GININI FLATS WETLAND COMPLEX RAMSAR SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN APRIL 2017 © Australian Capital Territory, Canberra 2017 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from: Director-General, Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, ACT Government, GPO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2601. Telephone: 02 6207 1923 Website: www.environment.act.gov.au Printed on recycled paper Accessibility The ACT Government is committed to making its information, services, events and venues as accessible as possible. If you have difficulty reading a standard printed document and would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, such as large print, please phone Access Canberra on 13 22 81 or email the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate at [email protected] If English is not your first language and you require a translating and interpreting service, please phone 13 14 50. If you are deaf, or have a speech or hearing impairment, and need the teletypewriter service, please phone 13 36 77 and ask for Access Canberra on 13 22 81. For speak and listen users, please phone 1300 555 727 and ask for Access Canberra on 13 22 81. For more information on these services visit http://www.relayservice.com.au CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 7. MANAGEMENT ACTIONS, RESOURCES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 41 1. BACKGROUND 5 1.1 Introduction 5 8. REFERENCES 49 1.2 Purpose and scope 6 9. GLOSSARY 53 1.3 Outline of management plan 6 1.4 Key objectives of this management plan 6 10. APPENDIX 55 1.5 Policy and legislative framework 7 APPENDIX A – 1.6 Criteria met for Ramsar listing 7 RAMSAR WETLAND MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES 55 APPENDIX B – 2. SITE DESCRIPTION 9 RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND POLICIES 56 2.1 Overview 9 APPENDIX C - 2.2 Location 9 ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS AND PROCESSES 59 2.3 Wetland type 12 APPENDIX D – GEOPHYSICAL VALUES 62 2.4 Vegetation description 12 APPENDIX E - BIODIVERSITY VALUES 67 2.5 Fauna 13 APPENDIX F - SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUES 72 2.6 Land tenure and management 13 APPENDIX G KEY THREATS 74 APPENDIX H - 3. ECOLOGICAL CHARACTER 15 GININI FLATS WETLAND COMPLEX HGL 3.1 Describing ecological character 15 MANAGEMENT – A CASE STUDY 83 3.2 Summary of Ginini Flats Wetland Complex Ecological Character Description 15 3.3 Major ecological changes since listing 16 4. KEY THREATS IMPACTING ECOLOGICAL CHARACTER 17 5. LIMITS OF ACCEPTABLE CHANGE (LAC) 23 6. SITE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES 27 6.1 Fire Management Planning 27 6.2 Amelioration of hydrological changes 29 6.3 Protection and rehabilitation of peatland 30 6.4 Invasive species management and control 31 6.5 Protect and monitor threatened and other fauna 33 6.6 Managing recreation and visitor impacts 34 6.7 Managing infrastructure changes and maintenance 35 6.8 Amelioration of Climate Change Impacts 36 6.9 Aboriginal and European cultural heritage values 37 6.10 Education and communication strategies 38 6.11 Managing research and monitoring 39 www.environment.act.gov.au 1 The Ginini Flats Wetland Complex Ramsar Site (Ginini Flats Wetland Complex) was designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1996. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 set out principles for best practice management planning for Ramsar wetlands. These principles include review of management plans at intervals of not less than seven years. This management plan replaces the original plan of management for the site (Environment ACT 2001). The management plan sets management guidelines and objectives for the Ginini Flats Wetland Complex, and provides detail on management actions that are to be carried out to manage the site and avoid or minimise the impact of threats. Actions under each objective relate to the following: » Fire management » Managing hydrological changes » Protection and rehabilitation of peatland » Invasive species management » Recreation and visitor management » Infrastructure changes » Climate change » Research and monitoring. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Ginini Flats Wetland Complex Ramsar Site (Ginini Flats Wetland Complex) was designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1996. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 set out principles for best practice management planning for Ramsar wetlands. These principles include review of management plans at intervals of not less than seven years. This management plan replaces the original plan of management for the site (Environment ACT 2001). Ginini Flats lies at the head of Ginini Creek The management plan sets management near the crest of the Brindabella Range on the guidelines and objectives for the Ginini Flats north-eastern summit slopes of Mount Ginini, Wetland Complex, and provides detail on about 800 metres east of the ACT–NSW border, management actions that are to be carried out within Namadgi National Park. The Ramsar to manage the site and avoid or minimise the site is a mosaic of subalpine Sphagnum bogs impact of threats. Actions under each objective and associated fens, wet heath, wet grassland relate to the following: communities and surrounding Snow Gum » Fire management woodland that occurs across a series of interconnected wetlands known as West Ginini, » Managing hydrological changes East Ginini and Cheyenne Flats within Namadgi » Protection and rehabilitation of peatland National Park. » Invasive species management The site is at the northern extreme of the climatic » Recreation and visitor management range for alpine Sphagnum bog wetlands, and is » Infrastructure changes the largest intact bog and fen community in the Australian Alps. The site also provides habitat for » Climate change migratory birds listed under several international » Research and monitoring. migratory bird agreements (JAMBA, CAMBA and ROKAMBA). Ginini Flats Wetland Complex is within a National Park and at the top of the catchment and is therefore protected from many developmental and upper catchment impacts. However, alpine and subalpine vegetation is particularly susceptible to environmental change, particularly the Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens ecological community. Some of the likely threats or threatening activities for this site include fire, climate change, pest animals and weeds, and infrastructure, development and recreation impact. www.environment.act.gov.au 3 1. BACKGROUND 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 INTRODUCTION The Ramsar site is a mosaic of subalpine Sphagnum bogs and associated fens, wet heath, The Ginini Flats Wetland Complex was wet grassland communities and surrounding designated as a wetland of international Snow Gum woodland that occurs across a importance under the Ramsar Convention in series of interconnected wetlands. The largely 1996. The Ramsar Convention, an international intact Sphagnum bogs and fens on the site intergovernmental treaty adopted in the Iranian forms part of the nationally significant ‘Alpine city of Ramsar in 1971, came into force in 1975. Sphagnum bogs and associated fens’ ecological The broad aims of the Ramsar Convention are to community, and is the main reason for its listing halt and, where possible, reverse the worldwide as a Ramsar site. Mackey, Jacobs and Hugh loss of wetlands and to conserve those that (2015, p.195) describe Alpine Sphagnum Bogs remain through ‘wise use’ and management. and fens as follows: The Ramsar Convention defines the wise use of wetlands as ‘the maintenance of their ecological “Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and associated character, achieved through the implementation Fens occur in waterlogged and of ecosystem approaches’. permanently wet treeless areas, such as along streams, drainage lines, valley Australia was one of the first countries to edges and valley floors generally between become a Contracting Party to the Ramsar 1200m to 1800m ASL. They differ from Convention. The Environment Protection and Wet Heathland and Sedgeland in that Biodiversity Conservation Regulations (the EPBC they contain Sphagnum spp. (which Act Regulations) Schedule 6—Australian Ramsar is typically underlain by peat), the management principles, sets out guidelines for most common of which is Sphagnum best practice management planning to maintain cristatum, along with a diversity of the ecological character of Ramsar wetlands. sedges, herbs and shrubs. Species These principles include review of management commonly include Empodisma minus, plans at intervals of not less than seven years. Epacris glacialis, E. paludosa, Baeckea Under new provisions of the ACT Nature gunniana, B. utilis, Pratia surrepens & Conservation Act 2014 (the NC Act), the Richea continentis. Fens adjoin the bog Conservator of Fauna and Flora (the and are devoid of woody vegetation, Conservator) must report to the Minister about commonly dominated by sedges such as each Ramsar wetland management plan at least Carex gaudichaudiana”. once every five years. The original non-statutory plan of management for the site commenced in 2001 (ACT Government 2001). The Conservator must undertake public consultation on a draft Ramsar management plan for six weeks under section 195 of the NC Act. Following public consultation the conservator must consider the submissions received, make any revisions considered appropriate and prepare a final version of the draft management plan. The conservator must then submit the draft plan to the Minister for approval. www.environment.act.gov.au 5 The wetland occurs in Zone