Minutes of the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Recovery Team
5th May 2003, Casterton
Present: David Baker-Gabb, Andrew Morrow, Sue Mudford, Vicki-Jo Russell, Dean Robertson, Richard Hill, Martine Maron, Andy Govanstone, Jim McGuire, Wendy Beumer, Adrian Stokes, Jason Van Weenen, Julie Kirkwood
Apologies: David Paton, Justin Cook, Alan Jenkins (Manager, Wynns Coonawarra), Paul Koch, Rick Ressom, Doug Phillips.
1. Welcome
- Minutes of previous meeting: accepted.
- Matters arising from the previous minutes
3.1Critical Habitat Mapping: review of Victorian mapping.
RH reported that Justin Cook has made available GIS programming time to produce new draft critical habitat maps for Victoria based on a more precise definition of existing feeding habitat. This model is based on existing EVC mapping data which are available for the area south of Goroke. Dean Robertson told the meeting that EVC data will be available for north of this area by September.
Action: RH to distribute CD of revised mapping to all relevant individuals when completed.
3.2Protecting Hollow-bearing Trees.
DBG has sent letters to shires about dead tree controls: yet to receive reply. WB has put up an application for funding to advertise the new dead tree legislation in South Australia
3.3Age of Buloke
MM has spoken to Lisa Morcombe about her findings on buloke age. She supports her original finding that trees over 26cm DBH are more than 100 years old, and there were only 30 -40 trees per ha pre-settlement.
Action: MM to develop a summary of Lisa's findings on Buloke relevant to their management.
3.4Stubble burning and scattered trees
JM reported that he has spoken to "Top Crop" a DPI cropping extension project. They promote best practice cropping including environment performance and are addressing the issue of stubble burning. JK reported that Environment Victoria recently held a NVR workshop and will produce a submission to the minister. JM suggested that there would be increased likelihood of burning stringybark on private land as a result of this past serious fire season (burning of native vegetation in Victoria is exempt under NVR). AM reported no noticeable increase in burning in the Portland district so far this season.
3.5Buloke clearing and EPBC
MM reported that EA has declared the John Adams application to clear 50 bulokes a controlled action. Now a "preliminary Information Form" has been prepared by EA for public comment. She encourage the Recovery Team to comment. After considerable discussion there was general agreement that the Recovery Team would provide comment on this and other EPBC matters under David Baker-Gabb's signature (JM will contact DBG asap if he needs to qualify this in any way).
Action: MM to prepare a draft submission on the Adams case for DBG to circulate.
JK told the team that 3 cases of buloke clearing have recently been or are still being considered by EA. One to remove 97 trees was made a controlled action, one of 50 trees a controlled action, but now one of 127 trees is not controlled on the basis of the offsets offered by the proponent. This latter decision is a very worrying development possibly in breach of the EPBC Act.
JM reminded recovery team that applications to clear buloke are inevitably referred to DSE for information only and that shires have no obligation to seek DSE input. This is because an application would have to propose to clear about 500 scattered buloke before their combined crown area of 10 ha would trigger automatic referral. Thus DSE has little influence in the decision making on applications to clear bulokes. JM also suggested that water licences should only be issued to farmers once they have a planning permit for a center pivot. Once they have a water licence it is more difficult for Shires to refuse planning permission for clearing.
The Recovery Team was told that EA is generally only considering buloke clearing applications to be a matter of national environmental significance because of their Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo habitat, and that most cases are not being considered to be remnants of the nationally endangered Buloke Grassy Woodland community. JK indicated that she had been informed that EA is generally deferring to DSE for advice on whether individual buloke clearing cases should be referred. JM was unaware that this was the case.
EA are currently developing guidelines for assessing the potential significance of applications to clear buloke.
Action:JK/MM/RH/DBG to prepare draft guidelines and circulate to the recovery team via DBG. These will go to EA from the Recovery Team signed by DBG.
Action: JK to prepare letter on 127 tree case from the recovery team for DBG signature. He will circulate letter to team before sending it.
- Current and Future Budget.
Both Glenelg and Wimmera CMAs have indicated that our respective 22K bids have been successful but they await announcements by the state and federal ministers. There is no definite timetable for the release of this money. In South Australia an INRM bid of 42K has been submitted and put up to the state as a high priority. Announcements from this process are not expected until at least September? Currently WB is employed until 23rd May and after that there will be a surplus of 7-8K. A discussion of priority jobs then ensued resulting in agreement to fund three of the highest priority: Maintenance of the 1800 number (WB c. 0.5 d/week), flock monitoring (RH: 5d) and development of significance guidelines for EA (RH: 3d). WB is currently preparing a budget for the remaining BA Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo money. Considerable discussion of sponsorship opportunities ensued. Wynns is interested in maintaining a relationship with the recovery team. Suggestion that they may be interested in sponsoring the annual count, or other people things such as the 1800 number or field days. Kimberley Clark have been approached by WB. JM suggested approaching Illuka Resources and Hanburys.
- Annual Count.
Richard Hill reported the total count for this year was 785 birds and they were seen from east of Mt Gambier in the south to near Bangham in the north and as far west as Lucindale (all in South Australia) and Harrow (Victoria) in the east. A total of 703 birds were found in Vic and 72 in South Australia, from only 19 sightings. This years total is the largest number of Red-tails ever counted and highlights the importance of carrying out regular counts. It compares with a total last year of 679.
- Nest Monitoring.
RH reported that a total of 6 new nests were found up until December (when he ceased work) and these were collared. No existing nests were monitored.
- Extension Officer Report
WB spoke to her report. VJ reported that the south-east Natural Resource Investment Strategy is currently being developed.
Action: WB to speak to Mark Bachmann to ensure that Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos have a high priority.
AG reported that the CMAs in Victoria are also producing investment strategies. WB attended a meeting to develop the Wimmera strategy. Stickers to amend dead tree road signs in the West Wimmera have been produced, paid for by West Wimmera Shire.
Action: JM agreed to arrange for stickers to be erected with information on location of signs and instructions to attach stickers supplied by WB.
JM reminded the Recovery Team that any suggestions/rumours of illegal take of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos should be reported immediately to him.
- Landholder Attitude Survey
Members were impressed with the results an extensive discussion ensued including a list of recommendations for further action which will be summarized by WB in her final report Some of the recommendations were a need to refocus the messages in information brochures, to work more closely with Federated Farmers and Ag Extension officers, and to develop strategies to help landholders overcome the hurdles of lack of time and money to undertake conservation work.
DR mentioned that he has a $100,000 revegetation project, in the Wimmera CMA area but can get no interest from any suitable group to administer it.
Action: WB to send a copy of the Landholder Survey final report to the Productivity Commission inquiry into the effects of biodiversity controls on landholders.
- TSN Community Grants
VJ suggested that an Extension Officer conference proposed by WB would be a suitable project for funding as a Capacity Building project.
Action: WB/SM/AG develop project proposal to submit to Victorian TSN.
- Stringybark Studies:
AS reported that Paul Koch has completed a first draft and will submit his PhD within a few weeks. AS reported the main management findings of his work which are: significantly less habitat use by Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos of areas less than 9 years since fire; significantly lower seed production for at least 7 years after fire Management should aim to reduce canopy scorch by increasing fire interval, reduced fire intensity, and reduced area of burns. AM reported that the Portland Fire Protection Plan, which has just been adopted, has the stated aim of maintaining at least 85% of stringybark dominated woodlands greater than 10 years since fire. PK findings are that Forestry South Australia still aims to burn at 3-8 years frequency; AS reported that NPWSA reserves are only burnt for ecological reasons and that extensive consultation would take place prior to any burning of stringybark woodlands.
Action: AS will produce a briefing note summary of Paul's findings to provide to South Australian managers including the Native Vegetation Council, and provide text to Victorian managers.
- Stoney Scrub Experimental Burn.
JM reported that the experimental burn of stringybark to minimize crown scorch was undertaken recently. Initial results of the burn are encouraging with greater than 50% understory burnt and < 10% crown scorch according to his observations. Appears to have produce acceptable fire protection outcomes whilst achieving the aim of minimizing crown scorch (aim was < 10% scorch). AM remarked that this was a good first step and would need to be repeated under a range of conditions before it could be implemented more generally. He added that there was a lot of existing data from past fires which would be helpful in describing the parameters for low crown scorch burns. There are also now data on fire history for the Casterton area back as far as 1952 recorded on the departmental GIS.
Action: DBG to write to Secretary Lindsay Nielsen thanking DSE for this work.
- Draft Wimmera Catchment Plan.
This is out for public comment until 16th May.
Action: Comments through to JK for her to summarise and submit.
- Trust for Nature Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo fencing project.
SM reported that in just over one year she has visited 100 landholders, funded 28km of fencing leading to the protection of 1287 ha of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo habitat including 11 properties of 388 ha which were covenanted.
AS announced that he would be retiring from the Recovery Team due to taking up a new job within DEH after 8 years (of valuable contribution and good company! ). Jason Van Weenen will replace him, at least temporarily.
Next Meeting: 30 September or earlier if funding is received prior to then.
Venue: Wynns Coonawarra Vineyard Training Room.