I

REMNANTNATIVE VEG ETATION TENYEARS ON

A DECADEOF RESEARCH ANDMANAGEMENT Publishedby: Dr SydShea, Executive Director, Department of Conservationand Land Management, 50 HaymanRoad, Como, Western Australia 6152. ManagingEditor: RayBailey Editor: K.J.Wallace Illuskation: KelleeMerritt

o 1995ISBN 0 73096174 5

This bookis copyright.Apart from anyfair dealingfor the purposeof privatestudy, research, criticism or revrew,as permittedunder the CopyrightAct 1968,no part maybe reproducedby anyprocess without written permission. Enquiriesshould be madeto the publisher.

DeOarLmentof Conservation and Land Management @ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like particularlyto acknowledgethe work of BarbKennington, David Mitchell and Anthony Sutton in preparationof organisingand managing many components of the workhop. BarbKennington also assisted with the for manuscripts.Amanda Curtin preparedthe referencesand assisted with editing.My thanksalso to MarianneLewis . proofreading a draft of the document

I am gratefulto the followingpeople who reviewedmanuscripts published in theseproceedin$s: Greg . KennethAtkins, Andrew Burbidge, Mike Fitzgerald,Kelly Gillen, Richard Hobbs, An$as Hopkins, Penny Hussey, Sutton,and Roger Underwood. i X.ighery,David Mitchell, Daryl Moncriefi DenisSaunders, Jeff Short, Anthony

KenWallace SeminarConvenor CONTENTS

Setting th€ Scene- Researchon Remnantsduring the Past Decade DenisA. Saunders

Impact of Fire on Fauna in RemnantVegetation - ResearchFindinSs and their Implications for Management ll GordonFriend

The Effect of ChangingHydrological Processes on RemnantVegetation and Wetlands l5 R.J.George and D.J.McFarlane

Researchinto Remnant ManagementIssues: Nuts and Bolts and the Big Picture 2l RichardJ. Hobbs

GondwananBotany: A Perspectiveon RemnantManaliement in South-WestAustralia 25 StephenD. Hopper

The Exotic Predator Problem 29 JackKinnear

The Use of Remnant Vegetationby N€ctarivorousBirds: Biodivetsity as a Model for Managementin the l{heatbelt of WesternAuskalia 33 RobertJ. Lambeck

Acquisition and Managementof ConservationReserves in WestemAustralia 37 A.R.Main

Invertebrate Studies Performed through Curtin University 4l JonathanMajer and Anne Brandenburg

MANAGERS'PERSPECTIVES

Sefting the Scene- Remnant Managementduring the Past Decade 5l K.J.Wallace

Remnant Managementover the Last 10 Years- An Agricultural Viewpoint i)l' G.R.Beeston

ManagingMy Bushland ltt AlisonDoley An OperationalPerspective.,,...... ,.....,...... 6l SteveGorton

The DongolockingCorridors Project 65 TerriLloyd

- A Farmer'sP€rspective Managementof RemnantVegetation bl BobThigg

WORKSHOPREPORTS

WorkshopReports - Introduction K.J.Wallace

How Do WeAchieve Communication within andbetr.teen Agencies? KenAtkins and Helen Allison

How Do We IntegrateInformation into a Form Accessiblefor LandManagers and Researchers? ..,,...... ?z AnneBrandenburg and Greg Beeston

Ho$ Do We Int€grateNature Conservation with Other LandUses in the Contextof the WesternAustralian Wheatbelt? ...,..., 81 GregKeighery and David Mitchell what Are the Philosophyand Goalsfor ManaginpRemnant Vegetation within a Landscapecontext?..,...,.,. 8F Don McFarlane

How Do we Ensurethat community Educationand Extension Maximise Remnant conservation? ...... gT AnthonySutton and David Bicknell

CONCLUSIONS 89 APPENDIX: List of WorkshopParticipants and their Addresses lntroduction

K. J. Wallace Asidefrom work on natureconserration issues, Depanmenlof Conservation researchdocumenting hydrological changes in the andLand Management, landscape,and their relationshipto bushlandand POBox 1 00, Narrogin, WA, 6312 revegetation,was vital in showingthat solutionsand theoreticalconcepts must be developedat landscape BACKGROUNDTO SEMINAR andregional scales. Duringthe early1980s, there were a numberof changes that hadimportant implications for natureconservation * Theseriousness and scale oflandcare and nature greater in agriculturalareas of WesternAustralia. The most conservationissues led to recognitionof the significantwere: needto manageacross land ownership and tenure boundaries.(lnterestingly, the promotion of this conceptin relationto natureconservation, by Ian .i. Sufficientrural landmanagers recognised the Crook,in about1980 was probably too earlyfor seriousnessof landdegradation to become acceptancewithin the socialand cultural interestedin taking action,and the landcare environmentof the time.) movementwas born in WesternAustralia, As rural communitiesbegan to understandthat clearingof Together,these changes stimulated a rangeof naturalvegetation was a major causeof land importantresearch and management actions. Research degradation,many also began to acceptthat actions,in particular,are summarised in a seriesof bushlandis ofvalueto agriculture.No longerwas it excellentworkshops and conferences. For nature consideredmerely a harbourfor "vermin"and consefration,these are best exemplified by the "Nature "noxious"species - useless,unproductive Consenation"series and related workshops that began wasteland.Other factors also helped to change with "NatureConservation: The Roleof Remnantsof attitudes.For example,recent generations of NativeVegetation", held at Busseltonin 1985. farmerswere not, or wereminimally, involved in clearingbushland to createfarmland. Their experi- encewas not the sameas that of oldergenerations Althoughland managers and planners, as well as who workedhard to convertbushland, the "enemy". researchers,were involved in theseconferences, the BarbaraYork Main (1993)discusses other factors primaryfocus was on researchactivities. While that contributedto new,more positive attitudes recognisingthe valueof pastresearch, Wheatbelt land towardsbushland. managerswithin CALM,by the early1990s, were beginningto ask:"What are the actualimplications of this research lor our daylo daymanagemenl?" The Departmentof Fisheriesand Wildlife established Consequently,there were moves to convenea meeting the first rural-basedmanagement group for nature of Wheatbeltmanagers and researchers to describein conseruation,at Pingellyin 1978.This was followed detailthe operational implications of theprevious by a managementteam based in the Katanning decadeof researchwork. District in 1984.These two groups,now part of the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management (CALM),provided a coreof rural-basedland Aboutthe same time, during a multi-disciplinary managerswhose primarl concernwas nature meetingat the CSIRO'soffice, Helena Valley, on conservatlon. integrationof researchin the Wheatbelt,the desireto hold a meetingto discussresearch in agriculturalareas wasexpressed. TheCSIRO Division of Wldlife and Ecology began an intensiveresearch program on nature conservationin the Wheatbeltin 1984.The Together,these two goalsprovided the impetusfor a conjunctionof this work u,ith researchby the seminarat Dryandrain September1993, aimed at DepartmentofAgriculture, Water Authority of discussingresearch and management in relationto WesternAustralia, and CALM generated a large remnantsof nativevegetation. Work from the previous amountof informationuseful for management. decadewas to be a particularfocus. Specificobjectives for the seminarwere: implicationsoftheir research,and five minutes on whethertheir researchfindings have been .:. to list significantresearch results for remnant implemented.Conclusions were to includea listingof management; the threeor four majorissues which requireresolution in orderto improvethe managementof remnant vegetation. .l to assesswhether conclusions from researchhad Researcherswere asked not to present - beenimplemented; researchdata that is, the seminarwas intended to addressthe implicationsfor managementof past research,and was not an opportunityto presentnew * to developa list of actionsto improveboth the data. relevanceof researchand the implementationof its Iesults. Managerswere asked to spendfive minutes discussing researchresults they SEMINARPROCESS haveused in managingremnant vegetation,and a further fiverninutes discussin6iwhy To achievethese objectives, it wasdecided to hold a theseactions did or did not work. Conclusionswere to residentialseminar at which a seriesof presentationsby includea list of majorissues which require resolution researchersand managers would be followedby in orderto improvethe managementof remnant workshopsand plenary sessions. Those invited to the vegetation. workshoprepresented a cross-sectionof landmanagers (includingfarmers), researchers and administrators Theseconstraints on presentersresulted in brief and workingwith remnantsof nativevegetation in the pithy papers.They are not, nor werethey intendedto Wheatbelt. Thus,all thosewith a directinterest in the be,detailed, formal papers. operationalmanagement of remnantvegetation were represented. Followingthe presentations,a plenary session was held at which issuesand workshop topics were developed. Throughoutthe seminar,participants were asked to Participantsthen separatedinto workshopgroups and keepin mindthe following questions: discussedthese topics. The workshop and plenary sessionsare dealt with in detailon pages69-88. .t Overthe last decade,what researchresults, includingreviews and theoretical work, have REFERENCE importantimplications for the managementof Main, remnantvegetation in south-westernAustralia? B.Y, 1993.Social history and impact on the landscape.pp. 23-58 in ReintegratingFragmented Landscopes:Touards S ustainable Production and .i Whatdo manapierswant from researchers? NatureConseruation, eds R.J. Hobbs and D.A.Saunders. Springer-Verlag,New York. .1. Howwell havemanagers implemented significant researchfindings?

* Howwell haveresearchers and managers liaised?

* How mayresearch and management best be integrated?

Apartfrom reviewpresentations for research(Denis Saunders)and management (Ken Wallace), and a specialpresentation by Bert Main,presenters were allowedonly 10 minutes.Researchers were asked to spendabout five minuteslisting the management RESEARCHERS'PERSPECTIVES

o DenisA. Saunders developingsense of "belongingto the landscape"all CSIRO,Division of Wildlifeand Ecology,LMB 4, PO playeda part in changinghostile attitudes towards Midland,WA, 6056 nativebiota in generaland remnants of native vegetationin particularThese changes were INTRODUCTION instrumentalin a major pushin the 1970s,by the WA Departmentof Fisheriesand Wildlife, to haveset aside, AlthoughI havebeen asked by KenWallace to review for the consenrationof floraand fauna, as many of the the significantchanges in researchinto remnantsof significantCrown reser.ues in the Wheatbeltas possible. nativevegetation over the pastdecade, it is worth This meantthat manyof the largerremnants became putting thesechanges into contextby examiningbriefly floraand fauna reserves, or hadconser'ration of flora the changesin attitudestowards remnants over the past andfauna added to their originalgazetted purpose. threeor four decades.Early attitudes were usually hostile,because remnants were seen as harbours for noxiousweeds and vermin, particularly poison native Aspart of thisprocess in theearly 1970s, the plants,rabbits, and macropods (not necessarilyin that Departmentof Fisheriesand Wldlife contractedthe WA order),or wereregarded as wasteland covered with Museumto carryout a seriesof flora andvertebrate unsightlyscrub. One only hasto fly overthe Wheatbelt faunasurveys on 23 remnantsof nativevegetation the andsee how manyremnants of nativevegetation have Departmenthad recently acquired as conservation gravelpits andrubbish dumps on them to gaugeearly reserves,The aim of thosesurrteys was to assessthe attitudestowards remnants. These attitudes were conser.rationimportance of the remnantsin the reinforcedby the feelingof manypeople that the extensivelycleared Wheatbelt of WesternAustralia. The landscapewas alien and did not resemblethe sorts of resultsof thesur"ueys were published in a seriesof landscapeswith which they felt mostat home. papersin Biological Conseruation,Australian Wildlifi: Researchand Records ofthe WestemAustralian BarbaraYork Main (1993)discussed the effectsof Museum.The findingsare interesting from both settlementby Europeansin the centralWheatbelt and scientificand management points ofview. The datathey pointedout the degradingconsequences of this providedare still one of thebest sets available on settlementon the landscapeand on remnantsof native speciesarea relationships in fragmentedlandscapes, vegetation.One simple and overlooked example was the andhave been widely quoted in theinternational role of domesticpoultr) in changingnative vegetation. scientificliterature during the debateson the theoryof Mainwrote that "Farm fowls(as well asturkeys and islandbiogeography, a theonr which has given little of other poultry)have undoubtedly contributed to the practicalimportance to managersof conserrationareas destructionof thebiological cohesiveness of the (Saundersel al 1991).While it doesprovide an ideaof remnantsassociated with farmhouses". how manyspecies of selectedtaxa one can expect to occupyan area over lime. il doesnol idenlifu lhe Mainalso discussed the attitudeat this periodtowards speciesinvolved, which is of muchgreater importance the landand its biota.This attitudeis summarisedin andrelevance to managersof conservationreserves, thepraise by Sutton (1952, in Main1993) of thesettlers "forest "virgin whoconquered wilderness"and turned The resultsof the sur"ueysby the Museumgave some "well lands"into orderedfarms and gardens". As Main reasonsfor managersto be optimisticabout the pointedout, by the 1960sthe only ungrazedremnants importanceof the scatteredconservation system in the of nativevegetation were the reservesset aside for Wheatbeltfor the conservationof much of the publicuse, such as water reser.'res, townsites, and other remainingvertebrat€ biota. For example,Darryl utilities,or a numberon privateproperty. Kitcheneret al. (1980a,b) notedthat remnantsas small as30 ha havevalue as sanctuaries for lizards(although Then,in the 1970s,attitudes towards native biota varanidswere not foundon reservesunder 272 ha) and changed.Land degradation, the realisationthat too specificmammal species, and are valuable conservation muchhad been cleared in someareas. the slrong areasfor plants.They noted (1980a) that "althoughthe interestin nativeplants, the lossof nativespecies, the haphazardlyspaced wheatbelt reserues are inadequate strongpush for conservationthrough resen'res,and a to preserreentire communities of largemammals and apparentlyalso of birdsand snakes, we concludethat valueof smallerremnants ofvegetation. While the reservesystem is probablyadequate to preserve predictionsin the Museumpapers concerning viability representativelizard communities". They added (1980b) of remnantsproved optimistic, their "that work did confirm with carefulmanagement of the wheatbeltreserve the natureconservation values of small remnantsand systemmost of the nativeanimal species still extantin provideda counterto thosewho arguedthat small areas this regionshould persist for periodswithin the time hadno value. frameworkconsidered by contemporary conservationists...(1 000to 10000 years)". RESEARCHOVER THE PASTDECADE Whathas changed since the pioneeringwork of Darryl Theyalso pointed out (1980b)that regardless ofthe size Kitchenerand his colleagues,and what is the of the remnant,mammal species lost from particular significanceofthe changesfrom a managementpoint of remnantswould alrnost certainlynot re-establish view?In the first instance,remnants of native themselvesby naturalprocesses, because the isolation vegetationhave had their profilelifted markedly,with a of remnantshad disrupted movementswhich would greatdeal of interestin them from research fosterrecolonisation in the event of localextiruation. organisations,management agencies, agricultural Kitcheneret al (1982)notedthatthe long-term advisers,funding agencies, and, most importantly,rural persistenceof much ofthe avifaunaof the Wheatbelt communities,including farmers and landcaregroups dependedon the 500randomly scattered nature (seeSaunders at a/. 1987,1993; Saunders and Hobbs reserves, occupying2.40/o of the areaof the Wheatbelt. l99l; Husseyand Wallace 1993). Theywere unable to indicateany loss of bird species from reser"uesduring the periodof landclearing in the Researchinto remnantsof nativevegetation and their Wheatbelt(the 70 yearsprior to their surveys),which ecologicalrole in the landscapeover the pastdecade has they took to imply that lossof speciesof birdsfrom indicatedthat we do not haveany cause for optimism. reserveswill be a slowprocess. They also pointed out Severalirrefutable facts of relevanceto management that small naturereserves in the Wheatbeltare ofvalue that havecome out of researchin the recentpast are in the conservationof birds.They cited the exampleof that remnantsof nativevegetation are degrading at EastYorkrakine Nature Reserve (north of Kellerberrin), ratesthat aremeasurable, and that speciesare still which is 81 ha andduring their surveyscontained four beinglost. Without active management applied over the speciesof passerinesofvulnerable status, despite being entirelandscape, remnants will continueto degrade isolatedfrom other nativevegetation for at least50 until thisrelaxation phase results in species-poorer years.They (1980b) did not believethat feralcats and animaland plant communities. Without major changes foxeswould haveas severe an impacton native in management,there is no waythat the collectionof mammalsin Wheatbeltremnants as cats have had on remnantsin our conservationsystem will conservethe offshoreislands. remainingnative biota of the Wheatbeltover the next 100years, let alonethe I 000to 10 000year timeframe While researchover the next decadewas to change that Kitchenerand his colleaguessuggested. We cannot someof theseconcepts dramatically, this earlywork by affordto treat remnantsas islands. If we takethat the WAMuseum provided the vital foundationof approach,we will ignorethe major degradingprocesses, informationand ideas upon which newresearch mostofwhich originatein the surroundingagricultural developedthe next generationof theories.AIso, ideas matrix, developedby the Museumconcerning issues such as the relationshipsbetween vegetation types and fauna, and Current State of Remnants the separationofthe bird faunainto variouscategories Oneof the mostworrying research reports I haveread dependingon their toleranceof disturbance,urere of recentlyis onewritten by RobertLambeck and Jeremy realvalue to landmanagers. Wallace(1993) on the assessmentof the conservation valueof remnantsofnative vegetation in the central This earlywork hadone other importantvalue. During Wheatbelt,using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) the late 1970sand early1980s, many people, including imagery.Their researchshowed that 70%of remaining someland managers and academics, questioned the nativevegetation in the studyarea is not typicalof the unmodifiedvegetation types that characterisedthe woodlandsis an aim of management,then privateland centralWheatbelt prior to settlementby Europeans.ln mustbe managedwith that aim in mind. Privateland manyof the remnantsthey examined,particularly the now containsmuch of what must be regardedas our smallerones, all of the vegetationwithin the remnant conservationestate. One of our challengesis to come wasspectrally unlike any of the flora regardedas up with waysto ensurethat part of the conservation indicativeof that foundbefore settlement last century. estateis managedwith conservationas the primary Theyconcluded that the conservationvalue of manyof function. the remnantshas been seriously jeopardised, and they attributedthe degradationto impactsof domestic NativeVegetation Is Resistant livestock,clearing, invasion by weeds,harvesting of Researchhas shown that nativevegetation is resistant timber,mining of graveland the dumpingof rubbish to invasionby exoticvegetation, provided that the (seealso Arnold and Weeldenburg 1991). In their remnantvegetation is not disturbedor enrichedwith summarythey statedthat only 3% of the originalpre- nutrients(Hobbs and Atkins 1988).Unfortunately, the clearinglandscape remains in what couldbe regarded agriculturalmatrix surrounding most remnant asgood condition. They added the importantrider that "The vegetationresults in a widerange of disturbancesand probabilityof sucha smallcomponent of the considerablenutrient enrichment.Ignoring the obvious landscapecontinuing to supportthe essential andmajor disturbance of grazingby domesticlivestock, ecosystemprocesses that underpinregional biodiversity andenrichment by fertiliserdrift, how manytimes do [is] extremelyremote": I would havesaid it is we seedead sheep disposed of by throwing the carcases impossible. into the bush?As the carcasesdecompose, nutrients are Representationof Remnants releasedand scavenging animals scraping around the carcasesdisturb the area.Any seedsofweed species Typically,remnants are small, and none are large caughtin the woolhave an idealbed on which to enoughto be drivenby internalprocesses. All arenow establishthemselves. Similarly, the vegetationscraped drivenmainly by the ecologicalprocesses generated by from the edgesof roadsor firebreaksis usuallypiled in the surroundingagricultural matrix. Remnants do not the bushand left. These piles, like the rotting caycases, representthe pre-clearingrange of animaland plant aremajor foci ofweedinvasion along road verges and associations.The processof selectionof landfor throughmany other remnantsof nativevegetation. agricultureand the processof fragmentationwere not random.Plant communities were linked strongly to soil types,and because certain soil typeswere more suitable RemnantsAre Influencedby the SurroundingMatrix for agriculturethan others,those soil typesare poorly andHave an Effect on the SurroundingMatrix representedon remnantsin agriculturalareas. The It is well knownthat the extensiveclearing of native Wheatbeltis no exception,and Graham Arnold and vegetationin the Wheatbelthas resulted in major JohnWeeldenburg's (1991) study on thedistribution changesin the hydrologicalbalance, leading to andcharacteristics of nativevegetation in the central widespreadsalination of susceptibleareas. Nearly 20% Wheatbeltillustrates this point. For example,they of all clearedagricultural land maybe uselessfor cereal foundthat the Merredinand Belka landforms, which croppingwithin the next30 yearsbecause of increases formerlywere dominated by salmongum woodlands, in saltlevels in thesoil (Nulsen 1993). Ecological occupiedabout l67o and 5%, respectively. o[ lhe processesdo not stopat legalboundaries, and remnants Iandscape,yet they occupiedonly 6% and 1%oof of nativevegetation are being affected by increasingsoil remnants.On the other hand,rock outcropsoccupied salinity.Position in the landscapedoes not necessarily only 4%oof the areabut represented28%o of the guaranteeimmunity from degradation.For example, remnants.In addition,they foundthat 77%oof remnant DurokoppinNature Reserve is I 100ha andlocated in vegetationwas privately owned. The implicationsof the highestpoint of the landscapeat the top of two theseresults for managementare serious and far- catchments.Because of the higherwater use by reaching.The soilsregarded as indicative of good remnantvegetation than by agriculturalvegetation, a6lriculturalland, and any associateduncleared biota watertablesare up to 7 m lowerunder the reservethan arepoorly represented on conservationreserves. undernearby agricultural land (McFarlaneel a/. 1993). Woodlandsare in this category,and if conservationof Nonetheless,watertables are rising underthe reserveas "hydrological waterflows into the shadow"and, if this matrix is doomedto failureand will continuethe continues,will probablyreach the root level of the degradingprocesses which areleading to the lossof our salmongum woodlandin the lowerpart of the reserve, uniquebiota. We need to get awayfrom the single with furtherloss ofan alreadyseverely restricted species-singleremnant approach to managementand vegetationtype. At present,we do not knowhow many concentrateon developingan integratedlandscape other remnantsare threatened in this way.However, approachwhich involvesall of the peopleand groups Georgeand McFarlane (this volume) believe that a engagedin managementof elementsof the Wheatbelt significantarea of our conservationestate is under landscape(Hobbs and Saunders1991, 1993; Hobbs el threat. a11993b).We need to workwith all of theseindividuals andgroups, to integrateour knowledgeand useit to RemnantsAre Still Degradingand LosingSpecies constructmanagement models which aim to protect our remainingbiological heritage within production- The lossesof nativemammals from the Wheatbeltare orientedagricultural landscapes. The aim wellknown (Burbidge and McKenzie 1989) and still of this workshopshould be to come continuing(Hobbs. el aL 1993a).Birds are up with waysto assistus achievethat goal. demonstratingthe sametrends as the mammals.For example,of 192species of birdsrecorded from the Wheatbeltsince 1900, 96 species(5070) have decreased REFERENCES in rangeand/or abundance, and only nine (5%o)have Arnold,G.W., and Weeldenburg, J.R., 1991. increased(Saunders 1993). Species are still being lost Thedistributions and characteristics of remnant from the region,from districtsand individual remnants nativevegetation in partsofthe Kellerberrin, (Saunders (1,982) 1989).Kitchener el al. citedEast Tammin,Trayning and Wyalkatchem Shires of YorkrakineNature Reserve as an exampleof the WesternAustralia. Technical Memorandum No. 33. conservationvalue of small remnantsfor species CSIRODivision of Wldlife andEcology, Canberra. dependenton nativevegetation. In the periodbetween theseresearchers' surveys in 1974and the surveysby Burbidge,A.A., and McKenzie, N.L., 1989. the CSIROin 1988,three of the four speciesthe former Patternsin the moderndecline of WesternAustralia's notedthe reservewas ofvalue for becameextinct. In vertebratefauna: Causes and conservation implications. the Wheatbelt,a numberofspecies dependent on native Biological Conseruation50: 143-798. vegetationare locatedon remnantsof nativevegetation in populationswhich are too small to beviable. In Friend,J.A., 1990. The numbalMgrmecobius fasciatus addition,those populations are isolated from othersuch (Myrmecobiidae):History of declineand potential for populations,and they are gradually becoming extinct recovery.Proceedings ofthe Ecological Societg of becauseof a rangeof stochasticevents. In this situation, Australia16:369-377. the effectsof the fox andcat on theseisolated populationsare much moresevere than Kitchenerand Hobbs,R.J., and Atkins, L., 1988.Effects of disturbance his colleaguespredicted. The work of JackKinnear el andnutrient additionon nativeand introduced annuals a/. (1988)and Tony Friend (1990) on relictpopulations in plantcommunities in the WesternAustralian of endangeredmarsupials are good examples ofwhat we Wheatbelt.Australian Joumal of Ecologg13: 171-179. standto loseif we fail to control foxesand cats throughoutthe Wheatbelt. Hobbs,R J.,and Saunders, D.A., 1991. Reintegrating fragmentedlandscapes, a preliminary framework for the RernnantsMust Be Managedin a TotalLandscape WesternAustralian Whealbelt. Joumal of Cont€xt Enuironmental Management33: 761-167. The take-homemessage regarding the managementof remnantsof nativevegetation in the Wheatbeltmust be Hobbs,R.J., and Saunders, D.A. (eds), 1993. that they cannotbe managedin isolation.Any ReintegratingFragmented Landscapes : Touards managementwhich concentratesonly on individual SustainabIe Production and Nature Corueruation. remnants,particularly those designated as conservation Springer-Verlag,New York. reserves,and ignores the surroundingagricultural Hobbs,R.1., Saunders, D.A., Lobry de Bruyn, L.A., and McFarlane,D.J., George, R.J., and Farrington, p, 1993. Main,A.R., 1993a. Changes in biota.pp. 65-106 in Changesin hydrologicbalance. pp. 146-186in Reintegrating FragmentedLandscapes : Towards ReintegratingFragmented Landscapes : Touards SustainableProduction and Nature Consenation, eds SustainableProduction and Nature Conseruation,ed.s R.J.Hobbs and D.A. Saunders. Springer-Verlag, New R.J.Hobbs and D.A. Saunders. Springer-Verlag, New York. York.

Hobbs,R.J., Saunders, D.A., and Arnold, C.W., 1993b. Nulsen,R.A., 1993. Changes in soilproperties. pp. l0Z Integratedlandscape ecology: A WesternAustralian 145 in ReintegratingFragmented Landscapes: Towards perspective.Biological Consenation 64: 237-2J8. SustainableProduction and Nature Consenation, eds R.J.Hobbs and D.A. Saunders. Springer-Verlag, New Hussey,B.M.J., and Wallace, K.J., 1993. Managing your York. Bushland.Department of Conservationand Land Management,Perth. Saunders,D.A., 1989. Changes in the avifaunaof a region,district and remnant as a resultof Kinnear,J.8., Onus, M.L., and Bromilow, R.N., 1988. fragmentationof nativevegetation: The Wheatbeltof Foxcontrol and rock-wallabypopulation dynamics. WesternAustralia. A casestudy. Biological Australian Wildlife Researchl5: 435-450. Conseruation50: 99-135.

Kitchener,D.J., Chapman, A., Dell, J., Muir, B.G., and Saunders,D.A., 1993. A communitybased observer Palmer,M., 1980a.Lizard assemblage and reserve size schemeto assessavian responses to habitatreduction andstructure in the WesternAustralian Wheatbelt - andfragmentation in south-westernAustralia" someimplications for consewation.Biological Biological Conseruation64: 203-218. Conseruat ion 17: 25-62. Saunders,D.A., Arnold, G.W., Burbidge, A.A., and Kitchener,D.J., Chapman, A., Muir, B.G.,and Palmer, Hopkins,A.J.M. (eds),1987. Nature Corceruation:The M., 1980b.The conser.uationvalue for mammalsof Roleof RemnantsofNatiue Vegetation Surrey Beatty reservesin the WesternAustralian Wheatbelt. andSons, Chipping Norton (NSW). Biological Conseruation18: 779-207 - Saunders,D.A., and Hobbs, R.J. (eds) , 1991.Nature Kitchener,D.J., Dell, J., Muir, B.G., and Palmer, M., Conseruation2. TheRole of Conidors. Surrey Beatty 1982.Birds in WesternAustralian Wheatbelt reserves - andSons, Chipping Norton (NSW). implicationsfor consewation.Biological Corseruation 22: 127-163. Saunders,D.A., Hobbs, R J.,and Ehrlich, P.R. (eds), L993.Nature Conseruation3: Reconstructionof Lambeck,R.J., and Wallace, J.Fi., 1993. Assessment of FragmentedEcosgslens. Surrey Beatty and Sons, the conservationvalue of remnantnative vegetation in ChippingNorton (NSW). the centralWheatbelt of WesternAustralia using t andsatTM imagery.Report for AustralianNational Saunders,D.A., Hobbs, R.J., and Margules, C.R., 1991. "Save Parksand Wildlife Service the Bush',Program. Biologicalconsequences of ecosystemfragmentation: A Cuftin Universityof Technology,Perth. r eview.Conseruat ion Biologg 5; 18-32.

Main,B.Y, 1993.Social history and impact on the landscape.pp. 23-58 in ReintegratingFrogmented Landscapes:Touards Sustainable Production and Nature Consenation,eds R.J. Hobbs and D.A. Saunders. Springer-Verlag,New York. GordonFriend seasonallydry shrublandsand woodlands than in the WildlifeResearch Centre, Department moremesic but Iessseasonal habitats (for example, of Conservationand LandManagement, SouthWest forests). Adaptations for seasonalaridity PO Box5.1, Wanneroo, WA, 6065 mayimpart considerableresilience to fire. However, despitethis, faunapopulations may change greatly INTRODUCTION undera regimeof frequentfires. There are fire- sensitivespecies Thefollowing is a summaryof the majorfindings from andhabitats within the regions studied(for ongoingprojects to researchthe impactsof example, Phascogale calura, Allocasuarina, experimentalfires on smallvertebrates and mygalomorphspiders) that require special invertebratesinhabiting remnant shrubland and consideration. woodlandvegetation in the Wheatbeltand South Coast regionsof WesternAustralia. These studies have focused Managementimp I icallor2s.. Management on Tutanning,Durokoppin and East Yorkrakine Nature prescriptionsdeveloped for mesicareas (for Reservesin the Wheatbeltover the pastseven years example,jarrah forest,etc.) do not necessarilyapply (1987-1993),and on the StirlingRange National park to semi-aridecosystems. Some details of lifehistory between1989 and 1992. For further detail on these andhabitat preferences are needed for all species,in areas,study design, and results,the readeris referredto orderto decideappropriate management Frtendet al. (1989),Friend (1993), Friend and Williams prescriptions(see also point 5). (1993),Little and Friend (1993), and Strehlow (1993). 3.Researchfinding: Frequency and scale of burnsare In addressingthe primary aims put forwardfor the probablythe two most important factors to consider remnantvegetation workshop at Dryandrafrom the in fire management.There is no evidencefrom our perspectiveofa researchworker involved in thisarea, studies(for example, in StirlingRange National I haveadopted a quite specificapproach which refersto Park,where both spring and autumn experimental "To the first major objective: list, basedon work in the burnshave been conducted) that season of burnis of SouthWest over the lastdecade, significant research majorsignificance, at leastto invertebrates. resultsand their implications for remnant management". Managementimplicalronsr Burning shouldnot be carriedout toooften, or on too largea scale(see RESEARCHFINDINGS alsopoints 6 and10). Tenmajor researchfindings and their implicationsare listedin pointform below, followed by their Researchfinding: Post fire responsepatterns of implicationsfor management. mostsmallvertebrate groups are closely tied to (andmay be predictedfrom) their shelter,food and l. Researchfinding: Thesmallvertebrate and br€edingrequirements (life history parameters). invertebratefauna inhabiting semi aridwoodlands andshrublands in WesternAustralia appears to be Thesepatterns are as follows: relativelyresilient to singlefire events of small scale .:. mammalresponses are reasonably predictable; andlow to moderateintensity (but see point ?). The * reptilessomewhat less; impact of repeatedfires, however, is unknown. .l amphibiashow liltle relalionship. Thesepatterns are derived from large-scalewildfires Managementimplicalrbru.. Single fires may not be a throughouttemperate Australia. Data from our great threatto faunaprovided they are infrequent smallerscale and lower intensity mallee-heath fires, andof smallscale relative to remnantsize. It is however,have not shownsuch clear trends for small essentialthat wholereser.ues are not burnt in one mammalsand reptiles. event,especially by a high intensityfire. Managementimplicalrbrzs: A modelto predictthe 2. Researchfinding: Resiliencemay be greater in the broadimpact of fire on smallvertebrates is thus possible,and indeedhas been developed. A database mygalomorphspiders) set the limits for fire regimes. of species'life historycharacteristics and probable post-fireresponse patterns canbe linkedto sucha Managementimplicaftbns.' Invertebrates may prove model.This needs further input of dataand needs to betterindicators of seralstatus and appropriate fire bemade accessible to managers. regimesthan higherorganisms. Invertebrates shouldbe includedin fire ecologystudies and, Researchfinding: Giventhe above,fauna can be indeed,in biologicalsurveys in general. consideredand grouped in termsof Iifehistory categories basedon shelterand food requirements. 9. Researchfinding: Invertebrate abundance and Thuswe do not haveto worry aboutevery species compositiondo not correlatewell with floristicsor (for example, plus the 50 speciesin our Wheatbelt vegetationstructure. Patterns which mayexist are at studiesreduce to 16life history categories). a fine levelof resolution.

Management implicallons:The useof Iifehistory Managementimplicaltons. Categorising and greatly categories simplifiesthe amountof protectingareas on the basisof plant andvertebrate informationthat managersneed to considerwhen speciesrichness does noI necessarilyensure developingfire managementplans. adequateconservation of invertebrates.

Researchfinding: Resultsfrom space-for-time L0.Researchfinding: With respectto animalabundance studiesof potentiallysensitive species in theStirling andcomposition, the synergiisticeffects of season, RangeNational Park (for example,honey possum, localityand year-to-year variability in climate,and Tarsipesrostratus) indicate clear trends with post- stochasticevents like droughtsand locustplagues fire ageof vegetation. generallyoutweigh any changes attributable to fire alone.An excellentexample of suchsynergistic Managementimplicalroru. These data suggest a impactsis the post-firelocust plague which minimum time betweenburns in the Stirling Range eliminatedAllocasuarma from an areaburnt at NationalPark of l5 ,20years {allowing some Tutanning.This maylead to long-termimpacts on leeway).In the lowerrainfall areas of the Wheatbelt standstructure and faunal abundance and region,where vegetative growth is slower,the composition,simply because these two even$ minimum is likely to be 20-25years. happenedin tandem.

7. Researchlinding: For invertebrates,the levelof Managementimplicaltor?s.' Fire managersneed to taxonomicresolulion (lhat is. orders versus species takeaccount of pre-fireconditions (for example,is levelidentifications) influences the resultsof studies droughtin forceor imminent?)before burning, but on fire impact. manypost-fire events and outcomes are beyond the managers'control. Managementimplicalrons: One cannot assume that all is well if lookingat broad-scaletaxonomic CONCLUSION groupings,because responses are species-specific. Giventhe importanceof season,climate and stochastic Individualspecies may be markedlyaffected by fire eventsin determiningspecies abundance and (bothincreases and decreases),but at the orderlevel distributionpatterns, the needfor anduse of fire asa of identificationthese trends will tendto cancelout routinemanagement tool to maintajnor increase andthus not be apparent. faunaldiversity needs to be carefullyevaluated. At this stagein the developmentof our knowledgebase, it is 8. Researchfinding: Particulargroups of invefebrates clearlybetter to err on the sideof conservatismin which arelongJived and have special habitat formulatingany fire regimefor remnantshrubland and requirementsseem especially sensitive to fire. Such woodlandhabitats. As a generalrule, largerscale block "indicator" speciesor groups(for example, burningshould not be carriedout exceptin special circumstances- for example,for specificregeneration purposes,experimental research or whereit contributes to a well-consideredstrategic fire management objective.Protection ofareas from large-scale,high- intensitywildfires through a systemof internaland externallow fuel zonesshould remain a high priority for managersof remnantvegetation.

REFERENCES Friend,G.R., 1993. Impact of fire on smallvertebrates in malleewoodlands and heathlands of temperate Australia:A review.Biological Conseruation 65l-99-114.

Friend,G.R., and Williarns, M.R., 1993. Fire and invertebrateconservation in mallee-heathremnants. FinalReport, Project P 144,World Wide Fund for NatureAustralia.

Friend,G.R., Smith, G.T,Mitchell, D.S., and Dickman, C.R.,1989. Influence of pitfall anddrift fencedesign on capturerates of smallvertebrates in semiaridhabitats of WesternAustralia. .4 ustralian Wildlife Research16:1- 10.

Little, S.J.,and Friend, G.R., 1993. Structure of invertebratecommunities in relationto fire historyof kwonganvegetation at TutanningNature Reserve. CALMSciencel:3-18.

Strehlow,K.H., 1993.Impact of fire on spider communitiesinhabiting semi-arid shrublands in WesternAustralia's Wheatbelt. BSc Honours thesis, MurdochUniversiW. The Hffectof GhangingHydrologice[ Processeson RemnantVegetatlon and Wetlands

R.J. Georgel and D.J. McFarlane2 harvestwater, although no measurementshave been lDepartmentof Agriculiure, PO Box 1231 , Bunbury made. wA,6231 '?DepartmentofAgriculture, 120 Albany Highway, Waterharvesting also appears to be occurring Albany,WA, 6330 differentiallyin openareas between trees in the Wheatbelt.Nulsen el al (1986)recorded up to 7.7 mm INTRODUCTION of overlandflow comingfrom 4 m, plots in a bush catchmentduring a 30.9mm storm.However, there Remnantvegetation and wetlands on both privateand wasalmost no runoff recordedfrom the catchment public landare rapidlybeing degraded by dryland further downstream.Local redistribution of water salinity,inundation, silting, nutrient enrichmentand amongthe vegetationaccounted for the lackof stream weedinvasion. Remnants in the lowerpads of flow In contrast,organic crusts were suspected of catchmentsare most affected. Many carnot be saved causinglow infiltration andsorptivity in four Wheatbelt without expensiveand integrated programs to reduce soilswithin bushlandin comparisonwith adjacentsoils the degradationof agriculturalcatchments in which within clearedcatchments (McFarlane et aL.7992a\. they arelocated. There is an urgentneed to identifu Gravellysoils were also more water repellent before thoseremnants which havethe highestvalues and for clearing.Soils in undisturbedremnants have low levels which cost-effectiverecovery plans can be developed.In of the radioactivefallout product caesium-137, further mostcases, it is not possibleto managethese remnants indicatingthat thereis considerablelocal redistribution in isolationfrom the surroundingcatchment, and ofwaterin Wheatbeltremnants (McFarlane el a/. societywill needto contributeto the costof catchment 1992b).Infiltration must be concentratedat selected managementif the natureconservation values of these points,as little runoff is observedleaving remnant remnantsare to be retained.Innovative methods need vegetation. to be developedwhich maintainthe nature conservationvalue of the remnantsat the sametime as Thefate of macroporesformed by tree rootsafter increasingthe soil conservationand farm production clearingis poorlyknown. However, anecdotal evidence benefitsthat theyprovide for farmers.It is only when suggeststhat theybecome clogged or sealed,resulting the on-farmremnants are seen as being important for in increasedwaterlogging of surfacesoils. Some remain land-holdersthat theywill be properlymanaged. open,as evidenced by the rapidresponses by some watertablesto rainfall(Engel et al. 1989;George et al. This reviewconcentrates on the hydrologicbenefits 1991). affordedby remnantsand the threatposed by hydrologicalforms of degradation.We have opted to use NativeC4 grasses have different water use patterns from the casestudy approach to highlight the major issues introduced(predominantly annual) C3 plants. Prior to affectingremnants in the Wheatbelt.Our casestudies agriculturaldevelopment, soils were wetter in spring aremainly from our currentand past research anddrier in autumn(Johnston 1993). Advantages ofthe activities.A more detailedaccount of our researchis nativegrasses include deeper rooting, greater water presentedelsewhere (George el a/. in press). use,lower nutrient requirementsand better distributionof feedthroughout the year. HYDROLOGICALPROCESSES IN GroundwaterHydrologY REMNANTVEGETATION Thereare numerous examples of groundwaterlevels Surface Hydrolog5r rising afterclearing of nativevegetation in the Malleeshave been shown to harvestwater with their Wheatbelt.Generally, water levels are rising by between vaseJikebranches, directing stem flow to their bases, 0.2and 0.5 m peryear in the above500 mm rainfall whereit infiltratesdeeply beside roots (Nulsenel al zone,and by between0.05 and 0.2m peryear in the 1986).This practice reduces soil evaporationand below500 mm rainfallzone (George 1992). In some providesthe plantswith waterduring the dry summer higherrainfall areas, watertables have risen over 25 m andautumn period. Salmon gums (Eucalgptus sinceland clearing which occurredless than 80 years salmonophloia)and gimlets (E. salubris\also appear to ago. Rechargeoccurs throughout most of the landscape (Ceorge et al. 1991).Processes may differ depending on Figure l. Lowergroundwater levels under native the soiltype, and include: vegetationin naturereserves from Georgee/ a/. in oress. .:. matrix rechargein soilswith low water,holding capacities(for example,deep sands and gravels); A. DurokoppinNatureReserve matrix rechargein arkosicsands below granite outcrops;

preferredpathway recharge in duplexsoils on hillsides,and below sandplain seep discharges;

.i. preferredpathway and matrix rechargein inundated valleysafter storms.

The proportionand total contributionof eachform of B. Kodj Kodjin NatureReserve rechargedepend on the distributionof soilsand landformsin eachcatchment. No studyhas accurately determinedthe relativecontributions. From a managementviewpoint, it makesmost sense to reduce the rechargein that componentwhich is mostcost, effectiveor which offersother benefits (for example, drying out sandplainseeps, revegetating low- productivityrock outcrops,and draining duplex soils proneto waterlogging).

EFFECTSOF REMNANTVEGETATION ON LAND DEGRADATION Salinity --i.'* Transectsof boreholeswere drilled into Durokoppinand * Kodj Kodjin NatureReserves, to studythe impactof nativevegetation on drylandsalinity in the adjoiningi catchments(McFarlane el aL 1992c).The watertables in T-*- both reservesare up to 7 m lowerthan in equivalent ixm.". landscapepositions in the adjoiningcleared areas (Figure1). Salinity affected only 0.170 ofthe farmland in the agriculturalcatchment that containsthe Reservesappear to be safefrom major salinisation,as reserves.In contrast,over 2.8%o of the farmlandin an the reservesoccupy most of their catchments. extensivelycleared adjoining catchment was salt- affected.Recent monitoring within the reserves Eutrophication indicatesthat watertablesare risingat about0.15 m per Densenative vegetation around streamlines is seenas year,suggesting that groundwateris movinginto the oneof the mosteffective means whereby phosphate reservesfrom surroundingland. High groundwater attachedto suspendedsediment can be removedfrom levelsunder cleared areas next to the Durokoppin runoffbefore it entersestuaries (David Weaver pers. NatureReserve are beginning to affectthe south- comm.).Weaver (1991) noted that up to 60%oof the westernand south-eastern parts of the reserve, total phosphatewashed into the KalganRiver in 1991 However,both Durokoppinand Kodj KodjinNature wasattached to mobilesediment. Figure2. Locationsreferred to in the text, from George€f a/, in press.

^ DEPARTMENTOFAGRCIJLTUFE Itf[\ A YFNNU 3 EEEKEEPERS a"",{,ffiF^iiiE3@ BIBBYSPFINGS - NAMBUNGNAIIONAL PAFK LarqeFemnanh othe Oie na Forcsl Cover

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LANDDEGRADATION AND REMNANT 1985;McFarlane el al 1989).Increased frequency of VEGETATION inundationis thought to be contributingto the deathof fringingspecies (Mattiske 1982). Active inter.uention is Salinity - Public Land beingundertaken, and both a technicaladvisory group (1991) Olsenand Skitmore reviewedthe effectof anda recoveryteam have been appointed to beginthe salinity,erosion, sedimentation, eutrophication and taskof protectingthe lakeand its flora andfauna weedinvasion on the stateofthe riversin Western (ToolibinLake Recovery Team and Toolibin Lake Australia.Some of theserivers form corridorsof public TechnicalAdvisory Group 1994). Works to by-pass landthrough farmland(for example,Kalgan River), highly salinesurface flows around the Lakehave been whereasothers are privately owned. Few rivers are completedin conjunctionwith catchmentand reserve fencedto protectthem from stock,although there are drainageschemes. Groundwater pumping and other - projectsunder way to fencesome riverine vegetation actionsare planned. It is likely that the only wayto for example,pads of the Denmark,Avon and Kalgan preservethe Toolibinenvironment will be to isolateit rivers, from the catchmentin orderto preventsaline waters from enteringit on all but verywet years.Issues raised Theeffects of high groundwaterlevels under cleared by work at Toolibinare as follows: areasnext to the DurokoppinNature Reserve are describedin the previoussection. This case study is an .i. Toolibinand its reserveswill becomebadly degraded exampleof the hydrologicalrelationships that maybe unlessprotected from salinegroundwaters and expectedfor remnantshigh in the landscape,at leastin salinerunofl the easternWheatbelt. Effects lower in the landscape havebeen, and will continueto be,more dramatic. * Theecologicalvalue ofthe lakesneeds to beclearly enunciatedby both the localcommunities and the ToolibinLake is locatedin the middleof a broadvalley managlngagency. in a catchmentwhich is 92%ocleared of native vegetation.Saline runoff andrising groundwaters .i. Protectioncarries large implementation and threatenthe lakeand its reserves(Stokes and Sheridan runnlngcosts. .i. Restorationofthe pre-clearingenvironment may shrubsand grasses that mayhave agricultural value. neverbe possible.Moreover, the preservationof remnantecosystems appears impossible in Issuesthat this sectionhas raised are as follows: Wheatbeltlandscapes. Conservation of selected componentsmay be all that is practical. .:. CALMand associated agencies must begina programof risk evaluationfor the reservesthey Thereare many other examplesof threatenednature manaEe. reserues.Capercup Nature Reserve is a wandoo(O. uandoo)woodland,located 5 km westof Duranillin. .1. Drilling observationwells in threatenedreserves Recentdrilling hasshown that the reservehas very shouldbe a majortarget for the next fiveyears. salinegroundwaters (2 000- 6 000mS/m) within 2 m of the surfaceon its western groundwater side.The is as * The realityis that manyreserves may diebefore close,but muchfresher (300 mS/m), on its easternside. managementplans are implemented. This shouldbe Most of the adjoiningcatchment has been cleared in the notedfrom the risk evaluationprogram. last 15 to 30 years,and groundwater levels are believed to be rising by between0.3 and 0.5 m peryear It is * Programsto preservethe geneticdiversity of likely that the westernside will begindying in the next threatenedreserves should be commenced(for fewyears, and about 5070 of the reservewill beaffected example,seed collection schemes). within the next decade.

Salinity - Remnantson Private Land Kulikup Lake,another nature reserve, is located15 km Salinegroundwaters are rising around the Pallinup eastof BoyupBrook. It is coveredby reedsand fringed Riveras a resultof landclearing. Saline seeps around with paperbarks,wandoo and flooded gums. At present, the river areaffecting native vegetation on both private the lakeappears to be safefrom salinityfor about20 andpublic land. Natural drainage in the Wellsteadarea years,as the watertableis over9 m belowthe surface is into yate(E. occidentalis) swamps that wereperched andhas a moderatesalinity (450 mS/m). The abovethe regionalgroundwater system. Rates of Departmentof Conservationand Land Management llroundwaterrise of about0.3 m peryear have been (CALM)has monitored the surfacewater in the lakefor reportedfrom the westernsouth coast over the last 19 overa decade.We believe groundwater monitoring is years(McFarlane 1992), and many lakes are now essentialin all nature reserves. becomingsalt-affected.

The Qualeuplakes and associated nature reserves are Yateswamps throughout the southcoast are under located25 km westof Kojonup,and range in coverfrom similarthreat. reedbeds and paperback swamps, to wandooand floodedgum (4. rudrs)woodlands. In somecases, the In someplaces, the yateswamps are the major form of lakes alreadyhave saline springs emerging within them remnantvegetation. Their losswould greatlyreduce the (Wardles - BushLake not a reserve);in others,the habitatfor faunain the region.Unfortunately, it will be watertableis still 4-11 m belowthe lake'sfloor (Wardles difficultto preventgroundwaters from rising in these GrassyLake, catchment 60%o cleared). At QualeupLake areaswithout majorchanges to farmingsystems. Crops itself,the watertableis nearthe surfaceon the western andpastures are affected by waterlogging,and the main sideand about 4 m belowon its easternside. The waters outletsfor drainageof this landare the swamps.There are (500-2 saline 000mS/m). Qualeup Lake will begin havebeen no definitivestudies of the long-termcosts to deterioratein the next fiveyears andbenefits of drainagepractices.

Groundwatersresponsible for salinisationin the Valleyscontaining wandoo remnants north-west and Capercup,Kulikup and Qualeupreserves are difficult to south-westof the Qualeuplakes are beginning to manage,as they areoften contained in fault zonesor becomesaline, and swampy areas have begun to die. smallartesian fluvio-lacustrine deposits. The lakesand Hillsideseeps have developed above lakes on many wetlandscontain some species of native,perennial properties,and saline water is collectingin them. GibbsSwamp is a small lakeon privateland about .t In the Unicuparea, lakes on both farmlandand 15 km westof BoyupBrook. The lakeis coveredby reservesare filling, andsaline water is beginningto floodedgum andpaperbark communities. The local affectother reservesdownstream. Active drainagie catchmentgroup (Boree Gully) has successfully systemsare required urgently. establishedlocal vegetation near the swamp.Drilling hasshown that both the deepand shallow aquifers are RECOMMENDEDACTIONS highly saline(1 200-2 000mS/m) and that the shallow * Thebeneficial and detrimental effects ofagricultural watertablemay already be adverselyaffecting the drainageon the long-termviability of remnantsin swamp.Monitoring has been started, to evaluate representativeareas of the SouthWest need to be whetherthe revegetationwill besuccessful. established.Studies which concentrateon the short- term effectsof drainageon the remnantand ignore Drilling underwandoo vegetation on the BoyupBrook what is happeningin the restof the catchmentare Golf Courselocated very saline groundwaters (7 000 likelyto bemisleading. mS/m)which aredischarging from a clayeyregolith. It is soberingto notethat the golf coursedesign, * Thereis an urgentneed to identifythose remnants 'alleys', essentiallybased on with 30-40%of the lower that havethe highestvalues and for which cost- catchmentunder woody perennial vegetation, rs effectiverecovery plans can be developed. inadequateto preventsalinisation and death of the Croundwatermonitoring is needed,to identifyareas wandootrees. that areat risk andmay be helpedby early intel"rention. On propertiesnear Duranillin, large areas ofvalley remnantsof wandooand associated species have been Understandingthe waterrelations of native fencedfrom stock.However, rising watertables threaten vegetationmay be essentialfor its managementand manyof theseremnants. rehabilitation,particularly ifwater harvestingis as importantas it appearsin undisturbedremnants. Understandinghow nativeplants manage water may Manylakes and wetlands in the Unicuparea are also alsoenable agricultural systems to be developed beginningto degradeas a resultof clearingin the 1970s which resultin lessdegradation. For example, and 1980s.Saline waters flowing from the Unicuplakes understandinghow moort (8. platgpus)grows so andsurrounding farmland threaten Kodjinup Lake and well in sodicgrey clays may help the managementof its reserve,and the BuranganupPlain wetlands. On theseproblem soils. somefarms, lakes are beginning to fill with Siroundwater,and overflow, their highly salinewaters .i. (2 000-6000 mS/m) causing pollution. This is also Forestand woodland ecologists should become happeningin salinelakes within somereserves (for much moreinvolved in the developmentof productive example,Pindicup Lake). Both theselakes overflow into agriculturalsystems that will reducethe adjoiningreserves. negativeimpacts of the currentsystems on remnants. The pointsthat theseinvestigations have raised are as CONCLUSIONS follows: Developingeconomic products from our remnant standsof nativevegetation must becomea prime role .!. Farmerswho havefenced and protected valley for the newgeneration of researchers.There is little or gain remnantsmay not much valuefrom their no practicaluse in studyingplants and animals that are investment.In particular,wandoo woodlands and threatenedif a similaramount of time is not put into yateswamps that occurin valleysare under threat. developingsolutions to eradicatethe factorsleading to theirdemise. If wefail in thistask, within our lifetime .l Drainaglemay be essentialto maintainthe wewill probablylose over 80% of remnantecosystems productivityof farmlandand to preservethe lakes on privateland and as much as50% within public andwetlands. reserves. RE FERENCES Australiansoils.,4us tralian Joumal of SoilResearch J0 -532 Engel,R., McFarlane, D.J., and Street, c., 1989.Using 577 Seophysicsto definerecharge and discharge areas associatedwith salineseeps in southwesternAustralia. McFarlane,D.J., Loughran, R.J., and Campbell, B.L., pp. 25-39 tn GroundwaterRecharge, ed,. MJ. Sharma. 1992b.Soil erosionof agriculturalland in Western A.A.Balkema Publishing Co., Rotterdam. Australiaestimated by caesium-l37.Australian Joumal of SoilResearch 30: 533-546. George,R.J., 1992. Hydraulic properties of groundwater systemsin the saproliteand sediments ofthe Wheatbelt, McFarlane,D.J., George, R.J., and Farrington, P, 1992c. WesternAustralia. -/oumal of Hgdrology130].250-278. Changesin the hydrologiccycle. pp 146-186in ReintegratingFragmented Landscapes, eds R.J. Hobbs George,R.J., McFarlane, D.J., and Lewis, M.R, 1991.A andD'A' Saunders Springer-Verlag, New York' reviewof rechargeand implicationsfor managementin salineagricultural catchments, Western Australia. pp Nulsen,R.A., Bligh, K.1.,Baxter, I.N., Solin,E.J., and 193-197in ProceedingsIntemational Hgdrologg and Imrie, D.H.,1986. The state ofrainfall in a malleeand WaterResources Symposium, Perth. heathvegetated catchment in southernWestern Australia.Australian Joumal of EcologgI l: 361-321. George,R.J., McFarlane, D.J., and Speed, R.J. (in press). The consequencesof a changinghydrologic Olsen,G., and Skitmore,E., 1997. State ofthe Riuersof environmentfor nativevegetation in South-western the South WestDrainage Diuislbn. Western Australian WA.ln Nature Conseruation4: TheRole of Netuorks, WaterResources Council Publication 2/91. edsD.A. Saunders, l.L. Craigand E.M. Mattiske. Surrey Beattyand Sons, Chipping Norton (NSW). Stokes,R.A., and Sheridan, R.J., 1985. Hydrology of LakeToolibin. Report No. WH2. Water Authoritv of Johnston,WH., 1993.Water use issues in temperate WesternAustralia, Perth. agriculture- a review.pp. 32-43 in LandManogement for DrylandSalinity Control,Bendigo. Conference ToolibinLake Recovery Team and Toolibin Lake proceedings. TechnicalAdvisoryGroup, 1994. Toolibin Lake recovery plan.Unpublished report. Department of Conservauon Mattiske,8.M., 1982.NARWRC progress report - Lake andLand Management, Perth. Toolibinvegetation study. Unpublished report. DepartmentofFisheries and Wildlife, Perth. Weaver,D., 1991.South coast estuaries project monitoring(1991). Draft report. McFarlane,D.J.,1992. Hydrogeology ofthe southcoast of WesternAustralia.In Farming for the Future.Land ConservationDistricts, Southern Conference Proceedings.Esperance Land Conservation District Committee,Esperance.

McFarlane,D.J., Engel, R., and Ryder, A.T, 1989.The locationof rechargeareas associated with secondary salinityin the LakeToolibin catchment, Westem Australia.pp 255-268in GroundwaterRecharge, ed. M.L. Sharma.A. Balkema,Rotterdam8oston.

McFarlane,D.J., Howell, M.R., Ryder, A.T, and Orr, G., 1992a.The effectof agriculturaldevelopment on the physicaland hydraulic properties of four Western Researchinto RernnantManagement lssues: Nutsand Boltsand the Big Picture

RichardJ. Hobbs Much of the work on fire is still in progress,but the CSIRO,Division of Wildlileand Ecology, LMB 4, PO experimentalfire programat Kellerberrinhas indicated Midland.WA. 6056 that patchburns within remnantareas are possible, and canbe conductedwith little risk to surroundingareas. INTRODUCTION Initial resultsindicate that post-firevegetation recovery is goodand that fire stimulatesregeneration of a wide Plantecological research at the Kellerberrinstudy site suiteof species.The studies lack generality, however, overthe pastnine yearscan be separatedinto four main andyield little usefulinformation on the effectsof areas: variationin fire regimes.

* surveyand collection; Studieson weedinvasion and control havehighlighted .1. basicresearch on ecologicalprocesses; the importanceof disturbanceand nutrient additionsto .1. reviewand synthesis; the facilitationof invasion(Hobbs and Atkins 1988; "advancementof * theory". Hobbs1989, 199la). We have shown that fire neednot enhanceweed invasion, but that roadsidevegetation is HereI outline the major componentsof eachofthese, an importantexception to this (Hobbsand Atkins 1991; indicaterelevance to managementwhere applicable, Hesterand Hobbs 1992). Weed control mayenhance anddiscuss the easewith which resultsfrom eachcan regenerationof sometree species, but is expensiveand be utilisedby managers.I suggestthat only resultsfrom time-consuming(Hobbs el aL 1993a).Grazing studies the reviewand synthesis phase can be transferred havehighlighted the role of sheepgrazing in promoting effectivelyto management. weeds(Scougallel al 1993).Indeed, the effectsof grazingare extensive and pervasive, and affect not just SURVEYAND COLLECTION the vegetationbut alsosoil characteristics.All these factorshave important implications for rehabilitation. An important andongoing component of the research In particular,in manycases fencing is not enoughto hasbeen documentation of the floraand vegetation of encourageregeneration, and more intensive theregion. Thishas consisted of intensivespecimen managementis required(Hobbs 1991b). collectionand identification, intensive vegetation surveysof particularareas, and more extensive suF eys of the studyarea and beyond. In addition,the useof REVIEWAND SYNTHESIS remotesensing as a rapidassessment technique was In conjunctionwith others,we havemade several explored(Hobbs el d/. 1989).None of this work hasany attemptsto synthesiseresults to dateand to meshthese directmanagement application, apart from the with otherrelevant work. The outcomeofworkshops on provisionof informationon newlocalities for rareand corridorsand landscape reconstruction has been a endangeredflora. Nevertheless, the work hasformed synthesisof existinginformation on theseareas, and a the backgroundto much of the researchconducted in heightenedawareness of the issuesinvolved on the part the area.The taxonomicknowledge and information on of the wider community(Saunders and Hobbs 1991; plantdistributions have also been utilised extensively by Saundersal a/. 1993).The effectivenessof this hasbeen others,and provided a basisfor the developmentof a increasedby thesepublications being used for material revegetationguide (see section on "Reviewand by magazines such asEcos andRural Research,andby Synthesis"). othermedia exposure.

BASICRESEARCH ON ECOLOGICAL The mostimportant synthesis work was,to my mind, PROCESSES the Rottnestworkshop, which resultedin the productionof the Springer-Verlagbook Reintegrating Thiswork hasfocused on factorswhich impacton FragmentedLandscapes (Hobbs and Saunders 1993) particular, nativevegetation in remnants.In fire,weed and.the ReuegetattonGuide to the Central Wheatbelt grazing, invasion, and interactionsbetween these have (Lefroyet al. 1991).The first of thesecollected available beeninvestigated, and the relevanceof thesefactors to information,from numerousdisciplines, on the history rehabilitationof depradedareas has been assessed. of developmentin the centralWheatbelt, its current problemsand its potentialsolutions. It representsan shouldbe) mostly concerned with problemsarising attemptto providean integratedapproach to the outsidethe remnant,but this is not necessarilv region'sproblems, and has been used extensively, both recognised. on a localscale by catchmentgroups and universities teachinginland management courses,and more widely * The researchbrings into questionthe extentto on a national andinternational scale. which rehabilitationof degradedremnants is practical.Rehabilitation is possible,but is not easy The aim of the revegetationguide was to providea andmay be expensive.Can we expectextensive "user-friendly" versionof informationgathered in the rehabilitationprograms to occur? Springer-Verlagbook. It wasdeveloped in consultation with managersand was aimed directly at them. It was * Whatis the correctemphasis between revegetation well received published, when anda subsequentsurvey andremnant management? Both arevaluable, but, hasindicated that it hashad a reasonablerate of use.Of givena choice,which is betterto pursue? 100households contacted one year after the publication of the guide,50 rememberedreceiving it, 25 hadused it .1. The latter questionsare predicated on the larger andsix statedthat it hadchanged their management "what questionof arethe conservationand methods.The guidehas also been used as a modelfor managementpriorities?". These are poorly defined similar guidesin the northernand southern Wheatbelt "motherhood" exceptin broad terms,but are andelsewhere in Australia. essentialif researchis to addressthe relevant questions. ..ADVANCEMENTOF THEORY" An importantpart of our researchserves not only the CONCLUSIONS:NUTS AND BOLTS AND managementcommunity but alsothe broadscientific THEBIG PICTURE community.Advancement of theoryin the sciencesof Initially whenwriting this paper,I foundit hard to place conservation biologyand Iandscape ecology is an much of the researchconducted over the pastnine importantstep in ensuringthat researchcarried out by yearsin a usefulmanagement context. It then became scientistsmay be integratedand useful in a apparentthat, on their own,individual bits of research managementcontext (Hobbs 1992a,b; Hobbsand resultingin individualresearch papers were seldom of Huenneke1992; Hobbs 1993a,b; Hobbset a/. 1993b). directuse. They are an essentialpart of the processof Wehave been emphasising "nuts that much conservation examiningthe andbolts" of the problemsbeing sciencehas little to do with realworld situations,and addressed,but do not necessarilyplug straightinto a that there is little time to waste on researchwhich does managementproblem, except in a verybroad sense. It is not addressreal world problems. Wehave had some only whena numberof suchindividual pieces of successin doing this, andour WesternAustralian researchare linked together, either by the individual laboratoryis recognised group asa leading in researcher,or in conjunctionwith other researchers conservation biologyand landscapeecology. This in andmanagers, that the relevanceto management itselfis importantin promoting the transferof research becomesmore apparent. The assembly of a "big picture" findings:acceptance promulgators is morelikely if the enablesall the individualbits of researchto be placedin are recognised leadersin their field contextand to be mademore readilyaccessible to managers.This process of assemblingthe "big picture" IMPORTANTISSUES TO BE FLAGGED entailsstepping back from the field quadrator mist net FROMTHE RESEARCH or whatever,and taking stock ofwhat the information alreadygathered can tell us.This pursuit has,in the The researchto datehas highlighted the followingareas past,not beenaccorded the samescientific which deserveattention: merit as goingout anddiscovering really exciting new things. However,this is changing,which isjust aswell, sinceI .i. External influenceson remnants,and the needfor a concludethat the synthesisprocess is essentialif the landscape (Saundes contextare important et al. transferof researchfindings to managementis to 1991;Hobbs 1993b). Remnant managepent is (or succeed. REFERENCES diversityand invasion: implications for conservation. Hester,A.J., and Hobbs,R.J., 1992. Influence of fire and Conseruation B iolo g g 6: 324-337. soil nutrientson nativeand non-native annuals at remnantvegetation edges in the WesternAustralian Hobbs,R.J., and Saunders, D.A. (eds), 1993. Wheatbell.Joumal ofVegetationScience 3: 101-108. ReintegratingFragmented lnndscapes - Touards SustainabIe Production and Conseroahbr?.Springer- Hobbs,R.J., 1989. The natureand effects of disturbance Verlag,New York. relativeto invasions.pp.389405 in Biological Inuasions:A GlobalPerspectiue, eds J.A. Drake,. H.A. Hobbs,R.J., Wallace, J.E, and Campbell, N.A., 1989. Mooney,ED. Castri,R.H. Grooves, RJ. Kruger, M. Classificationofvegetation in the WesternAustralian Rejm6nek,and M. Wlliamson.Wley, NewYork. Wheatbeltusing Landsat MSS data. Vegetatio 89:91, 105. Hobbs,R.J., 199la. Disturbance as a precursorto weed invasion in native vegetation.Plant Protection Hobbs,R.J., Arnold, G.W, and Leone, J., 1993a. Weed Quarteflg 6: 99-104, controland rehabilitation ofwoodland in the Western AustralianWheatbelt. Report to WorldWildlife Fund Hobbs,R.J., 1991b. Regeneration of nativewoodlands in Australia. WesternAustralia. Report to WorldWldlife Fund Australia. Hobbs,R.J., Saunders, D.A., and Arnold, c.W, 1993b. Integratedlandscape ecology: A WesternAustralian pe'tspecti.re.Biological Corcenation 64: 237*238. Hobbs,R.J. (ed.), 1992a.Biodiuersity of Mediterranean Ecosgstemsin Australia. Swrcy Beatty and Sons, ChippingNorton (NSW). Lefroy,8.C., Hobbs, R.J., and Atkins, L., 1991. ReuegetationGuide to the Central Wheatbelt.Western AustralianDepartment of Agriculture,CSIRO and Hobbs,R.J., 1992b. Corridors for conservation:Solution GreeningAustralia,Perth. or bandwagon??ands in Ecologg and Euolution 7: 389-392. Saunders,D.A., and Hobbs, R.J. (eds), 7991. Nature Corsenation2: TheRole of Corridors.Surrey Beatty Hobbs,R.J., 1993a. Can revegetation assist in the andSons, Chipping Norton (NSW). conservationof biodiversityin agriculturalareas? Pacific ConseruationBiology l'. 29-38. Saunders,D.A., Hobbs, R.J., and Margules, C.R., 1991. Biologicalconsequences of ecosystemfragmentation: A Hobbs,R.J., 1993b. Effects of landscapefragmentation reyiew.Conseruation Biologg 5: 18-32. on ecosystemprocesses in the WesternAustralian \Nheatbelt.Biological Conseruation64: 193-201. Saunders,D.A., Hobbs, R.J., and Ehrlich, P.R.(eds), 1993.Nature Consenation 3: Reconstructionof Hobbs,R.J., and Atkins, L., 1988.Effect of disturbance FragmentedEcosgstems, Global and Regional andnutrient additionon nativeand introduced annuals Perspectiues.Surrey Beatty and Sons, Chipping Norton (NSW). in the WesternAustralian Wheatbelt.,4ustralian Joumal ofEcologg13: 171-179. Scougall,S.A., Majer, J.D., and Hobbs, R.J., 1993. Edge effectsin grazedand ungrazed Western Australian Hobbs,R.J., and Atkins, L., 1991.Interactions between Wheatbeltremnants in relationto ecosystem annualsand woody perennials in a WesternAustralian reconstruction.pp. 163-778in Nature Consenation3: Wheatbeltreserve. Joumal ofVegetationScience 2: Reconstructionof FragmentedEcosgstems, Global and 643-654. RegionalPerspectiues, eds D.A. Saunders, R.J. Hobbs andP.R. Ehrlich. Surrey Beatty and Sons, Chipping Hobbs,R.J., and Huenneke,L.F., 1992. Disturbance, Norton(NSW). GondwananBotany: A Ferspeetiveoc"l RemnantManagement in South-West Australla

StephenD. Hopper documented,but Syme'sdiscovery of more than 300 KingsPark and Botanic Garden, macrofungiin 1\.!oPeoples Bay Nature Reserve suggests WestPerth. WA. 6005 a complexityequal to that of the betterdocumented floweringplants. INTRODUCTION Botanicalresearch in vegetationremnants ofsouth- The50 million yearold fossilbanksias from the westernAustralia has been increasing over several KennedyRange inland from Carnarvonindicate the great decades.This hasled to a new Gondwananperspective antiquityof someextant south-western genera, on the flora,which hassignificant implications for andsuggest that much ofthe diversityin wildflowerswe management.In thisexLended abstract, I aim to seetoday originated when dinosaurs probably grazed summarisesome pertinent research results, highlight the then mountainousterrain of the SouthWest. their managementimplementation, and ionclude with recommendationsfor achievingbetter integration of Superimposedon the greatantiquity of componentsof researchand management. Due to the requiredlength the florahave been opportunities for explosive of the paper,factual material is not referenced.For speciationamong the relativelyfew genera that further information,interested readers should consult survivedthe onsetof aridityand great extinction of the referencesin Hopper(1979, 1992), Hopper et al. south-westernrainforests that dominatedour (1990),and the popularreviews ofAustralia's fossil vegetationfor much of the last 100million years.The recordby White (1986,1990) and Rich andRich (1993). progressivearidity began some seven million yearsago asAustralia drifted northwards from Antarctica.A SIGNIFICANTRESEARCH RESULTS _ Mediterraneanclimate became established, and the THEGONDWANAN PERSPECTIVE SouthWest then entereda periodof climatic turbulenceduring the ice agesof the pasttwo million great A newand deeperappreciation of the antiquity years.This precipitated differential soil erosion,with andunique attributes of the south-westernflora has the present-dayWheatbelt from SharkBay to Israelite emergedin recentyears. The present-day flora sits on a Bayexperiencing greater climatic and erosional change landscapethat hasnot beenglaciated since the Permian than eitherthe high-rainfallforests or the arid interior. (260million yearsago), and has remained above sea level,sometimes as an island,during all subsequent Theflora respondeddramatically, with rapidevolution inundationsofthe Australiancomponent of Gondwana. yieldingone of the world'srichest wildflower regions. TheSouth West has an estimated8 000species, 75% of The terrain ofthe SouthWest, mountainous when whichare to befound nowhere else,30% are yet to be Triassic-Cretaceousdinosaurs dominated the fauna,has describedby botanists,and possibly as much as7570 are beenprogressively eroded flat to the point wheremost yet to be grownin cultivation. soilsare highly impoverishedof nutrients,and drainage inlandofthe MeckeringLine is largelyuncoordinated Plantbiodiversity, consequently, is concentratedin andincapable of flushingsalt from the syslem. complexpatterns in Wheatbeltremnants, with rapid turnoveracross landscapes. Lateritic uplands, for The florahas responded to this uniqueenvironmental example,as little ashalf a kilometreapart, may have historyin waysquite differentto thoseof the ve4r lessthan 50%oof their speciesin common.Distinctive recent,invasive, post-glacial floras of Europeand North florasare evident over short distancesas one travels Americaabout which mostbotanical science and throughthe Wheatbelt.Burgman's (1988) studies teachingare based. For example,the gatheringand betweenRavensthorpe and Cape Arid NationalPark storingof nutrientsfrom highly infertilesoils has indicatedthat naturereserves need replication every placeda selectivepremium on the evolutionof novel l5 km in mallee,to capturemost plant diversity. root systems- for example,the fine mat of subsurface proteoidroots of banksias,or symbioticpartnerships Not surprisingly,threatened plants are concentrated in with soil microorganismssuch as mycorrhizal fungi. Wheatbeltremnants, and are less frequent in the forests The diversityof suchfungi hasscarcely been to the south-westor in the arid zoneinland. Threateningprocesses, largely attributable to human conciseDnglish to the mediaand public, and especially activity,include land clearance,rising saline to managers.Botanists need to monitor public watertables,nutrient poisoningthrough fertiliser usage, understandingand use of their resultsas much ashow grazing by exoticanimals, inappropriate fire regimes, oftenpapers are quoted in the scientificliterature. weedinvasion. disease. harvest and eradication of economicwild species,and loss of nativeanimals and Secondly,integrated research approaches are essential. processes the ecological they supported. A combinationof processresearch (necessarily confined to fewsites) and descriptive research (wider Moreover,it is evidentthat the recruitmentbiology of geographicalscope) is neededto yieldcost-effective and nativeplants is complex,and restoration of plant efficientconservation of biodiversity. communitiesis verychallenging. For example, granite Wheatbelt outcropshave exceptionally rich Thirdly,it is vital that therebe collaborativeinteraction floras,with high numbersof fire-sensitiveplants, whose of managersand researchers, combining the managementhas yet to be investigatedin anydetail. operationaland investigative skills of eachgroup - for example,in long-termmonitoring and experimental Despitethe abovechallenges, conservation of intact management. remnantsis very cost-effective,and remains the highest priority strategyfrom a biodiversityperspective. In termsof applicableprescriptions, in view ofthe floristiccomplexig to be foundin remnants, MANAGEMENTIMPLEMENTATION conservativemanagement and highly replicated Remnantconservation programs on privateand Crown conservationactivities across the lardscapeare landsshould be managedin a waywhich recognisesthe recommended,focused on intact remnantswith the high turnoverof plant diversityin the landscape.In highestbiodiversity (genetic, specific, community, - particular,a high degreeof geographicalreplication is landscape for example,the Stirling Range,Fitzgerald calledfor. However, a floristicallycomplex vegetation River,and Lesueur national parks, remnants in the andpaucity of botanistshave hampered the general westerncentral Wheatbelt, granite outcrops). inventoryof remnants,and have led to difficultiesin developinglocal district managementpriorities to I would suggestthat managersneed to paymore maximiseconservation of plant diversity. consistentattention to ensuringbiodiversity conservationin remnants- localactivity must be integrated globalgoals. Threatenedplant distributionand abundance data have with regionaland This will beeneffectively included in managementconsiderations occurif clearobjectives, integrated actions and performance-measured in somedistricts, but poorlyin others(dependent on outcomesare requiredfor both researchand management interestof localcommunities). More integrated efforts of remnants. arerequired. Finally,we needto becomeGondwanan botanists and managers.We are dealing Aswould be expected,active management of remnants with an incrediblydiverse great to maintainplant biodiversityis embryonic,as is floraof evolutionaryantiquity. Many components arepoisoned by conventional research.Management has quite rightly focusedon fertilisingand watering regimes.They respond to stemmingthe tide of direct humandestruction and disturbancein new andoften unpredictable degradationof remnants.However, we havereached the ways.Their recruitmentis triggeredby a range just point whereactive restoration management is needed. of cueswhose significance is only becoming apparent.Even the ubiquitousimpact It is herethat the Gondwananperspective has much to of fire on germination contribute. andflowering has remained enigmatic for largenumbers of species,and has defied traditional researchtools developed on northern RECOMMENDED hemispherefloras ACTIONS (althoughrecent experiments with smoke-induced Firstly,I firmly believethat botanicalresearchers need germinationby KingsPark and Botanic Garden staff to focusmore on communicatingtheir findingsin plain showsignificant promise). Few other regionsofthe world demandsuch urgent and integratedcollaboration of researchersand managers to meetconservation aims.

REFERENCES Burgman,MA., 1988.Spatial analysis ofvegetation patternsin southernWestern Australia: Implications for reservedesign. Australian Joumal of Ecologg 13: 475- 429.

Hopper,S.D., 1979. Biogeographical aspecl"s of speciationin the southwest Australian flora. Annual Reuieutof Ecologg and Sgstematicsl0:. 399422.

Hopper,S.D., 1992. Patterns of diversityat the populationand species levels in south-westAustralian Mediterraneanecosystems. pp. 27-46 in Biodiuersitgof Meditenanean Ecosystemsin Australia, ed.R.J. Hobbs. SurreyBeatty and Sons, Chipping Norton (NSW).

Hopper,S.D., van Leeuwen,S., Brown, A.P., and Patrick, S.J,1990. Westem Australia's Endangered Flora. Departmentof Conservationand Land Management, Perth.

Rich,PV, andRich,T.H.,7993.Wildlife of Gondwana. Reed,Chatswood (NSW).

White, M.E., 7986.The Greeningof Gondwana.Reed, Books,Fredrichs Forest (NSW).

White,M.E., 1990, The Nature of HiddenWorlds: ,Animalsand Plants in Prehistoric Australia and Neu Zealand.Reed Books, Balgowlah (NSW). The ExoticPredator Problem

JackKinnear for otherspecies. Tammats (Macropus eugenii), brush- Departmentot Conservationand Land tail possums(Trichosurus uulpecula), woylies Management,Woodvale Research Centre, PO Box (Bettongiapenicillafa), and numbats (Mgrmecobius 51, Wanneroo,WA, 6065 fasciatus)have increased appreciably and canbe sighted on mostoccasions, with little effort,where baiting INTRODUCTION programshave been implemented. Elsewhere, chuditch (Dasgurusgeoffroii) and ring-tail possums Fifteenyears ago, when I joinedthe Departmentof (Pseudocheirusperegrmus) have increased in response Fisheriesand Wildlife, fire ecologywas the dominant to baitingregimes. Bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus'S have researchtopic of the day.Medium-sized marsupials beensuccessfully translocated to the TutanningNature wereeither rareor extinctover much of mainland Reserve,from wherethey had disappeared (Friend, pers. WesternAustralia, and those populations that were comm.).There are some indications that the previouslylocally abundant had crashed. It was populationsof brush wallabies(Macropus irma) may speculatedthat their demisewas possibly dueto alsobe significantlyaffected by foxes. droughtand a varietyof other causes- for example, inappropriateburning regimes,fragmentation of habitatsbeset by a varietyof man-madedisturbances, Tosummarise, medium-sized marsupial populations diseases,and climaticchanges, to list a few.Clearly, it persistingon Wheatbeltnature reserves existed at low wasa situationthat held little scopefor optimism. densitiesor, if locallyabundant, crashed in the 1970s anddid not recoverspontaneously. Some populations declinedto extinction.Recovery to conspicuously My own viewswere strongly biased towards a higherdensities ensued under fox baitingprograms. nutritional explanation.Having worked with high- densitypopulations of islandmacropods which experienceseasonal nutritional stress, the idea of ECOLOGICALIMPLICATIONS drought-inducedmortality coupledwith a reduced The messagefor managementis this: in the absenceof reproductiverate seemedto be an eminentlyreasonable exoticpredator management, medium-sized marsupials explanation,at leastfor the recentdeclines. The experiencegreat difficulties in maintainingviable puzzlingaspect was: why no recoveryfollowing the end populationson Wheatbeltreserves (and, for that matter, ofthe drought? on othermore extensive Crown lands as well). This suggeststhat the fox is actingas an efficientbiocontrol I abandonedthis nutritional hypothesisafter two years agentaffecting a suiteof marsupialspecies and likewise of researchon Wheatbeltrock-wallabies (Petrogale someground-dwelling or ground-nestingbirds (for lateralis\,because, contrary to expectalions,the example,malleefowl Leipoa ocellata). supportingevidence for nutritional stresswas negative evenduring a declareddrought year. Accordingly, we In situationswhere medium-sized marsupials persist in wereconfronted with this question:given a fit, healthy the absenceof predatorcontrol, population densities population producingyoung, why the low numbersand areinvariably low. These sites should be viewed as why no populationgrowth? predationrefuges that promotesur.uival but do not guaranteepopulation viability. Thesequestions were answered by my researchon rock- wallabiesliving on remnantvegetation in the central Predatorremoval results not only in population Wheatbelt. (Vulpes In this area,we found,that fox increasesbut alsoin habitatshifts (that is, expansionof ,..r/pes)predation primary wasthe factorcontrolling the realisedniche) by affectedspecies. Predator control population populations numbers.By reducingfox enablesaffected species to moveout from refugeareas through parlous baiting,we wereable to reversethe andutilise habitat denied to them in the presenceof situation of the rock-wallaby. predators.Destruction or disturbanceof these predationrefuges - for example,through bushland Baitingprograms, now operationalon several clearingor fire - greatlyincreases the risk of Wheatbeltreserues, have produced comparable reversals extinctionin the absenceof oredatorcontrol. In the past,lack of knowledgeabout the impactof INTERACTIONSWITH OTHER LIMITING exoticpredators has led to distortedecological FACTORS perceptionsregarding the habitatrequirements of Inevitably,periods of droughtcan be expectedto lower speciesaffected by predators.Habitat requirements the carryingcapacity of a reser"ve,leading to mortality havebeen equated to pr€dationrefuges, which are amongpopulations of medium-sizedmarsupials. characterisedby protectivecover with foodnearby; Mortalitycould well be exacerbateddue to invading theserefuge sites are not necessarilytypical of a species' foxesswitching from collapsedpopulations of habitatrequirements (niche). Failure to realisethis alternativeprey, such as rabbits, on adjacentfarmland. leadsto interpretationswhich promotethe viewthat Likewise,bushfires, naturally occurring or otherwise, habitatloss is the major factorcausing the demiseof maywell increasethe predationrisk to medium-sized manymarsupial species. A corollaryto this reasoninglis marsupials. the inferencethat medium-sizedmarsupials are intolerantto disturbanceand thus canonly persistin near-pristineenvironments. Clearly, these concepts In both of thesesituations, a higherlevel of baiting may shouldbe re-examinedin the light of currentevidence. be required,to avoidexcessive losses of medium-sized marsupials.It is likely that a higherlevel of baitingwill needto be maintainedduring the recoveryphase, IMPLICATIONSFOR MANAGEMENT particularlyif the preynumbers are low. The objectiveof researchinto fox controlwas to testthe hypothesisthat fox predationis a limiting factor THEFUTURE affectingpopulation dynamics of nativemarsupials - Thedemonstration that control of exoticpredators hencethe needto nulliflr asfar aspossible the impactof resulh in recoveryof somepopulations of medium- foxpredation. This hasled to baitingprocedures for sizedmarsupials on Wheatbeltreserves smallnature reserves that maywell be excessivefor studiedshould put paid prevalent managementpurposes. to the viewthat habitatloss or degradationhas been the singlecause of their demise. Thatsome of thesespecies increase significantly in Nonetheless,it shouldbe bornein mind that neartotal numberswhen fox predation is easedshows that they removalof foxesby intensivebaiting provides a measure areadaptable, resilient species capable of persisting(as of the carryingicapacity of a reservefor medium-sized do greykangaroos) within fragmented,disturbed marsupials.This stepis mandatoryif other limiting ecosystemswhere large areas of bushlandremain. factorsare to be identified. Indeed,some species may, locally, achieve minor pest statusand thus createmanagement problems. Findingthe optimum,cost-effective level for baiting will not be a quick or easyexercise. The baiting effort Theserealisations provide a basisfor greateroptimism will needto be manipulatedand the preyresponse aboutthe futureof somemedium-sized marsupials. monitored.Such research raises a difficult question:at Onecan take some heart from the numerousisland what densitiesshould recovered populations be populationsof marsupialsthat havepersisted for many managed?Fifty per cent of carryingcapacig? More, or thousandsof years. less?

The ultimatesolution to the fox problemis biocontrol. Notwithstandingthe above,and to complicatematters Suchresearch is in progress,but it must be emphasised evenfurther, there is someevidence that the predation that this researchis high risk andmay not yielda pressureexerted by foxesis variable.Data from the solutionin the nearfuture. However, much will be rock-wallabystudy (Kinnear unpublished) implies that learnedabout the foxas a predato!during! the courseof fox predationis likely to be episodic.The message here this work.Unquestionably, some of this knowledgewill is that short-termstudies may well result in conflicting greatlyimprove and enhance conventional control andconfusinp outcomes. methodoloEies. FURTHERREADING Friend, J.A., 1990.The ntmbat Mgrmecobiusfasciatus (Myrmecobidae):History of declineand potential for recollery,hoceedings of the Ecological Societgof Atrtralia 16: 369-377.

Kinnear,J.E., Onus, M.L., and Bromilow, R.N., 1988. Foxcontrol androck wallabypopulation dynamics. Australian Wildlife Research15: 435-450. RobertJ. Lambeck individualdifferences result in an increasein the CSIRO,Division of Wildlifeand Ecology,LMB 4, PO amountof timethat nectar is availablefor honeyeaters. Midland,WA,6056 SpeciesDifferences INTRODUCTION Differencesin the floweringphenology of different Thesuccessful management of remnantvegetation speciesalso broaden the range of opportunitiesfor given dependsupon the formulationof clearlydefined honeyeatersin a habitat.An arrayof species managementgoals. Broad objectives, such as which flowersynchronously in differentlocations "management to maintainbiodiversity", have been increasesthe rangeof habitatsthat honeyeaterscan identified,but theimplications for managersof such utilise. slalementshave not been specified. CommunityDifferences Honeyeatersin the centralWheatbelt provide a model Edaphic,evolutionary, disturbance and other factors for understandingthe functionalsignificance of haveresulted in Wheatbeltplants forming clear biodiversity,and for assessingthe implications of a associationsin a pronouncedvegetation mosaic. The reductionin regionalbiodiversity. This understandinS, constituentspecies within these associations have in turn, canprovide a frameworkfor approachingthe particularflo\!ering characteristics which result in dauntingtask of "managingfor biodiversity". differentpatches producing nectar at differenttimes of the year.Provided the configurationof theseresources is favourable,honeyeaters can move from onepatch Biodiversityencompasses the variationthat occurs typeto anotherat differenttimes of the year,further betweenindividuals, species, communities, landscapes, increasingtheir resource options. andbroad biogeographical regions. The relationship betweenhoneyeaters and their foodplants provides an opportunityto explorethe consequences of diversity at LandscapeDiversity all of theselevels and to examinethe functional Thesame vegetation communities at differentpositions significanceof this diversity.As pollinators, honeyeaters in the landscapeoften have different phenologies as a playan importantrole in the maintenanceof localfloral resultof regionalvariation in environmental diversity.A declinein honeyeaternumbers can affect conditions,again expanding the resourcebase for plant communitiesby reducingthe distanceand honeyeaterspecies that can range widely across the frequencyof geneflow between discontinuous landscape. populations(Lamont et al- 1993),a problemthat is exacerbatedin fragmentedenvironments. Changes in RegionalDiversity floraldiversiiy may. in turn.affecl lhe persislence Unfavourableclimatic conditions in a particularregion probabilitiesof otherspecies associated lvith, or mayresult in poorflowering and hence temporary dependentupon. thal flora. By considering lhese shortagesof nectarover substantial areas. At such relationshipsbetween plants and animals, we can times,mobile species are able to moveto adjoining identifythe importanceofvariety at various regionsurhere a differentsuite of plantspecies may organisationalIevels in bothplant and animal providethe necessary resources. The persistence of a communities. speciesin its preferredhabitat may depend upon access to resourcesin adjoiningareas at times\rhen local PLANTDIVERSITY resourcesare depleted. For example,white fronted IndividualDifferences honeyeaters(PhAltdongris albifrons), pied honeyeaters (Certhiongxuariegalus) and black honeyeaters (C. Althoughmost members ofa plantspecies in onearea niger) irrupt sporadicallyinto the centralWheatbelt at flowersynchronously, individual differences result in timesof lowrainfall in themore arid interior Nectar- someplants flowering earlier in theseason, while producingplant species in theWheatbelt may provide a otherscommence later. These phenological differences criticalresource for thesebirds at thesetimes. mayresult from variation in microenvironmentsaswell asfrom geneticdifferences between individuals. These HONEYEATERDIVERSITY significanceofa speciesin a systemis inverselyrelated Not only is a varietyof plantsimportant for the to the numberof its functionalanalogues. Loss ofbiotic persistenceof pollinators,but similarlya varietyof diversityreduces the numberofalternative, functional pathways pollinatorsis essentialfor the maintenanceof plant andhence reduces the probabilitythat a diversity.The impactof fragmentationon plant- processwill occur Speciesthat haveno functional pollinator analoguesbut makea major contributionto a given relationshipswill dependupon the capacity "keystone" of pollinatorsto dealwith the modifiedlandscape. A functionmay become species,and their loss rangeof pollinatorswhich respondto the landscapein couldhave serious implications for otherassociated differentways will enhancethe prospectofplant organlsms. populationprocesses being maintained. The functional significanceof honeyeaterdiversity is expressed Theacorn banksia (Banksia prionotes)flowers in early primarily at the specieslevel, but individualdifferences autumnin the centralWheatbelt. No other nectar- mayalso influence patterns of pollendispersal. producingplants flower in the Durokoppinarea at this time - it hasno functionalanalogues. It is heavily exploitedby honeyeatersand, because it appearsto be a Individual Differences Iimiting resource,it mayinfluence total honeyeater Within some individuals species,some establish numbersin the regionfor the remainderof the year. territoriesin which they remainfor extendedperiods of For thesereasons, this speciesis a keystonespecies. It time. Otheryounger, less individuals or dominant, are doesnot playthe samerole in otherparts of its range unableto establishor maintainterritories. They are whereother species (for example,.B.m enziesii) flower patterns more mobile,and this resultsin different of at the sametime. pollendispersal. MANAGEMENTIMPLICATIONS SpeciesDifferences Honeyeatershave been used here to explorethe Differences existbetween species in the waythey move functionalsignificance of biodiversity.This modelmay aroundthe landscape.Some species, such as white- hold for a wideyange ofspecies and communities, earedhoneyeaters (lichenostomus leucotis),are althoughthe scaleand number of participantsmay relatively sedentaryand tend to remainin territories vary.Several implications flow from this perspective. within remnants.Singing honeyeaters (L. uiriscens) commonlymove back and forth betweenremnants and Managementfor Function and Repres€ntation adjoiningroad-verge vegetation. Brown honeyeaters Representationof biodiversityis a necessaryobjective (Lichmeraindistinclal movewidely around the for the managementof nativebiota, but it aloneis not landscape,commonly moving between remnants, and sufficient.It is alsoessential to considerhow different white-fronted,pied and black honeyeaters invade from levelsof representationcontribute to ecosystem morearid regionsto the north andeast. Some species function.The greater the functionalcontribution of a remainin closeproximity to vegetation,while others, speciesor community,the morewidely should it be such asyellow-throated minerc (Manorina flauigula), represented.Honeyeaters are not a high priority for routinelymake extended flights over open paddocks. conservationin their own right, but maybe essential Thisarray of differentstrategies for exploitingresources for the achievementof other objectives.Consequently, providesvarious opportunities and scales for pollen theymust bewell representedin the landscape.For transferthroughout the landscape, speciesthat contributeless to communityprocesses, representationin a fewlocations may be adequate. IMPLICATIONSOF REDUCED DIVERSITY The Importanceof Scaleand Conliguration Thevalue of greaterbiodiversity lies in the increased Managementmust be plannedat an appropriatescale numbersofspecies that mediateimportant processes, for the speciesand processes being managed. Because therebyincreasing the areaand time overwhich a given biodiversityencompasses all scales,from individualsto processproceeds. Species which playequivalent roles landscapes,it is necessaryto havestrategies that reflect canbe viewed as functional analopues. The functional this diversity.While large-scale, regional assessments of conservationvalue must be made,these must then be dependingupon inclination,financial resources, combinedwith localstrategies which identifythose othercommitments, etc. Local farm plansor actionsthat needto be implementedat particular communityprojects should be designedto recognise locations.Attempts to achievean objectivewithin a thesedifferences, and should enable all individuals singleremnant will fail ifthat objectiveis dependent to feelthat their contribution,no matterhow large uponprocesses that operateat a scalegreater than that or small,is an integralpart of a largerconservation of the remnant.Management of remnantsmust be effort. guidedby their role in landscapeprocesses and in achievingregional conservation objectives. .i. Speciesdifferences: Sometimes it appearsthat the variousgroups with vestedinterests in regionsare "species". "species" The Importanceof Objectives indeeddifferent These comprise The abovepoint presupposesthat regionalconservation the land-holders,and the widearray of government objectivesand strategies exist. Conservation objectives andnon-government agencies that areinvolved. The must be identifiedat catchment,regional and national differentperspectives and aspirations of these Ievels,with localactions targeted towards those groupsmust be acknowledgedand incorporatedinto objectiveswhich arerelevant for the areabeing planning.The functionalrole of eachgroup must be managed.For example,some areas may not encompass clearlyidentified and their effortscoordinated so as speciesor communitiesthat arerecognised as regional to maximiseconservation return. or nationalpriorities. This cannotbe taken to mean that natureconservation is not an importantissue for .i. Communitydifferences: Different areas may have suchan area.It simplymeans that specificobjectives differentconservation priorities, depending upon haveto be identifiedwhich addressthose values that do their particularproblems. If regionaltargets can be remainin that region. identified,local communities, together with other groupswith appropriateinformation and expertise, Objectives,at anyscale, will not be achievedin a short mustwork jointly towardsidenti[ring how those periodof time. It is thereforenecessary to identifya targetscan best be achievedin a mannerwhich sequenceof actionsthat will achievenominated maximisesboth conservationreturn andprimary objectives.It is alsoimportant to identilythose productivity. objectivesthat needmost urgent attention, and actions that will providemaximum conservation value for The useof "biodiversity"as a metaphorfor social minimum effort. organisationwill clearlyhave its limitationsif takento exttemes.For example,while a rangeof functional BIODIVERSITYAS A MODELFOR analoguesperforming similar roles in a natural ecosystemmay the SOCIALMANAGEMENT enhance stabilityof that system,the presenceof a numberof governmentagencies all Ifa regionalconservation strategy is developed,its fulfilling equivalentfunctions will simplyresult in implementationwill requirea coordinatedeffort by a unnecessaryduplication and conflict. Given that widerange of individualsand organisations. Diversity at governmentagencies rarely "become extinct", the need differentlevels within the humancommunity must also for functionalequivalents is clearlynot desirable. be recognised,and the functionalsignificance of each cultural groupidentified in orderto developan effective In contrast,at the levelof individualswho are socialprocess for achievingbiodiversity conserration. implementingrecommendations, it is importantto In terms the presented of biodiversitymodel above, ensurethat multiplerepresentation exists. Given the importantcomponents of diversityin the human magnitudeof the problemsin agriculturallandscapes, communityare as follows: managernentactions will needto be implementedover a largepropodion of the landscape.This requiresa .!. Individualdifferences: Different individuals will have clearstatement of objectives,identification of the differentcapacities to contributetowards actionsto be taken,and the involvementof many managementof the nativebiota in a region, individualsin implementingthese actions. In the absenceof an integratedmanagement strategy, there will beonly small localised responses which will generatelimited benefitat a landscapescale.

The comparisonof socialorganisational structures with biodiversitymay be more appropriatewhen considering the functionalroles ofthese organisations. The value of the analogylies in the recognitionthat a complex systemcomprising a numberof interdependent componentsneeds to retainall of the essential functionsif that systemis to persist.In orderto achieve sustainableagriculture and maintain biological diversity,it will be necessaryto integratesocial, agricultural,land conservationand nature conservation objectives.

Onlyby recognisingthe diversitywithin the community andthe differentcontributions that differentsectors canmake will natureconservation succeed in what is predominantlya freeholdlandscape. Ownership of, and responsibilityfor, localconservation must be devolved to the community,with governmentorganisations managingspecifically identified, high-priority targets which arebeyond the materialand knowledge resources of localcommunities.

REFERENCES Lamont,8.B., Klinkhamer, PG.L., and Wtkowski, E.TR, 1993.Population fragmentation may reduce ferlility to zero in Banksia goodii - a demonstrationof the Alleeeffect. Oecologia 94: 446450.

Notethat RobertLambeck's work on honeyeaters, referredto extensively,has not yet beenpublished. Acquisitionand l\llanagennentof #onservationFlesen'ves frmWestern Austna!im

A.R.Main Morerecently, there has developed an international DepartmentofZoology, The University ofWestern consensusthat conservationeffort should be devotedto Australia,Nedlands, WA, 6009 retainingbiodiversity, and this addsanother dimension to managementproblems. Biodiversity is a diffuse PREAMBLE conceptwhichcan be considered to include: I havebeen involved with conservationfor a long time, Geneticdiuersitg: where conservation goals are to first with acquisitionof reservesand later with their retainas much of the geneticvariability as possible management.For this paper,I havechosen to givean within anypopulation that is beingactively overviewof how andwhy my ideasdeveloped. conserved.Genetic diversity can be lost by: populations; INTRODUCTION inbreedingin verysmall reductionsof populationsize resulting from breeding failure; or - The raw materialwith which managershave to work catastrophicmortality resulting from disease, that is, the systemof remnantvegetation - is largely droughtor fire. an historicalaccident. This is becausewhat is selected for reservationis merelya remnantofwhat was Tatonomicdiuersitg; this literallyincludes the five formerlymore widespread. But, in additionto this kingdomsof organismsbut is usuallytaken as total happenstance,the successor otherwiseof management speciesrichness - for example,representation of will be affectedby: specieswithin groupssuch as eucalypts, banksias, forestbirds, raptors, burrowing ftogs, trapdoor .t the manager'sassumptions about ecosystem spiders,or nativebees. The rangeis endlessand the processes; managementproblems diverse. * the initial stateofthe ecosystem,which is the result of pastevents; Phglogeneticdiuerslly: this includesthe rangeof * the operationof chancein the future. diversitywithin an evolutionaryradiation for example,within the marsupials,or a genusof HISTORY Iizards,or thetrigger plants. Some ofthese Initially, selectionswere based on personalknowledge organismsmay be classifiedas rare or endangered, andwhat wasavailable for reservation.Later, various but alsoincluded are relicts such as cycads, committeesselected areas for reservationfollowing echidnas,Lepidogalarr'as (the mud minnow), reviewsof the knowledgeavailable, or biologicalsurveys petipatus,Archaeocftlas (the granite rock of land in transitionzones, or areasnot yet represented chironomid)and the trapdoorspider Moggridgia. in the conservationestate. This left the managerareas Suchare to be consideredparticularly durable that had,in manycases, less than all the desirable species. characteristics.For example,areas were small, boundariesextensive and irregular,and so on. Structuraldiuersitg: this categoryincludes forest, woodland,shrubland, grassland and the structural CRITERIAFOR SELECTION stagesin regenerationof vegetationfollowing disturbancessuch as fires or storms.Restricted or Earlyreserve selections were based on a desireto relict habitatscharacteristic of formertimes fall into ensurethat reservationswere representative in some this categoryof diversity. way,either of regionsor of biotic assemblages,and managementwas expected to preser"vethese qualities. During this earlyperiod, habitat preservation was the Thesebasic kinds of biodiversigmay be combinedto vogueand minimal interferencewas the essenceof describemore complex forms such as community, goodmanagement. When ecosystems were considered ecosystemor landscapediversity. at all, theywere thought of asbeing static, and when disturbancesdid occur,it wasassumed that overtime Sucha wide-rangingfocus suggests that managementis successionwould restorethe biotic environmentto its concernedwith nothingless than whole ecosystems formerstate. consideredas dynamic entities. THEORY is disfavoured;consequently, diseases, pests, or any Managementbased on empiricismcannot be expected factorwhich reducesthe productivityor the qualityof to copewith the diverserequirements imposed by the the productsis regardedas undesirable. However, in foregoingconcept. Some theoretical basis is needed.In naturalsystems, diseases, pests and parasites reduce the this sense,theory merely means a schemaor system vigourand may even lead to earlydeath oftheir host. which accountsfor or explainsa setof observationsor Suchhappenings make for lessthan optimalindividual phenomena.In termsof conservationmanagement, we health,but conversely,when they affect the cornmonor needto explainwhat is there,the sequenceof eventsby mostvigorous species, they prevent the exclusionof which it hasbeen derived, and the waythe systemis lessvigorous species from the community.Thus renewedor maintained.A comprehensivetheory diseases,pests and parasites, along with predationand providesa frameworkwithin which the future maybe naturaldisasters, are the mechanismsby which predicted.Thus the consequencesof both management dynamicecosystems are maintained. They are practicesand chance events can be foreseenot intimatelyrelated to biodiversitybut completely anticipated.Research should provide the knowledgeand ionnrpd in ilc ct,rdu factswhich form the basisof the theory providetests of current theory,or providenew knowledge which Characteristically,disturbance, of whateverorigin, leads suggeststhat theoryshould be modified.Monitoring to the formationof gapsin the vegetation.It is in such the consequencesof managementpractices is a wayof placesthat the availability of spacepermits the testingtheory and gaining new knowledge. germinationof seedsand the initiation of population changesin the wholebiota which sum to the But thereare five classesof peopleinvolved with successionalstages that follow.But disturbancemust conservation:the public,administrators, those who not be thoughtof solelyas being caused by physical write managementplans, managers, and scientists. Not environmentalfactors. all oftheseconsider the managedsystem as being - dynamic;thus whentheir expectationsare not met Gapcreation, whether from branchfall or tree death,is - for example,when the biotachanges thereis a alsoeffective in initiating regeneration.Most often, perception preservation that hasnot beenachieved and suchdeaths are caused by diseaseinduced by fungi or managementhas failed. This is of importancein the otherpathogens. Such mofality is usuallyscattered eventthat the conceptof accountabilityis extendedto throughan ecosystemand is a potentsource of minor managementof the conservationestate. Such a literal habitatdiversity by providingsites for otherplants, extensionis inappropriatewhen ecosystems are animals,fungi, protists and bacteria. Managers should process dynamic, driven,non-static entities. appreciatethat this sort of habitatdiversity can only be Furthermore,administrators sponsoring, for example, providedby naturalevents which vary in spaceand over CooperativeResearch Centres look to researchto solve time. Theyare the basisof patchcreation and the problems requiringcomplex and expensive technical dynamicsofpersistence. Population sizes and expertise.On the other hand,perhaps in responseto distributionsare unlikely to be constantwhen such public perceptions,the AustralianNature Conservation factorsoperate. Managers can only ensurethat the fuency andWorld Wildlife Fund for Naturesee the likelihoodof persistenceis ashigh aspossible. studyof rareor endangeredspecies as a priority.Not unexpectedly,administrators of management-oriented Thecontrasts between static and deterministic versus organisationssee scientists as a skilledwork forceto be dynamicand stochastic interpretations of systems usedin solvinglocal problems as they arise.At all maintenanceare not merelya matter of academic levels,little attentionis givento addingknowledge that disagreement.The generalpublic and some biologists might be usefultheoretically. followstatic, deterministic interpretations of nature- for example,as expressed in the phrases"balance of "stable NATURALSYSTEMS nature"or population".To thosewith such Thereis a tendencyto viewnatural systems as the beliefs,patch creation by mortalityfrom diseaseor analogueof agricultural,horticultural or forestry defoliationby insectsis likely to be interpretedas systems.In suchsystems, any reductionin productivity failureof managementrather than asa demonstration @ of the waythat space,light andnutrients are made 1979),and the responseto stressby vertebrates(Main availableto differentspecies or anothergeneration. 1986).Many of the problemsassociated with reserve managementwere reviewed, and possible solutions Recently,it hasbecome a legislativerequirement that tabulated(Main 1987). As soon as it becameclear that the public be involvedwhen management plans are landscapesneeded to be managedas whole entities and beingprepared. Legislation or regulationrequires that that managementof natureconservation reser.res the aims,goals and requirementsare specific - for shouldbe integratedwith otheruses and landscape "preservation" example, maybe a statedaim. This goals,it wasappropriate to reiteratethe basic impliesa staticuniverse which canbe preserved. similaritiesin the resourcesrequired by all living things Moreover,management plans require funds, and it (Main1993a). The problems associated with the followsthat there is an expectationthat thosespending potentialloss of biodiversityin reservationshas been the moneyare accountable for achievingthe legally addressedby Main (1992a). Additionally, a possible specifiedgoals. Yet, as indicated above, natural systems approachto makingmanagement decisions when faced arehostage to chanceevents that arenot readily with uncertaingwas presented (Main 1992b). The accommodatedin a legalsystem couched in termsof an implicationsof climaticchange for restorationecology idealstable world. The potential difficulties should be andmanagement are dealt with in Main(1988, 1993b). anticipatedby managers,who might selltheir skillsby emphasisingthat, evenin a veryftagmented, dynamic Onewould expect to seeindications that the above naturalworld, managers can retain the conservation interpretationswere having an influenceon reserre valueseven if staticpreservation is not possible. management,in managementplans and field responses Educationto achievea communityawareness ofwhat is of managers,perhaps a decadeafter publication. In biologicallyrealistic is a prerequisitebefore sensible general,it is too soonto saywhether the ideas accountabilitycan become a reality. developedare, or havebeen, of useto thoseinvolved in the practicalitiesof management,though I havehad DISCUSSION someverbal comments that the 1987paper has been useful. The foregoingsets out what might be includedin the conceptof biodiversityand so establishesan arrayof reasonsfor havingreservations. It alsosets out a theory REFERENCES of how the containedsystems and communities may Main,A.R., 1979. The fauna.pp 77-99 in Enuironment functionand be maintainedas dynamic entities. and Science,ed. B. O'Brien.University ofWestern Naturally,I did not developthese ideas as a complete AustraliaPress,Nedlands. systemat onetime in a singlepaper. Initially, the sizeof reservationswas a critical issue,and Main and Yadav Main,A.R., 1981a. Ecosystem theory and management. (1971)justified argumentsfor largerreservations than Joumal ofthe Rogal Societgof WestemAustralia hadhitherto beenconsidered adequateby landuse 4:14. planners.A generalcase for numerousreserves spanninga rangeof sizesand geographic Iocations was Main,A.R., 1981b. Fire tolerance of heathlandanimals. thendeveloped (Main 1979). At thistime, there was a pp.85-90in Heathlandsand RelatedShrublands, ed,. publicperception that reserveswould preserve nature, R.L.Specht. vol. 9B,Ecosgstemsofthe especiallyrare and endangered species. An argument World,Elsevier PublishingCompany, Amsterdam. counteringthis wasthat rarespecies were thus because theywere on the wayto extinction,so it wasa wasteto reserveuseful land for an unachievablepurpose. These Main,A.R., 1982. Rare species: Precious or dross.pp. issueswere addressed in Main(1982, 1984). 163-174 in Speciesat Risk:Research in Australia, eds R.H.Groves and WD.L. Ride.Australian Academy of Alliedto the foregoingwas the questionof reserve Science,Canberra. management,especially in termsof nutrients(Main 198Ia,1987), fire (Main1981b), the effectof insect Main,A.R., 1984. Rare species: Problems of grazingon post-fireregeneration (Whelan and Main conservation.Searcft l5: 93-97. Main,A.R., 1986. Resilience at thelevel ofthe individual animal. pp. 83-94 in Resiliencein Meditenaneanlgpe EcosAstems,eds B. Dell,A.J.M. Hopkins and B. Lamont. Dr.W Junk Publishers,Dortrecht (Netherlands).

Main,A.R., 1987. Management of remnantsof native vegetation- a reviewof the problemand the developmentof an approachwith referenceto the Wheatbeltof WesternAustralia. pp.7-73 in Nature Conseruation:The Role of Remnantsof Natiue Vegetation,eds D.A. Saunders, G.W Arnold, A.A. Burbidgeand A.J.M. Hopkins. Surrey Beatty and Sons in associationwith CSIROand Department of Conservationand LandManagement, Sydney.

Main,A.R., 1988. Climatic change and its impacton natureconservation in Australia.pp. 361-374in Greenhouse:Planning for Climatic Change,ed,. C.l. Pearrman.CSIRO, East Melbourne.

Main,A.R., 1992a. The role of biodiversityin ecosystem function:Ar overview.pp. 77-93 in Biodiversityof MediterraneanEcosgstems in Australia, ed.R.J. Hobbs. SurreyBeatty and Sons,Chipping Norton (NSW).

Main,A.R., 1992b. Management to retainbiodiversity in the faceof uncertainty.pp. 193-209in Biodiuersitgof Mediterronean Ecosgstemsin Australia, ed.R.J. Hobbs. SurreyBeatty and Sons,Chipping Norton (NSW).

Main,A.R., 1993a. Landscape reintegration: Problem definition. pp. 189-208 in Reintegrating Fragmented Landscapes:Towards Sustainable Production and Nature Conseruation,eds R.J. Hobbs and D.A. Saunders. Springer-Verlag,New York.

Main,A.R., 1993b. Restoration ecology and climatic change.pp. 27-32 in Nature Conseruation3: Reconstruction of FragmentedEcosgstems, eds D,A. Saunders,R.J. Hobbs and PR. Ehrlich.Surrey Beatty andSons, Chipping Norton (NSW)

Main,AR., and Yadav, M., 1971.Conservation of macropodsin reservesin WesternAustralia. Biological Conseruation 3: 123-733.

Whelan,R., and Main, A. R., 1979.lnsect grazing and post-fireplant successionin south-westernAustralian woodland.Australian Joumal of Ecologg 4: 387-398. InvertebrateStudies Performed through CurtinUniversity

JonathanMajer and Anne Brandenburg performedby other researchgroups. Schoolol EnvironmentalBiology, Curtin University ofTechnology,GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA,6001 In somecases, fudher researchis requiredbefore our conclusionscan be implementedby managers.For INTRODUCTION example,with respectto our work on corridors,while we havebeen able to demonstratethat corridors The scopeof this paperis to list invertebrateand other of nativevegetation support greater numbers of ant relatedecological research that hasbeen performed in speciesthan do corridorscontaining large proportions the WesternAustralian Wheatbelt by Curtin University of exoticplant species, we cannotdescribe the staffand students. We have not includedwork that has minimum numberor coverof nativeplant species specificrelevance to invertebratesin rehabilitated requiredto ensurethat ant communitiesare mines(for example,at Eneabba)or areasof primary maintained.Our findingstherefore need to be production(for example,farm paddocks).We have, incorporatedwith thosefrom otherstudies final however,borne in mind anymanagement principles before recommendationsmay be made. that canbe derivedfrom this andother research conductedoutside the Wheatbeltregion where it has implicationsfor the managementof remnantvegetation It is importantthat the work of conservationmanagers in south-westernAustralia. be guidedby well-founded principles that arebased on ecologicalresearch. These principles should be constantlyupgraded in the Iight of new research The major thesesand papers resulting from these findings.For this to happen,it is necessaryfor liaisonto investigationsare listed in the References.In Table1, occurbetween researchers and landmanagers so that thesestudies are grouped together under broad resultsof researchmay be disseminated.This process managementtopics. For eachof thesetopics, primary wouldalso enable researchers to hearthe needsof land researchoutcomes are briefly summarised, and their managersand to plan researchto fulfil their managementimplications degreeof and requtremen$. implementationlisted. DISSEMINATIONOF FINDINGS The major usersof our researchare considered to be Wehave adopted a broadapproach for the landusers, land managers, and those advising these groups. disseminationof researchfindings. For eachresearch projectundertaken, we aim to alert relevantpersons andorganisations to the thrust of researchprograms RESEARCHTOPICS andtheir results.Up to fivedifferent methods may be Researchundertalen on invertebratesin remnantsand used.These are shown in TableI underthe heading "Dissemination on other relatedtopics through the Schoolof of Findings".Details of the dissemination EnvironrnentalBiology at Curtin Universityhas focused methodsare provided in the Note(see page 46). on the role of invertebratesin ecosystemfunction and recoveryfollowing disturbance (refer to the research Cooperatingwith other researchinstitutions and land topicslisted in Table1). Someof this work hasalso managementgroups that havea role in the emphasisedthe benefitsof habitatdiversity to the conservationof remnantsis anotherimportant part of conservationof invertebrates.The generalapproach to the informationtransfer process. Organisations that the work hasbeen at an appliedrather than a havebeen involved in the researchundertaken by theoreticallevel. Curtin Universityare shown in Thble1

MANAGEMENTIMPLICATIONS IMPLEMENTATIONOF FINDINGS The implicationsof researchoutcomes for land It is difficult to know exactlywhether, and if so how, managersare listed in Thble1. The implicationsare researchfindings have been implemented at the oftenof a generalnature and based on the resultsof managementlevel, because some findings result in a severaldifferent projects, some of which havebeen verydiffuse set of implications.It is evenmore difficult to establishwhether research findings have had some appropriatelydisseminated, we still experience bearingon the developmentof ideaspresented in problemsin gettingour messageto users.Reasons for managementplans. It is possiblethat researchfindings this arethought to include: mayhave had some influence on a plan,even if thereis no acknowledgmentof the findingsin the final product. .1. insufficienttime for the preparationof scientific papersand conference presentations; In endeavouringto demonstratemanagement adoption of our invertebrateresearch, we haveidentified three .1. an absenceof mechanismswhich supportthe levelsat whichthis might occur (Table 1). Firstly, there disseminationof researchinformation to target areinstances where research findings are known to audiences; havecontributed to managementactions or the developmentof resourceinformation for landmanagers "Confirmed .1. (a Contribution").In suchcases, verbal an absenceofmechanisms that providefeedback on acknowledgmentor referencingof researchmaterial the adoptionby managersof researchfindings; hasbeen forthcoming. * inadequateknowledge of relevantresearch findings Secondly,there are instances where it is suspectedthat amongusers, including landcare officers, training researchfindings have contributed to the development staffand land managers; of a generalmanagement ethos, or the adoptionof certainmanagement practices, but thesesuspicions are t an apparentmisconception by usersthat scientific "Unconfirmed unconfirmed(an Contribution").This work is undertakenfor academicrather than occurswhen the relevantliterature does not practicalreasons. acknowledgework, andpersonnel with responsibility for the managementof the relevantissue may be CONCLUSION unawareofthe work.Yet, it is virtually inconceivable that managementapproaches taken are not influenced Researchundertaken at Curtin Universi$has relevance by the researchoutcomes, although this influencemay to the conservation,management and restorationof be threeor moretimes removedfrom the researchers remnantsin south-westernAustralia. While there are andtheir work. someinstances where research findings are known to havecontributed to managementprograms and recommendations,we believethat much information Thethird levelat which researchfindings may have neverreaches target audiences. This occursdespite a relevanceto managersare those instances where the substantialeffort to inform the communityabout manageris simplynot awareof the research,or the currentresearch programs and outcomes. relationshipbetween the researchfindings and the land useror manageris lessobvious. An exampleis the importanceof unpredictable,infrequent disturbance Inadequatecommunication between researchers and events,such as one in onehundred year flood or fire managersis perceivedto be a major causefor the poor events.While thesemay have an enormousimpact on disseminationof researchresults. Actions that will help speciesand communities, they arepoorly understood by overcomethis problem include: managers.As a consequence,we haveidentified groups of peopleor organisationswho couldpotentially benefit * databasesofresearchers, managers and their specific from suchinformation and listed them underthe interestsand projects, to encouragecommunication "Potential heading Contribution".Dissemination of of informationand ideas between both groups; informationto thesegroups probably requires direct consultationas a meansof ensuringthat the * developingfeedback mechanisms so that the managementimplications of researchfindings are researchcommunity may check that researchdata adequatelydisseminated. arereaching relevant land managers, and also so that landmanagers can suggest suitable topics for Despiteefforts to ensurethat researchfindings are futureresearch; settingup a centralisedcomputer system or sorting housefor researchoutcomes that arerelated to the valuesand management of remnantsfor nature conservation,sustainable agriculture, and other uses.This centralinformation base could act as a formalcentre for remnantnetworking. It couldbe responsiblefor the developmentof mechanismsthat facilitatethe disseminationof informationbetween landmanagers, researchers and other users. The centre'couldprovide a focusfor the developmentof landscapemodels integyating nature conservation andagriculiural production values;

dealingwith the perceivedmisconception that researchis undertakenfor academicrather than appliedreasons;

ensuringthat researchfindings are taught to potentialland managers(for example,trainee farmers)by circulatinginformation to coordinators ofagriculturalcourses at secondaryand tertiary levels.

Wehave also identified two other factorsthat require attentionif the natureconservation values of remnants areto be maintained.These issues, which areworthy of discussionat this workshop,are:

* Remnantson pfivateproperty require protection from ongoingdegradation processes. Protection programsmust be accompaniedby a management programthat ensuresthe ongoingsurvival ofthese remnan$.

* The irnportanceof invertebratesand microorganismsin the maintenanceof remnant ecosystemsmust be realisedby landmanagers.

THIS IS A BLANK PAGE Tablel: Summaryof researchundertaken by the authorsand their associatesin the WesternAustralian Wheatbelt, including thebroad management irnplications of eachtopic.

DisseminationoI Findings .z Research Topic* Summary ol xt ResearChOutcomes Management lmplications b3 ii i;E 6E OE F$ o= PASTRESEARCH A. Seedremoval by ants Directse€ding operations may be Maintainligilance for problemant CSIRO (1,6,10). impededby: specles. . certainspecies of ants Avoiddirect seeding at vulnenbletimes. . temporalfactors Treatvulnerable seeds to avoidseed . sitecharacteristics. temoval.

Herbivoryby native Magnitudeof damageby bagsh€lter Dependingon the extentof the outbreak, CSIRO mothsvaries lrith: control caterpillars(II,l2,l3). of leafdefoliation may be CALM . temporalfactors requiredin: . siiecharacteristics, . outbreakyears . nutrient enrichedar€as (e.9. roadverges and remnant edges).

Roleof termitesin nutrient Drepanotemes tamminensis has a Maintenanceof remnantsshould include: CSIRO cycling(7). major role in nutrientcycling within . the ret€ntionof deadplant certajnecosystems. materialas habitat for soil fauna andthe maintenanceof nutrient cycling . the protectionof termite structuresliom damage,

D. Useof antsas bioindicators of Ant communitycomposition is a Ass€ssmentofthe ant communitycan CSIRO environmental (4,8,9). healih us€fulindicator of the degreeof: prolide a rapidindication of the stateof CALM . habitatdegradation the environment. . habitatrestoration Mining . habitatsimilarity. Co's

Conservationpoteniial of The biotic compositionand ecology Corridorsof nativevegetation will have MRD temnantsand corridorsof of remnanthabitat is influencedby greaterconservation potential if theyj natil)evegetation (1,8,9). its: . arewide rather than narrow . physical feaiures . comprisenative rather than exotic . managem€nt. plant species . areadjacent to nativehabitat.

Edgeeffect impacts on remnanthabitat CSIRO must considerl . the ecosystemcomponent for conservation . the imposingdisturbance reglme.

Remnantsshould be fencedto exclude farm livestock.

Restorationof remnantswill requireamelioration of: . alteredmicrohabitats . soil physicalchanges . soil nutrient imbalances . alteredplant and animal compositionand dynamics.

Ii Influenceof prescription Prescribedburning of remnants Findingsmay have relevance to deciding burning on invertebrates influ€ncesinvertebrate: the timing andperiodicity of burning' (2,3,5). . abundanceand diversity regimes. . recoverytime, NEW RESEARCH C. Abundanceof arthropodsand Pot€ntialof treesin differentspatial Tteesremaining in cor dorsand birdson treesin paddocks, alrangementsto support paddocksmay form a nucleusfor corridorsand nativevegetation. invertebrates,avifauna and foodweb landscaperestoration. :l processes.

Re-establishmentof biotaand Degreeto \Nhichdifferent Re-establishmentof soil and litter biota nutrient cyclingin r€vegetated revegetationstrategies facilitate the and nutrientcycling may be influenced __"1 habitats. re-establishmentof nutrient cycling by revegetationpractices. processes.Value of revegetated **l habitatto the maintenanceof regionalbiodiversity. to on page Confirmed Conlribution lJnconfirmed Contribution PolentialContribuiion

Adoptionof seedpredation control Generalrecognition of the problemin Consenrationorganisations measures(e.g. pelletisation) by directseeding operations. Mining companies (e.9. relegetationorganjsations MRD, Shire councils mining companies). Schools Revegetationorganisations

Controlmeasures (e.9. shire councils) Couldinfluence choice of tr€eslor MRD havenot beenrequired to date. roadverge plantings. Shirecouncils Conservationgroups

Maintenanceof ecosystemptocesses Consenationmanagers by temnantand reserye managets. Farmersmanaging remnants on privateproperty Protectionof termitehabitat and Revegetationorganisations structuresfrom destruction.

Otherresearch and publications The incorporationof antsas Conservationorganisations involvingres€arch on ecosystemstatus bioindicatorsof environmentalhealth Minjng Companies and habitatrestoration. in everyState and territory of Shirecouncils Australia.

Contributedto the justificationof Conservationorganisations (MRD). wideningof roadverges ShireCouncils

Strengthenedthe needto plant or seed nativespecies on roadverges (MRD).

Literatureproviding guidance on the Supportingthe thrust ofthe Remnant Technicaleducation of manag€mentof remnants(Hussey, VegetationProtection Scheme. landcareadvisers (e.9. LCOS) B.J.M.,and Wallace, K,J,, 1993. Managersof remnantson Managing Your Bushland Department pnva@properry of Conservationand LandManagement, LCDSand other runl groups Perth).

Findingshave stimulated further Conservationmanagers researchon the impactof prescribed Managersof remnantson burningoutside the jarrah foyest. pnvareproperly Managersof roadverges

Auaiting results Au)aiting results Managersof remnantson privateproperty ConseNationmanagers

Atuaiting results Auaiting results Managersof remnantson privateproperty LCDs Revegetationorganisations Conservationmanagers REFERENCES 9. Scougall,S.A., Majer, J.D., and Hobbs, R.J., 1993. This referencelist coversinvertebrate studies Edgeeffects in grazedand ungrazed Western undertakenin the Wheatbeltexcluding areas of primary AustralianWheatbelt remnants in relationto productionand mined lands.Numbers with each ecosystemreconstruction. pp. 163-178in Nature referencerelate directly to thoseused in the Table. Consenation 3: Reconstructionof Fragmented Ecosystems, eds D.A. Saunders, R.J. Hobbs and P.R. 1. Keals,N., and Majer, J.D., 1991. The conservation Ehrlich.Surrey Beatty and Sons, Chipping Norton (NSW). statusof ant communitiesalong the Wubin- PerenjoriCorridor. pp. 387-393in Nature Consenation 2: The Role of Corridors, ed,sD.A. 10.Van Schagen, J., 1986.Ant-plant interactionsin a Saundersand R.J. Hobbs. Surrey Beatty and Sons, WesternAustralianWheatbelt reserve. Graduate ChippingNorton (NSW). Diplomain NaturalResources thesis, Western AustralianInstitute of Technology,Perth. 2. Little,S., 1989. A studyofsoil and litter invertebratesin semi-aridkwongan vegetation with ll.Van Schagen,J., 1989. The biology and ecological specialreference to fire age.Honours thesis, Curtin impactof the bag-sheltermoth in the Western Universityof Technology,Perth AustralianWheatbelt. MSc thesis, Curtin University ofTechnology,Perth. 3. Majer,J.D., 1980. Report on a Studyof Inuertebrates in Relation to the Kojonup Fire ManagementPlan. 12.Van Schagen, J.J., Hobbs, R.J., and Majer, J.D., 1992. Departmentof BiologyBulletin No. 2. Western Defoliationof treesin roadsidecorridors and AustralianInstitute of Technology,Perth. remnantvegetation in the WesternAustralian \Nheatbelt.Joumal ofthe Rogal Societg of Westem 4. Majer,J.D.,1983. Ants: Bioindicators of minesite AUSITAI0 /5: /5-6 i - rehabilitation,land use and land conservation. Enuironmental Management 7 : 375-393. 13.Van Schagen, J.J., Majer, J.D., and Hobbs, R.J., 1992. Brologyof Ochrogasterlunifer Herrich-Schaeffer 5. Majer,J.D., 1985. Fire effectson inveftebrate fauna (Lepidoptera:Thaumetopoeidae), a defoliator of of forestand woodland. pp. 103-106in Fire Ecologg Acaciaacuminata Bentham, in the Western and Managementin WestemAustralian Australian Wheatbelt.Australian Entomological Ecosgstems,ed. l.R. Ford.Western Australian Magazine l9t 79-24. Instituteof Technology,Perth. NOTE:APPROACHES USED BY CURTIN greening 6. Majer,J.D., 1990. The ofAustralia:Tbking UNIVERSITYTO DISSEMINATE the animalsinto account.pp. l7-25 in Souingthe RESEARCH Seeds:D[rect Seedingand Natural Regeneration FINDINGS Conference.Conference proceedings. Greening AustraliaLtd, Deakin. Themethods used by Curtin Universityto disseminate its researchresults, shown in Table1, areoutlined 7. Park,H.C., 1993. The role of the Wheatbelttermite, below. Drepanotemestamnmensls in nutrient cycling withinnative woodland and shrubland. PhD thesis, ScientificPublication Curtin Universityof Technology,Perth. Publicationin scientificjournals, conference proceedingsand books (for example,Australian 8. Scougall,S.A., 1991. Edge effects in fencedand non- EntomologicalMagazine, Australian Society for Soil "Nature fencedremnants ofjam-York gum woodlandsin the Scienceand the Conservation"book series). WesternAustralian Wheatbelt. Honours thesis, This is doneeither during, or within oneto threeyears Curtin Universityof Technology,Perth. of completing,a project. ConferenceParticipation Oral andposter presentations at scientificand managementoriented conferences (for example, AustralianEntomological Society, Australian Mining IndustryCouncil Environmental Workshops, Enviromine).

Popular Articles Publicationofpopular articles in magazinessuch as Ecos, Curtin Gazelle or publications aimed at schoolchildren.

Semi-formalDiscussions Semi-formaland informal discussions and presentationsto localpeople and potential end-users during the courseof field studyprograms. Talks and discussionswith rural landusers (for example,Men of the Treesat Dowerin,opportunistic discussions with localfarmers, talks to catchmentgroup Annual General Meetings,Lions Club talks).

GeneralMedia Publicitythrough localand State newspapers (for example,articles in lhe Countrgman\,radio (for example,The ScienceShow) and,televisionnetworks. MANAGERS'PERSPECTIVES

@ Settingthe Scene-Remnant Managementduring the PastDecade

K.J. Wallace refinementsconcerning the safeuse of fire, particularly Departmentof Conservationand Land in coastaland near coastal ecosystems of the South Management,PO Box 100, Narrogin, WA, 6312 West.Also, the qualityofvehicles and other equipment hasgenerally improved. INTRODUCTION In this short paper,I summariseways in which However,the valueof newtechnologies has not always managementof nativevegetation remnants has beenrealised, or beenaccessible to managers.For promise changedover the decade1983-93. My aim is to sketch example,the of GeographicalInformation generally the more significantchanges and thus providea context Systemsand remote sensing has not been (Burbidge for laterpapers that will necessarilyhave a narrower realised andWallace 1995), and the outlayof justified focus, resourcesin theseareas should be in relation to alternativeprojects.

At Busseltonin 1985,I outlined(Wallace and Moore 1987)five elementscrucial for effectivemanagement: Despitethese concerns, managers have mostly gained from changesin technicalknowledge and equipment. Computers,in particular,have been an importantfactor i an adequateresearch database; in counterbalancingsome resource constraints, especiallywith regardto clericalaspects of * an adequatetechnical database; management,

.i. an informedand sympathetic public; An Informedand SympatheticPublic Since1983, growing concern due to landdegradation .i. adequatestaff and financial resources; hasresulted in greatersupport for managementof remnantvegetation. This changeis paralleledby increasingpublic concern for .i. an acceptedphilosophy/methodology for drawing the environment,at least (Dunlap togetherthe aboveand implementing management. in theUnited States 1987,1991). Dunlap's work is of particularinterest as it showsthat although publicsupport for environmentalissues has increased, provide These a usefulframework for examiningthe this is not necessarilyreflected in electoralvoting changesover the decade;however, the term patterns.While I knowof no Australian "knowledge" "database", equivalentto is moreappropriate than and Dunlap'swork, surveys by the AustralianBureau of the inadequacyof the third point will be discussed Statistics(Castles 1993) show significant community below. concernabout environmental issues. Furthermore, although75%o of peoplesampled were concerned about Ofthe fivepoints listed, the first is discussedin detail environmentalproblems, only 1070had acted to within otherworkhop papers,and is thereforenot registertheir concernduring the preceding12 months. consideredfurther here.Also, no attemptis madeto Tianslatingconcern into effectiveaction is an comprehensivelydescribe changes; rather, the aim is to importantand challenging issue. sketchthe major shiftsand issues. Despitechanging attitudes, uncertainty among key CHANGEAND THE ELEMENTS OF groupsas to the valueof remnantsin landscape EFFECTIVEMANAGEMENT functions,together with the rural recession,has counteredthe positivesocial changes and detrimentally Technical l{nowledge affectedthe translationof communityconcern into Thetechnical information and knowledge among, and action.Specifically, we havefailed to convincethe availableto, managershas improved over the decade. publicthat conservationof remnantsis crucialto a The manyadvances have included: the moreeffective satisfactorylifestyle for eachhuman. In my view, field useof herbicides,better techniques for fox control, nothingless will allowus to achieveour nature improvedavailability and use of computers,and conservationgoals with remnantveSletation. Therefore,as a managementgoal, the headingfor this including: sectiondoes not go far enough.The communitymust not only be informedand sympathetic; it mustbe .i. increasedallocation and better distribution of personally committedto actingin waysthat conserue resourceswith the establishmentof CALM; remnants.

.i. increasedinterest in remnantvegetation by DAWA, If conserving remnantsof nativevegetation is not reflectedmost significantly in the Remnant crucial to a satisfactorllifestyle, then we must review VegetationProtection Scheme and its management; our goals.Although there have been some attempts to describethe values of remnantsfor a wideraudience {. operationfor sixyearsofthe State'sRemnant (forexample, Hobbs and Wallace 1991), the community VegetationProtection Scheme; hasnot beenconvinced.

* allocationof Federalresources protection Furthermore,while aspects of communicationand to of remnantvegetation * for educationhave greatly improved over the last decade - example,through Save the Bush,the StatesCooperative for example,some of the educationalmaterials and AssistanceScheme, fundingfor threatenedcommunities publicationsproduced by the Departmentof andspecies programs,the NationalEstate Program, parts Agriculture,Western Australia (DAWA), and the of boththe NationalLandcare Program Departmentof Conservationand Land Management andthe One BillionTrees Program; (CALM)- there havebeen notable failures. In parlicular.our inability to effectivelyeducale lhe communityabout the complexityof landmanagement .i. growinginterest in, andassistance with, remnant issuesand the personalvalues of remnantshas been a vegetationprotection through the activitiesof blowto their protection.Organisational constraints groupssuch as Greening Western Australia; (Wallace1992; Burbidge and Wallace 1995), political constraints,and the lackof a coherentphilosophy (see .i. greaterprotection of remnantsby freeholdland- below)are some of the manyfactors contributing to holdersthemselves, independent of any external thisfailure. funds;

At thesame time, the economicrecession, with its .l involvementof the WaterAuthority of Western attendantcultural changeincluding increased illegal Australiain remnantprotection within higher activitiesand a morefundamentalist approach to rainfallareas; economicand political issues, has not helpedland managers.While essential,social changes involving * greaterresearch by CSIROand tertiary institutions Aboriginalissues are alsocomplicating management. on natureconservation issues in agriculturalareas;

Therefore,although there have been modest gains in * the adventof the landcaremovement and the educationand communicationover the pastdecade, formationof landconser.'ration district committees. thesehave not achievedthe socialchange necessary to ensureconservation of remnantvegetation. Additionally,social issues complicate the managers' Whilethese increased resources have helped, they are taskand present new challengesfor which theyare not sufficientto preventfurther lossesof biodiversity generallyill equipped.Some of theseissues and their from remnantvegetation in agriculturalareas. The solutionare discussed in Burbidgeand Wallace (1995). needfor publicand community support is again apparent. Resources Ceneral ManagementExpertise Overthe decade,resources allocated to managementof A second,often forgotten, aspect of resourceslies in the remnantshave increased through a numberof sources qualityof managers.Well-trained, enthusiastic managersachieve much morethan untrainedor CONCLUSIONS unenthusiasticmanagers. Managementof remnantvegetation is undoubtedly moreeffective and better resourced than it wasin 1983. As a managetI cannotclaim objectivityin discussing However,management is neithersufficiently effective this issue,However, in my estimation,our current nor well enoughresourced to conservethe existing managersare on averagemore technically competent biodiversityat a districtor regionallevel. Furthermore, andbetter informedthan theywere 10 years ago. This is resourcingis likelyto go into declinepliven the current counterbalanced part in by increasedcommunity economicclimate and the associatedre-ordering of expectationsof managers,and the overwhelming social,cultural and political priorities. An important amount poorly of importantinformation that is meansof counteringthese trends is to showpeople that integratedand largelyinaccessible to managers. vegetationremnants and their biodiversityare crucial to them asindividuals. Also,a major concernis the difficultyof attracting professionalpeople inland.This has always been so, and I am not sureif it is increasingage or increasing affectsall government agencymanagers with whomI understanding,but moreand more I perceive havediscussed the topic. Giventhe economicand biotic conservationproblems as requiring socio-cultural importanceof inland agriculturalareas to the State, changesas much as,if not morethan, biological resolutionof this matteris vital.The issuesconcerned researchand operational management. Biological arewell beyondthe scopeof this paper However, researchersand land managers are not equippedto deal conservationgoals will beachieved more often if a with socialissues. It is time that we soughtthe help of largergroup professional of effective officersis attracted socialscientists and related workers. to rural communitiesto work andparticipate as communitymembers. Perhaps it is time to examinethe incentivesused to encouragepeople to moveto the REFERENCES north of WesternAustralia. The sametechnioues mav Burbidge,A.A., and Wallace, K.J., 1995. Practical be relevantto southernrural areas. methodsfor conservingbiodiversity. pp. 11-26in ConseruingBiodiuersitg: Threatsond Solutions, ed,s Finally,the lackof a clearmanagement philosophy to R.A.Bradstock, TD. Auld,D.A. Keith, R.T. Kingsford, D. guidemanagers and help them integratecomplex issues Lunneyand D.P Siverstsen.Surrey Beatty and Sons, into effectivemanagement strategies is of concern. ChippingNorton (NSW).

ManagementPhilosophy and EffectiveDecision- Castles,I.,1993. Enuironmental Issues: People's Vieus rnaking andPractices. Auslralian Bureau of StatisticsCatalogue Oneof the needsfor successfulmanagement I defined No.4602.0. Australian Government Publishing Service, in 1985was an effectivemanagement philosophy. While Canberra, therehave been papers that haveconsidered some of the relevantissues (for example,Fairweather 1993; Dunlap,R.E., 1987. Polls, pollution, and politics Lefroyand Hobbs1993; Burbidge and Wallace 1995), revisited:Public opinion on theenvironment in the they representwork on the foundationsof a philosophy Reaganera. Enuilonment 29(6): 6-37. ratherthan a completedstructure. Dunlap,R.E., 1991. Public opinion in the 1980s:Clear If managementis to be coherent,driven by a vital consensus,ambiguous commitment.Onuironmant vision,and characterised by effectivesetting of 33(8):10-37. prioritiesand decision-making, then the development ofan explicitmanagement philosophy is very Fainiveather,PG., 1993. Links betweenecology and important.To fully achievesuch a philosophy,which ecophilosophy,ethics and the requirementsof ideallyshould reflect community ethics and cosmology, environmentalmanagement. Australian Joumal of will be a challengingtask in sucha youngnation with Ecologg 18: 3-I9 . somany divergent, cultural strands. Hobbs,R., andWallace, K., 1991.Remnant vegetation on farmsis a valuableresource. WA Joumal of Agr icult ure 32 (2\: 4345.

Lefroy,E.C., and Hobbs, R.J., 1993. Some human responsesto globalproblems. pp. 33-39 in Nature Consenation 3: Reconstructionof Fragmented Ecosgstems,eds D.A. Saunders, R.J. Hobbs and PR. Ehrlich.Surrey Beatty and Sons, Chipping Norton (NSw).

Wallace,K.J., 1992. Services - a barrierto achieving land conservationobjectives? pp. 459+66 in 7th ISCO ConferenceSgdneg - Peopletuotecting Their Land, edsPG. Haskins and B.M. Murphy. Proceedings, vol.2. InternationalSoil ConservationOrganisation, under the auspicesof the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management,Sydney.

Wallace,K.J., and Moore, S.A., 1987. Management of remnantbushland for natureconservation in agriculturalareas of SouthwesternAustralia - operationaland planning perspectives. pp.259-268 in Nature Conseruation:The Role of Remnantsof Natiue Vegetation,eds D.A. Saunders, G.W. Arnold, A.A. Burbidgeand A.J.M. Hopkins. Surrey Beatty and Sons in associationwith CSIROand Department of Conservationand Land Management, Sydney. RemnantManagement over the LastTen Years-AnAgricultural Viewpoint

G.R.Beeston WHYHAS OTHER RESEARCH NOT Departmentof Agriculture, Baron-Hay Court, BEENIMPLEMENTED? SouthPerth, WA, 6151 Economics Manyfarming communities have planned for landand RESEARCHIMPLEMENTED natureconservation at farm andcatchment levels, but Fencingof Remnants this hasnot beentranslated into workson the ground. This form of remnantmanagement is by far the most Themain reasonfor this is the continueddepression of widespreadin the agriculturalzone ofthe State. the agriculturalcommodity markets. Farmersaccept that resultscan be obtainedby fencing, and either do it aspart of normalfarm operationsor Revegetationis the oneform of remedialaction that has makeapplication for specialgrants. The continual over- continuedthrough the depfessedtimes. The reasonsfor subscriptionof the RemnantVegetation Protection this arernany, and vary from districtto district,but, Schemeis onepositive indication ofthe farming aboveall, probablyindicate that the communityhas communities'attitudes. acceptedthe extensionmessage on this topic.

Protection of Remnantsby Buffer Planting LandscapeImportance This form of managementis necessary,to protectnative Theother factor which hindersimplementation is remnantsfrom risingwatertables, which cause linkedto economics,but is mainlyabout education. The waterloggingand salt encroachment. While nowhere role of remnantvegetation in the dynamicsof the rural nearas popular a managementmethod as fencing, it is landscapehas not beenfully appreciatedby the majority beingincreasingly used in the Stateby farmers of the farmingcommunity. This mayreflect the waythe interestedin preservingtheir remnantvegetation areas. concepthas been presented.

Thechoice of speciesin tieseplantings is very Educationmaterialwhich targets all sectorsof the rural important,with the preferredoption being species communityis neededso that the rural community nativeto the district andhopefully of typessimilar to eventuallysees the ecosystem,or "big picture"of the thosein the remnantvegetation. landscapein which theyfarm. Specific targeting of schoolchildrenand women is suggestedas a wayof Econonic Value of RemnantVegetation in Farm and reachingreceptive and influential sectors of the CatchmentPlanning communlty. The incorporationof remnantvegetation management in the catchmentplanning process has been widely TechnicalExtension accepted.This will increasein futureyears, with a Increasedawareness ofthe importanceof the "big" greatlyincreased demand for technicalinformation on landscapepicture by the farmingcommunity, together natureconservation issues. with the trend to morebroad-scale planning by land conservationgroups, could increase the needfor The utilisationof managedremnant vegetation to technicalinformation in the future.Imoroved economic provideproducts for commercialreturn is a growing conditionswill expandthis need. practice.Wildflower and seed picking, apiary sites, and firewoodgathering are uses that mostreadily come to Currently,there is a lackof detailedinformation about mind. Thereis alsoa valuablerole for remnant the biologyofAustralian native species that live in vegetationin the farm stayindustry. This industryis remnants.Also, while thereis much informationon alreadywidespread in the lowerSouth West of the landmanagement in scientificpapers and manuals, this State,but hasnot yet expandedto the samedegree into needsto be collatedand presented to managersin the Wheatbelt. readilyaccessible forms. Weed scientists present us with a modelon how this shouldbe tackled. THEFUTURE The role of remnantvegetation as an important componentof the landscapewill continueto growin theperception of the ruralcommunity. The challenge for all scientistsand extension specialists will beto have meaningfulanswers that enablerural communitiesto retainand expand both the areas and the species compositionof the remnants. fl.rianagnmg ilVTyffi p*s$r nae'nel

AlisonDoley Westill have12 remnantsthat urgentlyrequire fencing "Koobabbie", Coorow,WA, 6515 but, unfortunately,they requirelong lengthsof fencing for smalltotal areasof bush. INTRODUCTION My brief from Ken Wallacewas to outlinewhat hasbeen Theonly financialassistance received has been $625 doneto preserveremnant vegetation on our farm,and towardsfencing, and I 200seedlings as part of a to outline the informationon whichwe baseour GreeningWestern Australia grant to the WaddiForest management, LandcareGroup.

"Koobabbie", Johnand I farm which is part of the Waddi Theprogram to fenceoff remnantvegetation was given Forestdistrict of south-eastCoorow. The landwas greatimpetus in the early1970s, when I readBetween selectedby my grandparentsin 1906,and developed by Wodjilond Tor by BarbaraYork Main (1967).This book them andby my parents.The developmentwas carefully clearlydemonstrates the profoundchanges wrought on planned,and waterways, granite, diorite and lateritic the naturalecosystem by evenminimum interference hills, and areasshowing signs of naturalsalinity were by agriculture.Although depressed by the realisationof not cleared.Strategically placed belts of woodlandwere the degradationof our bush,I resolvedwe should retainedfor shelter.Unfortunately, only onerocky hill endeavourto preserveall the remnantvegetation, no waspermanently fenced from livestock. matterhow degraded.As a result,we havegiven first priority to fencingremnant vegetation, and our tree plantingendeavours are aimed at reconstructingthe My parentsdied prematurely, and by 1966John and I "Koobabbie" moredegraded areas, in preferenceto plantingin werefarming on our own account.We now clearedpaddocks. Ideally, the bushwould not need own 6 855ha, of which 4 028ha is arableor usedfor grazrng. managing,but becauseof the impactof weeds,feral animals,and chanples in indigenousflora and fauna, interventionis required. The remaining2 857ha, or 41.50/oof the farm,can be describedas uncleared salt Iake country not grazedby At aboutthe sametime, I met the lateCharles stock (1 864 ha), rockyhills, mostof which arefenced Chapman,who farmedat Winchester(32 km north- from stock(521 ha), and timber belts,most ofwhich "Koobabbie"). westof He wasa dedicatedamateur arefenced from stock (472ha) . botanist,and on that first meetingnamed three species of plants.Because of his encouragement,I became very Thereare three major soil andvegetation types: interestedin learningabout the localflora. sandplainon lateritic soilsabove the DarlingScarp, woodlandon duplexsoils, and saline lakes (Beard 1976). In 1976,Roy Casey came to work for us.At last,we had an expertfencer, and the fencingprogram began in MANAGEMENTOF REMNANTS earnest, The propertyhas approximately 196 km of fencing.Of this,43 km is fencingnecessary to fencethe bushfrom It wasin approximately1980 that BrianJack purchased livestock,and 5 km protectssalt-affected land from an areaof bushwest of Coorowand established a plant grazingby sheep. nursery.Until the early1980s, the ideaof tree planting in our districtwas to makean annualpurchase from The fenced-offremnant vegetation is in 47 separate the ForestsDepartment nursery at Dryandra,usually of ayeasJranging from 2 to 1 682ha in area.Many of the goldfieldsspecies or Eucalgptuscamaldulensis (river fencedremnants are only separatedbecause of the gums),and 50 wasa largeorder. necessityto havea Ianewayfor stockand vehicles to accesspaddocks. Of the 47 fencedremnants, only six Brian quicklyconvinced me of the importanceof areislands in clearedpaddock. The remnantvegetation growinglocal flora, preferably using seed collected on fencingprogram began in 1970. the farm,and ideally from the sitewhere it wasto be replanted.Since the mid 1980s,I havebeen collecting clearing,but the poisonwill ensurefarmers do not seedwhich Brian growsfor me. He pasteuriseshis soil, allowstock to grazeon a short-termbasis. andsupplies plants free of soil-bornediseases and weeds.We no longerpurchase or receiveplants from In 1987,an articleappeared in the Cozrntrgmon,an anyother source. importantline of communicationto farmers,in which DenisSaunders called for volunteersto keepa checklist In the early1980s, Brian and Victoria Syme were of birdssighted each week. We still keepthe list, and instrumentalin establishinga wildflowergroup in the havelearnt a lot aboutbirds in the process. district.As the emphasisof the groupchanged to naturalhistory in general,many interesting people Aboutthe sametime, Denisspoke to our wildlife group, addressedour meetings,and often stayed at andalefted us to the plight of the Carnaby'scockatoo "Koobabbie". I cannotstress too much the importance that nestsin the timber belt that runs pastour house, of havingpeople like RogerEdmiston, Penny Hussey, andon the salt lakes. DenisSaunders, Barbara and Bert Main,etc. coming providing into the area, ideasand encouragement, and In 1990,we commissioned Dr StephenDavies to recommendingsources of information.Fortunately, undertakea surveyof the wildlife of "Koobabbie". RogerEdmiston was one ofthe firstspeakers, in Stephenspent two weekshere in autumnand spring. lt approximately1982. We were using the post. hole wasmy first experienceof usingpit and Elliott traps, planting diggerin our clayto maketree easier.Since andmist nets.We already had some information on Roger'svisit, we haveripped the soil beforetree reptilespresent, because Betty Wellington has made a planting. After readingabout a speciallydeveloped numberofvisits here. Our CSIRO bird checklist was the augerattachment for tree plantinginRural Research, basisfor the bird list, andI madea plant list. we purchasedone. It is usefulfor plantingamong existingtrees, but requiresa strongarmed man with At present,the list of reptilesrecorded for "Koobabbie" plentyof time to operateit. standsat 18,bird speciestotal 93, andthe very incompleteplant list numbers313. There is not In 1987,an areaof 2 208ha, consisting mainly of salt sufficientinformation on frogsto makea list, but they lakecountrl 2 km westof our house,came on the arehere. marketand we purchasedit. Wefarm the 348ha of arableland, and exclude stock from the remainderIt is In the late 1980s,the WaddiForest Landcare Group was a veryinteresting area with a widevariety of habitats, established.At onestage, with Viv Readand Phil andis regeneratingwell. Ninehundred plants of a new Bellamyas advisers, our groupconducted some speciesof Halosarclagrow around one lake, and will valuableworkshops on mapping,salt land revegetation, eventuallybe describedas H. koobabbiensis.The other andremnant vegetation. However, the officebearers excitingdiscovery was Ptilotus caespttuloszzs, collected tendto be overwhelmedby the bureaucracyand the byJames Drummond in 1842and not collectedsince. paperworkthe landcaremovement generates. For the provides An arealike this little long-termgrazing, and little financialsupport provided by governments,it has shouldbe preservedin perpetuity.Excising the areaas a beensuggested we wouldbe betteroff incorporating reservehas management problems. I would like to seea andfinancing ourselves. At present,our groupis legalmechanism developed so that land-holderscan, if lackingmomentum and ideas. theywish, place permanent preservation orders on areasof bushthey havepreserved, which transferwith Thework on remnantvegetation done in the last theland title. decadeis now reachingfarmers in publicationslike Managing YourBushland by PennyHussey and Ken Someareas of bushwe havefenced have Gastrolobium Wallace(1993), and Reuegetation Guide to the Central paniflorum (boxpoison) regenerating. Because this Weatbelt by E.C.Lefroy, R.J. Hobbs and L.J. Atkins speciesis poisonousto introducedspecies of (1991).A similarpublication for thenorthern vertebrates,it providessome protection to the bush. agriculturalareas is currentlybeing prepared. protection Legal will still be necessaryto prevent For Johnand me, long-term farming goals are verl important,We rarely use insecticides, are involved in a DepartmentofAgriculture biological program for the control of insectpests in pastures,and endeavour to minimisethe useof herbicidesand fertilisers. We strive to ensurethat farmingon "Koobabbie"is sustainablein the long term environmentallyand economically, and aim to keepour farm asan interestingand pleasant placeto live andwork.

REFERENCES Beard,J.S., 1976. Vegetation Survey of Western Australia,1:250 000 Series. a) Dongara,b) Geraldton, c) Ajana.Vegmap Publications, Perth.

Hussey,B.J.M., and Wallace, K.J., 7993. Managing Your Bushland.Department of Conservationand l,and Management,Perth.

Lefroy,E.C., Hobbs, R.J., and Atkins, L.J., 1991. ReuegetationGuide to the CetztralWeatbelt . Bulletin No. 4231.Department ofAglriculture, Western Australia.

Main, B.Y., 1967. Betueen Wodjil and Tor.Jacaranda Pressand Landfall Press, Melbourne and Perth. r&mSraes'a'tfr onal Perspectiwe

SteveGorton arboretumand tree establishmentplantings, Departmentol Conservationand Land completedby departmentalstaff; Management,PO Box 100, Nanogin, WA,6312 faunaecology and other studies by CSIROin the INTRODUCTION Kellerberrinarea; fu a manager,I've witnessed a numberof changesover the last 10 yearsin the managementand research of the establishmentof the TreeResearch Centre remnantbushland. (nowdefunct), which primarily studiedthe regenerationof woodlandcommunities;

Initially, I wasinvolved solely with the managementof rareflora, species management, disease Dryandra,a relativelylarge area of Stateforest, where managementand weed control research the conservationvalues are obvious. Following the by CALM staff.This researchin someinstances formationof the Departmentof Conservationand Land wasconducted by localstaff; Management(CALM), my managementrole expanded to includemany small reserves that, in my mind, had very little value.However, with time andthe assistance wetlandmonitoring - in particular,bore of researchscientists, I nowview these areas as being monitoringat LakeToolibin; critically importantfor the protectionand conservation of differentspecies and communities of the Wheatbelt. * taxonomicreviews;

In addressingthe topic,I will list the main research t continuedtertiary monitoring and research; projectsthat haveoccurred in the NarroginDistrict in the last 10years, state examples ofwhere research .i. sandalwoodresearch and development, including resultshave been incorporated into management, seedcollection and trial plol eslablishment; suggesthow liaisonbetween managers and researchers couldbe improved,and, finally, outline future * researchinto tree establishmentby CALMand the directionsfor researchin the NarroginDistrict. Departmentof Agriculture.

RESEARCHPROJECTS INCORPORATIONOF RESEARCHINTO NarroginDistrict, which coversmuch of the central MANAGEMENT Wheatbelt,has been the focusfor a varietyof research Overall,the aboveprojects have provided the Narrogin projects.This diversityis illustratedby the followinglist Districtwith a broadresearch base for management. of projectsthat havecommenced in the last 10years: Specificexamples ofwhere research results have been incorporatedinto managementare listed below: .1. fire ecologystudies, including regeneration and faunarecolonisation, in Dryandraand Tutanning, by .1. preparationof areamanagement and recovery both CALMand tertiary institutions; planson the basisof researchand operational work (for example,the DraftDryandra Management Plan); .!. flora andfauna studies - for example,Tony * amendmentof fire regimesin the Dryandra Friend'swork on the biologyofthe numbat Woodlandin accordancewith research (Mgrmecob ius fasciat us); ro.^nnon.iali^nc.

.:. tertiary institutionwork, includingwhole .1. introductionof predator(fox) control on an communitymonitoring, such as Jonathan operationalbasis; Majer'sstudy of invertebratesin Dryandra; * developmentofdirect seedingtechniques by the TreeResearch Centre, which havebeen tried with Fire mixedresults; Fire ecology,particularly with respectto woodlandand heathregeneration, remains an importantresearch {. successfultranslocation of numbatsto Boyagin task.The Naffogin Tree Research Centre was, I believe, NatureReserve. District staffassisted with this work; breakinginto that areaof researchwhen it closed.

R€mnantManagement J. establishmentoffurther sandalwoodseed resourcesin Dryandra,following research and Minimum specificationsfor the successfulmanagement developmentby scientistsand local staff. of communitiesand species within smallreser"ues are required.Guidelines are also required so that managers mayevaluate whether communities or speciesare in MANAGERAND RESEARCH LIAISON decline. Weat Narroginhave been fortunate that important researchwork hashappened on our doorstepand the Corridors researchersinvolved have always made time availableto Specificationsfor the developmentof corridorsare spreadtheir message. Consequently, our whole group, required.For example,what is the minimum width of from district managerto maintenanceworker, is an effectivecorridor? exposedto the latestresearch results. Other research happeningelsewhere is not asaccessible, sowe rely on Plant Regenerationby Seed relevant"readable" publications such as Landscope, Informationon seedproduction and the naturalstorage ManagingYour Bushland (1993), and rareflora of propagulesfrom understoreyspecies in Wheatbelt publications, provide to uswith up-to-dateinformation. reseruesis required.

I believeliaison with researchersis the regional CONCLUSION ecologist'srole. Hopefully, he or shecan keep district My conclusionsare: personnelinformed of relevantresearch and its applicationto management.This taskcould be achieved * Someresearch projects have provided the Narrogin by providingdistrict managerswith periodicreviews of Districtwith a soundscientific basis for currentpractices. Recommendations in suchreviews management. needto be clearand have measurable outcomes if they areto be incorporatedinto management. .i. Themost successful research projects have included closeliaison between researchers and managers, Tofurther improveliaison, researchers should brief with operationsstaff assisting researchers and districtstaff when a researchprogram is to be gainingfirst-hand understanding of the projectand implementedin theirdistrict. Some ownership and itsimplications for management. involvementby the districtpersonnel are essential. I commendTony Friend in this areafor his pastliaison play work with the NarroginDistrict staff. * Theregional ecologist has an importantrole to in reviewinglocal operations and synthesising researchresults into managementprescriptions. Finally,all recommendationsgenerated by research havea cost.It is importantthat researchersaddress the .!. Newresearch - for example,on corridorsand costof incorporatingresults into management - programs. regeneration couldassist my district to manage remnantsmore effectively and to regeneratethe degradedareas better. FUTURERESEARCH DIRECTION fu a managetI now takethe opportunityof listing Our districtlooks fonrrard to the continuedgood areasthat we in the NarroginDistrict believe workingrelations with researchpersonnel, and hopes researchersshould investigate further. the feelingis mutual. REFERENCE Hussey,B.J.M, and K.J. Wallace, 1993. Managing Your Bushland.Department of Conservationand Land Management,Perth. TerriLloyd ln the sameyeal a Savethe Bushgrant enabled14 POBox 52, Dumbleyung, WA, 6350 Dongolockingfarmers to fence32 km of unformedroad reser"ueand several more kilometres of connecting INTRODUCTION corridorsto bushon farms,roadsides, public reserves andDongolocking Nature Resel.ves. This linked 11 Dongolockingis in theDumbleyung Shire and lies 22 reservesinto the corridorsystem. Within these km north of the Dumbleyungtownship and corridorson privateproperty, we arenow replanting approximately210 km south-eastof Perth.The district anddirect seeding local gene pool plantsto recreate Dongolocking of andthe DongolockingNature Reserves bushfor the movementof plantsand animals from one arehigh in the landscape,and lie roughlyhalfway remnantto anotherWth supplementarlplantings of betweenToolibin Lake and Lake Dumbleyung. understoreythis year,most plantings will haveincluded both canopyand understorey species. The DongolockingNature Reserves are made up of 13 separateblocks which total 2 269ha in area.They are RESEARCH hometo at least82 species of birds,seven species of Wehave just becomethe volunteer"legs" for scientific frogs,23 speciesof reptilesand 10species of native research,or "barefootbiologists", to answerour own mammals.The DongolockingCorridors Project aims to questionsol link theseseparate blocks, other public reserves, bush on farms,and roadside vegetation with substantial .! "How passagesof revegetationconsisting of localspecies. widedo we make our corridors?"

* 'lvhat is goingto useour corridors?" The DongolockingCorridors Project was set up while I wasemployed by GreeningWestern Australia. I had To do this,we havebegun year workedand livedin the generalarea for 11years. a six studyof threeof thecorridors planted in 1992and 1993, During this time, seminarson Wildlifeon Farms, underthe guidanceof Drs GraemeArnold Ribbonsof Green,and Fox Control had been held in the andGraeme Smith, SeniorResearch Scientists, CSIRO Division GreatSouthern Region, and bus trips hadtaken place of Wildlife and Perth. with the generaltheme being remnant vegetation, and Ecology, its plantsand animals, among farmland. Webegan monitoring the movementof birdsfrorn one patchof bushto anotherin Marchof thisyear (1993), ACTIVITIES by listeningand looking for birdsat eitherend of, and Beforestading our corridorfencing, we helda public along,our corridors. We record species and numbers meetingfor all farmersin the Dongolockingdistrict, seenand will continueto sur.;eybi-monthly until 1999. "cuppa" with short talks, tea,discussion and then a field Weare about to setup pit trapsto seewhat small trip. Mostfarmers were willing to cooperate,with only invertebratesand vertebrates are using our man made two farmingfamilies declining the offerof subsidised corridors,and we will monitorthese for a weekat a fencingfor the protectionof bush. time in December,January and February for the followingsix years. Our first stepwas in 1987,when we plantednative specieson the roadverge ofthe newlymade Tincurrin Weare fortunate in havingGraeme Arnold's guidance, Road,which runs parallelto the DwelyerdineRoad and expertadvice and teachings and Graeme Smith's intersectsthe DongolockingRoad to the south.In 1991, directionand support. We also have support and help with the help of schoolchildren,the localDongolocking from the friendlyand enthusiastic people who work in communityplanted several kilometres of the old the Narroginand Katanning offices of the Department DwelyerdineRoad, shortly after it hadbeen realigned by of Conservationand Land Management. We have been the DumbleyungShire Council. This corridorconnects helpedand encouraged by easyaccess to peopledealing two DongolockingNature Resenr'es (Reserr,e Nos 19082 in remnantvegletation research. and 19083)with the DongolockingRoad. Wehave a reasonablereference library, including the REFERENCES importantpublication by the WAMuseum (Chapman el Chapman,A., Dell,J., Kitchener,D.J., and Muir, B.G., 4L 1978)that providesthe basicbiological reference on 7978.Biological Suruegof the WestemAustralian the Dongolockingarea. It is an invaluableguide for our Wheatbelt,Part 5: DongolockingNature Reserue. revegetationwork. Recordsof the WesternAustralian Museum. SupplementNo. 6. Our effortshave taken a lot of time, moneyand "hard slog".The projectrequires seed collecting and sorting, Coates,A.M., 1987. Management ofNatiue Vegetation weedand rabbit control, site preparation, direct on Farmland in the Wheatbeltof WestemAustralia. seeding,planting and fencing, and we arestill far from Reportfrom the VoluntaryNative Vegetation Retention recreatingbush with all of its diversityofplants and age Projectsupported by ConservationCouncil of Western groups- only time andplant successionwill do that. Australia,Department of Agriculture,Department of The bushcorridors we aregrowing are small in area- Conservationand Land Management, Department of 19 ha in total - andcompare sadly with the 240ha of RegionalDevelopment and the North-west,Depadment remnantvegetation adjacent to the Dongolocking of the Arts,Sport, the Environment,Tourism and Reservescleared in the past10 years. Territories,Environmental Protection Authority, CreeningAustralia, Land Resource Policy Council Wecannot make long-term advances without adequate (Departmentof Premierand Cabinet), and Western extensionprograms to publiciseour resultsand their AustralianFarmers Federation, Perth. practicalapplications. For example,at a recent DumbleyungLand Conservation District Committee EnvironmentalProtection Authority, 1993. Clearing of meeting,a motionwas passed to supporta localfarmer 197 hectaresof Land for Agriculture - Williams in hisintent to clear197 ha ofvirginbush. This is Location13895 North Kukerin. Bulletin No. 689. disappointingin a Shirewhere only 6.3%oofprivate land EnvironmentalProtection Authority, Perth. occursas remnant vegetation (Coates 1987). Furthermore,less than 1%of remnantvegetation in the Shireis of a sizeand condition to beof ecological significance(Environmental ProtectionAuthority 1993),and 197ha accountsfor a considerable proportionof this meagretotal.

The amountof public landunder vegetation in the DumbleyungShire is estimatedat 4.1%(Coates 1987).

CONCLUSIONS It is hearteningto seea positivechange of attitudeto bushand its worth amongour volunteerwork forceat Dongolocking.We haveenjoyed extensive coverage of our activitiesin the local,regional and State wide press. Regrettably,we still havea hard roadto hoeto convince the localfarming community of the importanceof remnantvegetation.

Moreemphasis needs to be placedon extensionwork promotingthe retention,management and appreciation of the little remainingbush that we have. A Farmer'sPerspective -Managementof RemnantVegetation

BobTwigg the fenceis there,it hasto be monitoredand POBox 86, Jerramungup, WA, 6337 maintainedlorever if lheremnant is going to be successfullyconserved. This addsan ongoingannual INTRODUCTION cost. Throughoutthe JerramungupShire, to my knowledge, the only researchfinding relevantto remnant Costsof Damageto Fences conservationthat hasbeen implemented is the Damageto fencesis an additionalcost. This canhappen necessityto fencestock out. Certainly,on our farm this in a fewways: hasbeen the case. Pressureof stock (literallg): Modern uopping No doubtall or mostofyou wouldhave read the book techniquesrequire the eliminationof grassesbefore Managing Your Bushlarzdby PennyHussey and Ken sowingcereals. Therefore, before sowing, pasture Wallace(1993), who list fencingas virtually the first paddocksneed to be heavilygrazed during spring, actionin the first yearof a programto conserve summerand autumn. If remnantsare within these remnants. paddocks,then fence damage is likelydue to "the grassbeing greener on the otherside of the fence". However,if we look into paddockswhen driving around To reachgreen vegetation, sheep will pushon the country,it is immediatelyevident that only a very fences,thus causingdamage. small percentage- pevhapssyo, or evenonly 0.5%- of remnantsare actually fenced. Does this suggestthat Flooding: lf the remnant adjoins a waterway,healy the researchfinding is wrong,or is it irrelevant?And summeror autumnrainfall may result in fences what do we meanor conjureup in our mind whenwe beingwashed over or away. talk aboutremnants? Do we think of oncepristine areas now slightly,or greatly,degraded? Farm machinery:All farm fencesare subject to damageby carelessuse of machineryor vehicles, To addressthe secondquestion first, I believethe need especiallyduring the croppingphase. to fenceremnant vegetation applies equally to all remnantsthat areto be conserved,irrespective oftheir condition.But what of the first question?My opinionis Wldlife: Kangaroosor emuscaught in fencescan that, generallyspeaking, fencing remnants from breakwires and cause considerable fence damage. livestockworks well. However,there are costs and difficultiessimply because there is no suchthing asa "free Flre.'Apartfrom wildfires,deliberately lit firesare lunch". alsoa factorcausing fence damage - for example, wherestubble burning is beingpractised on the COSTSAND DIFFICULTIES farm.This controversial practice has begun lo For today'sexercise, I haveidentified five costs and reappearas farmers experidnce difficulty seeding difficulties. legumecrops into heavycereal stubbles. Higher yieldingcrops, and their associatedheaw stubbles, Costsof ErectingFences areoccurring due to the rapidadoption of new technology. The first andobvious cost is dollars- $l 400.&mfor materialsand $450/kmfor erectionto complete conventionalfencing, or $700/kmplus $300,&mfor Firebreaks erectionof electricfencing, not countingthe energiser Theseare costly in manyways. In someshires during andother initial costs.Bank managers and farm summer- Jerramungup,for example- firebreak "the consultantsare usually interested in bottom line". must be constructedand maintained around the Despitethe long-teymbenefits that mayarise from boundariesofbush. Like all firebreak, thosearound conservingremnants, there is no immediatebenefit in remnantssuffer from watererosion, which maybecome termsof dollar returnsfrom fencingthem. Also, once costly. Encroachmentby Annual Pasturesor Weeds lf remnantsadjoin a waterway,it is virtually impossible to preventpasture residues and seeds being washed into them.To prevent extra contamination with weeds,these patcheswould needto be sprayedannually with a herbicide.

Lossof Shelterfor Stock This appliesparticularly to protectionof lambingewes or freshlyshorn sheep. Remnants, at leastin the Jerramunguparea, cannot be usedas shelter for stock unlessthe farmeris preparedto eradicatenative poison plantsand accept the lossof the understoreythrough grazing.Grazing will, if it is intensiveenough and over a sufficientlylong period,result in the lossof a remnant dueto ringbarkingof treesand shrubs by stock.Some pristineor partly degradedremnants have been fenced to providesome protection to stock,but theseare far fewerthan thosethat are unfencedand partly degraded, andwhere stock can get right in amongthe bush.

SUMMARY In summary,then, I wish to makejust threepoints:

Onlyone research finding hasbeen generally implementedby farmers,and even that in a minute proportion,although the findingworks well.

Protectingremnants is expensiveand very time- consumingand shows no immediatelyobvious annualreturn in termsof income.

* Perhapsfuture researchneeds to addressthe low adoptionof a basicfinding.

REFERENCE Hussey,B.J.M, and Wallace, K.J., 1993. Mmaging Your Bushland.Department of Conservationand Land Management,Perth. a-

WORKSHOPREPORTS

@ r_-! WorkshopReports-lntroduction

K.J, Wallace Problem:as rare fauna increase - for example,as a Departmentof Conservationand Land resultof fox baiting- theremay be a detrimental Management,PO Box 100, Narrogin, WA,6312 effecton flora.

PROCESS Needto understandfauna and flora dynamics.Do not necessarilywant to keep"maximum" population Followingthe presentationofpapers by managersand numbersof animals.Animals do not necessarily researchers,a plenary session was held. During this needto bevisible. session,participants identified ideas and issues crucial to the effectivemanagement of remnantvegetation. Theseideas were then groupedinto categoriesand How do you caterfor cumulativeand synergistic tankedfor considerationby smalldiscussion groups. episodicevents?

.!. After discussingtheir topic,groups reported their Whatlevel of foxbaiting do we require? conclusionsto a final plenarysession. Each group provideda written summaryof its discussion,together Districttrials on fox baitingare required- for with any relevantpoints that aroseduring the final example,to determinethe mosteffective baiting plenarysession. Reports from the smallgroup regime. workshopsare presented in the followingpages. The plenarysession points that stimulatedeach topic are .! How degradedis too degraded? listedwith the relevantrepot. How do we makesufficient seed available for ISSUESLISTED. BUT NOT DISCUSSED revegetation? Dueto time constraints,a numberof topicsand many issueswere not discussed,despite their importance. .i. Disturbance:how do you get the right disturbance? Issuesthat werenot coveredby smallgroups are listed below.This list supplementsthe workshopreports by .i. Whatis the functionalhydrologic unit for a farmer? providinginsight into the rangeof matterspertinent to the effectivemanagement of remnantvegetation. .i. Definitionof functionalunits for management targets. ResearchIssues "gene .i. Start a collection"from thoseremnants that Integratingvalues in assessingland clearing will becomeentirely degraded. proposals.

The role of nativepests in revegetation(for example, * Remotesensing is not widelyused by the twenty-eightparrots, kangaroos, insects, etc. may all Departmentof Conservationand Land Management have effect revegetation (CALM).Why? a detrimental on wofk).

Theneed to developcommercial products to ensure Describefauna diversity in the samemanner as sustainableagriculture. StephenHopper's paper (this volume) on flora diversity. {. List, on a speciesbasis, constraints on regeneration. Whatis the role of shade,space, moisture, fire, .i' A databaseon Crownremnants is required. nutrients,etc.?

.:. Researchand management program required Waterharvesting in remnants:how doesit occur? concerningbuffers for remnantvegetation on Whatare implications for revegetation?Implications farmland. for useof localspecies of plants? 'i' What is the relativeimportance ofcats and foxes as explainingto keydecision-makers the degreeto which predators? Ianddegradation has already occurred, and just how much worseit is likelyto become. .i. Understandingof soil processes,including the role offungi. .!. Whois goingto bethe messenger?Who is credible?

How Do WeMake Land Management Decisions? t Equityissues in catchments- for example,who is .i. What is an easyway for farmersto monitor the goingto tell the politiciansthat thereis a problem? healthof remnantvegetation? other Issues t Minimiseresources required .:. Networkingwithin organisationsis a moreeffective to implementresearch. wayof gettingthings done than usingformal hierarchies. .:. Agriculturalsystems require an overhaulofthe productionsystem. {. In relationto rising watertables,there is a needfor "risk evaluation"for remnantvegetation * Nintendonumbat game - an exampleof a wayof (determiningmanagement priorities). promotingsome ofthe issues. "sNAG * The,,bottomup" approachis possiblythe most * Farmers"are required. effectivemeans of decision-making * Databasesof managersand their interests.Butwho maintains?Must be well packaged' * Issuesof male-femalerelationships in decision- making. .:. Howdo we overcomecommunity prejudices agalnst invertebrates? .! Who makesdecisions and how? .i. Databaseof "facts"for managers?Who maintains? .i. Are expertsystems an option? Shoulddevelop a proformathat forcespeople to focuson implicationsof research. WhatAre the Valuesof RemnantVecetation? {' Southwest is biggestisland from cretaceous- we .l what is the dollarvalue to farmeisof retaining must getacross to peoplethe extremehistory of the remnantsand of revegetation? flora.

'i. Doesthe communityaccept nature conservation as * The roleof drainagein agriculturalproduction and a worthwhilegoal in its own right? landconservauon.

"groundwater" * [s "uniqueness"a valueof remnants? '] Is the messagegetting through to the public? * we needa betterdescription of remnantvalue * what aboutclearing contrors? .t Doesreal conservation lead to increasedproduction? .1. Thereis a delayin the implementationof research resultsby managers.Researchers should quantify .1. Doesthe valueof the remnantequal price? the managementimplications of their work _ this mayenhance management adoption .:. Ecotourism:does it havevalue for remnants? .1. Is rarespecies consenration valuable, given the The Messen$er urgentneed to expendresources on fixing big "messenger" The is the personcharged with the taskof processes? HowDo WeAchieve Gommunication withinand betweenAgencies?

Ken Atkinsl and Helen Allison, .1. RuralIndustries Research and Development lDepartmentof Conservationand Land Corporation Management,PO Box 104,Como, WA, 6152 * tertiaryinstitutions. '?Departmentof Agriculture,Baron-Hay Court, South Perih,WA,6151 State .i. Departmentof Agriculture,Western Australia Workshop Group (DAWA) HelenAllison, Ken Atkins, Gordon Friend, Richard * Departmentof Conservationand Land Management Georgeand KenWallace. (CALM) * Departmentof EnvironmentalProtection (DEP) Points from PlenarySession * Departmentof Planningand Urban Development points, plenary The following raisedduring a session, .:. IntegratedCatchment Management Group stimulatedthis workhop topic: * KingsPark and Botanic Garden * Officeof CatchmentManagement .i. Regionalecologists - arethey the appropriate * WaterAuthority of WesternAustralia interfacebetween research and management? * WaterwaysCommission.

.:. How do you get researchersand managers to talk to Non-g g eachother? ouemm ent Or anis at i ons .i. AustralianConservationFoundauon .1. Do we needa centralfocus group? What should it * ConservationCouncil of WesternAustralia be? t GreeningWestern Australia * Menof the Trees .1. Formalnetworking on remnants.Who organises it? * WorldWildlife Fund.

.i. Technicalextension and remnant management. CommunicationFlow Diagram Theinteractions within andbetween researchers .1. Technicaladvice on speciesfor advisers- for and managersare generalised below. The example,"facts" sheet on proposedspecies arrowsindicate introductions. the directionin which informationand ideas are communicated. * Wantonoversights by end-users.

STAKEHOLDERSAND PROCESS Beforediscussing particular issues and actions, the groupfirst listedstakeholders and dealt with aspectsof the communicationprocess.

Stakeholders The main agenciesinvolved in remnantvegetation researchand management are:

Federal .i. AustralianNature Conservation Agency {. Departmentof PrimaryIndustry and Energy * CSIRO .i. Landand Water Resources Research and DevelopmentCorporation Meansof Communication througha commondatabase. Institutions that should Communicationbetween individuals and groups may be be involvedinclude CALM, CSIRO, DAWA, DEP and through oneor moreof the followingchannels: universities.A problem was seen, however, in maintainingthese databases. In DAWA,,it is each .1. paperformats (letters, notes, published, researcher'sresponsibility, but this maybe harderto unpublished,etc.); achievein the universities. * verbal(including teleconference); Action {. computer CALM(Ken Wallace) to write to Jim Armstrong, suggestingthat CALM'sScience and Information Processesfor Communication Divisiondevelop a computernetwork system similar to Linkages groups between andindividuals who sharea that usedby DAWA. commoninterest may be maintainedby usinga range of methodsincluding: Action Promotethe useof a similar databasein tertiary * informalnetwork; institutions. * formalnetwork; * researchworking groupi Action .! workshopsand technical workshops; Developmentof a networkacross organisations. With .1. computernetwork (for example,that maintainedby regardto accessto computernetworks in rural centres, DAWA); it wasnoted that DAWAand CALM are linked at South .l registerof contacts; Perth,and DAWA has a networkto major rural centres. .i. informationsheets and bulletins. It is thereforefeasible to haveCALM and DAWAregional centreslinked through the existingnetworks. DISCUSSION Information Integration Ttansferof Informationbet$€en Researchers and A problemwas identified regarding the integrationof Managers informationinto a form suitablefor managersto use. Wthin andbetween agencies, there is a needfor Optionswere developed that would improve effectiveinternal and external communication of communicationto managers.It wasrecognised that researchinformation. This communicationshould optionsmust betailored for the particular involveboth researchersand managers. It wasagreed circumstancesof eachagency and management or that communicationwithin agenciesis not adequate. researchgroup. Furthermore,a specificproblem was identified with regardto accessinginformation from universities, Action wheremany graduate and undergraduate projects have the potentialto contributeto the knowledgebase. Agenciesto adopta suitablestrategy for Unfortunately,this latter informationis not widely communicatingresearch information to managers, available. usingone or moreof the followingoptions:

* employa regionalperson to integrateinformation Onemodel to resolvethis problem provided is by - for example,a regionalecologist; DAWA.It hasa computerfacility which lists,for each researchscientist, their researchprojects andresults. .i' employan organisationalperson to integrate This allowsready access, by scientistname or topic,to information- for example,an informationofficer the currentwork beingundertaken, and also allows asused by CSIRO; accessto unpublishedresults. It wasconsidered that it would be beneficialto link all institutionsundertaking * expectresearch scientists to integlrateinformation research- at leastin the naturalsciences and, in andproduce prescriptions for managersbased on padicular,those related - to landmanagement their research; .i. developcollaborative projects between managers appropriateand coordinated. An exampleof this andresearchers, including university students functionallevel is the AgroforestryWorking Group. This wherepracticable, to achievespecified targets. Such levelof interactionwas seen as being more applicable projectsinvolve integration from the outset,and are for communicationbetween researchers and managers. drivenby feedbackfrom projectresults. Action It wascommented that, to ensurethat researchis CALMto setup a researchcoordinating group for applicableto managementrequirements, managers remnantvegetation management. needto driveresearch projects. Extensionto Managers ManagerInvolv€ment in ResearchProjects It wasagreed that field based,topic driventechnical In line with the fourth optionpresented above (and the extensionworkshops were verl effectivefor providing comment),managers should be proactivein identifuing informationto managers.These are best organised as researchrequirements and seeking means to have interagencymeetings where all relevantworkers are researchundertaken. ableto contribute.Results from field daysshould be collatedand distributed to participantsand other relevantagencies, to confirmagreements and to provide Action a basisfor planningfuture researchand management Managersto identi! anddescribe research projects that actions. area high priority.They should then circulatetheir proposalsto all researchbodies and promote funding Action under,for example,Federal grants, and the research promote programsof agenciesand tertiary institutions. Agenciesto interagencytechnical extension workshopsand technical review days from which proceedingscan be produced. It waspointed out that CSIROhas a modeloperating with universities,whereby research projects are listed Networkingfor InformationExchange with the intent of them beingtaken up asstudent projects.This modelshould be developedas a meansfor It wasagreed that therewas a continuingneed for informal other agenciesto promotetheir researchrequirements. andformal nehvorking. While inforrnal (between provides It wasnoted that the provisionof somefunds by the networking officers) valuable contact, "formal" sponsoringagency was not essential,but it helped.Also, regular meetingsare required, to ensure it wasnoted that joint agencysubmissions could that all agenciesare aware of current improvethe chancesof gettingfunds. managementand research actions and to providea forum for the exchangeof informationand ideas. This is (atthe time ofwriting) being provided through the DEP Action NativeVegetation Network Group. J. Majerand CSIROto circulateto managersand agenciesthe modelor procedurefor the listing of Action researchprojects at universities. Agenciesto be awarethat the NativeVegetation NetworkGroup is to continuemeeting at DAWA. Coordinationof ResearchActivities Researchsteering committees in agenciesare intended to establishprotocols and policies for interagency researchcooperation. Thus this Ievelof committeedoes not providefor communicationor interactionbetween researchersand managers.

The objectiveof a researchcoordinating committee is to ensurethat researchwithin an areaor topic is ltl*w F.)CIbVe lnntegrate lrufns'ma'tlsm Snto i.rF*!'l'yl Aueessfrbfie ferr' fl-amd &/fiaa"tm,gers "i , "r'q$ffies€ft il"uiner,-q

Anne Brandenburgland Greg Beeston2 Integrationand communication of research lSchoolof EnvironmentalBiology, Curtin University informationand management needs must be enhanced of Technology,GPC Box U 1987,Perth, WA, 6001 if problemsare to beovercome. The sheer bulk of '?Depanmentof Agriculture,Baron-Hay Court, South informationon remnantsand site specificity of research Perth,WA,615'1 resultscompound problems of inadequate communicationsystems, Furthermore, conservation Workshop Group effortsmust alsoinvolve an interdisciplinaryapproach, GregBeeston, Anne Brandenburg, Steve Gorton and to achievebetter management of remnants.This report Terri Lloyd. summarisesa workshop discussion and points emanatingftom the plenarypresentation which Points from specificallyaddressed these problems and asked the PlenarySession "How question: do we integrateinformation into a form The followingpoints, raised dufing a plenarysession, accessibleto landmanagers and researchers?". stimulatedthis workshoptopic: "BIG * Who createsthe "Big Pitcher"?Does this reallyhelp? THE PITCHER" Thesynthesis of researchinformation and the * Lookingat "nuts andbolts" (see paper by Richard developmentof a unified,cohesive vision for remnant "Big Hobbs,this volume) canhelp set priorities, but conserration(affectionately termed the Pitcher") synthesisis required. wereidentified by the meetingas integral to maintainingthe conservationpotential of remnants. "Big group "Big .i. Pitcher"requires an integratedand Theworkshop took the conceptof the interdisciplinaryapproach. Pitcher"on board.and at all timesdiscussed the integrationand presentation of informationfor land managersand researchers within the contextof a "Big .! Problem:management implications ofresearch are Pitcher". verysite specific. "BIG .i. Removeland from production?Ifso, then re- DEVELOPMENTOF THE allocatepriorities for landuse. PITCHER" "Big Developmentof the Pitcher"was conceptualised as * Integratinginformation into packages. beingthrough a smallorganisation that would provide a baseand framework for the coordinationand .l. Is theretoo much information? communicationof informationbetween individuals and groupswith an interestin remnantconser"uation. It INTRODUCTION wouldalso act asa basefor the strategicplanning for remnantconserration. This would includesuch aspects Researchersand managers of remnantvegetation in asconservation planning, policy development, and the south-westernAustralia have indicated that the promotionof an improvedconsenration ethos for protection andmanagement of remnantsmust be remnantswhich must be instilled in thewider further improvedif the conservationvalue of remnants communityif remnantsare to be conservedin the long "Big is to be maintainedand enhanced. Presentations by term. Hence,the Pitcher"would be operationalat researchersand managers at this meetinghave pointed both appliedand strategic levels. out that thereis a lot of informationavailable on remnants,but this is not necessarilybeing SPECIFICROLES OF THE "BIG implementedby managers.Furthermore, remnant PITCHER''AGENCY managersare not necessarilybeing supported by appropriateresearch and information support systems. AppliedOperations "Big Poorcommunication between researchers and At an appliedlevel, the role of the Pitch€r"agency managersof remnantswas considered a majorcause of wouldbe to undertakea seriesof tasksrelating to the theseproblems. managementof researchresults, identifying managementneeds, and stimulating information packages.Children and rural womenwere perceived transferand extension. Outlines of someinformation asbeing ideal initial targets. managementtasks follow. * Disseminateremnant information to targetgroups. Research Suchinformation should include a bibliographyof * Synthesiseresearch outcomes. researchwork donein south-westernAustralia and a mailinglist of personsfrom the variousinterest * Developthe managementimplications ofresearch groupsand government organisations involved in outcomesif thesehave not beendone by individual remnantresearch and management. For the researchers. landowner,dissemination of informationwould includeone-to-one interactions wherever possible. All avenuesfor informationdissemination should be N. Developholistic databasesand landscapemodels explored(for example,television, radio and that canbe usedand implemented at the on-ground, audiovisualmaterial). remnantmanag€ment level,

* Feedthe synthesisedinformation that identifies .t Disseminatesynthesised research information to the researchoutcomes appropriateland managers. andmanagement needs for remnantconservation to the "Big Pitcher" managementcommittee and, thus, facilitate Management strategicplanning for remnantconservation. .i. Identifythe informationneeds of remnant managers. Extension .1. Developand coordinate remnant conservation .1. Synthesisemanagement needs into information extenslonprograms. packagesfor remnantresearchers, * Employthe skillsof specialistextension personnel .l Disseminateinformation on managementneeds to (for example,have nature conservation officers that the appropriateresearch institutions. operatein parallelto landcaretechnicians and projectofficers). .l. Collatea databaseof managementneeds for the "Big Pitcher"management committee to usewhen Theworkshop discussion stressed that information consideringthe future directionof remnant managementmust involvetwo-way communication research, betweenresearchers and remnant managers. While researchersrequire an avenuefor dispersingtheir Information Tlansfer researchfindings, managers must alsohave an avenue .1. Coordinatethe designof informationpackages on for identifyingtheir researchneeds. remnantconservation. These must be appropriately targeted,presented and packaged for users. StrategicOperations Interactivepackages with interesting,informative Thestrategic planning role of the "Big Pitcher"would "simple andprescriptive materialwritten in includeidentifying conservation objectives, developing English"were considered key elements in thedesign remnanIconservation policy. and promoLing a of goodinformation packages (for example, conservationethos among the wider community.Some ManagingYour Bushland by B.J.M.Hussey and K.J. ideasof what this work would involveincluded: Wallace,Department of Conseruationand Land Management,Perth, 1993). .1. developingavision for remnantconservation in south-westernAustralia. This would involve defining t Identib,the most receptiveand influential group of conservationgoals and objectives for the region,as landmanagers for receiptof remnantinformation wellas developing principles and guidelines for remnantmanagement. This process would be * expandingthe currentSave the Bushscheme; facilitatedby the provisionof synthesised informationcollected by the "Big Pitcher" agency adoptingthe RoadsideConseFr'ation Committee andwould alsoinclude inputs from the wider typemodel; community;

extendingthe conservationcommitment of on- developing the conceptthat remnantconservation groundland managers (that is, land consenr'ation is a land usein its own right; districtsand local government agencies). Discussion of this optionhighlighted the importanceof promotingthe integrationof variousland uses recognisingland ownership as a critical factor within the agriculturallandscape; influencing adequate remnant conservation;

supportingeconomic incentives that facilitate adoptinga managementauthority approach (for landscapeand remnantconservation (for example, example,Kings Park Board, Rottnest Island Board); taxationbenefits for natureconservation purposes); adheringto the currentsituation, with interested developingand promoting legal rnechanisms for the personsdoing more work on remnantconservation voluntaryprotection of remnantsin peryetuity; within their individualwork environments.

.:. providingsupport to personswith a "bent"for A seriesof problemswith settingup any typeof new remnantconsen/ation and a positiveinfluence on conservationagency or managementauthority were others; identifiedduring the plenarysession. The development of a newbureaucracy would requirethe injectionof a prove t identi[,ing the directionof remnantresearch. largeamount of funding,which could difficult to obtain.It mayalso pose a threatto current conservation "BIG agenciesand land managers, and would probably prove STRUCTUREOF THE PITCHER'' a politicallysensitive issue with whichto deal. AGENCY Furthermore,assuming that an organisationsuch as It wasconsidered that the "Big Pitcher"agency should that proposedwould be affiliatedwith at leastone be an autonomous,non-government agency comprising governmentauthority as a consequenceof funding a committeethat broadlyrepresents remnant arrangementsand the needfor organisationcredibility, "Big researchersand managers. The committee would be it wouldbe virtually impossible for the Pitcher" responsiblefor managinga groupof skilledpersonnel agencyto remaincompletely autonomous and not be employedto undertakethe specialiststasks of the committedin someway to the expectationsof its organisation(refer to "AppliedOperations" above). The supervisingauthority. A betterapproach to attainingan organisationshould be locatedat a sitein Western integratedand accessible information transfer system Australiawhich experiencesthe problemswe aretrying maybe to facilitatethe networkingprocess that is to solve. currentlyin place.However, given the constant reminderthat thereare a seriesof problemsworking Othersuggestions for an operationalformat for a "Big againstremnant conservation, there seems to be a Pitcher"agency which werediscussed during the trend for a moreintegrated, interdisciplinary approach planning workhop or plenarysession included: to conservation developin6l. .:. creatinga remnantconservation section within a currentgovernment agency;

* extendingthe currentbriefofthe Remnant VegetationSteering Committee; I'ile',vffio Vde [ntegrmte Nature #onsenwatlon uli;tFlffitftlelr Land Uses nn'lrthe Gomtext sf ttr'le ffr*stea'mAruetra$ Hmre W&?effitB:leBt?

GregKeigheryl and DavidMitchell, Managementstaff are beset by "dayto day"problems rDepartmentof Conservationand Land andare therefore unable to managethese areas with a Management,Woodvale Research Centre, PO Box long-termconsemation goal. 51, Wanneroo,WA, 6065 '?Department of Conservalionand Land Whatis required is a sustainable(this implies Management,PO Box 100, Narrogin,WA, 6312 profitable)system of landuse that doesnot compromise natureconservation values. It wasnoted that it maybe "long-term WorkshopGroup possibleto developa system"that doesnot PennyHussey, Greg Keighery Jonathan Majer, David takeinto accountnature conservation; however, many Mitchell andDenis Saunders. wouldquestion the long-termviability of sucha system.

Points from PlenarySession Thenecessity of changeis generallyaccepted, with The followingpoints, raised during a plenarysession, modelshaving been developed on how sucha system stimulatedthis workshoptopic: wouldwork (see,for example,paper by E.C.Lefroy, R.J. Hobbsand M. Scheltemain ly'alareConseruation 3: The .! Clearingand values of resultantremnants in the Reconstructionof FragmentedEcosgstems, ed.s D.A. contextof landconservation and nature Saunders,R.J. Hobbs and PR. Ehrlich,Surrey Beatty conservation(incremental degradation is occurring, andSons, Chipping Norton, 1993), and there is only10% left, etc.). researchaimed at wideningthe rangeof agricultural productsand systems. However, much of the aboveis occurringas an uncontrolledexperiment, with "bits" .i. The farmerrequires solutions from advisers,notjust beingundertaken by individuals,groups and agencies. informationor problems(value returns need to be Thetimescale of changeis morethan 20 years,the quick). processis unstructured,methods and results are "fixing" unrecorded,and information transfer is essentiallyby {. Is the agriculturalsystem a prerequisitefor osmosis. natureconservation? Is it a prerequisitefor sustainableagriculture? How do we assist,hasten and direct this experiment? .i. Is fencingof degradedremnants worthwhile? PROCESSES .!. Localversus nonJocal and exotic species in Tocoordinate and enhance a sustainablesystem of land - revegetation which shouldbe usedand when? use,the followingprocesses are required:

* What is the role of economicplants in revegetation? * multilayerededucation; * economics(commitment of resources); INTRODUCTION t coordinationand integration of land management; In the Wheatbelt,we havea matrix of clearedland .! transferand communication of information. enclosingscattered remnants of unclearednative vegetation(Crown and private) of varyingsize and Whatactions may participants in this workshopgroup shape.The remnantsare the responsibilityofnumerous undertaketo increasetheir effectiveness? differentmanagers. Their management responsibilities are imposedover, rather than alignedwith, a mosaicof soil anddrainage patterns. EDUCATION Thistopic was dealt with by anotherworkshop group. Researchindicates that the currentsystem of nature Howevetour grouphighlighted the needfor a reserveswill not sustainthe biotaof the regionwithin multilayeredeffort, including formal education their boundaries,and that degradationof theseareas (schools,agricultural colleges, adult education)and andtheir biotais occurringat an increasingrate. informaleducation (popular media, workshops, meetings).There is alsoa needto definewhat it is we COORDINATIONAND INTEGRATION OF want to teach.Are we raisingthe general(biological and LANDMANAGERS ecological)knowledge base of landmanagers so that Thereis a needto increaseeffective communication they canmake informed decisions, or at least betweenfarmers, shires, Department of Agriculture, understanddecisions made for them?Or do we require WesternAustralia (DAWA), Department of Conservation reliable,informative and "user friendly" summaries and andLand Management, Main Roads Department, "recipes"from researchresults? Westrail,non-government organisations, etc., to ensure that a sustainableland use system is attained. Action Anyone(scientists, managers, etc.) who is committedto Thisand other actions will requireadditional resources changeneeds to be able,and perhaps required, to in termsof funding.The scale at which actionshould allocatea largeproportion (15-30%) of their time to takeplace, and the primarybody for integrationare communicatingwith communitiesconcerning nature difficultto determine.The EnvironmentalProtection conservationissues. This involvestalking to boththe Authorityand DAWA have defined 84 ecologicalunits in convertedand the unconverted.This commitment south-westernAustralia; there are 114Land shouldinclude writing research summaries, media ConservationDistrict Committees(LCDCs), and many liaison,participation in workshops,talks to landcare shires,agencies and individuals (who will do mostof groups,etc. Currently,our focusis still too directedto thework). publishingin the scientificliterature and talking to the professionalland management community. Theworkshop group felt that the importanceof local Communicationbeyond these groups will fostera two- "ownership"made LCDCs (or similar "grass-roots" wayflow of experienceand ideas between all land basedgroups) the bestbodies for integration. managers. However, theywill requireadditional resources to hire andselect personnel,and to maintaina capabilityto train others. Action Passon the resultsof this workshopto decision-makers, Action by proceedings,media releases, personal contact, and A focuson interagencycooperation is required. anyother availablemeans. It is essentialto speedthis with a commitmentof additional funding,including recruitment of newstaff. These extra ECONOMICS jobscannot simply be "dumped"onto any existing A profitable,self-funding system of agriculturalland use person'sor group'scurrent workload. Workshop is a basicrequirement. The establishmentof sucha participantsmust assistin ensuringthat peopleoutside systemwill requireinput from all Australians.It is the region(cities and Eastern Australia) realise that beyondthe scopeof this workshopto recommendthe fundingthese changes is a "wholecommunity" allocationof fundingto this change;however, the responsibility.This will eventuatein the establishment actionsrecommended will assistin highlightingthis of a self-fundingnetwork in the Wheatbeltin the future. needto thepublic and politicians. TRANSFERAND COMMUNICATION OF Action INFORMATION Aswell asallocation of money,there needs to be a re- Thereis a needfor a systemthat encouragesand priorities allocationof andresources within recordsthe currentunplanned experirnents. Currently, participants bureaucracies.All workshop arenow better thereexists a growingknowledge base - not enough, placed groups to enunciatethese changes within their but enoughto warrantmore action than at present. or organisations. Thereare several useful models and experiments to build upon.However, managers cannot spend all their time attendingopen days and workshops. It would appearthat the bestaction workshop participantscan undertakeis the first listedabove - namely,to spendmore time in communicatingtheir researchand management results in a widevariety of formatssuch as local papers, radio, television, meetings,etc. This shouldensure that the "message" will reachthe targetaudience and be adoptedby some of them,who in turn will spreadthe messageto others.

ht ,{ WhatAre the Philosophyand Goals for ManagingRemnant Vegetation within a LandscapeContext?

DonMcFarlane Conser.uationwas seen as being possible once the basic Departmentof Agriculture, 128 AlbanyHighway, needsof individuals,families and society were met. fu Albany,WA, 6330 the benefitsof remnantsare shared by the community, thereneeds to begovernment assistance for owners, WorkshopGroup particularlywhen times are hard. Assistance should not Mike Fitzgerald,Kelly Gillen,Angas Hopkins, Robert be throughcompensation, but in the form of technical Lambeck,Don McFarlaneand Barbara York Main. andfinancial help, to ensurethat the natureand land conservationvalues of remnantsare maintained. Private ownersshould be encouragedto voluntarilyenter into Points from PlenarySession agreementsto manageremnants, with this The followingpoints, plenary raisedduring a session, commitmentbeing registered on landtitles. Imposing stimulatedthis workshoptopic: valuesand management constraints on individualsis unlikelyto resultin the propermanagement of * What arethe goalsfor landand nature privatelyowned remnants. The maintenance of private conservation?How are these goals ownershipsupports good management through integrated? personalidentification with the pieceof land.

.1. Researchersshould recognise that they The intrinsicvalue of biotain the Wheatbeltmust be areservers. recognisedin its world-widecontext. While it maybe possibleto developsustainable farming systems without retainingnature conservation values, * What arethe conservationobjectives and this would result in a lossof biodiversity, targetsfor the Wheatbelt?We can't Iook ecosystemfunction, aesthetics andan Australianidentity. after everything,so what andhow do we choosewhat to save? Primary Goal Stakeholdersneed to developtheir own goals, .i. Thereis a strongneed to developa landcare objectivesand strategies so that they haveownership of ethic. them.To assist in this process,a first attemptwas made by the group.The primary goal proposed was: "To have .l. Peopleneed to developa visionfor the a long-term,profitable land use, while maintaining future of agricultureand nature conservation ecosystemfunction and biodiversity and minimising on privateproperty. anyoff-site deleterious effects".

.l Betterdefinition ofgoals and objectives. It needsto be acceptedthat someparts of the landscape mayhave highly profitableuses, whereas other parts DISCUSSION maynot. Theoverall system needs to be profitablefor PhilosophyNeeded for ManagingRemnant natureconservation values to be protected. Vegetation Societyneeds to developa deeplove for the land Process (landcareethic) similar to that held by indigenous Theprimary goals need to be accompaniedby setsof people,making abuse of the landunacceptable. Society objectives,strategies and actions that arespecific at the alsoneeds to acceptits responsibilityfor managingthe State,regional, catchment and enterprise level. Some of conservationestate on both privateand public land. The theseobjectives have already been set (for example,the strongaffinity for the land needsto overrideissues of StateConservation Strategy, State Salinity Strategy, boundariesand ownership, and landowners must be Decadeof LandcarePlan, landcare district and custodiansfor future generations.In this regard,there catchmentgroup objectives, strategies and actions). is a dilemmabetween the rights of the individualwho ownsthe landand the responsibilitiesof that individual Keyecological parameters need to be identifiedfor to the communityand future generations. developingmanagement strategies (for example, hydrologicwater balance, energy and nutrient cycles, keyspecies in ecosystems).Some of thesewill become the meansof monitoringthe healthof the agro- ecologicalsystem, providing feedback for managers.It wasaccepted that both the nativevegetation and farmingsystems would be in a stateof dynamicflux.

Actions Representativesof the major stakeholdergyoups need to be drawntogether to reachconsensus on goals, objectivesand strategies. This may take the form of identifyingand coordinating existing structures at the State,regional, catchment and enterprise level. It was thought necessaryto raiseawareness of nature conservationvalues in somegroups that werenot currentlygiving thesevalues sufficient emphasis.

A specificexample of this processwould be for the Departmentof Conservationand Land Management (for example,Ken Wallace) to liaisewith the Departmentof Agriculture'sProgram Leader for the GreatSouthern andthe BlackwoodCatchment Coordinating Group (BCCG),to seehow the groupscould integrate farming andnature conservation objectives to everyone's advantage.This couldbecome a modelfot other areas. It wasstressed that we shouldnot try to comein over the top of existinginitiatives being taken by groups suchas the BCCG,which arealready developing a natureconservation strategy,

Implementation The integrationof productionand nature conservation objectivesmay requirelegislative changes and changes to statutoryprocedures. These details were not developed. Howdo WeEnsure that Community Educationand ExtensionMaximise RemnantConservation?

AnthonySuttonl and DavidBicknell, for educationand extension was created, the major lWilson InletManagement Authority, pO Box 359, issueswere identified, and actions were drafted. Denmark,WA, 6333 '?Department olAgriculture,1O Doney St, Narrogin, VISION wA, 6312 Workshopparticipants considered that community supportand action were required ifareas of remnant Workshop Group vegetationwere to be conserved.To achievethis, it was DavidBicknell, Mal Graham,Steve Hopper, Bert Main agreedthat the long-termvision for educationand andAnthony Sutton. "To extensionprograms was: fosterpeople,s interest to the point wherethe communityactively seeks Points frorn Plenary Session informationto conserveremnant values,,. The followingpoints, raised during a plenarysession, stimulated this workshoptopic: ISSUES

.t The importanceof directpersonal contact (for From both managementand research perspectives, the participants example,researchers devoting a fixedpercentage of then identifiedkey issues that neededto be their time to directcommunication). resolvedin orderto achievethe abovevision. Specific actionitems stemmed from thesediscussions. * Networkingusing local people at a faceto facelevel. Direct PersonalContact ,,face {. Promotenature conservation through logos,etc. Workshopparticipants agreed that direct to face,, (that is, start natureconservation movemenr ar a contactbetween researchers, managers and the locallevel). communitywas an effectivemeans of communication, especiallyin rural areas.However, as this methodof communicationis extremely {. Tangibleexamples of the valueof remnant time-consuming,small groupmeetings vegetationare required(for example,positive addressinga seriesof issueswere consideredthe preferredmedium. participants stories,pamphlets, natural histories, walk trails). The also notedthat peoplewith the mostknowledge were not alwaysthe bestpeople to delivera message.In rural .:. Takeadvantage of simplestories which capture communities,it wasconsidered that the ideal people'senthusiasm. communicationmethod was to havelocal people giving informationto a localaudience. .i. Is oneto onecontact with a researcherthe only (most)successful extension method? Action Identifuand support the goodcommunicators within .i. Are there usefulsocialmodels to help us interest agenciesand local communities. rural peoplein natureconservation?

Promotion of Nafure Conservationat a Local Level * Issuesofmale-female relationships in Workshopparticipants quickly communicationand information. agreedthat the promotionof natureconservation within rural communitiesrequired that the uniquenessof local .i' Educationof newfarmers in tertiaryinstitutions. environmentsbe highlighted. It is alsoimportant to raisethe awarenessof eachlocal community to the * Technicalextension and remnant management. valuesof its landscape.Through these means, it was consideredthat localpeople would develop "bushwatch,' a senseof {. Shouldwe have for schools? ownershipfor localbushland and consequently pyotect the valuesof theseareas. Followingdetailed discussion ofthese points, a vision Actions expertise,ranging from newspaperarticles to journal * Developsimple nature conservation stories that are publications.The padicipantsthen resolvedthat an pertinentto localpeople, and includethemes or effectivetechnique for explainingremnant management elementsthat areunique to their landscape.Stories to the rural communitywas to useagricultural with a localhistorical perspective should be sought. analogies.For example,the basicsof remnant managementcould be illustratedby explainingthat the processes (the 1. Documentand promote specific examples of underlyingagricultural systems nutrient genetic people'snature conservation efforts in rural areas- andwater cycles, and the flow of energyand for example,the Doleys'story(see page 57). Provide material)also sustain natural ecosystems, but on a "handson" experienceof the valuesof remnant differenttimescale. vegetationso peoplemay internalise the nature conservationethic - for example,through guided Action bushwalks or the involvementof localcommunities Ensureinformation on the managementof remnant in fieldwork. vegetationis readilyaccessible. is interpreted at differentlevels of expertise,and concentrates on .l Supportpeople's nature conservation efforts by cvcfamc:nd promotingtheir achievementsin the massmedia. Womenin RemnantConservation NatureConservation and Education Wthin the group,anecdotal evidence was presented to The basicsof natureconservation are not taughtin showthat, in somecases, women were more caring land schoolsor in agriculturaltraining courses, such as managers,and had better long-term vision, than men. landcarecourses and the BachelorofAgriculture. The However,with further discussion,the groupresolved participantsbelieved that the integrationof nature that for successfullong-term conservation of remnants, conser.r'ationunits into existingschool and university it wasessential that the wholecommunity be involved. courseswas an essentialstep towards the long-term Thisincludes all sectionalgroups, lor example: conserrationof remnanlbushland. .i women,children and men; Actions {. Aboriginalpeople; .1. Ensureresearchers and managers involved with the .:. landmanagers; conseruationof remnantvegetation have input into * rural andurban communities; landcarecourses. .i. localpeople.

* Introducea naturalscience course into teachingand Action Iandmanagement degrees. This coursewould form Seekto involvethe wholecommunity in remnant part of the first yearsyllabus and cover geology, conservatlon. zoology,botany, geography and hydrology. CONCLUSION .! Provideinformation for a basictextbook which coversthe naturalhistory of WesternAustralia. In summary,the workshopparticipants considered that for educationand extension to be successful,they must: .i. Supportcommunity conser.ration programs, such as "bushwatch",which havean importanteducational * be relevant; role. * becredible; .t be interesting; TechnicalExtension and RemnantManagement {. resultin actionj Theworkshop group acknowledged that technical .i. leadto success; informationon the managementof remnantsshould be .1. be "followed-up". readilyaccessible and interpretedat differentlevels of ffisneiln*sioms

K.J.Wallace Researchresults presented in this seminarhave Departmentof Conservationand Land contributedto the fund of ideas,theories, and models Management,PO Box 100, Narrogin,WA, 6312 that form the essentialplatform on which effective managementis based.The papers by Bert Main,Richard The seminarobjectives provide a usefulstructure Hobbs,Stephen Hopper and Robert Lambeck best "big aroundwhich to summarisethe conclusionsfrom the exemplifythe developmentof conceptsand picture" seminar.Specific objectives for theseminar were: contexts.Whether emphasising the importance of takinga Gondwananperspective of our biota,or the role of disease,parasites and predators in maintaining {. to list significantresearch resultsfor remnant biodiversity,or the needto betterassemble these and management; otherideas into a biggerpicture, the theoryand conceptsdescribed in thesepapers give valuable a to assesswhether conclusions from researchhave guidanceto managers.Although some managers are beenimplemented; reluctantto studyand understand theory, in practice, unsoundtheory often results in ill-directedand ineffectualmanagement. This suggests either that .1. to developa list ofactionsto improveboth the managersshould be bettertrained in theory,or that relevanceof researchand implementation of its theyrequire more comprehensive guidelines and results. prescriptions.While both would enhancemanagement performance,I note that adaptivemanagement, which Eachof theseis consideredbelow. In writing these shouldbe a goal,requires that managersare competent conclusions,I havenot tried to summariseall the in ecosystemtheory. recommendationsand researchoutcomes. Rather, I haveaimed to providean overview,to highlight priority Evenwhen research work doesnot itselfdevelop theory issues,and to developconclusions based on the seminar ideasgenerated may help to createa socio-cultural papersas a whole.Throughout this section,the word climatethat influencespolitical and management "manager" refersonly to thoseresponsible for decisions.In their paper,Jonathan Majer and Anne managingremnants of nativebushland, including Brandenburgprovide examples of how this mayoccur. "bits" farmersand government officers with direct Suchideas and of informationmust be "big responsibilityfor managingland. synthesisedinto theoryor a picture"if they areto providemaximum benefit. Unfortunately, this taskis given SIGNIFICANTRESEARCH RESULTS oftenignored, or too low a priority (see commentsin papersby Hobbs FORREMNANT MANAGEMENT andMain). Thesignificant research outcomes, as identified by both Ideasand theories change with newknowledge. One of managersand researchers,may be separatedinto three the valuesof DenisSaunders' review paper is that it categories:development of theory,proof of operational describesconceptual changes that haveoccurred in hypotheses,and resultswith directapplication. While relationto remnantmanagement. It is importantthat somework contributesin all threecategories, most the historyof theoryand research is documented* we emphasisesonly one. cannotafford to wasteresources unnecessarily revisitingideas that haveproved unproductive. Also, Developmentof Theory suchreviews show that ideaschange slowly. This is an As pointedout by Bert Main,the successor otherwiseof importantlesson for anyonewho aimsto makea major managementis partly determinedby managers' contributionin the landmanagement field: they must assumptionsabout ecosystem processes. These be preparedto commit 10to 15years to effectchanges assumptionsare based on the theoreticalconstructs in attitudesand management practice. To document the they adopt,and thus the developmentof effective historyof managementpractice is alsoan important ecosystemtheories is crucialto the work of both task. managersand researchers. Proof of OperationalHypotheses It is appropriatehere to noteBert Main'sobservations A secondcategory of researchtests ideas based on concerningthe dangersof creatingunrealistic unquantifiedobseruations and anecdotal evidence. communityexpectations for biodiversitymanagement. Often,these have been, or areproposed to be, Whilestrictly not a researchresult, his comments "static implementedoperationally. For example,the valueof concerning anddeterministic versus dynamic fencingremnants and linking isolatedareas of bushland andstochastic interpretations of systemsmaintenance" with corridorshad been operationally "known" before shouldbe readby all managers.Bert's comments are an researchquantified the advantagesof these exampleof practicalwisdom based on a comprehensive managementactions. Some of the researchoutcomes understandingof theory,bureaucracies and politics. reportedby JonathanMajer and Anne Brandenburg fall into this category. Summary Eachof the researchcategories described is important. This categoryof researchis important.While anecdotal In the contextof researchas a whole,one category wisdomis valuableand should be better documented, it shouldnot be emphasisedat the costof the others: is unwise,and may be veryexpensive, to usesuch thereshould be a balancedcontribution from each. informationuncritically. Lookingat the resultsfrom this seminar,there is, certainlyfrom a manager'sviewpoint, a needto give higherpriority to researchthat exploresthe actual Ideally,research in this categoryshould also contribute implementationof theory andresearch that directly to the developmentof theoryand management addressesthe needsof privateland-holders so that they prescriptions.Unfortunately, this doesnot occuras areable to combineeconomically the synergistic oftenas it might. benefitsof landand nature consel.ration. The challenge is for researchersto considermore thoroughly the Resultswith Direct Application applicationof their work. Suchconsideration should This is the categoryof researchmost sought by not be an appendixto tesearch;it must alsooccur managers.Managers want concreteprescriptions they duringthe developmentand implementation phases. can implementimmediately and effectively to solvean existingproblem. Examples reported in this seminarare IMPLEMENTATIONOF RESEARCH representedbest in the papersof GordonFriend, RESULTS RichardGeorge and Don McFarlane,and Jack Kinnear. Amongthe presentationsby managers,it is notablethat From a manager'sviewpoint, the work by JackKinnear all threefarmer presentations focus on fencing is ideal:it providesa practicable,operational technique remnantsas the predominant,and necessa4r, that hasa rapid,positive effect on populationsof managementaction. In Terri Lloyd'spaper, fencing is endangeredanimals. This is not a commonoutcome specificallylinked to revegetationand the development from research, of corridors.Bob TWigg's paper asks several very pertinentquestions about implementation - in Althoughthe work of Friend,and George and particular,why fencingof remnantsis not more McFarlanecontains elements that maybe immediately widespread.There is a needfor researchersand andusefully implemented, valuable collaborative governmentagencies to addressthe benefitsof projectsbetween managers and researchers are also a remnantsand revegetation, and to determinewhy there logicalconsequence. In the caseof the work by George is solittle implementationof fencingas a basic andMcFarlane, this is happeningwith the direct managementaction. applicationof managementaction at ToolibinLake, with valuablehelp from RichardGeorge. Not only is Apartfrom fencingremnants and creating corridors - Richard'scontribution essential for effective activitiesthat havebeen validated, rather than management,he hasan opportunityto testfirst hand stimulated,by research- the bestexamples of research the validityof his predictions.The value of this on- resultsbeing implemented are fox baitingto protect ground,collaborative translation of conceptinto action populationsof medium-sizedmarsupials (see paper by is inestimable. Kinnear),and the fire researchrepresented by the work of Burrowsel aL (1987,not presentedat thisseminar) managers.That this is so is shownthrough threeof the and,more recently,Gordon Friend. The fire research fivemanager presentations specifically mentioning the producedspecific guidelines and also showed that fire greatimportance for their work of one-to-onecontact managementprinciples should not be transferred with researchers.(The latter point raisesanother uncriticallybetween regions. Accordingly, the research challenge* one-to-onerelationships are important but hasaffected management plans and action. Steve veryexpensive of an individual'stime. How do we Gortonalso points out the directapplication of someof extendnew ideas to managersin a cost-efficientway? the revegetationresearch. Unfortunately, this research DavidBicknell [pers. comrn.] has suggested support grouphas now disbanded. networksfor earlyimplementers so they mayuse their propertiesas demonstration sites and themselves Apartfrom theseaspects, and the operationalactions becomeextension sources.) discussedby Ken Wallace,only a comparativelysmall amountof researchresults has been imolemented. Whv To improvethe relevanceand implementation of is thisso? research.the moslurgent need is to increase collaborationbetween individuals and groups, between In part, the answeris probablythat a critical massof managersand researchers, across agencies, and across theoryand ideasmust be developedbefore writing disciplines.There are many examples of effective guidelinesand prescriptions becomes a common collaborationbetween managers (including farmers) activity.If this is so,then we canlook forwardto a andresearchers, and across disciplines and agencies. process welterof helpfulguidelines, or at leastmore action Althoughthis will occurmore readilyin a orientedresearch in the next decade.However, there sympatheticorganisational environment, such a milieu areother importantbarriers to the transferof research is not essential.Thus there is a challengeto individuals, resultsinto managementaction. From the workshop irrespectiveof their organisationalenvironment, to discussions,and comments during presentations,it is createcollaborative projects and networks. apparentthat implementationof resultsis alsoimpeded by inadequatecommunication and liaison between Not discussedin detail,and perhaps it shouldhave researchersand managers. been,was the responsibilityfor convertingresearch resultsinto management guidelines. Some see this as a ACTIONSTO IMPROVERELEVANCE specialisttask - for example,for regionalecologists. ANDIMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH Othersview it asthe responsibilityof eachresearcher, RESULTS andothers argue that managershave the skillsand shoulduse them. I suggestthat the bestmethod for A commontheme running through many of the convertingresearch results into management presentationsand workshops is the needfor bettertwo- guidelinesis throughcollaborative efforts between waycommunication of ideasand information between managers(including planners) and researchers. This is researchersand managers, Numerous ways are listed for an efficientmeans of bringingtogether the skills achievingthis end- see,for example,the workshop necessaryto achieveimplementation of research papersby KenAtkins andHelen AIlison, and Anne results.For bestresults, researchers need to collaborate Brandenburgand Greg Beeston. Proposals include with landmanagers at all stagesof projectdevelopment. establishmentof networkgroups, committees, computeriseddatabases, and a new,integrating agency. Manyother ideasto improvethe relevanceand implementationof researchresults were presented at Theseideas should be exploredand those that arecost- the seminar,and these should be explored.Of particular effectiveimplemented. Nevertheless, one cannot help noteis the suggestionby RichardHobbs that we feelingthat, worthy asmany of theseideas are, some recogniseand reward researchers who synthesiseand couldbecome a barrierto achievingchange where it is liaiseeffectively to achieveimplementation of results. most required- at the individuallevel. Researchers do Similarly,we needto recogniseand reward managers not needorganisations to enablethem to liaiseand who build successfulpartnerships with researchers,to communicatewith othergroups, and neither do developand implemenl effective management. ACTIONSRECOMMENDED DURING processthrough which to integrateproductive THESEMINAR agricultureand nature conservation. It is vital that we seizethis opportunity. A numberof actionswere recommended during the seminar. Consequently,it is crucialthat researchersand managerswork hard,and with urgency,to develop: WorkshopActions Nearly30 recommendationsfor actionare listed in the .!. Practicalmeans and prescriptions for controlling workshopsection. Most of theserecommendations groundwaterthat protectnature conservation values focuson communicationand education within and andare, at the sametime, economicallyviable for betweenthe manygroups involved in conseruationof farmers. remnantvegetation. The betterintegration of managementand researchis the subjectof manyaction statementsand is coveredin the previoussection. Three * Systemsof sustainableagriculture, particularly otherissues should be stressed in theseconclusions. thosethat advancethe synerglismbetween conservationof naturalbiodiversity and profitable agriculture. Firstly,the developmentofvisions, objectives and priority actionsfor the conseruationof remnant Suchwork shouldbe undertakenas collaborative vegetationand their biotahas been inadequate. This projects,and should involve landscape scale deficiencyshould be redressedimmediately, and the experiments.There is sufficienttheory to guide workshopreport by Don McFarlaneprovides ideas on action but insufficientresources to permit howthis should progress. the luxury of further theorydevelopment in isolationfrom actual action. Secondly,education has been better addressed in recent years,but our effortscould, and should, be substantially Anotherimportant research area raised during the improved.The workshop report by AnthonySutton and seminaris the valueof addressingcultural andsocial DavidBicknell gives some guidance in this area. issues(see workshop reports and the papersby Lambeck,Saunders and Wallace). While not discussed Finally,all seminarpadicipants agreed that a credible duringthe seminar,the socialmodels we usefor "messenger"was required, to inform keydecision- interactionand decision-making are a fundamental makersof the degreeto which landdegradation has factorin landmanagement. These models, often alreadyoccurred, and just how muchworse it is likely implicit ratherthan explicit,may assist or impede to become.Given that seminarparticipants generally collaborationand decision-making. believedthat a "messenger"was likely to be "shot",it is not surprisingthat therewere no offersfor this task, For example,it hasbeen fashionable to talk of "top andno groupswanted to addressthe issuein their "bottom down"and up" approachesto planningand workshopdiscussion! decision-making.More recently, the conceptof "empowering" peoplehas again become widely used. ResearchActions Whilethese concepts can be useful,when dealingwith Identifuingnew linesof researchwas not a majorfocus complexland management issues it is morehelpful to of the seminar.Some 20 ideaswere listed in oneof the viewplanning and decision-making as involving plenarysessions, and other suggestionswere developed interactionbetween a numberof subcultures,whose in presentations.These diverse ideas defu ready relativepowers vary from situationto situation.In this description- the readeris encouragedto scanthe list view,it is the responsibilityof eachsubculture to on pages71-72. Mosturgent for remnantvegetation is considerand describe its own goalsand priority actions, the needto tacklethe problemsof landscapehydrology andthen to neglotiateand debate these with other (seepaper by Georgeand McFarlane). Although the subcultures.Decisions which resultwill reflecta range risingwatertable and relatedhydrological problems are ofsituationalfactors, including the personalitiesof the a potentialtragedy, they alsoprovide a compelling participants. The accuracy of this modelis opento debateand should will severelyaffect nature conservation in the future. be researched.However, from a manager,sviewpoint, it Wenow havean opportunityto developprojects of describesthe fluid, somewhatchaotic, interactions and collaborative,experimental managlement that effectively decision-makingprocesses. Sucha modelprovides a tacklethe major challengesthat the nextdecade holds. workablebasis for planning andinterpreting Weare at the leadingedge of a waveof at bestlocal, at interactions. worstglobal, extinctions and losses in agricultural production.The value ofworking togetherhas never Thereare many other examplesof researchtopics that beenhigher Not only shouldwe look to corporate would benefitthrough the involvementof social change,we shouldact now asindividuals, to ensurethat scientists.Researchers and managers should aim to effectivecollaboration occurs. For maximumeffect, increasethe involvementofsocial scientists in their projectsshould address the nexusbetween hydrological work. While this will only beappropriate in specific problems,revegetation and remnants, farm profitability, projects,it is time we acknowledgethrough our actions andnature conservation. the importanceof socialprocesses identified in this and otherseminars. If collaborationis so important,how, then, shouldwe achieveit? Actions to achievecollaboration may, for T\.^roother areasof researchmerit specificcomment. convenience,be dividedinto thoseat the corporate Firstly,Bob lhigg in his paperstressed that land level,and those at the individuallevel. managersdo not understandthe valuesof remnant vegetation.While therehas been some work in this Althoughthere is a continual,and impofant, needto area,it is vital that the economicand other values of reviewcorporate cultures critically, to ensurethey are remnant vegetationbe clearlydetailed (see Wallace designedoptimally to achievecommunity and 1994for point). a starting Similarly,the valuesof coryorategoals (see, for exampleNorgaard 1992 and biodiversityare not sufficientlyexplained. It is often Wallace1992 for discussionof someof the issues),this assumed that maintainingnatural biodiversity is either is usuallynot the mostcrucial factor. Ultimately, the a prerequisitefor achievingsustainable agriculture, or successor failureof collaborativegroups depends on the mostprofitable means of doingso. Such statements the individualsinvolved. shouldbe testedand the outcomesexplained in terms that all landmanagers understand In my experience,successful projects involving different "netuork,' groupswork becausea of people FINALREMARKS with a commoninterest has come together of theirvolition, to From my managementviewpoint, I hadhoped that the achievea taskthat meetstheir individualneeds. This workshopwould generatefar morespecific implications doesnot meanthat all involvedmust havethe same for managers,based on researchfrom the pastdecade. need;rather, their needsmust besufficiently congruent That this did not occur is partlybecause the periodhas to driveeach to attainthe collaborativegoal. No doubt beenone of developingideas and theory rather than thereare other collaborative methods that work; managementprescriptions. However, there are other however,that describedis the mosteffective in my reasonsfor the infrequenttransfer of researchresults experience, rnto managementaction. During this seminar,the most importantbarrier identified,at leastat the individual Therefore,the challengeis for landmanagers, Ievel,was the poor communicationand liaison between researchersand others themselves to form highly researchersand managers. motivatedproject groups driven by commongoals and compatiblepersonalities (see the Noteon the next page Despite outstandingexamples of collaboration,the for oneformula for collaboration).At the sametime, generalfailure of researchersand managers to work thesegoals should involve tasks that developthe nexus together effectivelyhas decreased the valuesof both describedabove, and either test, or addto, the structure researchand management.While this wasof less oftheoryand unifying concepts. concernduring a periodwhen new ideas and theory developmentwere pre-eminent, ifallowed to persist,it REFERENCES a moreeffective way to developa cross-cultural Burrows,N.D., McCaW W.L., and Maisey, K.G., 1987. networkthan the mostcommon means, the Planningfor fire managementin DryandraForest. pp conference.The latter,while valuable,tends to build 305-312 in Nature Conseruation:The Role of networkswithin subculturesrather than across provide "forced RemnantsofNatiue Vegetation,eds D.A. Saunders, A.A. them,and does not the empathy" good Burbidgeand A.J.M. Hopkins. Surrey Beatty and Sons, aspectsof a committee.If thereare no joining ChippingNorton (NSW). committeesthat areappropriate, consider an organisationor groupthat containsdiverse views. In rural areas,organisations such as Apex, Rural Youth, Norgaard,R.B., 1992. Co-ordinating disciplinary and etc.may provide this contact. organizational waysof knowing.Agriculture, Ecosgstemsand Enuironmmt 42: 205-276. Makeopportunities to visit peoplefrom other disciplinesor agencies.It is particularlyimportant Wallace,K.J., 1992. Services - a barrierto achieving to do this in the fieldwhere problems may landconservation objectives? pp. 459466 in 7th ISCO be discussedand related to a physicalexample. In these ConferenceSgdneg - PeopleProtecting Their Innd, circumstancesit is oftenmuch easierto understand edsPG. Haskinsand B.M.Murphy. Proceedings, vol. 2. the specificviewpoint of others.The value InternationalSoil ConservationOrganisation, under the of "kickingthe dust"with othersof different auspicesof the Departmentof Conservationand Land viewsand backgroundcannot be over-emphasised. Management:Sydney.

Wallace,K.J., 1994. Remnant native vegetation and Developinga CollaborativeProject sustainableagricultural systems. pp. 138-145in 1. Whenyou havea projectthat is strategically '93 Landcare - A Conferencefor Landcare, edsD .A. importantfor remnantconservation, and personally Hills andJ.S. Dufl DepartmentofAgriculture, Western important(a projectfor whichyou havereal Australia. enthusiasm),then useyour broadnetwork of people to developthe projectand initiate design.This phase NOTE will includethose who havetime to advise,but not time to participateas project team members. When A formulaI recommendfor developingcollaborative you haveyour projectin a reasonableform, cast projectsis givenbelow. For simplicity,it is written aroundfor a groupwho areprepared to participate addressedto a researcher,but is,with minor aspart of the projectteam. These will be people adjustment,applicable to any groupinvolved in land who: management. t areinterested in the sameproject outcome (they do not haveto havethe sameethos or the same Forming a Network goals- but theirs must be compatiblewith project Fundamentalto developinga collaborative is yours); alreadyhaving a networkand a knowledgeofpractical .:. will work effectivelywith you; issues.Suggestions in the followingtwo pointswill help .r commit to andcontribute effectively to the individualsachieve these oulcomes: will project.

.! Involveyourself in at leastone committee or other Theproject team should be small- say,four groupthat hasan interdisciplinaryand interagency people.Maintain good contact within the group,and component.Such a groupshould involve managers meetonly asnecessary. The responsibilityof each and researchers.Working with a committeewill not teammember to the projectshould be clear.It is only helpyou to build a networkacross disciplines importantthat anymeetings: andagencies, it will helpyou to gain other .:. good perspectiveson landmanagement issues. be heldfor a reason; Committeemembers should develop a working * considerimportant issues; relationship,and this oftenleads to empathy.This is * resultin concreteaction. Noteson meetingsshould be keptand circulated to all thosewhom you wish to involvein the project (thiswill oftenstimulate ideas and will ensure misunderstandingsare clarified). There is no needto be formal,but it is impodantto be accurate.

Veryearly in the developmentofthe project,discuss the projectwith managersand include at leastone on your projectteam. It is particularlyimportant that their needsare met, andthat their ideasare, whereappropriate, incorporated.

Maintaincontact with managersthroughout the project,and feedinformation back to your broader networkas appropriate.

Whenthe work is finishedand you areclear on the outcomes,turn them into managementguidelines or ideasin conjunctionwith a manager.Do not wait for the publicationof resultsbefore implementing them. Participatein extensionactivities.

Alwaysacknowledge the involvementof thosewho havehelped - this is not only courteous;it builds ownership.

Reviewthe successofyour projecl both in termsof applyingresearch results and as a collaborative exerctse.

"'f'-' @ Appendix:Workshop Participants

MsH. Allison Dr R. J. George Departmentof Agriculture Depatmentof Agriculture Baron-HayCourt POBox 1231 SOTNHPERTH WA 6151 BUNBURYWA 623I

Dr K.J.Atkins Mr K. Gillen Wldlife Branch Departmentof Conservationand LandManagement Departmentof Conservationand Land Management 44 SerpentineRoad POBox 104 ALBANYWA 6330 COMOWA 6152 Mr S.C.Gorton Mr J. Bartle Depafmentof Conservationand Land Management Department of Conservationand Land Management POBox 100 POBox 104 NARROGINWA 6312 COMOWA 6152

Mr M. S. Graham Mr G. R. Beeston Departmentof Conservationand Land Management Department of Agriculture POBox 811 Baron-Hay Court KATANNINGWA 6317 SOUTHPERTH WA 6151 Dr R. J. Hobbs Mr D. Bicknell CSIRO Depa|tmentof Agriculture Divisionof Wildlifeand Ecology 10 DoneySt LMB 4 NARROGINWA 6312 MIDLANDWA 6056

MsS. A. Brandenburg Mr A. J. M. Hopkins Curtin University WoodvaleResearch GPOBox Ul987 Centre Departmentof Conservation PDRTHWA 6001 andLand Management POBox 51 WANNEROOWA 6065 MsA. Doley "Koobabbie" COOROWWA 6515 Dr S.D. Hopper Director Mr J. Doley KingsPark and Botanic Garden "Koobabbie" PERTHWA 6000 COOROWWA 6515 MsB.M.J. Hussey Mr M. Fitzgerald WildlifeBranch Departmentof Conservationand Land Management Departmentof Conservationand Land Management POBox 332 POBox 104 MERREDINWA 6415 coMowA 6152

Dr G.R. Friend Dr G.Keighery WoodvaleResearch Centre WoodvaleResearch Centre Departmentof Conservationand Land Management Departmentof Conservationand Land Management POBox 51 POBox 51 WANNEROOWA 6065 WANNEROOWA 6065 Dr J. E. Kinnear Mr R. Thigg WoodvaleResearch Centre POBox 86 Departmentof Conservationand Land Management JDRMMUNGUPWA 6337 PO Box 51 WANNEROOWA 6065 Mr A.X.Sutton Wlson Inlet ManagementAuthority Dr R. J. Lambeck POBox 353 CSIRO DENMARKWA 6333 Divisionof Wildlifeand Ecology LMB 4 Mr K.J.Wallace MIDLANDWA 6056 Departmentof Conservationand Innd Management POBox 100 Mrs T. Lloyd NARROGINWA 6312 POBox 52 DUMBLE}IJNGWA 6350 Mr C.Yates Departmentof EnvironmentalScience Mr D. J. McFarlane MurdochUniversity Departmentof A€riculture MURDOCHWA 6150 128Albany Highway ALBANYWA 6330

ProfessorA.R. Main Departmentof Zoology Universityof WesternAustralia Stirling Highway NEDI.ANDSWA 6907

Dr B. YorkMain Departmentof Zoology Universityof WesternAustralia Stirling Highway NEDI.ANDSWA 6907

Dr J.D. Majer Curtin University GPOBox Ul987 PERTHWA 600I

Mr D.S.Mitchell Departmentof Conservationand Land Management POBox 100 NARROGINWA 6312

Dr D. A. Saunders Divisionof Wldlife and Ecology CSIRO LMB4 MIDLANDWA 6056

4105-0695-500