Science for Saving Species Research findings factsheet Project 5.1

Better offsets for the night

Background

Biodiversity offsets are commonly used to compensate for unavoidable impacts of development on species or ecosystems by aiming to create an equivalent benefit for the same species or ecosystem elsewhere. In Australia, offsets are routinely prescribed as conditions of approval for proposed development that will impact species or ecological communities listed as threatened either nationally under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, or under state and territory laws. Figure 1: Night parrot (Image: Steve Murphy) For offsets to work as intended, we need to be able to quantify how This project developed an approach the effectiveness of particular much benefit an offset action will for eliciting the knowledge of offset actions. We tested the provide for a species or ecosystem threatened species experts in a approach using several case at a site level in order to make structured way, so as to guide study species that commonly sure that the offset completely estimates of both the benefits trigger offset requirements, and compensates for the impact from and the costs of alternative offset for which developing appropriate the development. For many poorly- approaches. Although it doesn’t offset proposals is considered understood species and ecological replace field-based studies, it can challenging. Here, we describe the communities, however, important help decision-makers ensure that approach and findings for one of knowledge gaps exist. This makes offset decisions are based on these species – the night parrot it hard to know what type and how the best available information at occidentalis. much offset action is needed to the time, and help identify how offset a given impact. much uncertainty there is about

Biodiversity and Conservation Science

DESERT support services Authors Martine Maron, UQ; Megan Evans, UNSW and UQ; Jessica Walsh, Monash University and UQ; Nick Leseberg, UQ/Adaptive NRM; Allan Burbidge, WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions; Steve Murphy, Adaptive NRM; Stephen Garnett, Charles Darwin University; Julian Reid, Australian National University; Alex Kutt, Tasmanian Land Conservancy; Rod Kavanagh, Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Rob Davis, Edith Cowan University; Alexander Watson, Australian Wildlife Conservancy; John Read, Ecological Horizons; Mike Bamford, Bamford Consulting Ecologists; Stephen van Leeuwen, WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions; Kate Crossing, Desert Support Services; Micha Jackson, UQ; Tida Nou, UQ; Scott Spillias, UQ; Zoë L. Stone, Massey University

Missing then rediscovered The night parrot is a cryptic, nocturnal endemic to Australia’s arid interior. Night were widespread until the late 19th century, and were collected occasionally until around 1870 when they began to decline severely. A reported sighting in 2005 in led to subsequent searches for the species and the first biodiversity offset for potential disturbance to night parrot habitat in the Fortescue Marshes. In 2013, there was another sighting (accompanied by a photograph) of the night parrot, and a small subpopulation was located in remote western Queensland. In 2017, the species was found at separate sites in central and northern Western Australia, with further records from the site in northern Western Australia made by the Paruku Indigenous Rangers in 2018. Since then, the species has been Figure 2: Historical and potential current range of the night parrot in Australia detected at a further five sites in (Map by Nick Leseberg et al.) northern Western Australia. fly to feed on floodplains, run-on The night parrot is listed as Little was known about the areas, and drainage systems, usually Endangered under the Environment behaviour and habitat use of with a high diversity of grasses and Protection and Biodiversity this secretive species, but recent other groundcover. The two primary Conservation Act 1999, but there is research has improved our threats to the species are likely to be no National Recovery Plan in place understanding of the bird’s ecology. inappropriate fire regimes and cat for the species. The Action Plan for At sites where the night parrot has predation, with other threats likely Australian 2020 lists the night been detected, they occupy roost to include habitat degradation from parrot as , with sites typically in areas of long- livestock grazing, fox predation and few (<10) tiny subpopulations and unburnt spinifex hummocks, and invasive weeds such as buffel grass. a continuing decline highly likely.

Current approaches to offsets for night parrots Given the lack of available species in Queensland, and surveys Direct offsets need to focus on information, biodiversity offsets in areas with historical records. reducing the impact of threatening for the night parrot have included processes on the species, but The substantial body of research monetary contributions towards guidance is needed as to what type on the species since 2014 is highly a regional conservation initiative and how much action to take to valuable, but research alone does or research plan. Offset payments counterbalance a given impact. not achieve a direct benefit for the from mining have funded a night parrot population, and so national research plan for the cannot counterbalance impacts. night parrot, research on the Engaging experts to improve offset strategies We elicited information about the of online anonymous surveys We asked the experts to envisage effectiveness and cost of a series with 11 night parrot experts, who the outcomes for night parrots in of management activities (detailed collectively had expertise across each hypothetical offset site after in Figure 3) that may benefit night the parrot’s geographical range. 20 years if current management parrots, based on expert knowledge. Experts provided quantitative did not change (‘do nothing’), and To do this, we first identified estimates of the benefits of a range if particular management actions, candidate management actions of management actions at two or combinations of these actions, based on interviews with two key hypothetical offset sites which had were implemented. We also explored night parrot experts. Next, we different types of environments, the costs and cost-effectiveness used a structured expert elicitation site conditions and past land of these alternative strategies. protocol involving two rounds management (Box 1).

Figure 3: Potential management actions Feral cat control (standard): Feral cat control (alternative): trapping and/or shooting; expert Indigenous hunters and that could benefit night supported by seasonal baiting and Felixer grooming traps parrot populations. Experts considered how these actions, alone and in different combinations, would Feral fox control: Fire management: best practice (seasonal aerial and ground baiting, benefit night parrots mosaic ecological burns trapping/shooting) at two different to encourage a variety of habitat ages hypothetical offset sites (see Box 1).

Protected Area Protect habitat: designate core X habitat or degraded potential Restore degraded land: cessation of X habitat as a protected area, grazing and regular burning; general fire and grazing dingo persecution is minimised, management, fencing erected; site is allowed to recover dingo persecution is minimised

Box 1: Hypothetical offset sites and benefit indicator Management actions are likely consistently for at least two years) To estimate the benefits of different Site 1: Current night parrot habitat to differ in their benefit Siteto night 2: Degradedwere found in the most recent management actions, a suitable parrots at different types of sites. monitoring year. benefit indicator was required. We therefore asked expertspotential to night parrot The benefit indicator needs to Site 2. compare the relative benefits of be able to be readily measured habitat Degraded, management actions (Figure 3) at and monitored at the site level, potential two different hypothetical offset and be highly likely to relate to night parrot sites, each 100,000 ha in size: the viability of the species. For the habitat: A grazing property with 3.00 night parrot, experts were asked Site 1: Current night parrot habitat Site 1. CurrentSite 2: Degradedsubstantial disturbance from to use the number of stable night night parrotpotential nightgrazing parrot and fires where no night parrot roosts at which night parrots habitat:habitat A parrots are currently found, but have been recorded consistently large cattle has the appropriate matrix of both at the same location for 2 years property with low grazing pressure spinifex and floodplain herb field ) 3.00 as the benefit indicator. and minimal human disturbance vegetation, which is adjacent where two stable night parrot roosts to current night parrot habitat. 2.00 (i.e. night parrots have used the site ) millions

($ 2.00 millions ($ years years

1.00

1.00 over 20 over 20 Annual cost per night parrot parrot pernight cost Annual roost Annual cost per night parrot parrot pernight cost Annual roost

0.00

Protected b Protected b Area Area 0.00

Protected Protected Protect Cat controlb Cat control Fox Fire Cat control Protect habitat Restoreb Restore land Area Area habitat (standard) (alternative) control management (std) & fox + land + control Cat control Cat control (std) + (std) & fox & fox control Fire control + Protect Cat control Cat control Fox Fire Cat control managementProtect habitat+ Restore RestoreFire land habitat (standard) (alternative) control management (std) & fox + Fire land management+ management control Cat control Cat control (std) + (std) & fox & fox control Fire control + management + Fire Fire management management Effective offsetting for night parrots On average, the experts believed fox control and fire management. which in turn can increase cat that the ‘do nothing’ option would Experts believed that intensive predation. result in a slight decrease in the management of feral cats using a To achieve the greatest benefit at number of night parrot roosts combination of expert Indigenous the degraded, potential habitat at current habitat sites over the hunters and grooming traps was site, the combined actions of 20-year period. While all of the likely the most beneficial single habitat restoration and protection, offset actions resulted in some individual action for night parrots. cat and fox control, and fire improvement relative to this Active and targeted management management were preferred. baseline scenario, the uncertainty was important for night parrots. However, expert opinion suggested around these estimated benefits Fine-scale habitat mapping is that actively managing threats in was very high. For example, experts considered an important tool to a site that was already occupied thought that population declines inform management and protection by parrots was a more effective were possible even with the most of known night parrot roosts. approach than restoring degraded effective management actions. Simply protecting habitat without potential habitat. This was partly At the hypothetical site with current targeted management for night because the time required to night parrot habitat, experts parrots provided minimal benefit. restore a degraded site so that estimated that the most beneficial Experts were also concerned about it is suitable for night parrot was management scenario was the the potential perverse effects of fox expected to be far longer combination of all actions: protect control, given that dingoes can be than the 20-year time frame habitat, standard feral cat control, negatively impacted by fox baiting considered here.

Site 1: Current night parrot habitat Figure 4: Results of Site 2: Degraded, expert elicitation showing potential night the estimated benefit parrot habitat (defined as additional night parrot roosts) of different management actions for night parrots after 20 years, relative to 12 a baseline scenario with no management (‘do nothing’). The circle at the 8 widest point in the diamond is the aggregated ‘best adde d (relative to baseline scenario)

guess’ estimate. Diamonds s

t 4 capture the range of oo s r estimates based on the 90% t confidence intervals around 0 pa rr o expert estimates. Note the gh t

i ‘cat control (alternative)’ n

f result is from one round o -4 .

o of expert elicitation only. N

-8

Protected Protected Area Area

Protect Cat control Cat control Fox Fire Cat control Protect habitat Restore Restore land habitat (standard) (alternative) control management (std) & fox + land + control Cat control Cat control (std) + (std) & fox & fox control Fire control + management + Fire Fire management management Cost-effectiveness of offset actions The cost estimates apply only protection in combination with fire would cost a lot to gain one to the management scenarios management, feral cat control and night parrot roost. considered in the expert elicitation fox control was estimated to cost Protecting habitat, while controlling process. While our results can more than $4.5 million annually cats, foxes and fire, was estimated provide a guide for scaling up the over a 20-year period for a 100,000 to cost $821,000 per night area managed to achieve greater ha site of current night parrot parrot roost, if done annually benefits for night parrots (as long habitat, but estimates ranged across 100,000 ha for 20 years. as other site conditions remained from $1.2-$7.9 million. However, when accounting for consistent), they cannot be used A much more informative metric to to scale down – a given fraction the uncertainty of benefit gained, consider than the cost per action of the investment would be very the cost/parrot roost ranged from is the cost per unit of benefit – in unlikely to achieve an equivalent $330,000/year to an undefined other words, how much each fraction of the estimated benefit. higher cost, given the lowest additional night parrot roost gained estimate of benefit was negative (i.e. Based on the cost data we collected was estimated to cost. Expert no change in parrot roosts relative from experts, the cheapest estimates of benefits to night parrots to the ‘do nothing’ scenario). interventions for night parrot were combined with estimates of cost intensive cat control and ecological suggested that intensive cat control Restoring degraded potential habitat fire management. The combinations and managing fire were the most was much less cost-effective on of management actions were cost-effective actions. In contrast, average than most actions at the the most expensive, though fox control and habitat protection site with existing night parrot the costs were highly variable. alone were both costly and were habitat, when considering the For example, the total cost for habitat thought to have low benefits, so it best estimates of costs.

Figure 5. Cost of each Site 2: Degraded Site 1: Current night parrot habitat action required to gain a potential night parrot single night parrot roost habitat (average annual cost per night parrot roost, in million 3.00 $AUD 2019, over 20 years at a 100,000 ha site, estimated

parrot parrot using expert elicitation). The ) circle represents the best estimate, and the top and millions 2.00 bottom points capture the ($ low and high estimates of cost per night parrot roost. years per additional night pernight additional

20 Due to the fact that it was

ver possible for a benefit to be o 1.00 less than 0, the upper cost- effectiveness estimates are roost (relative to baseline scenario)

Annual cost cost Annual non-defined. Note: annual cost per night parrot roost was obtained by dividing 0.00 the total annual costs of

Protected b Protected b management action by Area Area the number of night parrot roosts experts thought could be added as a result Protect Cat control Cat control Fox Fire Cat control Protect habitat Restore Restore land of the management action. habitat (standard) (alternative) control management (std) & fox + land + control Cat control Cat control (std) + (std) & fox & fox control Fire control + management + Fire Fire management management Graphics We thank the NESP Northern Australia Hub, Zoë L. Stone, (Massey University), Kim Kraeer, Lucy Van Essen-Fishman and Tracey Saxby (Integration and Application Network Library) for creating and sharing the graphics used in this document. Thanks to Jane Thomas (NESP Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub) and Steve Murphy (Adaptive NRM) for assistance with graphics.

Further Information Professor Martine Maron – [email protected]

Implications of research Biodiversity offsets must only Expert elicitation is not a perfect • the protection of current occur after all previous steps in tool or solution for addressing habitat, combined with best- the mitigation hierarchy have been issues with biodiversity offsets in practice management of feral considered. The design of better Australia. It does not replace the cats, feral foxes and fire, may be biodiversity offsets for threatened urgent need for empirical studies the most effective conservation species will remain an ongoing to evaluate and improve on-ground actions for the night parrot. challenge for policy makers, management approaches. Instead, These actions are the most particularly for species where the it provides a relatively quick, costly, but will likely result in relative contribution of key threats inexpensive and repeatable method the greatest conservation gain are poorly known, or for which of obtaining best available current for the species. limited quality habitat remains. A knowledge in a way that reduces • intensive cat control (led by well-designed biodiversity offset is bias, and in a form that is useful expert Indigenous hunters) and one that is based the principles of to inform decision-making fire management may be the the IUCN policy, and incorporates: on biodiversity offsets. most cost-effective individual • Current ecological knowledge It’s only recently that intensive actions, but each have high (action plans, recovery plans, studies of the night parrot have uncertainty about the benefits management plans, peer become possible. Improved • there remains very significant reviewed literature, where understanding of its ecology and uncertainty around the efficacy available) and active management of key threats of different conservation • Full consideration of are needed in order to conserve actions for this little-known cumulative impacts the species. Results from this species. As such, it is risky to (geographically and over time). expert elicitation process suggest: rely on offsets as a response to impacts on night parrots.

Further reading Carwardine, J., Martin, T.G., Firn, J., Ponce-Reyes, R., Nicol, S., Reeson, A., Grantham, H.S., Stratford, D., Kehoe, L., Chadès, I. (2019). Priority Threat Management for biodiversity conservation: a handbook. Journal of Applied Ecology 56, 481–490. Davis, R.A., & Metcalf, B.M. (2008). The Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) in northern Western Australia: a recent sighting from the region. Emu - Austral 108(3), 233-236. Hemming, V., Burgman, M.A., Hanea, A.M., McBride, M.F., Wintle, B.C. (2018). A practical guide to structured expert elicitation using the IDEA protocol. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 9, 169–180. Leseberg, N.P., Murphy, S.A., Burbidge, A.H., Jackett, N.A., Olsen, P., Watson, J.E.M., Garnett, S.T. (in press). Night Parrot Pezoporus occidentalis. In The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020. (Eds ST Garnett and GB Baker). CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. Leseberg, N.P., Venables, W.N., Murphy, S.A., and Watson, J.E.M. (2020). Using intrinsic and contextual information associated with automated signal detections to improve call recogniser performance: a case study using the cryptic and critically endangered Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis). Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 11: 1520– 1530. Maron, M., Evans, M.C., Nou, T., Stone, Z.L., Spillias, S., Mayfield, H.M., and Walsh, J.C. (in prep). Guidance for estimating biodiversity offset benefits and costs using expert elicitation. Threatened Species Recovery Hub, National Environmental Science Programme, Brisbane. Murphy, S.A., Silcock, J., Murphy, R., Reid, J. & Austin, J.J. (2017). Movements and habitat use of the night parrot Pezoporus occidentalis in south-western Queensland. Austral Ecology, 42, 858–868. Murphy, S.A., Paltridge, R., Silcock, J., Murphy, R., Kutt, A.S., and Read, J. (2018). Understanding and managing the threats to Night Parrots in south-western Queensland. Emu - Austral Ornithology 118(1), 135-145. Murphy, S.A., Austin, J.J., Murphy, R.K., Silcock, J., Joseph, L., Garnett, S.T., Leseberg, N.P., Watson, J.E.M., and Burbidge, A.H. (2017). Observations on breeding Night Parrots (Pezoporus occidentalis) in western Queensland. Emu - Austral Ornithology 117(2), 107-113. Read, JL., Bowden, T, Hodgens, P, Hess, M, McGregor, H and Moseby, K. (2019). Target specificity of the felixer grooming “trap”. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 43, 112-120.

Cite this publication as NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub. 2021. Better Offsets for the Night Parrot, Research findings factsheet.

This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program.