as V EWforests are f magnit'icentas the knrri: it hnsgreat beauty and biological diztersity,it produces exceptionallystrong and CONSERVATIONRESERVES

ln thefirst of twoarticles on karri,Barney White and RogerUnilenoooil look at:

ARRI forest occurs only system needsto be, and indeed is in the south-west of now established. Western Australia. Spanning the lower catchments of WHYCONSERVATION the Donnelly, Warren, Gardner, Shannory Deep and Frankland RESERVES?lllllllllllllllllllllllllill Rivers, it grows mainly on red earth soils (karri loams) on lower Conservationreserves, such as slopeswhere rainfall exceeds1100 national parks, nature reserves or mm. At its best kani grows in conservationparks, meet many pure stands.Where the soils demands. Most importantly, they change,karri grows in associationg provide a scientificbaseline against with other trees, chiefly marri. which the effectsof disturbancein other areascan be evaluated.Thev There is a strong maritime also provide examplesol i' ecosystems I inlluence on karri; most grows as nature provided them and this has (5 within 40 km of the sea.Many an intrinsic appeal to modern men p fine stands grow to the water's and women. Furthermore, a reserve edge on inlets permanently open system provides security against Atroutf ishermondeep in f he heort of thekorriforesl. to the sea,and others are found in inappropriate land use. for example localities on brown Mt FronklondNotionol Pork(opposile). sheltered it would be very unlikely that society sandsderived from coastal would want to convert a karri forest limestone. national park into dairy farms or fell the treesfor timber. Finally, stands A line drawn on the map which of mature karri forest are beautiful links the west coastat Busselton and awe-inspiring, and reserves to Nannup, Bridgetown, Lake provide ideal placesto protect such Muir, Pardelup and then to the forests. south coastat Denmark encompassesthe main occurrence In the early 1970sa group of disting- of the karri forest. uished scientistsfrom the Australian Academy of Sciencedrew up specif- "perfect" Within this area a comprehensive ications for the conserv- and seculeconservation reserve ation reservesystem kee page34\.

L

THEFORESTS DEPARTMENT

of 1972.

HISTORY karri forest Prior to 1970the area of sel asidesPecificatlY.tu: .^,,."wltn conserv.rtionwas deficienl the e\ceptionof the WalPole- NornaluPNational ParL ' .L"r"it.',t"" was largelr restricled p-arLs i" " n."aftf of smallnational tsew of W A and teservesnear Pemberton Authority of thesemet any recognised,crlterla lne for conservationreserves in public i"i.ti,u., the karri forest which o*^"ttf]lp was Slalelorest' rts value' had timber Production as conservation primarY PurPose'

Porlioment.requiring The to eftect NAIURATNESS "6t..."nt of ihot bodY OFA o noturol CHARACIERTSTICS Reservesshould be in chonge PERFECTRESERVE SYSTEM undisturbedstote' free ol .. ;iroduceo speciesond Pothogens MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVENESS sEcuRlw somPle The reservesystem should Thetenure ond Purposeof the kev biologicolcommuniTles monoqemenl for the reserves ond int-"^J"o for conservorion' be securedbY Act ot hobilol should .."^t"i"ln" wideslpossible irJiirr'c"no geomorphologrcol iiu.t,itv witnin those communities

SIZEAND STRUCTURE (20000- Reservesshould be lorge or iOboo n.l. well Proportioned be Permitied t tnoP""nd hovenoturol litJJLi REPTICATION boundoriessuch os coostllnes rivers'ridges or Reseruesshould be replicoted wotershed, bY.o qeomorPhologicolchonges rr i elsewhereond connected ollowrne reservesshould De corridor(s)which would 'orft"i"oimoller' founo ov Siole torestor woler migrotionof floroond Kofl forest in the Shonnon reserves

34 d. a (5 p

The selectionand mapping of the conservationMPAs in Stateforest was carried out in the early 1920s. The criteria used were those set out in the Australian Academy of "A ScienceReport Natural System ThePorongorups with korri in of EcologicalReserves in Australia" theforeground, and its authoritative addendum, Crcwe o o ngustitoli o f ot i) the famous SpechtReport. These port of the densekorriforest reports summarised current understorey. international scientificopinion on s conservationreserves/ and placed it liiliiliilli lii lillii in the Australian context.

It was fortunate that at this time communities,lakes, rivers and Other important variations in the morethan half the karri was still streamswere also accurately karri were known to occur. In the virgin forest. Although the timber mapped on the Aerial Photographic west, centre and north, karri is industry had been cutting karri Interpretation (API) plans. typically restrictedto the red earth sincethe 1890s,harvesting had and podsolic soils of the lower beenlargely restrictedto the The floristic composition of the slopesin the main drainage westernhalf of the forest. understoreyand shrub vegetation systems.In the south and eastit was also well known, although not occurs more on granitic soils as Forestersworking on the formally surveyed or mapped. well as on red earths,and in river establishmentof the reservesystem Experiencedforesters working in alluvium. This difference coincides were able to consult a considerable karri country were able to with a changein underlying body of biological knowledge about distinguish and locatesite geology from gneissicmetamorphic the forest. variations dominated by a single rocks in the west to granite in the species:viz Netic (Bossiaea east.Outside the main forest, karri Iaidlawiana)dominating in the is found in smaller patchesin soils The structure,density, floristic Donnelly River Valley at the derived from different Darent compositionand generalhealth of western extremity of the main karri material. On the Leeuwin- the upper-storeyof the entire forest occurrenceikarri wattle Naturaliste, ridge patchesgrow on was well known and accurately (Acaciapentadenia) dominating in brown sands derived from coastal mapped.The FD's forest type maps the easternhalf; hazel (Trymalium limestone.Further small were derived from aerial spathulatum)often dominating occurrenceson similar soils occur photographp and presented where karri grew tallest; Acacia along the south coast.The largest information of a quality second-to- urophylla dominating on more outlier is at the Porongurup Range nonefor equivalent land fertile sites; and.Hooea elliptica often 100km to the north-eastof managementagencies in Australia. dominating in mixed karri-marri Denmark where a large batholith of Otherdetail useful for natural land stands.A herbarium collection of porphyritic granite with bare managementsuch as the degreeof over 1000karri forest plant species summits cradlesthe karri below. fire damage,the presenceof had been developedat Manjimup, The Porongurups karri is almost unusualtree species,rock outcrops, and fauna surveyshad entirely contained within a national wetlands,reed swamps, riverine commenced. park. Other outliers occur at

35 Mt ManyPeaks, AlbanY, Mt Barker,itockY GullY, NannuP and' the in one Puzzling locality, on Blackwood Plateau. To accommodate these variables in a reserve system, the following aPProach was taken:

Firstly, two large virgin areasof foresi were sought. It was hoPed to find areasin the 30,000to 50,000 hectaresize range with a maximum diversity of site tyPeswithrn tneu boundaries;

occurrences. The basis of selection were the

options. After some months ol d;tberation and debate, a preferred oPtion for the reserve svstem wal decided uPon, and FD's evenruallYPublished in the forest management PIan, and implemented.

The first of the two very large selected was the 30,000 ha reserves newMt Fronklond area (now designated and Hawke-Treen Giontkorriinthe Wattle-Soho DombakuP NotionolPork Frankland National Park) (Wirren River), Strickland the Mt forests Thefrogile sPider orchid which straddles the uPPer forest (Donnelly) Chester forest (Colodenia sP.). catchments of the Weld, DeeP and (Blackwood Plateau),BoranuP Frankland Rivers. This is an area of forest (Leeuwin-Naturalisteridge), Giants forest (Bow River), and Swarbrick, KeYstone and Dawson forests (Walpole River)' These were supported bY the recreation Shannon River Basin Plus an reierves, One Tree Bridge adiacentsegment of the ProPosed (Donnellv), Brockman (Warren d'intrecastleauxNational Park' River), Ir,iuirillup (Gardner River) This is also an area of great beauty and Mt Frankland forest and diversitY and encomPasses (Frankland River). coastal elernents not found in the WattleSoho reserve' Other areas were also set aside to be managedfor PurPosesother than tim6er production' Road, river ! The smaller areas making uP the and stream iones were designated, karri reserve sYstem were Curtin t toeether with wetlands, rock forest (upper ShannonRiver), 6 ou"krops and a number of sites of Boorara forest (Gardner River)'

36 historical or cultural interest.These comprising the entire Shannon And so two independently derived areas,together with the MPAs River Basin.This, added to the pre- reservesystems for the karri forest addedup to nearlyhalf the karri existingnational parks and other were amalgamated.Any argument forest. small reservesnear Pembertonand about the biological superiority of Walpole was consideredto meet one proposal compared to the other - 'to On the basisof the best information the aim of the CTRC set asioe becameunnecessary. Both were available,the FD was satisfied thar sufficient native habitat to be implemented. preserved this reservesystem contained all and managedboth for the genetic diversiiy required and the preservationof animals and CALMS CONTRIBUTION that it captured the magic and plants, and for the enjoymentand majestyunique to virgin karri. educationof the population'. Togetherwith the proposed Despite iis biological adequacy,the reserve d'EnhecasteauxNational Park and system inherited by CALM other reservescovering jarrah and when it took over forest wandoo forest, such as the adjacent managementin WA in 1985still Perup Fauna Reserve,the view was had one major deficiency:the taken that a very comprehensive reservesin Stateforest (Conservation reservesystem had been developed and Recreation for southern forests. MPAs) had no security.Although Stateforest itself has the equivalent THEEPA INITIATIVE of A Classsecurity, and the Departrnentis bound by its ctitr''nt'"'o managementplans, the purposes In December Broke 1971the Inletotthe m oulhol lLe for which areasof forest are Environmental ShonnonRiver. Protection managedmay be changedat any Authority was esiablished. Part of time without referenceto its 'consider role was to and initiate Parliament,by simple Ministerial the meansof enhancingthe quality The CTRC was enthusiasticabout decision. of the environment'. The EPA the ShannonRiver watershed recognisedthat the because establishmentof it was a large contiguous CALM has now developed (and the an adequate conservationreserve areacontaining areas of virgin karri Government has endorsed)a systemthroughout WA would be and karri-marri. This area was system for converting all the essentialin achievingthis objective. proposed so that it might act as a Conservationand RecreationMpAs Accordingly, it esiablishedthe benchmarkarea for changesin from Stateforest to national parks, ConservationThrough Reserves biological, hydrological, nature reservesor conservation Committee (CTRC)which first met pedologicaland sedimentological parks. Once so classified,both the in February 1972.TheCTRC parameterswhich may take place tenure and purpose of the reserved I divided the Stateof WA into 12 elsewhereas a result of timber 'systems'. areascan only be changedwith S natural areascalled harvesting.The presenceof the Parliamentaryapproval. A more Systems1 and 2 more or less Broke Inlet in a largely intact securesituation is not possible. coveredthe samearea as that natural stateat the mouth 6f th€ 'southern coveredby the forests'of Shannon,and the presencetherein the FD. The CTRC, in looking into of a sedimentarydelta of classic No reservationsystem should be so reservationfor conservationin form, were seento add to the value inflexible that idcannot be refined Systems1 and 2 did not work with of the proposed reserve. in the light of insights gained from the FD, who had already continuing research.CALM commencedthe same exercise. The CTRC'sviews were sharedby believesthat the conservation Thus two officially responsibleand many people in ihe community, system in its southern forestsis qualified organisationswere who viewed the Shannonproposal now closeto being right. evaluatingthe same area of forest as an opportunity to createa large Nevertheless,research has simultaneously. karri forest national park of continued and it is interesting to international value. Finally after examinethe impact of recent In August 1974the CTRC published some years of controversy,the new studies. its report to the EPA, and revealed Labor Government in 1983 that it had taken a different immediatelyimplemented a pre- The systemof Conservationand approachto the FD. The CTRC did election promise to createa RecreationManagement Priority not examinethe question of ShannonPark. The entire Shannon Areas in the karri forest was establishinga network of small Basin was declaredan MPA for conceivedin the early 1970sand reservesspanning the whole forest. -1977. R Flora, Fauna and Landscape.More has been in place since E Their brief was to look for large and recently this areahas been Timber cutting ceasedin the t significantareas. They iherefore designatedthe ShannonNational ShannonBasin in 1983,prior to its opted to createone large reserve Park. conversronto a conservation

37 .e i

reserve.The d'Entrecasteaux ililji!lrl NationalPark has been managed as ii:i'Lliillj a reservesince about the same Mt FronklondNotionol Pork (obove). time. In the meantime, research KorriVolley(letl). work in biological, ecologicaland related (soils, geomorphologY, hydrology, fire, silviculture and 3 fields has continued. paihology) I I Now, in 1q88,how doesthe karri reservesystem stand up in the light of increasingresearch and did not recommendchanges, or vegetationtypes distinguished in heightenedpractical insights? adiustmentsto the existing karri the karri foresl region are repres- forest reservesystem. ented in the existing reserve nineteen detailed For a start, system. biological surveys have been A concernin some quarters is that completedby scientistsin the the reservesystem should 6 iFlEFUiURE llll liil rliii l southern forests.Noteworthy encompassall the geneticvariability amongst the results is the finding of karri itself. During 1986-87, In any forest such as.thekarri, that few plant species,aPart from geneticistsstudied this question which combinesbeauty, utility and the dominant treesthemselves using the protein electroPhoresis natural productivity in so (suchas karri, yellow tingleanc technique.These studies showet propitious a manner, conflict about red iingle) are entirely restricted to that all the maior genotypesof the reservationand timber harvest is the area.Likewise, no speciesof speciesthat occur on Crown lands inevitable.There will always be vertebratefauna appearsto be are representedin the reserve those who advocatethat a greater confined to the karri forest. system. areabe set aside in reserves,and Associatedlandforms such as the those who feel a greaterarea granite monadnocksand the Iower Finally, scientistshave recently should be made availablefor catchmentsof the Hay and Mitchell completed a detailed study of the timber production. Rivers, where ihe Darling, Stirling dominant vascularperennial plants There will also always be and Warren Botanicalsub-districts of the region, in their relation to argumentsabout which areas join, are botanically far richer. site. (This approachhad been should be reserved:people's views Plains, lakes,swamPs, riverine developedin ihe early 1970sby will be coloured by where they live associationsand coastallandforms foresterJoe Havel for the northern and work, or recreate. (areasnot subieci to timber harvest jarrah forest and was used as a "counted" and very largelynot in basis for designing the conservation In the end, political decisionswill the reservesystem) also make a reservesystem now in place in that largely decide the exactbalance specialcontribution. Thesesurveys area.)All thirteen different site,/ that is struck betweenareas.

38 THELIBRARYI_-.....*I DEFT.OONSEftVATTON AN6 ]AND MAilAGEMENT 2 9 DEC!988 i

GIMATUSTRALA"'". EDIIORIAL Volume4, No.2 SummerEdition/Jonuory 1989 It is difficult to remember o time when our doily news did not feoture some environmentolcontroversy. To people involved in environmentolreseorch KenruMecrc ond monogement,the populorityof 'the NRrrvsCnnerroNs environment' is o mixed blessing,

Greoter public consciousnessof environmentolissues hos meont increosedfunding ond, lo some exfent, greoter prestige.But mony scieniistsworking on ecosystemsqre uncomforloble when their work is ploced in the politicol spotlight.

The knowledge thot o scientific hove observotionthot once would Whnt is really going on in the knni been lucked owoy in o scientitic On page 32 we takea lookat journol io be reod only by o few forcst? reseraes colleogues could become the centre- the systemof conseroation point of o politicol controversyis that hauebeen established to preserue dounting. this awe-inspiringf or est. Nouaellejardins, multiculturalism Retoiningobjectivity in ony reseorch or laissez-faire:which garden fashion oreo is difficult, Forihose engqged in will you choose?Turn to page22. SrnaNpror reseorchon the noturol environmentit is even more difficult. Unlikethe phys- icol sciences in the noturol sciences the truih is often comoutloged by Wrr-oMennoN interoctionsbeiween foctors which vory over time ond spoce. When the resulisot thistype of reseorchore ploced in the polilicoloreno, the mixtureis often volotile ond ihe truth o cosuolTy,

To enoble scientistslo better seek the truthond communicoteit, the Reliae the euphoriaof the Augusta scientificcommunity hos odopted "the page whot hos been colled scientific whalerescue on 78, method".The scientitic method iso code of conduct with rigid requirements.An offshooi of thot code BecrToBesrcs is o set of ruleswhich scientisismust follow, ot leost in reputoble scieniitic journols,if they ore to hove thek reseorchpublished, Unforlunotely, o byproduct ot this is thot scientific oriiclesore not the eosiestto reod ond ore offen ploin boring.

Given fhot the environmenthos become o mojor politicol issue,it is importont ihof ihose involved in lhe debote ore fully informed. Bui scientists With today'smassioe land boomit' s ore foced wiih o dilemmo, They need hard to imagine that the Stateonce io populorisetheir work to reoch o Do our wild maton hauea future or couldn'tgiue land away fast rnough. wider oudience,On the other hond, toill localgourmets keep catching Nou)the gooernmmt is buying back they connot offord to lose objectivity. themto thepoint of extinction? our aaluableconseraation areas. Find out on page4, Seepage 43, DnsrnrGrvr CONTENTS TheGibson Desert Nature TheLost of the WildMorron Reseruecoaers oaer byAndrew Cribb,,..,..,,.,,.,,,.,,...... 4 1.8 million hectares. It is a desolatebut subtly Outof the Mouths...... ,..,,.,,..,,.,,,.9 beautifullandscape. Read Outfoxing the Fox aboutthis unlquearu and byJack Kinnear ...... ,...,..,...... \2 the managementproblems it presentson page 48. Of Wholeond Friend Arrpn THr Fox byKylie Byf ield..,.,,..,,.,,.,,,.,,..,,., l 8 UrbonAntics SNerrs&ADDERS byJohn Hunter.,,,,,,.,,.,,,.,,,.,...... 21 Creotive with Notives byLiana Christensen .,,.,,...... 22 Porffolio- SusonTingoy byLiana Christensen .,,.,...... 27 BushTelegroph .,,.,,.,,,.,,.,,..,...... 30 ConservotionReserves in Foxespose a mnjorthreat to natiae the Koni Forest fiammalsand other Can we fauna. by Barney White& outfoxthem? See page 72, RogerUnderwood,..,..,,..,..,...... 32 A A Sightto Behold SrcHrTo BBHor,o byJim Lane,,..,..,,..,..,..,,.,,..,,...,. 39 Whot'sin o Nome? byPaul Wilson,..,..,,..,..,,...... 42 BuyingBock the Form byAlex Errington,..,...,,.,,..,..,.... 43 Endongered: Purdie'sDonkey Orchid by Stephenvan Leeuwen .....,...47 DesertGem Slim and actiuesnakes haue emerged 'Its byDavid Pearson..,..,..,,..,...... 48 hungryfrom theirwinter pouchcan hold more than its hibernation.But they'renot all bellycan' , goesthe popular rhyme. Snokesond Adders aenomous.See page 57 for tips on Find out moreabout this awkward by Ray Dickson. ., . . , , . , , . , , . . , , . , , . . . . . 5 1 Iiaing with snakes. but gracefulbird on page 39. | ^+^r. ql

Monoging Edilo.:Sweton Slewort Edllor: LionoChristensen Covel Phologroph AssisloniEdito.: Corolyn Thomson Designers:Robyn Mundy/Croig Gofiott Ploduclion:MorgoretWilkie/Koren Addison One of our noturolwonders - Colour Seoorolionsbv TheColourSet the beochesof HomelinPool Printedin WesternAustrolio by Koleidoscope g5'. \o porl ll.e (O- Allmote olcooy of coi'enh of (ShorkBoy) consist of billionsof rhe oJbl colron mov be reoroduced w horrl rhe smollshells. consentollhe oublshe6

Photoby BillBochmon, Publishedby DrSSheo, Execulive Direclor, Deporlmentof Conservolionond Lond Monogemen'i,50Hoymon Rood, Como, WesternAustrolio 6152