DRAFT Landscape Round-up • May 2016 Southern Yorke Peninsula Informing a new Northern & Yorke Regional Natural Resources Management Plan soil • water • sea • biodiversity • community Landscape snapshot The project so far Stretching from Innes National Park on the southwestern tip of the peninsula and up the coast towards Cape Elizabeth, Southern Yorke Peninsula offers a combination of coastal landscapes, productive agricultural land and vibrant towns, providing an enviable lifestyle for its 8,000 residents. Over the past few years we’ve been working with local community members, government agencies, non-government organisations, industry and businesses and landowners to find out what matters in this region. We’ve identified our natural resource assets, areas for improvement and threats facing the region, and we have summarised our findings for the Southern Yorke Peninsula in this document. It provides a round-up of the natural systems, like creeks, estuaries, soils and native vegetation that are valued in your area, and what we need to do as a community to ensure we use them in a sustainable way and keep them healthy. Geographically the area is characterised by semi-saline wetland systems, high-energy rugged coastlines, low-energy cliffs and dunes, and undulating low plains throughout inland areas. No part of the region is more than 20km from the coast. Southern Yorke Peninsula Maitland Port Victoria Port Julia Curramulka Minlaton What next? Our next step is to confirm the contents of this document to make sure that we’re on the right track. We want to check that the right priorities have been identified, and that we agree on how they should be tackled and why. We will then prepare a Draft Natural Resources Management Plan for the Northern & Yorke region, due for release in mid-2017.. Port Vincent Stansbury Port Turton Warooka Yorketown Edithburgh Marion Bay Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 1 About the area Contents Southern Yorke Peninsula The Southern Yorke Peninsula combines rich agricultural land, unspoilt bushland, coastal wilderness and vibrant communities. The residents of Southern Yorke Peninsula are dispersed across the region; Minlaton is the largest town in the area with a population of around 770. The region has a substantial non-resident population of holiday house owners and tourists and a strong tourism industry, most of which is based on coastal recreation. With little surface water, the Carribie and ParaWurlie groundwater basins on the western part of the foot of Yorke Peninsula are the area’s main water resources. About the area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Our assets – what matters? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 What needs improving? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 What needs managing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 What needs to be done? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Making it happen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 What do you think? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The area encompasses the Point Pearce and Point Victoria Aboriginal Lands and is the traditional country of the Narungga people. Rural landholdings are generally of moderate to small size with few farms exceeding 5000 hectares. Ninety-one per cent of land in the region is owned freehold and 5% is dedicated to conservation parks and reserves. Southern Yorke Peninsula has a typically Mediterranean climate with mild wet winters and hot dry summers. Rainfall is highest on the southwest foot and on the higher elevations of the leg. Edithburgh has an average rainfall of 359mm, Warooka 446mm and Stenhouse Bay 434mm. From a vegetation perspective, the south-west has extensive areas of sub-coastal mallee interspersed with open woodlands. About 52% of native vegetation cover is retained, and the high energy coasts feature shrublands on exposed rocky cliffs. Rear dunes support open woodlands, with an understorey of coastal shrubs, while inland wetlands and saline lakes are dominated by samphire shrublands or swamp paperbark forests, with occasional sedgelands. Vegetation on the leg of the peninsula is highly fragmented, with 18% of native vegetation cover remaining. Voice it • What is important? • What needs attention? Check it • Is there a better way? • What else needs to be done? Do it • On-ground projects • Best practice management We are here Work it • What is in common? • What is going on? • Who has a role? Move it • What direction should be taken? • Is this a priority? • What are the opportunities? About the Natural Resources Management Plan Natural resource management is about how all of us – individuals, communities, industry and government – work together to ensure that resources are used sustainably and natural systems, like creeks, estuaries and native vegetation are cared for and remain healthy. How we collectively do this in the long term, and in turn support regional prosperity, is guided by the Regional NRM Plan. The Northern & Yorke Natural Resources Management Board has a role in facilitating the rewriting of this plan. To achieve this, a ‘bottom up’ approach is being used with priorities being firstly captured for eight separate ‘landscape’ areas, one of which is Southern Yorke Peninsula. The Regional NRM Plan will identify priorities across the whole region and focus on what needs to be done at a regional scale to turn what matters locally into real outcomes. Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 2 Our assets – what matters? Southern Yorke Peninsula We know the Southern Yorke Peninsula community values productive farms, a vibrant tourism industry, quality town parks and recreational spaces, a healthy, attractive coastal and foreshore area, bush camping and trail experiences. Likewise, local residents appreciate the region’s rich European and Aboriginal cultural heritage, the health and wellbeing of its people, high standard of living and sense of community. The region also places a high importance on issues like road safety and amenity, roadside native vegetation, stormwater and flood mitigation and sustainable recreational and industry fishing, and appreciate that livelihoods, lifestyles and landscapes are closely linked to the surrounding natural resources. We recognise that a high level of capability, commitment and connection within the community is required to ensure the ongoing management and sustainable use of the region’s natural resources. ASSET SYMBOL Land on the south-western tip of the Peninsula, following the coast from Foul Bay, has retained much of its native vegetation and is commonly grazed or reserved for conservation. Good Water use Fair Sea Poor The type, health and value of assets are shown below. Community Fertile uplands Naturally saline lands and wetland fringe Highly productive cropping land, including the Warooka ‘Golden Mile’. Productive soils Biodiversity Our livelihoods, lifestyles and landscapes are closely linked to the natural resources around us Calcareous carbonate sand HEALTH RATING Grazing on the perennial samphire vegetation and/or planted saltbush. Some cropping. Sand over clay systems Land confined to a relatively small area between Yorketown, Minlaton and Ardrossan. Primarily used as cropping land. Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 3 Shallow soils Areas around Warooka used for cropping. High quality groundwater Medium quality groundwater Significant town water supply. Salinity typically less than 2000 ppm. Off-shore islands Reefs (plant covered) UNDER ASSESSMENT Habitat for threatened birds such as white-bellied sea-eagle and osprey and mammals (NZ fur seals, Australian sea lions). Town water supply, irrigation and amenity. Seagrass beds Open woodlands UNDER ASSESSMENT Nursery for King George whiting and habitat for a range of other fish, crabs, calamari and small invertebrates. Recreational fishing. Significant habitat for a range of declining bird species and threatened native orchids. J Baker Rock surfaces covered with a canopy of plants, providing a rich habitat for many invertebrate species. Recreational fishing and diving. Valuable for stock and domestic use. Salinity typically 2000-7000 ppm. Imported water, recycled wastewater and stormwater Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 4 High energy coastal cliffs Habitat for the white-bellied sea-eagle and osprey which nest along the cliffs and marine mammals, such as the Australian sea-lion. Also highly valued for recreation. High energy coastal dunes Habitat for threatened shorebirds and seabirds, such as the state and nationally vulnerable hooded plover and nationally vulnerable fairy tern. Beaches highly valued for recreation. Inland wetlands Habitat for threatened plant species, including nationally vulnerable bead samphire and silver candles. Ancient stromatolites can be found in Innes NP. Freshwater soaks provide for a variety of plants and animals. Sub-coastal mallee Mallee Small mammals Habitat for the western pygmy possum, malleefowl, western whipbird and native orchids. Also highly valued for recreation. Significant habitat for threatened plant species including jumping jack wattle and numerous native orchids. Threatened fauna include a range of declining birds. Conservation of species in decline and reintroduction of key species. Low energy sheltered coasts Provides habitat for migratory shorebirds on tidal flats, and for small raptors on low cliffs. Also highly valued for recreation. Community Capability, connections and commitment to manage and use natural resources sustainably. Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 5 What needs improving? Southern Yorke Peninsula Our assets that are in poor or fair health are priorities for improving now. However, our longer-term vision is for the Southern Yorke Peninsula community to have the capability, commitment and connections to reduce all pressures on the natural environment, and to achieve healthy and sustainable use of all our natural resource assets. Though the focus of this document is natural resource issues, we are also mindful and acknowledge other important community and economic priorities, such as the viability of cropping and grazing, improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities, encouraging economic diversity and tourism, adapting to sea level rises and the associated coastal protection works, working in partnership with Aboriginal people, the protection of significant cultural sites, improved management of remnant vegetation, priority roadsides and road reserves, and the development of community resilience to extreme weather events. PRIORITY ASSETS HOW TO IMPROVE ASSET HEALTH Calcareous carbonate sand Improvements needed in soil stability to reduce the risk of erosion. Sand over clay systems Requires improvements in soil fertility, stability and structure, along with water infiltration and storage properties. Shallow soils Requires improvements in soil fertility, stability and structure, along with water infiltration and storage properties. Surface water movement and chemical residuals need management. Naturally saline lands and wetland fringe The sustainable productive use of saline lands and edges of wetlands is currently poor. Soil salinity, fertility, stability and structure require improvement and groundwater (soaks/ seeps) and surface water issues need to be managed. High energy coastal dunes Processes that affect dune formation and stability need to be managed and remaining native animals and plants require protection and regeneration. Inland wetlands Inland wetlands need to be connected to adjacent vegetation. Water quality and flow patterns need improving. Remaining native animals and plants require protection and regeneration. Low energy sheltered coast Native vegetation on sheltered coasts needs to be increased and reconnected with other areas of vegetation. Water quality and tidal deposition patterns also need addressing. Open woodland The size and overall area of woodland patches needs to be increased and edge effects managed. Remaining native animals and plants require protection and regeneration. Mallee The size and overall area of mallee patches needs to be increased and edge effects managed. Remaining native animals and plants require protection and regeneration. Small mammals Increases in genetic diversity, habitat availability and the overall health, size and diversity of the population is required to improve the viability of small mammals. Off-shore islands The diversity and abundance of land birds and mammals on some off-shore islands is poor. Native plant diversity and overall vegetation cover also needs addressing. Community General community capacity (time, knowledge, skills, finance) requires support, and a greater understanding of the significance of natural resources is required to build a common vision and willingness to participate. Opportunities for Indigenous participation in natural resource management require further exploration. Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 6 What needs managing? Southern Yorke Peninsula Over the years we have made significant improvements in the way natural resources are used and managed. However, it’s widely acknowledged that our past actions and ongoing practices can negatively affect the health of our natural resources. With this in mind, the table below identifies what pressures can have the highest actual or potential impact on the natural resources of the Southern Yorke Peninsula. Broader pressures that should also be considered within the scope of natural resource management include agricultural and nuisance weeds and pest animals, including foxes and rabbits, a lack of economic diversity and employment opportunities, changes to land use, the effects of climate change, including the impact of sea level rise on coastal communities, and building community resilience to extreme events such as bushfire and flood. OTHER PRESSURES Bushfire Agricultural encroachment Environmental weeds Historical extinctions MOST SIGNIFICANT PRESSURES Erosion caused by lack of surface cover • Surface cover protects soil from being removed by wind and water. Some cropping practices can influence the amount of surface cover on land. Overgrazing, burning and tillage can completely remove cover, leaving soils exposed to erosion. More intense wind and rainfall events increase erosion. Feral herbivores (rabbits and snails) Inappropriate domestic grazing Inappropriate off-road vehicle use/access • Introduced herbivores, such as rabbits, deer, goats and mice, have adapted well to living across a range of habitats. They graze on native and introduced vegetation, crops and pastures, preventing seedlings from regenerating and reducing crop yields, and increasing competition for feed with livestock. Feral herbivores can damage native plants, compete with native wildlife for food and shelter, spread disease and cause soil erosion. Introduced carnivores (foxes and feral cats) Habitat fragmentation Changes in land use • As native vegetation has been cleared for activities such as agriculture, once continuous areas of land have been divided into fragments and isolated by cropland, pasture or towns. This fragmentation reduces the amount and viability of habitats, meaning only small populations can be supported, increasing the chance of extinction, impacting genetic diversity and increasing edge effects from adjacent land use.. Long-term climate change • Warmer and drier conditions, more intense rainfall events, rising sea levels and acidification of the marine environment will have a range of impacts on natural resources which generally have poor ability to adapt quickly. Climate change is expected to reduce plant growth and therefore increase the risk of erosion from wind and water. Small changes in rainfall will lead to considerable changes in water availability, while increased temperatures and changes to vegetation and water availability will place more stress on native fauna. Reduced infiltration into soil • Over the years, excessive cultivation has resulted in a damaged soil structure. This causes a reduction of water entering the soil and therefore held in the root zone. Reduced water and oxygen restricts root growth and seedling emergence. Poor plant growth can leave the soil bare and make it susceptible to erosion. Short-term climate variability Soil exposure due to crop diseases Misuse of chemicals Sea level rise Unsuitable fire patterns • Seasonal climate variability (not associated with long-term climate change) can see drier seasonal conditions reducing the amount of biomass produced. If land - and its associated grazing and cropping practices – is not managed to seasonal conditions, low surface cover can lead to a greater risk of erosion. Native vegetation and animals are adapted to seasonal climate variations, however seasonal droughts or temperature extremes can add a greater threat to species already under stress.. Water contamination caused by poor well integrity Poor community capacity to manage resources Water repellent soils • If a community lacks the capability, connections and commitment to manage and use natural resources sustainably, existing pressures can worsen. Sea pressures (currently being assessed) Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 7 What needs to be done? Southern Yorke Peninsula Having identified our most valuable natural assets and the pressures facing them, the information below details the priority programs that are needed to improve the health of our most valuable natural assets and to reduce the main pressures they face. However, in addition to the on-ground programs outlined below, each initiative needs to be supported by partnerships, research, surveying, mapping, planning, monitoring and review to ensure we achieve the best possible outcomes and improve the way things are done in the future. Adapting to climate change and low carbon transition • Adaptation of areas with high biodiversity. Management of recreational use Restoring priority bushland • Manage access to coastal areas including western coast of foot, Levens Beach, Marion Bay. • Nationally threatened flora sites such as Brentwood, Port Vincent and ‘the foot’. Sustainable cropping practices • Improve machinery and practices for establishing crops and managing heavy stubbles. • Key habitat for threatened birds. • Increase landscape resilience to extreme weather events (flood,storms and wildfire), particularly impacts to high energy coasts. • Maintain soil cover. • Off-shore islands. • Develop alternatives to burning for stubble, pest, disease and weed control. • Maintain adequate cover within crop phase and through a complete crop rotation (pre, during, post years). Port Victoria • Seasonal forecasting. • Improve practices in priority areas of open woodlands and mallee that support key landscape linkages and threatened species populations. Environmental weeds • Manage weeds including African boxthorn, asparagus weed and boneseed in high value habitat. Reducing feral grazing pressure • Manage rabbit and kangaroo pressure on bush including open woodlands and threatened flora sites. Sustainable development and urban systems Curramulka Sustainable grazing practices Minlaton Warooka Port Vincent • Improve management of coastal areas and stormwater discharges. • Culturally significant coastal sites. Legislated management of weeds and pests • Manage emergent crop weeds (due to no till practices). • Contain the spread and manage sites of innocent weed, silverleaf nightshade, African Boxthorn and horehound. • Monitor emergence of buffel grass and calomba daisy. • Manage pest fox and rabbit sites. Community partnerships • Improve connection with tourism industry. Youth education and leadership • Ongoing school-based education. Stansbury Community knowledge and decision-making Yorketown • Increase community capacity to manage natural resources. Port Turton • Undertake soil testing to identify potential soil acidification issues. • Asset management protection. • Conservation of native predators and keystone species. Port Julia • Manage salinity/water logging. Indigenous culture • Conservation of grounddwelling fauna such as mallee fowl, tammar wallaby, hooded plovers and small mammels. Maitland • Clay delving and spreading for sandy soils. Protecting marine habitat • Ecological fire management of sub-coastal mallee. Restoring ecological functions • Coastal wetlands. Improving soil Managing for fire Edithburgh • Support strategic roadside vegetation management. • Increase opportunities for Marion Bay Narungga participation. Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 8 Making it happen Southern Yorke Peninsula General principles: What have we achieved so far? Projects under consideration • Protect and build resilience of biodiversity hotspots and reintroduce fauna to restore ecosystem function Already Naturally Yorke has achieved some great outcomes on the ground in the Southern Yorke Peninsula landscape. One project underway is outlined below: The teams are also actively developing new projects. Where possible, these are ‘integrated’ projects that deliver outcomes for natural resources (soil, water, biodiversity and sea) with direct linkages to economic and social outcomes. A couple of those under consideration for your landscape are outlined below. Local communities restoring critical habitat and landscape linkages Mallee Box Grassy Woodland Restoration • Sustainable grazing practices and innovative solutions for viable production under drier conditions • Ensure ongoing availability and quality of groundwater Using an internationally recognised planning framework to guide the process, Community Action Planning (CAP) is used to determine what we need to do, how we should do it and the effectiveness of our efforts. Participants meet regularly throughout the year, including landholders and farmers, environmental group members, local government, state non-government organisations and government representatives. Projects delivered on the Southern Yorke Peninsula fall within the Naturally Yorke program. Much of the information in this document comes from the teams and individuals involved – their participation and knowledge is highly valued. The Naturally Yorke CAP also provides an important forum for sharing information, building collaboration and partnerships and identifying funding and marketing opportunities. These teams, and the individuals and partners involved, work under the Naturally Yorke umbrella and have a key role in advocating for and leading the delivery of projects in alignment with the priorities that have been developed. Further details and reports are available at www.naturalresources. sa.gov.au/northernandyorke/about-us/about-nrm/community-actionplanning This project works closely with landholders to significantly increase on-ground action to achieve whole-of-landscape biodiversity conservation. Major outcomes have been: • 250 hectares of strategic revegetation to restore habitat for declining birds • 150 hectares of high value coastal vegetation enhanced and protected from recreational impacts • Protection of sensitive breeding sites for coastal birds, including hooded plovers, sea eagles and ospreys • 10,000 hectares of environmental weed control to protect high value habitats • 10,000 hectares of landscape-scale rabbit and fox control to protect threatened species’ habitat. This project aims to restore Eucalyptus porosa open woodlands on the southern Yorke Peninsula, in order to mitigate the risk of further biodiversity loss. The historic and ongoing decline in ecosystem function has been associated with the decline of a number of woodland bird species, and a number of nationally threatened flora species. Habitat clearance, weeds and incompatible grazing have been identified as the key threats to this system. This project will focus on restoring remnant patches of E. porosa woodland, working closely with landholders to undertake on-ground works such as weed and grazing management and fencing. Rewilding Southern Yorke Peninsula retains some of the few remaining large areas of high quality native vegetation in the South Australian agricultural zone. Paradoxically, the peninsula had lost the majority of its native mammal species by the turn of the 20th century. This project will investigate whether the reintroduction of targeted native species can restore ecosystem function, facilitating the long-term conservation of the region’s biota. Southern Yorke Peninsula is surrounded by sea on three sides, with uninterrupted farmland to the north, and is effectively a ‘mainland island’. This distinctive geography, along with the absence of native mammals, provides an ideal location to investigate the potential of species reintroductions to reinstate ecological function, because the potential for perverse ecological outcomes is negligible. As a ‘mainland island’, southern Yorke Peninsula is also unique in Australia because it provides the opportunity to establish a large haven (327,000 ha) for the nation’s most threatened species. Pollinators Little is known about native pollinators and how they benefit adjoining cropping land. The varroa mite, which is currently not present in Australia, is highly destructive to honey bee populations, causing huge declines in other parts of the world. With this in mind, it is important to ensure that we have healthy populations of native pollinators which are not hosts to this parasitic mite to ensure food security. Research into the benefits of native pollinators for agriculture will help us understand what plant species they rely on and the role they play in crop pollination. The Naturally Yorke CAP invites all community members and stakeholders to get involved in the program, and welcomes all ideas regarding emerging threats, updating priorities and directing action. Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 9 What do you think? Southern Yorke Peninsula Where to from here? Feedback Questions Credits A crucial part of rewriting the You can provide feedback in a number of ways: When providing feedback on this document, here are some questions you might like to consider. Photos Draft Northern and Yorke Natural 1. Provide a written response • By email – [email protected] Resources Management Plan is • By post – Natural Resources Centre, Northern and Yorke, 2/17 Lennon Street, Clare, SA 5453 getting your feedback on this document. We need to ensure that the voices of all stakeholder groups – including residents, landowners and community organisations – are taken into consideration. 2. Discuss in person Call Natural Resources Northern & Yorke (08) 8841 3400 For more information go to: www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au Please provide your feedback by Friday 28 October, 2016 Are there any information gaps? • Are there any other natural resource assets that you value in your landscape? • Are there any other threats or emerging issues in your landscape that are likely to impact on natural resources? Are the priorities appropriate? • Of the assets identified, which do you think requires the greatest/least attention and why? • Of the threats identified, which do you think requires the greatest/least attention and why? • Of the priority programs identified, which do you see as being the most/least beneficial to this landscape and why? Other questions • What can be done to improve the community’s capability, connections and commitment required for natural resource management? • Are there other opportunities in this landscape for managing our natural resources and achieving broader social and economic objectives? T Berkinshaw, D Furbank, A Williams, DEWNR Information Northern and Yorke Sustainable Water Resources CAP Summary June 2015: www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/ northern_and_yorke/corporate/sus_water_cap_ summary_june_2015.pdf Yorke Peninsula Sustainable Soils CAP Summary June 2015: www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/files/8033ded13dcd-496e-b223-e417f7125db9/YP_Sus_Soils_ CAP_Summary_June_2015.pdf Southern Yorke Peninsula CAP Summary June 2015: www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/ northern_and_yorke/land/cap_reports/sth_yorke_ peninsula_cap_summary_june_2015.pdf Marine Assets of Yorke Peninsula. Volume 2: www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/ northernandyorke/about-us/about-nrm/ community-action-planning/Yorke_Penisula_ Marine_Assets • What do you think needs to be done at a ‘strategic/regional’ level to turn these priorities into outcomes for your landscape? • If there was one key point from this document (or in your comments above) that needs to be included in the Regional Natural Resources Management Plan, what would it be? Natural Resources Northern and Yorke • DRAFT Landscape Round-up • Southern Yorke Peninsula 10
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