Period 1 April – 30 June 2020

Each year the Landscape Board enters into a Service Level Agreement with the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) for the delivery of the Board’s programs plus services provided by business support and the regional management team.

Details of the Board’s programs can be found in the Board’s Business Plan (2017-2020).

This report provides a quarterly update of each program, including:

 Program highlights this period  Local government engagement for this period  Upcoming priorities for the next period

Each milestone is assigned a status, based on its current progress.

On track to deliver On track to deliver most milestones. Unlikely to meet

all milestones. May be some delays. milestones.

Further details of each of these programs can be found on the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board website or by contacting Tim Breuer (Team Leader, Landscape Operations - Eastern District) for projects in the City Council of and District Councils of Kimba, Franklin Harbor and Cleve areas on 0488 000 481.

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 1 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District Landscapes Milestones Status Conserving and protecting species and ecosystems Improving community skills, knowledge and engagement in landscapes management

Program highlights this period EP Blue Gum tree planting  Staff, volunteers, school students, and landholders planted around 450 EP Blue Gum (Eucalyptus petiolaris) trees in the Cleve district during the month of June.  Three hundred and fifty trees were planted in a 1 km stretch of fenced area along a creek line on Turnbull’s private farm in the Cleve Hills.

 A further fifty were planted along a fenced creek-line alongside an already occurring EP Blue Gum community at Paul Harris’s farm at Gum-Flat.  Fifty trees were planted with Year 9 school students at Sims farm. The trees were planted in two fenced off sections, the majority along a naturally occurring but degraded section of EP Blue Gum community along a creek line, and about ten were planted separately to provide a wind break for stock.  Planting and direct seeding of multiple endemic and endangered EP Blue Gum community species was implemented on the Turnbull and Harris sites. On Turnbull’s farm the seedlings planted in 2019 are growing well, and dozens of seedlings on the direct seeder lines have germinated during this winter.  It is hoped the additional EP Blue Gum trees will add numbers and help create the important overstorey layer as these communities grow. The revegetation has been implemented with the aim to return these creek lines to how they were before clearing, and will add approximately 2 km to about 4 km of extant and uncleared sections of EP Blue Gum community across the three sites. Local government engagement for this period  The Board was engaged by the District Council of Cleve to undertake an assessment of the native vegetation on the project site for a dam expansion project. Board officers provided advice as to the next steps necessary to gain approval for the clearance. Upcoming priorities for the next period  Support Local Government and community groups with development of Grassroots grants projects and applications.

Photo 1: A landscape officer with land holder, John Turnbull, planting EP Blue Gums

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 2 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District Coast & marine Milestones Status Improve community skills, knowledge and engagement in coast and marine ecosystems

Program highlights this period Cuttlefest 2020  The together with Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries (EMS), National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS SA) and the EP Landscape Board partnered to bring to life one of the region’s best nature- based tourism events featuring the annual community guided cuttlefish snorkels. EP Landscape Board provided support for the EMS community guided snorkels and contributed to the Cuttlefest program, providing Citizen Science and School Activities, a virtual Cuttlefish tour, and ‘Whyalla Marine Icons’ window display.

Saltmarsh Threat Abatement and Recovery (STAR) Project - Saltmarsh Videos  A series of engaging talks about protected saltmarsh ecosystems is now available on the EP Landscape Board website. The presentations by saltmarsh expert Peri Coleman from Delta Consulting were to have been held in Whyalla, Cowell and Kellidie Bay. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the live presentations were cancelled and were instead recorded. The videos are aimed at community decision makers, coastal ambassadors, teachers, bird groups and interested members of the public. Cultana Jenkins Shackowners ‘Grow Me Instead’ project  Funded by the EP Landscape Board and the Coast Protection Board.  The Cultana Jenkins Shackowners Association, EP Landscape Board, Coast Protection and the Whyalla City Council partnered to remove a total of 250 cubic metres of invasive cacti, succulents, and other pest plant species and replaced with native coastal species along Whyalla’s Northern Coastline. The project has raised shackowner awareness of pest plants and drastically improved the visual amenity and environmental integrity of Whyalla’s Northern Coastline. Support to NPWS SA staff  EP Landscape Board Officers supported NPWS SA staff with Marine Park compliance activities inside the Cuttlefish Coast and Cowleds Landing Sanctuary Zones.

Photo 2: Removal of invasive cacti, succulents, and other pest plant species along Whyalla’s Northern Coastline

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 3 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District Photo 3: A landscape officer with Cultana Jenkins shackowners, planting native coastal species along Whyalla’s Northern Coastline

Local government engagement for this period Whyalla Foreshore signs project  Three-way partnership with the EP Landscape Board, & West Coast Prawn Fishermen's Association Inc. and the Whyalla City Council.  Three new educational signs were installed at five locations (15 signs in total) within the greater Whyalla Foreshore area. These included a new informative dolphin sign, ‘Sharing the Foreshore’ sign, and a new sign on the importance of the local environment for the Spencer Gulf King Prawn Fishery. Whyalla Foreshore dune oversow seeding work project  Funded by the EP Landscape Board, delivered by Council.  The full length of the 1.2 km Whyalla Foreshore, from the Caravan Park to the marina breakwater has now been sown with 37 species of endemic coastal native seed.  This project will help to improve species diversity along the foreshore, improving habitat and amenity, while also improving frontal dune robustness against the action of the tides and wind.

Cuttlefish Dive Site Landscaping works project  Funded by the EP Landscape Board, delivered by Council.  The area around the toilet and change-room facilities at the cuttlefish dive site has been revegetated, landscaped, and rocks placed to improve the visual amenity of the facilities and protect infrastructure from vehicle traffic. Local contractors were engaged to complete the work, utilizing endemic plant species sourced from the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens nursery. Upcoming priorities for the next period  Hooded Plover Territory monitoring for the 2020-2021 breeding season will commence.  Saltmarsh Threat Abatement and Recovery (STAR) project on-ground works.

Photo 4: New educational signs installed within the greater Whyalla Foreshore area

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 4 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District Pest plants & animals Milestones Status Monitor and facilitate management of priority pest plants and animals

Program highlights this period Pest plants During this quarter weed control was conducted across a 30 ha area eliminating approximately 5,000 individual weeds in total. An extra 330 ha of new or historical sites were also surveyed with an aim to determine population edges and for information to inform plans.

 Gazania control - Works were undertaken to control approximately 4,500 gazania plants occurring in road edge populations on the Cleve-Kimba road and the Cowell-Kimba road. These control measures are being implemented with the hope of preventing the spread of Gazanias into Kimba and reduce infestation sizes. - Saltmarsh Threat Abatement and Recovery (STAR) Project: Gazania control work was carried out on the Mullaquana Road in Whyalla to prevent the invasive weed from spreading into the nearby Cowleds Landing Sanctuary Zone (Eight-Mile Creek) coastal saltmarsh area.

Photo 6: Gazania control work underway on the Mullaquana Road

Photo 5: Gazania control on Cleve-Kimba road

Photo 7: New trailer and trolley for pesticide spray unit

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 5 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District  African Boxthorn control - Twenty African Boxthorn plants, occurring in native roadside vegetation on the Birdseye Highway between Darke Peak and Rudall, were controlled using a cut and swab method. - A three year plan has been drafted, identifying future priorities and activities related to Boxthorn control. Targeting edge populations, preventing spread into unaffected areas, protecting key assets, and providing education about badly infested areas, has been prioritised.

 Grass control - Follow up control for African Lovegrass and Buffel Grass was implemented

 Cochineal for the control of Opuntia - Trials of the use cochineal insects for the control of Opuntia are ongoing. - At some trial sites, cochineal infection extent has increased to up to 25% of biomass. - Approximately 50 fallen infected Opuntia pads have been relocated to non-infected plants within established trial sites. - Further Opuntia infestation sites have been surveyed for the potential translocation of infected pads to new locations, to extend the trials.

 Caltrop infestations in residential Whyalla - Inspections were carried out on affected properties following reports of Caltrop infestations from the public. - Letters were sent to affected landholders property owners outlining the legislative requirement for property owners to control Caltrop. - Board officers liaised with Council, the South Australian Housing Trust, Property Managers, and private property owners about this.

 New equipment, a trailer and trolley for a pesticide spray unit, was purchased to support on-ground works.

Figure 1: Priority pest plant control for the period 1 April to 30 June 2020

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 6 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District Local government engagement for this period  Liaison with the City of Whyalla about Caltrop infestation in residential areas

Upcoming priorities for the next period  STAR project weed control - Boxthorn control buffer around Arno Bay salt marsh. - Weed control at Port Gibbon Hooded Plover site.

 Boxthorn control - Control on road edges in accordance with the new Eastern EP Boxthorn management plan

 Gazania - Engage with the Kimba local council to encourage control of populations which are starting to break out in the Kimba Township. This will complement other controls work to help achieve the aim to control spread on roads into and around the Kimba region - Completion of the Eastern EP Gazania management plan. - Control on road edges in accordance with the Eastern EP Gazania management plan.

 Surveying - Boxthorn and Gazania will be surveyed from Cowell to Whyalla, from Rudall to the Eastern Eyre Peninsula boundary (near Lock), and from Darke Peak to Kimba.

 Cochineal for the control of Opuntia - Trials for the use of cochineal insects to control Opuntia will be expanded. A small percentage of Opuntia pads infected with cochineal insects will be collected at established trial sites where the percentage infection in plants is greater than 25%. These pads will be translocated to at least one new trial site to seed infection of additional plants.

Sustainable farming Milestones Status Improve community skills, knowledge and engagement in Sustainable Agriculture

Program highlights this period  East Team Landscape Officers attended a two-day ‘Introduction to Eyre Peninsula Soils’ training course in and Cleve. The training had a theory and field component, and staff were issued with soil testing kits for field use.  There was a strong demand for the temporary electric fence units during this period. Limited pasture and the need for supplementary feeding may be driving the demand for these units.

Local government engagement for this period  Nothing to report.

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 7 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District Photo 8: Demonstration during ‘Introduction to Eyre Peninsula Soils’ course of clumping of soil to plant roots arising from healthy soil microbiome

Upcoming priorities for the next period  Continue to monitor seasonal conditions and potential erosion risks.  The ‘Overcoming the Rising Degradation of Mallee Seeps Eastern Eyre Peninsula’ project will commence in the 2020-2021 financial year. Three demonstration sites will be selected. Soil scientist Dr Chris McDonough will visit in the last week of August to select sites and setup the monitoring equipment. His visit will coincide with the Lock Sticky Beak Day. The farmers on that committee are interested in visiting Dr McDonough’s new trial site and / or having him speak at the day, thus kicking off broader project engagement for the project.

Communications & engagement Milestones Status Effective community engagement and education programs Implementation of Aboriginal engagement strategy and support the development of projects with Aboriginal communities

Program highlights this period  Cuttlefest Citizen Science and School Activities program - A range of activities engaging the community and schools were offered as part of the Whyalla City Council’s annual ‘Cuttlefest’ program May-Aug.

 Barngarla engagement on new dolphin signs

 Fisk Street Primary School Indigenous Garden project - Funded by EP Landscape Board. - The school engaged the Aboriginal and school community to establish an edible native food garden on the school grounds. - The school is using the garden to engage students in practical activities to enhance learning outcomes.

Media Releases and interviews Click the links to see the full articles.

Coastal saltmarsh roadshow on video 09 June 2020 A series of engaging talks about protected saltmarsh ecosystems is now available online.

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 8 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District New Officer appointed to the Eastern Eyre Peninsula 03 June 2020 Sarah Voumard has been appointed as a new staff member on the Eastern Eyre Peninsula to support the new Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, while Corey Yeates is taking a break interstate.

Saltmarsh under threat 02 June 2020 Nationally Threatened coastal saltmarsh habitat is slowly being degraded by people with vehicles and machinery such as bobcats modifying the environment to create areas for riding motorbikes in the Whyalla area. Spencer Gulf News television interview on EP Pix Stix Citizen Science photo monitoring of saltmarshes at the Cowleds Landing Sanctuary Zone.

Local government engagement for this period  Meetings with Council around the Cuttlefest program.

Upcoming priorities for the next period  Work with Whyalla City Council to re-establish Northern Coastline Master Plan working group.

Photo 9: ‘Whyalla Marine Icons’ window display at Whyalla EP Landscape Board offices

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board 9 SLA Quarterly Report Eastern District