Threatened Tasmanian Ferns Flora Recovery Plan Flora Recovery Plan: Threatened Tasmanian Ferns i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Much of the site and ecological information in this Recovery Plan is based upon the work of Garrett (1997), with some passages reproduced verbatim and without repeated citation. The preparation of this Plan was funded by the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Citation: Threatened Species Section (2011). Flora Recovery Plan: Threatened Tasmanian Ferns. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. © Threatened Species Section This work is copyright. It may be produced for study, research or training purposes subject to an acknowledgment of the sources and no commercial usage or sale. Requests and enquires concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Threatened Species Section, Biodiversity Conservation Branch, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. Disclaimer: The attainment of objectives outlined in this Recovery Plan may be subject to budgetary and other constraints. Recommended recovery actions may be subject to modification due to changes in knowledge or conservation status. ISBN: 978-0-7246-6598-3 (web) 978-0-7246-6601-0 (book) Abbreviations ALCT Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania CAR Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (Reserve System) CLAC Crown Land Assessment and Classification project (DPIPWE) DIER Tasmanian Department of Industry, Energy and Resources DPIPWE Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment 1 DSEWPaC Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities EPBC Act Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 FPA Forest Practices Authority (DIER) FT Forestry Tasmania HEC Hydro Electric Corporation MDC Management Decision Classification system (Forestry Tasmania) MRT Mineral Resources Tasmania (DIER) NRM Natural Resource Management PWS Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (DPIPWE) RFA Regional Forest Agreement RTBG Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (DPIPWE) SMZ Special Management Zone TALSC Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council TSP Act Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 TSS Threatened Species Section, Biodiversity Conservation Branch (DPIPWE) Taxonomy follows Buchanan (2009) except where otherwise noted, and common names follow Wapstra et al. (2005). 1 Formerly the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE) Flora Recovery Plan: Threatened Tasmanian Ferns ii _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................... 1 Reasons for listing........................................................................................................................................................... 2 Existing conservation measures ................................................................................................................................... 3 Tasmanian distribution .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Known and potential threats ........................................................................................................................................ 8 RECOVERY & MANAGEMENT ...................................................................................................... 10 Recovery strategy and progress evaluation .............................................................................................................. 10 Objectives of the EPBC Act and TSP Act .............................................................................................................. 10 International obligations ............................................................................................................................................. 10 Affected interests ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Social and economic impacts ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Role and interests of indigenous people .................................................................................................................. 11 Biodiversity benefits .................................................................................................................................................... 11 Specific recovery objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Performance criteria .................................................................................................................................................... 12 Recovery actions .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 Duration of Recovery Plan and estimated costs ..................................................................................................... 15 MANAGEMENT PRACTICES .......................................................................................................... 18 SPECIES PROFILES .......................................................................................................................... 20 Anogramma leptophylla (L.) Link (annual fern) ........................................................................................................ 20 Asplenium hookerianum Colenso (maidenhair spleenwort) ................................................................................... 23 Blechnum cartilagineum Sw. (gristle fern)................................................................................................................... 26 Botrychium australe R.Br. (parsley fern) .................................................................................................................... 29 Cheilanthes distans (R.Br.) Mett. (bristly rockfern) ................................................................................................. 31 Cyathea cunninghamii Hook.f. (slender treefern) .................................................................................................... 34 Cyathea Xmarcescens N.A.Wakef. (skirted treefern) ............................................................................................... 38 Doodia caudata (Cav.) R.Br. (small raspfern) .......................................................................................................... 41 Hypolepis distans Hook. (scrambling groundfern) ................................................................................................. 44 Isoetes drummondii A.Braun subsp. drummondii (plain quillwort) .......................................................................... 48 Phylloglossum drummondii Kunze (pygmy clubmoss) .............................................................................................. 51 Pilularia novae-hollandiae A.Braun (australian pillwort) .......................................................................................... 54 Pneumatopteris pennigera (G.Forst.) Holttum (lime fern) ....................................................................................... 57 Tmesipteris parva N.A.Wakef. (small forkfern) ....................................................................................................... 61 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................ 64 Figure 1. Threatened fern distributions in Tasmania .................................................................................................... 4 Table 1. Conservation status of Tasmanian ferns on the schedules of the TSP and EPBC Acts .......................... 1 Table 2. Summary statistics for threatened fern taxa covered by this Recovery Plan .............................................. 7 Table 3. Prioritised Recovery Actions ........................................................................................................................... 16 Table 4. Population summary for Anogramma leptophylla in Tasmania ...................................................................... 21 Table 5. Population summary for Asplenium hookerianum in Tasmania .................................................................... 25 Table 6. Population summary for Blechnum cartilagineum in Tasmania ...................................................................... 27 Table 7. Population summary for Botrychium australe in Tasmania ............................................................................ 29 Table 8. Population summary for Cheilanthes distans in Tasmania ............................................................................. 32 Flora Recovery Plan: Threatened Tasmanian Ferns iii _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Table 9. Population summary for Cyathea cunninghamii in Tasmania .......................................................................