Wandoo in Minister's conservation sights

29/6/05
Environment and Science Minister Judy Edwards today encouraged Western Australians to become involved in the conservation of one of the State's distinctive natural assets - wandoo.
Opening a community forum on the conservation of wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo), Dr Edwards said it was important that people recognised its distinctive conservation features as well as the considerable economic contribution wandoo had made to the State's development in the past.
"In particular, we need to recognise the important role it played today as wildlife habitat and for recreational opportunities in parts of the South-West," she said.
"Wandoo forest and woodlands and their associated understorey vegetation are widespread and ecologically valuable throughout the South-West.
"Over the years, clearing for agriculture has dramatically altered the occurrence of wandoo across its natural range and many of the remaining areas of wandoo are now affected by severe crown decline."
Though the reasons for this decline are not clear, there are a number of contributing and inter-related factors involved - the main potential influences include:

• reduced winter rainfall;
• changes in hydrological and salinity conditions;
• altered fire regimes;
• insects; and
• fungi.

"Climate variability has recently emerged as an important factor impacting the health and vitality of natural ecosystems, as south-western Australia has experienced a sustained and substantial shift to drier conditions since the 1970s," Dr Edwards said.
The Minister said that to help plan effectively for the conservation and management of wandoo, a Wandoo Recovery Group, comprising representatives from the Government and the community, was established in February, 2003 to investigate the causes of wandoo decline and develop appropriate strategies and actions.
"In the past two years, the Wandoo Recovery Group has made a number of notable achievements, including the development of a Wandoo Strategy and Action Plan that provides future directions and targets," Dr Edwards said.
"The plan promotes and strengthens partnerships between Government and community groups with differing interests in wandoo trees and ecosystems."
The Minister said a communications and public involvement plan was also being prepared to encourage the community to be more aware of wandoo and become involved in its conservation and protection.
"The recovery group has also issued a series of news bulletins to local authorities, Government agencies and community groups with an interest in natural resource management," she said.
"The bulletins explain the nature of decline, progress of research and activities of the Wandoo Recovery Group."
Dr Edwards said efforts also were being made to map the extent of decline across wandoo populations with the Department of Conservation and Land Management taking a lead role.
"A simple, illustrative guide to assessing the sequence of decline of wandoo crowns is also being developed and training and assistance will be given to community groups who wish to help map decline in their local area," she said.
"Mapping decline will help give a more accurate assessment of the health status of wandoo ecosystems and assist in predicting future declines."
Another group initiative compared water levels in several deep bores within the Helena catchment that have occurred over a 30-year period. Results show that ground water levels were declining along with rainfall over the same period. Recommendations from this review will guide future survey, research and management.
The Minister said the recovery group also worked closely with the University of Western Australia, which was conducting the principal research program into wandoo crown decline.
"Major studies focus on understanding the relationships between climate, tree physiology and wood-boring insects and fungal pathogens, which will provide important new information and knowledge on how wandoo responds to a range of threatening processes," she said.
"This research and other actions such as the communication plan and mapping of wandoo vegetation will provide a sound scientific basis for wandoo protection and management partnerships among the State Government, landholders and community groups."
Minister's office: 9220 5050