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Photo and logos

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Working togetherOur achievements

2009 – 2016

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2016© Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources

ISBN: 978-1-921595-24-0

This document may be reproduced in whole or part for the purpose of study or training, subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source and to its not being used for commercial purposes or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those given above requires the prior written permission of the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board.

All images within this document are credited to Natural Resources Kangaroo Island unless stated otherwise.

Front cover image: Travis Bell and Grant Flanagan inspecting crop health as part of the AgKI Potential Project.

Work outline in this document is funded by:

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Message from the Presiding Member 4

Message from the Regional Director 5

Socio-economic Snapshot 6

Culture & Heritage Snapshot 8

Flora Snapshot 10

Fauna Snapshot 14

Marine & Coastal Snapshot 18

Freshwater Snapshot 22

Land Condition Snapshot 26

Biosecurity & Pests Snapshot 30

Climate Change Snapshot 34

Community Engagement & Capacity Building Snapshot 38

A New NRM Plan for KI 42

4

The inaugural Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management (NRM) Plan 2009–2019 was prepared when Kangaroo Island was declared one of eight South Australian NRM regions under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004, and while Kangaroo Island may be the smallest region geographically, it is certainly one of the most precious!

The Kangaroo Island community is deeply connected to place. Many people have lived here for generations, some descendants of the original pioneers that landed on the Island, others descendants of the men and women who settled here after World War II. As word of the Island’s wild beauty has spread, people have come from near and far to make Kangaroo Island their home.

The community knows well that the Island’s outstanding natural environment supports our wellbeing, our way of life and our economy. Kangaroo Island’s spectacular beaches, productive farms, extensive reserves and bountiful seas are essential to the Island’s primary production and tourism industries. Many people know too that the Island’s dynamic natural environment needs to be cared for and protected to sustain these industries and our way of life.

The state of the region snapshots presented in this document tell the story of how Kangaroo Island has fared in the life of the inaugural NRM plan, from 2009 to 2016. The snapshots provide some insight into the condition and trend of the region’s environment, community and economy, as well as the hard work and key achievements of Natural Resources Kangaroo Island and the Kangaroo Island community towards maintaining and improving these.

There is good news and there is not such good news. For example, glossy black-cockatoos have made an ongoing recovery to 373 birds counted in the 2016 census; and in 2015, breeding was recorded on the Dudley Peninsula for the first time since the 1970s. Through improvements to the quality of surface water runoff, seagrass meadows in Nepean Bay have turned around and are slowly expanding in size again and will continue to serve as a nursery and habitat for many fish species (including commercially important species such as King George whiting) and crustacean species. Many landholders are actively caring for their patch and about 80% have been involved in the On-ground Works Program since

2009, fencing off native vegetation, installing creek crossings and liming acid soils.

However, some systems are out of balance, particularly where human activities have tipped the scales, and many plant and animal species continue to decline in numbers on the island, including top order predators such as the Rosenberg’s goanna and osprey.

Of further concern is that the application of lime sand on the island is simply not keeping up with the natural rate of acidification for land under production. This has implications for the long term productivity of agricultural land as well as for the environment. And while some of our NRM management programs have been highly successful, others have yielded mixed results and we need to review our learnings and improve our approach.

The Kangaroo Island community have always supported each other when the chips are down. We are united by way of a seawater moat but more than that, we are united in our vision for a healthy, happy and prosperous future, for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. We desire to live in a place where we can see the stars and hear the call of the night birds, where we can catch our dinner in a deep blue ocean, and where we can enjoy a delicious glass of Island red around a warm fire on a cold and wet winter’s night.

We need to continue to work together to protect the things that make Kangaroo Island what it is. As opportunities present, we need to be ready to assess their worth and make the most of those that work in our collective, long-term favour. There are challenges that we face and that we may be able to overcome through our innovation and creativity, and the sharing of knowledge and ideas, but we need to remember that there are no quick fixes. There may be challenges that we cannot overcome, but that we can weather through being frugal, resourceful and resilient. We need to be willing to change and adapt what is needed, while maintaining our core values, including caring for each other and this beautiful Island we call home.

Richard Trethewey Presiding Member Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDING MEMBER

Credit: Quentin Chester

55

What helps a community to thrive in an island context where you have a balancing act between environmental, social and economic priorities and issues, with the current and future impacts of climate change as an additional concern? This is an ongoing challenge, and one which personally brought me here in early 2015.

In the role of Regional Director I have the privilege of delivering the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources’ (DEWNR) operations, including delivering on the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board (the Board) commitments; and at the same time, acting as the Executive Officer to the Board and supporting that local voice.

DEWNR recently released its updated Corporate Plan 2016-2019. The plan captures DEWNR’s role as a respected steward of the State’s natural resources, while also driving opportunities for investment and economic growth.

This is not always an easy task on Kangaroo Island but it can also be considered an opportunity. A close working partnership between the Board, the Commissioner for Kangaroo Island, the Kangaroo Island Council, the community and other stakeholders ensures these matters can be robustly discussed and progressed, and for a small place like Kangaroo Island, these good relationships are critical.

DEWNR’s Corporate Plan 2016-2019 prioritises four high level goals: responding to climate change; sustaining South Australia’s natural resources; connecting people to nature, parks and places; and managing water for the future. A key success factor in all of this is the ongoing relationship DEWNR has with the NRM boards, partner organisations, industry, communities and of course our volunteers.

Our brand name is reflective of this partnership. Natural

Resources Kangaroo Island is the local name given to both the DEWNR regional staff and the Board in the delivery of the regional NRM Plan and the DEWNR Group Business Plan (which includes the management of parks and public lands).

The Presiding Member has highlighted some examples of project successes and lessons learned. One thing that we know for sure is that achieving our natural resource management objectives takes time and requires consistent financial and social capital for us to see the long-term benefits of the investment. Natural Resources Kangaroo Island must demonstrate to the community the value of its NRM levy in supporting the delivery of essential pest plant and animal control and water resources management activities.

We at Natural Resources Kangaroo Island need to continually improve how we are sharing the Island’s stories, especially our successes, with elected members of government and the broader Australian community. A significant challenge is the uncertainty of future Australian Government funding for regional NRM bodies and as they are a major financial and policy contributor, we must plan for all scenarios.

I am confident though that with the efforts of our Board in providing the necessary NRM leadership, strengthening local partnerships and the hard work of our staff and the Kangaroo Island community, we will together be able to achieve the necessary balance between different and sometimes competing needs to ensure the long-term wellbeing of the Island and its people.

Damian Miley Regional Director Natural Resources Kangaroo Island

MESSAGE FROM THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Credit: Quentin Chester

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SOCIO-ECONOMIC SNAPSHOTPhysical description

Demographics

Health

Employment

Economy

Kangaroo Island covers an area of 440,000 ha, is 155 km long and up to 55 km wide and at its highest point is about 300 m above sea level.

The estimated resident population of Kangaroo Island was almost 4,535 in 2014 with a growth rate of 0.43%. Almost 40% of people live in Kingscote, with the remainder predominantly in or around the other townships. Compared to the state as a whole, the Island has a higher proportion of younger people (aged 0 to 14 years), fewer people aged 15 to 64 years and a similar share of people aged 65 and over. There are also a high number of absentee landholders (45% of rateable properties) and largely unoccupied dwellings. In the 2014/15 TOMM residents’ survey, lifestyle was the most common reason given for living on Kangaroo Island.

Health services are located at community health centres in Kingscote, American River, Penneshaw and Parndana. The Island’s only hospital, located in Kingscote, provides general, accident and emergency services. Two other facilities in the town provide high- and low-level patient care. Many specialist services require travel to Adelaide.

In June 2011, the labour force on Kangaroo Island was estimated at 2,700 persons. Only 48.2% of these people are employed on a full-time basis, with 39.6% being employed on a part-time basis. In 2011, 4.4% of the labour force remained unemployed, though this is likely to have increased. In 2010/11, the average wage on KI was $33,592 (Rural Institute of Australia 2015), significantly lower than the state average. In 2009/10, the top four contributors to jobs were agriculture, forestry and fishing (22%), retail trade and accommodation (14%), restaurants and cafes (14%) and health and community services (8%).

The Kangaroo Island gross regional product (GRP) was estimated at $185 million in 2013. The top contributors to GRP were agriculture, forestry and fishing ($57m), retail and wholesale trade ($18m), accommodation and food services ($14m), health care and social services ($12m), transport and storage ($11m), construction ($9m) and education and training ($8m).

155km

55km

300m

Annual Christmas parade in Kingscote is attended by Islanders of all ages.

population in 2014

40% of people live in Kingscote

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100Labour force on Kangaroo Island, June 2011

Top four contributors for jobs

Top GRP contributors

Perc

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Perc

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Mill

ion

s $

Full-time

Agriculture, forestry &

fishing

Ag

ricu

ltu

re,

fore

stry

&

fish

ing

Ret

ail &

w

ho

lesa

le

trad

e

Acc

om

. &

foo

d s

ervi

ces

Hea

lth

car

e &

so

cial

se

rvic

es

Tran

spo

rt &

st

ora

ge

Co

nst

ruct

ion

Edu

cati

on

&

trai

nin

g

Retail trade & accom.

Restaurants & cafes

Health & community

services

Part-time Unemployed

77

Primary production & processing

TourismEducation

Infrastructure

The Island supports a diverse range of primary production activities (including cropping, grazing – mainly meat and wool, horticulture, viticulture, forestry, fishing, beekeeping and aquaculture – oysters, abalone, and marron, free-range eggs) and the production of value-added goods such as wine, jams/relishes and cheese. Primary producers manage a significant proportion of land on the Island (70%). The Island’s clean, green reputation underpins these industries.

Kangaroo Island is a popular destination for local, national and international visitors. It offers opportunities to see wildlife (including rare species) in natural habitats, spectacular coastlines and bush landscapes, and to enjoy a rural experience shaped by the Island’s isolation, small population and heritage. Kangaroo Island is significantly more reliant on tourism industry than any other region in South Australia with employment in the hospitality service sector (accommodation, cafes and restaurants) more than twice the state average. During 2013/14, the tourism industry contributed an estimated $134 million to the regional economy (just over 60% of GRP) and directly employed 500 people with a further 900 jobs indirectly supported (65% of total employment on KI).

Education facilities include the Kangaroo Island Community Education multi-campus school (with facilities at Parndana, Kingscote and Penneshaw) and the TAFE campus in Kingscote. Many Island students are forced to pursue vocational and post-educational training on the mainland due to limits in the scope of vocational streams on offer and the size of the facilities. The level of qualification was generally lower for Kangaroo Island than for SA, with the proportion of people with a bachelor degree or higher being significantly lower. The total number of Kangaroo Island students enrolled in primary school decreased by 12% and in secondary school by 31% between 2001 and 2011. In the same period the total number of Kangaroo Island residents enrolled in a higher education institute increased by 45%, a greater increase than for SA as a whole (38% increase).

The Kangaroo Island Council is responsible for about 1,560 km of local roads, of which 237 km are sealed. There is a national airport located near Kingscote and a ferry terminal linking Penneshaw to Cape Jervis on the mainland. Public transport on the Island is limited. Cars are available for hire at the airport, including electric vehicles with charging points located at key locations around the Island.

Electricity is sourced from the mainland grid network via a submarine cable. The Island has more than 1,100 circuit km of distribution and four substations, located at Penneshaw, American River, Macgillivray and Kingscote. ETSA Utilities maintains two generators near Kingscote to back up the grid supply for the Kingscote area.

KI has more than enough wind, solar and biomass resources to satisfy all its needs, but the existing electricity network can’t accommodate significantly increased renewable energy generation. Without improved energy storage, future growth of renewable energy is limited to what can be used locally as the undersea cable can only carry away excess capacity of about 2 MVA. The current system has distribution losses of about 20%. Locally produced renewable energy could minimise these losses and costs of network and substation upgrades, provide a reliable power supply plus enable planned load growth to accommodate more industry and tourism.

SA Water provides reticulated water from the Middle River Dam and the Penneshaw Desalination Plant to around half the population. Many residents rely on rainwater collection for their potable water.

Reference: Regional Australia Institute (2015). The case for Kangaroo Island. Barton, ACT.

Beehives line the edge of a canola crop in full flower.

-40

-20

0

Enrolments between 2001-2011

People employed through tourism Percentage of total KI employment

65%

Perc

enta

ge

Directly

500

900

Indirectly Tourism

1,560km of roads on Kangaroo Island

237kmsealed

1,323km unsealed

Primary school

Secondary school

Percentage of land managed by primary producers

70%

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• Kangaroo Island holds spiritual significance for several Aboriginal nations. The Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna people know the Island as ‘Karta’, the Island of the dead, with traditional burials orientating the person’s head towards the Island.

• Kangaroo Island is the only part of the continent in which widespread Aboriginal occupation ended long before the arrival of Europeans and where colonisation took place in an unoccupied landscape.

• Ngarrindjeri, Rammindjeri, Kaurna and Narrungga nations all have cultural knowledge and spiritual connections to Kangaroo Island.

• European settlers began to understand the deep history of Kangaroo Island in the early 20th century. The first evidence for Europeans of Aboriginal habitation on Kangaroo Island was the discovery of hammer stones at Hawk’s Nest near Murray’s Lagoon in 1903. Subsequent exploration revealed the presence of at least 120 sites on the Island where hundreds of pebble choppers, horse-hoof cores and hammer-stones were found that date back to between 6,000 and 4,300 years ago. Many of the pebble choppers were finely made by highly skilled craftsmen with a strong aesthetic sense.

• A community of sealers lived on Kangaroo Island from 1802. They were rough men and several kidnapped Aboriginal women from Tasmania and mainland South Australia, keeping them as wives and virtual slaves. Three Aboriginal women tried to escape and swim back to the mainland with one on record as having survived the journey. In 1836 the South Australian Company arrived to establish a new province and many of the first Islanders were displaced as a farming community grew. Three Tasmanian Aboriginal women, Sal, Suke and Betty remained until the late 1870’s and continued to live traditionally, clearing the land with fire and hunting with dogs. Betty’s descendants still live on Kangaroo Island.

CULTURE & HERITAGE SNAPSHOT

have been recorded around the Kangaroo Island coastline.

2nd March

1802 1816

85SHIPWRECKS

Indigenous cultural significance

Captain Matthew Flinders, and his

hungry crew members were the first Europeans to ‘discover’

Kangaroo Island.

One of the Island’s most famous and colourful characters was Henry Wallen, better known as ‘The Governor’. He settled near Cygnet River in 1816 and was the first farmer in South Australia to raise a crop.

was established on Kangaroo Island by Captain Bromley who lived on the Island until 19 May 1839.

The first school in South Australia

The first lighthouse in South Australiaat Cape Willoughby, started operating in 1852.

Ngarrindjeri Creation stories have been passed down for thousands of years telling the stories of the creation of Backstairs Passage by the Creation Ancestor Ngurunderi.

Indigenous women assisted sealers and whalers to survive on Kangaroo Island.

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• Captain Matthew Flinders reached Kangaroo Island on 2 March 1802 and was shortly followed by French Captain Nicholas Baudin who circumnavigated and mapped the Island. A year later a group of American sealers, under command of Captain Pemberton, arrived aboard the brig Union and established themselves at what is now known as American River. They stayed for four months, killing seals for their skins and sawing timber from the local pine trees near Pelican Lagoon to carry out the first ship building enterprise in South Australia.

• For many years the Island’s white beaches were stained with the blood of tens of thousands of whales, seals, kangaroos, wallabies and possums and for a few years there was a whaling station at Point Tinline. Both the seals and kangaroos were almost hunted to extinction and the Kangaroo Island emu was wiped out by the 1830s. Other early industries included shipbuilding, salt harvesting, quarrying and the production of eucalyptus oil. The early settlers survived through their resilience and ingenuity as they were cut off from mainland services and received supplies only a couple of times a year.

• Cape Willoughby lighthouse started operating in 1852, followed by Cape Borda (perched on South Australia’s highest cliffs overlooking Investigator Strait) in 1858 and then Cape Du Couedic in 1909. Although the lighthouses operated to prevent shipwrecks, 85 have been recorded around the Island.

• Kingscote was established at Reeves Point on 27 July 1836, South Australia’s first colonial settlement, but was abandoned as the capital of South Australia in favour of Adelaide.

• Returned soldiers and their families began to arrive in the Parndana area in 1948 and occupied huts brought from a former internment camp. The settlers began to move onto their farms in 1951. A total of 174 families came to live in the area, almost doubling Kangaroo Island’s population by 1954.

• There are 34 state heritage properties/places on Kangaroo Island as at 18 March 2015.

• There are 199 known cave and karst features on Crown Land on Kangaroo Island, many of which contain Pleistocene fossil material and/or Holocene fossil material.

• The caves and associated karst features of Kelly Hill Conservation Park are protected, while allowing visitors to experience and appreciate the cave environment.

• Three dated Pleistocene mammal assemblages have been reported from Kangaroo Island, these being Black Creek Swamp, Kelly Hill Cave and Seton Rockshelter. These

assemblages provide a history of environmental change that spans <1,000–132,000 years and found that, given adequate habitat, the fauna of Kangaroo Island was resilient to climate change and moderately resilient to isolation.

• The South Australian Museum has found that the Emu Bay Shale preserves minute details of early animals with and without mineral skeletons. These fossils preserve not only body outlines, but also gut contents, appendages and even eyes, in almost live quality.

European history & settlement

Fossil history

Harvesting skins was a valuable industry on Kangaroo Island in the 1800s.

Cape Borda lightstation.

Trilobite fossil found on Kangaroo Island.

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Weather and degradation of built structures

• Lack of conservation/protection measures for many assets

• Incomplete identification and mapping of heritage and cultural assets

• Inadequate showcasing of heritage and cultural assets.

1010

• Kangaroo Island has a higher proportion of remnant native vegetation (48% cover) than any other agricultural region in South Australia. About 65% of this vegetation is protected under public and private agreements.

• Over 75% of remnant vegetation on KI occurs in two large blocks in and around Flinders Chase National Park and Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area.

• Native vegetation in parts of KI, particularly the Eastern Plains, is highly fragmented. Nearly 90% of patches are less than 20 ha in size.

• Narrow-leaved mallee was once widespread across eastern Kangaroo Island, but has been extensively cleared, and only slightly more than 10% of its original cover remains.

• On-ground works to protect native vegetation have increased average patch size and decreased distances between patches.

• Most of the fragmented vegetation of the Eastern plains and Dudley Peninsula comprises long unburnt patches. Two-thirds of the Eastern plains vegetation was burnt more than 50 years ago.

• Much of eastern Kangaroo Island, as well as some of the stringybark communities of the central plateau, lack appropriate fire regimes. Just 7% of the native vegetation of the Eastern plains and 9% in the central plateau is currently within the acceptable fire interval thresholds.

• Nearly 60% of KI’s plant species are considered regionally threatened, near threatened or rare and 8% of species are

thought to be in decline. 55% of species are thought to have stable populations (neither increasing nor decreasing).

• Trends in condition are unclear for at least 35% of plant species.

• Some of the Island’s nationally threatened plant species such as the KI Phebalium are at risk of extinction due to their extremely restricted distribution and persistent threats. Many others occur in marginal habitat; therefore further declines in these species may be expected.

FLORA SNAPSHOT

Condition & trend

KI’s vegetation communities are distinct

from those on the mainland because of long periods of geographical

isolation from mainland Australia and a long period without any

human-imposed fire regime

Remnant patches of native vegetation exist within a fragmented agricultural landscape on eastern Kangaroo Island. Credit: Colin Wilson

Endangered Kangaroo Island Phebalium Leionema equestre. Credit: Michelle Haby

KI is home to

and one nationally threatened ecological community – the

narrow-leaved mallee

nationally threatened

plant species

17Western Kangaroo Island is one of

SIX HOTSPOTS of plant biodiversity in South

Australia and has perhaps the most significant plant biodiversity

in the state

There are

906species of plants on Kangaroo Island and

primary vegetation communities 39

species of plants unique (endemic) to the island, more than in any other region in SA

There are

45

11

Vegetation coverage on KI at selected time-points between 1945 and 1989 (Robinson and Armstrong 1999). Most clearance was associated with the soldier-settler scheme in the years following World War 2 and clearance rate has significantly decreased since the 1970s. Mallee communities on the limestone soils of the south and west coast are reasonably intact, while plant communities of the east and north are now highly fragmented and subject to significant exotic introductions. Improved resolution of vegetation mapping for 1989 allows smaller patches of vegetation to be displayed.

Carefully timed and implemented prescribed burning has promoted the regeneration of a diverse range of species, including threatened plant species, in areas of senescing Eucalytpus cneorifolia mallee woodland.

1945

1958

1969

1976

2000

Status of Kangaroo Island flora

Trend of Kangaroo Island flora

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no data

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FLORA SNAPSHOTKEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü The Eastern Plains Fire Trial delivered 43 experimental burns to regenerate 343 ha of narrow-leaved mallee woodland

ü A total of 51 ecological burns have improved the mosaic of vegetation age classes in an effort to address senescence of narrow-leaved mallee patches

ü Ecological restoration has increased the existing population of Olearia microdisca from 2,264 individuals in 2002 to 10,351 in 2015 and the Cygnet River sub-population of the nationally threatened Pomaderris halmaturina ssp. halmaturina from less than 100 to over 2,000 plants

ü Ecological burns have resulted in the re-establishment of hundreds of the KI endemic and EPBC listed Olearia microdisca seedlings at sites where this species had disappeared

ü There has been 1,405 ha of revegetation established and 21,200 ha of native vegetation protected by fencing on private land since 1990. In the same period, the proportion of native vegetation protected under public or private agreements has increased from 64% to 76.3%

ü The recovery plan for Kangaroo Island’s nationally threatened plants was formally adopted under the EPBC Act: Taylor, D.A. (2012). Recovery plan for nationally threatened plant species on Kangaroo Island South Australia

ü The Kangaroo Island Nationally Threatened Plant Project has developed large-scale ecological restoration methods that were successfully implemented to re-establish 274 ha of threatened plant habitat between 2005 and 2015

ü Improved knowledge of native plant propagation has led to increased diversity at restoration sites and resulted in the reintroduction of nine threatened

plant species. A total of 605,000 seedlings, comprising 150 plant species, were planted between 2005 and 2015

ü The Eastern Plains Fire Trials have led to a better understanding of fire ecology and the creation of a PhD and a Master’s degree study, the results of which will be invaluable to inform future ecological burn programs

ü The planning and construction of visitor facilities to protect the environment and provide improved education and interpretation experiences.

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Senescence of remnant patches of vegetation, particularly in eastern Kangaroo Island, because of a lack of natural disturbance by fire

• Cumulative loss of vegetation through incremental clearing for coastal development, road maintenance, fire prevention around dwellings and the expansion of broad-acre cropping

• Over-browsing of manna gums and other vegetation such as stringy barks due to high densities of introduced koalas

• Reliance on road reserves to provide threatened plant habitat and the conflict with road safety concerns and freight transport needs

• Degradation of remaining patches of remnant vegetation, including threatened plant habitat,

through invasion by established weeds such as bridal creeper

• Phytophthora infestation in higher rainfall areas with acidic soils

• Insufficient knowledge in relation to native seed propagation techniques for groundcover and understorey species to enable effective ecological restoration

• Lack of up-to-date, high resolution mapping of plant species and native vegetation communities hindering the effectiveness of management and protection measures

• Impacts from climate change such as changing rainfall patterns, temperature rise, increased flooding and waterlogging and increased incidence of king tides.

The Threatened Plant Recovery Program developed techniques enabling successful large-scale revegetation of a diverse range of species using thousands of volunteers. Credit: Colin Wilson

Fencing constructed to protect sugar gum woodland from stock in the Cygnet River catchment.

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14

FAUNA SNAPSHOT

Condition & trend• 56 of KI’s vertebrate fauna species are listed as threatened

at the state level and 12 at the national level.

• 30% of KI’s vertebrate fauna are considered regionally threatened or near threatened and 24% are rare.

• Populations of 11% of species are declining but 60% are considered stable.

• No data on trends is available for over 50% of freshwater fish and mammal species.

• The Kangaroo Island glossy black-cockatoo (GBC) is recognised nationally as endangered. The GBC population has increased from 274 individuals in 2010 to 351 individuals in 2015 and nesting success has increased to reach the target of 45%.

• A drastic decline in Rosenberg’s goannas across their range saw them declared a threatened species in South Australia in 2008. Kangaroo Island is their last stronghold. Juvenile survival rates are low and road deaths are high, particularly during the summer tourist season.

• The endangered Kangaroo Island dunnart is known from few records. Recent community camera trapping recorded the species at a new location in Flinders Chase National Park.

• Kangaroo Island short-beaked echidnas are relatively common throughout most of the Island’s remaining natural vegetation, but numbers are declining. Consequently this sub-species has recently been listed as endangered nationally.

Collaring nesting trees with corrugated iron has prevented common brush-tail possums from accessing glossy black-cockatoo nests, improving their nesting success.

Rosenberg’s goanna. Credit: Caroline Paterson

25 fauna species were

introduced to Flinders Chase

National Park between 1911 and 1957. Of these,

eight are still established including the koala, platypus

and Cape Barren goose

are known to have gone extinct since European settlement

VERTEBRATESPECIES

15A total of

221NATIVE VERTEBRATE

FAUNA SPECIES on KI, some of which rely on the

Island as a stronghold (e.g. glossy black-cockatoo,

rosenberg’s goanna, white-bellied sea eagle and green carpenter bee)

KI is home to

12 nationally threatened species

a native marsupial mouse, is endemic to the Island. It is one of 10 mammal

species identified for action in the Australian Government Threatened

Species Strategy 2015

The KI DUNNART,

Several species have distinctive island forms, and some are recognised as sub-species e.g. tammar wallaby, common brushtail possum and KI short-beaked echidna

15

Condition & trend ctd.• The endangered southern brown bandicoot is widespread

on Kangaroo Island but anecdotal reports suggested the species was in decline in some areas. Recent surveys detected healthy populations in Flinders Chase National Park, as well as in and around the Parndana township.

• Some native mammals such as kangaroos and wallabies are considered overabundant on KI. This has resulted from changes in the landscape to agricultural production and creation of artificial watering holes in the form of farm dams.

Remote cameras recently photographed active southern brown bandicoot populations on Kangaroo Island.

Kangaroo Island short-beaked echidna. Credit: Colin Wilson

Change in koala density 1996-2014

Changes in glossy black-cockatoo (GBC) numbers

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sustainable koala density (0.75/ha)

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Trend of Kangaroo Island flora

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amphibiansfreshwater

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no concern no data

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increasing extinctdeclining

16

FAUNA SNAPSHOTKEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü Sustained efforts in the GBC recovery program to protect nesting trees and restore feeding habitat (~ 8 ha per year) have resulted in a continual increase in glossy black cockatoo numbers and improved nesting success, as well as an expansion in the distribution of the population. In 2015, breeding was recorded on the Dudley Peninsula for the first time since the 1970s

ü Advances have been made in our knowledge and awareness of insects on KI with recent surveys completed for the green carpenter bee, which is the largest bee in the southern hemisphere and a specialised ‘buzz’ pollinator of many native plants

ü The enigma moth was recently discovered on KI. It is the sole representative of a new family of primitive moths and its discovery sparked an international scientific collaboration and significant media attention

ü The KI koala management program has succeeded in reducing koala densities to at or below sustainable levels in recent years

ü A feral cat eradication project has commenced, which will reduce a key threat to native fauna. Feral cats consume over 50 species of native animal on KI.

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Roadkill

• Habitat clearance

• Predation from feral cats

• Disease

• Climate change

• Wildfire and inappropriate fire regimes

• Significant knowledge gaps in regards to population abundance and distribution for many species

• Lack of investment in native fauna conservation projects.

Volunteers planting glossy black-cockatoo feeding and nesting habitat at Stokes Bay.

Rosenberg’s goanna. Credit: Nikki Redman

Pair of glossy black-cockatoos.

Tammar wallaby. Credit: Nikki Redman

Wedge Tailed Eagle. Credit: Nikki Redman

Endangered green carpenter bee feeding.

17

18

Total Seagrass Cover ( SE of Mean)

MARINE & COASTAL SNAPSHOT

• Approximately 3,500 ha of seagrass has been either lost or significantly degraded in Nepean Bay since the early 1960s due to sediment and nutrient runoff from agricultural land in the Cygnet River catchment. Since 2009 however, this trend seems to have been reversed, as a slight increase in total seagrass cover has been measured. Average seagrass cover in Nepean Bay is now around 60%.

• Epiphyte loads in Nepean Bay, which are a sign of nutrient-enrichment, generally remain moderate and stable.

• A diverse range of fish inhabit seagrass meadows on KI, with 120 species documented to date. Many of these species are of commercial and recreational significance e.g. King George whiting, Southern calamari, snapper and gummy shark.

Condition & trendsSeagrasses

Healthy seagrass meadows provide a home and nursery for many species. Credit: Kevin Smith

Total seagrass cover.

540kmof coastline

25estuaries

MARINE PARKS

North, South, East and West-facing coastlines

Significant colonies of seals and seabirds, migrating

whales and coastal raptors

Significant

SEAFOOD and coastal tourism

industries

0

10

2009-2012 2015-2016

20

30

4050

60

70

80

90100

Perc

enta

ge

of

cove

r

19

KI Coastal Raptor Occupied Territories

• Kangaroo Island has over 33% of the South Australian population of endangered hooded plovers and is regarded as a national refuge. Monitoring indicates that the population increased in 2006 and has remained stable since. The total population on KI is currently estimated at 206 birds.

• The Island’s penguin populations declined by 58% between 2011 and 2013. At the Kingscote colony, there was an 85% decline in the population over seven years, from an estimated high of 868 birds in 2007 to 124 birds in 2014.

• Kangaroo Island supports about 30% of the state population of white-bellied sea eagles and ospreys, which are listed as endangered in South Australia. KI population censuses conducted every five years indicate that the population of white-bellied sea eagles is stable, with 18 territories being occupied in 2015. The population of osprey, however has declined from 14 occupied territories in 2010 to seven in 2015.

• Two species of invasive marine pest have been detected at ports on KI since 2008 - the European fan worm and the European sea squirt

• Annual surveillance surveys indicate the number of fan worms detected and removed each year is gradually declining, suggesting control efforts are proving successful.

Condition & trends ctd.

Sea and shorebirds

Marine pests

A vessel hull infested with European fan worms, which has the potential to form large, dense colonies that smother native species and out-compete them for food.

Well camouflaged hooded plover chicks and eggs are very vulnerable to crushing by cars, dog and humans on beaches. Credit: Birds Australia

Average number of fan worms per survey removed from Kingscote jetty

Kingscote Little Penguin Population

0

2

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

No Data

2014 2015 2016

4

6

8

10

12

Nu

mb

er

0

100

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

200

300

400

500

Little Penguin Population

Trend

600

700

800

900

1000

Esti

mat

ed P

eng

uin

Po

pu

lati

on

470

868

748

654706

380

300

124154

0 0

20 5

4010

6015

8020

100

Hooded Plover Population on Core Beaches

HP Population Trend

R2 = 0.8915

Nu

mb

er o

f H

oo

ded

Plo

vers

Nu

mb

er o

f O

ccu

pie

d T

erri

tori

es

Year

1987 1994 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2005 20052010

White-belled Sea Eagle Osprey

20102015 2015

20

MARINE & COASTAL SNAPSHOTKEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü Production of detailed benthic habitat map of Pelican Lagoon

ü Historic seagrass loss in Western Cove mapped from aerial photography confirming anecdotal reports

ü Establishment of citizen science groups such as Friends of the Sea and the KI Shorebirds Group, which have independently attracted funding to undertake NRM activities

ü Benchmarking rocky reef biodiversity at more than 30 reef sites along the north coast of KI

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Marine biosecurity

• Warming and acidifying oceans

• Disturbance of beach-nesting birds and nesting coastal raptors

• Land-based runoff into coastal waters, carrying pollutant, nutrient and sediment loads that degrade marine water quality and ecosystems

• Sea level rise and the resultant disappearance of coastal habitats such as saltmarsh and sand dunes

• Coastal tourism, infrastructure and industrial developments

• Global impacts on migratory shorebird flyways

• Marine debris and pollution

• Expanding nature-based tourism industries resulting in increased disturbance to coastal and marine wildlife.

• Long-nosed fur seals, Australian fur seals and Australian sea lions all breed in the KI region. Casuarina Islets off Cape du Couedic is the only place in South Australia where Australian fur seals breed, and the only location in Australia where all three species breed together.

• Australian sea lions are endangered and pup production at Seal Bay on KI has declined at the rate of 1% per year over the decade between 2004 and 2014. Pup mortality over this period has been 28%.

• The long-nosed fur seal population is growing strongly after being decimated by sealers in the 1800s. Since 1989, pup numbers have increased tenfold, and over the last decade pup production has increased steadily by 3.5% per year.

Marine mammals

Seal Bay Conservation Park is home to the third largest colony of Australian sea-lions in the world. Credit: Colin Wilson

Condition & trends

Personnel surveying rocky reefs on the north coast of Kangaroo Island.

21

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü Rigorous seagrass monitoring program that can detect and map changes in seagrass cover and condition with a high degree of confidence

,

Historic seagrass loss in Western Cove

Baited underwater video monitoring has recorded over 90 fish species from 22 locations in Nepean Bay.

The community has successfully planted seagrass at Brownlow using seagrass sprigs.

The community has been actively involved surveying little penguin populations around Kangaroo Island. Credit: Andrew Schofield

ü Establishment of monitoring programs for penguins, shorebirds, coastal raptors and marine pests.

ü Innovative seagrass restoration project that has planted over 3,000 sprigs of seagrass and includes a community restoration plot

22

• Fifteen species of fish have been recorded in KI rivers and estuaries. Two species of galaxids dominate the fish fauna and are found in all major catchments except Timber Creek, probably due to its lack of connection to the ocean. High salinity levels may explain the paucity of purely freshwater fish on KI.

• Introduced rainbow trout are established in Middle River and may also have been introduced to the De Mole and Cygnet River catchments. They are known to predate heavily on native galaxid species.

• A diverse range of macroinvertebrates occur in KI watercourses and sampling has shown little change in their presence or abundance over time. Tolerant, generalist species are found in nutrient-enriched streams towards the eastern end of the Island and rare and sensitive species occur in more natural streams in the West.

• Introduced marron have colonised all major catchments apart from the more saline streams such as Timber Creek; they are thought to compete with the native yabby.

FRESHWATER SNAPSHOT

Condition & trendAquatic Biodiversity

Kangaroo Island is the

ONLY REGION IN SOUTH

AUSTRALIA where some catchments

exist in largely pre-European condition

Climbing galaxias negotiating a fish ladder in the Cygnet River. A group of damselflies.

5,700KM

53 245catchments sub-catchments

and

of watercourses on the Island in

A TOTAL OF 15

species of fish have been recorded from rivers and estuaries on KI

wetlandKangaroo Island

has fifteen

systems classified as ‘nationally significant’

fiveThere are streamflow

gauging stations operating on

catchments across KICygnet River, Middle River, Timber Creek,

Stunsail Boom River and Rocky River

23

Aquatic Biodiversity ctd.

Width of riparian buffer zones on Kangaroo Island rivers

Brown tree frog. Credit: T Robinson

Healthy riparian vegetation along the Cygnet River.

• Water quality is an important aspect of aquatic ecosystem condition, which is monitored every five years by the EPA at 31 sites across Kangaroo Island during autumn and spring. In 2013, six sites were assessed as in Very Good or Good condition while the rest were either in Fair or Poor condition; no sites were assessed to be either in Excellent or Very Poor condition. There has been no change in condition since the previous assessment in 2008.

• Sites in good condition were located at the western end of the Island, with well vegetated riparian zones and little

evidence of nutrient enrichment. Sites in poorer condition had limited or ineffective riparian zones, reduced remnant native vegetation in the catchment and evidence of significant nutrient enrichment.

• Kangaroo Island streams were generally moderately fresh (salinity of about 1,500 mg/L), well oxygenated (>90% saturation and 9 mg/L), alkaline (pH>7) and had low phosphorus concentrations (0.02 mg/L) but were enriched with nitrogen (0.85 mg/L).

Water Quality

Aquatic health of Kangaroo Island’s rivers and streams

The Rocky River catchment is wholly within protected land resulting in very good water quality.

• Six species of frog occur in catchments with low to moderate salinity levels. There is also a self-sustaining population of platypus that were introduced from Tasmania in the past and are found in Rocky River and Breakneck Creek.

• Riparian vegetation is in relatively good condition and over 15 metres wide along at least half the surveyed watercourse length. Less than 10% of watercourse banks are totally bare.

CygnetRiver

MiddleRiver

HarrietRiver

TimberCreek

WilsonRiver

RockyRiver

0

50

Greater than 15m Less than 15m No riparian vegetation

100

150

Stre

am le

ng

th (

km) 200

250

24

FRESHWATER SNAPSHOT

• Approximately 200 gigalitres of surface water runoff is generated annually on KI.

• Daily streamflow records are collected at 10 sites in five catchments on KI (Rocky River, Cygnet River, Middle River, Timber Creek and Stunsail Boom River). There is evidence of declining runoff being generated from a fixed amount of rainfall in the Rocky River catchment.

• Groundwater resources on KI are extremely limited and often highly saline. Of the estimated 923 wells on the Island, 95% yield less than 1 litre per second.

• Approximately 12% (24 gigalitres) of total surface water yield is captured annually for development purposes by dams, watercourse diversions and commercial forestry. Water take is unevenly distributed across the island however, with some areas having greater than 50% of stream flow intercepted or removed.

• 30 sub-catchments on KI currently exceed their water take limits so no further surface water extraction is permitted.

• Total drinking quality (potable) water supplies currently available on the Island amount to 875 ML annually. This compares with potable water demand of approximately 673 ML.

• The main demands for drinking quality water include the residential population (283 ML per annum), non-residential uses (215 ML per annum) and tourism (95 ML per annum). In addition, around 70 ML of potable water is used per annum for firefighting and by the KI Council for infrastructure projects such as roadworks, as well as being lost to leakages and theft. Furthermore, approximately 10 ML of water is taken per year from standpipes across the Island.

• On average, therefore, there is a surplus of approximately 202 ML of drinking quality water per year. Due to anticipated growth in demand and decreased rainfall the surplus is expected to drop to around 22 ML by 2050.

Condition & trend

Water Quantity

Water Use

Map of sub-catchments displaying percentages of surface water take

Composite sampler collects regular stream data.

25

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü Water affecting activity policies have been implemented and Water Take Limits defined using all available Kangaroo Island data to establish surface water runoff and rainfall relationships and to estimate catchment yields

ü Rehabilitation works have been carried out on four nationally significant wetlands (>45 ha revegetation plus weed, feral pig and peacock control)

ü Six new stream flow gauging stations have been installed since 2009 (one in Stunsail Boom River, five in Middle River) and baseline water quality and quantity data have been collected

ü A salinity risk assessment tool has been developed and implemented for all water-affecting activity assessments

ü There has been widespread protection of riparian zones across KI including fencing, revegetation and construction of stock crossings.

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Increase in surface water extraction due to intensive horticulture (e.g. viticulture and potatoes) and freshwater aquaculture

• Increased demands on water supply from Middle River reservoir to service expanding coastal tourism developments

• Commercial plantation forestry, which has resulted in a number of sub-catchments exceeding their water take limits and preventing further development

• Rising water tables leading to an expansion of dryland salinity

• Climate change effects such as decreasing and more sporadic rainfall, increased flooding and waterlogging

• Agricultural runoff containing soil, fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and animal waste that diminish water quality

• Pests such as pigs, marron and trout and the spread of aquatic and riparian weeds that choke watercourses.

Revegetation to protect Grassdale Lagoon.Creek crossings, funded through the on-ground works incentive program, prevent creek bank erosion by stock.

26

ph of Kangaroo Island soils

LAND CONDITION SNAPSHOT

Condition & trendAcidity

Fertility

200,000 ha (86% of KI) are either affected or potentially affected by soil acidity, which impacts production and environmental health. Data from lime sales show that 183,000 tonnes of lime has been applied since 1998,

significantly less than is necessary to balance the ongoing annual acidification rate. Farmer soil test data confirms this trend. KI has sufficient lime sand reserves to address current and ongoing soil acidification for several generations.

Soil tests carried out by about 15% of farmers in 2014-15 indicate that most are on or above target for organic carbon, potassium and salinity. Phosphorus levels are low in areas with ironstone soil and sulphur and potassium levels are low in some areas with sandy soil. In most areas soil pH levels are below critical values. Low phosphorus and pH levels would limit overall farm productivity in many instances. As a result of trial work, solutions to soil fertility management are known but implementation relies on the landholder. Future technological innovations that will assist in addressing this issue include remote monitoring, variable rate technology and precision agriculture. Soil pH test results for 2014-15

Sandy soils Ironstone soils

Regional Landcare Facilitators engage with land managers of all ages to promote best practice soil management.

86%of land on KI is affected by soil acidity of lime applied between

1998 and 2015

183,000t

290FARMERSparticipated in NRM on-ground activities between 2009 and 2015

Lacewings are a beneficial insect

that prey on aphids

105 creek crossings installed and

139 water-points relocated

out of watercourses

between 2009 and 2016

0

0

2

4.2

Haines Menzies Macgillivray Cassini Dudley Duncan Newland Gosse Seddon

4

4.4

6

4.6

8

10

4.8

12

5

14

5.2

16

5.4

18

20Total lime sales per year (‘000t)

Lim

e ‘0

00t

pH

200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011

Est. annual acidification

Lime sand sales

20122013201420152016

27

Condition & trendWaterlogging

Non-wetting soilsSalinity

Erosion

Over 100,000 ha has the potential to be affected by waterlogging although the actual area affected varies according to seasonal conditions. Trial work shows a range of management options, including the planting of deep rooted perennials, revegetating catchments and matching plants to soil condition.

46,000 ha is affected by moderate to strong levels of water repellence. There is increasing adoption of remedial action among farmers through clay spreading and delving. The total area treated through clay spreading and delving thus far is about 3,900 ha, or about 8.5% of the area affected.

10,000 ha of the Island is affected by soil salinity. There is a large quantity of historical piezometer data from across the Island which provides a good benchmark for salinity levels. The overall trend is for a slowing rate of increase.

42,000 ha of cleared land have soils moderately to highly susceptible to water erosion and 16,000 ha with soils moderately to highly susceptible to wind erosion. Management techniques to reduce erosion risk are well known and include maintaining cover, water management (e.g. drainage and contour banks), revegetation, engineering, adoption of minimum tillage and planting windbreaks. Whilst the significant swing from predominantly grazing enterprises to mixed farming (cropping and grazing) since the 1990s had the potential to increase the erosion risk, the majority of croppers now undertake minimum tillage and there has been a resurgence in the uptake of perennial pastures in recent years.

Natural soil acidity and surface buffering capacity on Kangaroo Island

A demonstration of the use of drones in agriculture at KI Community Education Parndana Campus photographed water logged areas in the paddocks below (light green-brown areas).

A network of piezometers were established across Cygnet River catchment to monitor groundwater flow. Credit: John Baker

Natural Resources Kangaroo Island operates an on-ground works incentive program to assist land managers to revegetate riparian zones and undertake other positive land practises to improve natural resources on Kangaroo Island.

28

LAND CONDITION SNAPSHOTCommunity capacity buildingA key to improving land condition is building the community’s capacity to undertake practice change, providing access to information, demonstrating that the practice change works, and supporting them during the high-risk adoption phase. Some of the activities that have been undertaken in the region are:

• farm tours demonstrating lime sand application, perennial pastures, cover cropping, integration of native vegetation into production systems have been undertaken in conjunction with the KI NRM 2010 and 2012 conferences, Friends of Parks Forum 2014, and the Kangaroo Island Field Day 2010, 2012 and 2015

• NRM soils laboratory at the Kingscote and Parndana shows in 2013 provided hands-on interactive soil acidity measuring and interpretive activities for kids

• soil nutrient and acidity testing program at the Parndana campus farm with year 12 Ag students 2014

• farm walks associated with the AgKI Potential trial 2014, 2015 and 2016 demonstrating the benefits of lime sand applications continuous cover in cropping and grazing systems on soil health and reductions in top soil loss

• soil pit demonstration days in 2013 demonstrating the soil profiles in different land systems and how the characteristics of the profiles are affected by production systems and inputs

• publications on soil acidity and leaf tissue nutrient monitoring in the Islander

• articles on soil acidity and nutrient management in 2012, 2013,2014,2015 KI Ag Trials Booklets which are directly distributed to the Island’s 350 production enterprises

• provision of soil testing services and general technical advice (through PIRSA).

Land managers are watching with interest the impacts of a trial aiming to double grazing and cropping production on three properties over five years on KI

29

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü 290 of the region’s approximately 350 landholders have undertaken activities through the Natural Resources Kangaroo Island On-ground Works Program to address one or more threats to land condition

ü Between 2009 and 2012, 3,848 ha were treated with lime sand under an incentives program. Lime sand sales increased markedly after 2012 (but then dropped again in 2015)

ü Between 2009 and 2012, 614 ha of clay spreading and 100 ha of clay delving were undertaken on non-wetting sands, improving water infiltration and hence availability to crops and pastures. The total area now treated has increased to 3,900 ha which equates to 87% of the affected area. The widespread practice change towards minimum tillage and the uptake of perennial pastures (3,186 ha 2009-2012 and significantly more since) is

improving soil structure, biota, organics, and carbon, all of which improve soil fertility

ü The uptake of minimum tillage including a recent trend towards incorporating cover crops and the use of perennial pastures and confinement feeding, protecting remnant native vegetation (2,731 ha since 2009) and revegetation (180 ha since 2009) have seen a significant increase in perennial cover, reduction in erosion risk and improvement in water quality flowing into dams, creeks and rivers

ü While difficult to quantify: a real change in practice towards more sustainable practices is reflected in the increasing lime sand sales, planting of perennial grasses in the region and uptake of no-till farming. This may be due to attitudinal change or an increased capacity (knowledge and/or technology) to undertake the work.

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Decreasing income; increasing debt and operating costs; degradation of capital and equity; lack of access to capital

• Degradation of natural resource base and loss of productivity and resilience

• Lack of access to and uptake of information, extension services, training and capacity development

• Slow adoption of new practices, production systems and technologies; unwillingness to change

• Increasing resistance to chemical of weeds/pests

• Loss of options to vary production systems

• Changes to primary producer demographics and move to corporate landholding

• Feral animals, including cats (spread of disease)

• Over-abundant native species

• Management of native vegetation; navigating the regulations

• Climate change.

The use of biosecurity boots to protect productive land from pests and disease have increased following encouragement from NRKI staff at field days and demonstrations.

A demonstration of the use of drones in agriculture at KI Community Education Parndana Campus

Natural Resources Kangaroo Island operates a native plant nursery supplying island sourced and grown native plants for on-ground works and comprehensive information on revegetation practises, native vegetation and weed management.

30

WeedsEight Weeds of National Significance and 27 Declared Weeds of South Australia are found on KI. Increasing diversification of farming systems on the Island increases the risk of new weeds being introduced, especially via the movement of livestock and farm machinery.

BIOSECURITY & PESTS SNAPSHOT

Condition & trend

Biosecurity is the protection of the economy, environment and people from negative impacts of non-native and invasive species. The most cost-effective way of achieving biosecurity is to prevent the arrival of potential pests in the first place. However, once an incursion occurs, significant resources can be saved if it is detected and eradicated before it becomes established and begins to spread. With increasing trade and travel, accidental or deliberate introductions of damaging pests are becoming more likely.

Environmental weeds escaping from garden plantings and farming remain a significant threat. Road maintenance activities and vehicle movement are a key way in which weeds are spread. Weed seed may also be present in seed and soil that is brought to the Island.

PigsFeral pigs are widely established across the western half of the Island although the population is dynamic. Localised extinctions and colonisation were recorded during 2008 to 2013, while the overall pig numbers remained static. A community survey has led to the identification of catchments where landholders are willing to work cooperatively with neighbours to control feral pigs.

Phytophthora is spread from contaminated areas

when boots, vehicle wheels and equipment

are not cleaned

The Natural Resources Kangaroo Island weed wiper treating Cape tulip invading agricultural land.

Pest management team leader treating boxthorn on the Kingscote foreshore.

JUDAS GOATSare used to locate feral goats for eradication

Declared Weeds of South Australia are found on Kangaroo Island27

fan worms were removed from boats and marine infrastructure

between 2012 and 2016

Honey, bee products and used (untreated)

bee-keeping equipment may not be brought

onto the Island

31

Feral deerThe deer eradication program is close to complete with less than ten feral individuals known to be alive on the Island. All domestic deer owners are required to obtain a permit with strict guidelines on husbandry.

GoatsThe goat eradication program is close to complete. Native vegetation is recovering strongly since the removal of goats. A permit is now required for the ownership of domestic goats.

PeacocksObservations and community reports indicate that some peacock populations are growing larger and new populations have been recorded. Trials using radio-collared Judas peacocks to locate flocks for culling have proven effective at three populations. Without intervention, population modelling suggests the peafowl numbers could substantially increase to about 2,400 after 10 years.

Rabbits and foxesThese significant environmental and agricultural pests have not found their way to the Island but emergency response plans are in place in the event of sightings.

European waspsEuropean wasps damage fruit crops and are a dangerous nuisance to people, particularly around foodstuffs and drinks. Ten traps are monitored around the Island and the community is encouraged to report suspect wasps.

CatsFeral cats pose a major threat to native fauna and spread costly parasitic diseases of livestock, particularly sarcosporidiosis and toxoplasmosis. The feral cat population is estimated at around 5,000 on the Island but follows natural population cycles in response to environmental and other factors.

Marine pestsThere is regular sea traffic from ports and harbours on the mainland that are heavily infested with marine pests, but only voluntary guidelines regarding hull fouling or boat sanitation practices. Pest species have been found at Bay of Shoals anchorage, Kingscote slipway, Kingscote Jetty, American River anchorage, Island Beach anchorage and Christmas Cove.

DiseasesKangaroo Island’s potato and apiary industries benefit from the continued absence of serious diseases present on the mainland. A biosecurity awareness campaign aims to maintain the disease-free status while industry surveillance monitoring is in place to detect incursions.

Feral deer photographed on remote sensing cameras on western Kangaroo Island.

A cave used by feral goats photographed in 2005 before feral goat control and in 2010 after feral goats were removed from the area.

Control officers radio collar a pea hen for tracking to locate flocks.

Feral cat stalking little penguin chicks at Kingscote.

Kingscote jetty pylon covered with diverse native marine life compared to a jetty pylon at Wirrina smothered by European fan worms.

Biosecurity Officer inspecting earth moving equipment for weeds and diseases.

32

BIOSECURITY & PESTS SNAPSHOT

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü Response plans have been developed for a range of pest species in the event of an incursion

ü Prominent biosecurity awareness signage has been installed at Cape Jervis to alert ferry travellers to requirements and signage has been installed at the Rex airline departure point

ü Regular biosecurity checks have been introduced for vehicles and travellers at Cape Jervis. Twenty-three services checked with 846 cars, 63 caravans, 11 boats, 2,605 passengers with 46 lots of honey surrendered and 31 lots of potatoes checked

ü A new Biosecurity Strategy is under development in consultation with the community, agencies and industry

ü 7,550 ‘Too Good to Spoil’ biosecurity awareness cards were taken by visitors in 2014/15

ü Feral deer and goats are on the verge of being eradicated. If successful, KI will be the largest land area where this has been achieved for either species

ü Legislative changes have been made, which will improve prospects for control of deer, goats, ferrets, cats and environmental weeds

ü Pest monitoring and detection methods (e.g. using remote cameras) have been developed, trialled and improved and are actively informing pest management activities

ü A marine pest monitoring program has been established and a biosecurity risk assessment has been undertaken for recreational vessels

ü A collaboration with Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Region has seen submerged monitoring plates placed at Kingscote and Christmas Cove, with DNA analysis used to detect settled marine pest larvae

ü Active surveillance and targeted surveys of high-risk ports on KI are regularly carried out, and any marine pest infestation discovered is immediately eradicated. To date, seven marine pest species have been recorded on Kangaroo Island. 643 fan worms and 33 sea squirts have been removed from vessels and marine infrastructure

ü Research organisations have been assisted with trials on baits, traps, biocontrol, DNA assays, etc. of relevance to KI

ü A feral cat eradication programme has been established. This is governed by a multi-stakeholder steering committee that includes the KI Council and Biosecurity SA. Funding is currently being sought, including through private sponsorship

ü A ‘feral cat scan’ iPhone app has been promoted to enable community reporting of feral cat sightings, impacts and control activities

ü 70 feral cat traps have been made available for community use

ü The Green Army has undertaken phytophthora control trials in selected threatened species habitats

ü Control works have been carried out on 24 weed species over 6,350 ha between 2010

ü 30 blackberry sites have been mapped and controlled. Only 17 of these sites still require ongoing monitoring and retreatment

ü Feral olive surveys and control has been conducted over 3,400 ha on the Dudley Peninsula. 45 landholders have involved in the program

ü Fifteen localised infestations of gorse, covering an area of 600 ha have been controlled. Only eight active sites remain. Over 4,000 hectares of surrounding areas have also been surveyed.

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Increased visitation (tourists, freight, off-island landholders)

• Introduction and spread of weeds and disease e.g. transport, stock, vehicles, machinery, manure

• Non-native garden plant escapees

• Crop and pasture species spreading beyond the paddock

• Infected soil and manure

• Lack of awareness or care

• Absentee landholders not taking control action

• Climate change, new pests and disease may become viable on the Island.

Phytophthora cinnamomiPhytophthora is an introduced root pathogen spread through spores in soil or water. It is widespread, particularly on the wetter western end of the Island and threatens many native, horticultural and agricultural plant species. Phytophthora dieback is listed by the Australian Government as a ‘Key Threatening Process’. The extent and current rate of spread of the disease is not certain.

Condition & trend

Yaccas succumb to Phytophthora dieback.

33

34

CLIMATE CHANGE SNAPSHOT

The international scientific community accepts that increases in greenhouse gases due to human activities have been the dominant cause of observed warming since the mid-20th century. Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and changes in all components of the climate system.

Australia’s changing climate represents a significant challenge to individuals, communities, governments, businesses and the environment. Australia has already experienced increases in average temperatures over the past 60 years, with more frequent hot weather, fewer cold days, shifting rainfall patterns, and rising sea levels.

To assist the planning and management of NRM regions, CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology

have prepared climate change projections for eight regions of Australia, termed NRM clusters (www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au). Kangaroo Island is a part of the Southern and South-Western Flatlands (SSWF) Cluster. Projections for SSWF are based on the outputs of a set of 40 global climate models (GCMs) developed by Australian and international scientists.

Climate models are based on established laws of physics and are rigorously tested for their ability to reproduce past climate. These projections draw on the full breadth of available data and peer-reviewed literature to provide a robust assessment of the potential future climate. Projections for SSWF are based on four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) underpinned by emission scenarios.

in just the last 50 years.

recorded at Cape Borda have

by nearly

Average maximum temperatures

1.5°CRISEN

2CO

Australia is the world’s highest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases.

The sea level around Kangaroo Island is currently rising by

per year4-6mm50%

renewable energy target

South Australia is expected to meet its 50%

by 2017, a decade early!

Next stop 100% green

Green infrastructure can

ambient air temperatures by

REDUCE

2-8°C

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Condition & trend

Temperature

Rainfall

Fire

• There has been a prolonged period of extensive drying from the 1970s in SSWF West and from the 1990s to the present in both sub-clusters, particularly in early winter and autumn. The southward shift of winter storm systems and greater prevalence of high pressure systems are the physical mechanisms that have driven decreases in winter rainfall.

Extreme conditions• Extreme temperatures are projected

to increase at a similar rate to mean temperature, with a substantial increase in the temperature reached on hot days, the frequency of hot days, and the duration of warm spells (very high confidence). Frost risk days (minimum temperatures under 2 °C) are expected to decrease across the SSWF cluster (high confidence).

• Even though annual mean rainfall is projected to decrease in the region, understanding of the physical processes that cause extreme rainfall, coupled with modelled projections indicate with high confidence a future increase in the intensity of extreme rainfall events. However, the magnitude of the increases cannot be confidently projected. Strongly decreasing mean rainfall in the western sub-cluster gives us medium confidence in the projection of increased extreme rainfall for that region. Time spent in drought is projected (with high confidence) to increase over the course of the century.

• Decreases in winter and spring (and annual) rainfall are projected with high confidence. There is strong model agreement and good understanding of the contributing underlying physical mechanisms driving this change (southward shift of winter and spring storm systems). Early in the century (2030) and under all emission scenarios, winter rainfall is projected to decrease by up to 15 per cent. Late in the century, intermediate emissions (RCP4.5) lead to a projected decrease in winter rainfall of up to 25 per cent, and under high emissions (RCP8.5) winter rainfall is projected to decrease by up to 45 per cent. Changes in autumn and summer are less clear.

• There is very high confidence in continued substantial increases in projected mean, maximum and minimum temperatures in line with our understanding of the effect of further increases in greenhouse gases concentrations. For the near future (2030), the annually averaged warming across all emission scenarios is projected to be around 0.5 to 1.1 °C above the climate of 1986–2005. By late in the century (2090), for a high emission scenario (RCP8.5) the projected range of warming is 2.6 to 4.0 °C, with SSWF West warming slightly more than SSWF East. Under an intermediate scenario (RCP4.5) the projected warming is 1.2 to 2.0 °C.

• There is high confidence that climate change will result in a harsher fire-weather climate in the future. However, there is low confidence in the magnitude of the change as this is strongly dependent on the rainfall projection.

• Temperatures have increased over the past century, with the rate of warming higher since 1960. Mean temperature increased between 1910 and 2013 by around 0.7 °C in the eastern sub-cluster, and 1.1 °C in the western sub-cluster.

Climate change may result in harsher fire-weather. Credit: S Jones

36

CLIMATE CHANGE SNAPSHOTCondition & trendMarine and coastal• Sea level rise is driven both by the expansion of seawater

as it warms and the melting of icecaps and glaciers. For 1966 to 2009, the average rate of relative sea-level rise for Australia, from observations along the coast, was 1.4 mm/year. There is very high confidence in future sea-level rise. By 2030 the projected range of sea-level rise for the cluster coastline is 0.07 to 0.18 m above the 1986–2005 level with only minor differences between emission scenarios.

As the century progresses, projections are sensitive to concentration pathways. By 2090, the intermediate emissions case (RCP4.5) is associated with a rise of 0.28 to 0.65 m and the high case (RCP8.5) a rise of 0.39 to 0.85 m. Under certain circumstances, sea-level rises higher than these may occur and recent evidence indicates that it may be far more rapid and extreme than currently anticipated.

• Warming of coastal waters poses a significant threat to the marine environment through biological changes in marine species, including local abundance, community structure, and enhanced coral bleaching risk.

Sea surface temperature is projected to increase in the range of 1.5 to 3.9 °C by 2090 under high emissions (RCP8.5).

• The sea will also become more acidic, with acidification proportional to emissions growth. Ocean acidity has increased by approximately 30% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and could double or triple from today’s level by 2100. Increasing ocean acidity reduces the shell-building ability of organisms such as oysters, abalone, crabs, lobsters, coral and many plankton. The potential impacts on fisheries and marine ecosystems are devastating.

Highly accurate LIDAR data has been used to map land elevation, giving an indication of areas that may be at risk of inundation from sea level rise on Eastern Kangaroo Island.

Erosion of sand dunes following storm surge and high tide. Credit: Dean Martin

37

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

ü Natural Resources Kangaroo Island and KI Council adopted a Climate Change Position Statement in 2014, indicating their resolve to provide strategic leadership in this area

ü Natural Resources Kangaroo Island, KI Council and various other parties commissioned LIDAR data collection for the Eastern end of the Island that is likely to be most significantly impacted by rising sea levels due to low lying land and infrastructure including roads and townships

ü Natural Resources Kangaroo Island and KI Council are leading the development of Climate Change Adaptation Plan (CCAP) for Kangaroo Island. This is part of the Resilient Hills & Coast initiative. The CCAP identifies key adaptation responses through the use of an ‘adaptation pathways’ approach

ü Natural Resources Kangaroo Island has commissioned species modelling data that can be used to predict the likelihood of endemic species being able to exist in any particular location under various climate change scenarios and to locate possible climate change refugia that should be protected

ü Climate change data has been incorporated into the new water take limits for Kangaroo Island.

The above maps show current richness (sum of climatic envelopes) of Kangaroo Island endemic flora (modelled) (top image), the endemic flora predicted richness by 2080 under a low emission scenario (middle image) and the endemic flora predicted richness by 2080 under a high emission scenario (bottom image)

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• Community acceptance of climate change science and the need to mitigate and adapt

• Lack of certainty about the potential impacts and implications of climate change in the future, with decreasing certainty in the latter half of the century. Positive and negative feedback loops that are unanticipated or poorly understood may have significant implications

• Humanity’s ability to change and adapt at the required rate

• Significant economic impacts and political instability both nationally and globally could undermine the ability to respond appropriately.

• Need to create suitable policy framework and incentives to encourage reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

38

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT &CAPACITY BUILDING SNAPSHOT

The Board is supported by a number of advisory committees that include community, industry, agency and non-government representatives. Natural Resources Kangaroo Island collaborates with a wide range of local, state and national organisations.

The NRKI website is a primary source of NRM information for the community, interested parties and visitors. It outlines what is important about the region, the challenges that are faced and work that is being undertaken to sustainably manage natural resources on the Island. It also has links to a number of factsheets and other resources aimed at building knowledge and promoting best practice in NRM. There are 2,000 - 3,000 webpage views a month.

NRKI has hosted three community NRM conferences (2010, 2012, 2014) and held displays at Kingscote and Parndana shows, Kangaroo Island Field Days, AgKI conferences, American River Gala Days, Friends of Parks Forum 2014, Art Feast events, and holds biennial NRM Local Achievers Awards.

Partnerships & collaboration

Website

Sponsored events, shows & displays

Natural Resources Kangaroo Island staff explaining freshwater invertebrates to members of the community at the Parndana Agricultural Show.

524peopleparticipated in the development

of this NRM plan 1,973engagements in NRM activities between

2009 and 2016

KICE student

Natural Resources Kangaroo Island Facebook page

launched in 2016

team members on three six monthly programs

Green Army279

NRM presentations and workshops

2009 - 2016

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• Information is shared with the broader KI community through regular media articles in local, state and national publications as well as through radio and television interviews

• Regular talks and presentations are held with commercial tour operators, local volunteer and interest groups, industry groups and through ‘Science in the Pub’ sessions

• An NRM Achievements Report that showcases the work of NRKI has been produced and distributed locally every year since 2010

• In 2016 a FaceBook page was launched to take advantage of social media for sharing information and ideas. Page followings are growing and collaborations have strengthened between NRKI and other local, state and national organisations who have a social media presence

• In 2016 an e-newsletter (Kanga Tales) was launched, sending a quarterly NRM update to all stakeholders in the database

• Brochures, flyers and factsheets are produced and made available online, at the natural resources management centre and at other DEWNR facilities on the Island.

• The ‘contact us’ page on the NRKI website receives weekly activity

• NRM Plan and Business Plan consultations provide the community with the opportunity to shape the direction of NRM on the Island

• Extensive community consultation contributed to the development of the Biosecurity Strategy for KI, the design of marine parks including zoning and management strategies, native vegetation regulations and policies, etc.

• NRKI works with Kangaroo Island Community Education to deliver a range of educational opportunities focusing on coast and marine issues, glossy black-cockatoo recovery, the endangered southern brown bandicoot, the koala management program, KI insects (including iconic green carpenter bee and enigma moth), Rosenberg’s goanna and Kangaroo Island short-beaked echidna, feral animal control, the native plant nursery, sustainable production, biosecurity, fire management, climate change, animal welfare and native wildlife such as sea lions. NRKI also facilitates youth connecting with KI’s natural environment through issuing parks education passes and hosting field trips to parks and outdoor environmental education activities

• NRKI holds workshops to support the community and primary producers in effective weed, pest and disease management, sustainable production, and biosecurity

• Open days are regularly held to encourage community visitation to the Island’s iconic sites and parks

• NRKI hosts a Green Army team that gives young Australians aged 17-24 years training and experience in environmental and heritage conservation on Kangaroo Island.

Information sharing

Community consultation

Education & training

Natural Resources Kangaroo Island regularly works with students from the local school Kangaroo Island Community Education to undertake a range of environmental activities.

Natural Resources Kangaroo Island supplies information to the community in a range of forms at a variety of locations.

A ‘Building resilience for climate change’ conference was well attended by the community and stakeholder groups.

Natural Resources hosts a Green Army team with WorkSkil Australia to give young people training and skill in environmental work.

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0

300

600

900

1200

1500

09-1

0

14-1

5

15-1

6

13-1

4

12-1

3

11-1

2

10-1

1

Engagement activityNumber KICE student’s engaged

Number NRM presentations & workshops

Number volunteer days / land managers engaged / participated in land management activities

Total engagements

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16

102 100

658

161 181260

511

Number community groups assisted

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-1612 20 13 12 5 4 5

Number media articles

09-10

09-10

10-11

10-11

11-12

11-12

12-13

12-13

13-14

13-14

14-15

14-15

15-16

15-16

46

11

37

50

52

9

24

53

35

44

50

74

50

38

Penguin census

Marine pest survey

Underwater jetty clean-ups

Reefwatch fish counts

Weed control

Seagrass planting

Tree planting

Glossy/hoodie census

Feral animal control / biosecurity

Rubbish removal

Prescribed burns

NRM Conference

Biodiversity

On-ground works / sustainable production

Planning workshops

Friends of parks

Green Army

60 71 141 73 40

11

17 15

94 Friends of the Sea volunteers, 11 events, 44 sites

55 60 150 160 160 120

19 16 29

255 444 339 455 309 112 41

24 18 22 37 66 93 100

43 37 15

45 253 87

60 45

120 114

6 126 32 150

78 164 215

476

257 221

6 6 6

09-1

0

10-1

1

11-1

2

12-1

3

13-1

4

14-1

5

15-1

6

09-100

300

600

900

1200

1500

10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16

THREATS & CHALLENGES

• An aging population

• A lack of community grants coupled with increasingly complex reporting requirements

• A finite pool of people in a small community leading to volunteer fatigue

• Competition with other events/distractions

• Higher disposable income leads to more off-Island travel and reduced involvement in NRM

• Need for greater youth engagement.

• Advice on care of injured wildlife given and wildlife rescue permits issued to enable carers to raise injured or orphaned native wildlife

• Wildlife destruction permits issued to enable landholders to control over-abundant native animals

• Bushfire response

• Native seedlings of local provenance are grown and sold through the KI Native Plant Nursery

• Landholders have been assisted with on-ground works since 2012

• Primary producers have been able to access technical support on issues such as soil and water management since 2013

• Water affecting activity permits are issued to landholders to ensure wise management of water resources

• Assistance/advice with weed and pest control

• Assistance/advice with domestic goat management

• Assistance/advice with biosecurity.

Community services

The Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board in 2016 with the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Chief Executive Sandy Pitcher.

41

42

A NEW NRM PLAN FOR KIKangaroo Island’s new NRM plan provides a strategic framework to guide natural resource management thinking and activities for the period 2017 to 2027, but is designed to take an ‘adaptive management’ or ‘learning by doing’ approach, allowing the flexibility to find ways to respond to new, different and unanticipated circumstances that will inevitably arise in the next ten years (and beyond).

In late 2013, the Australian Government offered funding for the preparation of ‘climate change ready’ regional NRM plans. It made sense to take advantage of this opportunity to rewrite Kangaroo Island’s NRM plan, recognising the changes needed to respond to emerging climate change impacts, as well as to incorporate the learnings from implementing the inaugural plan.

The Kangaroo Island community shaped the plan from the bottom up and it reflects the community’s knowledge, values and vision for the Island, including the opportunities and challenges relating to its environment and the management of its natural resources. The community’s vision for the Island translates into five broad goals that are supported by a suit of objectives and strategies to help us achieve the goals:

• Distinctiveness - Kangaroo Island’s unique qualities and character are protected and enhanced for the enjoyment and benefit of the community and visitors and for future generations.

• Healthy, resilient environment - Kangaroo Island’s ecosystems are healthy and resilient, biodiversity loss is minimised and ecosystems continue to deliver life-supporting services.

• Thriving community - The Kangaroo Island community enjoys a high level of wellbeing, is resilient and connected

• Vibrant economy - Kangaroo Island prospers with a vibrant economy that is based on sustainably managed natural resources, primary production and industry that underpins its brand value.

• Local knowledge and governance - The Kangaroo Island community uses an adaptive governance approach, learning and making decisions together, valuing all knowledge types and sharing information freely.

We all have a responsibility and a role to play if we are to

achieve our vision and goals – as individuals, community

groups, business, industry and government. Cooperation

and collaboration is needed between all stakeholders,

reflecting the integrated nature of the environment, society

and the economy. Some of the work that needs to be done

is about changing the way that we think about things, or

about new conversations, partnerships and approaches.

In other instances, funding will be required to undertake

particular activities and the new NRM plan can be used by all

stakeholders to leverage funding from novel sources.

The new NRM plan also adopts a resilience and systems

thinking approach, which seeks to identify where and how

best to target intervention in any given system to leverage

the desired change. The approach also acknowledges that

social-ecological systems are not static or frozen in time,

but rather are continually changing in response to ‘drivers’

and ’shocks’ that impact on them. While we have control

over some of these ‘drivers’ or ‘shocks’, many are beyond

our sphere of influence. Some of the most important issues

facing our community are complex with interactions between

social, economic and environmental factors that are often

driven by processes well removed from the Island. Coupled

with this complexity there are knowledge gaps or high levels

of uncertainty about how the most important issues and

drivers (such as climate change) may play out in the future.

Adaptive governance (also called adaptive decision making)

is the process of making decisions in complex settings

under uncertainty. Creating good, adaptive governance

processes that utilise all forms of knowledge, are inclusive

of stakeholders, and evolve and incorporate learnings over

time as more experience and knowledge is gathered are

a cornerstone of meeting future challenges for KI. Our

community has a wealth of capacity to draw on to make

decisions about the future of our natural resources. We have

a small but actively engaged community with locals and

visitors passionate about particular environmental issues, and

agencies and organisations made up of local people keen to

ensure a prosperous and sustainable future.

Next year’s achievements report will be structured around

the new regional NRM plan and one of the challenges

to be explored is how the whole region might report

on its activities and progress made on aligning with and

implementing the new Plan. There is no doubt that we face

substantial challenges, but by working together and building

on our strengths we can be assured of a brighter, more

resilient future. Minister Hunter with Senior Guide Mel Stonnhil

43

Credit: Quentin Chester

4444

ContactNatural Resources Kangaroo Island

37 Dauncey Street Kingscote SA 5223

T (08) 8553 4444

F (08) 8553 2531

E kinrc@sa.gov.au

W www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/kangarooisland