Department for Environment & Heritage, gpo box 1047, Adelaide 5001

ISBN 978-1-921466-10-6

© Department for Environment & Heritage, GPO Box 1047, Adelaide 5001

June, 2009

Cover design and photography

Cover design by DEH Corporate Communications Branch. Beautiful Firetail (Stagonopleura bella) photo by David Paton. Restored grey box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) grassy woodland photo by David Robertson (from Restoration of Grassy Woodland – Watiparinga Reserve Management Plan 1999).

Disclaimers

The opinions expressed in this document are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia.

This recovery plan sets out the actions necessary to stop the decline of, and support the recovery of, threatened species and ecological communities in the planning area. 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 and a review of the analyses contained in this plan.

Citation

Willson, A. and Bignall, J. (2009) Regional Recovery Plan for Threatened Species and Ecological Communities of Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia.

A Recovery Plan prepared under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999Acknowledgements

The preparation of the Recovery Plan would not have been possible without the input of many people. The authors are especially indebted to the following for their significant contribution:

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  Members of the Project’s Steering Committee: Adrian Stokes (DEH - Chair), Andrew Chalklen (AGDEWHA), David Turner (DEH), Dominic Nicholls (TSN), Hafiz Stewart (DEH), Jody Gates (DEH), Marcus Walters (LGA), Penny Paton (AMLR Board), Peter Copley (DEH), Vicki-Jo Russell (TSN) and Wendy Stubbs (DEH).
  
• 
  Other DEH staff who have provided valuable expertise and assistance: Alan Lambert, Amelia Hurren, Andrew Graham, Andrew West, Angela Duffy, Ann Prescott, Bill Barker, Chris Holden, Dan Duval, Dave Armstrong, David Thompson, Doug Bickerton, Helen Vonow, Maria Johns, Martin Oleary, Jason van Weenen, Jean Turner, Joe Quarmby, Kate Smith, Kirstin Long, Kirsty Bevan, Lisa Farroway, Mike Wouters, Peter Lang, Robyn Barker, Sandy Carruthers, Sandy Kinnear, Sonia Croft, Sue Graham and Tim Croft.
  
• 
  Others who have provided valuable expertise and information: Alys Stevens (SEWFPSRP), Bea Hurrell (DEH), Bob Bates (NOSSA), Caroline Dorr (AMLRNRMB), Cathy Houston (NOSSA), Ceridwen Synnot (DWLBC), David Paton (University of Adelaide), Denzel Murfet, Donna-Lee Edwards (DWLBC), Geoffrey Bradford (EPA), Graham Carpenter (DWLBC), Jason Downs (PIRSA), Jeremiah Smith, Jessica Mitchell (DWLBC), Kieran Brewer, Lynn Baker (NSW DECC), Marcus Pickett (SEWFPSRP), Mark Hutchinson (SAM), Michael Hammer, Robert Henzell (DWLBC), Ron Taylor (FNHCP), Rosemary Taplin and Tim Jury (TPAG).
  
• 
  Members of the AMLR NRM Four Nations Governance Group.
  
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  Members of the Commonwealth Threatened Species Scientific Committee.
  
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  Those who have provided photos for use in this document.
  

The majority of funding support was provided by the Australian Government through the Natural Heritage Trust, administered by the AMLRNRMB. Additional funding and in-kind support was provided by DEH.

The authors acknowledge the past and present Aboriginal custodians of the land within the AMLR and South Australia, valuing their knowledge and understanding of the region’s natural heritage.

Executive Summary

Background to this plan

Traditionally, recovery plans have been prepared for individual species or groups of species (multi-species plans). However, a more strategic and integrated approach to threatened species recovery and threat abatement is being explored through regional pilot projects such as this one.

A detailed review of over 500 regionally threatened flora and vertebrate fauna species (excluding invertebrate fauna and marine species occurring approximately below the high water mark) resulted in the inclusion of 203 species and subspecies in this plan. Eighteen threatened terrestrial ecological communities occurring in the AMLR were also reviewed and prioritised, including three ecological communities listed under the EPBC Act. Marine species (occurring approximately below the high water mark) and invertebrate species have been excluded from this planning process.

A key element of this recovery plan is to attempt increased integration of regional scale threat abatement activities for improved threatened species and ecological community recovery. Hence, unlike most traditional multi-species recovery plans, management actions have not been devised for individual species, but rather across species. Management actions have been derived from a series of species-based analyses (e.g. relating to threats, knowledge gaps and impediments to recovery).

This plan has been prepared aiming to comply with the revised guidelines for preparing a recovery plan for adoption under the EPBC Act.¹⁹

This plan is aligned with relevant State and regional planning documents, including:

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  No Species Loss, A Nature Conservation Strategy for South Australia 2007-2017¹⁰
  
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  Natural Resources Management Plan for the AMLR Region¹
  
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  Draft Biodiversity Strategy for Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges¹³, and
  
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  Other threatened species and ecological community recovery plans.
  

This plan is divided into three parts:

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  The main body of the plan, which includes the background to the plan and the region, a summary of the planning methodology, summarised results of the prioritisation and threat analysis processes, proposed management objectives and actions.
  
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  The appendices to the plan (contained on the accompanying CD) are divided into two parts. Appendices Part A includes supplementary information, detailed analyses results and planning methodology. Appendices Part B includes profiles (with information, map and photo) for each of the 203 species in the plan for users requiring more specific information.