Recovery Plan for the Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland of South Australia, 2012 National Recovery Plan for the Peppermint Box (Eucalyptus odorata) Grassy Woodland of South Australia ecological community 2012 Recovery Plan for the Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland of South Australia, 2012 This plan was prepared by the South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources with funding assistance from the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. © Government of South Australia, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources This plan is intended for public use. The Government of South Australia and Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources are pleased to allow material from the plan to be reproduced in whole or in part, provided the meaning is unchanged and its source, publisher and authorship are acknowledged. ISBN 978-1-921800-02-3 This recovery plan sets out the actions necessary to stop the decline, and support the recovery, of the listed threatened species or ecological community. The Australian Government is committed to acting in accordance with the plan and to implementing the plan as it applies to Commonwealth areas. The plan has been developed with the involvement and cooperation of a broad range of stakeholders, but the making or adoption of this plan does not necessarily indicate the commitment of individual stakeholders to undertaking any specific actions. The attainment of objectives and the provision of funds may be subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved. Proposed actions may be subject to modification over the life of the plan due to changes in knowledge. Cite as: Turner, J. (2012). National Recovery Plan for the Peppermint Box (Eucalyptus odorata) Grassy Woodland of South Australia ecological community 2012. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, South Australia. Copies of this plan are available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery-list-common.html Enquiries: Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Nature Conservation Unit Natural Resources Directorate Strategy and Advice GPO Box 1047 Adelaide SA 5001 Cover photograph: Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland, Hallett, July 2006 (by Jean Turner) Recovery Plan for the Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland of South Australia, 2012 Acknowledgments Many individuals, stakeholder groups and organisations have contributed to development of this Recovery Plan. Their input and support is greatly appreciated and acknowledged. Particular thanks to: Members of the Recovery Planning Steering Committee, who generously shared their knowledge, ideas and time throughout the recovery planning process: Anne Brown (Greening Australia SA), Tim Jury (Threatened Plant Action Group), Bill New (Nature Conservation Society SA), Millie Nicholls (Grazier/Mid North Grasslands Working Group), Penny Paton (Ornithologist/Nature Conservation Society SA), Jodie Reseigh (Rural Solutions SA/Upper North Farming Systems Group/Mid North Grasslands Working Group), Vicki-Jo Russell (formerly Conservation Council of SA and Threatened Species Network SA), Jo Clarke (Greening Australia SA), Ann Prescott (Botanical Consultant; and formerly Department for Environment and Heritage), and Angela Duffy, Meg Robertson, Peter Copley, Randall Johnson, Greg Guerin, Sarah Lance and Wendy Stubbs (all Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources). Sonia Croft, Roman Urban and Steve Triplett (Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources), Tony Randall (Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association Inc.) and Harry Seager (Eastern Hills and Murray Plains Catchment Group), who provided site access, mapping and GIS support. The following individuals provided valuable comments on drafts of the plan: Alex Coombe (Trees for Life), Anita Crisp (Central Local Government Region), David Donato (Northern and Yorke Declining Woodland Birds Recovery Team), Zita Stokes (Rural Solutions SA), Andrew West, Doug Bickerton, Peter Copley, Thai Te and Mike Wouters (Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources), Harry Seager (Eastern Hills and Murray Plains Catchment Group), Ben Simon & Tony Randall (Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association Inc.), Andrew Chalklen and other staff of the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, for funding support. The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources replaced the Department for Environment and Natural Resources on 1 July 2012. i Recovery Plan for the Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland of South Australia, 2012 Contents Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................... I Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. V Glossary .......................................................................................................................... VI Summary ...................................................................................................................... VIII Part A Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 Conservation Status and Protection ............................................................... 4 International Obligations ................................................................................... 5 The National Recovery Plan ............................................................................. 7 Affected Interests ............................................................................................... 8 Role and Interests of Aboriginal People .......................................................... 9 Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts .................................................. 9 Benefits to Species and other Ecological Communities ............................. 10 Part B The Ecological Community ................................................................ 12 Description of the Listed Community ............................................................ 12 Condition Classes and Timing of Assessments ............................................. 12 Structure and Floristic Composition ............................................................... 14 Characteristic Flora .............................................................................. 15 Fauna ................................................................................................................. 15 Threatened Species ......................................................................................... 16 Threatened Flora .................................................................................. 16 Threatened Fauna ............................................................................... 16 Regionally Threatened Species .......................................................... 17 Other Communities Resembling the Listed Ecological Community ......... 17 Recovery Opportunities .................................................................................. 17 Part C Distribution and Location ................................................................... 19 Current Distribution ........................................................................................... 19 Furthering Knowledge of Distribution and Condition ...................... 20 Protected Areas ............................................................................................... 21 Parks and Reserves .............................................................................. 21 Heritage Agreements .......................................................................... 21 Past Distribution ................................................................................................ 21 Historical factors influencing current distribution ............................. 22 Habitat Critical to Survival ............................................................................... 22 Important Populations ..................................................................................... 24 ii Recovery Plan for the Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland of South Australia, 2012 Part D Land Use History and Management ................................................. 25 Current Land Use and Management ............................................................ 25 Best Practice Management ........................................................................... 26 Recovery Action to Date ................................................................................ 27 Environmental Stewardship Program ............................................................ 28 Part E Known and Potential Threats ............................................................. 29 Key Areas Affected by Threats ....................................................................... 31 Part F Planning for Recovery ........................................................................ 38 Recovery Objectives ....................................................................................... 38 Recovery Strategies ......................................................................................... 38 Costs and Duration of Recovery ...................................................................