thinking big a 'whole of landscape' approach to nature...

BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS

Friday 13 May

Thinking BigA 'whole of landscape' approach to

nature conservation in Australia

Dr Rob Lesslie - BRSDr Brendan Mackey - ANU

The recently released results of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment have highlighted thescientific basis to widespread public concern with the state of the natural environment and thedegradation of ecosystems and the services they provide. This seminar will argue that part ofthe solution lies in focusing on a long-term ‘whole of landscape’ approach to management fornature conservation - one that maintains the connectivity of key ecological processes atregional, even continental scale. This means integrated conservation management across bothproduction and reserve landscapes.

A key challenge in developing this approach in Australia is recognising and betterunderstanding key ecological processes and environmental flows (including the highly irregularand variable climate and patterns of productivity) in both fragmented and intact landscapes,along with characteristic patterns of land management. The scientific principles underpinningthis approach will be discussed, with an example of its application in an innovative conservationplan in South Australia.

11.00am - 12:00noon (morning tea at 10:45am)Edmund Barton Conference Centre (in the courtyard)

Edmund Barton BuildingKings Avenue, Canberra

Bookings not required.Parking can be a problem, we suggest taking a taxi.

For further details, please call the BRS Seminar Coordinator on 6272 3440.

For further information on BRS Seminars or to obtain papers/presentations supplied by previous seminarpresenters, please visit our website at: www.brs.gov.au/brsseminars

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

- Thinking Big -A 'whole of landscape' approach to

nature conservation in Australia

Brendan Mackey - SRES/ANU

Rob Lesslie - BRS

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Approaches to Conservation

Conservation science is dominated by minimalist thinking

Dominant protected area criteria deeply flawed, e.g., there is no scientific basis topercentage targets for protected areas

The genetic and ecosystem levels of biodiversity are largely ignored, therefore cannotdeal with ecosystem services

A focus on “species” at expense of habitat and ecosystem processes

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Minimalist science promotes minimalist policy responses:

e.g., EPBC act minimises the Australian Government’s “policy footprint” by focussingon a subset of threatened species

214[57%]

269[40%]

262[41%]

92[43%]

97[42%]

No. species given any IUCN threat class (except “least concern) accumulated over all jurisdictions plus non- legislative assessments. +

99[26%]

70[10%]

45[7%]

26[12%]

27[12%]

EPBC Act 1999

A national biodiversity crisis demands a phase shift in thinking

We need long term strategic conservation assessment & planning with a horizon of~100+ years” driven by new thinking and an expanded knowledge base

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Connectivity Principles+

Critical species interactions

Long distance biological movement

Human-forced climate change

Hydroecology

Fire regimes and disturbance

Coastal zone fluxes

Spatially dependent evolutionSoulé, M., Mackey, B., Recher, H., Williams, J., Woinarski, J., Driscoll, D., Dennison, W., and Jones, M. (2004)The role of connectivity in Australian conservation. Pacific Conservation Biology 10: 266-79

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Analysis of Australian Migratory Vertebrates

ClassNo. spp in Australia

No. migratory

spp

% migratory

spp

Fish freshwater 228 36 16

Frogs 212 2 1

Reptiles

land/freshwater 828 5 0.6

marine 7 7 100

Birds

land/freshwater 677 342 51

marine 158 88 56

Mammals

land/freshwater 323 27 8

marine 56 28 50

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

A “greenhouse world” is a hot and wet worldH

um

ans

arrive

in A

ust

ralia

Low CO2Low temperaturesLow rainfall= low NPP= low biomass= low food supply

High CO2High temperaturesHigh rainfall= high NPP= high biomass= high food supply

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Conservation management across large,contiguous areas spanning regionally scaledclimatic gradients.

Design connectivity to ensure effectivemovements and fluxes.

Protect regional diversity of ecosystems/habitatand refugia, including high productivity habitats.

NRM to counter threatening processes neededin/out protected areas.

Conservation for Connectivity: key actions

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Continental Strategic Planning

Landscape productivity

Environmental and ecosystem context

Habitat condition

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Vegetation productivity

Working towards (i) foliage decomposition analysis and (ii) GPP modelling

Currently analysing time series of remotely sensed greeness index using MODIS to map “productivity domains”

Relevance to wildlife habitat and to production

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Vegetation productivity classification

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

A climate & terrain classification of Australia

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Native vegetationcover

Non-native vegetationcover

Increasing human modification

Ass

ets VIVIVIIIIII0

Vegetation Assets, States and Transitions (VAST)

Habitat condition

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

! VASTcover class

Nativecover

0 BareResidual

I Residual

II ModifiedWorking

III Transformed

Non-nativecover

IV/V ReplacedReplacement

VI Removed

Intact

Disturbed

Non-native

Habitat condition classification

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Habitat condition classification of Australia

Intact

Disturbed

Non-native

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

… with core intact areas

Intact

Disturbed

Non-native

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Terrain and climate within ‘intact’ habitat class

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

• Protection of core habitat

• Establishment vegetationcorridors

• Integrated feral animal control

• Management of total grazingpressure

• Partnerships

- Reconnecting habitat throughEyre Peninsula to the WA border

Naturelinks

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Cropping

RangelandsAboriginal /Conservation

Croplands

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Natural ResourceManagement Regions

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

near Lock, CentralEyre Peninsula

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

• Grazing gradients

• Potential integrateduse for pastoralismand natureconservation

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

S C I E N C E F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S

Landscape ecosystem, productivity and conditionanalyses are needed to complement threatened speciesprogrammes.These analyses are required on a landscape-wide basis.A research priority is to identify options for maximising“landscape connectivity” at large scale, across tenures.Regional case studies are underway involving NGOs(TWS-WildCountry, GA; Gondwanalink), StateGovernments and NRM groups.This approach will assist implementation of biodiversityconservation through integrated NRM.

Conclusion