Barmah Forest Ramsar Site Ecological Character Description June 2011 Citation: Hale, J. and Butcher, R., 2011, Ecological Character Description for the Barmah Forest Ramsar Site. Report to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra (DSEWPaC). Acknowledgements: Peter Cottingham, Peter Cottingham and Associates (workshop facilitation) Halina Kobryn, Murdoch University (mapping and GIS) Jane Roberts (expert knowledge floodplain vegetation) DSE (2008) formed the basis of many sections of this updated Ecological Character Description. DSE (2008) was prepared for DSE by Ecological Associates Pty Ltd, Malvern South Australia with the assistance of a project steering committee, which included representatives from Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment, the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and the Communities, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority and Parks Victoria. The steering committee was comprised of the following: • Leah Beesley; Department of Sustainability and Environment • Tamara Boyd; Parks Victoria • Lyndell Davis; DSEWPaC • John Foster; DSEWPaC • Janet Holmes; Department of Sustainability and Environment • Richard Loyn; Department of Sustainability and Environment • Shar Ramamurthy; Department of Sustainability and Environment • Keith Ward; Goulburn-Broken Catchment Management Authority • Kane Weeks; Parks Victoria. Introductory Notes This Ecological Character Description (ECD Publication) has been prepared in accordance with the National Framework and Guidance for Describing the Ecological Character of Australia’s Ramsar Wetlands (National Framework) (Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2008). The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) prohibits actions that are likely to have a significant impact on the ecological character of a Ramsar wetland unless the Commonwealth Environment Minister has approved the taking of the action, or some other provision in the EPBC Act allows the action to be taken. The information in this ECD Publication does not indicate any commitment to a particular course of action, policy position or decision. Further, it does not provide assessment of any particular action within the meaning of the EPBC Act, nor replace the role of the Minister or his delegate in making an informed decision to approve an action. The Water Act 2007 requires that in preparing the [Murray-Darling] Basin Plan, the Murray- Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) must take into account Ecological Character Descriptions of declared Ramsar wetlands prepared in accordance with the National Framework. This ECD Publication is provided without prejudice to any final decision by the Administrative Authority for Ramsar in Australia on change in ecological character in accordance with the requirements of Article 3.2 of the Ramsar Convention. Disclaimer While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the contents of this ECD are correct, the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities does not guarantee and accepts no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to the currency, accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of the information in this ECD. Note: There may be differences in the type of information contained in this ECD publication, to those of other Ramsar wetlands. Cover photos (left to right): Aerial photo of Barmah Forest – Jim Mollison (DSEWPaC), Barmah Forest – Bruce Gray (DSEWPaC), Barmah Forest – Trevor J Lerino (DSEWPaC), Barmah Forest – Jim Mollison (DSEWPaC), Superb Parrot – Kirsty Wilkes (DSEWPaC). ii Table of Contents Glossary ..................................................................................................................................... iv List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. vi Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. vii 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Site details ........................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Statement of purpose ....................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Relevant treaties, legislation and regulations .................................................................. 5 1.4 Method ............................................................................................................................. 9 2. General Description of the Barmah Forest Ramsar Site ..................................................... 10 2.1 Location .......................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Land tenure .................................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Wetland types ................................................................................................................ 11 2.4 Ramsar criteria ............................................................................................................... 14 2.4.1 Criteria under which the site was designated.......................................................... 14 2.4.2 Assessment based on current Ramsar criteria ....................................................... 15 3. Critical Components and Processes ................................................................................... 21 3.1 Identifying critical components and processes .............................................................. 21 3.2 Supporting components and processes ........................................................................ 23 3.2.1 Climate .................................................................................................................... 23 3.2.2 Geomorphic setting ................................................................................................. 25 3.2.3 Water quality ........................................................................................................... 26 3.2.4 Other wetland fauna ................................................................................................ 28 3.3 Critical components and processes ............................................................................... 29 3.3.1 Hydrology ................................................................................................................ 30 3.3.2 Wetland vegetation .................................................................................................. 35 3.3.3 Fish .......................................................................................................................... 41 3.3.4 Wetland birds .......................................................................................................... 43 4 Ecosystem services .............................................................................................................. 45 4.1 Overview of benefits and services ................................................................................. 45 4.2 Identifying critical ecosystem services and benefits ...................................................... 45 4.3 Critical services .............................................................................................................. 47 4.3.1 Supports a diversity of wetland types ...................................................................... 47 4.3.2 Supports biodiversity ............................................................................................... 49 4.3.3 Provides physical habitat for wetland bird breeding and feeding ............................ 50 4.3.4 Supports threatened species .................................................................................. 56 4.3.5 Maintains ecological connectivity for spawning and recruitment of native fish ....... 57 4.3.6 Organic carbon cycling ............................................................................................ 58 4.4 Conceptual models ........................................................................................................ 60 4.1 Wet phase (filling and inundated state) ...................................................................... 60 4.2 Dry phase (drying and dry state) ................................................................................ 62 5. Limits of acceptable change ................................................................................................ 63 5.1 Process for setting Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) ................................................ 63 5.2 LAC for the Barmah Forest Ramsar site ........................................................................ 64 6. Threats to Ecological Character .......................................................................................... 71 6.1 Water resource use ........................................................................................................ 73 6.2 Climate change .............................................................................................................. 73 6.3 Altered