Strategic management of Aleppo Pines on Lower Eyre

8 A STRATEGIC APPROACH
8.1 Criteria for <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine control
<strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine sites are identified for local eradication if:
1. The site poses a high infestation risk to native vegetation such as high quality roadside
remnants, threatened vegetation communities, threatened flora sites, Heritage Agreements,
national parks and reserves, and
2. The site is more than 5 kilometres from the EPYTBC breeding area, and
3. There are no records <strong>of</strong> EPYTBC feeding at the site within the last 10 years, or
4. The site was 100% burnt during the January 2005 bushfire.
Depending on site characteristics, the control priority high, medium or low was assigned (see
Map 4 and Appendix 3). Site characteristic notes rationalise the assignment <strong>of</strong> high, medium or
low prioritisation and are shown in Appendix 3.
In the case <strong>of</strong> criterion number two, shading in Map 4 identifies the 5 kilometre buffer around the
currently known EPYTBC breeding area. The EPYTBC breeding area has been identified through
the analysis and mapping <strong>of</strong> long-term data collected during nest monitoring as part <strong>of</strong> the jointly
funded Department for Environment and Heritage and Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources
Management Board EPYTBC Recovery Project. More information on EPYTBC breeding habitat is
provided in van Weenen and Cooper (2000).
8.2 Criteria for <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine retention and <strong>management</strong>
Pine sites are recommended for retention and <strong>management</strong> if:
1. The site occurs in or within 5 kilometres <strong>of</strong> the EPYTBC breeding area, or
2. EPYTBC have been recorded feeding at the site within the last 10 years AND the site poses a
minimum infestation risk to native vegetation such as high quality roadside remnants,
threatened vegetation communities, threatened flora sites, Heritage Agreements, national
parks and reserves, or
3. The site is on private land and poses a minimum infestation risk to biodiversity values.
In the case <strong>of</strong> criterion number two, there are a minimal number <strong>of</strong> sites (less than 10%) where
<strong>Aleppo</strong> <strong>Pines</strong> are recommended for retention and the site poses a risk to other biodiversity values.
The majority <strong>of</strong> these occur on SA Water land (Uley Basin) and are recommended for priority
<strong>management</strong> (i.e. removal <strong>of</strong> emergent seedlings) in agreement with SA Water.
In the case <strong>of</strong> criterion number three, infestation risk to biodiversity values is considered to be
minimal where a site occurs in the middle <strong>of</strong> a cropped or grazed paddock (e.g. shelter belt or
isolated paddock trees) at least 100 metres from remnant vegetation or roadside reserves
containing native vegetation. <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine seeds are wind dispersed and can carry for
considerable distances on prevailing winds, however the majority <strong>of</strong> seeds fall to within 40-
50 metres <strong>of</strong> the parent tree (Bulman 1992).
22 <strong>Strategic</strong> <strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aleppo</strong> <strong>Pines</strong> on Lower Eyre Peninsula to maximise biodiversity conservation outcomes