RECOVERY TEAM ANNUAL REPORT THREATENED SPECIES AND/OR COMMUNITIES RECOVERY TEAM PROGRAM INFORMATION Recovery Team Albany District Threatened Flora Recovery Team Reporting Period Calendar year 2010 Current membership Member Representing 1. Chair Sarah Comer DEC 2. Exec Officer Sarah Barrett DEC 3. Linda Strahan Albany Wildflower Society 4 Libby Sandiford Albany Wildflower Society 5. John Tucker Ravensthorpe Wildflower Society 6 Margaret Pieroni Community member 7 Merle Bennett Ravensthorpe Wildflower Society 8 Andrew Brown DEC 9 Dave Coates DEC 10 Anne Cochrane DEC 11 Sue Oborne Ongerup Wildflower Society 12 Meredith Spencer DEC 13 Greg Freebury DEC 14 Sylvia Leighton DEC Dates meetings were held 26/5/10; 1/12/10 One to two paragraph Recovery of critically endangered Stirling Range Taxa threatened by Phytophthora summary of achievements dieback has progressed through phosphite application, herbivore (vertebrate and suitable for WATSNU invertebrate) control, concerted efforts to collect seed from remote and ‘difficult’ species and translocations of four species. List of actions undertaken by Recovery Team Action 1 Phosphite application Aerial phosphite was applied to 22 DRF in 38 targets, 340 ha in total. New targets were established for Leucopogon gnaphalioides CR Mondurup, Daviesia ovata CR Manypeaks and Lambertia fairallii, SRNP. Action 2 Herbivore protection Aerial baiting of 25 ha on Bluff Knoll with 1080 oats to protect Banksia montana, Persoonia micranthera, Leucopogon gnaphalioides, Latrobea colophona Caging/ fencing was undertaken for CR taxa Banksia montana, Acacia awestoniana and Daviesia ovata, New monitoring (for grazing impacts) was established for Darwinia collina CR on Bluff Knoll Action 3 Monitoring Fire ecology Fire succession quadrats (22 quadrats) were established for 8 DRF (Verticordia pityhrops, Kunzea similis ssp similis, Adenanthos ellipticus, Ricinocarpus trichophorus, Myoporum cordifolium, Verticordia crebra, Adenanthos dobagii and Eucalyptus nutans) in the Fitzgerald River National Park and fire management guidelines recommended. Individuals if DRF were tagged for monitoring within quadrats. Floristics were recorded and fire responses were documented in recently burnt quadrats Ravensthorpe Nickel – Bandalup Hill: Monitoring quadrats were established through Ravensthorpe Regional Surveys project for DRF Beyeria cockertonii, Kunzea similis ssp mediterranea, Hibbertia abyssa and E. purpurata with quadrats situated close to and away from pit edge. Aerial Canker Aerial canker transects with data loggers for long-term monitoring of canker impacts were established for Banksia verticillata and Lambertia orbifolia ssp orbifolia, canker species present were sampled. Other Annual monitoring of Critically Endangered Flora and selected En and Vu flora was undertaken including 14 species in phosphite program. Banksia verticillata was monitored with the assistance of UWA at Torndirrup and plant health and reproduction assessed. Action 4 Seed collections were made for CR taxa Andersonia axilliflora; Banksia montana, Darwinia collina. Lambertia fairalli, B. anatona, D. nubigena, B. rufa ssp pumila, and Xyris exilis, Pesticide application was used to improve seed viability for seed collection of Daviesia glossosema Action 5 New translocations were implemented for CR taxa Daviesia pseudaphylla, D. glossosema, Persoonia micranthera, Lambertia orbifolia ssp orbifolia, Acacia awestoniana, Banksia montana. Repeat translocation implemented for Banksia ionthocarpa Action 6 Survey New populations were located for Banksia brownii CR, Ricinocarpos trichophorus Vu, and ne w sub- populations of Daviesia ovata CR and D. megacalyx 43 new populations of priority flora were located Action 7 Herbicide control for *Rubus sp and *Dipogon lignosus) was undertaken around populations of Apium prostratum ssp phillipii and Ornduffia calthifolia in the Porongurup NP. Weed infestations and DRF were mapped using GIS. Action 8 Calochilus pruinosus was nominated as DRF CR, Acrotriche orbicularis as DRF Vu and Marianthus mollis recommended for downgrading from DRF to P4 Darwinia collina was recommended to be changed from En to CR Following completion of ARVS survey and Ravensthorpe Regional Surveys over 10 Priority flora were recommended for changes in Priority status including removal from Priority list. Action 9 Communication Radio interview July 2010 ABC ‘native trees’, 31/8/10 Radio interview ABC ‘Boronia species’ Posters were displayed at Australian Plant Conservation Conference on translocations and aerial canker. Assessment of progress Phosphite continues to slow rate of decline for Stirling Range and other CR towards meeting criteria taxa threatened by P. cinnamomi and has allowed seed collection and ex-situ for success (from Recovery Plan) conservation to progress. Persoonia micranthera and Leucopogon gnaphalioides have shown a positive response to baiting of habitat with 1080 oats, other species (e.g. Daviesia ovata) have responded to fencing Translocations have increased population numbers. Assessment against criteria for failure (from Recovery Plan) .