Help Save the Lowland Grassy Woodland in the South East Corner Bioregion Priorities Action Statement Draft

Home , Biamanga National Park, Bournda National Park, Deua National Park, Monga National Park

Help save the Lowland Grassy Woodland in the South East Corner Bioregion Conservation status in NSW: Endangered Ecological Community Commonwealth status: Critically Endangered Saving our Species management stream: Ecological community (widespread)

Community profile: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=20070 The Saving our Species program aims to conserve threatened species and ecological communities in the wild in NSW in the long term. The project was developed by experts who have identified a set of representative management areas across the distribution of the ecological community that would benefit from targeted management. Experts have identified critical management actions which may be required for conserving the ecological community within these areas and/or at the site scale.

Nine priority management areas have been identified in NSW (ordered north to south). They are: • Araluen in Palerang LGA • Buckenbowra River in Eurobodalla LGA • Mogendoura in Eurobodalla LGA • Moruya in Eurobodalla LGA • Belowra in Bega Valley; Eurobodalla LGAs • Tanja in Bega Valley LGA • Bega Valley in Bega Valley LGA • Pambula in Bega Valley LGA • Towamba - Rocky Hall in Bega Valley LGA More information about each area is provided on the following pages.

All conservation work being undertaken to conserve the Lowland Grassy Woodland in the South East Corner Bioregion around the state is vital to its recovery. If you are carrying out critical management actions within the ecological community, please let us know at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/savingourspecies/contactus.htm.

Map of Lowland Grassy Woodland in the South East Corner Bioregion distribution and priority management areas

1 Legend Community distribution Priority management area

Indicative community distribution is mapped as sub-regions where the ecological community is known to occur.

Priority management areas are required for meeting the security objective for SoS-managed ecological communities.

2 Threats to this ecological community are outlined at: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=20070#threats .

The actions listed in the management action toolbox are supplementary to NSW legislation, policy and programs and can be used by stakeholders, where applicable, to guide management at a site, regional area or state scale.

Action toolbox

Action description Scale

Encourage landholders to engage in early weed identification and intervention, and to implement Site, Area prevention measures using current best management practices. Develop and distribute information and guidelines for managing key weeds (including African Lovegrass) while protecting Lowland Grassy Woodland ecological values. Provide assistance to landholders to identify and control weeds. Educate landholders about the distribution, ecological values and management requirements of Site, Area Lowland Grassy Woodland through stakeholder engagement forums, information packages and other community engagement activities. Encourage appropriate grazing regimes for domestic stock through a combination of measures Site, Area including fencing and developing grazing guidelines. Develop grazing management plans that provide grazing guidelines that will promote the maintenance of ground cover values. Investigate and implement a variety of Noisy Miner control measures. This could include Site encouraging other species to recolonise affected areas (via methods such as nest box installation to provide sugar gilder habitat or through the addition of a shrubby habitat mosaic to attract woodland birds). Implement active management actions such as thinning dense woody regrowth, biomass Site control and responding to weed release as required on a site by site basis. Identify indicators and criteria for ecological burning; develop and distribute guidelines to Area stakeholders and Rural Fire Service. Develop and distribute management guidelines for post-burn erosion control and weed management. Encourage engagement between landholders and local Rural Fire Service officers for the purpose for fire management education and burn coordination. Identify opportunities to increase individual patch sizes and reconnect fragmented patches. This Site could include revegetation at appropriate sites. Assess and monitor sites to determine impacts. If required, implement adaptive management Site using current recommended practices that target control of overabundant native herbivores. Assess and monitor sites to determine impacts. If required, implement adaptive management Site using current recommended practices that target control of vertebrate pest animals.

3 Area 1: Araluen The area includes lowlands of the Araluen Valley between Araluen and Neringla. Total area (ha): 9,336 LGA: Palerang NPWS reserve: Araluen Nature Reserve; Deua National Park; Monga National Park

Management area map