Threatened species & ecological communities

National recovery plan for the Rare Grevillea (Grevillea rara)

Department of Environment and Conservation, Kensington

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Summary

Illustrations and/or further information:

Atkins, K. (2008) Declared Rare and Priority Flora List for Western Australia, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia; Brown, A., Thomson-Dans, C. and Marchant, N. (Eds). (1998) Western Australia’s Threatened Flora. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia; Western Australian Herbarium (2007). FloraBase 2 – Information on the Western Australian Flora. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia. Accessed 2007. http://www.florabase.calm.wa.gov.au  ; Olde, P.M. and Marriott, N.R. (1993) New species and taxonomic changes in Grevillea (Proteaceae: Grevilleoideae) from south-west Western Australia. In Nuytsia, Vol 9 (2); 244-246; Wilson, et al. (2000) Flora of Australia: Proteaceae 2, Grevillea. Volume 17A.

Current status:

Grevillea rara was declared as Rare Flora under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 in July 1998 and ranked as Endangered (EN) in September 1999 under World Conservation Union (IUCN 1994) Red List criteria A2c; B1+2d due to a suspected population size reduction of >50% over the last three generations following the damming of the Harris River and its naturally limited geographic range. The main threats are road and firebreak maintenance, weeds and inappropriate fire regimes. The species is listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Currently, 6 populations and 1515 plants are known.

Description:

Growing to a height and width of around 2m, Grevillea rara is a sprawling plant, with branches covered in soft hairs, dense foliage, leaves up to 2.5cm long, and white to pale pink floral inflorescences, which appear around October (Brown et al. 1998). 

The species differs from its nearest relative, Grevillea curviloba, in the fine hairs which grow on branchlets and inflorescence stems, narrow leaf lobes, shorter pedicels, and unusual nectary (Olde and Marriot 1993).

Habitat requirements:

Grevillea rara is currently known from a range of around 4 km in an area north of Collie, with a total of around 1,400 plants in 6 populations. It grows in Jarrah forest in lateritic clay/ loam soils along creek lines. The dominant species are Eucalyptus marginata and Corymbia calophylla,and associated species include Banksia grandis, Hakea lasiantha, Xanthorrhoea preissii, Acacia pulchella, and A. drummondii.

Habitat critical to the survival of the species, and important populations:

Given that Grevillia rara is ranked as Endangered, it is considered that all known habitat for wild and translocated populations (i.e. Jarrah forest in lateritic clay/loam soils along creek lines) is critical to the survival of the subspecies, and that all wild populations are important populations.

Benefits to other species/ecological communities:

Recovery actions implemented to improve the quality or security of the habitat of Grevillea rara will also improve the status of remnant vegetation in which it is located.  The species is not known to occur in association with any other Threatened or Priority species or ecological communities.

International obligations:

This plan is fully consistent with the aims and recommendations of the Convention on Biological Diversity that was ratified by Australia in June 1993, and will assist in implementing Australia’s responsibilities under that convention. Grevillea involucrata is not listed under any specific international treaty however, and therefore this IRP does not affect Australia’s obligations under any other international agreements.

Indigenous Consultation:

Involvement of the Indigenous community is being sought through the Chairperson and members of the Ngalang Boodja council, the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council and the Department of Indigenous Affairs to assist in the identification of cultural values for land occupied by Grevillea rara, or groups with a cultural connection to land that is important for the species’ conservation and to determine whether there are any issues or interests identified in the plan.  A search of the Department of Indigenous Affairs Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register has identified that there are four registered artefacts sites in the vicinity of the Harris River Dam Populations (Populations 1-4).

Implementation of recovery actions under this plan includes consideration of the role and interests of indigenous communities in the region. Where no role is identified for the indigenous community associated with this species in the development of the recovery plan, opportunities may exist through cultural interpretation and awareness of the species.  Indigenous involvement in the implementation of recovery actions will be encouraged.

Continued liaison between DEC and the indigenous community will identify areas in which collaboration will assist implementation of recovery actions.

Social and economic impact:

The implementation of this recovery plan is unlikely to cause significant adverse social and economic impacts as no populations thus far have been identified on private property.

Affected Interests:

Populations of Grevillea rara occur on lands managed by the Collie Shire (Road Reserve), Water Corporation (Harris River Dam Wall) and Department of Environment and Conservation (State Forest).

Evaluation of the Plan’s Performance:

The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), in conjunction with the Southwest Region Threatened Flora and Communities Recovery Team (SWRTFCRT) will evaluate the performance of this IRP. In addition to annual reporting on progress of listed actions and comparison against the criteria for success and failure, the plan is to be reviewed within five years of its implementation.

Completed recovery actions

  1. Land managers and adjacent landowners have been made aware of the location and threatened status of the species.
  2. Declared Rare Flora (DRF) markers have been erected for all road reserve populations (2 and 3).
  3. 765 seeds, collected in 1996, are in storage at the DEC’s TFSC, with germinations rates of 96 and 95% at 0 and 7 years respectively.
  4. The BGPA currently has 5 live specimens in their gardens.
  5. In 1997, extensive surveys of populations and surrounding habitats were undertaken by DEC and Herbarium staff over the course of the year.

Ongoing and future recovery actions

  1. The Southwest Region Threatened Flora and Communities Recovery Team (SWRTFCRT) are overseeing the implementation of this IRP and will include information on progress in annual reports to DEC’s Corporate Executive and funding bodies.

IRP Objective:

The objective of this IRP is to abate identified threats and maintain or enhance in situ populations to ensure the long-term preservation of the species in the wild.

Recovery criteria

Criteria for success:

The number of individuals within populations and/or the number of populations have increased by ten percent or more over the five year term of this IRP.

Criteria for failure:

The number of individuals within populations and/or the number of populations have decreased by ten percent or more over the five year term of this IRP.

Recovery actions

  1. Coordinate Recovery Actions
  2. Map habitat critical to survival
  3. Collect seed and cutting material
  4. Monitor populations
  5. Conduct further surveys
  6. Liaise with land managers
  7. Promote awareness
  8. Obtain biological and ecological information
  9. Develop and implement a fire management strategy
  10. Review IRP
Cover page of recovery plan

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