Protecting an Ocean Jewel NORFOLK ISLAND Protecting an Ocean Jewel
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NORFOLK ISLAND Protecting an Ocean Jewel 2017 NOVEMBER Recommendations for stronger biosecurity for the Norfolk Island group Commitment to collaboration We support the principle that decisions about the management of Norfolk Island should be developed in collaboration with the inhabitants of Norfolk Island. Acknowledgements Protecting the environment is a collective effort. We are grateful for the support and advice offered by those undertaking conservation activities on Norfolk Island, including Norfolk Island Flora and Society, Norfolk Island Regional Council, Wild Mob, Parks Australia and the many Norfolk Islanders, mainlanders and others. This report drew on numerous references and the expertise of many people and organisations. We acknowledge the generous assistance of the following people and organisations in compiling this report and a number of anonymous reviewers. Hank Bower and Sue Bower, Lord Howe Island Board; Keith Broome, New Zealand Department of Conservation; Dr Andrew Burbidge; Margaret Christian; Dr Graeme Clarke, UNSW; Andrew Cox and Reece Pianta, Invasive Species Council; Dr Ben Hoffman, CSIRO; Dr Kevin Mills, Kevin Mills & Associates: Dr Ray Nias, Island Conservation; Alan Saunders; Department of Agriculture and Water Resources; Norfolk Island Regional Council; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Barnaby Joyce; Waikato Regional Council New Zealand. While we accessed information from a large number of sources, any mistakes or opinions are the responsibility of the publishers. Acknowledgement does not imply endorsement. Funding for this work was provided by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation (Eldon & Anne Foote Trust Donor Advised Program 2016) and the Packard Foundation. 2 Norfolk Island: Protecting an Ocean Jewel NORFOLK ISLAND Protecting an Ocean Jewel Publication details Invasive Species Council and Island Conservation (2017). Norfolk Island: Protecting an Ocean Jewel. Recommendations for stronger biosecurity for the Norfolk Island group. Invasive Species Council and Island Conservation. Fairfield, Victoria, Australia. November. Text: Dr Carol Booth. Design: John Sampson, Ecotype. Cover photos: Norfolk Island pine, Cathryn O’Donnell; Norfolk Island green parrot, Luis Ortiz-Catedral. Inquiries Invasive Species Council PO Box 166, Fairfield Vic 3078, Australia Email: [email protected] | Web: invasives.org.au | ABN: 27 101 522 829 About the Invasive Species Council About Island Conservation The Invasive Species Council was formed in 2002 to seek Island Conservation began in California as a network of stronger laws, policies and programs to keep Australian conservationists in 1994. It prevents extinctions by working biodiversity safe from weeds, feral animals, exotic pathogens worldwide where the concentration of both biodiversity and and other invaders. The goal is to establish a biosecurity species extinction is greatest—islands. Working together with system for Australia and the south west Pacific that stops local communities, government management agencies, and new invasive species and reduce the impacts from existing conservation organizations, Island Conservation selects islands invasive species. The Invasive Species Council is a not-for- that have the greatest potential for preventing the extinction profit charitable organisation funded almost entirely by of globally threatened species; develops comprehensive and donations from supporters and philanthropic organisations. humane plans for the removal of invasive species; implements the removal of invasive species; and conducts research. Intellectual property rights © 2017 Invasive Species Council and Island Conservation. Unless otherwise noted, copyright and any other intellectual property rights in this publication are owned by the Invasive Species Council and Island Conservation. All material in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 international licence, except for logos and third party content. You are free to use and adapt this publication in accordance with the licence terms, attributing the Invasive Species Council and Island Conservation, using it for non-commercial purposes and keeping intact the original licence and copyright notice. The licence terms are available from https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/. 3 Emily Bay, Norfolk Island, looking out to Phillip Island and Nepean Island. Photo: © Danny Hayes Perroquets, parrots, Doves, & other birds we saw in great quantitys & so very tame that they might have been knocked down with sticks … The pines which are very numerous are of an incredible growth, one of them which had been blown down, or fell by age, measured 140 feet … – Philip Gidley King, Commandant Norfolk Island, 1788-1790. King established the first European settlement on Norfolk Island. CONTENTS Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 2 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 8 2 Environmental values 2.1 Endemic and rare species ..............10 2.3 Animals ...................................... 12 2.2 Plants ......................................................11 2.4 Protected areas ....................... 15 3 Invasive species 3.1 Weeds ....................................................16 3.4 Pathogens ................................. 20 3.2 Invasive vertebrates ..........................18 3.5 Marine organisms .................. 21 3.3 Invasive invertebrates ......................20 3.6 Future risks ............................... 21 4 Biosecurity arrangements for Norfolk Island 4.1 Pre-border and border biosecurity (quarantine) ......................................................... 22 4.2 Post-border biosecurity ......................................................................................................... 25 4.3 Risks, challenges and opportunities .................................................................................. 26 5 Recommendations 5.1 Harmonise biosecurity arrangements .............................................................................. 28 5.2 Conduct risks and pathways analysis ............................................................................... 28 5.3 Develop a Norfolk Island biosecurity strategy .............................................................. 29 5.4 Declare Norfolk Island a biosecurity zone ...................................................................... 29 5.5 Secure commitment from all biosecurity participants ............................................... 30 5.6 Prepare for new incursions ................................................................................................... 30 5.7 Undertake eradications .......................................................................................................... 30 5.8 Establish Norfolk Island as an NRM region .................................................................... 31 5.9 Develop partnerships with other island managers ..................................................... 31 Endnotes ...................................................................................................................................... 32 References ................................................................................................................................. 34 Executive summary ne of many changes resulting from Invasive species the revocation of self-governance on Norfolk Island in July 2016 is the Indigenous plant species are far outnumbered Ofederal government assuming responsibility on Norfolk Island by exotic species. Some 430 exotic plant species have established, more than for most pre-border and border biosecurity. twice as many as the 182 known indigenous This transition offers the opportunity to establish species. Without intensive management, weeds an exemplary island biosecurity system. Stronger would destroy most of the remnant vegetation. biosecurity is very much needed, for invasive Competition from weeds is a threat to all 46 species are the major driver of extinctions on nationally listed threatened plant species, and Norfolk and Phillip Islands and new harmful exotic managing the woody weeds that dominate species continue to arrive and establish on the substantial areas of the national park is the major islands. demand on park funding. This report was prepared to highlight the Feral cats and two rodent species (Polynesian rat considerable conservation values of the Norfolk and black rat) are the major threat to birds, reptiles Island group and the importance of rigorous and invertebrates on Norfolk Island. Keeping biosecurity to prevent the establishment of them off Phillip and Nepean Islands is a high new invasive species and to limit harm from conservation priority. existing invaders. We describe the existing and The Argentine ant, first detected in 2005 and potential arrangements for biosecurity and make currently being eradicated, is likely to cause serious recommendations for building a more robust harm to wildlife if it spreads across Norfolk Island, biosecurity system. due to its aggression and need for protein. The There are many special things about the Norfolk local loss of other ant species would compromise Island group – their cliff-ringed beauty and ecosystem processes such as soil aeration, nutrient fascinating human history, teeming seabird cycling and seed dispersal.