Conservation Action Planning
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Conservation Action Planning 2020 Second edition (DRAFT) Mallee Emu-Wren Stipiturus mallee Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis Western Whipbird (eastern) Psophodes nigrogularis leucogaster Red-lored Whistler Pachycephala rufogularis Regent Parrot (eastern) Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata Mallee Striated Grasswren Amytornis striatus Threatened Mallee Birds Project First edition compiled by: Rebecca Boulton and Jenny Lau Second edition compiled by: Gary Howling and Andrea Fullagar 1 i. Acknowledgements The delivery of the second edition of the Mallee Bird Conservation Action Plan would not have been possible without the generous support of the Scobie and Claire Mackinnon Trust, the Isaacson Davis Foundation and the Corella Fund. Further, there has been financial support from the following organisations to facilitate the implementation of a range of on-ground recovery actions and strategies linked to seven key management interventions listed in the Mallee Bird CAP: Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Victoria); Murraylands-Riverland Landscape Board (South Australia); Zoos Victoria, and; Parks Victoria We thank them for supporting this important work. We also thank all present and former members of the TMB CAP Steering Committee: Rebecca Boulton (University of Adelaide), Simon Verdon (LaTrobe University), Jenny Lau, Andrea Fullagar, Dean Ingwersen, James O’Connor and Samantha Vine (BirdLife), Gary Howling (Great Eastern Ranges), Simon Nally (Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment), Wendy Stubbs and Luke Ireland (Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, South Australia), Chris Hedger (National Parks and Wildlife Service, South Australia), Liberty Olds (Zoos South Australia), Jill Fleming and Elise Kovac (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria), Katherine Selwood (Zoos Victoria), Kathryn Schneider (Parks Victoria), Michael Todd and Sarah Bell (Department of Planning, Industry and the Environment, New South Wales), Jennifer McCamley (Mallee CMA), Sarah Brown (Self), Vicki-Jo Russell (Trees for Life). Cover photos by Rohan Clarke, Chris Tzaros and Indra Bone. ii. Recommended citation Boulton, R.L., Lau, J., Fullagar, A.N. and Howling, G.M. (2020) Threatened Mallee Birds Conservation Action Plan, second edition. Report to the Threatened Mallee Birds CAP Steering Committee. BirdLife Australia, Melbourne. iii. Abbreviations Species BEM Black-eared Miner MEW Mallee Emu-wren MF Malleefowl MSG Mallee Striated Grasswren 2 Threatened Mallee Bird CAP, second edition RP Regent Parrot RLW Red-lored Whistler WW Western Whipbird Organisations ANU Australian National University ARI Arthur Rylah Institute BLA BirdLife Australia CAP Conservation Action Plan DELWP Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria DAWE Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment, Commonwealth MCMA Mallee Catchment Management Authority MRLB Murraylands-Riverland Landscape Board, South Australia NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service, South Australia OEH Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW PV Parks Victoria, Victoria TMB Threatened Mallee Bird ZSA Zoos South Australia ZV Zoos Victoria iv. IUCN Protected Area Categories Ia Strict Nature Reserve - Category Ia are strictly protected areas set aside to protect biodiversity and also possibly geological/geomorphic features, where human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values. Ib Wilderness Area - Category Ib protected areas are usually large unmodified or slightly modified areas, retaining their natural character and influence without permanent or significant human habitation, which are protected and managed so as to preserve their natural condition. II National Park - Category II protected areas are large natural or near natural areas set aside to protect large-scale ecological processes, along with the complement of species and ecosystems characteristic of the area, which also provide a foundation for environmentally and culturally compatible, spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational, and visitor opportunities. III Natural Monument or Feature - Category III protected areas are set aside to protect a specific natural monument, which can be a landform, sea mount, submarine cavern, geological feature such as a cave or even a living feature such as an ancient grove. IV Habitat/Species Management Area - Category IV protected areas aim to protect particular species or habitats and management reflects this priority. 3 Threatened Mallee Bird CAP, second edition V Protected Landscape/ Seascape - A protected area where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant, ecological, biological, cultural and scenic value, and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values. VI Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources - Category VI protected areas conserve ecosystems and habitats together with associated cultural values and traditional natural resource management systems. 4 Threatened Mallee Bird CAP, second edition CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 7 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 11 1.1 Context ....................................................................................................................... 11 1.2 Project area ................................................................................................................. 13 1.2.1 Climate and rainfall....................................................................................................... 13 1.2.2 Vegetation................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.3 Native fauna ................................................................................................................ 15 1.2.4 Aboriginal associations and management ......................................................................... 17 1.2.5 European land use history ............................................................................................. 19 1.2.6 Protected areas ............................................................................................................ 20 1.3 Conservation Action Planning .......................................................................................... 23 2. PROJECT VISION AND CONTEXT ................................................................................. 26 2.1 Project team ................................................................................................................ 26 2.2 Scope ......................................................................................................................... 27 2.3 Vision ......................................................................................................................... 27 2.4 Identification of targets ................................................................................................. 27 2.5 Target descriptions ....................................................................................................... 29 2.5.1 Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis ............................................................................. 30 2.5.2 Mallee Emu-wren Stipiturus mallee ................................................................................. 31 2.5.3 Mallee Striated Grasswren Amytornis striatus striatus ........................................................ 31 2.5.4 Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata .............................................................................................. 33 2.5.5 Red-lored Whistler Pachycephala rufogularis ..................................................................... 33 2.5.6 Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides ............................................................ 34 2.5.7 Western Whipbird Psophodes nigrogularis leucogaster ....................................................... 35 2.6 Viability of Conservation Targets ..................................................................................... 35 2.7 Threats to Conservation Targets ..................................................................................... 39 2.7.1 Catastrophic Wildfire (landscape scale, high proportion of reserve) ...................................... 42 2.7.2 Past Clearing and Reduced Connectivity (ongoing extinction debt) ....................................... 46 2.7.3 Drought (temporal suppression of critical resources).......................................................... 46 2.7.4 Inappropriate Fire Management ...................................................................................... 47 2.7.5 Grazing by Goat, Kangaroo, Rabbit and Pig ...................................................................... 47 2.7.6 Genetic Introgression with Yellow-throated Miner .............................................................. 48 2.7.7 Loss of habitat complexity ............................................................................................. 48 2.7.8 Inappropriate Water Management ................................................................................... 48 2.7.9 Grazing by