Northern Rivers Region Pest Management Strategy 2008-2011 © Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW, 2007. You may copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal with this work for any purpose, provided that you attribute the Department as the owner. However, you must obtain permission if you wish to (1) charge others for access to the work (other than at cost), (2) include the work in advertising or a product for sale or (3) modify the work. Published by: Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW 59–61 Goulburn Street PO Box A290 Sydney South 1232 Ph: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard) Ph: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests) Ph: 1300 361 967 (national parks information and publications requests) Fax: (02) 9995 5999 TTY: (02) 9211 4723 Email: [email protected] Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au DECC 2008/12 ISBN 978 1 74122 695 9 www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au For further information contact: Regional Operations Coordinator Northern Rivers Region Northern Branch Parks and Wildlife Group Department of Environment and Climate Change 75 Main St PO Box 856 Alstonville NSW 2477 Telephone: (02) 66270 200 Cover photo: pandanus image Richard Gates; pied oystercatcher Simon Walsh; cane toad John Pumpurs; coastline showing bitou bush Lisa Wellman This plan should be cited as follows: Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW. (2007). Northern Rivers Region Pest Management Strategy 2008-2011. DECC, Sydney, NSW The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is now part of the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC). Throughout this strategy, references to “NPWS” should be taken to mean the NPWS carrying out functions on behalf of the Director General and the Minister of DECC. Table of Contents 1 Introduction............................................................................................................... 1 2 Purpose of the Strategy ............................................................................................ 1 3 Legislation and Policy ............................................................................................... 2 4 Regional overview .................................................................................................... 6 4.1 Operational Overview ...................................................................................... 6 4.2 Pest Management Planning ............................................................................. 7 4.3 Threatened Species Programs ........................................................................ 8 4.4 NPWS Staff Training Programs........................................................................ 8 5 Pest Distribution Tables .......................................................................................... 10 6 Pest Management Objectives ................................................................................. 13 7 Pest Management Principles .................................................................................. 13 8 Pest Program Priorities........................................................................................... 14 9 Pest Program Recording and Monitoring ................................................................ 16 10 Regional coordination and support of pest control programs................................... 18 10.1 Githabul Indigenous Land Use Agreement..................................................... 18 10.2 Arakwal Indigenous Land Use Agreement ..................................................... 19 10.3 Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the cooperative cross border management of national parks and other reserves in New South Wales and Queensland ...................................................................................................................... 19 10.4 Department of Defence.................................................................................. 19 10.5 Southern Cross University ............................................................................. 20 10.6 North Eastern Pest Animal Advisory Committee (NEPAAC) .......................... 20 10.7 North Coast Weeds Advisory Committee (NCWAC) ...................................... 20 10.8 South East Queensland Pest Advisory Forum (SEQPAF).............................. 21 10.9 Newrybar Swamp Feral Pig Management Committee.................................... 21 10.10 Pandanus Planthopper Working Group.......................................................... 21 10.11 Pied Oystercatcher Management Committee................................................. 21 10.12 Pied Oystercatcher Interagency Working Group ............................................ 22 10.13 Bell Miner Associated Dieback Working Group (BMAD) ................................ 22 10.14 Tweed Bitou Bush Management Committee .................................................. 22 10.15 Discovery Ranger Program............................................................................ 22 10.16 Border Ranges Biodiversity Hotspot Project................................................... 22 10.17 Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Board............................................................ 22 10.18 Other local groups including Landcare........................................................... 23 11 Pest Program Overviews ........................................................................................ 24 11.1 Vertebrate Pests in the Northern Rivers Region............................................. 24 11.1.1 Wild Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris and C. l. dingo) in the Northern Rivers Region ..................................................................................................................24 11.1.2 Feral Cat (Felis catus) in the Northern Rivers Region ...............................28 11.1.3 European Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the Northern Rivers Region ...........30 11.1.4 Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) in the Northern Rivers Region.........................32 11.1.5 Feral Pig (Sus scrofa) in the Northern Rivers Region................................34 11.1.6 Feral Goats (Capra hircus) in the Northern Rivers Region ........................36 11.1.7 Feral Cattle (Bos taurus) in the Northern Rivers Region............................37 11.1.8 European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cunicullus) and Brown Hare (Lepus capensis) in the Northern Rivers Region.....................................................................................38 11.1.9 Bell Miner Associated Dieback in the Northern Rivers Region ..................40 11.1.10 Indian or Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) in the Northern Rivers Region ..................................................................................................................42 11.1.11 Feral Poultry (Gallus bankiva sp.) in the Northern Rivers Region..............43 11.2 Emerging Pest Issues.................................................................................... 44 11.2.1 Yellow Crazy Ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) & Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta) in the Northern Rivers Region.....................................................................44 11.2.2 Exotic Fungi, Red Pored Fungi (Faviolaschia calocera) in the Northern Rivers Region ..................................................................................................................46 11.2.3 Lethal Yellowing (Phytoplasma) in the Northern Rivers Region.................47 11.2.4 Pandanus planthopper (Jamella australiae) in the Northern Rivers Region48 11.2.5 Feral Deer (family Cervidae in the Northern Rivers Region.......................50 11.2.6 Red-eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) in the Northern Rivers Region ..................................................................................................................52 11.2.7 Plant Pathogen (Phytophthora cinnamomi) in the Northern Rivers Region 53 11.2.8 Plant Pathogen (Phellinus noxious) in the Northern Rivers Region ...........55 11.3 Noxious weeds of the Northern Rivers Region............................................... 57 11.3.1 Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. Rotundata) – Northern Rivers Region ..................................................................................................................57 11.3.2 Lantana (Lantana Camara) – Northern Rivers Region ..............................58 11.3.3 Glory Lily (Gloriosa superba) - Northern Rivers Region.............................61 11.3.4 Groundsel Bush (Baccharis halimifolia) - Northern Rivers Region.............62 11.3.5 Giant Parramatta Grass (Sporobolus indicus var. major) & Giant Rat’s Tail Grass (Sporobolus pyramidalis) - Northern Rivers Region ................................................63 11.3.6 Coolatai grass (Hyparrhenia hirta) - Northern Rivers Region.....................64 11.3.7 Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) - Northern Rivers Region ......64 11.3.8 Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus aggregate) - Northern Rivers Region ..........66 11.3.9 Exotic Vines- Northern Rivers Region .......................................................67 11.3.10 Rainforest Restoration- Northern Rivers Region .......................................69 11.4 Aquatic Weeds of the Northern Rivers Region............................................... 71 11.4.1 Salvinia (Salvinia molesta) - Northern Rivers Region ................................71 11.4.2 Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) - Northern Rivers Region ....72 11.5 Other Significant Weeds-