National recovery plan for Twenty-five threatened orchid taxa of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales 2003 - 2007

Coates, F., Jeanes, J. and Pritchard, A.
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne, 2002

Appendix 2: Relationship between Specific Objectives, Progress Criteria and Actions

Objective	Performance criteria	Actions
1. Acquire accurate information for conservation status assessments.	Determination or update of conservation status for all taxa for inclusion on state and national threatened species lists.	1. Determine current conservation status Clarify taxonomy Acquire baseline population data
2. Identify key biological functions	Preparation of management prescriptions that will maintain, enhance or restore biological relationships fundamental to reproduction and survival	2. Investigate population biology Describe life histories Evaluate natural pollination levels and/or causes of pollinator limitation Determine the effects of artificial pollination on growth, survival and reproduction Determine spatial distribution of mycorrhizal fungi Determine optimal conditions for growth of mycorrhizal fungi in situ
3. Identify critical, common and potential habitat	Preparation of management prescriptions that will maintain, enhance or restore appropriate habitat	3. Determine habitat requirements of key populations Identify key populations Conduct surveys Identify ecological correlates of key populations Prepare habitat descriptions
4. Ensure that all existing populations and their habitat are protected and managed appropriately	Reduce plant mortality due to predation, damage and weed invasion in key populations Increase the number of flowering plants in key populations Establish a private and public land protected area network for threatened taxa	4. Manage risks to populations Identify and implement strategies to control threats Identify disturbance regimes to promote regeneration and recruitment Protect key public land populations and habitat Protect key private land populations and habitat
5. Increase the size of populations in the wild	Seedling recruitment in all key populations	5. Promote in situ recruitment Prepare habitat for seedling recruitment Re-stock populations with seed
6. Determine the growth rates and viability of populations	Population Viability Analyses for key populations Appropriate management strategies in place for all key populations	6. Measure population trends and responses against recovery actions Conduct annual censusing of populations Collate, analyse and report on census data Re-prioritise and adjust recovery actions and/or threat management
7. Establish populations in cultivation	Seed from key populations of all taxa in long term storage Fungal symbionts for Critically Endangered and Endangered taxa in long term storage Development of effective propagation and cultivation techniques At least 10 plants of each endangered taxon in cultivation	7. Increase populations ex situ Hand pollinate plants Establish a threatened orchid seed bank and determine seed viability Establish a mycorrhizal fungi bank Establish and maintain cultivated populations Maintain a database of threatened orchids in cultivation
8. Establish cultivated plants in the wild	An increase in the size of targeted wild populations by up to 50%.	8. Translocate cultivated plants Determine criteria for re-stocking/re-introduction Evaluate site suitability Determine long term cost-benefits and feasibility of translocating cultivated plants Prepare and implement translocation plans Maintain translocated populations
9. Build a network of government and non-government organisations and individuals	Preparation of a technical handbook and video Increased involvement from orchid society members in on-ground works and collection of information Preparation of funding applications for a PhD scholarship and Postdoctoral fellowship	9. Implement an education and communication strategy Prepare technical educational material on in situ recovery techniques Undertake community extension Conduct workshops and symposia on in situ recovery techniques Encourage and support research by Higher Education Institutions and existing research partners.
10. Co-operate in bioregional policy implementation and manage recovery plan implementation	Attend 5 recovery team meetings and maintain regular communication with State and Interstate agencies and organisations at other times as necessary. Preparation of annual workplans for all taxa	10. Consolidate recovery and extend networks Maintain the Threatened Orchid Recovery Team Establish and facilitate regional Recovery Teams Co-ordinate recovery and exchange knowledge with interstate agencies

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