Stanley Penguin Habitat Management Plan August 2011
Table of Contents Author ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 2 Acronyms................................................................................................................................................. 2 Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... 3 Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 5 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Background .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.2 Description of the study area ................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Map: location and study sites................................................................................................... 9 1.4 Little Penguin life cycle and habitat use ................................................................................. 10 2 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Background research ............................................................................................................. 12 2.2 Vegetation survey and Little Penguin habitat assessment .................................................... 12 2.3 Consultation ........................................................................................................................... 12 2.4 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 12 3 Site Assessment ................................................................................................................................. 14 3.1 Site descriptions – native vegetation and habitat values ....................................................... 14 3.1.1 Godfreys Beach .............................................................................................................. 14 3.1.2 The Nut north .................................................................................................................. 15 3.1.3 The Nut – Restricted access area, wharf, and west slope ............................................. 16 3.1.4 Alexander Terrace to Wharf Road .................................................................................. 17 3.1.5 Green Hills Road vegetation ........................................................................................... 17 3.2 Vegetation communities ......................................................................................................... 18 3.2.1 Acacia longifolia coastal scrub ....................................................................................... 18 3.2.2 Coastal scrub .................................................................................................................. 18 3.2.3 Melaleuca ericifolia swamp forest................................................................................... 18 3.3 Little Penguin habitat on site .................................................................................................. 19 3.4 Threatened species and other species of conservation significance .................................... 20 3.5 Weeds .................................................................................................................................... 22 3.5.1 Weeds on The Nut .......................................................................................................... 22 3.5.2 Weeds at Godfreys Beach .............................................................................................. 23 Table 1. Weed species and locations ...................................................................................... 24 3.6 Map: Natural values of Stanley penguin habitat .................................................................... 25 4 Issues and Management Recommendations ..................................................................................... 26 4.1 Native vegetation loss and degradation ................................................................................. 26 4.2 Threatened species habitat.................................................................................................... 28 4.3 Revegetation .......................................................................................................................... 29 4.4 Weeds and their control ......................................................................................................... 32 4.5 Climate change and sea level rise ......................................................................................... 35 4.6 Erosion ................................................................................................................................... 38 4.7 Water quality .......................................................................................................................... 39 4.8 Dog, cat, rabbit and fox control .............................................................................................. 40 4.9 Recreational use .................................................................................................................... 41 4.10 Penguin viewing ................................................................................................................... 42 4.11 Urban penguins .................................................................................................................... 43 4.12 Works in Little Penguin colonies .......................................................................................... 44 4.13 Fire ....................................................................................................................................... 45 4.14 Community involvement....................................................................................................... 46 4.15 Monitoring ............................................................................................................................ 47 5 Management Zones and Actions........................................................................................................ 49 5.1 Management zones ............................................................................................................... 49 5.1.1 Map: Stanley penguin habitat management zones ....................................................... 50 5.2 Protection and Rehabilitation Zone - The Nut........................................................................ 51 5.2.1 The Nut north face .......................................................................................................... 51 5.3 Revegetation Zone ................................................................................................................. 53 5.3.1 Godfreys Beach dunes ................................................................................................... 53 5.3.2 Godfreys Beach back dunes and northern foreshore..................................................... 55 Bushways Environmental Services Tasmania 3