Scenic Rim Biodiversity Report Card 2022

Scenic Rim Regional Council

Biodiversity Strategy Report Card 2015 - 2020

“ Restoring the region’s natural spaces and preserving its wild places promotes continued prosperity and opportunity; we are proud to have made a meaningful contribution to delivering the Strategy and present the following update to highlight the successes to date and where opportunity remains.”

Mayor Greg Christensen

In September 2015, Council recognised the importance of biodiversity to the region, acknowledging that the environment and ecological processes underpin our local industries. As a result, Council adopted the Scenic Rim Biodiversity Strategy 2015-2025. This Biodiversity Report Card provides a snapshot of achievements and efforts made so far to preserve biodiversity in the region.

Council gratefully acknowledges the contributions from a range of organisations, individuals, and the community, who have each helped in developing and delivering actions of the Strategy. Council looks forward to the ongoing partnerships in the delivery of meaningful biodiversity actions and outcomes for the future.

SCENIC RIM REGIONAL COUNCIL

Acknowledgement of Country Scenic Rim Regional Council acknowledges the traditional country of the Mununjali, Wangerriburra and Ugarapul Peoples of the Scenic Rim. We recognise that the Scenic Rim continues to have connections to cultural, spiritual, environmental, and economic importance and respect connection to Country.

We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, acknowledging the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples play in shaping the future of our Region.

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WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY? What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources (including terrestrial, aquatic, and other ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part of). It occurs at a variety of levels including genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity. Biodiversity is recognised as an important feature of healthy natural assets and increases flexibility and resilience in the face of change.

Impacts on biodiversity Significant events occurred during 2015-2020 that have impacted biodiversity in the Scenic Rim. Climate change makes these events more extreme.

The 2017 Cyclone Debbie floods tore away important riparian vegetation and the floodwaters caused erosion, mobilised sediment and impacted freshwater ecosystems.

The drought of 2019, followed by the Black Summer bushfires, impacted plants and animals across the region. Some 38,420 hectares of native vegetation, approximately one quarter of all native vegetation in the Scenic Rim region, was affected by the fires.

Native vegetation cover has reduced, with a loss of almost 1,300 hectares. The removal of habitat is a key threatening process to native wildlife. Between 2015-2020, the number of threatened species increased significantly at both a state and national level, with more species nearing extinction.

During 2015-2020, more than 5,700 homes and associated structures were built throughout the region.

This increasing population and associated land form changes can impact the region’s biodiversity.

Protecting biodiversity and natural processes helps the local environment to adapt to climate change. The need for protection is crucial, and is an area for further policy development. It is necessary to create environments that are more resilient to the increasing impacts experienced now, and expected into the future.

Controlling environmental weeds, improving the extent and condition of riparian vegetation, improving water quality, maintaining and increasing ecological connectivity and conserving wildlife are vital to maintaining the region’s extraordinary biodiversity, amenity and quality of life.

BIODIVERSITY REPORT CARD | 2022

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INVASIVE SPECIES Invasive species directly affects natural biodiversity and creates significant financial costs to agricultural productivity.

DIRECT THREATS

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EMERGING THREATS

Weeds on land

Weeds in water

Broad-leaf privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum)

Chinese celtis (Celtis sinensis)

Salvinia (Salvinia molesta)

Miconia (Miconia calvescens)

Cat’s claw creeper (Dolichandra unguis-cati)

Senegal Tea (Gynmocoronis spilanthoides)

Yellow Fever Tree (Vachellia xanthophloea)

Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia)

Mexican Bean Tree (Cecropia peltata)

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus)

Kidney Leaf Mudplantain (Heteranthera reniformis) SCENIC RIM REGIONAL COUNCIL

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora NUMBER OF KNOWN SPECIES:

1,926

799

Vascular plants

Non-vascular plants

Trees and ferns are examples of vascular plants.

Fauna:

Non-vascular plants are bryophytes - mosses and liverworts.

NUMBER OF KNOWN SPECIES:

696*

The region provides habitat for many fauna species, including threatened, migratory and iconic species such as the koala. The 696 known species includes amphibians, birds, fish, insects, mammals and reptiles. * Source: Wildnet

Changes to threatened species across Queensland Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992 600 500 400 300 200 100

522 334 2015

585

265 2020

Near Threatened BIODIVERSITY REPORT CARD | 2022

264 2015

2020

Vulnerable

2015

294 N/A

121

2020

Endangered

Critically Endangered 5

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Changes to threatened species across Australia Australian Government

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 2000 800 700 600 500 400

792

787

300

674

723

200

209

100

2015

2020

Vulnerable

BIODIVERSITY REPORT CARD | 2022

2015

2020

Endangered

2015

294 2020

Critically Endangered

TOTAL 2015

2020

1,675 1,804

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VEGETATION NATIVE VEGETATION COVER The region’s native vegetation cover is made up of high-value regrowth and remnant vegetation mapped by the Queensland Herbarium. It provides multiple benefits, as well as habitat for wildlife.

2020 = 156,960.8 hectares Vegetation loss = 1,286 hectares native remnant

PROPORTION OF FIRE-AFFECTED VEGETATION BURNT

38,420 ha

24%

REMAINING VEGETATION

IMPACT OF BLACK SUMMER The 2019-2020 Black Summer fires affected 38,420 hectares of native vegetation (remnant and high-value regrowth).

118,540.8 ha

76%

NUMBER OF REGIONAL ECOSYSTEMS IN THE SCENIC RIM

15

8

69

Endangered regional ecosystems

54% of native remnant vegetation is of concern or endangered

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Of concern regional ecosystems

32

Least concern regional ecosystems

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WATERWAYS The waterways and wetlands of the Scenic Rim support diverse habitats and species.

Climate change increases the occurrence of extreme events that impact waterways and environmental weeds place additional pressure on vegetation growing along waterways.

Waterway health is a priority for the region and is measured through the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program.

CATCHMENT SCORES Albert

Logan

Bremer/Warrill

A+ A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D D-

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Figure 1: Catchment scores (Source: Healthy Land & Water)

BIODIVERSITY REPORT CARD | 2022

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PROTECTING OUR

Biodiversity

More than 13,334 hectares

in Land for Wildlife, Conservation Covenants and Nature Refuges

19,530 hectares of environmental significance mapped through the Planning Scheme

Biannual feral animal baiting A program targeting wild dogs, feral pigs and European foxes

Habitat Protection Program Membership to the Habitat Protection Program continues to grow

ENHANCING OUR

Environment

393,095 native plants

provided by Council through the One Million Trees Program

1,684 hectares of habitat under restoration

143 Environmental Grant projects Environmental Grant projects delivered valued at $477,882

• Council has partnered with Land for Wildlife members and local wildlife group Wildlife Queensland (Scenic Rim Branch) to deliver long-term corridor connectivity in otherwise disconnected landscapes.

Trees have been provided through Council’s One Million Trees Program to deliver on-ground connectivity for squirrel gliders and other mobile species.

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The One Million Trees Program is a Council initiative providing native plants and trees for public, community and private plantings. Trees are available to residents, community groups, rural landholders and schools. The program aims to address issues of biodiversity loss by encouraging sustainable land practices, the restoration of waterways and beautification of the region.

Tree Initiative Rural Trees Initiative River Trees Initiative Habitat Trees Initiative Community Trees Initiative Council reserves Council parks and free trees TOTALS

2015-16 10,299 0 1,418 5,070 41,393 27,485 85,665

2016-17 31,305 855 9,078 16,514 29,396 21,464 108,612

2017-18 11,996 550 4,956 7,893 11,183 27,186 63,764

2018-19 10,073 13,181 1,060 12,216 9,956 19,106 65,592

2019-20 11,557 4,638 6,400 7,787 0 39,080 69,462

TOTALS 75,230 19,224 22,912 49,480 91,928 134,321 393,095

1,539 hectares of natural areas Council-owned and controlled reserves with conservation values

50,600 working hours

spent on reserve management

15,000 kilometres

of roadside inspected and weeds treated

BIODIVERSITY REPORT CARD | 2022

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WORKING

Together

301

$826,305

in-kind support and members in the financial contribution provided by the Habitat Protection community in restoring Program the environment

Resilient Rivers Initiative

Logan-Albert Catchment Action Plan • 20 hectares of riparian habitat in the Mid-Logan • Riparian revegetation along a kilometre of the Logan River • Significant creek and gully erosion

$714,144

invested through the initiative

Community groups

Partnering with 10 community groups delivering on-ground conservation actions, educational materials and workshop

Scenic Rim Rivers Improvement Trust

$540,000 spent on weed treatment throughout the region by the Scenic Rim Rivers Improvement Trust

Land for Wildlife

301 Land for Wildlife members working to preserve more than 11,500 hectares of habitat and restoring 1,500 hectares of land

SCENIC RIM RIVERS IMPROVEMENT TRUST

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BUILDING AND SHARING OUR

Knowledge 41

1,000

workshops and More than 1,000 Weeds events delivered of Southeast Queensland for the booklets provided to community the community

Council partnered with the Queensland Museum to deliver guides, including Reptiles of the Scenic Rim, Wildlife of the Scenic Rim and Wild Guide to the Scenic Rim.

Fauna

• Wildlife cameras deployed to build knowledge of native fauna • Koalas in Aratula investigated through scat analysis and detection dog search

Regional Ecosystem information sheets developed

20 years of water quality reporting with Healthy Land & Water Conservation trainees Citizen science

110 certificates in Natural Resource Management

flora and fauna surveys across Tamborine Mountain, Beaudesert, and Boonah

Environmental events • Land management planning workshops •4 1 environmental events - fire management, weed management, pest animal management, environmental awareness, fauna workshops, nest box construction • Nest box construction and Native Bee workshop building have proven popular

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Working with other organisations to achieve conservation outcomes

• Beaudesert Landcare

• Lamington Landcare Group

• Beechmont District Landcare Association

• Logan and Albert Conservation Association

• Biddaddaba Creek Action Group

• Logan and Albert Fish Management Association

• Boonah and District Landcare

• Logan-Albert Rivers Catchment Association

• Bremer Catchment Association

• Tamborine Mountain Landcare Inc

• Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (B4C)

• Tamborine Mountain Natural History Association

• Fassifern Field Naturalists

• Wild Mountains

• Kooralbyn Community Group

• Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland (Scenic Rim Branch)

For further information or if you would like to connect with Council’s Biodiversity and Climate Change team, please contact on 07 5540 5111 or mail@scenicrim.qld.gov.au

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scenicrim.qld.gov.au ENV2022.0003