaw Crayfish Euastacus simplex Small Mountain Crayfish Euastacus guwinus Tianjara Crayfish Euastacus bidawalus East Gippsland Spiny Crayfish Euastacus sp. 3 West Snowy Spiny Crayfish Euastacus jagabar Blue-Black Crayfish Euastacus morgani Morgan's Crayfish Euastacus rieki Riek's Spiny Crayfish Euastacus gamilaroi Gamilaroi Spiny Crayfish Euastacus jagara Jagara Hairy Crayfish Euastacus dalagarbe Mud Gully Crayfish Euastacus crassus Alpine Crayfish

$384,550 Landcare Australia Ltd Releasing Macquarie Perch and Activites: 1) restore 20km of riparian habitat impacted by bushfires at Restoring Fish Habitat in sites across QLD, NSW and VIC, targeting habitat improvements for 1 Bushfire Affected Areas turtle, 5 fish and 4 crayfish species listed as priority matters, 2) collect mature Macquarie Perch to be used in a release breeding program (release into Buffalo River to support the persistence of a wild population). Various locations relevant to this region, including Broadwater (Evans/Esk Rivers); Drake/Grafton; Tenterfield Creek Grants – Tranche 2 $263,300 University of New England Preventing extinction for New This project will document post-fire survival and establish recovery Activities largely within England endemic plants guidelines to prevent extinction of 12 Priority Listed and 9 associated endemic plant species in the northern New England. The project will 1) region Project partners include: document post-fire survival and current state of known populations; 2) Northern Tablelands Local deliver immediate actions to prevent extinction and aid population Land Services recovery; 3) identify key knowledge gaps and impediments to long term recovery and establish monitoring guidelines. Location: Torrington State Conservation Area & Bolivia Hill Nature Reserve, plus adjacent private property and TSR. Species: Acacia pubifolia Grevillea beadleana Acacia pycnostachya Hakea macrorrhyncha

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 72 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description Acacia torringtonensis Homoranthus binghiensis Almaleea cambagei Homoranthus croftianus Boronia boliviensis Homoranthus lunatus Boronia granitica Kardomia odontocalyx Boronia inflexa subsp. Leucopogon confertus torringtonensis Callistemon pungens Monotaxis macrophylla Cassinia heleniae Persoonia terminalis subsp. terminalis Eucalyptus boliviana Prostanthera teretifolia Eucalyptus boliviana Thesium australe

Grants – Tranche 2 $199,500 University of New England Assessing, monitoring and The project will assess, monitor and enhance the recovery of 19 plant Activities largely within enhancing priority plant species listed as requiring urgent management intervention following the region Project partners include: species recovery after fire effects of the 2019-20 wildfires. Actions will include: field inspections to NSW Department of assess damage and threats to plants, resprouting and seedling emergence, Planning, Industry and establishment of permanent monitoring plots/transects in readiness for Environment; NSW National PVA, effective population size assessments, gene flow risk assessment; Parks and Wildlife Service; germplasm collection where resprouting is affected by disease; irrigation Indigenous groups/ if the drought returns; carefully-planned translocation if needed; Traditional Owners (the alleviating pollinator competition from feral bees and European wasps. Banbai Rangers); and private Various locations: Gibraltar Range National Park, Washpool National Park, landowner Dr W Brown Nymboida National Park, Guy Fawkes National Park, Torrington State Conservation Area, Warra National Park, Cathedral Rocks National Park and adjacent private property, Ebor district, Banyabba Nature Reserve, Whiporie State Forest. Species: Acacia beadleana Grevillea rhizomatosa Acacia cangaiensis Grevillea scortechinii subsp. sarmentosa Acacia ruppii Hibbertia villosa Conospermum burgessiorum Olearia flocktoniae Dillwynia rupestris Persoonia oleoides

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 73 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description Diuris eborensis Persoonia procumbens Grevillea banyabba Persoonia rufa Grevillea beadleana Styphelia perileuca Grevillea masonii Telopea aspera Grevillea mollis

Grants – Tranche 2 $154,475 Border Ranges-Richmond Protecting Kate's Leaf tailed The 2019–20 wildfires affected the entire known range of Saltuarius Activities largely within Valley Landcare Network Gecko through pest predator kateae (Kate's Leaf-tailed Gecko). The project will undertake fauna region Incorporated control surveys and fire impact assessment to understand the impact of bushfires on this species, work with landholders to increase the protection of Partners include: habitat on private land and conduct pest animal control of foxes, feral cats North Coast LLS, Richmond and cane toad. The project will provide the first estimate of abundance Valley Council, Rappville and population size for this species. Landcare, Boolangle Land Council and the Boolangle Rangers, Macquarie University Grants – Tranche 2 $155,276 The Council of Heads of Banking on seeds for bushfire This project will prevent extinction and limit decline of 25 species from Some activities occur Australian Botanic Gardens recovery-Insuring against fire affected areas, including 21 priority plants in 4 priority Threatened within region Incorporated (trading as future loss Ecological Communities. It will deliver a comprehensive program of seed Australian Seed Bank collecting, flora surveys, germination trials, propagation, reintroductions, Partnership) and long-term ex situ banking of native seed from priority areas in the ACT, NSW, SA, Vic and WA. Community volunteers will be engaged to improve long-term capacity for conservation. Fact sheets and case studies of priority matters will support public awareness of post bushfire recovery actions. Relevant locations for region: Nymboi-Binderay National Park, Dorrigo National Park, Moonpar State Forest, Cathedral Rock National Park, Fortis Creek National Park. Species: Andersonia echinocephala Hibbertia glebosa subsp. oblonga Banksia foliolata Leptospermum namadgiensis Banksia solandri Lobelia gelida Callistemon forresterae Nematolepis frondosa

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 74 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Funding stream Funding Recipient Project title Project description Callistemon kenmorrisonii Olearia flocktoniae Calytrix smeatoniana Prostanthera sejuncta Celmisia sp. Pulchella Solanum sulphureum Choretrum spicatum Stylidium tepperianum Dampiera fusca Velleia perfoliata Darwinia squarrosa Viola improcera Diuris eborensis Westringia lucida Grevillea halmaturina subsp. Xyris exilis halmaturina

Grants – Tranche 2 $858,931 University of New South Invertebrate conservation in The project will develop a spatial, taxonomic and ecological information Some activities occur Wales the North East Forests of New system for the resampling of priority invertebrate taxa across sites within region South Wales surveyed in the 1993 North East Forests survey. The project will nominate threatened invertebrate species, select putative sites for species recovery, develop tools for long-term monitoring, and capacity-building for on- ground conservation actions. We will link with local and Indigenous communities, as well as other stakeholders such as the citizen science sector. We will develop an invertebrate conservation framework, from the science bench to smart phone apps, mediated by capacity building workshops. Locations: North/south from Coffs Harbour (Hunter Valley to NSW QLD). Various species.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 75 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Attachment 1: Non-listed at-risk ecological communities identified by the NSW Government

These ecological communities are estimated to be at high risk of decline due to the impact of the 2019–20 fires in combination with other threats. Rainforests at medium risk have been included due to their important contribution to world heritage area values.

Table 1 Ecological communities identified as being at risk following the 2019–20 bushfires

Name Per cent Threats Burnt Carrai Moist Grassy Forest 100 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Carrai-Werrikimbe Blackbutt Dry Shrub Forest 100 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Cathedral Rock Granite Peppermint-Gum Forest 100 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Chaelundi-Mann River Granite Scrub Woodland 100 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Gorges Rocky Brush Box Wet Forest 100 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Lower North Serpentinite Red Gum Woodland 100 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northeast Plateau Snow Gum Valley Woodland 100 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Gorges River Oak Forest 100 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Timbarra Granite Rocky Heath-Woodland 100 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Upper Guy Fawkes Stringybark-Red Gum Grassy Forest 100 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Eastern New England Leucogranite Mallee Scrub 98 Drought Torrington Granite Shrub Forest 98 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Timbarra Granite Strawberry Gum-Stringybark Woodland 97 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Escarpment Granitoid Wet Heath 96 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Gorges Granite Grassy Forest 95 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Gorges Grey Gum-Ironbark Grassy Forest 94 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 76 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Name Per cent Threats Burnt Western Guy Fawkes Plateau Moist Gum Forest 94 Drought / High fire frequency New England Orange Gum Boggy Woodland 93 Drought

Northern Escarpment New England Blackbutt-Maple Wet Forest 93 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution

Warra Rockplate Shrubland 93 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Escarpment Grey Myrtle Gully Rainforest 92 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Chandlers Creek Dry Grassy Forest 91 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Baryulgil Serpentinite Woodland 90 Drought Northeast New England Stringybark Grassy Forest 89 Drought Northern Gorges Granite Stringybark-Apple Grassy Forest 89 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Timbarra Granite Mallee Wet Heath 89 Drought / High fire frequency Northern Gorges Grey Gum-Tallowwood Grassy Forest 88 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Sandstone Blackbutt-Bloodwood Forest 87 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Far North Escarpment Blackbutt Grassy Forest 87 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Gorges Red Gum-Stringybark Forest 87 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Hinterland Tallowwood-Forest Oak Grassy Forest 87 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Gorges Blakes Wattle Rock Scrub 86 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Macleay Gorges Stringybark-Red Gum Grassy Forest 85 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Timbarra Granite Blackbutt Forest 85 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Lowland Paperbark Sedge Swamp Woodland 79 Drought Far North Escarpment Gorges Blackbutt Forest 79 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Mount Kaputar Montane Gum Forest 79 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Escarpment Blackbutt Moist Fern Forest 78 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Escarpment Dry Rainforest 78 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northeast New England Granites Stringybark Forest 77 Drought Northern Gorges Diverse Grassy Forest 76 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 77 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Name Per cent Threats Burnt Far North Escarpment Blackbutt Moist Forest 75 Drought / High fire frequency Northern Escarpment Rocky Blackbutt Scrub Woodland 75 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Hinterland Grassy River Oak Forest 74 Drought Northern Escarpment New England Blackbutt-Tallowwood Wet 73 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Forest Lower North Escarpment Rocky Shrub Woodland 71 Drought Moredun Ranges Stringybark Exposed Forest 71 Drought

Northern Escarpment Brush Box-Tallowwood-Maple Wet Forest 71 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution

Clarence Lowland Smudgy Apple Banksia Forest 70 Drought Northern Escarpment Layered Blackbutt Fern Forest 70 Drought Northern Hinterland Tallowwood-Brush Box Wet Forest 70 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Banyabba Rockplate Shrub Woodland 67 Drought / High fire frequency Clarence Sandstone Plateau Wet Heath 67 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Lowland Ironbark-Spotted Gum Grassy Forest 66 Drought Northern Hinterland Hills Bloodwood-Red Gum Grassy Forest 65 Drought Mount Kaputar Montane Box Forest 64 Drought Northern Gorges Red Gum Grassy Forest 64 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Sandstone Stringybark-Blackbutt Forest 63 Drought Northern Lowland Red Gum-Swamp Turpentine Grassy Forest 63 Drought Northern Escarpment Shatterwood Dry Rainforest 62 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Hinterland Baloghia-Booyong Subtropical Rainforest 62 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Koonyum Range Rhyolite Outcrop Shrub Woodland 60 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Hinterland Brush Box-Quince Wet Forest 60 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Escarpment New England Blackbutt Wet Forest 59 Drought Northern Lowland Swamp Turpentine-Red Gum Forest 59 Drought

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 78 Rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands regional bushfire recovery workshop report

Name Per cent Threats Burnt Northern Escarpment Blackbutt Cool Moist Forest 57 Drought Western New England Wet Tea-tree Scrub 57 Drought Eastern New England Granite Wet Heath 56 Drought Far North Hinterland Grey Box-Grey Gum Wet Forest 56 Drought Lower North Sheltered Valley Red Gum Forest 55 Drought Clarence Lowland Smudgy Apple-Paperbark Forest 54 Drought Northern Escarpment Sassafras-Prickly Ash Rainforest 54 Drought Northern Lowland Swamp Turpentine-Mahogany Forest 54 Drought Moonbi Range Stringybark-Yellow Box Forest 53 Drought Northern Hinterland Shatterwood Dry Rainforest 53 Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern Escarpment Coachwood-Beech Rainforest 51 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution

Northern Escarpment Sassafras-Booyong-Corkwood Rainforest 51 Drought / High fire frequency / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution

Northwest New England Stringybark-Pine Exposed Forest 51 Drought Lower Clarence Sandy Creekflat Sedgeland 50 Drought / High fire frequency Northern Ranges Coachwood Warm Temperate Rainforest 46 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Mount Warning Caldera Tea-tree Rocky Scrub 44 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution New England Rockplate Shrubland 42 Drought Central Eastern Ranges Riparian Dry Rainforest 38 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Clarence Lowland Riparian Red Gum Wet Forest 38 Drought Northern Escarpment Sassafras Rainforest 36 Drought / Disturbance-Erosion-Pollution Northern New England Rock Outcrop Shrubland 30 Drought

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 79