Mann River Nature Reserve

MANN RIVER NATURE RESERVE DRAFT PLAN OF MANAGEMENT National Parks and Wildlife Service Part of the Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW May 2007 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This plan of management was prepared by staff of the Glen Innes Area, in the Northern Tablelands Region of the National Parks & Wildlife Service. Inquiries about this draft plan of management for Mann River Nature Reserve should be directed to the ranger at the NPWS Glen Innes Area Office, PO Box 281 Glen Innes 2370, or by telephone on (02) 6732 5133. Disclaimer: This publication is for discussion and comment only. Publication indicates the proposals are under consideration and are open for public discussion. Provisions in the final management plan might not be the same as those in this draft management plan. © Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW 2007: Use permitted with appropriate acknowledgment. ISBN 1 74122 240 0 Mann River Nature Reserve – Draft Plan of Management i INVITATION TO COMMENT The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act) requires that a plan of management be prepared that outlines how an area will be managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The procedures for the exhibition and consultation on plans of management are specified in the NPW Act and involve the following stages: • The draft plan is placed on public exhibition for at least 90 days and any person may comment on it; • The plan and all submissions received on the plan are referred to the Regional Advisory Committee for consideration; • The plan, submissions and any advice from the Regional Advisory Committee are referred to the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council for consideration; • The recommendations of the Advisory Council are referred to the Minister for the Environment, and a copy referred to the Regional Advisory Committee; • After considering the submissions, the recommendations of the Advisory Council and any advice from the Regional Advisory Committee, the Minister may adopt the plan or may refer the plan back to the NPWS and Council for further consideration. Members of the public, whether as individuals or as members of community interest groups, are invited to comment on this plan of management. Submissions should be in writing, and as detailed and specific as possible; however any comments, no matter how brief, are welcome. Comments should be forwarded to: The Ranger Mann River Nature Reserve Glen Innes Area National Parks & Wildlife Service PO Box 281 Glen Innes NSW 2370 The closing date for comments on the plan is Monday 15th October 2007. All submissions received by NPWS are a matter of public record and are available for public inspection upon request to NPWS. Your comments on this draft plan of management may contain information that is defined as ‘personal information’ under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998. The submission of personal information with your comments is voluntary. Mann River Nature Reserve – Draft Plan of Management ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. MANAGEMENT CONTEXT .........................................................................................1 1.1 LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK........................................................1 1.2 MANAGEMENT PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES .................................................1 2. RESERVE AND LOCALITY MAP...............................................................................2 3. MANN RIVER NATURE RESERVE .............................................................................3 3.1 LOCATION, GAZETTAL AND REGIONAL SETTING...........................................3 3.2 LANDSCAPE CONTEXT.......................................................................................3 3.3 MANAGEMENT DIRECTIONS..............................................................................4 4. VALUES OF THE RESERVE.......................................................................................5 4.1 NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE .............................................................5 4.1.1 Landform, Geology and Soils...........................................................................5 4.1.2 Native Plants....................................................................................................5 4.1.3 Native Animals.................................................................................................6 4.2 CULTURAL HERITAGE........................................................................................8 4.2.1 Aboriginal Heritage ..........................................................................................8 4.2.2 Historic Heritage ..............................................................................................8 4.3. VISITOR ACCESS AND USE ..............................................................................10 5 THREATS TO RESERVE VALUES ..........................................................................11 5.1 Isolation and Fragmentation .............................................................................11 5.2 Introduced Animals ...........................................................................................11 5.3 Introduced Plants..............................................................................................12 5.4 Fire ...................................................................................................................13 5.5 Inappropriate Use .............................................................................................13 6. MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS................................................................................14 7. MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND STRATEGIES..........................................................15 8. REFERENCES ...........................................................................................................21 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Threatened Rare and Significant Plants Recorded in the Reserve...............6 Table 2. Threatened Animal Species Recorded in the Reserve...................................7 Table 3. Pest Animal Species known to occur within Mann River Nature Reserve.11 Table 4. Weed Species in Mann River Nature Reserve. .............................................12 Mann River Nature Reserve – Draft Plan of Management iii 1. MANAGEMENT CONTEXT 1.1 LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK The management of Mann River Nature Reserve in NSW is undertaken in the context of a legislative and policy framework, primarily the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act), the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation (NPW Regulation), the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) and the policies of the Department of Environment & Conservation, Parks and Wildlife Division. Section 72A of the NPW Act lists the matters to be considered in the preparation of a plan of management. The policies are compiled from the legislative background, the NPW Regulations and internationally accepted principles of park management. They relate to nature conservation, Aboriginal and historic heritage conservation, recreation, commercial use, research and communication. Other legislation, international agreements and charters may also apply to management of the area. In particular, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) requires the assessment and mitigation of environmental impacts of any works proposed in this plan. The plan of management is a statutory document under the NPW Act. Once the Minister has adopted a plan, no operations may be undertaken within Mann River Nature Reserve except in accordance with the plan. The plan will also apply to any future additions to Mann River Nature Reserve. Where management strategies or works are proposed for the Nature Reserve or any additions that are not consistent with the plan, an amendment to the plan will be required. 1.2 MANAGEMENT PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES Nature reserves Nature reserves are reserved under the NPW Act to protect and conserve areas containing outstanding, unique or representative ecosystems, species, communities or natural phenomena. Under the Act (section 30J), nature reserves are managed to: • conserve biodiversity, maintain ecosystem functions, and protect geological and geomorphological features and natural phenomena; • conserve places, objects, features and landscapes of cultural value; • promote public appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of the reserve’s natural and cultural values; and • provide for appropriate research and monitoring. Mann River Nature Reserve – Draft Plan of Management 1 2. RESERVE AND LOCALITY MAP Mann River Nature Reserve – Draft Plan of Management 2 3. MANN RIVER NATURE RESERVE 3.1 LOCATION, GAZETTAL AND REGIONAL SETTING Mann River Nature Reserve (referred to as ‘the reserve’ in this plan) is located off the Gwydir Highway, 35km east of Glen Innes and approximately 100km west of Grafton along the Old Glen Innes-Grafton Road. The reserve was first gazetted in March 1985 over former freehold land and Crown Lease Reserve. The reserve encompasses 7400ha of mountainous terrain with unique rock formations and tall forest, providing scenic views east of the Great Dividing Range. The reserve forms part of an extensive range of bushland reserves in the area including Barool, Gibraltar Range, Washpool and Nymboida National Parks. The reserve adjoins Mount Mitchell State Forest on the northern side and Brother State Forest on the southern side. Freehold grazing land adjoins the reserve on the western side. There are a number of rural residential

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