Londonderry Woodland Reserve Plan of Management · Nature Reserves. This reserve is a vital remnant of mature native vegetation and includes a riparian corridor, the ... Introduction

Londonderry Woodland Reserve Plan of Management

January 2016

Plan of Management – Londonderry Woodland Reserve – January 2016 2

Table of Contents 1. The purpose of the plan ....................................................................................................... 3

1.1. Traditional Owner Acknowledgement ................................................................................. 3

1.2 Chief Executive Message ....................................................................................................... 4

2. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 5

3. The Conservation Area ......................................................................................................... 6

4. Vision and goals ................................................................................................................... 6

5. Natural Heritage values ....................................................................................................... 8

6. Buildings, tracks, water storage and other infrastructure ................................................ 13

7. Weeds ................................................................................................................................ 15

8. Feral animals ...................................................................................................................... 17

9. Fire management ............................................................................................................... 18

10. Restoration program .......................................................................................................... 19

11. Items of Cultural Heritage .................................................................................................. 20

12. Neighbour and community relations ................................................................................. 21

13. Work health and safety ...................................................................................................... 22

14. Maps................................................................................................................................... 23

15. References & bibliography ................................................................................................. 28

Appendix A. Flora and fauna of the Conservation Area ........................................................... 29

Appendix B. Monitoring ............................................................................................................ 33


1. The purpose of the plan This plan was developed as a requirement of the land purchased under contract of the Commonwealth Department of Environment within the Cumberland Conservation Corridor project. The Management Plan sets out the organisational vision goals and activity for the management of Lot 6 in DP 241142 and Lot 11 in DP 236592 Bowman Road Londonderry in Western Sydney, hereafter referred to the Londonderry Woodland Reserve.

Cumberland Plain Woodland once extended from Ryde in the east to the Nepean River in the west, and Cattai in the north to Thirlmere in the south. It covered 107,000 hectares, 30% of the Sydney Basin. Today, the pressures of urban development and increasing population has reduced that area to just 6,400 hectares, with less than half protected in National Parks and Nature Reserves.

This reserve is a vital remnant of mature native vegetation and includes a riparian corridor, the alluvial woodland of Rickaby’s Creek, which allows fauna to move through the landscape. The creek links pockets of Cumberland Plain Woodland from the north-east through to its termination at the Wianamatta Nature Reserve in the south-west.

The Management Plan describes the natural and cultural values of the reserve. It guides and articulates what Conservation Volunteers Australia(CVA), with the community and our partners, will do to maintain and restore habitat values and improve, where relevant, the condition and resilience of the vegetation community. CVA will consult closely with the Deerubbin and other Traditional Owners regarding the management of cultural values of the reserve and look for opportunities to collaborate and engage with Traditional Owners for advice on land management at the landscape scale. CVA will maintain and improve the values of the reserve, while providing people the opportunity to connect with nature and to support the delivery of our organisational vision:

INSPIRING CHANGE BY CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE.

1.1. Traditional Owner Acknowledgement

Through their rich cultures, Indigenous peoples have been intrinsically connected to land, sea and communities for tens of thousands of years. Conservation Volunteers Australia respectfully acknowledges Traditional Owners and Indigenous Peoples, their rich and dynamic cultures and their continuing unique affinity and cultural obligations for Country. We pay our respect to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.


1.2 Chief Executive Message

I am pleased to present the Londonderry Woodland Reserve Management Plan.

This plan focuses on the ongoing management of the reserve to support the conservation of the critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland. Londonderry Woodland Reserve also offers opportunities for the people of Western Sydney a place to connect with nature through volunteer engagement with Conservation Volunteers Australia.

I would like to acknowledge the support of the Australian Government, Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt and staff from the Department of Environment and local community of Western Sydney.

We are committed to conserving the nature of Australia - its people and natural places.

Sincerely

Colin Jackson Chief Executive Conservation Volunteers Australia

Azure Kingfisher. Photo courtesy of MA Fuller


2. Introduction This Plan of Management (the Plan) documents the Natural Heritage values and any Cultural Heritage values of the Londonderry Woodland Reserve threats to those values, and to provide management goals and recommendations for the Conservation Area. The Plan will be reviewed every five years by the Trust with Conservation Volunteers Australia and the Australian Government. This allows the Plan to include up-to-date information on values and threats, and to include new best practice management methods as goals or recommendations. Management goals and recommendations are shown in the following format:

• Management goals are shown in green text boxes. These are intended to help guide management in maintaining or restoring values.

• Recommendations are shown in blue text boxes. They are provided to assist Conservation Volunteers Australia to manage the Conservation Area. While we encourage Conservation Volunteers Australia to follow recommendations there is no obligation to comply with them.

In addition, output indicators and priority actions are shown , in the following format:

Output indicator Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Ongoing

Key indicator described here Milestone % complete % complete % complete % complete

• Priority actions are shown in orange text boxes. They outline the actions required to meet the management goals set by the CVA.

Principle and assumptions in delivering the plan

Conservation Volunteers Australia will: • The restoration and conservation of the natural and cultural values of the reserve will

drive all management decisions and utilising best practice approaches. • Emphasise workplace safety and manage risks to volunteers in accordance with

Australian Standard AS4801; • Apply adaptive and risk management frameworks and use evidence from information

process and other sources to guide management decisions; • Support Government policies and legislative compliance; • Emphasise the importance of the community partnerships in achieving outcomes and in

the delivery of services; and


• Provide opportunities for a diversity of people to experience nature and make a positive difference to the health of the environment and to them.

Risk management

Conservation Volunteers Australia utilises a risk-based approach to its day-to-day business. These practices are consistent with the International Standard (ISO31000), on risk management.

Performance Management

Conservation Volunteers Australia will evaluate its success each financial year against the targets and key performance indicators identified in this document. Legislative Compliance

Conservation Volunteers Australia will ensure compliance with national and state legislation in particular the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act. The EPBC Act provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places defined in the EPBC Act as matters of national environmental significance. This includes the threatened Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland and Shale/Gravel Transition Forest. The two relevant objectives of the EPBC Act are to:

1. provide for the protection of the environment, especially matters of national environmental significance

2. conserve Australian biodiversity

3. The Conservation Area The Londonderry Woodland Reserve (referred to in the Trust Agreement as the ‘Conservation Area’) is shown on Map A and is approximately 5.67 hectares in size. It includes all the land in Lot 6 in DP 241142 and Lot 11 in DP 236592.

4. Vision and goals

INSPIRING CHANGE BY CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE. The 100-year vision is for people to appreciate the careful maintenance and enhancement of a great example of Cumberland Plain Woodland, where the community is involved in the management of the reserve that has maintained and increased:

• The number of large, mature, hollow-bearing trees that support a diverse range of hollow-dependent fauna;

• native groundcover plants especially herbs, forbs (wildflowers) and orchids;


• A diverse structure of groundcover habitat, including abundant fallen timber that supports small native mammals and a diversity of reptiles, frogs and invertebrates;

• Appropriate fire management that maintains vegetation structure and species diversity; and

• Populations of native and threatened animals.

Shell of the Cumberland Plain Land Snail


5. Natural Heritage values Habitat for endangered and threatened species The Conservation Area provides important habitat for the following species threatened with extinction and listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW) (TSC Act) and/or the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth) (EPBC Act):

Common name Scientific name Known to occur in the Conservation Area

EPBC Act

TSC Act

Fauna Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis v Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus v Powerful Owl Ninox strenua v Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum v Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta v Regent Honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia e ce Speckled Warbler Chthonicola sagittata v Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla Known v Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor E e Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera v Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang v Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea v Cumberland Plain Land Snail Meridolum corneovirens known v Flora Spiked Rice-flower Pimelea spicata Nodding Geebung Persoonia nutans e Juniper-leaved Grevillea Grevillea juniperina ssp.

juniperina known v

Bynoe’s Wattle Acacia bynoeana v = vulnerable, e = endangered, ce = critically endangered, ep = endangered population.

Endangered Ecological Communities The Conservation Area supports examples of the Endangered Ecological Communities:

• Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest, which is listed as Critically Endangered under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth);

• Cumberland Plain Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion, which is listed as Critically Endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW); and

• Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland, which is listed as Vulnerable under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW).


Landscape connectivity and the Cumberland Conservation Corridor project The Cumberland Conservation Corridor project was established by environmentalists of Western Sydney concerned at the rate of loss of Cumberland Plain Woodlands and lack of planning around long-term preservation of wildlife corridors, connecting north and south, east and west, across the landscape. Focus areas within the Cumberland Plains have been identified through consultation with key stakeholders and community groups in the region. Within these areas, priorities are:

• land which is close to current reserves, • within conservation corridors, • land with minimal environmental protection under Council zoning, • land with native vegetation in good condition or areas which can be restored to good

condition, and • Land of 2ha or more.

Londonderry Woodland Reserve was ranked 8 (with 10 being the highest possible rank). Rickaby’s Creek forms the western boundary of the Londonderry Woodland Reserve and provides an important natural corridor of alluvial woodland through the landscape, connecting Londonderry Woodland Reserve to Wianamatta Nature Reserve to the south-west.

The Conservation Area is located within an important mosaic of remnant vegetation that provides both east-west and north-south fauna corridors through the Cumberland Plain. A map showing the Conservation Area’s location within the wider landscape and its role in providing landscape connectivity is provided below.

Contribution to the National Reserve System

Londonderry Woodland Reserve

Plan of Management – Londonderry Woodland Reserve – January 2016

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The National Reserve System is Australia’s network of protected areas, conserving examples of our natural landscapes and native plants and animals for future generations. It is made up of private conservation reserves, government and Indigenous Protected Areas. The Conservation Area contributes to the National Reserve System by: a) Supporting vegetation communities that are under-represented or unrepresented, and/or inadequately reserved in the public reserve system; and b) Supporting habitat for threatened species and Endangered Ecological Communities and is well connected to other protected areas. IUCN Protected area management category The management of the Conservation Area is consistent with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Protected area category IV “Habitat Species Management Area” the primary aim of which is to protect particular species or habitats with regular, active interventions to address the requirements of particular species or to maintain habitats. Additional aims of category IV are:

• To protect fragments of habitats as components of landscape-scale conservation strategies;

• To develop public education and appreciation of the species and/or habitats concerned; and

• To provide a means by which urban residents may obtain regular contact with nature. Bioregion The Conservation Area is located in the Cumberland sub-region of the Sydney Basin bioregion. The sub-bioregion has had significant clearing of native vegetation on the lower slopes and fertile plains, and now has less than 2% reservation levels. Threats Vegetation clearance continues to be, a major contributor to the decline of native vegetation across the Cumberland Plain. Range reduction of the Castlereagh Scribbly Gum and Shale Gravel Transition Forest was initially due to clearing for sand and gravel extraction, some timber cutting, and later, hobby farms and rural-residential development. Clearance continues due to the increasing urbanisation of Western Sydney and the ecological community is highly fragmented as a result.

Fragmentation and associated edge effects significantly reduce the reserve’s resilience to a range of threats that will be exacerbated by climate change and increasing human populations. Inappropriate fire regimes have the potential to catastrophically reduce the reserve’s ecological values and weed invasion will be an ongoing threat.

With a fragmented landscape the inability of native species to move and adjust to changing climate will result in an increasing number of threatened species across the Cumberland Plain.


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In addition to clearance and fragmentation of native vegetation across the Cumberland Plain, key threats to the reserve includes:

• Inappropriate fire regimes, particularly increased fire frequency (e.g. due to arson); • Weed invasion including African love grass, lantana, blackberry and bridal creeper; • Site disturbance (motor bikes) & contamination from rubbish and garden waste dumping; • Timber removal for firewood; • Predation and displacement of native fauna by introduced species; • Hydrological changes and increased nutrient loads from urban run-off; and • Diseases, such as Phytophthora cinnamomi and myrtle rust.

Natural Heritage values goals

• Maintain and improve the viability of threatened species populations and their habitats; including species that are known or likely to utilise the Conservation Area.

• Maintain and improve the diversity and structural complexity of native habitats.

Tree hollows provide resources for many animals, including roosting sites for possums, gliders,

microbats and owlet-nightjars, and nesting sites for parrots, owls and treecreepers.


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Natural Heritage values output indicator


Knowledge and research plan established with partners.

Plan developed, baseline survey

TBD TBD TBD TBD

Natural Heritage values priority actions

• Undertake surveys of the reserve in partnership with universities and museums, and the local community (e.g. “bioblitz”), recording information on the Atlas of Living Australia.

• Map threatened species across the reserve and implement actions to conserve consistent with national and state plans.

• Use site specific flora and fauna survey information to establish baseline data to inform a future works program and as a reference site to assess threats including climate change.

• Design and implement citizen science program to enable volunteer monitoring of the reserve.

• Establish photo-monitoring points including remote cameras to monitor change over time.

• In conjunction with partners, identify a research program to support the conservation of the reserve and broader Cumberland Plain Woodland.

• Use information to inform and adapt management practices to ensure values of the reserve are conserved.


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6. Buildings, tracks, water storage and other infrastructure

The infrastructure present in the Conservation Area is shown in Map C.

Infrastructure Description Roads and tracks One unformed vehicular track enters from Bowman Road,

terminating in the middle of the reserve. Fences There is a new fence on the southern boundary. An old post

and wire fence exists between the lots (see photo below), but it is no longer stock-proof. A new fence will be constructed to delineate the eastern and northern boundaries, currently without fencing.

Dams/other water infrastructure

No artificial water storages/dams exist in the reserve

Goals

• Infrastructure is maintained without compromising Natural Heritage values and without causing erosion or reduction in water quality in creeks or wetlands.

• Reduce the impacts of rubbish and other anthropomorphic threats.

Part of the old fence on the south-west boundary. Once the wire is removed

the posts may remain as habitat.


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Output indicator and priority actions


Percentage area of reserve with declining or stable impacts from rubbish and other threats:

Establish benchmark

25% 50% 75% 100%

• At least annually remove all visible rubbish from the reserve. • Assist adjacent land owners with volunteer teams to support conservation across the

region. • Monitor people’s use of the reserve and establish appropriate mitigation measures. • Fence the reserve to reduce impacts on natural and cultural values.

Recommendations

• Equipment should be cleaned before use in the Conservation Area and soil disturbance minimised to avoid the introduction of weeds and foreign soil and to discourage weed infestation.

• Measures should be adopted to rehabilitate the single access track.


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7. Weeds Noxious weeds present in the Conservation Area include: Name Location and level of

infestation Priority for control

Recommended control method

Lantana (Lantana camara)

Scattered, more dense along Rickaby’s Creek

High Cut and paint stems with herbicide.

Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandesticum)

Scattered throughout High Remove by hand or use herbicide.

Madeira Vine (Anredera cordifolia)

Scattered throughout High Remove by hand or use herbicide either by scaping stems and painting on or as a foliar spray when plant is flowering.

Panic Veldt Grass (Ehrharta erecta)

Scattered throughout High Remove manually or spray.

Blackberry (Rubus fructicosus)

Scattered, more dense along Rickaby’s Creek and wetter areas.

High Hand prune or slash, then spray new growth. Alternatively, cut and paint stems with herbicide.

Bridal Creeper (Asparagus asperoides)

Scattered, more dense along Rickaby’s Creek and wetter areas.

Medium Broad-leaf specific herbicide in August; minimise earth disturbance.

Environmental weeds present in the Conservation Area include: Name Location and level of

infestation Priority for control


African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula)

High along track edges High Slash or mow; spot-spray regrowth.

Whisky Grass (Andropogon virginicus)

Medium Hand removal if infestation is small otherwise use herbicide.

Catsear (Hypochaeris radicata)

Medium Hand removal if infestation is small otherwise use broadleaf herbicide.

Bridal Creeper adjacent to Rickaby’s Creek.


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Goals

• Native vegetation cover is maintained and enhanced. • The cover and density of weed species is reduced. • Weed control is undertaken in a manner that does not degrade the values of the

Conservation Area and promotes native vegetation recovery.



Percentage area of reserve with declining or stable impacts from invasive species:

Establish benchmark

25% 50% 75% 100%

• Identify the level of pest plant infestations across the reserve as a benchmark for future reference.

• Annually map pest plant infestations in the reserve. • Hand pull, and where necessary spray, pest plants to reduce impacts. • Record information on Conservation Volunteers’ database for future reference. • Support landscape pest management in accordance with agreed plans. • Understand the structural complexity that pest plants provide to benefit the suite of

species that use the reserve.

Recommendations

• Undertake a plant identification survey before commencing weed control. • Designate and prioritise management zones, starting with isolated plants in the least

disturbed areas and systematically work through the Conservation Area to control all weeds.

• Use only cut-and-paint herbicide application method for the control of Lantana to avoid killing native forbes and grasses.

• Avoid digging out weeds where possible as this will create new areas of soil disturbance and potential for further weed colonisation.

• Hand-pulling of small outbreaks of, for example, Asparagus is most effective after rain, when the soil is moist enough to remove as much of the root area as possible, in order to prevent regrowth.

• Contact the Greater Sydney Local Land Services and/or Bushcare group for advice on weed control.

• Keep abreast of research and development in relation to weeds, particularly new sources of biological control.

• Monitor for infestations of new weed species. If required seek identification advice from the Trust, local Bushcare group or Local Land Services.

See Section 10 Restoration Program.


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8. Feral animals The following feral animals are known or likely to occur in the Conservation Area: Name Known or

likely Priority for control


Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) Known High Trapping. Feral cat (Felis catus) Likely High Trapping. European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Known Low Manually fumigate and collapse burrows.

Goals

• The impact of pest animals on native plants and animals is minimised. • Pest animal control is supported at the landscape level; control is conducted in a humane

manner that is sympathetic to the conservation of Natural Heritage values.



Percentage area of reserve with declining or stable impacts from invasive species:

Establish benchmark

25% 50% 75% 100%

• Identify the level of pest animal infestations across the reserve as a benchmark for future reference.

• Record information on Conservation Volunteers’ database for future reference. • Support landscape pest management in accordance with agreed plans.

Recommendations

• Collect and record baseline feral population information by setting up bait stations with free feed and sand pits (foxes and cats) and undertaking spotlight surveys (rabbits and hares).

• Investigate opportunities to link with neighbourhood pest animal control programs. • Seek assistance from the Greater Sydney Local Land Services (LLS). • Trapping (with treadle cage trap – consult with LLS). • When rabbit warrens are detected, collapse by implosion, with shovel/mattock, or other

minimal-impact methods. • Shooting is not recommended due to proximity to neighbouring residences.


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9. Fire management

Bushfire hazard reduction works may be undertaken in accordance with a Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Certificate issued under the Rural Fires Act or a notification received under that Act, or in accordance with the Bush Fire Risk Management Plan that applies to the land. Goals

• The ecological integrity and complexity of native ecosystems in the Conservation Area are maintained by use of appropriate fire management.

• Assets and persons are protected from bushfire.

Recommendations

• Seek information on the most appropriate fire management for the vegetation communities and species present in the Conservation Area. Contact the Rural Fire Service, Hotspots Fire Project, NPWS, Local Land Services or the Trust for advice.

• Inform the authority issuing bushfire hazard reduction notifications and certificates of the presence and location of threatened species and Endangered Ecological Communities that occur.

• Take advantage of any opportunity post fire to control weed regrowth and weed seedling germination.

Fallen timber provides habitat for invertebrates, lizards and small mammals, foraging and perching sites for ground-feeding birds such as robins (inset), and sheltered sites for seedlings.


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10. Restoration program Natural regeneration With its many mature trees and healthy shrub and understorey cover, it is expected that, the woodland will require minimum intervention to maintain its integrity. The key management actions are to allow natural regeneration to continue with the aid of weed control, appropriate fire cycles and by restricting public access. Weed and pest animal control Appropriate control of weeds and pests will be essential to ensure that the good condition of the site is maintained and improved, especially during the early years of the works program. Output indicator and priority actions


Percentage area of reserve restored to benchmark condition state:

Establish benchmark

TBD TBD TBD 100%

• Undertake active restoration where required following “Recovering bushland on the Cumberland Plain: best practice guidelines for the management and restoration of bushland” (DEC, 2005) which provides the practical guidance, including a detailed description of threats and their mitigation.

• Rehabilitate tracks and trails where appropriate.

Rehabilitation Recommendations

• Seed collection should be conducted in accordance with relevant sections of the Florabank Model Code of Practice.

• Ensure best-practice regeneration – consult with Greening Australia and Local Land Services.

• As the Conservation Area is dominated by native grasses and herbs, avoid excessive ground disturbance.


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11. Items of Cultural Heritage No records were found on a search of the Australian Cultural Heritage Database but it is likely that Rickaby’s Creek was a significant site both for its resources and as an important reference point in the landscape. All remnant vegetation across the Cumberland Plain holds significance for Aboriginal people due to the relative lack of disturbance it has undergone and because of the links it provides to culture. There are no known items of European Cultural Heritage on the land. Goals

• Any potential or known Aboriginal [European Heritage] objects or sites in the Conservation Area are protected.



Number of Aboriginal peoples engaged in Conservation Volunteer Australia programs

Establish benchmark

TBD TBD TBD TBD

• Identify and develop partnerships with Traditional Owners across Western Sydney. • Develop cross-cultural training program for staff in CVA and Indigenous organisations. • Provide Indigenous experiences for volunteers delivered in partnership with Indigenous

organisations.


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12. Neighbour and community relations Use effective communication to empower people to conserve Londonderry Woodland Reserve and more broadly the Cumberland Plain Woodlands. Output indicator and priority actions


Number of communication products TBD

• Consider the design and installation of reserve signing. • Include information on the CVA website and Facebook site about the conservation of

Cumberland Plain Woodland and the values of the reserve. • Establish links to OEH and DOE in relation to conservation of the Cumberland Plain

Woodland • Encourage the sharing of stories and experiences associated with CVA programs and the

conservation of Londonderry Woodland Reserve by volunteers using social media. • Host an annual forum with local stakeholders.

Threatened Juniper-leaved Grevillea flowering in the Conservation Area.


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13. Work health and safety Attract, support and enable skilled and motivated people to safely enjoy work. Output indicator and priority actions


Number of work place injuries TBD

• Deliver “In safe hands” training to staff and ensure safety and risk management procedures are implemented.

• Deliver training to staff and volunteers to ensure standards and competencies are maintained.

• Provide opportunities for youth and disadvantaged people to be employed in initiatives like Green Army, 20 million trees etc.

Manage safety and risk of volunteers and partners working in the Conservation Area.



Number of work place injuries TBD

• Ensure all people accessing the Conservation Area are registered with CVA. • Undertake health and safety and conservation procedures briefing every time people

enter the Conservation Area. • Establish a protocol and approval process for entry to the Conservation Area.

Passive recreational activities, such as bushwalking, can reveal often over-looked species to the observant

(Pultenaea, left; Red Bracket Fungus, centre; beetle larvae tracks on Scribbly Gum trunk, right).


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14. Maps

Map A. Londonderry Woodland Reserve.


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Map B. Vegetation, threatened and priority species


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Map C. Tracks, water and other infrastructure


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Map D. Rehabilitation (to be completed post-surveys)


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Map E. Monitoring reference points (to be inserted post-surveys)


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15. References & bibliography Brooker, M. I. H. & Kleinig, D. A. (2006). Field Guide to Eucalypts: volume 1 South-eastern

Australia (3rd edition). Bloomings Books: Melbourne.

Costermans, L. (2005). Native Trees and shrubs of south-eastern Australia. Reed New Holland: Sydney.

Department of Environment and Conservation. (2004). Endangered Ecological Community Information: Cumberland Plain Woodland. Hurstville, NSW: NPWS. Available from: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/EECinfoCumberlandPlainWoodland.pdf

Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW). (2005). Recovering bushland on the Cumberland Plain: best practice guidelines for the management and restoration of bushland. Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW), Sydney.

Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water (NSW) (2011). Wianamatta Regional Park Plan of Management. DECC: Hurstville, NSW.

DEWHA. (2008). Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) Version 6.1. Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts, Australian Government, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/science/bioregion-framework/ibra/index.html

Harden, G. (Ed.) (2001). Flora of NSW, volumes 1-4. UNSW Press: Sydney.

Menkhorst, P. W. & Knight, F. (2011). A field guide to the mammals of Australia (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press: Sydney.

NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service. (2004). Endangered Ecological Community Information: Cumberland Plain Woodland (brochure). NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Hurstville.

NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service. (2000). Environmental Impact Assessment guidelines: Cumberland Plain Large Land Snail. Hurstville, NSW: NPWS. Available from: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/McorneovirensEia0500.pdf

Pizzey, G. & Knight, F. (2012). Field guide to the Birds of Australia. Reed Books: Melbourne.

Tozer, M.G. (2003). The native vegetation of the Cumberland Plain, Western Sydney: systematic classification and field identification of communities. Cunninghamia 8 (1): 1-7

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/EECinfoCumberlandPlainWoodland.pdf

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/EECinfoCumberlandPlainWoodland.pdf

http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/science/bioregion-framework/ibra/index.html

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/McorneovirensEia0500.pdf


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Appendix A. Flora and fauna of the Conservation Area Flora The table below lists flora species that were recorded during surveys [by whom] of the Conservation Area in [month and year]. Species marked in bold font are listed as vulnerable or endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 or Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. *Exotic species. Common name Botanical Name Ferns Maiden hair fern Adiantum aethiopicum Binung Christella dentata Orchids Brush box orchid Dendrobium aemulum King orchid Dendrobium speciosum var. hillii Sedges/ Rushes Rainforest cyperus Cyperus tetraphyllus Grasses Broad-leaved carpet grass *Axonopus compressus Kangaroo grass Themeda australis Palms/Palm Lilies Bangalow palm Archontophoenix cunninghamiana Walking-stick palm Linospadix monostachya Mistletoes Conspicuous mistletoe Amyema conspicuum Herbs and Scramblers Love flower/ pastel flower Pseuderanthemum variabile Native ginger Alpinia caerulea Vines and Twiners Zigzag Vine Melodorum leichhardtii Five-leaved water vine Cissus hypoglauca Shrubs and Trees Native elderberry Sambucus australasica Turnipwood Akania bidwillii Vegetation communities Vegetation communities are shown on Map B. Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest The dominant canopy trees include grey box (Eucalyptus moluccana), forest red gum (E. tereticornis) and narrow-leaved ironbark (E. crebra). It has a shrub layer dominated by blackthorn (Bursaria spinosa), with other shrubs, such as Acacia implexa, Indigofera australis and Dodonaea viscosa ssp. cuneata. Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest is a Critically Endangered Ecological Community.


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Castlereagh Swamp Woodland Community A low woodland, often having dense stands of Paperbark trees Melaleuca decora along with other canopy trees, such as Parramatta Red Gum (Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp.parramattensis). The shrub layer is not well developed and is mostly made up of young paperbark trees. The ground layer has a diversity of plants that tolerate waterlogged conditions, such as Swamp Pennywort (Centella asiatica), Common Rush (Juncususitatus) and Branched Goodenia (Goodenia paniculata). Castlereagh Swamp Woodland Community is an Endangered Ecological Community. Castlereagh Ironbark Forest Ranges from open forest to low woodland, with a canopy dominated by Broad-leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus fibrosa) and Paperbark (Melaleuca decora). The canopy may also include other eucalypts such as Woolybutt (E. longifolia). The dense shrubby understorey consists of Prickly-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca nodosa) and Peach Heath (Lissanthe strigosa), with a range of ‘pea’ flower shrubs, such as Dillwynia tenuifolia, Hairy Bush-pea (Pultenaea villosa) and Gorse Bitter Pea (Daviesia ulicifolia) (can be locally abundant). The sparse ground layer contains a range of grasses and herbs. Castlereagh Ironbark Forest is an Endangered Ecological Community. Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion is dominated byEucalyptus parramattensis subsp.parramattensis, Angophora bakeri and E.sclerophylla. A small tree stratum ofMelaleuca decora is sometimes present, generally in areas with poorer drainage. It has a well-developed shrub stratum consisting of sclerophyllous species such asBanksia spinulosa var. spinulosa, Melaleuca nodosa, Hakea sericea and H. dactyloides(multi-stemmed form). The ground stratum consists of a diverse range of forbs includingThemeda australis, Entolasia stricta,Cyathochaeta diandra, Dianella revolutasubsp. revoluta, Stylidium graminifolium,Platysace ericoides, Laxmannia gracilis andAristida warburgii (Tozer 2003). Castlereagh Scribbly Gum woodland is listed as a Vulnerable Ecological Community. Most of the vegetation is in good condition and hasn’t been disturbed for at least 20 years. The Conservation Area contains a large diversity of native species and structure, and abundant large trees with hollows providing good habitat for hollow-dependent fauna including the squirrel glider.


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Fauna Fauna species were recorded during surveys by [name] of the Conservation Area in [month and year] and are listed in the table below. [If the list is provided by the Conservation Volunteers Australia or other non-qualified source include appropriate qualifier – for example, “this list has been provided by the Conservation Volunteers Australia”.] Species that are threatened (vulnerable or endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 or Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) are marked in bold font. Species marked with a hash symbol (#) were recorded outside but in close proximity to the Conservation Area. They are included as they are likely to utilise habitat within the Conservation Area.

Common name Scientific name Birds Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora Chestnut Teal Anas castanea Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa Spotted Turtle Dove* Streptopelia chinensis Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites basalis Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites lucidus Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris White-throated Gerygone Gerygone albogularis Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae Rufous Whistler D Pachycephala rufiventris Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus Pied Currawong Strepera graculina Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca Eastern Yellow Robin D Eopsaltria australis


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Common name Scientific name Birds Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena Red-whiskered Bulbul* Pycnonotus jocosus Common Blackbird* Turdus merula Common Myna* Sturnus tristis Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis Reptiles Eastern Water-skink Eulamprus quoyii Greater Bar-sided Skink Eulamprus tenuis Grass Sun-skink Lamphropholis guichenoti Wall Lizard Cryptoblepharus virgatus Red-bellied Black Snake Pseudechis porphyriacus Eastern Brown Snake Pseudonaja textilis Amphibians Emerald-spotted Tree Frog Litoria peronii Bleating Tree Frog Litoria dentata Verreaux’s Tree Frog Litoria verreauxii verreauxii Common Froglet Crinia signifera Striped Marsh Frog Limnodynastes peronii Marsupials Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula Bats Eastern Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus megaphyllus White-striped Freetail Bat Tadarida australis Gould’s Wattled Bat Chalinolobus gouldii A Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus sp. Little Forest Bat Vespadelus vulturnus INVERTEBRATES Butterflies & Moths Greenish Grass Dart Ocybadistes walkeri Imperial Jezebel Delias harpalyce Long-tailed Pea-blue Lampides boeticus Beetles Piedish Beetle Helea sp. Dragon- & Damselflies Eastern Billabongfly Austroagrion watsoni Arachnids Australian Garden Orb Weaver Spider Eriophora transmarina Sydney Huntsman Holconia immanis Brown Huntsman Heteropoda sp. Molluscs Cumberland Plain Land Snail Meridolum corneovirens


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Appendix B. Monitoring

Introduction An important part of managing the Conservation Area is describing and monitoring the condition of the vegetation. The Plan of Management documents the baseline condition of the Conservation Area, with monitoring plots to be established in the Conservation Area and re-surveyed every 5 years by the Trust in conjunction with the landowner. Monitoring aims to quantify any significant changes in condition of vegetation cover, species diversity and structure over time. Importantly, the results can help guide management towards objectives and the vision and targets described in the Plan of Management.

CVA will be contacted at least once yearly by Trust staff to discuss progress towards management goals. The Trust may also conduct periodic visits, in-between detailed surveys to re-take photos for monitoring site comparisons. CVA is encouraged to assist the Trust with collection of survey data as part of this methodology (the Trust can facilitate this process if desired). CVA is also encouraged to establish their own specific monitoring points and focus on particular features/issues of interest (e.g. nesting in hollows, ground cover, birds, etc.)

Site selection is based on several factors, depending on the management objectives, but can include monitoring the main vegetation communities; condition of any threatened or unique vegetation types; habitat/food resources for threatened species; native ground cover establishment; regeneration of saplings; and disturbance e.g., weed invasion, feral animals, clearing, and inappropriate fire regimes. The findings are summarised into a report for the landholder, with the status of the Conservation Area, including comparisons with previous monitoring, notes on improved conservation values and any new management recommendations inserted into the Plan of Management.

The CVA and the Trust recognise that the condition of the vegetation will vary as a result of natural variation in the climate as well as potential natural disturbances, such as fire or storm damage. Such factors will be taken into account when the Trust and the Landowner monitor the vegetation in the future.

Methodology A total of three (3) baseline monitoring sites and an additional three (3) photo point surveys were established within the Conservation Area. The location of the baseline survey points and photo point surveys are shown in the table below and Map E. The monitoring sites and photo points were established by NCT staff during xx – xx month year.

Baseline Monitoring Survey Sites Each baseline monitoring site comprised establishing a formal plot 20 x 50 metres in size, with a nested 20 x 20 m plot and a 50 metre line transect as depicted. The beginning and end of the 50 metre transect was recorded with a GPS and marked in the field with a permanent marker comprising 450mm steel sleeper pegs / or similar steel stake with tops painted pink with attached with aluminium tags denoting the plot number. Wooden pegs set at ground level with galvanised nails hammered into the top should be used in open grassy ecosystems to reduce the risk of landowner bike/horse collision.


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Plot layout used in the monitoring surveys

20 metres 30 metres

20 x 20 m plot

50 m line transect

For each baseline vegetation monitoring site, the following information was recorded using the NCT Conservation Area Site Monitoring Survey Form. Where relevant, methods followed are consistent with the NSW Government “Biometric” methodology.

For additional detail on methodology, refer to Appendix 4 of the Biometric Operational Manual version 3.1 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/papers/BioMetricOpManualV3-1.pdf

Along the 50 m transect line:

o Orientation of the 50 m transect and GPS co-ordinates in decimal degrees (GDA 1994 datum) of the beginning and end of this transect;

o The % cover of the dominant overstorey and midstorey vegetation (>1 m) at every 5 m interval (10 points);

o Groundcover (dominant life form or substrate) recorded via step point method (50 points at 1 m intervals) and summarised for total transect length (expressed as percentage of cover); and

o 3 photos were taken along the transect line at three intervals: 0-1m, 0-20 m (showing 20m point with flagging tape or other indicator), and 50-0m (looking back).

• Within each nested 20 x 20 m plot, the following information was recorded (as a subset of Biometric methodology):

o Full plant species list.

o The dominant three (3) species in each life form (e.g. trees, shrubs, grasses) and estimated abundance using the Braun Blanquet classification (Braun-Blanquet Projected Foliage Cover abundance methodology (5 = 75%+, 4 = 50-75%, 3 = 25-50%, 2 = 5-25%, 1 = <5% many individuals, + = <5% few individuals, r = solitary and little cover).

• Within each 50 x 20 m plot, the following information was recorded following Biometric methodology:

o The presence of fallen logs (measure every metre of log within the plot which is >10cm in diameter and >0.5m long);

GPS GPS

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/papers/BioMetricOpManualV3-1.pdf


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o The number of trees with hollows (a count of the number of living and dead trees within the plot with at least one hollow at least 5cm across);

o The regeneration of over-storey species (the proportion of the total number overstorey species at the site that are regenerating - i.e. with DBH < 5cm) e.g. 1 species out of 3 = 0.33; and

o Notes on any significant disturbances observed (natural or human induced). The methodology used to record disturbance is detailed in Section B.2.3 below.

Photo Point Monitoring Survey A total of three (3) formal photo point survey sites were established within the Conservation Area in addition to the baseline survey points. The aim of these surveys was to provide a visual representation of the condition of the vegetation and habitats at the photo point site. These photos would then provide a record of any disturbance and change over time with each subsequent five yearly monitoring event.

Each formal photo point involved establishing a 50 metre line transect centrally located as per the method for a baseline data collection plot.

For each photo monitoring site, the following was undertaken and/or recorded along the 50 m transect line:

• Orientation of the 50 m transect and GPS co-ordinates in decimal degrees (GDA 1994 datum) of the beginning and end of this transect; and

• Photos were taken along the transect line at three intervals: 0-1m, 0-20m, and 50-0m.

• Notes on any disturbances observed (natural or human induced). The methodology used to record disturbance is detailed below.

Disturbance survey A disturbance survey was undertaken within each of the 20 x 50 m data collection plots and the photo point monitoring transects. The disturbance surveys involved using a scoring system to note a range of disturbance types including: canopy dieback, grazing and trampling, soil disturbances, timber harvesting, flood damage, storm damage, firewood collection and tidying up, dense regrowth post disturbance, fertiliser application, fire effects, and feral herbivores. The disturbances recorded were assigned scoring codes in general accordance with the biometric methodology as follows:

• Severity codes: N = Nil (no evidence); L = Light; M = Moderate; S = Severe

• Frequency codes: A = Absent (i.e. n/a); Ra = Rare; Occ = Occasional; F = Frequent

• Evidence codes: O = Observation; W = Word of mouth (e.g. landholder)

• Age codes: On = Ongoing; R = Recent (< 3 years); NR = Not recent; O = Old

Where disturbance types were noted as moderate or severe and ongoing or recent, additional notes were taken as per the list below:

• timber harvesting: observations around the evidence type such as stumps, coppicing, cut logs, ringbarking;


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• grazing and trampling: note if grazing and trampling is suspected as being caused by introduced herbivores and/or over-abundant native herbivores;

• soil disturbance: observations around the evidence type such as ripping, cultivation, compaction, erosion;

• fire effects: note if considered high frequency, or if certain strata has been particularly affected; and

• feral animals: identify species where possible and observed impacts.

Note that this Monitoring Report only summarises any significant disturbance notes taken for the whole of the Conservation Area. Full plot disturbance records can be obtained from the Trust if required.

Results

Baseline Monitoring Survey Sites and Photo Point Surveys To be inserted

Documents

Londonderry Woodland Reserve Plan of Management · Nature Reserves. This reserve is a vital remnant of mature native vegetation and includes a riparian corridor, the ... Introduction