King Island Natural Resource Management Review and Strategic Action Plan 1998-2001 = Natural Heritage Trust Helping Communities Helping Australia Helen Morgan Facilitator King Island Natural Resource Management Group King Island Natural TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACRONYMS…………………………………………………………………………… 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………………..…… 6 Chapter 1 PROJECT INFORMATION ………………………………….. 7 1.1 King Island Natural Resource Mngt Group………… 7 1.2 King Island Natural Resource Mngt Plan ………….. 7 Chapter 2 KING ISLAND REGIONAL BACKGROUND …………….. 12 2.1 Location ……………………………………………….. 12 2.2 Climate ………………………………………………… 12 2.3 Cultural Heritage ……………………………………… 12 2.4 Human Settlement …………………………………… 12 2.5 Population ………………………………………..…… 13 2.6 Economy ……………………………………………… 13 2.7 Agriculture …………………………………………….. 14 2.8 Industry ………………………………………………… 14 2.9 Manufacturing ………………………………………… 15 2.10 Tourism ……………………………………………….. 15 2.11 Transport ……………………………………………… 16 Chapter 3 KING ISLAND NATURAL RESOURCES………………….. 17 3.1 Land: Geology, Landform and Soils………………… 17 3.2 Inland Waters …………………………………………. 30 3.3 Flora King Island ……………………………………. 47 3.4 Fauna King Island ……………………………………. 63 Chapter 4 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ……………………………. 67 4.1 Early Planning Stages ……………………………….. 67 4.2 Project Activites ………………………………………. 67 4.3 Issues Not Covered ………………………………….. 76 4.4 What Next for Community Participation …………... 76 Chapter 5 ISSUES ………………………………………………………... 77 5.1 Water Quality …………………………………………. 77 5.2 Water Quantity ……………………………………….. 85 5.3 Waterlogging and Poor Drainage…………………… 90 5.4 Salinity ………………………………………………… 96 5.5 Erosion ………………………………………………… 101 5.6 Acid Sulphate Drainage ……………………………… 108 1 5.7 Biodiversity ……………………………………………. 111 5.8 Native Vegetation Clearing …………………………. 119 5.9 Remnant Vegetation Management ………………… 123 5.10 Riparian Vegetation Management …………………. 129 5.11 Revegetation Management …………………………. 134 5.12 Weeds Management ………………………………… 140 5.13 Wildlife Management ………………………………… 144 5.14 Fire Management ……………………………………. 150 5.15 Coastal Access ………………………………………. 154 5.16 Management of Issues of Geo-conservation Significance …………………………………………… 158 5.17 Pollution ………………………………………………. 162 5.18 Feral Pests ……………………………………………. 165 Chapter 6 ISLAND WIDE MANAGEMENT …………………………….. 166 6.1 Island Wide Management Process ………………… 166 Appendix 1 Priority Target Areas – Devolved Grant ……………….. 170 Appendix 2 Register of Community Based Past and Current NRM Projects on King Island …………………………….. 174 Appendix 3 Coastal Zone Assessment of King Island……………..… 178 Appendix 4 Plant Species List for King Island ……………………….. 183 Appendix 5 Weeds on King Island ……………………………………… 189 Appendix 6 Fauna List for King Island …………………………………. 195 Appendix 7 King Island’s Threatened Fauna Species, Habitats and Locations ………………………………………………… 203 Appendix 8 King Island’s Threatened Species, Key Threats and Habitat Management ……………………………………….. 205 References …..……………………………..………………………………………… 208 Maps King Island Geology…………………………….………… 18 King Island Geoconservation sites…………….…….… 21 King Island Soil…………………………….…..……..…… 27 King Island Water Quality……………………….…..…… 36- 40 King Island Catchments………………………….…..…… 43 King Island Vegetation : Stokes portion…………..…… 50 Figures King Island Water quality………………………………… 42 2 King Island vegetation cover………………….………… 48 King Island Land Users Survey…………….…………… 69 Tables 3.1 Coastal Zones…………………………………...……..……… 19 3.2 Geoheritage Sites…………………………………..……….… 20 3.3 Soils………………………………..…………………..……...… 24 3.4 Land Systems……………………………….……………….… 28 3.5 Land Systems: hazards and vegetation…………………… 28 3.6 Land degradation……………………………….…………...… 29 3.7 King Island streams: regional characteristics..…… ….… 30 3.8 Important wetlands………….…………….…………………. 32 3.9 Crown riparian reserves…………………….…………..…… 32 3.10 D.P.I.W.E. Water Quality Sampling……….……….……… 41 3.11 Areas of vegetation types…………………….……….…… 47 3.12 Vegetation priorities for the King Bioregion………….… 48 3.13 Vegetation Communities on King Island………………… 51 3.14 Rare plants on King Island……………………………….… 60 3.15 Weeds of community concern on King Island………..… 61 3.16 Current status of native fauna………………..…………… 64 3.17 Aquatic macroinvertebrates. ………………………………. 65 4.1 Natural resource management issues KINRMG……..…... 67 4.2 Land management issues…………………..….…………..… 68 4.3 land user survey results…………………….…..………….… 68 4.5 Salinity and ground water issues…………………………… 69 4.6 Summary, coast, water,soil and vegetation issues. …..… 70 4.7 Priorities from Community Workshop November 1999…. 71 4.8 Community projects register……………….……………...… 71 4.9 Technical advice and planning days………………………… 74 Action Tables 5.1 Water quality……………….…………………………………… 83 5.2 Water quantity – disappearing water……………………..... 88 5.3 Drainage……………….……………………………………… 94 5.4 Salinity……………….……………………………………….. 99 5.5 Erosion……………….………………………………………… 105 5.6 Acid Sulphate drainage……………….………………… 109 3 5.7 Biodiversity……………….……………………………..… 116 5.8 Native Vegetation Clearing……………….………….…… 121 5.9 Remnant Vegetation……………….…………..………..… 127 5.10 Riparian Vegetation……………….…………………...… 131 5.11 Revegetation……………….…….………….…….…...… 137 5.12 Weeds……………….…………………………….….…… 141 5.13 Wildlife……………….…………………………….…..…. 147 5.14 Fire……………….………………………………....…..… 152 5.15 Coastal access……………….…………..……..….… 153 5.16 Geo conservation sites……………….………..…..….… 157 5.17 Pollution……………….……………..…………………… 161 5.18 Feral pests……………….…………..…………..….….… 164 4 ACRONYMS AFFA Department of Agriculture, Farming and Fisheries CM Coastal Management Initiative King Island DPIWE Department of Primary Industries Water and Environment DG Devolved Grant/King Island NRM Incentive Project DGC Devolved Grant Co-ordinator Dbh diameter at breast height EA Environment Australia GIS Geographic Information Systems LC Landcare groups LW Land and Water Resource Management King Island KIC King Island Council KINRMG King Island Natural Resource Management Group KIVMS King Island Vegetation Management Strategy KIDHS King Island District High School LGAT Local Government Association of Tasmania MG Management group members King Island MRT Mineral Resources Tasmania NHT Natural Heritage Trust NRF Natural Resource/Landcare Facilitator (King Island) NRM Natural Resource Management Plan NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service PG Producer groups PM Project manager SP Salinity Partnerships Project DPIWE/King Island TLCA Tasmanian Landcare Association VM Vegetation Management WW Waterwatch WWC Waterwatch Co-ordinator WFP Whole Farm Planning 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY One of the many outcomes of the recent “decade of Landcare” has been the emergence of community driven natural resource management on a regional scale. The Draft King Island Natural Resource Management Plan is the first public document representing the King Island experience of the transition from Landcare group activity to regional natural resource management. The King Island Natural Resource Management Plan has been developed and overseen by the King Island Natural Resource Management Group since 1996. This community group responded to the opportunities offered by the Natural Heritage Trust programs in 1996/97 by initiating the notion of an island plan and wide community involvement. Since then the group members and the broader community have given time and expertise to the many facets of planning for NRM. The project has been undertaken in conjunction with many existing and operating on ground projects. These have been incorporated into the plan as it has evolved. The plan is presented as a living entity, one that has grown with the energy and participation of the land managers on King Island. This document describes the past and current projects which have supported the plan, outlines the community participation process and gives information about the natural resources on King Island. The issues for natural resource management on King Island have been identified and prioritised by the community with input from scientific and technical advisers where possible. Management solutions developed by the community and the King Island Natural Resource Management Group are also outlined. Some of these are complete, some underway now, others will be considered for the future with further planning and research necessary. King Island’s landscape has been greatly modified by human activity during the twentieth century and profound change has occurred within the natural environment. Nonetheless, as a highly productive rural area with a strong social network King Island represents an exciting opportunity to demonstrate that we can manage our environment better for economic and ecological sustainability. This plan is designed for ongoing development. Natural resource management will always require more learning and better management ideas. The co-operation and commitment of the many people involved with this plan sets an excellent example for regional natural resource management in Australia. 6 CHAPTER 1: PROJECT INFORMATION 1.1 King Island Natural Resource Management Group This project was created by a group of King Island community members who shared concerns regarding the current and future environmental management of King Island. The King Island Natural Resource Management Group formed in 1996 following a public meeting held in Currie to discuss the future of Landcare activities on the island. Members included representatives from the three Landcare groups: Reekara, Sea Elephant and Pegarah, the King Island District High School, King Island Tourists Association, National