National Recovery Plan for the Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia ecological community

Recovery Plan for Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia, 2012

National Recovery Plan for the

Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia ecological community,

2012

This plan was prepared and published by the South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources as part of the Grassy Ecosystems Recovery Project.

© Government of South Australia, Department of Environment and Natural Resources

This plan is intended for public use. The Government of South Australia and Department of Environment 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 978-1-921800-01-6

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 Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia ecological community 2012. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, South Australia.

Copies of this plan are available at:

www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery.html

Enquiries:

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Policy Directorate

GPO Box 1047

Adelaide SA 5001

Cover photograph: Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland at Mokota Conservation Park, November 2007 (photograph by Jean Turner)

Acknowledgments

Many individuals, stakeholder groups and organisations have contributed to the 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), Vicki-Jo Russell (formerly Conservation Council of SA and Threatened Species Network SA), Jo Spencer (Greening Australia SA), Sarah Lance (SA Murray Darling Basin NRM Board), Ann Prescott (Botanical Consultant; and formerly Department for Environment Heritage), Meg Robertson (Botanical Consultant; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources), and Angela Duffy, Peter Copley, Randall Johnson, Greg Guerin and Wendy Stubbs (all Department of Environment and Natural Resources).
Sonia Croft, Meg Robertson, Roman Urban and Steve Triplett (all Department of Environment and Natural Resources), who provided mapping and GIS support.
The following individuals who provided valuable comments on the draft plan: Ellen Bennett and Bob Myers (both Native Grass Resources Group), Alex Coombe (Trees for Life), Mick Durant (Greening Australia SA), Andrew Philpott (Light Regional Council), Andrew West (Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board), Michael Wurst and Mary-Anne Young (both Rural Solutions SA), Nick Neagle (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), Kyle Flannery (Airservices Australia); 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 and Natural Resources replaced the Department for Environment and Heritage on 1 July 2010.

Contents

Acknowledgments i

Abbreviations v

Glossary vi

Summary viii

Part A Introduction 1

Affected Interests 2

Role and Interests of Aboriginal People 2

Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts 3

Benefits to Species and other Ecological Communities 4

International Obligations 5

Part B Description and Status of the Ecological Community 6

Definition of the Listed Community 6

Condition Classes and Assessment 9

Distribution of the Ecological Community 10

Current Distribution 10

Past Distribution 12

Historical Factors Influencing Current Distribution 13

Structure and Species Composition 13

Characteristic Flora 14

Fauna 14

Threatened Flora 14

Threatened Fauna 14

Regionally Threatened Species 14

Other Communities Resembling the Listed Ecological Community 14

Derived Grasslands 14

Other Ecological Communities 15

Part C Conservation Status, Protection, and Recovery Opportunities 17

Protected Areas 18

Conservation Parks 18

Heritage Agreements 18

Recovery Opportunities 19

Habitat Critical to Survival 19

Part D Land Use History and Management 20

Current Land Use and Management 20

Best Practice Management 21

Recovery Action to Date 22

Environmental Stewardship Program 23

Part E Known and Potential Threats 24

Key Areas Affected by Threats 25

Part F Planning for Recovery 31

Recovery Objectives 31

Recovery Strategies 31

Evaluation 40

Part G Communication and Participation 41

References 43

Personal Communications 46

List of Tables

Table 1: Condition Classes defined under the EPBC Act listing for Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia. 10

Table 2: Estimated areas of Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland under different land tenure and protection. 13

Table 3: Threatened species occurring in, or associated with, Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia. 18

Table 4: Summary of threatening processes, associated issues and activities, risk to the ecological community and priority recovery actions to address issues and risks. 29

Table 5: Recovery actions and performance criteria to meet the recovery plan objectives. 35

Table 6: Estimated costs of implementing the recovery plan over 10 years. 41

Table 7: Current and potential stakeholders in the management and recovery of Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia. 45

List of Figures

Figure 1: Areas where Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia may occur. 8

Figure 2: Lomandra multiflora subsp. dura Tussock Grassland, Mokota Conservation Park, November 2003. 9

Figure 3: Lomandra effusa Tussock Grassland, eastern Mount Lofty Ranges near Cambrai, August 2008. 9

Appendices

Appendix 1: South Australian Government legislation relevant to the conservation, protection and management of Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia 51

Appendix 2: Principles under Schedule 1 of the Native Vegetation Act 1991 that protect Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland remnants in South Australia 53

Appendix 3: State and Regional Plans relevant to the recovery of the Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia ecological community 54

Appendix 4: Locations of Condition Class reference sites for Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland on public land 56

Appendix 5: Grassland structure and floristic composition of Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland 57

Appendix 6: Native plant species commonly recorded in the Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia ecological community 60

Appendix 7: Native fauna of Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia 63

Appendix 8: Weed species affecting the Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia ecological community 66