Report on fauna monitoring objectives, targets and performance measures - 2019 In order to ensure that the fauna monitoring program is effective, it is essential to review progress against the performance indicators and measures that were established at the beginning of the program. This allows the evaluation of progress towards achieving the objectives of the program and the identification of any areas requiring modification or improvement. Table 1 summarises the objectives, targets and performance measures that have been established for the fauna monitoring program, as well as an evaluation of progress against these. Table 1: Evaluation of progress against the objectives, targets and performance measures, following implementation of the fauna monitoring program in 2018/2019. Objective Target Performance Measure Progress as at June 2018 Objective 1: To Continue to implement a determine the presence fauna monitoring program Fauna monitoring program The program was implemented in 2018/2019 (September of threatened or priority that maximises detection implemented prior to areas 2018-June2019) prior to areas being harvested. The species listed species within probability for species being harvested in considered likely to occur within the karri forest and the areas of karri forest likely to be present within 2018/2019. monitoring strategies applied are presented in Table 2. planned for timber coupes. harvesting; Threatened species were detected in all of the surveyed coupes Use outcomes from fauna (9). Management actions were recommended for each of these Objective 2: To use the surveys to refine coupes and included requirements such as: Management of Management actions outcomes of surveys to management responses in introduced herbivores, such as the red deer, given the potential modified as necessary to assist with development consultation with impact of these herbivores on soil integrity, regenerating forest reduce impacts on of management Department of Biodiversity structure and vegetation density; management of feral pigs threatened species. objectives; Conservation and and foxes within and surrounding coupes, while the harvested Attractions (DBCA). areas are recovering; retention of additional hollow-bearing trees in areas where arboreal species such as phascogales were present (See Table 3 for full details). Version control: V04/June2019 Page 1 of 19 Authority: Director Operations Responsible Officer: Manager Forest Management Security classification: Public Uncontrolled when printed Report on fauna monitoring objectives, targets and performance measures - 2019 Provision of fauna capture data Implement the agreed Objective 3: To improve the as a geo-referenced All capture records were provided in the required format to upon process for using functionality of the Fauna spreadsheet to allow upload of DBCA’s threatened species and communities branch for upload fauna survey outcomes Distribution Information this data into threatened into corporate datasets and to contribute to improvements to to improve and/or System; species data sets, prior to the FDIS predictions. validate FDIS end of 2019. The program has targeted two ongoing trainees. Both were Maintain a record of Record system updated to found to have reached a satisfactory level of competency last skills, experience and reflect training and year (2017/18) following 2 years of field training. Their continued Objective 4: To build and competency levels of competencies, consistent with involvement in the program is evident from the fauna reports in maintain internal knowledge trained personnel. FPC requirements. the system that document their results. and skills relevant to fauna monitoring and biodiversity Actively address Delivery of field training or Multiple field training sessions have been delivered between Sept management within proposed personnel skill and formal training sessions 2018 and June 2019. The focus of training sessions this season harvest areas. experience shortfalls relevant to the 2018 fauna was to increase exposure of co-surveyors to the range of species through targeted monitoring program. and calls. training. Evaluation of Summary to be included in Monitoring procedures have been reviewed and modified as Objective 5: To ensure monitoring procedures annual review of the fauna required to ensure they remain optimal for detecting the species approaches to monitoring annually, including monitoring program, with a identified in Table 3. The fauna lists have also been reviewed in remain contemporary, relevant review of target species focus on areas requiring relation to nomenclature changes and conservation status and credible. and new literature modification. changes that have occurred in the past 12 months. Field evaluation of skills in Objective 5: To ensure Evaluation of habitat tree retention, camera Multiple field training sessions have been delivered between Sept approaches to monitoring effectiveness of trap establishment, indirect 2018 and June 2019 to enable individuals and their competencies remain contemporary, relevant training fauna monitoring techniques to be targeted. and credible. and call surveys. Version control: V04/June2019 Page 2 of 19 Authority: Director Operations Responsible Officer: Manager Forest Management Security classification: Public Uncontrolled when printed Report on fauna monitoring objectives, targets and performance measures - 2019 Table 2 presents a summary of the threatened fauna species that were considered most likely to occur in the karri forest for the 2018/2019 survey. This list was prepared following review of threatened species lists and in consultation with personnel from DBCA. The list of target species for survey is updated annually to reflect any changes to the threatened species lists or knowledge of species occurrences and habitat preferences. There has been a single nomenclature change to the threatened species list in the past 12 months, including a change to the scientific name for quenda elevating the subspecies to species level. In addition, Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) has been added to the target list due to recent translocations in the southern karri forest. Table 2: Fauna species targeted for fauna monitoring in the karri forests, with a summary of their ecology and strategies for maximising detection. Species Cons Ecological attributes of relevance to monitoring Monitoring strategies Status Mammals Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) VU The bilby is an omnivorous burrowing marsupial. It is generally solitary, strictly nocturnal and Camera survey and indirect can breed throughout the year (Southgate 1987). Individual bilbies may make up to twelve surveys for faecal material, burrows within their home range. They occupy habitat in the southern forest as a result of diggings and dens. recent translocations from their remnant arid populations. Brush-tailed Phascogale CD The brush-tailed phascogale is a nocturnal, solitary, medium-sized dasyurid that forages Arboreal camera surveys and (Phascogale tapoatafa mostly in the canopy between sunset and sunrise (Traill and Coates 1993; Scarff et al. 1998, search for tree hollows. wambenger) Scarff and Bradley 2006). Individuals use multiple nest trees within their variable home range of 5-150 ha, with nests generally located in trees >80 cm diameter at breast height (Soderquist 1995, van der Ree et al. 2001, 2006). Breeding season varies little throughout their range, with most births occurring in July. Young are carried with the mother for the first 48 days and are thereafter left in the nest (van der Ree et al. 2006). Chuditch (Dasyurus geofroii) VU Chuditch utilise horizontal hollow logs or earth burrows as dens or refuge. To be suitable as Camera survey and indirect den sites, logs must have a diameter > 30 cm and a hollow with 7-20 cm diameter and a surveys for faecal material and minimum length of 1 m (Serena and Soderquist 1989, Dunlop and Morris 2008, McGregor et dens. al. 2014). Annually, an adult female Chuditch will utilise an estimated average of 66 logs and 110 burrows within her home range (Orell and Morris 2004). Version control: V04/June2019 Page 3 of 19 Authority: Director Operations Responsible Officer: Manager Forest Management Security classification: Public Uncontrolled when printed Report on fauna monitoring objectives, targets and performance measures - 2019 Table 2: continued Species Cons Ecological attributes of relevance to monitoring Monitoring strategies Status Mammals continued Numbat (Myrmebobius fasciatus) EN The numbat is a small termitiverous marsupial, with a distribution currently limited to two Camera survey and indirect naturally occurring remnant populations in WA and to several smaller re-introduced surveys for faecal material, populations in NSW, SA and WA (Friend and Thomas 2003). This species nests in hollow logs feeding patterns in termite or in burrows (Friend 1989) and is most likely to occur in mixed jarrah/ karri forest. There are mounds and dens. few records of this species in the karri forest (Peacock 2006) and an abundance of termites appears to be a prerequisite for the occurrence of this species (Friend and Thomas 2003). Quenda (Isoodon fusciventer) P4 Quenda inhabit a variety of habitats including forests, woodlands, shrub and heath (Van Dyck Camera survey and indirect and Strahan 2008). The main habitat requirement is for dense cover at ground level (Maxwell surveys for diggings and runnels. et al. 1996, Van Dyck and Strahan 2008). For shelter this species builds a nest consisting of leaf litter over a shallow