WETLANDS AND OTHER WATERBODIES

PRIORITY WW1

 Lavinia State Reserve

Lavinia State Reserve was first listed as a Ramsar site in 1982. It is situated on the north-east coast of King Island and is contained wholly within a State Reserve under the management of Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS).

The reserve contains a highly significant and diverse set of ecosystems, including a significant lagoon and wetland system, coastal and bush landscapes, and a rich Aboriginal cultural heritage. Major wetlands include a large estuary with saltmarsh, coastal lagoons, perched lakes, swamp forests, and numerous smaller, seasonally inundated, wetland areas. The site is one of the few unaltered areas of King Island and contains much of the remaining native vegetation on the island. The reserve also contains about 200 hectares of feeding habitat for the Orange-bellied Parrot and the largest tract of remaining habitat for the King Island Scrubtit, two of Australia’s most critically endangered birds.

outcome

By 2030, the ecological character of the Ramsar-listed Lavinia wetland has been re-assessed and improvement actions have been implemented.

threats

Local threats that can be addressed by NRM actions:

  • Poor water quality and river health
  • Land management practices including drainage and land clearing
  • Inappropriate recreational use
  • Weeds and pests
  • Uncontrolled bushfires

Actions

WW1.a

Identify priority actions to mitigate threats to Lavinia Ramsar wetlands associated with land management practices, fire, weeds, pests and disease and recreational activity. Establish monitoring of ecological indicators.

implementation

Investment Opportunity

  • Australian Government
  • Tasmanian Government
  • Regional or Local
  • Private or philanthropic

  • Information gathering activities including reviewing recent assessments of King Island vegetation.
  • Policy and planning activities such as selecting appropriate strategies and locations for investment. Supporting re-assessment of Lavinia Ecological Character Description.
  • On-ground work including threat mitigation actions on private land buffer zones.
  • Behaviour-change and capacity-building activities – education, awareness and skill-building
    focused on biodiversity values and best management practices.

King Island Council; Government agencies (e.g., DPIPWE, FPA and PWS); Landcare groups (e.g., KI Landcare and community groups); KI Threatened Birds Conservation Action Planning Group (Birdlife Australia).

Citizen science monitoring involving community volunteers; field days, workshops and educational activities; extension, capacity building and on-farm support opportunities for landholders.