A 100-year Biodiversity Strategy for Western Australia€¦ · Submissions should be emailed or posted to the following addresses by 2 March 2007: [email protected] DRAFT

Draft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

Phase One: Blueprint to theBicentenary in 2029

A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

DRAFT


A 100-year Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Western Australia: Blueprint to the Bicentenary in 2029 (Draft) has

been prepared by the WA Department of Environment and Conservation.

For bibliographic purposes this document should be cited as:

Department of Environment and Conservation (2006). Draft – A 100-year Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for

Western Australia: Blueprint to the Bicentenary in 2029, Government of Western Australia.

This draft strategy is available at: http://www.naturebase.net/haveyoursay and on request from the Department

of Environment and Conservation at 17 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington Ph 08 9334 0333.

Submissions should be emailed or posted to the following addresses by 2 March 2007:

[email protected]

DRAFT BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR WA

Department of Environment and Conservation

Locked Bag 104

Bentley Delivery Centre

BENTLEY WA 6983

Front cover main photo: Montebellos Marine Park and Montebellos Conservation Park off the Pilbara coast

comprise about 180 islands, islets and rocks. The surrounding waters are rich in tropical flora and fauna, with a

high diversity of invertebrates, coral and seagrass communities. Photo – Col Roberts/Lochman Transparencies

Insets, from top:

Children learn about mammal trapping to monitor population numbers at Perth Hills National Parks Centre.

Photo – DEC

Marl or western-barred bandicoot (Perameles bougainville). Once widespread across arid southern Australia, the

marl is now extinct on the mainland and found only on Bernier and Dorre Islands, Shark Bay. Photo – DEC

Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) in an Amphibolus seagrass meadow, Jurien Bay Marine Park. Twenty-seven

species of seagrasses are known to occur in WA waters, providing a level of species richness unequalled anywhere

in the world. Photo – Mick Eidam

Mouse ears (Calothamnus rupestris) belongs to a genus of about 40 plant species endemic to WA, mainly found

in the south-west. The south-west of WA is Australia’s only international biodiversity hotspot, known for its

high vascular flora richness and endemism as well as the high level of threats. Photo – Keith Claymore

Back cover photo: Tropical savanna with scattered boab and rainforest trees, Walcott Inlet, Kimberley. The boab

(Adamsonia gregorii) is unique to north-western Australia and WA in particular. The north Kimberley is one of

eight national terrestrial biodiversity hotspots that occur in WA. Photo – Keith Claymore

iDraft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

ForewordWestern Australia’s biodiversity is rich and diverse; much of it is unique to the State, and isrecognised as nationally and internationally significant. It is undoubtedly the State’s greatestasset, underpinning many of our industries such as nature-based tourism, flora harvesting,forestry, pastoralism and fishing as well as being fundamental to our health and well-being.However, we have profoundly impacted upon this irreplaceable natural heritage, withsignificant depletion occurring over the past 150 years. It is incumbent upon all Western

Australians to play their part in ensuring that future generations enjoy the same benefits from biodiversity that thisgeneration enjoys. This draft 100-year Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Western Australia recognises theneed to act now to prevent further biodiversity decline and accelerate our recovery efforts.

It provides a framework to guide action for biodiversity conservation in Western Australia for the next 100 years.This timeframe recognises that we have taken more than 100 years to diminish our biodiversity and that it willtake a similar period to recover from these impacts. The interim target is to achieve considerable recovery ahead ofthe bicentenary of the founding of the Swan River Colony in 2029. A central theme of the draft strategy is to raisepublic awareness of, and involvement in, biodiversity issues and reconnect people with nature. It emphasises theneed to improve our scientific knowledge and better link it to decision-making for biodiversity management. Italso promotes direct and urgent conservation action.

As a State with a tremendous wealth of natural resources, we owe future generations the chance to live in anenvironment where biodiversity is conserved and flourishes. We have a chance to make the investments necessaryto not just conserve the biodiversity we have now, but to rebuild it and recover from past mistakes. Our vision isthat within 100 years, biodiversity will be secure statewide. We know that efforts taken now to protect, conserveand recover biodiversity are worthwhile and will save future generations from much greater costs of restoringcommunities and recovering species that could otherwise be closer to extinction. While we can be proud of pastand current biodiversity conservation efforts, we must do more. We have started to slow the loss of species but thisstrategy proposes and challenges us to reduce our threatened species lists significantly and to remove at least 20species from these lists over the next 22 years through successful recovery action.

We can also complete the process of establishing a representative and comprehensive conservation reserve systemfor all Western Australians and visitors to the State to enjoy. The draft strategy puts forward bold targets to addresssome of the State’s major threats to biodiversity, such as Phytophthora dieback, salinity, altered fire regimes, invasiveanimals, environmental weeds and climate change.

I believe the final strategy will put Western Australia at the forefront of Australian and international biodiversityconservation. We can achieve the targets if we work together. In combination with regional strategies and broadcommunity involvement, this strategy provides a challenging, but practical blueprint. I invite you to take theopportunity to comment on, and contribute to, the development of A 100-year Biodiversity Conservation Strategyfor Western Australia: Blueprint to the Bicentenary in 2029.

Mark McGowan MLAMinister for the Environment

ii Draft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

iiiDraft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

Top 10 deliverables by 2029:

1. Completion of the terrestrial and marine conservation reserve system to meet the requirements ofcomprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness, including coverage of at least 15 per cent of WA’s landarea, as well as a network of sanctuary zones in marine parks and reserves that are representative of the full rangeof habitats, and management of the reserve system to best practice standards.

2. Integration of conservation with other land and resource uses across landscapes and seascapes, includingthrough the use of market-based instruments, and voluntary conservation agreements in at least five millionhectares of privately managed lands.

3. Improvement in the conservation status of at least 100 threatened species through recovery action, including20 species fully recovered and removed from the State’s threatened species lists:

4. Effective control of invasive animals in priority areas for biodiversity conservation, including three-foldexpansion of the Western Shield feral predator (fox and cat) control and fauna recovery program to more than10 million hectares, and targeted action against other invasive animals including camels, goats, pigs, cane toadsand starlings.

5. Containment of WA’s top 30 environmental weeds, including rubbervine, athel pine, prickly acacia and datepalm and elimination of at least 10 ‘sleeper’ weed species, in tandem with the prevention of new weeds beingestablished.

6. Attack on Phytophthora dieback in major infections threatening key biodiversity assets and containment of itsextent, especially in Fitzgerald River and Stirling Range National Parks and in priority threatened florapopulations and threatened ecological communities.

7. Effective management of other processes threatening the State’s biodiversity, including salinity, altered fireregimes, eutrophication, native vegetation clearing and pollution.

8. Substantial improvement in knowledge of the State’s biodiversity, including completion of a statewide programof systematic terrestrial and marine biological surveys, and completion of taxonomic description of a further500 species of the State’s flowering plants (or about one-third of the plant species estimated to still remainundescribed).

9. Incorporation of consideration of the impacts of climate change on biodiversity in all planning and actionsinvolving land uses and natural resource management.

10. Whole-of-community involvement in biodiversity conservation, through awareness and active engagement,including Indigenous people, youth, land managers, private enterprise, community groups, local government,and people from urban, regional and rural areas.

Summary

Animals• Chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii)• Western barred bandicoot (Perameles

bougainville)• Boodie (Bettongia lesueur lesueur)• Black-flanked rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis)• Orange-bellied frog (Geocrinia vitellina)• Cape Leeuwin freshwater snail

(Austroassiminea letha)• Bilby (Macrotis lagostis)• Shark Bay mouse (Pseudomys fieldi)• Heath mouse (Pseudomys shortridgei)• Western bristlebird (Dasyornis longirostris)

Plants• Piawaning clawflower (Calothamnus accedens)• Dwarf hammer orchid (Drakaea micrantha)• Dwarf rock wattle (Acacia pygmaea)• Christine’s spider orchid (Calendenia

christineae)• Beard’s mallee (Eucalyptus beardiana)• Victoria desert smokebush (Conospermum

toddii)• Small-petalled beyeria (Beyeria lepidopetala)• Mt Augustus foxglove (Pityrodia augustensis)• Narrogin pea (Pultenaea pauciflora)• Saltmat (Roycea pycnophylloides)

iv Draft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

A 100-year Biodiversity Conservation Strategy forWestern Australia (Draft) has been prepared inresponse not only to the problem of continuingdecline in indigenous biodiversity, but also theopportunity we still have to protect and restorebiodiversity in the State. The health and well-beingof all Western Australians and future generations, andthe State’s economy, is dependent on our ability toreverse this decline and maintain biodiversity values.

The most important general causes of biodiversityloss in WA are:

• habitat loss and modification associated withland and natural resource uses and practices;

• biophysical consequences of introduced species(plants, animals and pathogens); and

• effects of human-induced climate change.

The overall goal of the strategy is to recover andconserve WA’s biodiversity within 100 years. This willrequire focusing on those species and ecosystems thatare known to be under significant pressure from arange of factors and on the brink of extinction, whileat the same time preventing decline of biodiversity inecosystems and landscapes that are ecologically intactand in relatively good condition. The goal up to theyear 2029 is to significantly slow then halt decline ofindigenous biodiversity by addressing key threateningprocesses, improving public empathy and support forWA’s natural heritage and ensuring biodiversity valuesare conserved through protection and management ofland and waters. This will be achieved by strengtheningkey initiatives where biodiversity conservation is theprimary goal, and making biodiversity conservation anintegral part of the business of Government, industryand the private sector.

This strategy provides an overarching set of goals andtargets applying at the whole-of-State level. Currentand future regional strategies will be important inrefocussing at the closer regional scale.

This strategy will also require initiatives that reachacross generations and communities, and thatimprove knowledge and technical capacity to predictchanges and determine trends in biodiversity. Thiswill aid decision-makers at all levels and bring abouteffective on-ground changes that will improve theconservation status of indigenous taxa and ecologicalcommunities and condition of ecosystems.

OVERVIEW OF KEYSTRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

Eight key strategic directions provide an overarchingframework for 138 lower order primary actions tomeet the strategy’s goal and vision:

Key Strategic Direction 1:

Build biodiversity knowledge andimprove information management

(We need to know what biodiversity we have and whatit requires to survive, to ensure its conservation.)

Objectives:

To maximise scientific research and improveknowledge of biodiversity and ecological processes.

To improve scientific knowledge of the compositionand patterns of biodiversity and trends in biodiversity.

To better integrate research with managementrequirements, predict the consequences of keythreatening processes and better account for thevalues of biodiversity.

To allow for comparative biological studies of livingorganisms and better organise biotic collections.

To improve biodiversity data collections and transferof knowledge by ensuring the best available data andinformation are available to decision-makers andmanagers.

2029 key desired outcomes:

• Critical gaps in scientific knowledge of biodiversityand related ecological processes addressed.

• Better dissemination of scientific informationand uptake of knowledge by decision-makers atall levels.

• Improved policy relating to biodiversity andbiodiversity conservation management.

• Improved tools for biodiversity planning andmanagement at a range of scales.

vDraft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia


Promote awareness andunderstanding of biodiversity andrelated conservation issues

(We need everyone in the community to be aware ofbiodiversity conservation requirements to help ensurethe success of our conservation programs.)

Objective:

To increase Western Australians’ appreciation ofbiodiversity and understanding of the requirementsfor biodiversity conservation.


• Increased public knowledge and appreciation ofthe values and benefits of biodiversity.

• Increased proportion of State public funding forkey biodiversity conservation programs andinitiatives.

• A community that embraces biodiversity.


Engage and encourage people inbiodiversity conservationmanagement

(The more people involved in biodiversity conservationprograms, the easier it will be to meet our goals.)

Objective:

To get more people involved in biodiversityconservation and to encourage maintenance andrecovery of biodiversity values.


• People take greater responsibility for biodiversityconservation and stewardship of biodiversity isimproved.

• 500,000 people are involved in voluntarybiodiversity conservation activities in WA.

• Five million hectares of privately managed landunder voluntary nature conservation agreementsand delivering key biodiversity conservationoutcomes.

• Improved Western Australians’ health and well-

being as a direct consequence of experiencing thebenefits and opportunities from biodiversityconservation.


Improve biodiversity conservationrequirements in natural resourceuse sectors

(We need to ensure that all industry sectors take dueaccount of the importance of biodiversity conservation.)

Objective:

To ensure special recognition is given to biodiversityconservation in ecologically sustainable developmentof natural resources.


• Resource and land use practices make sufficientprovisions for the protection and management ofbiodiversity, and minimise impacts onbiodiversity by adhering to appropriate codes ofpractice and guidelines.


Enhance effective institutionalmechanisms and improveintegration and coordination ofbiodiversity conservation

(The importance of biodiversity conservation needs to berecognised across all sectors of government, as well asmajor community-based groups including naturalresource management groups and all of these sectors needto work together to achieve biodiversity conservation.)

Objectives:

To improve institutional mechanisms for biodiversityconservation and reduce social and institutionalimpediments.

To better integrate and coordinate biodiversityconservation matters in policy, legislation andinitiatives, and increase relevance to Government.

To maximise biodiversity conservation in thedevelopment of natural resources.


• Biodiversity conservation is regarded asfundamental in decision-making, planning,management and policy development.

• Biodiversity conservation is better coordinatedand targeted to achieve on-ground outcomes,including through a Biodiversity ConservationAct, regional natural resource managementstrategies, local government biodiversity plans,State biodiversity strategy for climate change,and regional and local planning schemes.

• The status of species and ecological communitieson local government and State agency lands andin State waters is improved as well as thecondition of landscapes and ecosystems.


Establish and manage the formalconservation reserve system

(The formal conservation reserve system is the backboneof all biodiversity conservation initiatives. We need toensure appropriate areas are permanently conserved sothat the combined value of the reserves and additionalefforts on other lands is maintained.)

Objectives:

To consolidate and complete a formal terrestrial andmarine conservation reserve system that meets the

criteria of representativeness, adequacy andcomprehensiveness, and contributes towardsecosystem resilience and continental scaleconnectivity.

To improve conservation reserve system design,including testing biodiversity surrogates andproviding analytical tools.

To ensure the effective management of the conservationreserve system to maintain biodiversity values.


• A system of terrestrial conservation reserveswhere the full range of ecosystems arerepresented and afforded the highest level ofstatutory protection in perpetuity, and managedto meet International Union for the

Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN) Protected Area Management CategoriesI, II or IV and covering at least 15 per cent ofthe State’s land area.

• A system of marine conservation reserves in allInterim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation forAustralia (IMCRA) bioregions in State waters,within which the full range of representativehabitat is afforded the highest level of statutoryprotection and managed as sanctuary zones tomeet IUCN Management Categories I or II andcomplemented by other management zones thatmeet IUCN Management Categories IV or VI.

• A terrestrial and marine conservation reservesystem that forms the basis for continental scaleecological linkages and contributes towardsecosystem resilience, and which is complementedby a network of Indigenous and privateprotected areas where in perpetuity statutoryprotection and biodiversity conservation is theprimary goal.

• Biodiversity condition targets under a Statemonitoring and evaluation program are achievedfor the terrestrial and marine conservationreserve system.


Recover threatened species andecological communities andmanage other significantspecies/ecological communitiesand ecosystems

(We need to prevent species becoming extinct to meet thebasic requirements of biodiversity conservation.)

Objectives:

To recover threatened species and ecologicalcommunities, and resolve the conservation status ofpriority taxa and ecological communities.

To maintain the conservation status of significantspecies, such as migratory birds, and improve thecondition of special ecosystems, including Ramsarand nationally significant wetlands, and tuart andwandoo woodlands.

vi Draft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

2029 key desired outcomes

• Improvement in the conservation status of atleast 100 threatened species through recoveryaction, including 20 species fully recovered andremoved from the State’s threatened species lists.

• Status of 50 per cent of priority taxa andecological communities conservation is resolved.

• Twenty ecological communities improved inconservation status because of conservation action.

• No species or ecological community becomesextinct where conservation action is beingundertaken.

• All Ramsar wetlands are protected and improvedin condition.

• Tuart and wandoo woodlands are betterprotected and improve in condition.


Conserve landscapes/seascapesfor biodiversity (integrating on- and off-reserve conservation andmanaging system-wide threats)

(While small, isolated conservation initiatives can bevaluable, the most secure, effective and efficient means toprovide for biodiversity conservation is throughlandscape and seascape scale programs. These provide forthe contribution of the wide variety of ecological processeswhich support biodiversity.)

Objectives:

To conserve biodiversity values and better focusmanagement at a landscape/seascape scale (i.e.hundreds to thousands of hectares).

To lessen or address the effects of system-widebiophysical threats and pressures on biodiversity.

To bring about a fire regime that will maintain andrecover biodiversity.


• Better targeting of biodiversity conservationeffort at a scale that manages and recoverslandscapes/seascapes and ecosystems of highbiodiversity value and maintain ecologicalprocesses and the natural resources they dependon.

• Continental scale ecological linkages in place forthe south-west to assist in reduction of theeffects of human-induced climate change andbiodiversity decline.

• Key invasive animals affecting biodiversity in therangelands to be reduced in extent by 10-30 percent. This includes feral and unmanaged goat,feral camel, feral cat, feral pig and the Europeanfox. Biodiversity should show an improvementin condition and status.

• A 90 per cent reduction in European starlingpopulations and a reduction in the impacts onbiodiversity values.

• The top 30 environmental weeds are contained.

• Ten ‘sleeper’ weeds are eradicated.

• Biodiversity decline is halted in 25 naturaldiversity recovery catchments in the agriculturalzone of the south-west of the State.

• Containment in the extent of Phytophthoradieback in the south-west of the State.

• Priority marine pests are controlled.

• Appropriate fire management regimes in placefor the north Kimberley, Karijini-Fortescue,Goldfields, arid-zone hummock grasslands,south-west forests and kwongan heathlands.

viiDraft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia


ixDraft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

3

12

36

Foreword i

Summary iii

1. Introduction – Biodiversity matters 1

1.1 What is biodiversity? 1

1.2 What does biodiversity do? 2

1.3 Where is biodiversity found? 2

1.4 What is the state of biodiversity in WA? 6

1.5 What are the causes of biodiversity loss in WA? 8

1.6 What has been achieved so far? 14

1.7 Why does WA need a strategy? 19

1.8 What is the strategy trying to achieve? 20

1.9 What does the strategy cover and who is it aimed at? 20

2. Vision for WA – What will be different in 2029, and in 100 years? 23

3. Principles to guide implementation 25

4. Areas of focus for action – A holistic approach 274.1 Improving our knowledge and achieving better information

management 27

Key Strategic Direction 1: Build biodiversity knowledge and improve information management 28

4.2 Raising public awareness and understanding of biodiversity and getting people involved in biodiversity conservation 32

Key Strategic Direction 2: Promote awareness and understanding of biodiversity and related conservation issues 32

Key Strategic Direction 3: Engage and encourage people inbiodiversity conservation management 34

4.3 Integrating biodiversity conservation into natural resource use and enhancing institutional mechanisms 37

Key Strategic Direction 4: Improve biodiversity conservation requirements in natural resource use sectors 37

Key Strategic Direction 5: Enhance effective institutionalmechanisms and improve integration and coordination ofbiodiversity conservation 41

4.4 Direct management for biodiversity 45

Key Strategic Direction 6: Establish and manage the formal conservation reserve system 45

Contents

Top: The marl (western barredbandicoot Perameles bougainville).Photo – DEC

Centre: Dugongs. Photo – DougPerrine/DEC

Bottom: Loggerhead turtlehatchlings. Photo – Babs and Bert Wells/DEC

x Draft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

Key Strategic Direction 7: Recover threatened species and ecological communities and manage other significant species/ecological communities and ecosystems 51

Key Strategic Direction 8: Conserve landscapes/seascapes for biodiversity (integrating on and off-reserve conservation and managing system-wide threats) 56

5. Reviewing progress of the strategy 63

REFERENCES 65

GLOSSARY 71

ACRONYMS 77

xiDraft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

AppendicesAppendix 1 Summary of WA taxa and level of endemism 83

Appendix 2 International and national biodiversity hotspots in WA 85

Appendix 3 Policy context for WA’s biodiversity conservation strategy 86

FiguresFigure 1 A conceptual representation of past and projected rate

of biodiversity loss in WA and expected impact of implementing the State biodiversity conservation strategy 21

TablesTable 1 Summary of status of taxa and ecological communities,

and impacts on ecosystems in Western Australia 6

Table 2 Causes of biodiversity loss in Western Australia 9

BoxesBox 1 Fauna conservation significance of offshore islands 3

Box 2 Genetic and species variability within triggerplants 5

Box 3 Seagrass meadows 12

Box 4 Environmental weed or improved pasture? 13

Box 5 Off-reserve conservation mechanisms: financial incentives to private landholders 18

Box 6 Ningaloo Community Turtle Monitoring Program 36

Box 7 WA’s conservation reserve system 50

Box 8 Gilbert’s potoroo – Australia’s most threatened mammal 55

Box 9 Altered fire regimes 61

Karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) forest in WarrenNational Park. Karri are the tallest trees in theState, and among the tallest of all eucalypt species.These majestic plants grow up to 90 m tall andoccur in the wettest parts of the south-west. Photo – Chris Garnett/DEC

Western Australia (WA) has some of the richest andmost unusual biodiversity on Earth, much of whichoccurs nowhere else and is recognised as beingsignificant at both national and global scales.However, it has been profoundly affected by humanactivities during the past 150 years. This is of concernbecause it is this biodiversity that will underpin ourwell-being and survival, as well as providing the basisof the State’s primary production and nature-basedindustries.

Current trends and projections indicate an inexorabledecline in terrestrial biodiversity over the next fewdecades, with an accelerated rate of loss in theimmediate to near future, especially for the south-west of the State. This will lead to deterioration inecosystem services and will have an insidious impacton the health and well-being of all WesternAustralians, reducing opportunities and benefits frombiodiversity for future generations, and affecting theState’s ability to cope with climate change.

An unprecedented effort will be required to slow therate of biodiversity decline initially, then reverse thetrend. Because the full ecological impacts of threatsare usually delayed or go undetected and institutionscannot respond quickly enough in many instances, itmay take decades to bring about this turnaround.However, a consolidated effort and an increase inaction now will reap major returns and maintainopportunities for future generations.

WA has a real opportunity to protect and restore itsbiodiversity, compared to other Australianjurisdictions or nations where impacts have beensignificantly greater or where there are fewer resourcesavailable for conservation. However, this advantagewill diminish as species become extinct and ecologicalcommunities are destroyed. Expansion of biodiversityconservation initiatives, sustained investment, bettertargeting of effort, greater cooperation among allstakeholders and willingness to effectively deal withboth direct and indirect causes of biodiversity loss ina comprehensive manner will be needed during thenext 100 years. A whole-of-community approachwill be needed to address this issue.

This strategy focuses on Phase One: Blueprint to theBicentenary in 2029 — the framework for addressing thecomplex challenge facing WA in reversing the decline inbiodiversity, while at the same time maintainingbiodiversity in intact landscapes and seascapes. It willstrengthen and build on initiatives where biodiversityconservation is the primary goal, promote theintegration of biodiversity conservation into mainstreambusiness across government, industry and communitysectors, and accumulate scientific knowledge needed tounderpin management and decision-making.

1.1 What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity (or biological diversity) embodies thetotality of life; that is the variability within andamong genes, species and ecosystems. It coversmarine, terrestrial, subterranean and aquatic life andimplies a highly complex system of interacting livingentities that occur over a range of temporal andgeographic (from local to global) scales.

The values of biodiversity go beyond species richnessand recognition of individual components, such ascharismatic animals or plants. It is important to takea broad approach and recognise the multipledimensions of biodiversity and the complexity thatresults from the various interactions within andbetween genes, species and ecosystems at differentgeographical scales and over time.

1. Introduction –Biodiversity matters

1Draft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia

Opposite: Balga or grass tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii) in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata)dominated woodland with parrot bush (Dryandra sessilis). Balga are ancient plants;their lineage can be traced to the time of the super-continent, Gondwana. Individualplants can survive for centuries. Photo – Keith Claymore

Butterfly feeding on silky grevillea (Grevillea pteridifolia). Theflowers contain abundant nectar and are an important foodsource for birds and animals. Photo – Keith Claymore

1.2 What does biodiversity do?

Biodiversity provides the life support systems thatenable all organisms on Earth to survive, includinghumans. It underpins economic and socialsustainability by providing resources such as clean air,water and fertile soils. It helps regulate climate andtemperature and mitigates the effects of pests, disease,pollution and floods. It provides a stream of productssuch as timber, fuel, clothes, food, and medicines.Other benefits include recreation, aesthetic, scientific,education and spiritual values and a sense of place. In addition to the direct and indirect utilitarian valuesthat benefit humans, biodiversity is important in itsown right and we have a moral and ethicalresponsibility to ensure that all indigenous species andthe full range of ecosystems have a right to exist.Biodiversity is also likely to have values that areunknown to us today but will present options forfuture Western Australians, and these opportunitiesmust be protected through the use of precautionaryapproaches to minimise impacts from today’s activities.

Taken in its entirety, that is the combined diversity ofgenes, species and ecosystems, biodiversity fosters aresilience that provides the ability for ecosystems andspecies to cope with change and fluctuations indisturbances, either natural or human induced. Italso allows for evolutionary processes to occur,including speciation brought about from geneticvariation and ecological adaptation. Hence, thenotion of biodiversity is greater than the sum of itsparts, and the range of services and benefits that flowfrom it are greatly enhanced by this intactness.

Loss of biodiversity diminishes the ability of ecosystemsand species to cope with environmental and climaticvariations, reducing stability and resilience. Thispotentially compounds any socioeconomic andbiophysical impacts or flow-on effects from loss ofecosystem services. Similarly, the introduction of alienorganisms to ecosystems can disrupt natural processesand result in loss, while maintaining healthy ecosystemswill enhance resistance to invasion.

Human health and well-being are inextricably linkedto biodiversity, and its ability to provide a stream of

multiple services and products. Simply put,diminishing biodiversity will ultimately result in ageneral decline in the quality of life and well-being forcurrent and future generations, resulting in impactson economic markets and social cohesion.

1.3 Where is biodiversity found?

Biodiversity is everywhere: life can be found in water,soil, air and in habitats that make up all environments.However, of particular importance are naturalecosystems and habitats that contain higher levels ofindigenous biodiversity than in modified areas wherenative habitat has been removed, modified, degraded,or replaced with exotic species. All land and seascapesin WA have some level of biodiversity value. However,relative importance varies according to biodiversitymake-up (composition, structure and richness),condition (degree of intactness, and extent and futureprojected impact of threats), and ecological rarity andendemism.

WA comprises a third of the Australian continent, orabout 250 million hectares, and is one of the mostbiodiverse jurisdictions on Earth, given its size andrange of climatic variations. WA also has 13,500kilometres of coastline, marine waters coveringaround 12.6 million hectares, and around 3500islands, some of which retain fauna that onceoccurred on mainland Australia such as the marl(western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville), themernine (banded hare-wallaby Lagostrophus fasciatusfasciatus) and the boodie (burrowing bettongBettongia lesueur lesueur). Parts of the far north of theState comprise some of the last remaining ecosystemson mainland Australia that are ecologically intact andcontain the full assemblage of fauna and flora foundprior to European settlement.

Because of climatic and geological variations, there isa wide range of terrestrial ecosystems found in WAextending from the tropics in the north to warmtemperate southern latitudes and the arid interior.This range includes rainforest patches and mangroveforests in the north of the State, extensive openeucalypt-dominated savannah woodlands, spinifexgrasslands, and Acacia shrublands in the semi-arid

2 Draft — A 100-year Biodiversity ConservationStrategy for Western Australia


Box 1: Fauna conservation significance of offshore islands

WA has around 3500 offshore islands, with most containing high biodiversity values, including rare orrestricted vegetation types and fauna. Some larger islands, such as Barrow, Bernier and Dorre, haveassemblages of mammals that are now threatened or extinct on the mainland. Exotic species such as foxes,feral cats and domesticated animals remain absent from these islands and exotic rats have either beeneradicated or have always been absent.

Once widespread across arid southern Australia, the marl (western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville) isnow extinct on the mainland and can only be found in the wild on WA's Bernier and Dorre Islands, about60 kilometres west of Carnarvon. It is listed as endangered with less than 3000 individuals remaining in thewild. Bernier and Dorre Islands also hold the last wild populations of the mernine (banded hare-wallabyLagostrophus fasciatus fasciatus), the mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus bernieri) and the boodie (burrowing bettongBettongia lesueur lesueur).

In some instances, due to size and difficulty of access, islands can offer suitable habitat for the translocationof threatened taxa1 to enhance mainland biodiversity recovery initiatives. Within an integrated recovery planapproach, this may increase populations of threatened species facing extinction on the mainland and providethem with an expanded range.

In recent years, there have been introductions of mala to Trimouille Island in the Montebello Islands, dibblers(Parantechinus apicalis) to Escape Island off Jurien Bay, Shark Bay mouse (Pseudomys fieldi) to Doole Island inthe Exmouth Gulf and North West Island in the Montebello Islands, and the noisy scrub-bird (Atrichornisclamosus) and Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) to Bald Island off the south coast near Albany.

The marl has a high reproductive rate, which makes it an excellent candidate for reintroduction to the mainland. The gestation periodof the marl is 12.5 days, one of the shortest gestation periods recorded for mammals. Photo – DEC

1 The term “taxa” is used throughout this document to include species and sub-specific groups such as subspecies and varieties. This isparticularly important as it allows for the recognition of genetic lineages within species, and lists of threatened species often includesubspecies.

and arid interior, heathlands and low Eucalyptus-Banksia woodlands along the western and southerncoastline giving way to tall eucalypt forest andwoodlands in the warm temperate and Mediterraneantype climate of the south-west interior and montaneheathlands on the south coast.

Wetlands in WA support a rich natural heritage ofplant and animal life. Wetland systems include tidalmangroves, sand and mudflats, coastal lakes,subterranean aquatic systems, swamps and marshes.There are 120 nationally important wetlands andwetland systems in WA, and 12 wetlands listed underthe Convention on Wetlands, also known as Ramsarsites, covering approximately 500,000 hectares.Among their many biodiversity values, these areas areimportant habitat and breeding grounds formigratory birds. Further, within WA there are about208 major waterways, with a combined length ofmore than 25,000 kilometres, and 171 estuaries(Water and Rivers Commission, 2000). Forty-eighthave been identified as ‘wild rivers’ due to their‘pristine’, ‘near pristine’ and ‘relatively natural’ state(Department of Water, 2006).

At the species level, there are about 39,000 formallydescribed taxa for WA, but it is estimated there areover 285,000, excluding bacteria, viruses andprotozoa (see Appendix 1). The south-west of theState is one of 34 global biodiversity hotspots,recognised for its endemic vascular plant richness thatis under severe threat, and is the only region inAustralia accorded this status. It is estimated that ofAustralia’s plant species, 32 per cent are found in thesouth-west of the State, of which approximately 79per cent are endemic. In addition, WA contains eightof the 15 national terrestrial biodiversity hotspots (seeAppendix 2).

WA also has an exceptionally rich marine biodiversity,as a result of the large latitudinal range (tropical totemperate) and because of the unusual oceanographicconditions occurring along the coast of WA. Aunique feature of the coastal waters of WA is theLeeuwin Current, which flows down the westerncoastline and crosses the southern coastline into theGreat Australian Bight. The Leeuwin Current has amajor influence on the biogeography of the State’s

marine flora and fauna, bringing warm waters downthe coast, and is responsible for the occurrence oftropical species at latitudes where they are nottypically found, such as the corals reefs off theAbrolhos Islands and corals and tropical fish found inthe waters around Rottnest Island off Perth.

The cool, temperate coastal waters off the south andwest coast are micro-tidal (<2m tidal range), exposed tohigh wave energy and are generally nutrient-poor. As aresult of the clear water conditions, seagrass and macro-algae meadows, and coral reefs characterise the coastalwaters of this part of WA. By contrast the warm,tropical inshore waters along the north-west andnorthern coasts are macro-tidal (2 to >10m tidal range),exposed to low wave energy (except during cyclones)and contain higher suspended sediment loads. Theturbid inshore tropical waters are characterised bymangroves and mudflats with extensive coral reefsoccurring in the clearer, offshore waters.

This marine biogeographical setting has produced awide variety of ecosystems with many unique featuresincluding: tropical reefs off the Kimberley coastlineand at the Rowley Shoals about 200 kilometres west ofBroome; extensive tropical and arid-zone mangrovecommunities along the Kimberley and Pilbaracoastline; a 300-kilometre fringing coral reef (NingalooReef ); an inverse-estuarine, hypersaline ecosystemmaintained by 4000 square kilometres of seagrassmeadows at Shark Bay; an extensive coral reef complexat the Abrolhos Islands - the largest coastal temperatelimestone reef system in Australia; nutrient-poorcoastal embayments and lagoons, protected by reefsand islands, that give rise to highly diverse and endemicseagrass flora (central and south coasts); and thenutrient-poor high-energy coast with granite reefs andhighly diverse and endemic algal communities andfaunal assemblages in the south-west and south coasts.

The unique environmental conditions off the westcoast of Australia result in the coastal marinebiodiversity of WA being ranked second highest outof 18 of the world’s marine biodiversity hotspots(based on species richness and endemism) and fourthlowest in terms of threatening processes (seeAppendix 2 for location of marine hotspot).



With more than 260 recognised taxa, the triggerplant genus Stylidium is among the richest flowering plantgenera in Australia. Triggerplants are annual or perennial herbs that derive their name from the ingenious waythey attract and use insects to exchange pollen. When an insect visits a flower, a catapult-like trigger flipsrapidly through the air and strikes the insect on its body. This trigger action either dusts the insect with pollen,or picks up pollen that the insect is already carrying.

Stylidium is most diverse in south-west WA, a region internationally recognised for its floral diversity. Whilstthey occur in most south-west ecosystems, there is a noticeable concentration of species in high rainfallhabitats. It is not uncommon to find several species sharing the same habitat.

Triggerplants display a large diversity in growth form, leaf structure and arrangement and flower structure.The genus comprises both annual and perennial herbs that grow between three centimetres and three metreshigh. They are well adapted to the south-west climate, escaping the harsh summer as soil-stored seed, or dyingback to an insulated stem stock or growth node, which lies dormant until the onset of autumn or winter rains.Stylidium flowers exhibit a remarkably diverse morphology. They are often adorned with appendages and/orstriking markings that function both to entice insects toward the throat of the flower and to correctly orientatethem for pollen transfer. The shape and size of the petals, appendages and markings is highly variable, and canbe unique to a given species.

Knowledge of Stylidium is currently insufficientfor scientific and conservation needs. Whilesome species of Stylidium are common andreasonably widespread, many are rare and/orgeographically restricted as a result of highlyspecific habitat requirements or, in many cases,habitat loss. Fifty-seven taxa are currentlyrecognised as threatened and priority taxa insouth-west WA. Extensive field survey isrequired to determine the conservation statusof many of these taxa.

There are also many unnamed species ofStylidium, several poorly defined taxa, and noidentification aid to the presently known taxa.This incomplete taxonomic knowledge is amajor impediment to effective conservation ofthis genus. Undescribed species are of specialconcern since until they are discovered andtheir conservation status determined, they arenot actively targeted in conservation programs.While recent research has prompted therecognition and description of many new WAStylidium species, further research is required toattain a better understanding of this uniqueAustralian plant group.

Box 2: Genetic and species variability within triggerplants

The flower of the white butterfly triggerplant (Stylidium hispidum).Different species of triggerplants have various shapes and lengths ofthe column, which can strike from under, over or from the side.Photo – Keith Claymore

1.4 What is the state ofbiodiversity in WA?

Quantitative scientific evidence that indicates changesto biodiversity at an ecosystem level is generally lacking.Nevertheless, it is well known that the south-west of theState has experienced extensive destruction ofecosystems from broadscale land clearing for agriculture(especially in the 1920s to 1980s), expansion of urbanareas, and development of infrastructure and use ofnatural resources. This has led to loss andfragmentation of habitats, with a range of biologicaleffects, which include the slow dismantling of ecologicalcommunities and species habitat – resulting in eventualspecies extinctions and loss of biodiversity richness(Saunders et al. 1991; Gonzalez 2000; Hobbs and Yates2003). The pastoral rangelands, which occupy about35 per cent of the State’s land area, have also beenmodified by pastoralism to varying degrees. As a resultof these impacts, decline in ecosystem (and species)diversity and function has occurred at a range ofgeographic scales, and some parts of WA have beenirreversibly damaged.

There has been widespread reduction in the extentand abundance of indigenous species across much of

the State. In some instances, species and ecologicalcommunities have become extinct. The number ofextinctions is likely to be worse than recorded becauseof the lack of baseline information and gaps inscientific knowledge. It is also likely that extinctionsmay not become apparent for several generationsbecause of the time lag effect from initial impacts ofthreatening processes, and some species may currentlybe below their minimum viable population size tosurvive over the long-term.

While the overall condition of WA’s marinebiodiversity is generally considered sound, comparedto terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity, there havebeen localised impacts in some parts of the State’scoastal waters due to industrial pollution, land-basedagricultural run-off and intensive commercial andrecreational fishing that have impacted on sometargeted species such as pink snapper (Pagrus auratus)in Shark Bay and the brood stock of dusky sharks(Carcharhinus obscurus) along the south coast (Stateof the Fisheries Report, 2004).

Table 1 provides a summary of the conservationstatus of taxa and ecological communities, andimpacts on ecosystems.


Table 1: Summary of status of taxa and ecological communities, andimpacts on ecosystems in Western Australia

Attribute CommentsSelected referencesNumber

SPECIES

Presumed extinct 11 mammals4 land snails2 birds1 bee14 plants

Threatened 582 taxaPlants: 378 (376flowering plants; 1 fernand 1 moss) Animals:204 (42 mammals, 45birds, 23 reptiles, 3frogs, 8 fish, 83invertebrates)

Wildlife Conservation (SpeciallyProtected Fauna) Notice 2006(2)

Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora) Notice 2006(2)

Notices are reviewedand updated annually

Wildlife Conservation (SpeciallyProtected Fauna) Notice 2006(2)

Wildlife Conservation (Rare Flora) Notice 2006(2)

Includes IUCNequivalent categoriesCritically Endangered,Endangered andVulnerable


Attribute CommentsSelected ReferencesNumberECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES

Presumed destroyed 3

Threatened 66

SW 2 ECOSYSTEMS

Area of SW of State 72% (10% ofcleared State land area)

Remaining area of 7%remnant vegetation in Wheatbelt

Area of Swan Coastal 80%Plain cleared of native vegetation

Proportion of wetlands 80%modified or destroyed on Swan Coastal Plain

Area in SW affected by 1 M hasalinity

Projected area of salinity 5.4 M hain SW

Area affected by 20% jarrah forestPhytophthora cinnamomi 60% Stirling Range

banksia woodlands70% banksia woodlands in Shannon and D’Entrecasteaux National Parks

Native plant species 2284 susceptible to Phytophthora cinnamomi

Threatened EcologicalCommunities list (January 2004)

Threatened EcologicalCommunities list (January 2004)

Includes IUCN equivalentcategories CriticallyEndangered, Endangeredand Vulnerable

Department of Environmentand Conservation 2006

Land cleared underenvironmental protection(clearing of nativevegetation) regulations for2004/05 was 9894 ha

McFarlane et al. 2004 Annual rate of increase is14,000 ha

Equates to around 40% ofthe total number of plantsin the south-west (5710)

McFarlane et al, 2004

WWF 2004; PhytophthoraDieback Management andInvestment Plan for WA2006-2013

Shearer et al. 2005

Beecham 2004

Beard 1995

Balla 1994

2 In this context, south-west relates to those ecosystems that comprise and are located within the South West Botanical Province.

RANGELANDS ECOSYSTEMS

Area of pastoral rangelands 38.8 M ha (46%)in good condition

Area of pastoral rangelands 25.3 M ha (30%)in fair condition

Area of pastoral rangelands 20.2 M ha (24%)in poor condition

Proportion of west 30%Kimberley in poor condition

Proportion of Murchison 42%in poor condition

MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

Area of State waters open to trawling activity

Van Vreeswyk et al. 2004





No data available

1.5 What are the causes ofbiodiversity loss in WA?

Land and natural resource use practices have left alegacy of problems that have set in train a number ofdegrading processes which continue to impact onbiodiversity. These include:

• salinisation and waterlogging of ecosystems inthe south-west of the State as a consequence ofbroadscale native vegetation removal foragriculture;

• Phytophthora dieback in the south western partsof the State;

• over-grazing of native vegetation by domesticanimals, loss of soils and altered hydrology in thepastoral rangelands;

• excessive harvesting of groundwater for industryand domestic purposes, especially in the south-west;

• pollution of waterways, for example fromnutrient loading from fertiliser overuse inagricultural and urban areas;

• over-exploitation of native plants and animals;

• altered fire regimes;

• habitat fragmentation effects in the wheatbeltand Swan Coastal Plain as a consequence ofagriculture and human settlement; and

• impacts from the introduction of invasiveanimals and environmental weeds 3.

At this same time, pressures from new developmentand land uses, with consequential incremental loss ofhabitat and ecosystem fragmentation, alteredgroundwater hydrology, and modification of riversand wetlands, pose an increasing threat to biodiversity.

The dominant pressures affecting the WA marineenvironment include:

• habitat loss due to direct physical damage causedby port and industry development;

• excessive loads of nutrients and pollutants fromindustry, domestic and agricultural sources;

• land-based activity associated with ports, mining,aquaculture and farming;

• direct physical damage caused by unsustainablerecreational and commercial boating activitiesincluding anchor and trawling damage; and

• the harvesting of marine species for commercialor recreational purposes and the introduction ofexotic species, especially from ballast water andhull-fouling.

A primary cause of biodiversity loss is a general lack ofpublic awareness and appreciation of biodiversity andits values. This disconnect with nature often results ina lack of empathy with our natural heritage, andbiodiversity not being recognised as underpinningecologically sustainable development, resulting inshort-term socioeconomic benefits outweighing long-term environmental considerations. The growingdemands of an expanding human population (oftenassociated with changes in demography) and growingglobal markets are placing additional pressures on ournatural wealth with long-lasting consequences.

Coupled with persistent biophysical threats andsocioeconomic causes is human-induced climatechange, which is projected to exacerbate biodiversityloss through increase risk of species extinctions andecosystem decline, especially among those already atrisk and limited in their climatic range.

Table 2 lists the major factors contributing to the lossof biodiversity in WA, along with associatedecological consequences. Supplementary informationrelating to status and trends in biodiversity, and majorbiodiversity conservation issues facing WA can befound in a number of publications, including: thedraft State of Environment Report 2006; BioregionalSummary of the 2002 Biodiversity Audit for WA; ABiodiversity Audit of WA’s 53 BiogeographicalSubregions in 2002, and Towards a biodiversityconservation strategy for WA (2004).


3 There are around 1350 environmental weed species recorded for WA, of which 34 species have been recognised as being of particularconcern due to their extent and invasiveness.


Table 2: Causes of biodiversity loss in WA

Factor Selectedreferences

Ecological consequences

TERRESTRIAL

Broadscale clearing ofnative vegetation

Introduced predators(including Europeanred fox and feral cat)

Introduced herbivoresand omnivores(including housemouse, Europeanrabbit, feral goat, feralpig, feral donkey, feralhorse and feral camel)

Introduced animaldiseases

Introduced plantdiseases (includingPhytophthora spp)

Introduced exoticplants (environmentalweeds)

Land contamination

Human-inducedclimate change

Removal of flora and vegetation, loss of habitat, degradationor loss of whole ecosystems, extinctions or reductions in thediversity of species, soil erosion, ecosystem fragmentation,species relaxation (refer to Glossary), displacement of nativefauna, native vegetation structural changes, decline in theability of species to colonise, propensity towards genetic‘bottlenecks’, altered hydrology, alteration of microclimate,altered nutrient cycling and loss of ecosystem resilience.

The predation of native animals leading to decline orextinction, and the carrying and spreading of harmfuldiseases.

These compete with native animals for food and habitat,destroy or degrade habitats, carry and spread harmfuldiseases, compact soils and accelerate soil erosion.

There is no opportunity for native species to evolve immuneresponses or adaptations, there is death of fauna,communities are destroyed and biodiversity is reduced.

There is no opportunity for native species to evolve immuneresponses or adaptations, there is death of flora,communities are destroyed and regrowth of many species isprevented, biodiversity is reduced and primary productivityand habitat for fauna is reduced.

There is competition with native plants for resources,habitats are modified, fire regimes change and they do notprovide adequate habitats for native fauna.

Reduced growth and reproduction in plants and animals,acute or chronic health effects and the land may becomeuninhabitable.

Changes to temperature, rainfall and extreme events occuraltering the nature and scale of existing biodiversitypressures. Changes to landscapes and ecosystem services,species extinctions, the inability of biota to disperse across a‘hostile’ landscape matrix of different land uses, thedisplacement of species and the increased growth of somenative vegetation occurs.

Hobbs and Saunders1993; Saunders et al.1991.

Abbott 2001;Kinnear et al. 1988,2002.

Dyne and Walton1987; Short et al.1997; Woolnough etal. unpublished;Burbidge andMcKenzie, 1989.

Abbott MS.

Shearer et al. 2005;Withers et al. 1994.

Groves et al. 2003;Keighery andLongman, 2004.

NationalEnvironmentalProtection(Assessment of SiteContamination)Measure 1999.

Abbott 1999;Hughes 2003;Indian OceanClimate Initiative2002.




Table 2: Causes of biodiversity loss in WA continued…

Altered fire regime

Urban developmentand infrastructure

Exploration andmining

Pastoralism (includesinfrastructuredevelopment, cattle and sheep grazing andprovision of artificialwater sources)

Tourism

This causes homogenisation of ecosystems, loss of speciesdiversity and native vegetation structural and floristicdecline.

Removal of flora and vegetation, loss of habitat, degradationor loss of whole ecosystems, extinctions or reductions in thediversity of species and soil erosion. This leads to ecosystemfragmentation including species relaxation, the displacementof native fauna, native vegetation structural changes, adecline in the ability of species to colonise, propensitytowards genetic ‘bottlenecks’, altered hydrology, analteration of microclimate, altered nutrient cycling and lossof ecosystem resilience.

Removal of native vegetation and the loss of specialisedhabitat for plant and animal species (including subterraneanfauna) occurs, as can pollution, the introduction of disease,altered hydrology and effects proportional to mine size.

A thinning of native vegetation and habitat, and a loss ofhabitat through grazing occurs. There is also ahomogenisation of ecosystems (loss of diversity andstructure and a loss of ecosystem resilience), speciesrelaxation, reduced infiltration rates and altered hydrology.

An interruption to ecological and reproductive processes canoccur as well as a contribution to issues such as species loss,habitat destruction, water availability, pollution and waste.

Burbidge 2003;Robinson & Bougher2003; Van Heurck &Abbott 2003; Yateset al. 2003; Burrows& Wardell-Johnson2003.

Abbott 1997; How& Dell 2000; Hobbsand Saunders 1993;Saunders et al. 1991.

Davies et al. 1996;Leigh and Briggs1992; Woodside andNeill 1995.

Burnside 1979;Holmes 1983;Harrington et al.1984; Pringle 1998;Select Committeeinto LandConservation 1991.

Worboys, Lockwoodand De Lacy, 2005.

TERRESTRIAL continued…




MARINE

Dredging anddumping (reclamation)

Fishing (includestrawling)

Coastal development

Poaching

Mariculture (farmingof marine plants andanimals in brackishand marine areas)

Contamination

Introduced marinepests

Human-inducedclimate change

Oil and gas industry(oil/chemicalcontamination andrelease of pollutants/on-shore and off-shoreimpacts)

This introduces soil and mud into the water column,increases the turbidity and sedimentation, smothers coraland other sea floor communities, causes the physical loss ofhabitat, and changes the distribution and condition ofnative habitats and biota in and around the affected area.

This causes the loss or modification of habitat. The removalof predator or prey animals, an unbalancing of thecommunity and the triggering of trophic cascades, reefdamage and a reduction in the overall biomass of theecosystem.

This causes the removal or modification of native vegetationand ecosystems (including beaches and near-shore reefs),habitat loss, native vegetation structural decline, a reductionin species diversity, increased sedimentation and soil erosionand modification or loss of wetlands.

Loss of biota occurs along with a decline in species diversity,reef damage and a reduction in the overall biomass of theecosystem.

A modification or destruction of habitat such as mangrovesoccurs with a changing of the ecology of an area. Nutrientenrichment from outputs also occurs.

There is an accumulation in biological tissues that can leadto the acute or chronic poisoning of marine organisms.Pathogens also occur.

Predation on native species, increased competition for spaceand food, altered nutrient cycles, and a loss of diversity inlocal species occurs.

Coral bleaching and the displacement of species occurs.

Altered species composition and sediments around off-shoreinstallations (benthic fauna communities) occurs as does lossof species in and structure of marine habitats. Nativevegetation is removed and loss of biodiversity occurs.

Brodie Hall and Barr2004; Fabricus 2005;Fabricus andMcCorry 2006;Vazquez-Dominguez2003.

Frank, Petrie et al.2005; Jackson, Kirbyet al. 2001; Jackson2001; Mumby,Dahgren et al.

Nordstrom, Lampeet al. 2000; Powelland Martens2005.2006.

Berkes, Hughes et al.2006; Pauly,Christensen et al.2002; Pauly, Watsonet al. 2005.

Caruso, Genovese etal. 2003; Xu andQian 2004.

Collett, Taylor et al.1981; Reitsema et al.2003; Reitsema andSpickett 1999;Waycott, Longstaff etal. 2005.

Elliott 2003; Grosholz2005; Hayes andSliwa 2003.

Graham, Wilson etal. 2006; Harley,Hughes et al. 2006;Perry, Low et al.2005.

Blanchard, Feder etal. 2003; Brakstadand Lodeng 2005;Vieites, Nieto-Roman et al. 2004.


Seagrasses are highly specialised marine flowering plants adapted to grow in soft sediments in nearshore waters.Twenty-seven species of seagrasses are known to occur in WA waters providing a level of species richnessunequalled anywhere in the world. Seagrasses cover an estimated 20,000 square kilometres of inshore seabed,and are an important component of the coastal ecosystems in WA waters (Kirkman and Walker, 1989).

Seagrasses are ecologically important, producing organic matter and acting as a substrate for many epiphytic4

plants. Productivity of the epiphytic population is important because they provide a food source for manygrazers. Seagrasses are also economically important, supporting the State’s Western Rock Lobster fishery andprawn industry5 with the larvae sheltering in the inshore meadows prior to moving offshore.

Impacts from a range of activities such as coastal engineering projects, landfilling, dredging and sand miningcan destroy seagrass communities. Thermal pollution, sedimentation, nutrient enrichment, sewage discharge,oil and chemicals have also been shown to impact on seagrass communities.

The extensive, relatively calm, shallow expanse of Shark Bay (13,000 square kilometres) contains 12 speciesof seagrasses, which cover an estimated 4000 square kilometres of seabed, including the 1030 squarekilometres Wooramel Seagrass Bank that is the largest structure of its type in the world. Dugongs (Dugongdugon) feed on at least five of the 12 seagrass species found here. Shark Bay’s dugong population is estimatedat 13,000 animals, which is the largest population in Australia and one of the largest in the world. It representsan estimated one-eighth of the world’s population of this species. The management of this dugong populationhas been identified as critical on a global scale. The dugong population is identified as a major value of theShark Bay World Heritage Property.

Box 3: Seagrass meadows

Their slow breeding rate and long life span mean that dugongs are particularly susceptible to factors that threaten their survival.Major threats include loss of seagrass habitat, entanglements in fishing nets, disturbance from inappropriate tourism, over-huntingand vessel impacts. Photo – Doug Perrine/DEC

4 An epiphyte is a plant that uses another plant for physical support but does not take nourishment from it.5 Estimated annual value for the year 2003-2004 of the Western Rock Lobster Fishery is $257 million, estimated annual value for the year

2003-2004 for the prawn industry is $49 million (State of the Fisheries Report 2004-2005, Department of Fisheries).


Environmental weeds are one of the most serious threats to biodiversity in WA. These are plants that establishthemselves in, or are deliberately introduced into, natural ecosystems and then proceed to modify ecologicalprocesses, usually adversely, resulting in the decline of the communities they invade as they outcompete nativeplants. The Environmental Weed Strategy for WA 1999 identifies 1350 species of environmental weeds in WA.Of these, 34 have been designated as ‘high priority’ for control or eradication.

One of the most widespread and highly invasive environmental weed in WA is buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris).Buffel grass is native to Africa, Arabia, the Canary Islands, Madagascar, Indonesia, northern India and Pakistan.

Seeds of buffel grass were first bought into Australia’s north-west in the saddles of cameleers in the mid to late1800s. Since then, the plant has been cultivated for the pastoral industry and actively used as an “improvedpasture” for domesticated animals, particularly cattle. It is resistant to heavy grazing and is considered themost drought tolerant of all the introduced grass species. Numerous strains have been widely planted inpastoral regions and it has become widely established as a weed in many ecosystems, particularly in coastalareas, valleys and along creeklines from Shark Bay to the Pilbara and Kimberley, and is now extending intothe arid deserts along watercourses and transportcorridors. Buffel grass continues to spread, in the northand south of the State, both naturally, by wind andwater dispersal, and through deliberate establishment.

While buffel grass is considered by many pastoralists asoffering a source of feed to stock, often in times ofdrought, buffel grass reduces biodiversity throughdirect competition with native plants (including areduction in native grass species) and by altering fireregimes, resulting in a change in native vegetationstructure and composition. It dries quickly andproduces higher biomass than native plants it replaces,and hence creates more intense fires which can affectnative vegetation by altering its structure and floristics.Buffel grass can quickly colonise areas burnt andoutcompete native plants in early establishment. Thereis evidence to suggest that buffel grass is alsoallelopathic 6, where leachates from the leaves and rootshave been shown to affect the development and growthof neighbouring plants.

Cultivars of buffel grass are now widely established inQueensland, South Australia, the Northern Territoryand WA. Predictive modelling has indicated thatbuffel grass could establish across 58 per cent ofmainland Australia.

BOX 4: Environmental weed or improved pasture?

6 Allelopathy refers to the chemical inhibition of one species by another. The ‘inhibitory’ chemical is released into the environment where itaffects the development and growth of neighbouring plants.

Source: Adapted from Lawson, B.E., Bryant, M.J., and Franks,A.J. (2004). Assessing the potential distribution of buffel grass(Cenchrus ciliaris L.) in Australia using a climate-soil model.Plant Protection Quarterly Vol. 19

Predicted distribution of buffel grass inWA based on climate and soils modelling.

Unsuitable

Marginal

Suitable

Highly suitable


7 This figure includes 5,244,774 ha of former pastoral leasehold land that has been acquired for conservation reserves, as at June 2006, butwhich have yet to be reserved, and approximately 195,000 ha of land tenure changes to conservation reserves that are yet to beimplemented under the Forest Management Plan 2004-2013.

The beginning of biodiversity conservation in WA isrooted in the setting aside of land by the State for theprotection of flora and fauna in the late 1800s andearly 1900s when:

• the first reserve declared was in September 1899for the purpose of the ‘Protection of Boronia’near Albany; and

• the first national park, Greenmount NationalPark (which has now become John ForestNational Park) was established in 1900 on theoutskirts of Perth.

The first marine park established in WA was theMarmion Marine Park, declared on 13 May 1987.

Establishment of a formal conservation reserve system,where there is long-term statutory protection andpublic accountability of management, remains thecornerstone for biodiversity conservation in WA. It is

also a vital strategy for providing secure areas for manyconservation recovery initiatives, which are oftenplanned for decades, and areas for sustainable publicuse. WA’s terrestrial conservation reserve system nowhas around 1500 reserves and comprises around 22.8million hectares 7, or about 8.9 per cent of the State.Furthermore, a total of about 1.4 million hectares ofland in the rangelands was recently identified forexclusion from pastoral leases, when these expire in2015, and incorporation into the conservation reservesystem. The marine conservation reserve system has12 reserves and covers about 1.54 million hectares or12.2 per cent of State waters.

WA’s commitment to the conservation of biodiversityis also reflected in the range of statutes and legislativeframeworks that protect and regulate the use of biota,and establish quarantine and threat abatementpractices to minimise the introduction and impact ofinvasive pests, diseases and weeds (refer to Appendix3 for a list of key statutes). The proposed Biodiversity

1.6 What has been achieved so far?

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the world’s largest fish. Each year whale sharks are drawn to Ningaloo Reef to feed following the masscoral spawn which occurs in March and April. Photo – Tourism WA


Conservation Act will help strengthen thesearrangements by providing a framework for theprotection of the State’s biodiversity, includingcodifying the protection of threatened ecologicalcommunities and providing recognition of majorthreatening processes impacting on biodiversity. It isalso proposed that this Act will provide formalaccreditation of planning instruments for a range ofstakeholders to recover and manage biodiversity.

Similarly, there have been a number of significantbiodiversity conservation-related policies developed,such as the Wetlands Conservation Policy for WesternAustralia (1997), New Horizons in MarineManagement (1994), and planning policies under theTown Planning and Development Act 1928, whichhelp coordinate effort, integrate biodiversityconservation with land and seascape management,and foster sustainability. Complementing these keypolicies are a number of State strategies and plans thatprovide the direction and framework to ameliorate anumber of threatening processes and manageecosystems and species. These include the StateSalinity Strategy (2000), WA State SustainabilityStrategy (2003), Environmental Weeds Strategy for WA(1999), Forest Management Plan (2004-2013), WAGreenhouse Strategy (2004), and Draft WA WaterwaysStrategy (2001). There are also a number ofmanagement plans for the sustainable use of a rangeof terrestrial flora and fauna, such as western grey andred kangaroos, and marine fauna such as the westernrock lobster and abalone.

There are a number of regional and local naturalresource management (NRM) strategies and plansthat augment the above policy directions andplanning instruments, many of which have initiativesin place to bring about long-term benefits forbiodiversity (refer to Appendix 3 for primary andsupporting strategies and plans aimed at biodiversityconservation in WA). There have been significantsteps over the past four years in integratingbiodiversity conservation into broader naturalresource management through the development and

implementation of regional NRM strategies,investment plans and associated programs by WA’s sixregional NRM groups, in partnership withgovernments, industry, non-governmentorganisations and land managers.

WA has also recognised its role in implementingnational commitments through its obligations underthe National Strategy for the Conservation ofAustralia’s Biological Diversity (and the companionNational Objectives and Targets for BiodiversityConservation), and a range of Australia’s internationalcommitments under a number of agreements,including the Convention on Biological Diversity(1992), Convention on Wetlands (1971),Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies of Wild Fauna and Flora (1975), ConventionConcerning the Protection of the World Cultural andNatural Heritage (1972) and the InternationalConvention for the Regulation of Whaling (1946).

Woolly mat-rush (Lomandra leucophala subsp. robusta) nearWiluna. Photo – Neil Gibson

During the past decade, the breadth of biodiversityconservation initiatives has expanded considerably toinclude a number of direct off-reserve conservationmechanisms, in recognition of important biodiversityvalues that occur outside the formal conservationreserve system and the need to manage ecologicalprocesses at an ecosystem or whole-of-landscape scale.There is now a range of conservation instrumentsadministered by non-government organisations,community-based groups, local governmentauthorities and State Government agencies aimed atencouraging biodiversity conservation on privatelands. These include provision of technical advice andinformation, and financial incentives. For examplethere are around 60 different incentive programs forlandholders that occur at a range of scales from localto State level (for further details see BiodiversityIncentive Programs in Western Australia, Governmentof WA 2004).

One of the most successful State level programs isLand for Wildlife that provides technical advice toenable planning and management for biodiversity onabout 1500 properties, covering an area of more thanone million hectares, of which landholders havenominated approximately 240,000 hectares as beingmanaged for wildlife. There are also now a plethoraof training and education programs aimed at schools,community-based groups and the general public, thatseek to engage regional and local communities inpromoting biodiversity conservation.

Biodiversity conservation is fundamental to achievingecologically sustainable development and industryhas become more aware of its role in protectingbiodiversity. There has been considerable effort tointegrate biodiversity conservation goals withproduction outcomes. This is illustrated in a generalmovement towards establishing environmentalmanagement systems for a number of naturalresource sectors, and the development of conservationpractices and investment in a number of biodiversityconservation initiatives. These include initiatives to‘offset’ negative impacts on biodiversity to allowaccess to non-renewable resources. The resourcessector has also pioneered many of the technological

advances in the rehabilitation of degraded sitesfollowing mining.

In the fisheries sector, there has been the developmentof Integrated Fisheries Management (IFM) to achievesustainable management of WA’s fisheries. The IFMprocess involves setting the total harvest level of fishthat can be sustainably harvested from each fishery,and then allocating explicit catch shares between theState’s commercial, recreational and Indigenousfishers. The principles of sustainability are highlyrelevant to fisheries management. Achievingsustainability requires that not only are the effects ofthe fishery on the target species managed, but also theeffects the fishery may have on ecosystems. Tocomplement single fisheries management and theestablishment of the marine conservation reservesystem there has been a system of Fish HabitatProtection Areas (FHPAs) established.

Recovery of threatened taxa and ecological communitieson the edge of extinction has become a major responsein preventing biodiversity loss. There are currently 16full recovery plans and 227 interim recovery plans.Fauna reconstruction at a landscape scale has beensuccessful in re-establishing some indigenous species inState forest and conservation reserves in the south-west of the State, and there is progress towards fauna reconstruction in parts of the rangelands. The fauna recovery program Western Shield, whichcommenced in 1996, along with previous faunarecovery programs, has pioneered and been the focus formuch of this work. To date, 12 mammal and two birdspecies in the Avon Valley, wheatbelt, south-west and atShark Bay have been reintroduced to areas where theyhad become extinct. This program has also broughtabout major technological advances in achievingeffective control of foxes and feral cats at a scaleunparalleled worldwide. In the past eight years theDepartment of Environment and Conservation (DEC)has also undertaken translocations of 33 plant species,which has involved augmenting (adding plants to anexisting population) six populations and starting 37 newpopulations in secure locations. A number of these haveshown significant success with second generationrecruits now established in the wild.


There have been major advances in conservationscience, and a number of programs have beenestablished to determine composition of biodiversityand the conservation status of taxa. The WAHerbarium, established in 1929 and now housedwithin DEC, currently holds approximately 650,000specimens. These include about 11,500 taxa of nativevascular plants, around 2600 non-vascular plants, andapproximately 2600 fungi for WA that have beendescribed by science. However, of the total estimatednumber of known vascular plants, which is around14,000 taxa, there are still more than 1500 to beformally classified and named.

The State has established a systematic terrestrialbiological survey program, which has operated duringthe past 35 years, to record WA’s species diversity.Currently, about 25-30 per cent of the State’s landarea has been systematically surveyed. Numerousother marine and terrestrial biological surveys

undertaken by Government agencies, industry,universities and environmental organisations havecontributed greatly to our knowledge of biodiversityat a species level, but there are still significant gapsand further work is required to better understandecosystems and how they function.

There has also been major progress in understandingsome of the biophysical threats to biodiversity. Forexample, the connection between land clearing andsecondary salinisation of water and soil in theagricultural zone of the south-west is now wellunderstood and recognised in broader land use andlandscape planning. There have been someachievements in the reconstruction of fragmentedlandscapes by reconnecting and enhancing theecological viability of remnant vegetation. This workis being complemented by research and developmenton native plants that will lead to commercialbroadscale plantings and revegetation.


A honey possum (Tarsipes rostratus) is pictured on a scarlet banksia (Banksia coccinea). The honey possum is restricted to the south-west ofWA, although it was once much more widespread. It survives exclusively on pollen and nectar, especially from Banksia spp. Photo – Babs andBert Wells/DEC


Box 5: Off-reserve conservation mechanisms: financial incentives to private landholders

A rare stand of wheatbelt wandoo (Eucalyptus capillosa) with occasional salmon gums (Eucalyptus salmonophloia). Photo – DEC

Private landholders have a vital role to play in conserving WA’s biodiversity. Financial incentives to positivelyinfluence the behaviour of landholders can provide an effective means to achieve biodiversity conservation onprivate lands, especially if focused at a whole-of-landscape scale, targeted at protecting and managing highbiodiversity values, and complementary to other primary biodiversity conservation strategies such as theestablishment and management of the conservation reserve system.

Woodland Watch is a collaborative project between World Wide Fund for Nature Australia and private landmanagers across the WA wheatbelt. The project collaborates closely with DEC, the National Trust of Australia,Greening Australia WA and the Department of Agriculture and Food. Funding support for the project hasprimarily been provided from the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and National Action Planfor Salinity and Water Quality. Through a series of partnerships and voluntary agreements, Woodland Watchis helping landholders and local government authorities to protect and manage eucalypt-dominated nativewoodlands.

Native woodlands in the wheatbelt region have been cleared throughout most of their original extent, withapproximately 7 per cent remaining and between 2 and 5 per cent per cent of native vegetation only remainingfor some local government shires. Woodland Watch concentrates on ecosystems which are under-representedin the State’s conservation reserve system, such as those dominated by red morrel (Eucalyptus longicornis),salmon gum (Eucalyptus salmonophobia), and York gum (Eucalyptus loxophelba). These highly fragmentedlandscapes also contain native habitats that can be species rich and contain naturally restricted biota andpopulations of threatened taxa as well as occurrences of threatened ecological communities.

Currently more than 50 wheatbelt landholders have agreements in place, or under negotiation, that aim toprotect more than 2500 hectares of native woodlands, through a mix of informal voluntary and formalvoluntary instruments. An integral part of Woodland Watch has been to undertake flora surveys on private landin collaboration with DEC. This has generated new floristic data including at least 30 occurrences of newplant species previously unknown to science.

Recent advances in the use of powerful molecularecological techniques have been used to develop abetter understanding of the importance of gene flow(pollen and seed dispersal) among plants and theviability of remnant vegetation in fragmentedlandscapes typical of large areas of the south-westagricultural zone. Findings to date indicate that sizeand isolation are key variables with isolatedpopulations of a few hundred plants likely to have asignificantly decreased probability of persistence.These techniques have also demonstrated high levelsof pollen movement across these landscapes despiteany clear indication of connectivity in terms ofsignificant remnant vegetation and suggest thatpaddock trees or very small patches of nativevegetation may be critical for maintaining this pollenflow and the viability of larger remnants.

Since the early 1990s, there has been intensiveresearch in WA on the use of phosphite to controldisease in native ecosystems caused by thePhytophthora pathogen. The integration of phosphitewith traditional control strategies represents one ofthe most significant advances in 40 years ofPhytophthora dieback management. Methods for exsitu preservation, of rare or threatened florasusceptible to P. cinnamomi infection, have also beenpioneered in WA. Of the estimated 49 per cent ofthreatened flora taxa that are susceptible to P.cinnamomi infection, 107 are now in permanentlong-term germplasm storage.

1.7 Why does WA need a strategy?

While there has been much effort aimed at therecovery and maintenance of biodiversity over the pastfew decades, and an increasing focus on biodiversityconservation, much of this effort is fragmented,reactionary and at an insufficient scale or intensity tobring about long-term, meaningful change or addressthe underlying causes of decline. There remains muchto be achieved by adequate implementation of existingpolicies and management strategies and theirtranslation into actions and outcomes.

We need a State biodiversity conservation strategy toensure that further investment will reap the greatest

benefits for all Western Australians, and futuregenerations. The strategy will also help providepriorities and a framework for conservation actionsand decisions occurring at local and regional levels, aswell as provide guidance for national and internationalinitiatives. It will provide a sharper focus for investorsfrom government, industry and private sectors.

A State biodiversity conservation strategy is needed to:

• establish a common vision and goal forbiodiversity conservation;

• identify and clarify responsibilities forbiodiversity conservation within the State, andpromote the need for collective responsibility byall levels of government, non-governmentorganisations and individuals in the conservationand sustainable management of biodiversity;

• guide investment decisions by individuals,community-based groups (including naturalresource management groups and groups involvedin private conservation activities), industry andlocal, State and Commonwealth Governments;

• outline institutional reforms necessary to betterachieve biodiversity conservation and resolveoverlaps to clarify responsibility andaccountability;

• complement other government roles andinitiatives in biodiversity conservation;

• meet WA’s national obligations, and ensure thatkey international biodiversity-related policies andprograms are addressed in WA;

• ensure that the wider community understands,appreciates and values the State’s biodiversity andis prepared to support collective actions that arerequired to effectively conserve biodiversity values;

• stimulate the engagement of people andencourage stewardship, and strengthen existingeffective mechanisms and programs aimed ateffective biodiversity conservation; and

• conserve indigenous terrestrial, subterranean,freshwater aquatic and marine biodiversity undersignificant pressure.


1.8 What is the strategy tryingto achieve?

The overall goal of the strategy is to recover andconserve WA’s biodiversity within 100 years. Thiswill require focusing on those species and ecosystemsthat are known to be under significant pressure froma range of factors and on the brink of extinction,while at the same time preventing decline ofbiodiversity in ecosystems and landscapes that areecologically intact and in relatively good condition.The goal up to the year 2029 is to significantly slowthen halt decline of indigenous biodiversity, with fullrecovery of at least 20 threatened species.

It is important to recognise that the rapid decline inWA’s biodiversity over the past five decades or so willrequire a significant period of time to correct. There area number of reasons why this is the case, including the:

• time lag effect of threatening processes onbiodiversity, where some ecological effects arenot detected or do not become evident untilsome time after initial impacts;

• time required to repair degraded ecosystems;

• availability of technology and lack of scientificunderstanding to address threats;

• ability to overcome socio-political inertia toaddress problems and to organise institutionalresponses; and

• time needed to build technical capacity andsocial capital to implement responses.

For the most part, the combined effect of the strategy willtake many decades to show an overall reversal in the trendof decline. There will, however, be early indications ofimprovements to some components of biodiversity.

Figure 1 conceptualises the intended total effect ofimplementing the strategy during the next 100 years.It illustrates the potential net gain resulting fromincreasing investment now, better targeting ofbiodiversity conservation actions and improvingapplication of knowledge in decision-making.

1.9 What does the strategycover and who is it aimed at?

The strategy is for the biodiversity and the people ofWA. Biodiversity conservation is everybody’s businessbecause everyone benefits from biodiversity. Thestrategy embraces all indigenous forms of biota,whether found in terrestrial, subterranean, marine, oraquatic environments and irrespective of their valueto people. The strategy will cover WA’s entire landarea, which constitutes about a third of the Australiancontinent, and State waters.

Fully implemented, this strategy will address relevantissues faced by all land and natural resource users, andhelp clarify the roles and responsibilities of keyplayers and stakeholders at a State level. The strategywill have particular relevance to decision-makers inGovernment and the public sector, and will helpconsolidate and target their effort along withinitiatives undertaken by non-governmentorganisations and the private sector.

The strategy will also provide a focus to assist thoseplanning at a regional scale for biodiversity, includingregional natural resource management groups,conservation groups, and others.

The strategy presents a vision of where WA should aimto be by 2029 and within 100 years, resulting from theeffective delivery of key strategic directions aimed ataccelerating conservation actions and better focusingeffort at the appropriate scale. It provides the principlesthat will guide conservation of WA’s biodiversity intothe future and sets out a framework for action withtargets and indicators for measuring success. Phase oneof this strategy concentrates on major initiatives thatwill occur over the next 22 years to slow then haltoverall decline in biodiversity that is indigenous to WA.


fo etaRssol ytisrevidoib

ecnemmoC fo noitatnemelpmi

ytisrevidoib ygetarts noitavresnoc

htiw etar detcejorP ytisrevidoib llufetarts noitavresnoc yg

noitatnemelpmi

eht fo tluser a sa niag teN eht fo noitatnemelpmi

noitavresnoc ytisrevidoib ygetarts

0

etar detcejorP‘ senisub s as u laus ’

emiTy( srae )

5281 54915481 5202 5602 5802 50125691 5002 54025891

1 :4481 ts

dedroceranuaf

3 ,snoitcnitxe fo seiceps

.ecim gnippoh fo doireP :0791-5491 dnal elacsdaorb evisnetni

niraelc g a eht ni g larutlucirzone.

fo doireP :4891-0291

100 years

ag xe larutlucir p .noisna tsaL :0581

dedrocer gnithgis/noitcelloc seiceps arolf 3 fo

sa detsil won( .)tcnitxe demuserp

21D

raft — A

100-year Biodiversity

Conservation

Strategy for W

estern Australia

Figure 1: A conceptual representation of past and projected rates of biodiversity loss in WA and expectedimpact of implementing the State biodiversity conservation strategy.

2. Vision for WA – What will be different in2029, and in 100 years?


By 2029

All Western Australians value and understand theimportance of biodiversity, and are aware of thesocial, economic and environmental benefits fromindigenous biodiversity.

All Western Australians recognise that biodiversityunderpins our social and economic well-being, andrecognise the need to act now to prevent furtherdecline and actively support major initiatives forbiodiversity conservation.

All Western Australians accept their part inconserving and managing biodiversity throughout theState, and there is cooperation and collective action toprotect, maintain and restore WA's biodiversity.

WA is recognised as a world leader in biodiversityscience and conservation.

There is a significant reduction in the rate ofbiodiversity decline, with biodiversity being betterconserved throughout WA, including the successfulrecovery of at least 20 threatened species andimprovement in the conservation status of a further80 threatened species.

Within 100 years

WA’s biodiversity, including all indigenous speciesand ecological communities, is recovered andconserved, along with representative landscapes andecosystems.

Future generations value, care for, and enjoy the sameor increased benefits from biodiversity that WesternAustralians currently enjoy.

Green tree ant (Oecophylla smaragdina). The green tree ant is commonly found in coastal tropical parts of the State and is active during theday and night feeding on both plants and animals. Photo – Keith Claymore

Opposite: Damp herbfield on loamy soil. Herbfields are often rich in short-lived annuals. Photo – DEC

❖ Maximise investment for long-termpublic benefitsBiodiversity conservation is an investment thatyields substantial individual, local, regional, State,national and international benefits. Investment ata State level should be targeted to achieve thegreatest benefits for the people of WA, and tobring about the greatest level of public good thatwill reach across generations.

❖ Shared responsibility to ensureeffectivenessAll Western Australians depend on biodiversityand have a responsibility to contribute to itsconservation and to use biological resources in asustainable manner. Because biodiversitytranscends institutional, administrative andpolitical boundaries, cooperation and support arevital for effective conservation and integration ofactions across organisations and jurisdictions.Biodiversity conservation in WA is also affected bynational and international obligations.

❖ All indigenous biodiversity valuesneed to be conserved Indigenous forms of life warrant respect fromhumanity, irrespective of utilitarian value or whetherthey have an immediate benefit to humans.

❖ Biodiversity is best conserved in situConservation of species where they occur (and notjust in a botanic garden, zoo or laboratory) is aprerequisite for maintaining ecological andevolutionary processes. Consequently, a central pillarof biodiversity conservation is the establishment of aconservation reserve system that provides security oftenure and purpose in perpetuity, and managementof other natural systems.

The following 10 principles provide the basis for the strategy’s objectives and actions.

3. Principles to guideimplementation


based on an adaptive management approachwhere research and evaluating effectiveness ofactions are integral components to build effectivemanagement regimes.

❖ Prevention is better than curePrevention of ecosystem damage and species loss ismore cost-effective than attempting rehabilitationor recovery. The causes of biodiversity loss mustbe anticipated and acted on at the source.

❖ Manage for the future, but learnfrom the pastActions need to ensure that the benefits enjoyedfrom biodiversity by today’s generation areavailable or enhanced for future generations.Decision making and priority setting need to beinformed by past experience and scientificknowledge.

❖ Be precautionary in making decisionsLack of full scientific certainty should not be ahindrance to enacting management to conservebiodiversity or postponing measures to preventenvironmental degradation or harm. Avoidselecting irreversible options.

❖ Achieve a balance in actionsIndigenous species (or taxa) and ecologicalcommunities close to extinction require specialattention, together with strategic investment thatprovides for conservation of intact ecosystems andlandscapes.

❖ Gain understandingConservation is improved by ongoingimprovement in knowledge and understanding ofspecies, populations, ecological communities,ecosystems and social-ecological systems. Thiswill require building scientific knowledge, andensuring recognition of indigenous and localknowledge where appropriate.

❖ Ensure that actions are outcome-focusedAction to conserve biodiversity must beapproached with a clear focus on outcomes and be

Opposite: Photo – Mike Eidam

This section outlines eight key strategic directionswith primary actions that collectively will bring aboutthe strategy’s vision and achieve its goal.

It is important to recognise that many of the strategicdirections and primary actions contained in thebelow tables are interrelated, and complementary toeach other.

4.1 Improving our knowledgeand achieving betterinformation management

Scientific knowledge underpins sound decision-making in determining priorities for biodiversityconservation, and in bringing about effectivebiodiversity management. Coupled with thisrequirement is better transfer of knowledge andinformation management to allow ready access ofinformation by managers and decision-makers.

Due to its complex and dynamic nature, there remainsignificant gaps in knowledge of what comprisesbiodiversity and how ecological processes associatedwith biodiversity operate, and are affected by naturaldisturbances and impacts from human activity. Thereis a basic requirement for the State to have reliableknowledge of biodiversity, particularly itscomponents (genes, taxa, ecological communities,ecosystems) and patterns, and related health. Thisknowledge provides the basis for conservationplanning and action. Within this priority aretaxonomic requirements, particularly to expand theclassification of non-vascular plants, fungi,invertebrates and marine organisms.

Improved capability to predict the consequences ofdrivers of biodiversity loss from climate change and landuse, and to better measure biodiversity and determine itstrends will aid decision-making at all levels.

4. Areas of focus for action– A holistic approach


Key to primary actions:N = new action

EEA= extension or enhancement of an existingaction

E = existing action

H = highest priority for action

TBI = to be identified. (Lead and supportorganisations will be identified forreporting purposes prior to finalisationof the biodiversity conservationstrategy).

L = Lead organisation

S = Support organisations

P = Priority

Volunteers injecting plants with phosphite. Phytophthora dieback remains asignificant threat to the flora of the south-west. Phosphite injections can beeffective for up to seven years in protecting plants from being attacked bythe pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi. Photo – Dieback Working Group

Opposite: Wheatbelt woodlands, especially those low in the landscape, are underthreat from salinity and waterlogging. Photo – DEC



• Critical gaps in scientific knowledge of biodiversityand related ecological processes addressed.

• Better dissemination of scientific informationand uptake of knowledge by decision-makers atall levels.

• Improved policy relating to biodiversity andbiodiversity conservation management.

• Improved tools for biodiversity planning andmanagement at a range of scales.


Build biodiversity knowledge and improve information management1

Output targets Primary actionsPerformancemeasures

Performanceindicators L S P

Research planning and coordinationObjective: To maximise scientific research and improve knowledge of biodiversity and ecological processes.

WA biodiversity conservationresearch plan completed by 2008.

Strategic research programs put inplace to address critical knowledgegaps for components of WA’s biotaand ecosystems by 2008.

1. Develop and implement a rolling 10-yearState biodiversity research plan that identifiesand addresses critical knowledge gaps forecological and social requirements forbiodiversity conservation and sets appropriatetargets.

Number of Statebiodiversity researchprojects commenced toaddress critical gaps.

Amount of new Statefunding aimed atbiodiversity research.

Uptake of newknowledge by decisionmakers and reflectedin Governmentalpolicies and strategies.

TBI TBI N H

WA Terrestrial BiodiversityResearch Science Centreestablished by 2011.

2. Strengthen biodiversity researchopportunities and partnerships through theestablishment of a WA Terrestrial BiodiversityScience Centre of Excellence, andparticipation in relevant cooperative researchcentres.

Amount of Statefunding specificallydirected towardsterrestrial-relatedbiodiversity science.

Number of scientificpublications.

TBI TBI EEAH

WA Marine Science Institute(WAMSI) established andimplementing key researchpriorities by 2007.

3. Continue cooperative arrangements for WAmarine biodiversity conservation research,through initiatives such as WAMSI, toundertake marine ecological and socialresearch, assessment and monitoring.

Amount of Statefunding specificallydirected towardsmarine-relatedbiodiversity science.


TBI TBI EEAH

Coordinated research into thegenetic and ecological functioningof intact ecosystems and theconsequences of ecosystemthreats commenced by 2008.

4. Continue and expand research ondisturbance and threatening processes (e.g. invasive animals, environmental weeds,pathogens, altered fire regimes), supporttraining and recruitment of disturbance andecosystem ecologists, and developtechnologies for control of threateningprocesses and landscape restoration.



TB TBI EEAH


Output targets Primary actionsPerformance

measuresPerformance

indicators L S P

Inventory and monitoringObjective: To improve scientific knowledge of the composition and patterns of biodiversity and trends in biodiversity.

WA terrestrial biological survey plancompleted by 2008.

WA marine biological survey plancompleted by 2008.

Entire State (land and waters) surveyed by2029.

5. Develop and implement 10-yearState terrestrial and marinebiological survey plans tosystematically improveunderstanding of biodiversitycomponents and patterns, includingdetermining taxa and ecologicalcommunities conservation status.

Geographic area ofland/sea covered bycompletedcomprehensivebiologicalinventories.

Proportion of Stateterrestrial and marine areacovered by systematicbiological surveys.

Proportion of 2006 prioritytaxa where conservationstatus is determined asdirect result of systematicsurveys.

TBI TBI NH

Multi-taxon biological surveys completed forthe Pilbara Bioregion, Kimberley near-shoreislands, Southern Jarrah Forest and Warrensub-bioregions, and findings and data madeavailable to stakeholders by 2012.

Multi-taxon biological survey completed forKimberley waters by 2012.

Multi-taxon biological survey completed forthe Kimberley Region by 2015.

Multi-taxon biological surveys completed forBeagle and Abrolhos Islands and surroundingwaters by 2012.

Multi-taxon biological surveys completed forproposed extensions to the ShoalwaterIslands and Shark Bay Marine Park by 2010.

6. Accelerate systematic biologicalinventory at a bioregional scale ofthe Pilbara Bioregion; Kimberleynear-shore islands and KimberleyRegion and waters; south-westforests; Beagle and AbrolhosIslands; and proposed extensions tothe Shoalwater Islands and SharkBay marine parks.

Geographic area ofbiological inventoriescompleted forpriority areas.

Proportion of Stateterrestrial and marinearea covered bysystematic biologicalsurveys.

Proportion of 2006priority taxa whereconservation status isdetermined as directresult of systematicsurveys.

TBI TBI EEAH

Ethnobiological program established, andimplemented for priority areas by 2009.

7. Develop and implement anethnobiological program to facilitatethe use and application of Indigenousknowledge in conservation programs.

Number ofpublished papers.

Uptake of newknowledge inbiodiversityconservation initiatives.

TBI TBI N

WA terrestrial biodiversity monitoring programframework and protocols developed by 2008.

WA marine biodiversity monitoring programframework and protocols developed by 2008.

Monitoring program established in priorityareas in the rangelands, Swan Coastal Plain,wheatbelt and south-west forests by 2010.

Monitoring program established in priorityareas in State waters, including marineconservation reserves, by 2010.

8. Establish a statewide marine,terrestrial and aquatic monitoringcapability to determine and reporton the state of and trends inbiodiversity, and to identify thecauses of change (this shouldinclude development of an effectivemonitoring and reportingframework, identification of bioindicators and development ofstandard approaches and protocolsfor monitoring biodiversity).

Area covered byprogram(s).

Trends in biologicalindicators under Statemonitoring system.

TBI TBI EEAH

Second edition of the WA TerrestrialBiodiversity Audit completed by 2010.

First edition of the WA Marine BiodiversityAudit completed by 2008.

9. Continue the development andongoing maintenance of the WATerrestrial Biodiversity Audit forbiodiversity planning and monitoringpurposes, and undertake a marinebiodiversity audit to determinestatus, condition, trends, andmanagement requirements.

Number of peopleaccessinginformation.


TBI TBI EEAN



measuresPerformance

indicators L S P

Management tools and modellingObjective: To better integrate research with management requirements, predict the consequences of key threateningprocesses and better account for the values of biodiversity.

Active adaptive management tool forpractitioners of biodiversity conservationcompleted by 2008.

10. Undertake research to refinetools for and improve applicabilityof active adaptive management inbiodiversity conservation.

Number of publishedactive adaptivemanagementprojects.

Trends in biologicalindicators.

TBI TBI N

11. Investigate and developmethods for estimating theenvironmental, social and economicvalues of biodiversity andecosystem services.

Uptake of newknowledge in biodiversityconservation initiativesand decision making.

TBI TBI EEAH

A modelling program for human-inducedclimate change and effects on biodiversitydeveloped by 2008.

As a result of modelling, key continentalscale ecological linkages and areas forconsolidation into the conservation reservesystem identified by 2010.

12. Undertake scientific modellingfor climate change scenarios todetermine responses by biodiversityand likely effects of adaptationstrategies, with an emphasis ontesting comprehensiveness andadequacy of continental scaleecological linkages and theconservation reserve system.

TBI TBI EEAH

TaxonomyObjective: To allow for comparative biological studies of living organisms and better organise biotic collections.

Total coverage of threatened taxa (2007level) in Millennium Seedbank by 2029.

13. Maintain and expand collectionsof biota in the WA Museum and WAHerbarium, including participation innational and international projectssuch as the Millennium SeedBank,and the facilitation of the databasingof marine and terrestrial flora andfauna collections.

Number of taxarecorded in WAHerbarium.

Number of taxarecorded in WAMuseum.

Number of new taxadescribed.

Proportion ofundescribed taxa toknown taxa by bioticgroup.

TBI TBI EEAH

Forty per cent of undescribed vascular plantspecies, (2007 level) taxonomicallydescribed by 2029.

One hundred per cent of known vertebratespecies taxonomically described by 2029.

Seventy per cent of known invertebratespecies (2007 level) scientifically describedby 2029.

14. Continue and expand taxonomicresearch, including a focus oninvertebrates, non-vascular plants,marine organisms and fungi, andenhance genetic diversity research,and support the training andrecruitment of taxonomists, geneticistsand conservation biologists.

Number of new taxadescribed.

Proportion ofundescribed taxa toknown taxa by bioticgroup.

TBI TBI EEAH


measuresPerformance

indicators L S P


Information management and communicationObjective: To improve biodiversity data collections and transfer of knowledge by ensuring the best available dataand information are available to decision-makers and managers.

Relevant biodiversity databasesconsolidated and rationalised, andagreements for maintenance requirementsin place, and access available by 2009.

15. Develop systems thatconsolidate and promote the sharingof biodiversity information andmodelling through the use ofdatabases and geographicinformation systems, including thedevelopment of meta databases.

Number of peopleaccessinginformation (GIS ordatabases).

Degree of uptake inmanagement decisionmaking.

TBI TBI NH

Ecosystem/native vegetation classificationmapping for WA completed by 2015.

16. Develop and undertake mappingwithin a bioregional framework todelineate and classifyecosystems/native vegetation typesto 1:100,000 scale for the entireState.

Area of Statedelineated ormapped.

Degree of uptake inmanagement decisionmaking.

TBI TBI NH

State biodiversity research communicationplan completed and being implemented by2008.

17. Ensure knowledge transfer tomake sure research findings aremore accessible and useable by keydecision makers.

Number of peopleaccessinginformation (GIS ordatabases).

Proportion of peopleaccessing informationwho apply it in decisionmaking.

TBI TBI N

Scientists monitoring coral. Improving biodiversity knowledge and undertaking monitoring to determine changes in biodiversity is critical for decisionmakers and managers. Photo – DEC


• Increased public knowledge and appreciation of thevalues and benefits of biodiversity.

• Increased proportion of State public funding for keybiodiversity conservation programs and initiatives.

• A community that embraces biodiversity.


Promote awareness and understanding of biodiversity and relatedconservation issues

2



Objective: To increase Western Australians’ appreciation of biodiversity and understanding of the requirements forbiodiversity conservation.

State Biodiversity CommunicationPlan developed by 2008.

Public and key stakeholders’awareness raising campaign forbiodiversity conservation active by2008.

Conservation initiatives with eco-education and awareness focusincreased by 2029.

18. Develop and implement a biodiversitycommunication and education plan aimed atthe general public, industry and key usergroups, politicians, government agencies, andindigenous and community-based groups inorder to promote a public constituency forbiodiversity conservation, and gain supportfor related conservation initiatives. The planwill include:• the types of information and guidance

needed; • mechanisms to foster public conservation

ethic and constituency; and • the development of a public awareness

program.

Number and type ofbiodiversity informationpublications releasedby Governmentagencies.

Number of mediaarticles aimed atbiodiversity issues.

Level of understandingof Western Australianson biodiversity issues.

TBI TBI NH


Biodiversity generally remains an aloof term that isnot well understood by the public, many decisionmakers and landholders. Increasing public awarenessand understanding of biodiversity and its values iscritical to bring about social empathy and build long-term support and a public constituency for programsthat span the full breadth of biodiversityconservation. It is equally important that the fullimpacts of development and exploitation of naturalresources and effects from threatening processes onbiodiversity are also well understood and recognised.

Encouraging people to become involved inbiodiversity conservation and enjoying its benefits is amajor means to achieving this understanding andappreciation, as well as being a major strategy to buildsocial stewardship and a sound ethical basis for futuredecisions relating to the conservation and use ofbiodiversity.

Formal education and adult training forms a majorcomponent of both of these key strategic directions.

4.2 Raising public awareness and understanding of biodiversity andgetting people involved in biodiversity conservation



measuresPerformance

indicators L S P

Review of Environmental Education AdvisoryCommittee audit of eco-education programs in WAcompleted by 2008.

Benchmark survey of school students' understandingof the value of biodiversity established by 2009.

Benchmark survey of students’ direct action forbiodiversity conservation by 2009.

Policy established that requires biodiversity educationin all schools as part of their management andeducation for sustainability by 2009.

Eco-education link with Sustainable Schools Initiativeestablished by 2008.

Survey of school students' understanding of the valueof biodiversity compared with 2010 survey by 2016.

Survey of students’ direct action for biodiversityconservation compared with 2010 survey by 2016.

All students leaving secondary formal education haveparticipated in biodiversity conservation activities, andrecognise the value of biodiversity and life choicesthat conserve biodiversity by 2029.

21. Develop andimplement the biodiversitycomponent of Educationfor Sustainability for alllevels of pre-primary,primary and secondaryschools, to supportteaching, learning aboutand involvement inbiodiversity, ecologicalprocesses and biodiversityconservation.

Number ofsecondary schoolsinvolved inEducation forSustainability.

Number ofsecondary schoolstudentsunderstanding thevalue of biodiversity.

Number ofsecondary schoolstudents involved inbiodiversityconservationactivities.

Number of schoolsinvolved inbiodiversityconservation actionsin local and otherenvironments.

Level ofunderstanding ofWestern Australianson biodiversity issues.

TBI TBI EEAH

22. Support theprofessional developmentof educators to facilitateappropriate biodiversityrelated education andinterpretation programs.

Amount of fundingaimed atincreasingprofessionalbiodiversity-related educators.

Level ofunderstanding ofWestern Australianson biodiversity issues.

TBI TBI EEA

Twenty per cent of schools are members of Land forWildlife scheme by 2029.

Twenty per cent of schools covered by Urban Naturein the Perth metropolitan area by 2029.

23. Develop andimplement an expandedschools component ofLand for Wildlife schemeand Urban Nature.

Number of WAschools involvedin Land forWildlife and UrbanNature.

Proportion of WAschools involved inLand for Wildlife andUrban Nature.

TBI TBI EEA

Review of biodiversity conservation related syllabus inWA tertiary institutions completed by 2009.

19. Develop and enhancecourses and material forall faculties and schools attertiary institutions topromote and increaseawareness andunderstanding ofbiodiversity and itsconservation requirements.

Number ofuniversity studentsenrolled inbiodiversityconservation relatedcourses.


TBI TBI NH

Benchmark survey program of public awareness,understanding and support of biodiversity completedby 2008.

20. Conduct survey ofpublic and key stakeholdersto determine level ofawareness andunderstanding of biodiversityand related issues, and toact as a benchmark togauge success of educationand awareness programs.

Number of peoplesurveyed.


TBI TBI NH


• People take greater responsibility for biodiversityconservation and stewardship of biodiversity isimproved.

• 500,000 people involved in voluntarybiodiversity conservation activities in WA.

• Five million hectares of privately managed landunder voluntary nature conservation agreements

and delivering key biodiversity conservationoutcomes.

• Improved Western Australians’ health and well-being as a direct consequence of experiencing thebenefits and opportunities from biodiversityconservation.


Engage and encourage people in biodiversity conservation management3



Objective: To get more people involved in biodiversity conservation and to encourage maintenance and recovery ofbiodiversity values.

Empowerment of community-basedorganisations to undertake biodiversityconservation initiatives.

24. Provision of targetedinformation and technical supportto community-based groups,including training, accessinginformation, use of databases,GIS and their applications.

Number of people incommunity-basedgroups accessingbiodiversityinformation.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for privatelymanaged or leaseholdlands.

TBI TBI EEAH

25,000 hectares of voluntary natureconservation covenants in perpetuity by 2011.

Two million hectares of privately owned ormanaged land being managed under voluntarynature conservation agreements by 2017.

Five million hectares of privately owned ormanaged land being managed under voluntarynature conservation agreements by 2029.

25. Continue to support thedevelopment and application ofnew incentives and market-based instruments to facilitateadoption of biodiversityconservation on private andleasehold lands, including directfinancial incentives, tenderbased schemes, natureconservation covenants, raterebates and tax relief.

Area of land underformal stewardshipagreement andaccredited natureconservation covenantsystem.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for privatelymanaged or leaseholdlands under natureconservationcovenants oragreements.

TBI TBI EEAH

400,000 hectares managed for biodiversityunder the Land for Wildlife 8 scheme by 2012.

600,000 hectares managed for biodiversityunder Land for Wildlife scheme by 2017.

One million hectares managed for biodiversityunder the Land for Wildlife scheme by 2029

Urban Nature program expanded beyond Perthto other urban and semi-urban areas by 2010.

26. Continue to support andexpand biodiversitymanagement advisory programssuch as Land for Wildlife andUrban Nature.

Number of propertiesinvolved in Land forWildlife.

Area of Land forWildlife propertiesmanaged forbiodiversity purposes.

Trends in biodiversityindicators forproperties in the Landfor Wildlife scheme.

TBI TBI EEAH


8 At 30 June 2006, there were 1548 properties listed under Land for Wildlife, with 244,398 ha being managed for nature conservation.See Glossary for description of Land for Wildlife and Urban Nature programs.


measuresPerformance

indicators L S P

Voluntary BiodiversityStewardship Networkestablished by 2008.

27. Establish a statewide voluntary BiodiversityStewardship Network for those organisationsactively engaged in biodiversity conservation,including ‘friends of’, ‘adopt a local reserve’ or,landcare/coastcare groups, and groups involved inthreatened taxa recovery and marine conservationprograms, to share information and knowledge,and further stimulate local engagement.

Number oforganisations involvedin the BiodiversityStewardship Network.

Number of volunteerhours/days contributedin the BiodiversityStewardship Network.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for private orleasehold managedlands.

TBI TBI NH

28. Build and encourage public participation intothe programs of Government agencies, such as theconservation reserve area planning, research andbiodiversity recovery programs.

Number of peopleinvolved in biodiversityconservationinitiatives.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for publicmanaged lands.

TBI TBI E

Strategic alliancesformed for Healthy Parks,Healthy People programby 2008.

29. Implement DEC’s Healthy Parks, Healthy Peopleprogram aimed at engaging people in nature-basedactivities.

Number of peopleinvolved in the HealthyParks, Healthy Peopleprogram.

Public andenvironmental healthindicators (State ofEnvironment Reporting).

TBI TBI E

Effective models forcooperative managementestablished for priorityareas by 2011.

30. Pursue opportunities for co-operative/jointmanagement agreements between public landmanagers and Indigenous, and non-Indigenous,local communities where appropriate.

Area of Indigenouslands undercooperative/jointmanagementagreements.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for Indigenousmanaged lands.

TBI TBI EEA

31. Encourage support for Indigenous landholdersto manage for biodiversity through provision ofbiodiversity science and conservation expertise.

Number of indigenousorganisationsaccessing support.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for indigenousmanaged lands.

TBI TBI N

Rewards schemedeveloped and operatingby 2010.

34. Develop and incentive scheme that recogniseand reward the actions of those schools, tertiaryinstitutions, industries, agencies and community-based groups who are actively working to conservebiodiversity.

Number of institutionsinvolved in biodiversityconservation activities.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for relatedtarget projects.

TBI TBI N

33. Embed biodiversity conservation activities intoschool and tertiary institutions and general publicparticipation/community involvement events (forexample Arbor Day, World Environment Day, CleanUp Australia).

Number of peopleinvolved in relevantactivities.


TBI TBI EEA

32. Develop and implement programs that link localcommunities, youth, schools and tertiary institutionsto biodiversity conservation actions in localenvironments, such as a program of identified areasof native vegetation that can be used for teachingand learning experiences for schools (i.e. LivingLibraries), Bush Rangers and conservationvolunteers and organisations.

Number of peopleinvolved in programs.


TBI TBI NEEAH



Box 6: Ningaloo Community Turtle Monitoring Program

Turtles, like whales, present a challenge to effective conservation because they spend much of their time in thehigh seas, beyond the jurisdiction of any one nation. Populations may be well conserved in parts of theirhome range (as in WA waters) but elsewhere individuals may be hunted excessively or killed as fisheriesbycatch.

Australia is one of the few nations that retains relatively large turtle populations. Six species of marine turtleshave been recorded in WA: loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), flatback (Natator depressus),hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea).

Loggerhead, green, flatback, hawksbill and leatherback turtles are threatened species declared to be speciallyprotected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950. They are also listed under the Environment Protectionand Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 as threatened. The hawksbill and leatherback are listed as CriticallyEndangered on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species while the loggerhead, green and olive ridleyare listed as Endangered.

The Ningaloo coast and nearby islands provide important nesting habitat for the loggerhead, green, andhawksbill turtles. In an attempt to coordinate the conservation and management of marine turtles along thiscoastline, a collaborative monitoring program was established in 2002 — the former Department ofConservation and Land Management, Murdoch University, World Wide Fund for Nature Australia and a localconservation group, the Cape Conservation Group, established the Ningaloo Community Turtle MonitoringProgram (NCTMP). At present more than 80 volunteers are involved each year, with a high level of interestnot only from the local community of Exmouth, but within WA and outside Australia.

The NCTMP monitoringprogram provides informationon marine turtle nesting, dataon successful nestingemergences, disturbance andspatial and temporaldistribution of the three mainspecies nesting in the Ningalooarea. This program will enablepopulation changes and trendsto be detected and alertconservation managers to anypotential threats to marineturtle populations in this region.

When leaving the nest, usually at night, hatchlings head for the ocean. Hatchlings can beeasily disoriented and attracted to bright lights from artificial sources. Photo – Babs andBert Wells/DEC


4.3 Integrating biodiversity conservation into natural resource useand enhancing institutional mechanisms

Biodiversity underpins sustainability and industriesthat use, or are dependent on, renewable naturalresources. All Western Australians rely on resource-based industries that provide goods and services tomaintain our standard of living, and many visitors tothe State benefit from enjoying WA’s biodiversity.There is increasing opportunity to better promote andincorporate biodiversity conservation within naturalresource use sectors 9 and bring relevant goals andtargets into mainstream business. Better recognitionof biodiversity conservation requirements is neededalong with improved decision-making frameworks.Measures to promote sustainability need to bestrengthened and expanded across all industry sectorsto ensure that they specifically address and take intoaccount biodiversity conservation needs.

While there has been much effort to provide forbiodiversity conservation under various State and

national statutes, and there has been significant efforttowards addressing biodiversity-related problemsacross Government agencies and authorities, much ofit is fragmented. This is partly due to an absence ofan overarching State level biodiversity conservationstrategy (that provides priorities), and inadequatebiodiversity-related State legislation to provide anadequate regulatory and compliance framework andcomplementary policies to ensure integration.Government-driven processes and reforms providethe fundamental basis to ensure better targeting andcoordination of existing and new biodiversityconservation initiatives.

Another key mechanism is regional natural resourcemanagement strategies and investment plans, whichprovide an important avenue for investment thatmust be targeted to bring about biodiversityconservation outcomes at a regional scale.

9 In this context natural resource use sectors includes: oil, gas, mining and exploration sector; fisheries; aquaculture; forestry;pastoralism; flora and kangaroo harvesting industries; and nature-based tourism.


• Resource and land use practices make sufficient provisions for the protectionand management of biodiversity, and minimise impacts on biodiversity byadhering to appropriate codes of practice and guidelines.


Improve biodiversity conservation requirements in natural resource use sectors4



Cross-industry institutional mechanismsObjective: To ensure special recognition is given to biodiversity conservation in ecologically sustainabledevelopment of natural resources.

Review of industry strategiesand plans completed by 2010.

35. Review, strengthen and implementexisting industry related ecologicallysustainable development policies andplans to optimise considerations forbiodiversity conservation.

Number of statewideindustry plans orstrategies reviewed.

Proportion of reviewedplans/strategies reviewed,where there has beenfurther biodiversityconservation considerations.

TBI TBI EEAH




Indicators and reporting protocolsfor sustainable use of biodiversitydeveloped for each industry sectorby 2010.

36. Develop or refine reporting indicators forsustainable use of biodiversity for eachindustry sector, and develop monitoring andreporting protocols.

Number of industrysectors withappropriateindicators.

TBI TBI NH

Develop and implementguidelines for industrycontributions to reserve and off-reserve conservation by 2008.

37. Government agencies work with peakindustry bodies to put in place managementsystems that assist in conservingbiodiversity, and promote awareness ofbiodiversity-related issues and involvementof key stakeholders in conservation.

TBI TBI E

Framework and guidelines toincorporate biodiversity conservationinto property management plans foragriculture and pastoral leases inplace by 2010.

Accreditation criteria established forpastoral property plans by 2010.

Fifty10 pastoral leases withaccredited property managementplans that adequately incorporatebiodiversity conservation by 2012.

All pastoral leases have accreditedproperty management plans thatsufficiently incorporate biodiversityconservation by 2029.

39. Develop and implement ecologicallysustainable development pastoral landmanagement practices in accordance withthe Land Administration Act 1997, includingthe development and implementation ofaccredited property management plans forpastoral leases that sufficiently provide forbiodiversity conservation and codes ofpractice to minimise impacts on biodiversity.

Number and areacovered byaccredited pastoralpropertymanagement plans.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for thepastoral rangelands.

TBI TBI NH

38. In addition to the non-regulatory approaches,extend the beneficiary-pays, user-pays andpolluter-pays principles for the use of biodiversity.

TBI TBI N

Agriculture and pastoralism

10 There are around 500 pastoral leases in WA.

Framework and guidelines toincorporate biodiversity conservationinto property management plans foragriculture and pastoral leases inplace by 2010.

Twenty per cent of broadacre farms with appropriate propertymanagement plans by 2029.

40. Develop and implement propertymanagement planning for intensiveagricultural and broadacre agriculturalareas where biodiversity conservationprovisions are integrated with productionpractices.

Number and areacovered byaccredited propertymanagement plans.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for the south-west.

TBI TBI NH

Gap analysis of incentives programscompleted by 2009.

41. Strengthen delivery of government servicesconnected with management of agriculturaland pastoral systems for farmers, pastoralleaseholders and Indigenous land managers bydeveloping and applying targeted financial,advisory and other incentives for biodiversityconservation and rehabilitation programs toensure investment above and beyondlandholders’ duty of care, and set in placeprocesses to assess their success.

Area of propertiesaccessing incentiveprograms.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for the pastoralrangelands.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for the south-west.

TBI TBI EEAH




Analysis of suitable marketsundertaken to determine keyproducts or industries to trial by2008.

42. Work with industry (such as meat andvegetables) to develop protocols and standardsto establish ‘green markets’, where productsare accredited and meet sustainability criteriathat ensure best land management andbiodiversity conservation practices.

Number of productsaccredited underprogram.

TBI TBI N

Review of perverse incentivescompleted and reform agendaagreed by 2009.

Reform agenda in progress toaddress perverse incentives by 2011.

All industry reforms in place, andreform agenda completed by 2029.

43. Remove perverse incentives for agriculturaland pastoralism activities that impact onbiodiversity.

Number of perverseincentives removed.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for affectedareas.

TBI TBI NH

Achieve targets in the ForestManagement Plan 2004 - 2013.

44. Implement ecologically sustainable forestmanagement for native hardwood foreststhrough the Forest Management Plan 2004-2013.

As per the ForestManagement Plan.

As per the ForestManagement Plan.

TBI TBI E

Forestry

45. Ensure all recreational and commercialfisheries meet ecologically sustainabledevelopment requirements under relevant Stateand Commonwealth legislation, including thecompletion of accreditation of all WA fisheriesand continuation and extension of the impactassessment process to low value fisheries andaquaculture.

Number ofrecreational andcommercial fisheriesaccredited.

Trends in biologicalindicators for relevantfisheries.

TBI TBI E

Fisheries and aquaculture

46. Continue to implement and developcodes of conduct to minimise impacts offisheries on biodiversity, such as the Westernrock lobster managed fishery code ofpractice for reducing whale entanglementsand South Coast purse seine code ofpractice, and encourage the use of by-catchreduction devices.

Number of fisheriesapplying codes.

Trends in biologicalindicators for relevantfisheries.

TBI TBI EEA

47. Implement best practice guidelinesrelated to the National System for thePrevention of Marine Pest Incursions forcommercial and recreational users.

Number of newmarine pestintroduced in WAwaters.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for affectedareas.

TBI TBI EH

48. Undertake enforcement to prevent illegalfishing and use of natural resources in Statewaters.

Number of illegalfishers prosecuted.

Trends in biodiversityindicators in affectedfisheries.

TBI TBI EEAH

Plan developed by 2009. 49. Develop and implement a Stateaquaculture plan and guidelines to minimiseimpacts on biodiversity.

State of fisheriesindicators.

TBI TBI NH



56. Work with the tourism industry to ensure thatcommercial and recreational activities employ bestpractice sustainable activities when operating andinteracting with the environment and biodiversity.

Level of compliance. TBI TBI EEA


50. Accelerate the adoption of integrated fisheriesmanagement, based on ecological parameters, todetermine sustainable harvest levels (total allowablecatches) for fisheries for each resource sector.

Number of integratedfisheries managementplans accredited.

State of fisheriesindicators.

TBI TBI EEA

51. Continue and strengthen the protection of taxaunder the Fish Resources Management Act 1994through strategies such as limiting the level of fishingactivities or methods and establishing habitatprotection areas.

TBI TBI EEA

53. Undertake research on key wildlife species,potentially or currently the subject of wildlifeinteraction, such as whale sharks.

TBI TBI EEA

Plan developed by 2009. 54. Develop and implement a sustainablesandalwood plan that provides for biodiversityconservation.

Indicators underproposed plan.

TB TBI

55. Develop and implement appropriate protocols andpractices to ensure that industries operating on Crownland and waters (for example apiculture, wildflower andseed harvesting and aquaculture) are consistent withprinciples of ecologically sustainable development.

Number of industriesconsistent withprinciples of ecologically sustainabledevelopment.

Indicators underrelevant plans.

TBI TBI EEA

Two additional potential wildlifespecies trialled for sustainableuse by 2012.

52. Trial new flora and fauna suitable for sustainableuse industries, where conservation benefits will bederived, and continue the sustainable use ofaccredited wildlife-based industries.

Wildlife indicators. TBI TBI N

Sustainable wildlife use

Nature-based tourism

Implementation of best practiceguidelines.

Finalisation of biological surveyguidelines and protocols by 2008.

Implement industry biologicalsurvey to complement Statesystematic biological surveyprogram and fill gaps by 2008.

58. Promote best practice alternative site andoptions analysis, biological survey and rehabilitationpractices.

Number of companiesadopting best practiceguidelines.

Recovery indicatorsfor disturbanceareas.

TBI TBI EEA

Mining, oil and gas sectors

57. Target information and education for the tourismindustry to ensure conveyancing of biodiversityconservation message to visitors and users.

TBI TBI EEA

Initial rolling five year industrycorporate sponsorship prospectusdeveloped by 2008.

59. Encourage corporate sponsorship of high prioritybiodiversity conservation initiatives.

Amount of funding. Trends in biodiversityindicators related totarget initiatives.

TBI TBI N



• Biodiversity conservation is regarded asfundamental in decision making, planning,management and policy development.

• Biodiversity conservation is better coordinatedand targeted to achieve on-ground outcomes,including through a Biodiversity Conservation

Act, regional natural resource managementstrategies, local government biodiversity plans,State biodiversity strategy for climate change,and regional and local planning schemes.

• The status of species and ecological communitieson local government and State agency lands andin State waters is improved as well as thecondition of landscapes and ecosystems.


Enhance effective institutional mechanisms and improve integration andcoordination of biodiversity conservation

5



Institutional reformObjective: To improve institutional mechanisms for biodiversity conservation and reduce social and institutionalimpediments.

Biodiversity Conservation Actproclaimed by 2008.

60. Replace the Wildlife Conservation Act1950 with a Biodiversity Conservation Actfor WA and implement the Act to provide amodern legislative framework for theconservation and sustainable utilisation ofbiodiversity.

TBI TBI EH

Review of institutional impedimentscompleted by 2008, and reformagenda to remove perverseincentives finalised and beingprogressed by 2010.

61. Review of legislation and policies, toidentify and remove policies (or programs)that may have an unintended adverse effecton the conservation of biodiversity (perverseincentives), and develop appropriatestrategies for overcoming these.

TBI TBI NH

Benchmark for landholders’environmental duty of caredetermined for public investment by2008.

62. Clarify property rights and duty of carein relation to biodiversity, with a view toprovide a benchmark for public investmentabove and beyond environmental duty ofcare and to meet statutory responsibilities.

TBI TBI NH

Biosecurity protocols and guidelinesdeveloped by 2009.

63. Develop and implement appropriatebiosecurity protocols and guidelines toprevent the introduction and spread of newspecies and pathogens to terrestrial, aquaticand marine ecosystems.

Number of newintroduced species inthe State.

Introduced speciescontrolled toacceptable ecologicallimits as a result ofamelioration activities.

TBI TBI N

State bioprospecting plan completedand relevant legislation in place forbiodiscovery by 2009.

64. Develop an integrated policy andlegislative framework for managingbioprospecting in WA, includingarrangements for sharing benefits from theuse of genetic resources, which areconsistent with international commitments.

Compliance of policyframework andsharing of benefitsarrangements.

Medical advances as adirect consequence ofbioprospecting.

TBI TBI N



Education and awareness programaimed at nurseries and gardenoutlets developed by 2009.

65. Apply measures to prevent and reducethe deliberate or unintentional introductionof garden plant species, such as throughlabelling of nursery stock, removal from saleand using statutory mechanisms to preventongoing trade in invasive plants for use ingardens, ponds and aquaria.

Number of introducedplants into the wildfrom horticulturalsources.

Plant speciescontrolled toacceptable ecologicallimits as a result ofamelioration activities.

TBI TBI NH

Bioregional planning and natural resource management coordinationObjective: To better integrate and coordinate biodiversity conservation matters in policy, legislation and initiatives,and increase relevance to Government.


Review of invasive species controlpolicy and programs by 2009.

66. Improve regulatory mechanisms toensure that there will be no gaps in Statequarantine, protection, control anderadication programs across environmental,agricultural and other weed and pest threats.

Number of newinvasive speciesprevented fromentering WA.

TBI TBI N

Control of target environmentalweeds.

67. Implement measures to prevent thedevelopment, use and application of‘improved pastures’ that are known, or arelikely to become, environmental weeds.

Area of target invasiveplant controlled.

Plant species controlledto acceptable ecologicallimits as a result ofamelioration activities.

TBI TBI NH

Appropriate legislation andregulation for genetically modifiedorganisms in place by 2012.

68. Develop legislation and arrangements forregulating the import, development, use andrelease of genetically modified organismsthrough the work of the Commonwealth-StateConsultative Group on Genetic Manipulation.

TBI TBI EEA

Quarantine measures establishedby 2009.

69. Implement the National System for thePrevention and Management of Marine PestIncursions, and related Inter-governmentalAgreement, and continue to implement andrefine quarantine measures with relevantjurisdictions.

Number of new marinepest introduced in WAwaters.

TBI TBI EEAH

State marine planning frameworkfinalised by 2008.

South coast regional marine plancompleted by 2008.

Kimberley regional marine plancompleted by 2010.

71. Finalise the State marine planningframework, and develop and implementregional marine plans, with a priority for thesouth coast and Kimberley State waters.

Area and proportion ofState waters coveredby plans.

Biodiversityconservation initiativesbetter targeted andbiodiversity valueseffectively managed.

EEAH

Appropriate framework for thedevelopment and accreditation ofbioregional plans developed by 2008.

Five11 IBRA bioregional planscompleted by 2010.

Fifteen IBRA bioregional planscompleted by 2017.

Total coverage of the Statecompleted by 2029.

70. Develop and implement terrestrialbioregional plans to integrate and prioritisebiodiversity conservation and research.

Number and areacovered by accreditedbioregional plans.

Biodiversityconservation initiativesbetter targeted andbiodiversity valueseffectively managed.

TBI TBI NH

11 There are 26 IBRA bioregions in WA, and 54 related sub-regions.




Planning guidelines for Stateagencies that manage or impact onbiodiversity developed by 2008.

All relevant State agency corporateplans provide for biodiversityconservation by 2012, andassociated biodiversity conservationplans developed by 2029.

72. Develop and implement plans forbiodiversity management and publicreporting for State and local governmentagencies, which seek to minimise theimpacts of their activities on biodiversity,and detail efforts to protect or restorecomponents of biodiversity under theircontrol in their rolling corporate plans.

Number of Stateagency corporateplans providing forbiodiversityconservation.

TBI TBI NH

State natural resource managementpolicy developed by 2012.

73. Ensure sufficient biodiversityconservation and research, and relatedpriority actions and targets, in thedevelopment and implementation of theproposed State’s NRM policy statement andstrategy, and in the review of the State’sSustainability Strategy.

TBI TBI NH

All six regional NRM strategies andinvestment plans undertakingstrategic and targeted biodiversityconservation by 2007.

74. Implement regional NRM strategiesand investment plans which adequatelyprovide for biodiversity conservation.

Level of biodiversityconservation funding.

Relevant indicatorsunder regional NRMstrategies and plans.

TBI TBI EH

State biodiversity strategy for climatechange developed by 2009.

75. Develop and implement a Statebiodiversity strategy for climate change.

Measures as per finalplan.

Indicators as per finalplan.

TBI TBI NH

Twenty-five12 local governmentauthority biodiversity action plansdeveloped by 2010.

Seventy-five local governmentauthority biodiversity action plansdeveloped by 2015.

All local government authoritiesdevelop and implement biodiversityplans by 2029.

76. Develop and implement localgovernment biodiversity strategies andaction plans.

Area of land coveredby local governmentbiodiversity actionplans.

TBI TBI EEAH

Roadside conservation value mapsand associated reports completed forall south-west rural shires by 2020.

77. Continue the work of the RoadsideConservation Committee to promote andprovide guidance for the management ofrailway reserves and roadside nativevegetation.

TBI TBI E

78. Continue inter-agency fora, such as thevarious natural resource management seniorofficers’ groups and interagency workinggroups, to ensure coordination and betterintegration of NRM across State agencies.

TBI TBI EH

12 There are 142 local government authorities in WA



79. Continue to implement and improve theenvironmental impact assessmentprocesses to ensure that impacts onbiodiversity from natural resource extractiveand development projects are minimisedand that management of sites adequatelyprovide provisions for biodiversityconservation, and that the full cost ofprojects is borne by the developer.

Number of proposalsassessed.

Area of land/sea underactive biodiversityconservation due toEIA processes.

TBI TBI EEAH


Land use planningObjective: To maximise biodiversity conservation in the development of natural resources.

Biodiversity conservation offsetspolicy and guidelines developed by2008.

80. Develop and implement a biodiversityconservation offsets policy and managementguidelines for resource development andland use projects.

Area of habitatprotected as the resultof conservationoffsets.

Number of threatenedspecies/ ecologicalcommunities thatimprove in conservationstatus as result ofconservation offsets.

TBI TBI EH

Reform agenda agreed by 2009. 81. Strengthen processes for statutoryenvironmental planning and resource andland use development to better reflectrequirements for biodiversity conservation.

TBI TBI EEA

82. Implement State Planning Policies,Statement of Planning Policies andguidelines under the Planning andDevelopment Act 2005 to encourage localgovernments to adopt biodiversityconservation requirements, and develop newstatements under the auspices of the WAPlanning Commission aimed at bringingabout better provision and recognition ofbiodiversity conservation outcomes in landuse planning.

Measures as perplanning policies.

Indicators as perplanning policies.

TBI TBI

All regional and local planningschemes reviewed by 2012.

83. Review and strengthen region and localplanning schemes to ensure that there issufficient biodiversity conservation.

Proportion of regionaland local planningschemes reviewed.

TBI TBI NH

84. Expand the role of innovative and soundtechnologies in pollution management togive priority to the use of such initiatives inaddressing pollution in areas of highbiodiversity significance.

TBI TBI EEA

Other

The following section outlines three inter-related keystrategic directions that form the basis for directbiodiversity conservation management action.

• The establishment and management of theformal conservation reserve system, focusing onmaintaining high biodiversity values.

• The recovery of threatened taxa and ecologicalcommunities, along with the management ofother highly significant species and ecosystems.

• The conservation of landscapes and seascapes toensure ecological process are maintained througha range of complementary mechanisms.

4.4 Direct management for biodiversity


Establishment and management of the formalconservation reserve system13 forms a major part ofthe key response to conserving biodiversity, where theprimary aim is to maximise the effectiveness ofretaining biodiversity in situ. This is achieved bysetting aside the full range of ecosystems under asecure management regime in perpetuity.

Design of the conservation reserve system is based onthe criteria of comprehensiveness, adequacy andrepresentativeness14, and follows the principles asagreed between the State and Commonwealth underthe Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation forAustralia (IBRA) and the Interim Marine and CoastalRegionalisation for Australia (IMCRA). It also meetsthe minimum standards for inclusion in the NationalReserve System under the Directions for the NationalReserve System – A Partnership Approach, whichincludes areas being given statutory protection for theprimary purpose of maintaining of biodiversity andmanaged in a manner that is open to public scrutiny.This not only provides a secure basis for publicinvestment for general management purposes, but ithas the added benefit in many instances of providinglong-term security for large scale biodiversityconservation initiatives, such as Western Shield, wherethere is a need to control system-wide threats at alandscape scale and maintain a sympatheticbiodiversity management regime over millennia.

As well as being one of the most cost effectiveconservation mechanisms, to maintain and recoverbiodiversity, it also provides an ‘insurance’ strategy toretain future land and resource use options for publicbenefit, such as providing ecosystem services likeclean air and water and sustainable nature-basedrecreation and tourism opportunities.

The conservation reserve system also includes criticalhabitats of threatened taxa and ecological communities,and ecosystems that are considered irreplaceable or rare.

Another fundamental criterion that forms part ofconservation reserve system design is ecologicalconnectivity, particularly in fragmented landscapes,that is the need to recognise continental scaleecological linkages of contiguous ecosystems andhabitats to allow the natural flow of genetic materialbetween populations, movement of biota and to helpmaintain ecological processes across landscapes andseascapes. With impacts on biodiversity as a result ofhuman-induced climate change, the conservationreserve system increasingly provides an importantadaptation strategy to accommodate future needs ofbiodiversity in responding to changing conditions.

Establishment of the conservation reserve system, aswell as complementary private and indigenousprotected areas, needs to form part of an integratednatural resource planning and management approach


Establish and manage the formal conservation reserve system6

13 The formal conservation reserve system comprises the following categories under the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984(CALM Act): national parks, marine parks, nature reserves, marine nature reserves, marine management areas, conservation parks.Sections 5(1)(g) and 5(1)(h) reserves under the CALM Act may form part of the conservation reserve system, depending on their statutorypurpose. Collectively these categories meet IUCN protected areas management objectives and form part of the National Reserve Systemand National Reserve System of Marine Protected Areas.

14 Comprehensive refers to the inclusion of the full range of ecosystems recognised within and across each bioregion. Adequate meansensuring that sufficient proportions of each ecosystem should be included within a conservation reserve network in order to maintainecological viability and integrity of populations, species and communities. Representative means that reserves need to cover the breadthof the biotic diversity of the ecosystems they are seeking to conserve.



Ten year State terrestrial protectedarea plan completed by 2008.

Eighty per cent of extant ecosystemsin each IBRA sub-region15

represented in the formal terrestrialconservation reserve system by2016, with initial priority being givento priority sub-bioregions under IBRAin the rangelands, Wheatbelt, forestareas and Swan Coastal Plain.

One hundred per cent of extantecosystems in each IBRA sub-regionrepresented in the formal terrestrialconservation reserve system by 2029.

85. Develop and implement a 10-year rollingState protected area plan with targets toaccelerate the establishment of the formalsystem of terrestrial conservation reservesthat meet the minimum standards of theNational Reserve System, and encouragethe establishment of private and indigenousprotected areas that meet the minimumstandards of the National Reserve System.

Area of land in theformal conservationreserve system.

Proportion of the Statein the formalconservation reservesystem.

Number of IBRA sub-regions where arepresentation of atleast 15 per centterrestrial ecosystemshas been achieved.

TBI TBI EH

Conservation reserve system creationObjective: To consolidate and complete a formal terrestrial and marine conservation reserve system that meets thecriteria of representativeness, adequacy and comprehensiveness, and contributes towards ecosystem resilienceand continental scale connectivity.

Marine parks and reserves areestablished at the DampierArchipelago, Leeuwin-Naturaliste/Geographe Bay andWalpole-Nornalup Inlets by 2008.

86. Finalise the establish of marineconservation reserves in the DampierArchipelago/Cape Preston, Leeuwin-Naturaliste/Geographe Bay and Walpole-Nornalup Inlets, and pursue reservation ofhigh priority candidate marine conservationareas including the Recherche Archipelago,Fitzgerald River coast and RoebuckBay/Eighty Mile Beach.

Proportion of the Statewaters in the formalconservation reservesystem.

Proportion of Statewaters in sanctuaryzones.

Number of IMCRAbioregions where arepresentation ofmarine ecosystemshas been achieved.

TBI TBI NH

at a whole-of-landscape or bioregional level. This willhelp maximise resilience of conservation reserves todeal with natural or human-induced disturbances. Ineffect, the formal conservation reserve systemprovides the ‘building blocks’ to optimise and achievea landscape approach. Towards that end, Section 4.4outlines primary actions to integrate theestablishment and management of the formalconservation system and other protected areas withon-ground ecologically sustainable management andoff-reserve conservation areas.


• A system of terrestrial conservation reserveswhere the full range of ecosystems arerepresented and afforded the highest level ofstatutory protection in perpetuity, and managedto meet IUCN Protected Area ManagementCategories I, II or IV, and covering at least 15per cent of the State’s land area.

• A system of marine conservation reserves in allIMCRA bioregions in State waters, within whichthe full range of representative habitat is affordedthe highest level of statutory protection andmanaged as sanctuary zones to meet IUCNManagement Categories I or II andcomplemented by other management zones thatmeet IUCN Management Categories IV or VI.

• A terrestrial and marine conservation reservesystem that forms the basis for continental scaleecological linkages and contributes towardsecosystem resilience, and which is complementedby a network of Indigenous and private protectedareas where in perpetuity statutory protectionand biodiversity conservation is the primary goal.

• Biodiversity condition targets under a Statemonitoring and evaluation program are achievedfor the terrestrial and marine conservationreserve system.


15 There are 54 IBRA sub-regions for WA.




Marine parks and reserves areestablished in the WA South Coast andKimberley IMCRA bioregions,particularly the Recherche Archipelago,Fitzgerald River coast and RoebuckBay/Eighty Mile Beach by 2012.

A network of sanctuary zones inmarine parks and reserves for IMCRAbioregions in State waters that arerepresentative of the full range ofhabitats by 2029.

87. Accelerate establishment of the marineparks and reserves system in all IMCRAbioregions covering State waters, includingestablishment of a network of marinesanctuary zones.

Proportion of the Statewaters in the formalconservation reservesystem.

Proportion of Statewaters in sanctuaryzones.

Number of IMCRAbioregions where arepresentation ofmarine ecosystemshas been achieved.

TBI TBI EEAH

All formal reservations under theForest Management Plan 2004-2013(FMP) finalised by 2013.

88. Implement all reservation proposals inthe FMP.

Area of each forestecosystem by landcategory.

Representation offorest ecosystems informal reserves.

TBI TBI EH

The remaining gaps in the level ofcomprehensiveness andrepresentativeness are filled in theGascoyne-Murchison Strategy (GMS)area, with at least an additional twomillion hectares added to theconservation reserve system inaddition to the lands alreadypurchased by 2010.

89. Continue to progress the creation ofconservation reserves purchased under theGMS, and pursue further acquisitions toreach a comprehensive and adequate andrepresentative reserve system for the GMSbioregions.




TBI TBI EH

Additional areas reserved ormanagement agreement finalised by2015.

90. Continue to negotiate with pastorallessees over areas identified under the2015 pastoral lease renewal program forinclusion in the conservation reserve systemor excision under a conservation agreement.




TBI TBI EH

Where possible at least 15% ofregionally significant ecosystemsformally protected and/or undermanagement agreements.

91. Continue the identification of significantareas across the Swan Coastal Plain underthe Swan Bioplan for possible inclusion inthe formal conservation reserve system,including in the Bunbury-Busselton area.

Proportion of SwanCoastal Plain in theformal conservationreserve system.

Proportion of nativevegetation associationswhere at least 15 percent are fully reserved.

TBI TBI N

Eighty per cent of Bush Forever sitesformally protected by 2017.

All of Bush Forever sites formallyprotected by 2029.

92. Provide formal protection for landsidentified under Bush Forever16 across thePerth Metropolitan area.

Area formallyreserved.

Proportion of nativevegetation associationswhere at least 15 percent are fully reserved.

TBI TBI EH

16 Bush Forever (2000) identifies 51,200 ha of regionally significant bushland to be protected in 287 sites.



State Indigenous Protected Areaprogram established by 2009.

93. Establish a network of private andindigenous17 protected areas that complementsand builds on the formal conservation reservesystem, and complements off-reserveconservation initiatives.

Area of land managedfor biodiversity andprotected in perpetuity.

Trends of biodiversityindicators in areastargeted by area plans.

TBI TBI N

94. Establish and manage a network of ReefObservations Areas and Fish HabitatProtection Areas under the Fish ResourcesManagement Act, which complements themarine conservation reserve system.

Area of State watersunder ReefObservations Areas.

Area of State watersunder Fish HabitatProtection Areas.

Trends of biodiversityindicators for targetareas.

TBI TBI EEA


17 In this context, private and Indigenous protected areas need to meet the minimum standards of the National Reserve System. This includes areas ofland or water under private ownership and leasehold areas managed primarily for biodiversity conservation and having long-term statutory protection.

Supporting mechanisms to the formal conservation reserve system

Conservation reserve managementObjective:To ensure the effective management of the conservation reserve system to maintain biodiversity values.

Update of datasets by 2008. 96. Continue maintenance of database andinformation requirements to support theestablishment of the formal conservationreserve system and complementaryprotected area network.

TBI TBI NH

97. Active participation in the development ofthe National Reserve System andRepresentative Marine Conservation ReserveSystem.

TBI TBI EH

Communication plan developed by2008.

98. Develop and implement acommunication plan to increase public and decision makers’ awareness andunderstanding of the roles and functions ofthe terrestrial and marine conservationreserve system.

Number of peopletargeted incommunication.

Number of parkvisitors.

Level of publicunderstanding.

TBI TBI NH

Development of adequacy principlesand guidelines by 2008.

95. Refine design methodology for theestablishment of the terrestrial and marineconservation system, including for a networkof marine sanctuary zones for the temperateand tropical waters of WA, and refinement ofadequacy and connectivity guidelines.

TBI TBI NH

Conservation reserve designObjective: To improve conservation reserve system design, including testing biodiversity surrogates and providinganalytical tools.




Management plans developed at theindividual conservation park/reservelevel for 35 per cent of the areacovered by the conservation reservenetwork by 2015.

Fifty per cent of area of the currentarea of the conservation reservesystem covered by managementplans by 2020.

One hundred per cent of theconservation reserve network coveredby management plans, andmonitoring for adaptive managementimplemented by 2029.

99. Continue to develop and implementmanagement plans18 for the terrestrial andmarine conservation reserve system inaccordance with the CALM Act on a prioritybasis.

Area of coverage ofmanagement plans.


TBI TBI EH

Initial review completed by 2009. 100. Review implementation of marine andterrestrial protected area management plansin terms of ‘best practice’ guidelines.

Number of plansreviewed.

Proportion of marineand terrestrialmanagement plansreviewed.

TBI TBI EEAH

Terrestrial and marine databasecompleted by 2009.

101. Develop and implement a conservationreserves database for conservationmanagers, which also include provision formonitoring and evaluation managementeffectiveness, and maintaining publicreporting requirements.

Number of peopleaccessing data.

Number of peopleusing database.

TBI TBI NH

Management protocols and practicesfor protected areas are implementedto ensure adaptive management forbiodiversity conservation by 2009.

102. Continue to participate in thedevelopment of a national code ofmanagement to ensure protected areamanagement is of an appropriately highstandard.


TBI TBI EEAH

18 Management plans should identify the natural values of the area and threats to these values. The plan should emphasise the overall maintenance ofindigenous ecological communities, species populations and natural ecological and evolutionary processes; protection of unique or unusual habitatsor ecological communities; provide for recovery of threatened species and ecological communities; and identify actions necessary to abate orameliorate key threatening processes. Allowance should be made for experimental adaptive management and adaptation responses to climatechange based on best available knowledge should be included.


Box 7: WA’s conservation reserve system

At 30 June 2006, WA had a terrestrial conservation reserve system comprising 97 national parks (covering5,593,536 hectares), 843,155 hectares in conservation parks, 10,860,832 hectares in nature reserves and133,154 hectares in miscellaneous conservation reserves under the Conservation and Land Management Act1984. The total area of 17,430,677 hectares equates to 6.9 per cent of WA’s land area. In addition, 5,244,774hectares of former pastoral leasehold land has been acquired for conservation reserves as at 30 June 2006 butare yet to be reserved, and approximately 195,000 hectares of land tenure changes to conservation reserves areyet to be implemented under the Forest Management Plan 2004-2013. These areas are, however, beingmanaged as if they were conservation reserves. Reservation of these areas will increase the total area of theconservation reserve system to around 22.87 million hectares, or 8.9 per cent of WA’s land area. Furthermore,a total of more than 1.4 million hectares of land in the rangelands has been identified for exclusion frompastoral leases when the leases expire in 2015, and incorporation in the conservation reserve system.

At 30 June 2006, WA’s marine conservation reserve system comprised nine marine parks, two marinemanagement areas and one marine nature reserve, covering a total of around 1.54 million hectares, or 12.2per cent of the State’s marine waters. The Leeuwin-Naturaliste/Geographe Bay, Dampier Archipelago/CapePreston and Walpole-Nornalup areas are currently in the planning phase for reservation as marineconservation reserves. The next priorities for the establishment of new marine reserves have been identified bythe Marine Parks and Reserves Authority as (1) the Recherche Archipelago; Fitzgerald River coast; (2)Shoalwater Islands Marine Park and Carnac and Garden Islands extensions; (3) Shark Bay Marine Park, DirkHartog, Bernier and Dorre Islands extensions; and (4) Roebuck Bay/Lagrange Bay/Eighty Mile Beach.

Stand of paperbarks (Melaleuca leucadendra) with pandanus (Pandanus spiralis) in Prince Regent Nature Reserve, Kimberley. Theformal conservation reserve system is an important cornerstone of biodiversity conservation. Photo – Keith Claymore


Threatened species19 and ecological communities areorganisms or ecological communities at risk fromextinction. Threatening processes operate to bothcause and accelerate species extinctions and degradeor destroy ecological communities. At global,national and State scales extinctions are irreversibleand have evolutionary consequences as well asimpairing ecosystem resilience. Avoiding extinctionof species and complete destruction of ecologicalcommunities is an important strategy to conservebiodiversity.

Under accepted international (IUCN) criteria,species and ecological communities are assigned athreat category, which denote their conservationstatus in relation to its risk of becoming extinct. Theconservation status categories are CriticallyEndangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, as well as thePresumed Extinct (or for communities, presumeddestroyed) categories. In WA, there are also theadditional categories of near Threatened/possiblyThreatened species denoted as ConservationDependant (P5) or ‘priority’ species (P1-P4), whichdo not satisfy the threatened criteria (including insome cases the detailed survey requirement), butwhich are worthy of special investigation on the basisthey may be or become threatened in the near future.

Outside of those taxa and ecological communitiesthat are considered at risk of extinction, there areother important species and ecosystems that havehigh biodiversity values. These includeinternationally significant wetlands for migratorybirds, nationally important wetlands, and tuart andwandoo woodlands in the south-west of the State.


• Improvement in the conservation status20 of atleast 100 threatened species through recoveryaction, including 20 species fully recovered andremoved from the State’s threatened species lists.

• Status of 50 per cent priority taxa and ecologicalcommunities21 conservation is resolved.

• Twenty ecological communities improved inconservation status because of conservation action.

• No species or ecological community becomesextinct where conservation action is beingundertaken.

• All Ramsar wetlands protected and improved incondition.

• Tuart and wandoo woodlands better protectedand improved in condition.


Recover threatened species and ecological communities and manage othersignificant species/ecological communities and ecosystems

7

19 In this context species includes subspecies and other varieties; collectively referred to as taxa.20 Relates to the movement in direction of less threat, for example Endangered to Vulnerable.21 There are about 2250 priority taxa and about 140 priority ecological communities.

A young woylie or brush-tail bettong (Bettongia penicillata). Woylies were oncewidespread and abundant across Australia south of the tropics. Today numbersand geographic range is restricted to a few populations. In WA, recovery of thewoylie forms part of Western Shield. Photo – Adrian Wayne/DEC



Annual review of Threatened taxalists and Threatened EcologicalCommunities list.

103. Continue to support the work of thescientific committees in reviewing andlisting threatened species and ecologicalcommunities.

Number oftaxa/ecologicalcommunities reviewedand assessed.

TBI TBI EH

Three hundred recovery plans22 aredeveloped, including recovery plansfor 100 per cent of CriticallyEndangered and Endangered taxaand ecological communities, andplans being implemented by 2012.

Recovery plans are in place andbeing implemented for all listedthreatened species and ecologicalcommunities (2007 levels) by 2029.

104. Accelerate the development andimplementation of recovery plans23 andwildlife management programs for all listedthreatened species and ecologicalcommunities in priority order as determinedby IUCN conservation status categories CR>, EN, > VU > priority24.

Number andproportion of recoveryplans beingimplemented.

Proportion ofthreatened speciesthat have been movedto a lower category ofthreat according toIUCN criteria.

TBI TBI EH

Risk assessment frameworkdeveloped and being implementedby 2008.

105. Develop a risk assessment frameworkfor threatened taxa to determine prioritieswithin threat classes

TBI TBI NH

Incentives program to be in place by2009.

106. Establish a State incentives programto manage critical habitat on private andleasehold lands, and target provision ofon-site technical information to relevantlandholders.

Area of critical habitatunder incentivesprogram.

Trend in recovery oftarget threatened taxa.

TBI TBI NH

Western Shield program extended by1.5 million hectares to cover 5million hectares by 2012.

Western Shield to cover 10 millionhectares by 2029.

107. Continue the Western Shield program(3.5 million hectares) and expand intorangeland areas. Investigate technologies forcontrol and expand to include otherintroduced animals such as feral pigs in thesouth-west.

Area covered byWestern Shield.

Trend in recovery ofthreatened taxa underWestern Shield.

TBI TBI EEAH

All areas of the State are surveyedfor threatened ecologicalcommunities, and 50 per cent ofpriority flora is surveyed by 2029.

108. Undertake targeted biological surveysof threatened and priority taxa to resolveconservation status and determine threats.

Area of State surveyed.

Proportion of prioritytaxa surveyed.

Number of threatenedecologicalcommunities, andpriority flora resolved.

TBI TBI EEAH

75 per cent of ecosystems andecological communities are mappedat an appropriate scale by 2011.

All 2007 listed ecologicalcommunities are mapped by 2017.

109. Improve the identification process forecological communities to determineconservation status, condition and threats.

Percentage of theState’s ecosystemsand ecologicalcommunities mapped.

TBI TBI NH


Threatened taxa and ecological communities recoveryObjective: To recover threatened species and ecological communities, and resolve the conservation status ofpriority taxa and ecological communities.

22 Recovery plans cover both interim recovery plans and full recovery plans. There are 582 taxa and 66 threatened ecological communities currently listedas Threatened. The number of recovery plans in place is 243. In some instances, recovery plans may cover a number of taxa/ecological communities.

23 Threatening processes are acknowledged as significant and important in the recovery and management of species and ecological communities. Whilenot explicitly outlined under this strategic direction, amelioration or abatement of threatening processes would form a major part of recovery planningand implementation. Similarly, research is also considered part of the recovery process but not explicitly detailed. Generic threatening processes aredealt with under 4.4.

24 CR = Critically Endangered; EN = Endangered; VU = Vulnerable.



110. Improve the coordination andmanagement of the ThreatenedSpecies network.

Number of peopleinvolved in thenetwork.

Uptake of informationby Network members.

TBI TBI EEA

Management plans are in place and beingimplemented for 30 wetlands listed on theDirectory of Important Wetlands 25 inAustralia by 2017.

Management plans covering 120 wetlandslisted on the Directory of ImportantWetlands in Australia by 2029.

111. Manage wetlands in theDirectory of Important Wetlands inAustralia and nominate newwetlands.

Number andproportion of plans forand nationallyimportant wetlands.

Number of newwetlands in Directory.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for areasunder managementplans.

TBI TBI EEA

Identification of priority waterwaysfor conservation by 2012.

112. Improve understanding of WAwaterways, via undertaking surveyand assessment, and classification ofwaterways.

Area of Statesurveyed.

Degree of uptake ofknowledge inmanagement decisionmaking.

TBI TBI N

Conservation of significant non-threatened species and ecosystemsObjective: To maintain the conservation status of significant species, such as migratory birds, and improve the conditionof special ecosystems, including Ramsar and nationally significant wetlands, and tuart and wandoo woodlands.


Site management plans developedand being implemented for allRamsar wetlands by 2012.

Additional eight nominations forRamsar listing by 2012.

Management plans are developedand implemented for an additionaleight Ramsar sites in WA by 2015.

Management plans in place andbeing implemented for all Ramsarsites that meet the criteria of theConvention on Wetlands by 2029.

113. Develop and implement plansfor Ramsar sites, and undertakeinvestigations to nominate Ramsarsites.

Number of Ramsarsites listed for WA.

Number of Ramsarsites withmanagement plans.

Proportion of Ramsarsites covered bymanagement plans.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for areasunder managementplans.

TBI TBI NH

114. Evaluation and prioritisation ofSwan Coastal Plain wetlands forbiodiversity conservation purposes.

TBI TBI E

115. Continue assistance with thedevelopment of voluntary managementplans and agreements for wetlandsconservation; and development ofincentives package, includingexpansion of Urban Nature andeducation and awareness programs tobring about wetlands conservation.

Area covered byvoluntary managementagreements.

Trends in biodiversityindicators for areascovered by voluntarymanagementagreements.

TBI TBI EEA

25 There are 120 wetlands in the Directory of Important Wetlands.

116. Ensure monitoring of abundanceand distribution of seabirds,waterbirds woodland birds andshorebird/migratory species.

Number of collaborativeties with internationalmigratory bird researchand managementorganisations.

Trends in abundanceand richness ofmigratory species inWA.

TBI TBI EEA



Meet targets under relevant wildlifemanagement programs, includingkangaroo, crocodiles, turtle anddugong management and floraharvesting.

117. Continue to refine and implementwildlife management programs for non-threatened flora and fauna.

Measures underrelevant plans.

Indicators underrelevant plans.

TBI TBI E


Progress nomination of Ningaloo-Cape Range for World Heritagelisting by 2007.

118. Ensure effective management ofWorld Heritage Properties at Shark Bay andPurnululu National Park, and progressnomination of Ningaloo-Cape Range forWorld Heritage listing.

Trends in naturalvalues in WorldHeritage sites.

TBI TBI EEA

Provision of report on candidateareas with potential World Heritagevalues by 2010.

119. Identify and progress potential newareas for World Heritage listings.

TBI TBI EEA

Tuart Conservation and ManagementStrategy finalised by 2007.

120. Finalise and implement the TuartConservation and Management Strategyand implement the Wandoo RecoveryResearch Strategy.

TBI TBI

Mulga (Acacia aneura) community, Mt Everard. Mulga occupies about 20 per cent of arid Australia and is a keystone species that dominates a largeportion of WA rangelands. Mulga communities are repositories of significant productivity and biodiversity; they are resource ‘hotspots’ because of theirability to capture, retain and cycle precious sediments, nutrients and water. Photo – Bruce Maslin


Box 8: Gilbert’s potoroo – Australia’s most threatened mammal

Gilbert’s potoroo or nilgyte (Potorous gilbertii) was discovered near Albany in 1843 by John Gilbert, an Englishnaturalist and collector working in WA for the zoologist John Gould. A number of specimens were latercollected from the Albany region, the last being in 1874. This was the last official record of this marsupial,believed to be extinct by 1905, until it was rediscovered at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, 35 kilometreseast of Albany, in December 1994. Gilbert’s potoroo is currently known in the wild within a small area ofMount Gardner promontory at Two Peoples Bay, where it is believed there are fewer than 40 animals in thepopulation.

Gilbert’s potoroo is listed as fauna that is likely to become extinct or is rare under the WA WildlifeConservation Act 1950 and has been ranked as Critically Endangered by the WA Threatened Species ScientificCommittee. It is also listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and BiodiversityConservation Act 1999.

The most significant threats to the survival of the Gilbert’s potoroo have been summarised as altered fireregimes, introduced predators including foxes and cats, native vegetation decline caused by Phytophthoracinnamomi and the clearing of native vegetation adjacent to Two Peoples Bay.

Primary recovery actions to conserve Gilbert’s potoroo are to ensure that the single largest wild populationpersists in the wild by ameliorating the effects of threatening processes, identifying new locations at which thespecies may occur and establishing new populations in suitable habitats. There has been successfultranslocation of animals to Bald Island east of Albany. A recovery plan outlines management actions tosupport the recovery of Gilbert’s potoroo from Critically Endangered to common status. Implementation ofthe recovery plan is overseen by the Gilbert’s Potoroo Recovery Team.

The aim of the Gilbert's Potoroo Recovery Plan is to increase both the numbers of individual Gilbert's potoroos known to be alive inthe wild and the number of locations in which they occur. Photo – Dick Walker/Gilbert’s Potoroo Action Group


Operating at landscape and seascape scales is essentialto conserve biodiversity and ensure heterogeneity,ecological connectivity and functional ecosystems.This will require the effective management of system-wide threats, such as those resulting in habitat andspecies loss, and the successful implementation ofother key strategies such as achieving sustainable useof natural resources, the establishment andmanagement of the conservation reserve system, andrecovery and management of significant species andecological communities as outlined in key strategicdirections 4-7. Hence, landscape/seascape scaleapproaches need to comprise a mix of complementaryand integrated mechanisms that occur at a range ofgeographic and temporal scales.

In the highly fragmented south-west of the State it isimperative that macro-scale ecological linkages aredeveloped. These will comprise a network of protectedareas with complementary off-reserve initiatives.


• Better targeting of biodiversity conservation effortat a scale that manages and recovers landscapes/seascapes and ecosystems of high biodiversityvalue and maintain ecological processes and thenatural resources they depend on.

• Continental scale ecological linkages in place forthe south-west to assist in a reduction of theeffects of human-induced climate change andbiodiversity decline.

• Key invasive animals affecting biodiversity in therangelands to be reduced in extent by 10-30 percent. This includes feral and unmanaged goat,feral camel, feral cat, feral pig and the Europeanfox. Biodiversity should show an improvementin condition and status.

• A 90 per cent reduction in European starlingpopulations and a reduction in the impacts onbiodiversity values.

• The top 30 environmental weeds are contained.

• Ten ‘sleeper’ weeds are eradicated.

• Biodiversity decline is halted in 25 naturaldiversity recovery catchments in the agriculturalzone of the south-west of the State.

• Containment in the extent of Phytophthoradieback in the south-west of the State.

• Priority marine pests are controlled.

• Appropriate fire regimes are in place for thenorth Kimberley, Karijini-Fortescue, Goldfields,arid-zone hummock grasslands, south-westforests and kwongan heathlands.


Conserve landscapes/seascapes for biodiversity (integrating on- and off-reserve conservation and managing system-wide threats)

8



Four macro-scale ecological linkagesare established in the south-westand form the basis of landscapeconservation efforts and investmentsby 2012.

Eight macro-scale ecological linkagesare established in the south-west andform the basis of landscapeconservation efforts by 2017.

121. Create and manage macro-scaleecological linkages in the south-west of theState to ameliorate or accommodate theeffects of climate change on biodiversity,and to build ecosystem resilience andconnectivity of the formal conservationreserve system and off-reserve initiativesthat focus on managing high biodiversityvalues and contribute to restoringecological connectivity and landscapereconstruction.

Area covered byecological linkages.

Trends in biodiversityvalues in target areas.

TBI TBI NH

Landscape planning and managementObjective: To conserve biodiversity values and better focus management at a landscape/seascape scale (i.e.hundreds to thousands of hectares).



Target landscapes and biodiversityhotspots for the south-west areidentified, and a targeted incentiverecovery program developed by 2009.

122. Determine high priority landscapes ofhigh biodiversity values, including centresof endemism, for recovery andmanagement in the south-west of theState, and establish a financial incentiveprogram to ensure strategic biodiversityconservation action in such areas.

Area covered by targetlandscapes.

Trends in biodiversityvalues in target areas.

TBI TBI NH

Management protocols are in placefor recovery and management ofbiodiversity on unallocated Crownland and unmanaged Crown reservesby 2010.

123. Develop effective managementprotocols for and undertake management onunallocated Crown land and unmanagedCrown reserves to ensure that biodiversityvalues are not diminished and are recoveredwhere appropriate.

Area covered byprogram.

Trends in biodiversityvalues in managedareas.

TBI TBI NH

Reduction in the spread of canetoads, and reduce the impacts onbiodiversity values by 2012.

126. Continue the implementation of StateCane Toad Initiative, including biocontrol.

Area of potential rangein WA kept free of canetoads.

Rate of spread of canetoad population.

TBI TBI EH

An additional 10 regional parks areestablished under statutory regionalplanning schemes by 2017, withpriority for the Perth metropolitan,Peel and Bunbury regions.

Thirty regional parks covering Perthmetropolitan and regional centres areestablished by 2029.

124. Manage and expand the regional parkssystem,26 where appropriate, in urbanenvironments to assist in the protection andmanagement of high biodiversity values at alandscape scale.

Area of land undermanagement in theregional park network.

Indicators as perregional park plans.

TBI TBI EEA

Abatement plans developed andimplemented for feral hoofed animalsin the rangelands by 2009, andreduction in target population extentby 10-30 per cent by 2029.

125. Establish and implement integratedcontrol and research programs for the controlof feral hoofed animals in the rangelands.

• Ascertain the distribution and abundanceof feral camels, unmanaged and feralgoats, feral pigs, feral donkeys andhorses and their impact on biodiversity.

• Develop active adaptive managementcontrol programs, and establishmonitoring of control.

• Develop related effective publicawareness programs.

Area covered by threatabatement plans.

Trends in threatenedspecies and other keybiodiversity valuesconservation status asa result of control ofthreatening processes.

Trends in keybiodiversity values, andtarget invasive animalspecies.

TBI TBI


(i) Invasive animalsObjective: To lessen or address the effects of system-wide biophysical threats and pressures on biodiversity.

Management of system-wide threats (invasive animals, weeds and pathogens)

26 There are currently 8 regional parks for the State, which are all located in the Perth Metropolitan area.



A 50 per cent reduction in starlingpopulations by 2012, andamelioration of impacts on biodiversityvalues.

A 90 per cent reduction in starlingpopulations by 2029, and ameliorationof impacts on biodiversity values.

A 50 per cent reduction in rainbowlorikeet populations in the Perthmetropolitan area by 2017, andamelioration of impacts on biodiversityvalues.

127. Continue the control of the Europeanstarling and other introduced avifauna, suchas rainbow lorikeets, in the south-west.

Number of target birdpopulations eradicated.

Extent of targetpopulation, andnumber ofpopulations.

TBI TBI EEAH

A 30 per cent reduction in feral beepopulations by 2029, andamelioration of impacts on biodiversityvalues.

128. Develop and implement a feral bee andintroduced invertebrate abatement plan.

Reduction in the numberof feral bee populations.

Reduction in targetspecies.

Trends in biodiversityvalues in controlareas.

TBI TBI N

Establish a marine pest controlprogram by 2010.

129. Establish an integrated marine pestscontrol program, including evaluation ofknown marine pests and their impact onbiodiversity to determine priorities for controland eradication.

Reduction in the extentof target populations ofmarine pests.

Trends in biodiversityvalues in controlareas.

TBI TBI NH


Feral cat (Felis catus). Feral cats are widespread and have impactedon island fauna and contributed to the extinction of many small tomedium sized mammals and ground-nesting birds. Photo – RaySmith/DEC



Management plans in place for sixnatural diversity recovery catchmentsby 2008.

An additional five natural diversityrecovery catchments established by2011.

25 natural diversity recoverycatchments established by 2017.

Develop and implement managementplans for all 25 natural diversityrecovery catchments by 2029.

132. Continue with the management of sixnatural diversity recovery catchments underthe State Salinity Strategy, and expand theprogram with a further 19 catchments.

Number and areacovered by naturaldiversity recoverycatchments.

Trends in biodiversityand secondary salinityand waterlogging inrecovery catchments.

TBI TBI EEAH

Document established trends inaquatic biodiversity by 2012.

133. Continue to implement the south-westwetlands monitoring program.

Trends in aquaticbiodiversity.

TBI TBI

Establish an integrated PhytophthoraDieback Management Program by2009.

Establish a Phytophthora diebackcontrol program covering 75 per centof affected area by 2017.

Establish a Phytophthora diebackmanagement program covering 100per cent of affected area by 2029.

130. Establish and implement an integratedmanagement and research program forPhytophthora dieback management including:

• a research program to improve anunderstanding of the development,survival, dispersal and control ofPhytophthora dieback;

• assessment of the spatial extent ofdieback affected areas and impact onbiodiversity values; and

• continue and expand diebackmanagement and control in targeted, highpriority areas (both on- and off-reserve).

Extent of Phytophthoradieback.

Trends in relevant taxaand ecologicalcommunities.

TBI TB NH

Environmental Weed Action Plan inplace by 2009, and beingimplemented for the 34 high ratedinvasive weeds and top 20 weedsidentified by risk analysis.

Top 30 environmental weedscontained by 2029.

Establishment of a statewide GIS forenvironmental weed incursions andcontrol operations in place by 2009.

Eradication of 10 ‘sleeper’environmental weeds by 2029.

131. Implement the State’s EnvironmentalWeed Strategy focusing initially on the 34invasive weeds rated ‘high’ and ‘sleeper’weeds, and undertake a risk analysis ofenvironmental weeds to determine the top30 environmental weed priorities for control.Develop and implement an environmentalweeds action plan.

Extent of targetenvironmental weeds.

Trends in biodiversityvalues and target weedspecies in controlareas.

TBI TBI EEAHNH


(ii) Phytophthora Dieback

Salinity management

(iii) Environmental weeds



Six large scale active adaptivemanagement projects to determinesuitable fire regimes are in place by2009.

138. Develop and establish large scale activeadaptive management trials in the northKimberley, Karijini-Fortescue, Goldfields, arid-zone hummock grasslands, south-westforests and kwongan heathlands todetermine suitable fire management regimes.

Area of projectcoverage.

Trends in biodiversity,in trial areas.

TBI TBI


Fire management for biodiversityObjective: To bring about a fire regime that will maintain and recover biodiversity

Establish a program covering 30 percent of Crown land in salinitysusceptible areas by 2012.

Establish a program covering 50 percent of Crown land in areassusceptible to salinity by 2017.

Establish a program covering 100 percent of Crown land in areassusceptible to salinity by 2029.

134. Continue to implement the CrownReserves program under the State SalinityStrategy.

Area of coverage byCrown reservesprogram.

Trends in biodiversityand secondary salinityand waterlogging inrecovery catchments.

TBI TBI

Complete stage three of the SalinityInvestment Framework stage by2009.

135. Continue to implement and refine theSalinity Investment Framework to identifypriorities for biodiversity conservationinvestment in the south-west of the State.

TBI TBI E

Establish commercial nativevegetation industries, such as oilmallee, by 2012.

Establish broadscale native vegetationsupporting revegetation and remnantvegetation management programs by2029.

136. Continue the development ofcommercially viable native species forbroadscale planting to abate secondarysalinisation and waterlogging in the south-west, complement biodiversity conservationactivities and undertake trials and developtechniques for rehabilitation of nativeecosystems.

Area of land underbroadscale plantings.

Trends in biodiversityaffected by secondarysalinity andwaterlogging.

TBI TBI EEAH

Framework for fire management plansfor biodiversity at a bioregional scaleto be completed by 2009.

Ten fire bioregional scale plans aredeveloped and implemented withemphasis on the rangelands by 2012.

Appropriate fire management plansfor biodiversity are implemented for allthe State’s 26 bioregions by 2017.

137. Develop and implement bioregional firemanagement plans that adequately providefor maintenance and recovery of biodiversity,with initial focus on tropical savannahwoodlands and hummock grasslands, andsouth-west forests.

Area of coverage of firemanagement plans.

Trends in biodiversity. TBI TBI N


Box 9: Altered fire regimes

Fire has been a natural element of the Australian landscape for millions of years. Consequently, WA’svegetation has evolved with fire and demonstrates a range of vegetative and reproductive traits that enableplants to persist, and in some cases depend, on particular fire regimes.

Before European settlement, Aboriginal burning over thousands of years was regular and thought to bewidespread but mostly patchy, resulting in a fine-grained mosaic of native vegetation at different growthstages. This fine mosaic restricted the spread and intensity of wildfires and provided structural and floristicdiversity in vegetation which in turn provided diversity in habitat and food for animals.

Fire regimes changed with European settlement, where initial management primarily became aimed atexclusion of fire to reduce the impact of wildfire on the environment, human life and property values. Currentfire regimes are often different to what native vegetation and fauna have adapted to over millennia, being toofrequent in some areas and too infrequent in others. Accordingly, these altered fire regimes can result in thefloristic patterns and vegetation structure being altered, which in turn affects fauna that is reliant on vegetation.

Often coupled with the altering of the fire management regime are land use changes such as intensive grazingand the introduction of exotic species, particularly annual grasses. These exacerbate the effects of fire andchanges to native habitat.

For example, the Kimberley region in the north of WA has experienced a marked decline in native vegetationcondition and distribution of native fauna, especially medium weight range mammals, as a consequence of analtered fire regime but also through the impacts of over-grazing and the introduction of plants, such as birdwoodgrass and buffel grass, and predation from cats. Currently, the predominant fire regime in the Kimberleycomprises frequent, widespread, hot and largely unmanaged late season fires. This is having severe impacts onfire-sensitive flora and vegetation, such as cypress pine (Callitris intratropica) and vine-thickets, and moreextensively altering tropical savannah woodlands to more open with the understorey dominated with annualgrasses. In time, this is likely to bring about irreversible changes for some landscapes and ecosystems, which inturn will impact on native fauna and flora. Evidence also suggests that significant soil loss can be associated withlate dry season fires and heavy rainfall thereby increasing loss of nutrient and organic rich top soil.

The notion of using fire to maintain biodiversity and ecological processes is fairly new. Today, firemanagement should not only provide protection for human life and property, but also achieve a regime thatwill retain and recover biodiversity. An experimental adaptive management framework, where scientificknowledge and measuring the effectiveness of fire management become integral components with operationalmanagement, will be essential to maintain biodiversity values at a landscape scale.

Implementation of a State strategy will requirecooperation, coordination and commitment from allthose responsible for the management of biodiversityor whose activities impinge upon biodiversity,including Government at all levels (State, local andnational), industry, community-based groups andindividuals.

DEC has been assigned by the Government as thelead State agency for monitoring the overallimplementation of the strategy and its progress. A setof practical indicators has been outlined in thestrategy. These will allow measurement of progressagainst targets in achieving the strategy’s objectives.The Department will report through the Minister forthe Environment on progress every five years. Thisreporting will coincide with State of the Environmentreporting. The WA Biodiversity Audit will be used asa tool to assist in determining status and trends inbiodiversity, as well as progress in management

responses, and identification of knowledge gaps andmanagement requirements.

As the lead agency for the strategy, DEC will also beresponsible for undertaking a major review of thestrategy every 10 years (or at lesser intervals ifnecessary) to make sure that it remains up-to-dateand contemporary. These reviews will also determinethe appropriateness and effectiveness of the range ofstrategies employed, and that accompanying actionsand targets are relevant.

Organisations with primary responsibility fordeveloping and implementing actions will berequired to collect data and information on relevantperformance indicators and measures, and report onprogress of delivering primary actions and meetingtargets. Agencies will need to incorporate andidentify biodiversity conservation actions in theircorporate plans.

5. Reviewing progress ofthe strategy


The waters of the proposed Geographe Bay/Leewin-Naturaliste/Hardy Inlet Marine Park contain a wealth of marine life and provide thebasis for a range of recreational and commercial opportunities. Photo – Mike Eidam

Opposite: Open eucalypt woodland with spinifex understorey, Mt Agnes. Photo – DEC

References


Abbott, I. (1997). Extinctions in Western Australia.Landscope 12(3), 49-53.

Abbott, I. (1999). The avifauna of the forests ofsouthwest Western Australia: Changes in speciescomposition, distribution and abundancefollowing anthropogenic disturbance.CALMScience Supplement No. 5: 1-175.Corrigenda. Conservation Science WesternAustralia 5, 136 (2004).

Abbott, I. (2001). The bilby Macrotis lagotis(Marsupialia: Peramelidae) in south-westernAustralia: Original range limits, subsequentdecline, and presumed regional extinction. Recordsof the Western Australian Museum 20, 271-305.

Abbott, I. (MS, in prep.). Mammalian faunalcollapse in Western Australia, 1875-1935: Thehypothesized role of epizootic disease and aconceptual model of its origin, introduction,transmission, and spread.

Australian Department of the Environment, Sportand Territories (1996). ‘The National Strategyfor the Conservation of Australia’s BiologicalDiversity.’ (Department of the Environment,Sport and Territories: Canberra.)

Balla, S. (1994). ‘Wetlands on the Swan CoastalPlain, volume 1: Their nature and management.’(Water Authority of Western Australia andDepartment of Environmental Protection: Perth.)

Beard, J. S. (1995). South-west Botanical Province.In ‘Centres of Plant Diversity. Volume 2. Asia,Australasia, and the Pacific’. (Eds S. D. Davis, V.H. Heywood and A. C. Hamilton.) pp. 484-489. (WWF/IUCN: Cambridge, UK.)

Beard, J. S., Chapman, A. R. and Gioia, P. (2000).Species richness and endemism in the WesternAustralian flora. Journal of Biogeography 27,1257-1268.

Beecham, B. C. (2004). ‘A conservation case studyof Western Australia’s rejuvenated drainagesubregion.’ (Department of Conservation andLand Management: Perth.)

Berkes, F., Hughes, T. P., et al. (2006). Ecology,globalization, roving bandits, and marineresources. Science 311, 1557-1558.

Blanchard, A. L., Feder, H. M., et al. (2003).Variations in benthic fauna underneath aneffluent mixing zone at a marine oil terminal inPort Valdez, Alaska. Marine Pollution Bulletin46, 1583-1589.

Brakstad, O. G. and Lodeng, A. G. (2005).Microbial diversity during biodegradation ofcrude oil in seawater from the North Sea. MicrobEcol 49, 94-103.

Brodie-Hall, B. and Barr, S. (2004). ‘StateGovernment responsibility for maintenancedredging in WA.’ (Department for Planning andInfrastructure: Perth.)

Burbidge, A. H. and McKenzie, N. L. (1989).Patterns in the modern decline of WesternAustralia’s vertebrate fauna: Causes andconservation implications. BiologicalConservation 50, 143-198.

Burbidge, A. H., Harvey, M. S. and McKenzie, N.L. (Eds) (2000). The Biodiversity of theSouthern Carnarvon Basin. Records of the WesternAustralian Museum Supplement 61. (Departmentof Conservation and Land Management,Western Australian Museum and EnvironmentAustralia, Canberra.)

Burbidge, A. H. (2003). Birds and fire in theMediterranean climate of south-west WesternAustralia. In ‘Fire in Ecosystems of South-WestWestern Australia: Impacts and Management’.pp. 321-347. (Backhuys: Leiden.)

Burnside, D. G. (1979). The pastoral industry ofthe north-west, Kimberley and Goldfields. In‘Agriculture in WA – 150 Years of Developmentand Achievement 1829 – 1979’. (Ed. G. H.Burrill.) Sesquicentenary Celebration Series.(University of Western Australia Press: Perth.)

Opposite: Jarrah forest, Bramley National Park. Photos – DEC

Burrows, N. and Wardell-Johnston, G. (2003). Fireand plant interactions in forested ecosystems ofsouth-west Western Australia. In ‘Fire inEcosystems of South-West Western Australia:Impacts and Management’. pp. 243-268.(Backhuys: Leiden.)

Caruso, G., Genovese, L., et al. (2003). Effects offish farming on microbial enzyme activities anddensities: comparison between threeMediterranean sites. Letters in AppliedMicrobiology 37, 324-328.

Chamber of Minerals and Energy (2004).‘Expanding horizons.’ (Chamber of Minerals andEnergy: Perth.)

Chapman, T. (2006). Dugong (Dugong dugong)Management Program (draft) (unpublished).(Department of Environment and Conservation:Perth.)

Collett, D. L., Taylor, G. A., et al. (1981).Alkylmercury levels in marine sediments inCockburn Sound, Western Australia. Bulletin ofEnvironmental Contamination and Toxicology 26,757-763.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial ResearchOrganisation. Marine and Atmospheric Research(2006). Internet website. http//www.cmar.csiro.au.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial ResearchOrganisation. Sustainable Ecosystems (2006).Internet website.http://www.cazr.csiro.au/documents/buffel_tc.

Curnow, C. (2005). ‘Woodland WatchConservation Outcomes Summary: 2000-2005.’(WWF Australia.)

Davies, P. E., Mitchell, N. and Barmuta, L. A.(1996). Mount Lyell remediation: the impact ofhistorical mining operations at Mount Lyell onthe water quality and biological health of theKing and Queen River catchments, westernTasmania. Supervising Scientist Report No. 118.(Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra.)

Department of Conservation and LandManagement and National Parks and NatureConservation Authority (1996). ‘Shark BayMarine Reserves Management Plan 1996 –2006.’ Perth.

Department of Conservation and LandManagement (1997). ‘Wetlands conservationpolicy for Western Australia.’ (Department ofConservation and Land Management: Perth.)

Department of Conservation and LandManagement (1999). ‘Environmental WeedsStrategy for Western Australia.’ (Department ofConservation and Land Management: Perth.)

Department of Conservation and LandManagement (2005). Annual Report 2004-2005. (Department of Conservation and LandManagement: Perth.)

Department of Conservation and LandManagement (2004). ‘Gilbert’s Potoroo(Potorous gilbertii) Recovery Plan, WildlifeManagement Program No 32.’ (Department ofConservation and Land Management: Perth.)

Department of Conservation and LandManagement (2004). ‘Towards a biodiversityconservation strategy for Western Australia.’(Government of Western Australia: Perth.)

Department of Conservation and LandManagement and Marine Parks and ReservesAuthority (2005). ‘Management Plan for theNingaloo Marine Park and Muiron IslandsMarine Management Area 2005-2015.’(Government of Western Australia: Perth.)

Department of Environment and Conservation‘Phytophthora Dieback Management andInvestment Plan for Western Australia 2006-2013.’ (in prep.) (Department of Environmentand Conservation: Perth.)

Department of the Environment and Heritage (2004).Internet website http//www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/hotspots/index.html.


Department of Fisheries (2005). ‘State of theFisheries Report 2004/2005.’ (Department ofFisheries and the Government of WesternAustralia: Perth.)

Department of Fisheries (2006). Internet website.http://www.fish.wa.gov.au

Dyne, G. R. and Walton, D. W. (1987).Exploitations and introductions. In ‘Fauna ofAustralia, Vol. 1a’. (Ed. G. R. Dyne and D. W.Walton.) (Australian Government PublishingService: Canberra.)

Elliott, M. (2003). Biological pollutants andbiological pollution—an increasing cause forconcern. Marine Pollution Bulletin 46, 275-280.

Fabricius, K. E. (2005). Effects of terrestrial runoff onthe ecology of corals and coral reefs: review andsynthesis. Marine Pollution Bulletin 50, 125-146.

Fabricius, K. E. and McCorry, D. (2006). Changesin octocoral communities and benthic coveralong a water quality gradient in the reefs ofHong Kong. Marine Pollution Bulletin 52, 22-33.

Fletcher, W. J. (2002). ‘Policy for theImplementation of Ecologically SustainableDevelopment for Fisheries and Aquaculturewithin Western Australia.’ (Department ofFisheries: Perth.)

Fox, N. J. and Beckley, L. E. (2005). Priority areasfor conservation of Western Australian coastalfishes: A comparison of hotspot, biogeographicaland complementarity approaches. BiologicalConservation 125, 399-410.

Frank, K. T., Petrie, B., et al. (2005). Trophiccascades in a formerly cod-dominated ecosystem.Science 308, 1621-1623.

Gonzalez, A. (2000). Community relaxation infragmented landscapes: the relation between speciesrichness, area and age. Ecology Letters 3, 441-448.

Government of Western Australia (2004).‘Environmental Education Strategy and ActionPlan.’ (Government of Western Australia: Perth.)

Graham, N. A., Wilson, S. K., et al. (2006).Dynamic fragility of oceanic coral reefecosystems. Proceedings of the National Academyof Sciences of the United States of America 103,8425-8429.

Grosholz, E. D. (2005). Recent biological invasionmay hasten invasional meltdown by acceleratinghistorical introductions. Proceedings of theNational Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America 102, 1088-1091.

Groves, R. H., Hosking, J. R., Batianoff, G. N.,Cooke, D. A., Cowie, I. D., Johnson, R. W.,Keighery, G. J., Lepschi, B. J., Mitchell, A. A.,Moerkerk, M., Randall, R. P., Rozefelds, A. C.,Walsh, N. G. and Waterhouse, B. M. (2003)‘Weed categories for natural and agriculturalecosystem management.’ (Bureau of RuralSciences: Canberra.)

Harley, C. D., Hughes, A., et al. (2006). Theimpacts of climate change in coastal marinesystems. Ecology Letters 9, 228-241.

Harrington, G. N., Friedel, M. H., Hodgkinson,K. C. and Noble, J. C. (1984). Vegetationecology and management. In ‘Management ofAustralia’s Rangelands’. (Eds G. N. Harrington,A. D. Wilson and M. D. Young.) (CSIRODivision of Wildlife and Rangelands Research:Melbourne.)

Hayes, K. R. and Sliwa, C. (2003). Identifyingpotential marine pests—a deductive approachapplied to Australia. Marine Pollution Bulletin46, 91-98.

Hobbs, R. J. and Saunders, D. A. (Eds). (1993).‘Reintegrating Fragmented Landscapes TowardsSustainable Production and NatureConservation.’ (Springer-Verlag: New York.)

Hobbs, R. J. and Yates, C. J. (2003). Turner reviewNo. 7 Impacts of ecosystem fragmentation onplant populations: generalizing the idiosyncratic.Australian Journal of Botany 51, 471-488.


Holley, D. and Capewell, D. (2002). TrackingDugongs. Landscope 18(1),28-36.

Holmes, J. H. (1983). Extensive grazing in Australia’sdry interior. In ‘Man and the Environment:Regional Perspectives’. (Eds R. P. Simpson and J. H. Holmes.) (Longman Cheshire.)

Hopper. J. D., Chappill, J. A., Harvey, M. S.,Main, A. R. and Main, B. Y. (1996). TheWestern Australian biota as Gondwanan heritage– a review. In ‘Gondwanan Heritage: past,present and future of the Western Australianbiota’. (Eds J. D. Hopper, J. A. Chappill, M. S.Harvey and A. S. George.) pp. 1-46. (SurreyBeatty & Sons: Chipping Norton, Australia.)

Hopper, S. D. and Gioia, P. (2004). The SouthwestAustralian Floristic Region: Evolution andConservation of a Global Hot Spot ofBiodiversity. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution,and Systematics 35, 623-650.

How, R. A. and Dell, J. (2000). Ground vertebratefauna of Perth’s vegetation remnants: Impact of170 years of urbanization. Pacific ConservationBiology 6, 198-217.

Hughes, L. (2003). Climate change and Australia:Trends, projections and impacts. Austral Ecology28, 423-443.

Indian Ocean Climate Initiative Panel (2002).‘Climate variability and change in South WestWestern Australia.’ (Indian Ocean ClimateInitiative: Perth.)

IUCN World Conservation Union (2006). Red Listof Threatened Species. Internet website.http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/redlist.

Jackson, J. B. (2001). What was natural in thecoastal oceans? Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Sciences of the United States ofAmerica 98, 5411-5418.

Jackson, J. B., Kirby, M. X., et al. (2001).Historical overfishing and the recent collapse ofcoastal ecosystems. Science 293, 629-637.

Keighery, G. J., Halse, S. A., Harvey, M. S. andMcKenzie, N. L. (Eds) (2004). A biodiversitysurvey of the Western Australian agriculturalzone. Records of the Western Australian Museum,Supplement 67. (Western Australian Museum:Perth.)

Keighery, G. J. and Longman, V. (2004). Thenaturalized vascular plants of Western Australia1: Checklist, Environmental Weeds andDistribution in IBRA regions. Plant ProtectionQuarterly 19, 12-32.

Kinnear, J. E., Onus, M. L, and Bromilow, R. N.(1988). Fox control and rock-wallaby populationdynamics. Australian Wildlife Research 15, 435-450.

Kinnear, J. E., Sumner, N. R. and Onus, M. L.(2002). The red fox in Australia – an exoticpredator turned biocontrol agent. BiologicalConservation 198, 335-359.

Last, P., Lyne, V., Yearsley, G., Gledhill, D.,Gomon, M., Rees, T. and White, W. (2005).Validation of national demersal fish datasets forthe regionalization of the Australian continentalslope and outer shelf (>40m depth). NationalOceans Office Report, 1-98.

Leigh, J. H. and Briggs, J. D. (1992). ‘ThreatenedAustralian Plants: Overview and Case Studies.’(Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service:Canberra.)

Lyons, M. N., Gibson, N. and Keighery, G. J.Wetland vascular flora of the Western AustralianWheatbelt. Records of the Western AustralianMuseum Supplement 67, (in press).

May, J. E. and McKenzie, N. L. (Eds) (2003). ‘ABiodiversity Audit of Western Australia’s 53Biogeographical Subregions in 2002.’(Department of Conservation and LandManagement: Perth.)

May, T. W. (2002). Where are the short-rangeendemics among Western Australian macrofungi?Australian Systematic Botany 15, 501-511.


McFarlane, D. J., George, R. J. and Caccetta, P. A.(2004). The extent and potential area of salt-affected land in Western Australia estimatedusing remote sensing and digital terrain models.In ‘Proceedings of Engineering Salinity Solutions,1st National Salinity Engineering Conference,Perth’. (Eds S. Dogramaci, and A. Waterhouse.)pp. 55-60. (Engineers Australia: Perth.)

McKenzie, N. L., Johnston, R. B., and Kendrick, P.G. (Eds) (1991). ‘Kimberley Rainforests ofAustralia.’ (Department of the Arts, Heritage andEnvironment and Surrey Beatty & Sons: Sydney.)

Morgan, G. J. and Wells, F. E. (1991).Zoogeographic provinces of the Humboldt,Benguela and Leeuwin current systems. Journalof the Royal Society of Western Australia 74, 59–69.

Mumby, P. J., Dahlgren, C. P., et al. (2006).Fishing, trophic cascades, and the process ofgrazing on coral reefs. Science 311, 98-101.

Myers, N. (2000). Biodiversity hotspots forconservation priorities. Nature 403, 853-858.

Nordstrom, K. F., Lampe, R., et al. (2000). Re-establishing naturally functioning dunes ondeveloped coasts. Environmental Management 25,37-51.

Pauly, D., Christensen, V., et al. (2002). Towardssustainability in world fisheries. Nature 418, 689.

Pauly, D., Watson, R. et al. (2005). Global trendsin world fisheries: impacts on marine ecosystemsand food security. Philosophical Transactions ofthe Royal Society London B: Biological Sciences360, 5-12.

Perry, A. L., Low, P. J., et al. (2005). Climatechange and distribution shifts in marine fishes.Science 308, 1912-1915.

Pinder, A. M., Halse, S. A., McRae, J. M. Patternsof aquatic biodiversity in the Western Australianagricultural zone. Records of the WesternAustralian Museum Supplement 67, (in press).

Pinder, A. M., Halse, S. A., McRae, J. M. andShiel, R. J. Aquatic invertebrate assemblages ofwetlands and rivers in the Wheatbelt region ofWestern Australia. Records of the WesternAustralian Museum Supplement 67, (in press).

Powell, B. and Martens, M. (2005). A review ofacid sulfate soil impacts, actions and policies thatimpact on water quality in Great Barrier Reefcatchments, including a case study onremediation at East Trinity. Marine PollutionBulletin 51, 149-164.

Pringle, H. J. R. (1998). Vegetation. In ‘An inventoryand rangeland condition survey of the Sandstone– Yalgoo – Paynes Find area, Western Australia.’Technical Bulletin No. 90. (Department ofAgriculture Western Australia: Perth.)

Reitsema, T. J., Field, S. and Spickett, J. T. (2003).Surveying imposex in the coastal waters of Perth,Western Australia, to monitor trends in TBTcontamination. Australian Journal ofEcotoxicology 9, 87-92.

Reitsema, T. J. and Spickett, J. T. (1999). Imposexin Morula granulate as a bioindicator oftributyltin (TBT) contamination in the DampierArchipelago, Western Australia. MarinePollution Bulletin 39, 280-284.

Roberts, C. M., et al. (2002). Marine BiodiversityHotspots and Conservation Priorities forTropical Reefs. Science 295, 1280-1284.

Shearer, B. L., Crane, C. and Cochrane, A. (2005).Quantification of the susceptibility of the nativeflora of the South-West Botanical Province,Western Australia to Phytophthora cinnamomi.Australian Journal of Botany 52, 435-443.

Short, J., Turner, B., Risbey, D. A. and Carnamah,R. (1997). Control of feral cats for natureconservation. II. Population reduction bypoisoning. Wildlife Research 24, 703-714.


Van Heurck, P. and Abbott, I. (2003). Fire andterrestrial invertebrates in south-west WesternAustralia. In Fire in Ecosystems of South-WestWestern Australia: Impacts and Management (edsI. Abbott & N. Burrows). Backhuys, Leiden, pp.291-319.

Van Vreeswyk, A. M. E., Payne, A. L., Leighton, K.A. and Hennig, P. (2004). ‘An inventory andcondition survey of the Pilbara region ofWestern Australia.’ (Agriculture WesternAustralia: Perth).

Vazquez-Dominguez, E. (2003). Diversity anddistribution of crustaceans and echinoderms andtheir relation with sedimentation levels in coralreefs. Rev Biol Trop 51, 183-93.

Veitch, C. R. and Clout, M. N. (Eds). ‘Turning thetide: the eradication of invasive species.’ (IUCNSSC Invasive Species Specialist Group. IUCN,Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.)

Vieites, D. R., Nieto-Roman, S., et al. (2004).European Atlantic: the hottest oil spill hotspotworldwide. Naturwissenschaften 91, 535-538.

Water and Rivers Commission (2000). Draftwaterways WA policy, Statewide policy, No. 4,(Water and Rivers Commission: Perth.)

Waycott, M., Longstaff, B. J., et al. (2005).Seagrass population dynamics and water qualityin the Great Barrier Reef region: a review andfuture research directions. Marine PollutionBulletin 51, 343-350.

Wege, J. (2005). Blooming Spectacular. Landscope21, 40-44.

Western Australian Greenhouse Task Force (2004).‘Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy.’ (Perth.)

Western Australian Museum (2004). Draft BarrowIsland Marine Quarantine Baseline Strategy,prepared for Chevron Texaco Australia, Perth.

Wilson, B. R. and Allen, G. R. (1987). Majorcomponents and distribution of marine fauna. In‘Fauna of Australia. Volume 1A. Generalarticles’. (Eds G. R. Dyne and D. W. Walton.)pp. 43-68. (Australian Government PublishingService: Canberra.)

Withers, P. C., Cowling, W. A. and Wills, R. T.(1994). Plant Diseases in Ecosystems: Threatsand impacts in south-western Australia. Journalof the Royal Society of Western Australia 77.

Worboys, G. L., Lockwood, M. and De Lacy, T.(2005). ‘Protected area management: Principlesand practice.’ 2nd Edn. (Oxford University Press.)

World Wide Fund for Nature (2004). ‘ArrestingPhytophthora Dieback: The BiologicalBulldozer.’ (WWF.)

Woodside, D. and O’Neill, D. (1995). Mining inrelation to habitat loss and reconstruction. InConserving Biodiversity: Threats and Solutions’.,(Eds R. A. Bradstock, T. D. Auld, D. A. Keith,R. T. Kingsford, D. Lunney and D. P. Sivertsen.)pp. 76-93. (Surrey Beatty and Sons: ChippingNorton, Australia.)

Woolnough, A. P., Martin, G. R. and Mawson, P.R. Current and future abundances of largevertebrate pests in the rangelands of WesternAustralia, Unpublished.

Xu, Y. and Qian L. (2004). Impacts of cage cultureon marine environment. Ying Yong Sheng Tai XueBao 15, 532-536.

Yates, C. J., Hopper, S. D., Brown, A. and VanLeeuwen, S. (2003). Impact of two wildfires onendemic granite outcrop vegetation in WesternAustralia. Journal of Vegetation Science 14, 185-194.


ameliorateTo make or become better; improve.

animal(i) any living or dead member of the KingdomAnimalia (other than a human being);

(ii) any viable or non-viable progeny, larvae,embryo, egg or sperm of an animal or other part,product or genetic material of an animal fromwhich another animal could be produced;

(iii)any part of an animal; and

(iv)the carcass of an animal.

anthropogenicOf, relating to, or resulting from the influence ofhuman beings.

apicultureThe raising and care of bees for commercial oragricultural purposes.

aquacultureCultivating marine or freshwater aquaticorganisms under controlled conditions.

aquaticLiving or growing in, on, or near water (usuallytaken to mean freshwater, as opposed to marine).

biodiversityThe variability among living organisms and theecosystems and ecological complexes of whichthose organisms are a part. Includes: (i) diversity within native species and between

native species;(ii) diversity of ecosystems; and(iii)diversity of other biodiversity components.

biodiversity assetThreatened taxa and ecological communities,significant ecosystems or taxa.

biodiversity componentIncludes habitats, ecological communities, genesand ecological processes.

biodiversity hotspot (international)Regions that contain a great diversity of endemicspecies and, at the same time, have beensignificantly impacted and altered by humanactivities. Plant diversity is the biological basis forhotspot designation; to qualify as a hotspot, aregion must support 1500 endemic plant species,0.5 per cent of the global total. Existing primaryvegetation is the basis for assessing human impactin a region; to qualify as a hotspot, a region musthave lost more than 70 per cent of its originalhabitat. Typically, the diversity of endemicvertebrates in hotspot regions is alsoextraordinarily high. There are 34 biodiversityhotspots globally.

biodiversity hotspot (national)Areas that are rich in plant and/or animal species,particularly endemic species, and also underimmediate threat from impacts such as landclearing, habitat modification, developmentpressures, salinity, weeds and introduced animals.There are a total of 15 hotspots in Australia, eightof which are found in WA.

biogeographic regions (IBRA and IMCRA)Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation forAustralia (IBRA) is a framework for conservationplanning and sustainable resource managementwithin a bioregional context. IBRA regionsrepresent a landscape based approach toclassifying the land surface from a range ofcontinental data on environmental attributes,including climate and geomorphology. Likewise,Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation forAustralia (IMCRA) is a single, ecosystem-levelregionalization of Australia’s coastal and marineenvironments.

biological resourcesIncludes biochemicals, genetic resources,organisms, populations and any other bioticcomponent of an ecosystem with actual orpotential use or value for humanity.

Glossary


biomeA major regional or global biotic community,such as a grassland or desert, characterised chieflyby the dominant forms of plant life and theprevailing climate.

bioprospectingThe collecting of biological samples (plants,animals, micro-organisms) to assist discovery ofgenetic or biochemical resources.

biotaAll life, including plants, animals, and fungi.

Bush ForeverBush Forever is a 10 year strategic plan to protectsome 51,200 hectares of regionally significantbushland in 287 Bush Forever Sites, representing,where achievable, a target of at least 10 per cent ofeach of the original 26 vegetation complexes ofthe Swan Coastal Plain portion of the PerthMetropolitan Region.’

CAR reserveSee comprehensive, adequate and representativereserve system.

catchmentArea of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

comprehensive, adequate and representative reservesystemA reserve system that is characterised by thefollowing: comprehensiveness – inclusion of thefull range of ecosystems recognised at anappropriate scale within and across eachbioregion, adequacy – the maintenance of theecological viability and integrity of populations,species and communities, and representativeness– the principle that those areas that are selectedfor inclusion in reserves reasonably reflect thebiotic diversity of the ecosystems from which theyderive.

conservationThe protection, maintenance, management,restoration and enhancement of the naturalenvironment.

conservation offsetsBeneficial activities undertaken to counterbalancean adverse impact to biodiversity conservationvalues, aspiring to achieve ‘no net loss’ or a ‘netbenefit to conservation’ outcome.

critical habitatHabitat critical to -

(i) the survival of a native species or ecologicalcommunity where the loss of habitat of thespecies or ecological community would resultin the native species or ecological communitybeing eligible for listing as a threatened nativespecies or a threatened ecological community;or

(ii) the survival of a threatened native species or athreatened ecological community.

[Adopted from EPBC Act without amendment.]

diebackA symptom of disease in trees and other vegetationin which the foliage progressively dies from theextremities; commonly referred to with respect tonative forests or woodlands. (See Phytophthoradieback and Phytophthora cinnamomi.)

ecological communityA natural assemblage of organisms that occurs ina particular type of habitat.

ecological processMeans any event taking place between - (i) organisms that are native species; or(ii) organisms that are native species and the

natural abiotic components of an ecosystem,that contributes to the functioning of anecosystem.

ecologically sustainable developmentThe principles of ecologically sustainabledevelopment are - (a) that the decision-making process should

effectively integrate both long-term and short-term economic, environmental, social andequitable considerations;

(b) that if there are threats of serious orirreversible environmental damage, the lack of


full scientific certainty should not be used as areason for postponing measures to preventenvironmental degradation;

(c) that the present generation should ensure thatthe health, diversity and productivity of theenvironment is maintained or enhanced forthe benefit of future generations;

(d) that the conservation of biodiversity andecological integrity should be a fundamentalconsideration in decision-making; and

(e) that improved valuation, pricing andincentive mechanisms should be promoted.

ecosystemMeans a dynamic complex of ecologicalcommunities and their abiotic environmentinteracting as a functional unit.

ecosystem servicesThe transformation of a set of natural assets, suchas soil, plants, animals, air and water into servicesthat are valued by humans. Examples include theprovision of clean water, maintenance of liveableclimates and atmospheres (carbon sequestration),pollination of crops and native vegetation,fulfilment of people's cultural, spiritual,intellectual needs, and provision of options forthe future, for example though the maintenanceof biodiversity.

endemicSpecies naturally restricted to a specified region orlocality.

ethnobiological knowledgeKnowledge of biota (particularly plants andanimals) held by Indigenous people.

exoticAn animal occurring in a place that it is not nativeto.

faunaAnimals found in a specific area.

feral speciesA domesticated species that has become wild, forexample donkey, camel, horse, pig and goat.

floraPlants found in a specific area.

genetic bottleneckWhen population numbers are temporarilyreduced to a level insufficient to maintain thediversity in the population.

habitatMeans the biophysical medium-(i) occupied (continuously, periodically or

occasionally) by an organism or group oforganisms; or

(ii) once occupied (continuously, periodically oroccasionally) by an organism or group oforganisms, and into which organisms of thatkind have the potential to be re-introduced.

in situConserving species within their natural habitat.

interim recovery plansDocuments for the management and protectionof threatened taxa or threatened ecologicalcommunities where no full recovery plan has beenprepared. Interim recovery plans prescribeimmediate actions that are necessary to halt thedecline and commence recovery of a species orecological community. (See recovery plans.)

introduced speciesA species occurring in an area outside itshistorically known natural range as a result ofintentional or accidental dispersal by humanactivities (including exotic organisms andgenetically modified organisms).

invasive speciesSpecies introduced deliberately or unintentionallyoutside their natural habitats where they have theability to establish themselves, invade,outcompete natives and take over the newenvironments.

invertebrateAny animal without a backbone (vertebralcolumn) such as insects, squid, snails and worms.


International Union for the Conservation of Natureand Natural Resources (IUCN) categories I-IVAreas of land formally protected for natureconservation values, including strict naturereserve/wilderness (managed for science orwilderness), national park (managed forecosystem conservation and recreation), naturalmonuments (managed for conservation of specificfeatures) and habitat/species management areas(managed mainly for conservation throughmanagement intervention.) This is contrastedwith IUCN categories V and VI, which are areasof land formally protected for nature conservationvalues, including protected landscapes/seascapes(managed mainly for landscape and seascapeconservation and recreation) and managedresource protected areas (managed mainly forsustainable use of natural ecosystems).

Land for WildlifeLand for Wildlife is a voluntary programmanaged by DEC that recognises theconservation efforts of private landholders andmanagers and helps them to conserve biodiversityon their lands by protecting, managing orrecreating suitable habitat.

landscapeA mosaic where the mix of local ecologicalcommunities and ecosystems or land uses isrepeated in a similar form over a kilometre-widearea. In agricultural areas, a landscape unit that isrepeated with a similar pattern of land use,including natural habitats. From a biodiversityperspective, the distances over which significantspecies occur should govern the upper size limit ofa landscape for biodiversity planning.

marineInhabiting salt water in, or connected to, the sea.

marine sanctuary zoneAn area within a marine park managed solely fornature conservation and low-impact recreationand tourism. Sanctuary zones provide the highestlevel of environmental protection of all areaswithin the marine conservation reserve categories(along with marine nature reserves).

Millennium Seed Bank ProjectThe Millennium Seed Bank Project (MSBP) is aglobal conservation program managed by theSeed Conservation Department at the RoyalBotanic Gardens, Kew, which aims to collect andconserve 10 per cent (over 24,000 species) of theworld's seed-bearing flora, principally from thedrylands, by 2010.

native speciesA species that is indigenous to Western Australia.

natural diversity recovery catchmentAn area established as part of the NaturalDiversity Recovery Catchment Program underthe State Salinity Strategy to help recover andprotect significant natural areas, particularlywetlands, from salinity and waterlogging.Selection is based on a number of criteria,including representative of nature conservationvalues and the likelihood of recovering andprotecting areas from salinity.

natural resource managementManagement of land, water, air and biodiversityresources of the State for the benefit of existingand future generations, and for the maintenanceof life support capability of the biosphere.Includes use of natural resources by extractive andmining industries.

natural resource management sectorA particular body of people or organisations whoare responsible for a specific aspect of naturalresource management or use, for exampleagriculture, pastoralism, energy (includingexploration, mining and other extractiveindustries), water, fisheries etc.

non-government organisationIncludes any not-for-profit organisation, otherthan Government agencies.

non-vascular plantsNon-vascular plants lack specialised tissues tocarry water and dissolved food substancesthroughout the plant body. Examples includemosses, lichens and liverworts.


organismIncludes - (i) part of an organism;(ii) the reproductive material of an organism; and(iii) an organism that has died.

perverse incentivesA policy or program not directed at biodiversityobjectives but which has an unintended andadverse affect on the conservation of biodiversity.

pestAny animal that has a negative effect on human oreconomic activities. They can include bothintroduced and native species.

Phytophthora cinnamomiA soil-borne organism (often referred to as a

fungus) belonging to the Class Oomycetes or‘water moulds’, known to cause root-rot disease inAustralian flora species. (See dieback.)

Phytophthora diebackDeath or modification of native vegetation causedby Phytophthora cinnamomi.

plantMeans - (i) any living or dead member of the Kingdom

Plantae;(ii) a seed or spore, whether it is viable or non-

viable;(iii)a part, product or genetic material of a plant

from which another plant could be produced;and

(iv)any other part of a plant (i.e. not referred to in(ii) or (iii) above, e.g. a “non-reproductive”part).

polluter-paysPrinciple that those who generate pollution andwaste should bear the full cost of containment,avoidance or abatement.

protected areaAn area of land and/or sea especially dedicated tothe protection and maintenance of biologicaldiversity, and managed through legal means.

Ramsar sitesAreas on the List of Wetlands of InternationalImportance, created by the Convention onWetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 (alsoknown as the Ramsar Convention). TheConvention is an intergovernmental treaty whichprovides the framework for national action andinternational cooperation for the conservationand wise use of wetlands and their resources.There are 12 Ramsar sites in WA.

rangelandsTerrestrial and aquatic (non-marine) areas outsidethe south-west Land Division: comprises around85-90 per cent of WA.

recovery plansDocuments that set out the research andmanagement actions necessary to stop the decline,and support the recovery, of listed threatenedspecies or threatened ecological communities.The aim of a recovery plan is to maximise thelong-term survival in the wild of a threatenedspecies or ecological community. Recovery plansare appropriate for species or ecologicalcommunities where sufficient information isavailable to prescribe recovery actions withconfidence (see interim recovery plans).

representative landscapesSignificant samples of sub-regional or regionalbiota. These samples will provide comprehensive,adequate (i.e. viable) and representative samples ofthe subregional or regional biota. The dimensionsof representative landscapes will vary considerably,depending on the geomorphology anddistribution of natural environments, and howthey are repeated across a region or sub-region.

salinityThe concentration of salts in soil or water.Secondary salinity or salinisation (which takes theform of either dryland or irrigation salinity) isbrought about by land use and managementchange, such as removal of deep-rootedvegetation. It leads to rising groundwater and themobilisation of salts, which affects plant growth,and often leads to habitat loss.


speciesA group of organisms that - (i) interbreed to produce fertile offspring; or(ii) possess common characteristics derived from a

common gene pool;and includes (iii)a sub-species.

species relaxationA process, often related to remnant vegetation or‘islands’, where species are lost over time afterinitial isolation until an equilibrium is reachedand there is no net loss of species. An alternativeterm is ‘extinction debt’.

species richnessThe number of species within a specified area.

stakeholderA person, group of people, organisation orgovernment with a share or an interest in an issue.

subterraneanSituated or operating beneath the earth’s surface;underground.

sustainabilityMeeting the needs of current and futuregenerations through an integration ofenvironmental protection, social advancementand economic prosperity.

target landscapesA landscape-scale unit where populations of asmany native taxa as possible have the greatestprobability of remaining viable. Area of naturalenvironment and its spatial configuration are thetwo key factors used to identify target landscapes.

taxon (taxa pl.)A group or category, at any level, in a system forclassifying organisms.

terrestrialLiving or growing on land.

threat abatementEliminating or reducing a threat.

threatened ecological communityAn ecological community that is threatened bydestruction and is formally listed as eithervulnerable, endangered, critically endangered orpresumed destroyed.

Threatened Species NetworkA joint program between World Wide Fund forNature Australia and the CommonwealthGovernment’s Natural Heritage Trust that aims toinvolve the general public in recovery ofthreatened species and ecological communities.

threatened species/taxaSpecies/taxa classified as being threatened byextinction and listed as either vulnerable,endangered, critically endangered or presumedextinct.

threatening processA process that threatens, or may threaten, thesurvival, abundance or evolutionary developmentof a native species or ecological community.

Urban NatureA program managed by DEC that aims toconserve and manage natural bushland andwetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain. It offerssupport to community-based groups on a range ofbushland management topics and acts as aconduit for information, advice and best practicemanagement.

user-paysPricing principle based on charging the user forthe full supply cost of a product/resource.

vascular plantFerns and seed-bearing plants, in which thephloem transports sugar and the xylem transportswater and salts.

wildlifeNative plant or animal.


AIMS Australian Institute of Marine Science

BOM Bureau of Meteorology

CAR Comprehensive, Adequate andRepresentative (see Glossary for furtherinformation)

CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and IndustrialResearch Organisation

DAFWA Department of Agriculture and FoodWestern Australia

DEC Department of Environment andConservation

DOET Department of Education and Training

DOF Department of Fisheries

DIA Department of Indigenous Affairs

DLI Department of Land Information

DOIR Department of Industry and Resources

DPI Department for Planning andInfrastructure

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

FPC Forest Products Commission

GIS Geographic Information System

IBRA Interim Biogeographic Regionalisationfor Australia

IMCRA Interim Marine and CoastalRegionalisation for Australia

IUCN International Union for the Conservationof Nature and Natural Resources (nowWorld Conservation Union)

NGOs Non-government organisations

NRM Natural Resource Management

TWA Tourism Western Australia

WALGA Western Australian Local GovernmentAssociation

WAM Western Australian Museum

Acronyms


White-bellied sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). Photo – KeithClaymore

APPENDIX 1: Summary of WA taxa and level of endemism

Appendices


Approximate number of described

taxa in WA

Estimated totalnumber of taxa

in WA

% described taxa that are endemic to WA

ANIMALSVERTEBRATESAmphibians 77 87 53%

Birds 611 613 5.5%

Mammals 220 226 17.6%

Reptiles 510 560 42%

Fish (freshwater) 73 unknown 45%

Fish (marine) 2,955 3,600 Shallow water – approximately 10%;Inshore species of the southerntemperate zone - approximately 85%;Neritic zone – 7.7%; Deep water -approximately 6.7%

INVERTEBRATESInsects 11,238 80,000 Unknown for whole group but

butterflies 16%

Spiders 1,506 unknown unknown

Crustaceans 4500 30,000++ Northern Australian Tropical Province17-22% of brachyuran and anomurandecapod species; Southern AustralianWarm Temperate Province 63% fordecapod crustaceans

Molluscs (non-marine) 115 200 unknown

Molluscs (marine) 337 >2000 10%

Echinoderms 376 800 North-Western Australia –13%;Southern Australian Warm TemperateProvince – 90%

Sponges 500 3000 2%

Other Invertebrates 804 unknown unknown

PLANTSVascular 11,500 14,000 Northern – 14%

Eremaean – 50%South-West – 79%Whole of WA – 62%Non-vascular

Algae (freshwater and 2633 9000 Freshwater - approximately 50%

marine) Marine – low, many species sharedwith other temperate or tropical areas

Mosses 353 400 unknown

FUNGI2,609 140,000 Unknown for whole kingdom but

10.6% for basidiomycete macrofungi

Lichens 621 700 approximately 10%

Opposite: Morangup Nature Reserve . Photo – Keith Claymore

Data on current numbers of described taxa wereobtained from WA Museum (WAM) Fauna Lists(vertebrate fauna), David Morgan, MurdochUniversity (freshwater fish), CALM surveys ofKimberley Rainforests, Southern Carnarvon Basinand Wheatbelt (invertebrate fauna), Diana Jones andMelissa Titelius, WAM (crustaceans), Morgan andWells (1991) (molluscs and other invertebrates),Wilson and Allen (1987) (echinoderms and otherinvertebrates), Dr Jane Fromont, WAM (sponges),WA Herbarium (plants and fungi) Alex Chapmanand Kevin Thiele, WA Herbarium (algae freshwaterand marine, mosses and fungi).

Estimates of total numbers of taxa were obtainedfrom Dr Ric How, WAM (vertebrate fauna), DavidMorgan (freshwater fish), Barry Hutchins, WAM(marine fish), Hopper et al. (1996) (invertebrates),Diana Jones and Melissa Titelius (crustaceans), CoreyWhisson, WAM (molluscs), Dr Jane Fromont, WAM(sponges), David Coates, DEC (vascular flora), AlexChapman and Kevin Thiele, WA Herbarium(freshwater and marine macro-algae, mosses, lichensand fungi).

Data on endemism were obtained from the samesources, with the addition of Mark Cowan at DEC(vertebrate fauna), Beard et al. (2000), Fox andBeckley (2005), Last et al. (2005) and May (2002).


False-clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocelloris). Photo – C. Fleming

APPENDIX 2: International and national biodiversity hotspots in WA


112°

112°

116°

116°

120°

120°

124°

124°

128°

128°

34°

34°

30°

30°

26°

26°

22°

22°

18°18°

14°14°

a i l a r t s u A h t u o

S

y r o t i r r e T n r e h t r o

N

N A E C O

N A I D N I

S O U T H E R N O C E A N

Busselton Augusta

Central and EasternAvon Wheatbelt

Mount Lesueur Eneabba

Fitzgerald RiverRavensthorpe

Geraldton to Shark Baysand plains

Eucla

WA South Coast

Leeuwin -Naturaliste

AbrolhosIslands

North West Shelf

Oceanic Shoals

Bonaparte Gulf

Eighty MileBeach

Canning

Kimberley

Pilbara(offshore)

PilbaraPilbara(nearshore)(nearshore)

NingalooNingaloo

ZuytdorpZuytdorp

SharkSharkBayBay

CentralCentralWestWestCoastCoast

Cambridge -Cambridge -BonaparteBonaparte

KingSound

Legend

100 200 300 400 Km0

Projection: Map Grid of Australia Zone 50

Scale

Perth

Produced by INFORMATION MANAGEMENT BRANCHJob No. 05011705

National Biodiversity HotspotsIndicative boundary

WesternAustralia

International Biodiversity Hotspots

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisationfor Australia sub region boundaries

Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisationfor Australia boundaries

Southwest Australiabiodiversity hotspot

Biodiversity Hotspots

Marine hotspot indicativeboundary

State Waters

Edel

Ord

Hart

Mt ElizaPentecost

South Kimberley Interzone

Fitzroy TroughPindanland

McLartyTanami

Mackay

Mackay

Trainor

Rudall

Dune Field

Lateritic Plain

Chichester

FortescueHamersley

Roebourne

Roebourne

Cape Range

Wooramel

Ashburton

Carnegie

Augustus

Eastern Murchison

Western Murchison

Great Victoria Desert Central

Yalgoo

Yalgoo

Perth Ancient Drainage

Western Mallee Eastern Mallee

Fitzgerald

Recherche

Southern Cross

Eastern Goldfields

Nullarbor-Northern Band

Nullarbor Plain-Central Band

Mardabilla

Hampton

Great VictoriaDesert Eastern

Re-juvenatedDrainage

SouthernJarrah Forest

NorthernJarrahForest

LesueurSandplain

DandaraganPlateau

GeraldtonHills

GreatVictoriaDesertShield

VictoriaBonaparte

Warren

Mann-MusgraveBlock

MitchellBerkeley

Kununurra

Geraldton

PERTH

Bunbury

Albany

Narrogin

Manjimup

Kalgoorlie

Karratha

Esperance

Exmouth

Port Hedland

Broome

Carnarvon

Hamersley/Pilbara

North Kimberley

Carnarvon Basin

APPENDIX 3: Policy context for WA’s biodiversity conservationstrategy


Internationalconventions and

agreements

National legislation, and strategies

State legislation, policies andstrategies

Regional andlocal strategies

and plans

• Convention on BiologicalDiversity (1992)

• Local Agenda 21 (1992)

• Convention on Wetlands ofInternational Importance(Ramsar 1971)

• Convention on theInternational Trade inEndangered Species of WildFauna and Flora (1975)

• Asia-Pacific MigratoryWaterbird ConservationStrategy: 2001-2005

• Convention on theConservation of MigratorySpecies of Wild Animals(Bonn 1979)

• Japan Australia MigratoryBird Agreement (JAMBA1981)

• China Australia MigratoryBird Agreement (CAMBA1988)

• International Convention forthe Regulation of Whaling(1946)

• Environment Protection andBiodiversity Conservation Act1999

• 2004-2007 National Biodiversityand Climate Change Action Plan

• National Strategy for theConservation of Australia’sBiological Diversity (1996)

• Strategic Plan of Action for theNational Representative System ofMarine Protected Areas: A Guidefor Action by AustralianGovernments (1999)

• Biodiversity ConservationResearch: Australia’s Priorities(1999)

• National Objectives and Targets forBiodiversity Conservation 2001-2005

• Directions for the National ReserveSystem: A Partnership Approach(2004)

• Nationally Agreed Framework forthe Establishment of aComprehensive, Adequate andRepresentative Reserve Systemfor Australia (1997)

• Wetlands Policy of theCommonwealth Government ofAustralia (1997)

• The National Framework for theManagement and Monitoring ofAustralia’s Native Vegetation(2001)

• Wildlife Conservation Act1950

• Conservation and LandManagement Act 1984

• Proposed BiodiversityConservation Act

• Wetlands ConservationPolicy for WesternAustralia (1997)

• Environmental WeedsStrategy (1999)

Primary mechanisms influencing or solely aimed at biodiversityconservation at a State level


Internationalconventions and

agreements

Nationallegislation,

and strategies

State legislation, policies and strategies

Regional andlocal strategies

and plans

• ConventionConcerning theProtection of theWorld Cultural andNatural Heritage(the World HeritageConvention 1972)

• Australia’s OceansPolicy (1998)

• National Framework forEnvironmentalManagement Systems inAustralian Agriculture(2002)

• National Forest PolicyStatement (1992)

• National Principles andGuidelines forRangeland Management(1999)

• Commonwealth CoastalPolicy (1995)

• National LocalGovernment BiodiversityStrategy (1998)

• Natural Heritage Trust ofAustralia Act 1997

• National Water QualityManagement Strategy(1998)

• National Action Plan forSalinity and WaterQuality (WA signed2003)

• National Strategy forEcologically SustainableDevelopment (1992)

• National Weeds Strategy(1997)

• Waterways Conservation Act 1976

• Waterways WA Strategy (draft) (2001)

• Planning and Development Act 2005 andStatements of Planning Policy

• Sandalwood Act 1929

• Fish Resources Management Act 1994

• State Planning Strategy (1997)

• State Coastal Planning Policy (2003)

• Environmental Protection Act 1986 andassociated Environmental Protection policiesand amendments

• Land Administration Act 1997

• Forest Management Plan (2004 - 2013)

• WA Greenhouse Strategy (2004)

• Hope for the Future: The WA StateSustainability Strategy (2003)

• State Salinity Strategy (2000)

• A Weed Plan for Western Australia (2001)

• Nature Based Tourism Strategy (1997)

• Swan and Canning Rivers Management Act2006

• Agriculture and Related ResourcesProtection Act 1976

• Securing our Water Future: A State WaterPolicy for WA (2003)

• State Water Plan: Draft Water PolicyFramework Discussion Paper (2006)

• Network City – a milestone in metropolitanplanning (2005)

• Policy for the Implementation of EcologicallySustainable Development for Fisheries andAquaculture within Western Australia (2002)

• Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972

• Museum Act 1969

• Network City – a milestone in metropolitanplanning (2005)

• Proposed Biosecurity and AgricultureManagement Act

• Bush Forever (2000)

• Regional NRMstrategies andinvestment plans

• WA PlanningCommissionRegional Strategies

• RegionalDevelopmentCommissionsStrategies

• Local Governmentbiodiversity plans

Other mechanisms supporting biodiversity conservation

Notes


2006461-12-500Printed on recycled paper.