Strategic management of Aleppo Pines on Lower Eyre

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
This report provides a recommended approach to <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine <strong>management</strong> on lower Eyre
Peninsula (EP) to benefit the region’s biodiversity. <strong>Aleppo</strong> <strong>Pines</strong> are both an environmental weed
(proclaimed under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004) threatening native vegetation
and an important food source for the Critically Endangered Eyre Peninsula Yellow-tailed Black-
Cockatoo (EPYTBC). This report aims to balance the competing interests in the control <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aleppo</strong>
<strong>Pines</strong> on EP and present <strong>management</strong> recommendations to achieve maximum biodiversity
benefit.
<strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine site assessments
Two hundred and fifty-three <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine sites were surveyed across lower Eyre Peninsula. Over
half (58%) <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine sites were identified for control (local eradication) due to negative
impacts on biodiversity values (Table 1). Of these, 38% were identified for high priority eradication
due to their proximity to threatened flora sites and remnant threatened vegetation communities.
Seventeen percent <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine sites surveyed were identified as important EPYTBC feeding sites
and/or occurring in the core breeding area (Koppio Hills) and recommended for retention and
<strong>management</strong> (Table 1). The assessments <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine sites in this way aims to focus efforts on
those sites posing the most threat to biodiversity values. The assessment suggests a prioritised focus
for site control or <strong>management</strong> rather than an increase or decrease in existing effort by current
stakeholders.
Number <strong>of</strong> sites
% total number <strong>of</strong> sites
Table 1 Number <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine sites in each <strong>management</strong> category
Eradication:
High priority
Eradication:
Medium
priority
Eradication:
Low priority
Retain &
Manage
56 18 72 43 64
22 7 29 17 25
Retain:
Private
<strong>Aleppo</strong> <strong>Pines</strong> as an EPYTBC food resource
Eyre Peninsula Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos are adept feeders on <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine cones. In the
breeding area, EPYTBCs spend at least 75% <strong>of</strong> their foraging time feeding on seeds from <strong>Aleppo</strong>
Pine cones (pre-fire data). Risk <strong>of</strong> terrestrial predation is also reduced while EPYTBCs are feeding in
<strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine.
EPYTBCs display habitual feeding behaviour and have strong site fidelity for particular <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine
trees, revisiting the same stand and even the same tree every season, both in their breeding area
and winter habitat.
EPYTBC nest selection is influenced by the proximity <strong>of</strong> traditional <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine stands. The majority
<strong>of</strong> nests are within 2 kilometres <strong>of</strong> known feed trees.
A comparison <strong>of</strong> food availability <strong>of</strong> native (Wrinkled Hakea, Hakea rugosa) and non-native
(<strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine) EPYTBC food resources illustrated that an average size <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine (8-10 metres)
has over one thousand times more available seed (974,524.4) than one large size hakea bush
(718.6). This has important implications for EPYTBC conservation and the replacement <strong>of</strong>
equivalent food resources if known <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine feed trees are removed.
It is estimated that 1.77 hectares <strong>of</strong> pure hakea revegetation would be required to replace the
equivalent available food resource if 10 medium sized <strong>Aleppo</strong>s <strong>Pines</strong> were removed. This equates
to 35.4 hectares <strong>of</strong> representative Sugar Gum Woodland direct seeding (with an abundance <strong>of</strong>
5% hakea per hectare).
Nutritionally, <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine seeds are higher in crude fats and have greater total energy content
compared to both Wrinkled Hakea and Elm-seed Hakea (H. cycloptera), but are harder to digest
and considerably lower in calcium. There was no evidence that <strong>Aleppo</strong> Pine seeds contain any
<strong>Strategic</strong> <strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aleppo</strong> <strong>Pines</strong> on Lower Eyre Peninsula to maximise biodiversity conservation outcomes iii