Managing Kosciuszko National Park for the Future Implementing the Plan of Management | Annual Report 2011-2012 © Copyright State of NSW and Office of Environment and Heritage With the exception of photographs, the State of NSW and Office of Environment and Heritage are pleased to allow this material to be reproduced in whole or in part for educational and non-commercial use, provided the meaning is unchanged and its source, publisher and authorship are acknowledged. Specific permission is required for the reproduction of photographs. Published by: Office of Environment and Heritage NSW 59 Goulburn Street, Sydney NSW 2000 PO Box A290, Sydney South NSW 1232 Phone: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard) Phone: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests) Phone: 1300 361 967 (national parks, climate change and energy efficiency information, and publications requests) Fax: (02) 9995 5999 TTY: (02) 9211 4723 Email: [email protected] Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au Report pollution and environmental incidents Environment Line: 131 555 (NSW only) or [email protected] See also www.environment.nsw.gov.au ISSN: 2201- 4454 OEH 2013/0067 March 2013 Printed on environmentally sustainable paper Cover photos: Main: Winter at Wolgal Hut, Kiandra. Photo: Murray Vanderveer Bottom left: Walkers and cyclists on the Thredbo Valley shared-use track. Photo: Stephanie Lees Bottom centre: Clover glycine (Glycine latrobeana) the recently discovered rarest plant in Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: Roger Farrow Bottom right: The Tumut based Aboriginal Discovery program. Photo: Murray Vanderveer CONTENTS Executive Summary 3 Introduction 6 Kosciuszko National Park Plan of Management (2006) 6 Part One: Major projects and achievements 1.1 Elements of the landscape 7 1.1.1 Geodiversity Action Plan 7 1.1.2 Threatened frogs 7 1.1.3 Mountain pygmy possums 8 1.1.4 Clover glycine - a new plant species record for KNP 9 1.1.5 Assessment of bogs and fens of the Snowy Mountains 9 1.2 People and the landscape 10 1.2.1 Aboriginal Community partnerships 10 1.2.2 Circuitt’s Hut family reunion 11 1.2.3 Building rediscovered 11 1.3 Heritage tourism 12 1.3.1 Kiandra Courthouse 12 1.3.2 Yarrangobilly Caves House 13 1.3.3 Currango Homestead 13 1.4 Huts restoration and maintenance 14 1.4.1 Tin Mines Hut 14 1.4.2 Pedens Hut 15 1.4.3 Mackey’s Hut 15 1.4.4 Timber Skills Workshop 15 1.5 Walking tracks and visitor facilities 16 1.5.1 Perisher ski trails and ski facilities 16 1.5.2 Thredbo Valley shared use track 16 1.5.3 New interpretative signage 17 1.5.4 New picnic shelters for the Lower Snowy 17 1.5.5 Main Range walking track 18 1.5.6 Visitor Centre services 18 1.6 Restoration and protection 19 1.6.1 Horse management program 19 1.6.2 Orange hawkweed program 19 1.6.3 Ox-eye daisy control trials 20 1.6.4 Annual pig control program 20 1.6.5 Rehabilitation of former Snowy Sites 20 1.6.6 Fire management 21 1.7 Community programs 22 1.7.1 Discovery Education programs 22 1.7.2 Aboriginal Discovery programs 22 1.7.3 The Kosciuszko Education Centre 23 1.7.4 Volunteer programs 23 1.8 Programs in alpine resorts 24 1.8.1 Perisher Creek rehabilitation 24 1.8.2 Community support for Guthega skink research 24 1.8.3 Perisher Mountains of Music Festival 25 Managing Kosciuszko National Park for the Future: KNP PoM Implementation Annual Report 2011-2012 i 1.8.4 Environmental management systems 25 1.8.5 Sustainable investment program 26 1.8.6 Perisher infrastructure 27 Part Two: Research, monitoring and evaluation 2. Research and monitoring programs 28 2.1 Mountain Invasion Research Network (MIREN) project 28 2.2 Horse impact monitoring 28 2.3 Alpine lake research and monitoring 28 2.4 Orange hawkweed research 29 2.5 'Wildcount' in Kosciuszko National Park 29 2.6 Global Research in Alpine Environments (GLORIA) 29 2.7 European hare research and monitoring 30 2.8 Broad-toothed rat populations and red fox control 30 2.9 Monitoring spotted-tailed quoll populations in dog and fox control areas 31 2.10 Modelling fire threats to alpine ash forests 31 3. Annual Assessment of KNP values 31 3.1 Integrated monitoring and evaluation program 31 3.2 Overall Kosciuszko National Park values condition assessment 56 4. Status of PoM actions 58 5. Five Year Review of the Plan of Management 59 5.1 Purpose of the Five Year Review 59 5.2 Outcomes of the Five Year Review 60 5.2.1 Investment in park management 60 5.2.2 Detailed findings of the Review 60 5.2.3 Recommended improvements to implementation 62 5.2.4 Issues not adequately captured by the Plan 62 5.2.5 Potential amendments to the Plan 63 5.2.6 Five Year Action Plan 64 6. Glossary of Abbreviations 75 7. References 77 Tables Table 1 - Assessment of Park Values 32 Table 2 - Actions implementation status (%) 58 Table 3 - Actions implementation status (number) 58 Table 4 - Five Year Action Plan 64 Managing Kosciuszko National Park for the Future: KNP PoM Implementation Annual Report 2011-2012 ii Executive Summary The Kosciuszko National Park Plan of Management (2006) is a highly considered and ambitious Plan, providing a framework for tackling the management challenges of the largest national park in NSW. As part of the Plan, each year a public annual report is prepared which outlines the progress being made. This report covers the period from 1st July 2011 to the 30th June 2012 and summarises the main management achievements, research and monitoring programs, the annual condition assessment of the park’s values as well as a review of the Plan itself, five years after its adoption. Part One: Major projects and achievements A diverse range of projects and achievements were completed across the entire geographical range of Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) within the reporting period. Many of the projects outlined in the Plan have been supported by the Towards Centenary Fund; park- use fees that are specifically channelled into projects and operational areas that will benefit the park well into the future, into its Centenary year of 2044. For July 2011- June 2012 major achievements included: Elements of the landscape the discovery of the park’s rarest plant, the clover glycine (Glycine latrobaena) the completion of the Geodiversity Strategy, a framework for monitoring and protecting the park’s significant geology, fossils, karst, soils and key landforms. People and the landscape Aboriginal partnerships: endorsement of the executive committee for the Tumut, Brungle, Gundagai Area Aboriginal Community MOU and the rolling out of associated programs; the Southern Snowy Mountains Aboriginal Community MOU is also progressing as are projects pursued by that group the restoration and maintenance of huts and their social connections, an area which benefits hugely from the volunteer work of the Kosciuszko Huts Association. Heritage tourism major restoration programs at both Yarrangobilly Caves House and the Kiandra Precinct supporting heritage tourism into the future. Walking tracks and visitor facilities major capital works along the Thredbo Valley Shared Use Track with the installation of four new bridges maintenance of the iconic Main Range Walking Track section from Charlotte’s Pass to Blue Lake the assisting of over 150,000 visitors via the four NPWS-managed visitor centres and the boosting of visitor convenience through the publishing of a new comprehensive Guide to Kosciuszko National Park. Restoration and protection the greatest number of horses removed from the park since the adoption of the KNP Horse Management Strategy, including strong community support for the re-homing of horses execution of orange hawkweed program: treating all known sites and tracking the spread of the weed with volunteers to boost the success of the control measures Managing Kosciuszko National Park for the Future: KNP PoM Implementation Annual Report 2011-2012 3 winning the 2011 Australian Engineering Excellence Award for Environmental Engineering - a tremendous acknowledgement of the calibre of work performed by staff rehabilitating former snowy scheme sites within KNP the establishment of two new fire fighting teams as part of the state wide Enhanced Bushfire Mitigation Program (EBMP); these teams will increase the capacity to implement the KNP Bush Fire Management Plan and are responsible for implementing the hazard reduction burns and Asset Protection Zones in all national parks and nature reserves in the Southern Ranges Region. Community programs the Tumut-based Aboriginal Discovery team receiving the Indigenous Tourism Award for Canberra and the Capital region; Pat Darlington, one of the founding creators of the Kosciuszko Education Centre receiving the Public Service Medal on Australia Day 2012 for her enhancement of public awareness of the environment continued growth of volunteer programs within KNP offering vital support to: the orange hawkweed program; the maintenance of cultural heritage; fauna and flora surveys; maintenance of cross country ski trails and walking track improvements. Programs in alpine resorts implementation of Environmental Management Systems throughout all four alpine resorts within KNP completion of a habitat restoration project on the Perisher Creek with support from the Environmental Trust completion of a four year capital works program with major upgrades ensuring improvements to Perisher municipal services including waste management systems, sewerage treatment, roads, water supply and village signage. Part Two: Research, monitoring and evaluation KNP has a strong history of research and monitoring. Research, monitoring and evaluation is led by the NPWS regional Planning and Assessment Team, in many cases in collaboration with national and international research institutions and programs.