Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Plan 2009 Volume 1 State of the Region 2009 Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Plan 2009 © Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board Introduction to the Plan Volume 1 – State of the Region 2009 Volume 2 – Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Strategic Plan 2009–2019 Volume 3 – Implementation A: Regulatory and Operational Policy Volume 4 – Implementation B: Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board Business Plan 2009–2012 Volume 5 – Monitoring, Evaluating, Reporting, Learning and Improving NRM ISBN 978-1-921595-00-4 (paperback) ISBN: 978-1-921595-01-1 (CD-ROM) ISBN: 978-1-921595-02-8 (online) iv KI Natural Resources Management State of the Region 2009 Contents Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 1 Indigenous people................................................................................................................................. 2 Indigenous cultural assets................................................................................................................... 2 Threats to cultural heritage ................................................................................................................. 3 Socioeconomic profile of Kangaroo Island ........................................................................................ 4 Community capacity for natural resources management................................................................. 5 Human capital ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Social capital ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Natural capital ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Physical capital.................................................................................................................................... 8 Financial capital................................................................................................................................... 8 Land use and economic activity .......................................................................................................... 9 Status and trends ................................................................................................................................ 9 Agriculture ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Inland aquaculture............................................................................................................................. 12 Marine aquaculture ........................................................................................................................... 12 Commercial fishing............................................................................................................................ 12 Plantation forestry ............................................................................................................................. 12 Tourism ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Threats .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Opportunities..................................................................................................................................... 13 Threats to natural resources.............................................................................................................. 14 Climate and rainfall information......................................................................................................... 14 Climate change ................................................................................................................................. 14 Pest plants, animals and diseases.................................................................................................... 18 Risk analysis framework ................................................................................................................... 21 Soils and landscapes.......................................................................................................................... 24 Socioeconomic values ...................................................................................................................... 24 Region description............................................................................................................................. 24 Land degradation threats and risk analysis ...................................................................................... 31 Current monitoring and investigations .............................................................................................. 45 Information gaps................................................................................................................................ 45 Water resources and aquatic ecosystems........................................................................................ 46 Socioeconomic values ...................................................................................................................... 46 Ecological values............................................................................................................................... 46 Region description............................................................................................................................. 47 Threats and risk analysis .................................................................................................................. 61 Current monitoring and investigations .............................................................................................. 65 Information gaps................................................................................................................................ 65 Terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity........................................................................................... 66 Socioeconomic values ...................................................................................................................... 66 KI Natural Resources Management State of the Region 2009 v Regional description.......................................................................................................................... 66 Condition and trends ......................................................................................................................... 70 Threats and risk analysis .................................................................................................................. 73 Coastal estuarine and marine ecosystems and biodiversity.......................................................... 74 Socioeconomic values ...................................................................................................................... 74 Regional description.......................................................................................................................... 74 Condition and trends ......................................................................................................................... 81 Threats and risk analysis .................................................................................................................. 81 Current monitoring and investigations .............................................................................................. 82 Information gaps................................................................................................................................ 85 Geological features ............................................................................................................................. 88 Overview of geology.......................................................................................................................... 88 Geological monuments ..................................................................................................................... 88 References ........................................................................................................................................... 90 vi KI Natural Resources Management State of the Region 2009 Introduction The State of the Region report describes the natural resources of Kangaroo Island; summarises their condition and the threats to those resources; and outlines the socioeconomic values of the resources. This information is critical in setting the strategic direction for natural resources management on Kangaroo Island for the next 10 years. The report summarises natural resources information under the themes: soils and landscapes water resources native biota terrestrial ecosystems aquatic ecosystems coastal, estuarine and marine ecosystems. The State of the Region report is intended to provide sufficient information to: enable someone with no prior knowledge to gain a overview understanding of the Island’s natural resources and natural resources issues identify key issues