saving our threatened native animals and plants RECOVERY AND THREAT ABATEMENT IN ACTION 2003 UPDATE Acknowledgments: This publication has been prepared with the assistance of many people. Copyright NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, June 2003 The publishers would especially like to thank the community groups, ISBN 0 7313 6698 0 individuals and government agencies who contribute to the conservation of threatened native animals and plants across NSW. Design & layout by Point Communications Published by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 43 Bridge St (PO Box 1967) HURSTVILLE NSW 1481 Minister’s Foreword With over 1500 native plants and animals listed as threatened in “Australia this country, Australia is facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to conserving our unique biological wealth. In NSW alone is facing extinctions number 79 species. Hundreds more plants, animals and ecological communities are also facing possible extinction unless unprecedented greater commitment and effort is made to reverse this trend. The task of saving our threatened species is a mammoth one, but it challenges is not all doom and gloom. Since the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act was introduced in 1995 a concerted effort has been when it comes made to bring our threatened native animals and plants back from the brink of extinction. to conserving Around the State thousands of individual actions are being taken to help the recovery of hundreds of threatened species, populations our unique and ecological communities, including protecting and restoring habitats, removal of threatening processes, research, breeding and biological re-introduction, and raising community awareness. These recovery actions are only possible through the wealth” collaboration and involvement of numerous community groups, organisations, industry and government agencies together with a strong commitment to research and action by the New South Wales Government. The protection and conservation of native biodiversity is paramount to the prevention of extinctions. The revised NSW Biodiversity Strategy provides a framework for coordinating and integrating government, industry and community efforts, ensuring that available resources are efficiently and effectively applied. The Strategy aims to help recover threatened wildlife by proactively conserving biodiversity. It entails a range of strategies that serve to minimise further risk of decline of our native plants and animals and their habitats. Saving our threatened native animals and plants: recovery planning in action was published in 2000 to provide an overview of all the actions carried out across NSW to ensure the survival of our precious Australian wildlife. A tremendous amount of recovery work has been done since then and has been recorded in a new edition of this publication, Recovery and threat abatement in action – 2003 Update. I trust that the information presented in this publication will inspire us all to help save our threatened animals and plants from extinction and conserve our State’s rich, unique biological diversity. Bob Debus, MP Minister for the Environment 1 Contents Minister’s Foreword ..........................................................1 Fire management.........................................................23 Eastern bristlebird Introduction ........................................................................3 Fencing and site protection ........................................24 Zieria parrisiae and Zieria buxijugum Recovery Snapshot ............................................................4 Environmental impact assessment..............................24 PART 1: HOW RECOVERY PLANNING AND Koala THREAT ABATEMENT PLANNING WORKS......7 Habitat restoration and enhancement .......................25 What is threatening our native Bellinger River emydura animals and plants? Mitchell’s rainforest snail What is a recovery plan? Captive husbandry ......................................................26 Corroboree frog What is a threat abatement plan? Translocation and reintroduction...............................27 A partnership approach Allocasuarina porturensis Green and golden bell frog PART 2: EXAMPLES OF THREAT ABATEMENT ACTIONS IN NSW ......................8 Community awareness, education and involvement .........................................................28 What is being done about threats? Bathurst purple copper butterfly Predation by the red fox Community involvement in the Blue Mountains Invasion by bitou bush and boneseed Recovery team and plan coordination .......................30 Predation by Gambusia Cumberland Plain woodland holbrooki - the plague minnow Conservation status review.........................................31 Gould’s petrel PART 3: EXAMPLES OF RECOVERY ACTIONS IN NSW ................................................11 Glossary of Terms ....................................................32 What is being done to save our PART 4: SUMMARY OF RECOVERY threatened species? ACTIONS IN NSW ................................................33 Case study 1 - Declining woodland birds ...................12 Recovery actions for threatened plants Case study 2 - Frog conservation................................14 in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003..............................34 Case study 3 - Grassy ecosystems................................16 Recovery actions for threatened animals Survey and mapping....................................................18 in south-eastern NSW 1996-2003..............................38 Plains wanderer Recovery actions for threatened plants Monitoring ..................................................................18 in and around Sydney 1996-2003...............................41 Mountain pygmy-possum Recovery actions for threatened animals Research ......................................................................19 in and around Sydney 1996-2003...............................45 Square-stemmed spike-rush Recovery actions for threatened plants Barking owl in northern NSW 1996-2003 .....................................48 Habitat protection.......................................................21 Recovery actions for threatened animals Little penguin in northern NSW 1996-2003 .....................................54 Feral animal control....................................................22 Recovery actions for threatened plants Shoalhaven brush-tailed rock-wallaby in western NSW 1996-2003 .......................................58 Weed control...............................................................22 Recovery actions for threatened animals Tumut grevillea and Wee Jasper grevillea in western NSW 1996-2003 .......................................61 2 Introduction The Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 (TSC Act) What are ‘threatened species’? aims to conserve biological diversity and promote Native species, populations and ecological communities of ecologically sustainable development, promote the recovery animals and plants which are presumed extinct, endangered and preservation of threatened native animals and plants or vulnerable in NSW are considered threatened. and their habitats, manage and limit threats which our native animals and plants face, and encourage conservation · Presumed extinct – a native species of animal or plant that through cooperative management. Recovery planning and has not been seen for a long period despite thorough threat abatement planning are an important and compulsory searching. part of the TSC Act. Recovery plans and threat abatement · Endangered – a native species, population or ecological plans aim to recover and prevent the extinction of animals community that is in danger of extinction or whose and plants that are listed as threatened under the TSC Act. survival in the wild is unlikely if threats continue. In NSW the total number of threatened species, populations and ecological communities listed under the · Vulnerable – a native species or ecological community TSC Act is 877*. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife that is likely to become ‘endangered’ unless the threats to Service (NPWS) acknowledges that action is required now its survival stop. to curb the current rate of extinction. More than 40 animals and 38 plants are presumed extinct in Recovery and threat abatement plans identify the actions NSW. Another 76 animals and 317 plants are facing possible needed to save our threatened native animals and plants. extinction and are listed as endangered. There are 28 Recovery is not just about writing a plan. It is about taking endangered populations and 60 endangered ecological action now to ensure the survival of our threatened native communities. A further 391 plants and animals are classified animals and plants. as vulnerable. It is important that these recovery plans guide us in the right direction. For this reason, many actions are under way Listing threatened species simultaneously so that we can learn more about the species we The number of threatened native animals and plants is are trying to save and take appropriate action now to protect constantly changing. The listings are the responsibility of an them. independent committee, the NSW Scientific Committee, Actions such as survey work, ecological studies and habitat that consists of 11 members appointed by the Minister for mapping increase our knowledge of a species and help us to the Environment. The members of the committee are understand what it needs to survive. In this way we learn scientists from a variety of organisations