RECOVERY PLAN

for

TWELVE THREATENED SPIDER-ORCHID CALADENIA R. Br. TAXA OF VICTORIA AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA
2000 - 2004

March 2000

Prepared by

James A. Todd, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria
Flora and Fauna Statewide Programs

Copyright

 	The Director, Environment Australia, GPO Box 636, Canberra, ACT 2601 2000.

This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying or other, without the prior permission of the Director, Environment Australia.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this document are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Environment Australia, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria, the Department of Environment and Heritage, South Australia or Parks Victoria.

Citation

Todd, J.A. (2000). Recovery Plan for twelve threatened Spider-orchid Caladenia taxa (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) of
Victoria and South Australia 2000 - 2004. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

The Environment Australia Biodiversity Group, Threatened Species and Communities Section funded the preparation of this Plan.

A Recovery Plan prepared under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Contents

Summary ............................................................................................................................................................... 1

1	Introduction..................................................................................................................................................... 4

2	Spider-orchids (Genus: Caladenia, Section: Calonema) ............................................................................... 5

3	Conservation Status ..................................................................................................................................... 13

4	Decline and Threats ..................................................................................................................................... 14

5	Existing Conservation Measures.................................................................................................................. 19

6	Strategy for Recovery................................................................................................................................... 21

7	Community Involvement ............................................................................................................................... 23

8	Recovery Objectives .................................................................................................................................... 24

9	Recovery Criteria.......................................................................................................................................... 24

10	Recovery Actions ......................................................................................................................................... 24

11	Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................. 45

12	Glossary ....................................................................................................................................................... 48

13	Implementation Schedule ............................................................................................................................ 49

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following people who provided information, data and critical comment during the preparation of this recovery plan: Kath Alcock (Naracoorte, SA); Jenny Alexander (NRE, Bendigo); Helen Anderson (NRE, Hamilton); John Anthony (University of Melbourne, Burnley); Mary Argall (Kiata, Victoria); Gary Backhouse (NRE, Melbourne); Bob Bates (State Herbarium of South Australia, Adelaide); Dr. Andrew Batty (KPBG, Perth); Cam Beardsell (Cottles Bridge, Victoria); Doug Bickerton (EH, Adelaide); Colin Bower (Orange, NSW); Geoff Carr (Ecology Australia P/L, Melbourne); Dr. Stephen Clark (NSW NPWS); Dr. Fiona Coates (PV, Melbourne); Justin Cook (NRE, Hamilton); Prof. Roger Cousens (University of Melbourne, Parkville); Rob Cross (National Herbarium of Victoria, Melbourne); Dr.  Kingsley Dixon (KPBG, Perth); Danny Drummond (PV,  Wonthaggi); Felicity Faris (Threatened Species Network, Melbourne); David Fletcher (Murtoa, Victoria); Dr Gordon Friend (NRE, Melbourne); Geoff Glare (Cape Paterson, Victoria); Andy Govanstone (NRE, Portland); John Harris (PV, Horsham); Jeff Jeanes (National Herbarium of Victoria, Melbourne); Peter Lang (EH, Adelaide); Naomi Lawrence (Tasmanian Environment and Land Management, Hobart); Associate Professor Ann Lawrie (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne); Karen Lester (NRE, Melbourne); Ian and Thelma McCann (Stawell, Victoria); Dr. Cas McLean (University of Melbourne, Burnley); Di Marshall (NRE, Melbourne); Adrian Moorrees (NRE, Melbourne); Prof. David Morgan (University of Melbourne, Parkville); Sue Mudford (TFN, Warrnambool); Eddie Meulman (Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority, Hamilton); Tim Noyce (Department of Planning, South Australia, Adelaide); Rod Orr (Bendigo, Victoria); Doug Phillips (Portland, Victoria); Rob Price (NRE, Bendigo); Andrew Pritchard (Warrnambool); Geoff Robertson (NSW NPWS, Dubbo); Dr Adrian Stokes, (EH, Adelaide); David Venn (NRE, Horsham); Gidja Walker (Rye, Victoria) and Dave Warne (Dunkeld, Victoria).

Abbreviations used in the Plan

ANOS	Australasian Native Orchid Society
ANZECC	Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council
BFNC	Bendigo Field Naturalists Club, Victoria
COM	Committee of Management
EH	Department of Environment and Heritage, South Australia ESP	Endangered Species Program (Natural Heritage Trust) FOBCCR	Friends of Betty Clift Conservation Reserve, Victoria FOKFR	Friends of Kiata Flora Reserve, Victoria
FOMERP	Friends of Mount Eliza Regional Park, Victoria FOWH	Friends of Wonthaggi Heathlands, Victoria IUCN	World Conservation Union
KPBG	Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, Western Australia
NOGN	Native Orchid Growers Network
NRE	Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria
NRE – Forests   NRE, Forests Service Division
NRE – NW	NRE, North West Region
NRE – PFF	NRE, Parks Flora and Fauna Division
NRE – PP	NRE, Port Phillip Region
NRE – SW	NRE, South West Region
NSW NPWS	National Parks and Wildlife Service, New South Wales
PA	Portland Aluminium, Victoria
PFNC	Portland Field Naturalists Club, Victoria
PIF	Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Northern Territory
PV	Parks Victoria
RBG	Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria
RFA	Regional Forest Agreement
RMIT	Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Victoria
ROTAP	Rare or Threatened Australian Plants SFNC	Stawell Field Naturalists Club, Victoria SHSA	State Herbarium of South Australia
SPIFFA	Southern Peninsula Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association, Victoria
TFN	Trust for Nature, Victoria
UMILFR	University of Melbourne, Institute of Land and Food Resources (Burnley Campus), Victoria

Summary

Current Species Status

Ten of the twelve Caladenia taxa addressed in this plan are currently listed as Endangered under Commonwealth endangered species legislation, the list of threatened species maintained by the Endangered Flora Network of ANZECC and the IUCN Red List (Walter and Gillet 1998). The remaining two species are listed as Vulnerable under the same lists. Subsequent revisions of these lists will take account of the new information summarised in this plan, which recommends that Caladenia tensa be re-categorised from endangered to vulnerable and Caladenia versicolor be re-categorised from vulnerable to endangered.

Habitat Requirements and Limiting Factors

The threatened Caladenia taxa occupy a range of different habitats. Five of the taxa (C. formosa, C. lowanensis, C. tensa, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila) occupy dry woodlands of western Victoria and southeast South Australia mostly on Quaternary sand deposits. Three taxa (C. amoena, C. audasii and C. rosella) occupy box-ironbark forests and woodlands of inland Victoria on sandstone. Three taxa (C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. robinsonii and C. hastata) occupy near coastal heaths and heathy woodlands of eastern and western Victoria while C. thysanochila occupies grassy woodlands on granodiorite on the Mornington Peninsula.

A defining feature of most of the species is that they occupy uncommon habitats. These may have been naturally uncommon prior to European settlement, or more typically, because of clearing for agriculture and urbanisation since European settlement. Most species occur within severely fragmented ecosystems that are subject to a range of potentially threatening processes typical of such environments. These include weed invasions, grazing by native and introduced herbivores, inappropriate fire regimes and damage to populations by recreators.

Recovery Goals and Criteria

Short-term Goal: ensure that all existing populations are adequately protected; increase the numbers of plants in the wild; establish a genetically representative ex-situ collection of endangered taxa in cultivation; increase the number of populations in the wild; and raise public awareness and foster community involvement in this process.

Recovery Criteria

The criteria for assessing the achievement of this Goal are:

• 	Determination of the conservation status of all taxa in the wild;

• 	Establishment of a private and public land protected area network for threatened Caladenia taxa;

• 	A measurable decrease in the number and magnitude of identified threats to populations;

• 	An increase in the abundance of vulnerable taxa to at least twice current numbers;

• 	An increase in abundance of endangered taxa to at least 5x current numbers;

• 	Identification of key components of the biology and ecology of threatened Caladenia taxa;

• 	Development of  successful  propagation techniques  and  the  establishment of  at  least  100  plants  of  each endangered taxon in the wild;

• 	Establishment of at least one additional population of each endangered taxon in a secure reserve in the wild; and

• 	Increased community involvement in pivotal aspects of criteria above.

Long-term  Goal:  to  achieve  secure,  representative,  self-sustaining  metapopulations  of  all  twelve  threatened
Caladenia taxa in the wild.

Recovery Criteria

The criteria for assessing the achievement of this Goal are:

• 	Achieving successful natural pollination, establishment of seedlings and recruitment at each population site for each taxon; and

• 	The protection of at least two populations of each taxon in nature conservation reserves.

Recovery Actions

Action1	Determine the conservation status of the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and
South Australia

1.1	Identify and verify populations

Action 2	Protect identified Caladenia habitat

2.1	Identify key populations for protection

2.2	Protect key public land populations

2.3	Protect key private land populations

Action 3	Protect populations from high-risk threatening processes

3.1	Control high-priority weed species

3.2	Control animal pests and predators and investigate grazing impacts

3.3	Recover populations by fire and further investigate fire ecology

3.4	Control the spread of Cinnamon Fungus

Action 4	Develop and initiate fine-scale site management practices

4.1	Hand pollinate plants

4.2	Harvest and store seed

4.3	Manage microhabitat

Action 5	Measure population trends and responses against recovery actions

5.1	Conduct annual censusing

Action 6	Investigate the biology and ecology of threatened Caladenia taxa

6.1	Identify the pollinator and determine natural pollination levels

6.2	Determine the genetic relationships of disjunct populations

6.3	Investigate germination and seedling establishment

Action 7	Establish ex-situ collections of threatened Caladenia taxa with rapidly declining or critically low populations in the wild

7.1	Isolate and culture mycorrhizal fungi

7.2	Develop in vitro propagating techniques and establish seedlings in cultivation

7.3	Maintain a database on cultivated plants

Action 8	Establish new populations of endangered Caladenia taxa in the wild

8.1	Assess habitat preferences and select introduction sites

8.2	Prepare reintroduction plans and establish plants to the wild

Action 9	Develop a public education/community extension program

9.1	Prepare education material and undertake community extension

Action 10	Manage recovery plan implementation

10.1	Expand the Threatened Orchid Recovery Team (TORT)

10.2	Establish a regional recovery team for each taxon

10.3	Prepare and review the Victorian FFG Action Statements for various threatened Caladenia taxa

Estimated Cost of Recovery

Action	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
1	$20,170	$18,670	$0	$0	$0	$38,840	
2	$0	$20,230	$15,400	$0	$0	$35,630	
3	$32,840	$25,270	$21,300	$26,550	$26,550	$132,510	
4	$16,630	$17,830	$17,580	$17,580	$17,580	$87,200	
5	$33,360	$36,810	$36,810	$22,850	$22,850	$152,680	
6	$0	$46,215	$46,215	$0	$0	$92,430	
7	$1,000	$22,500	$22,700	$10,200	$1,200	$57,600	
8	$0	$14,590	$14,590	$10,290	$10,290	$49,760	
9	$42,100	$42,100	$0	$0	$0	$84,200	
10	$10,950	$9,040	$14,040	$10,950	$10,950	$52,110	
Total	$157,050	$255,256.00	$188,635	$96,510	$87,510	$782,960.00	

(Note:  the year refers to the financial year, not calendar year ie. 2000 refers to the 12 months from July 2000 until
June 2001).

Biodiversity Benefits

The recovery of the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa has a number of potential biodiversity benefits for other species and vegetation communities in Victoria and South Australia. Principally, this will be through the protection and reservation of habitat that would be otherwise unreserved. The adoption of broad-scale management techniques will also benefit a number of other plant species growing in association with the threatened Caladenia taxa, particularly those species with similar life forms and/or flowering responses (eg. lilies, orchids).

The recovery of the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa will also form an important public education role as spider- orchids have the potential to act as ‘flagship species’ for highlighting broader nature conservation and biodiversity issues such as  land clearing, weed invasions and habitat degradation. Germination and cultivation techniques developed during the recovery phase will be of use for other threatened Caladenia taxa elsewhere in southeast Australia while the requirement to recover taxa across state boundaries will better develop working relationships between state departments on a broader range of biodiversity conservation issues.

1	Introduction

Southeast mainland Australia, incorporating Victoria, southern New South Wales and southeast South Australia contains about 65 species of Caladenia (Harden 1993, Jessop and Toelken 1986, Walsh and Entwisle 1994). Approximately one half of these species are threatened with extinction (Backhouse and Jeanes 1995). The genus contains at least two species, which are presumed extinct while a further 15 species are considered endangered (Backhouse and Jeanes 1995).

Several Victorian Caladenia species, namely Caladenia amoena D. L. Jones, Caladenia audasii R. S. Rogers and Caladenia hastata (Nicholls) Rupp are currently the subject of federally-funded national recovery plans aimed at reducing the risk of extinction to these species in the wild. In addition, a draft recovery plan has been written for Caladenia robinsonii G. W. Carr and this will be a priority for implementation once a final plan has been prepared. One additional species Caladenia rosella G. W. Carr, was the subject of a national recovery plan prepared in 1992 and this plan is in need of review. South Australia has received Commonwealth funding to prepare national recovery plans for several orchid taxa  including two  southeast Spider-Caladenia species, Caladenia calcicola G.  W.  Carr and C. richardsiorum D. L. Jones (Adrian Stokes, EH, pers. comm.). New South Wales is preparing recovery plans under the New South Wales Threatened Species and Communities Act 1995 for a number of Caladenia  species, including Caladenia concolor Fitzg. and Caladenia arenaria Fitzg. (Stephen Clark and Geoff Robertson, NSW NPWS, pers. comm.).

The current recovery plan aims to provide a framework and guidelines for securing the conservation of a range of nationally-threatened Victorian and South Australian Caladenia taxa including and in addition to some of those Victorian species listed above. Additional species included are Caladenia formosa G. W. Carr, Caladenia fragrantissima D. L. Jones et G. W. Carr ssp. orientalis G. W. Carr, Caladenia lowanensis G. W. Carr, Caladenia tensa G. W. Carr, Caladenia thysanochila G. W. Carr, Caladenia versicolor G. W. Carr and Caladenia xanthochila D. et C. Beardsell. In all, the current recovery plan addresses the recovery of twelve taxa (see Table 1 below) including five taxa that have been the subject of past or current species-specific plans and seven taxa that are being considered under this plan for the first time.

Table 1: Summary of recovery planning for the twelve threatened Victorian and South Australian Caladenia
taxa included as part of the current recovery plan.

Species name	Common name	Existing   Recovery plan	Reference	
Caladenia amoena D.L. Jones	Charming Spider-orchid	Yes - current	Backhouse et al. (1999a)	
Caladenia audasii R.S. Rogers	Audas’ Spider-orchid	Yes - current	Berwick et al. (1999)	
Caladenia formosa G.W. Carr	Elegant Spider-orchid	No		
Caladenia  fragrantissima  D.L.  Jones  et.
G.W. Carr ssp. orientalis G.W. Carr	Eastern Spider-orchid	No		
Caladenia hastata (Nicholls) Rupp	Mellblom’s Spider-orchid	Yes - current	Hill et al. (1999)	
Caladenia lowanensis G.W. Carr	Wimmera Spider-orchid	No		
Caladenia robinsonii G.W. Carr	Frankston Spider-orchid	Yes - draft	Backhouse et al. (1999b)	
Caladenia rosella G.W. Carr	Rosella Spider-orchid	Yes – out of date	Beardsell and Muir (1992)	
Caladenia tensa G.W. Carr	Rigid Spider-orchid	No		
Caladenia thysanochila G.W. Carr	Fringed Spider-orchid	No		
Caladenia versicolor G.W. Carr	Candy Spider-orchid	No		
Caladenia xanthochila D. et. C. Beardsell	Yellow-lip Spider-orchid	No		

Despite the fact that species-specific recovery plans exist for a number of Victorian Caladenia taxa, there is a reasonable ecological basis and economies of scale for including these species as part of the current generic recovery plan. The current plan is not meant to replace those existing plans but rather provide a context in which recovery of those taxa will occur. Directions and actions specified in the original species recovery plans remain current and have been fully integrated into this current plan. The species-specific plans should be referred to for more detailed information relating to the recovery of particular species (see Table 1 above).

It should be noted that a generic recovery plan of this nature is limited by the varying quality of information available on the constituent taxa covered by the plan. Some taxa have been the subject of intensive research over a number of decades while for other taxa, only basic distribution, habitat and morphological data exist. As a result, the recovery plan details a range of recovery actions considered necessary for the recovery of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in

Victoria and South Australia. Not all actions will be necessary for any particular taxon and the importance of particular actions will vary from taxon to taxon. Nevertheless, it is hoped and anticipated that actions undertaken for any particular taxon will have positive spin-offs for other taxa.

It is also anticipated that the current plan could form the framework for the recovery of additional threatened Spider- Caladenia species that may warrant conservation measures in the future. There are a number of well-known Victorian taxa that urgently require recovery actions (eg. Caladenia fulva G. W. Carr, Caladenia insularis G. W. Carr) while there are also a number of newly described and undescribed threatened Caladenia taxa that should be the subject of national recovery efforts (Backhouse and Jeanes 1995, Jones 1999, G. Carr, Ecology Australia P/L, pers. comm.). Examples include Caladenia cruciformis D. L. Jones, Caladenia maritima D. L. Jones and Caladenia pilotensis D. L. Jones. It is anticipated that these could be easily incorporated into the generic plan if required, as could other threatened Caladenia taxa from other states in southeast Australia.

2	Spider-orchids (Genus: Caladenia, Section: Calonema)

2.1	Description

All taxa covered by the current recovery plan are members of the Genus Caladenia, Section Calonema, commonly referred to as spider-orchids. Taxa within this section are characterised by their large, attractive flowers with long filamentous segments often ending in fine, elongated tips, which may be conspicuously clubbed or densely covered, with dark-coloured glandular hairs. These organs are the source of sexual attractants for the pollinators, usually male thynnid wasps (Jones 1988).

Caladenia species are deciduous terrestrial orchids that die back annually to small, spherical subterranean tubers that are protected by a tough, fibrous tunic. They have a single green basal leaf, which is generally long, narrow and conspicuously hairy. Plants flower for only a very limited time each year.

Many spider-orchids have specific pollinators that are attracted to the flowers under the false pretence of copulating with what they believe to be a female of the species. Once pollination has occurred, the flower closes and a capsule is formed containing the microscopic seed (see 2.4 – Life History).

Descriptions of all species addressed in this plan can be found in Backhouse and Jeanes (1995) and Walsh and
Entwisle (1994).

2.2	Taxonomy

The taxonomy of Caladenia has been in a state of flux and confusion for some time despite recent efforts by various workers to resolve it (Carr 1991, Clements 1989, 1993, Jones 1991, 1994). In particular the Caladenia carnea, Caladenia dilatata, Caladenia patersonii and Caladenia reticulata complexes have been studied and split up into numerous new species, some of which have not yet been adequately described (Backhouse and Jeanes 1995). Revision of the genus is still currently being undertaken and many new species have been recently described. Further descriptions and name changes are likely in the future (Jones 1999).

Many of the species addressed in this recovery plan have been described in the last ten years. All species fall into one of three former complexes, namely the Caladenia dilatata group (C. amoena, C. tensa), the Caladenia reticulata group (C. hastata, C. lowanensis, C. robinsonii, C. thysanochila, C. xanthochila) and the Caladenia patersonii group (C. audasii, C. formosa, C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. rosella, C. versicolor). A number of other threatened species also occur within these groups including some newly described species (Jones 1999) and some as yet undescribed taxa (G. Carr, Ecology Australia P/L, pers. comm.).

There is believed to be some taxonomic confusion in South Australia relating to C. tensa and C. clavula (Peter Lang, EH, pers. comm.). At present these two taxa are listed as one entity on the South Australian flora database although herbarium records adequately differentiate between the two species on taxonomic and distributional grounds (R. Bates, SHSA, pers. comm.). Similarly, there has been some past taxonomic confusion between C. formosa and C. colorata in South Australia (Peter Lang, pers. comm.). Records of C. formosa in South Australia may need to be treated with some caution until accurate identification of populations can be confirmed.

2.3	Distribution and Habitat

The threatened Caladenia taxa occupy a wide distribution and a range of different habitats. Five of the taxa (C. formosa, C. lowanensis, C. tensa, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila occupy plains areas of western Victoria and southeast South Australia. The large proportion of known populations for these species occur within the Murray- Darling Depression and Naracoorte Coastal Plain interim bioregions of Victoria and South Australia (Commonwealth of Australia 1999). C. hastata also occurs in the Naracoorte Coastal Plain interim bioregion being restricted to coastal heathland environments in southwest Victoria. Three taxa (C. amoena, C. audasii and C. rosella) occupy box and ironbark forests and woodlands of inland Victoria within the Victorian Midlands interim bioregion. The three remaining taxa, C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. robinsonii and C. thysanochila are endemic to Victoria and occupy coastal areas to the southeast of Melbourne within the Southeast Coastal Plain interim bioregion.

Table 2 summarises the distribution and habitat of threatened Caladenia taxa of southeast Australia while Figures 1-
12 illustrate known populations of these taxa in Victoria. Some populations have not been confirmed in the field in the last 10 years.

A defining feature of most of the species is that they occupy uncommon habitats. This may be due to these habitats having been naturally uncommon prior to European settlement or more typically because of clearing for agriculture and urbanisation since European settlement. Most species occur within severely fragmented ecosystems that are subject to a range of potentially threatening processes typical of such environments.

Recovery Plan for twelve threatened Spider-orchid Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia 2000-2004 – NRE, Victoria

Table 2: Distribution, abundance and habitat of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and South Australia.

Species name	Distribution	Abundance	Habitat/Ecological Vegetation Class*	
	Past	Present			
Caladenia amoena	Restricted area to the north east of Melbourne in the Greensborough-Plenty- Hurstbridge area within the Victorian Midlands interim bioregion.	Two populations at Plenty (public land) and Wattle Glen (private land) – see Figure 1.	Approximately 45 plants remaining	in	two populations.	Grassy Dry Forest; Box Ironbark Forest

Sandy  loams  derived  from  sandstone  and mudstone.	
Caladenia audasii	Disjunct distribution from central Victoria, near Bendigo to southeast South Australia near Bordertown.	Restricted to three populations in Victoria at Bendigo, Kingower and Deep Lead – see Figure 2.	Five plants remain in the wild. Extinct in South Australia.	Grassy Dry Forest; Box Ironbark Forest.

Typically   auriferous   soils   with   “buckshot”
gravel derived from sandstone and mudstone.	
Caladenia formosa	Presumed  to   have  occupied  aeolian sand deposits in western Victoria (border to southern Grampians) & southeast South Australia in areas with generally
400-500 mm  annual  rainfall  within  the
Naracoorte Plain bioregion.	Restricted to isolated public land forest blocks south of Edenhope and north of Cavendish and some adjoining private properties.	May	occur	in	the Grampians  (Victoria)  and  is  known from Mt Scott and Mt Monster Conservation Parks in South Australia (Briggs & Leigh 1995; Adrian Stokes EH pers. comm.) and from several private properties in the Naracoorte, Coonawarra and Kingston areas (Kath Alcock,  Naracoorte,  pers.  comm.)  – see Figure 3.	Highly	restricted	but locally		abundant	  in Victoria		  (1000’s	  of plants). Total population in South Australia is unknown.	Damp-sands  Herb-rich  Woodland;  Plains Sedgy Woodland; Shallow Sands Woodland; Seasonally Inundated Shrubby Woodland.

Typically occurs on sandy soils that are moist in winter and dry in summer, which often promotes annual and geophytic (seasonal) plants.	
Caladenia   fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	Near coastal habitats extending from the
eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay to Wilsons Promontory in South Gippsland within the Southeast Coastal Plain bioregion.	Disjunct	populations	at    Rosebud
(Mornington Peninsula), Wonthaggi, Cape Paterson and Walkerville – see Figure 4.	Total  number  of  plants
<100.	Coastal	Heathland;	Heathy	Woodland
generally occurring on deep siliceous sands.	
Caladenia hastata	Confined to a small area of southwest
Victoria from south of Portland to Gorae, approximately	15km	northwest	of Portland and far southeast South Australia.	One naturally occurring population at
Point Danger, south of Portland. One additional	translocated	population occurs at Nelson Bay. Extinct in South Australia – see Figure 5.	Total  number  of  plants
ca. 20.	Damp Heathland; Damp Heathy Woodland on
aeolian sand deposits.	
Caladenia lowanensis	Presumed to have occupied low sandy
rises in the Murray-Darling Depression bioregion, north of the Little Desert, in areas with generally 300-400 mm annual rainfall. Also occurred in South Australia north of Bangham (R. Bates, pers. comm.).	Known with certainty from Kiata Flora
Reserve  and  a  nearby  private  land site. Unconfirmed population recorded at Glenlee Flora and Fauna Reserve,
10km north of Kiata and at West Wail Flora Reserve. May occur in southeast South Australia (Adrian Stokes, EH, pers. comm.) – see Figure 6.	Total  number  of  plants
ca.	240.		Numbers unknown	in		South Australia	Cypress-pine/Yellow Gum Woodland on sandy
loams derived from Tertiary and  Quaternary aeolian deposits.	

7

Recovery Plan for twelve threatened Spider-orchid Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia 2000-2004 – NRE, Victoria

Species name	Distribution	Abundance	Habitat/Ecological Vegetation Class*	
	Past	Present			
Caladenia robinsonii	Restricted to sandy areas on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay in the Southeast Coastal Plain bioregion.	Known  with  certainty from  Rosebud. May also occur near Frankston and at Langwarrin – see Figure 7.	Approximately 20 plants within	a	single population.	Heathy Woodland; Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland; Heathy Herb-rich Woodland on Tertiary siliceous sand deposits.	
Caladenia rosella	Former distribution is uncertain but may
have been scattered through the Box Ironbark woodlands and forests of  the Victorian Midlands bioregion.	Disjunct   populations   north   east   of
Melbourne at Cottlesbridge, Research and	Christmas	Hills	and	an unconfirmed record from near Stawell
– see Figure 8.	Approximately	120
plants	in	four populations.	Grassy  Dry  Forest;  Heathy  Dry  Forest  on
sandy clay loams derived from sandstone and mudstone.	
Caladenia tensa	Widespread  on  aeolian  sand  deposits
surrounding and including the Little Desert in western Victoria and southeast South Australia within areas of the Murray-Darling  Depression  biroegion with generally 300-400 mm annual rainfall.	Widespread  in  and  surrounding  the
Little Desert in western Victoria. Also known from southeast South Australia where considered widespread but uncommon (Bob Bates, SHSA, pers. comm.). Examples include Telowie Gorge, Murray Bridge and Mt Boothby CP – see Figure 9.	Locally	abundant	in
suitable	  habitat		in western	Victoria	and eastern South Australia.	Cypress-pine/Yellow Gum Woodland, Heathy
Woodland  and  Mallee  on  sands  and  sandy loams derived from aeolian sand deposits.	
Caladenia thysanochila	May have occurred at several locations
on  the  Mornington Peninsula including Mount Eliza, Mount Martha and Arthurs Seat	within	the	Gippsland	Plain bioregion.	Only known from a single site at Mount
Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula –
see Figure 10.	Only   known   from   two
specimens,	both	of which have not flowered since 1992.	Damp-sands Herb-rich Woodland

Soils are generally fine-coarse granitic sands.	
Caladenia versicolor	May have  been  scattered in  low lying
areas  between  the  Grampians and  St Arnaud and other low-lying areas on the plains to the west of the Grampians and into southeast South Australia in the Penola  flats  area  (Briggs  and  Leigh
1995, R. Bates. pers. comm.).	Restricted to Lake Fyans (south west
of Stawell, Victoria). Record from Deep Lead Flora and Fauna Reserve is unconfirmed.		Known	from	three collections	in	South		Australia, including one site southeast of Penola
– present status of these populations is unknown – see Figure 11.	Locally	abundant	at
Lake	Fyans	where several hundred plants occur. Presumed extinct in South Australia	Plains   Sedgy   Woodland;   Shallow   Sands
Woodland.

Soils are generally sandy/silty clay loams derived from Quaternary alluvial and swamp deposits.	
Caladenia xanthochila	Restricted   to   low   sandy   rises   and
outwash areas in the Wimmera and Riverina bioregions in areas with generally 400-600 mm annual rainfall. Also occurred in South Australia and maybe NSW.	Known	with	certainty	from	two
locations, Murtoa and Inglewood. A report of the species from NSW is awaiting	confirmation.	Presumed extinct in South Australia (Briggs and Leigh 1995; R. Bates pers. comm.)) – see Figure 12.	Total  number  of  plants
ca. 120. Only one plant from	Inglewood	has flowered in the recent past.  Presumed  extinct in South Australia	Shallow  Sands  Woodland;  Alluvial  Terraces
Herb-rich Woodland.

Occupies Quaternary alluvial or aeolian deposits derived from a variety of different geologies.	
 	Refer to VicRFASC (1999) and ECC (in prep.) for descriptions of Ecological Vegetation Classes.

8

Past and present distribution of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and South Australia (sources: Victorian Flora Information System and South Australian Threatened Plant Population Database)

Figure 1 – Caladenia amoena	Figure 2 – Caladenia audasii

Extinct in South Australia

Figure 3 – Caladenia formosa	Caladenia formosa

Figure 4 – Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis	Figure 5 – Caladenia hastata

Past and present distribution of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and South Australia (source
Victorian Flora Information System and South Australian Rare Plant Database)

Figure 6 – Caladenia lowanensis	Figure 7 – Caladenia robinsonii

May also occur in southeast South Australia

Figure 8 – Caladenia rosella

Figure 9 – Caladenia tensa	Caladenia tensa

%
%%

10

Past and present distribution of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and South Australia (source Victorian
Flora Information System and South Australian Rare Plant Database)

Figure 10 – Caladenia thysanochila	Figure 11 – Caladenia versicolor

Presumed extinct in South Australia

Figure 12 – Caladenia xanthochila

Presumed extinct in South Australia

2.4	Life History

All Spider-Caladenia species are terrestrial, deciduous herbs, emerging annually from spherical, subterranean tubers that are protected by a tough, fibrous tunic. Most plants shoot in response to soaking rains in early autumn, first producing only a leaf that remains almost dormant through the winter. All of the taxa covered by the current plan flower in late-winter to spring ranging from C. amoena that usually flowers in August to C. versicolor that may flower as late as early November. Table 3 details approximate flowering and fruiting times for threatened Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia. Flowers may remain open for a few days to a few weeks depending on pollination and climatic factors.

Table 3: Approximate flowering and fruiting times for twelve threatened Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia.

Species name	Flower numbers	Flowering time	Fruiting time	
Caladenia amoena	One (rarely two)	August	–	early
September	October	
Caladenia audasii	One	September	November	
Caladenia formosa	One or two	Late	September	–
October	October – November	
Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis	One or two	October	–	early
November	November – December	
Caladenia hastata	One to three	October	Late November	
Caladenia lowanensis	One	September – October	October – November	
Caladenia robinsonii	One (rarely two)	October	November – December	
Caladenia rosella	One	August – September	October – November	
Caladenia tensa	One (rarely two)	September – October	October – November	
Caladenia thysanochila	One or two	October	November	
Caladenia versicolor	One or two	Late	September	–
November	October – November	
Caladenia xanthochila	One (rarely two)	September	October	

Fruits usually take 5-8 weeks to mature following pollination. Each mature capsule may contain tens of thousands of microscopic seeds that are dispersed by the wind when the capsule dries out.

Most spider-orchids are believed to grow in a complex relationship with mycorrhizal fungi (Warcup 1981). The fungus assimilates some nutrients for the orchid, but the degree of dependence upon the fungus is not known.  Longevity of most spider-Caladenia species is not known, but there are examples of individuals of Mellblom’s Spider-orchid Caladenia hastata having survived for at least 17 years in the wild (Carr 1999.).

Most members of the Spider-Caladenia group are pollinated by sexual deception through a process called pseudocopulation (Jones 1988).   Spider-orchids are characterised by the often large, attractive flowers with long tapering sepals and petals ending in clubs or covered with dark glandular hairs that are the source of the sexual attractants for the pollinators, usually male thynnid wasps, attracted to the flowers by scent mimicking female thynnid wasp pheromone. Once it reaches the flower, the male attempts to copulate with the labellum of the flower, mistaking it for the female wasp, and effects pollination. The identities of the pollinator(s) for most species are not known. While thynnid wasps are the most likely pollinators, a small native calictid bee (Neoproctus species) has been reported as a pollinator of the Rosella Spider-orchid Caladenia rosella (C. Beardsell pers. comm.).

Observations suggest that the period available for effective pollination may be quite short, maybe only a few days. Successful pollination may be influenced by the receptivity of the stigma to pollen, the number of pollinators in an area, insect behaviour and climatic conditions. Higher rates of pollination usually occur immediately following wasp- emergence as inexperienced juvenile wasps attempt copulation with many flowers (G. Carr, pers. comm.).  It has been suggested that pollinators may become habituated to the presence of flowers in their territory after a period of time and rates of pollination may decline as a result (C. Bower, pers. comm.). Attempted copulation rates by wasps, a critical step for pollination, has been shown to be as low as 7.5% for some Caladenia species (Peakall and Beattie
1996) while anecdotal evidence suggests that non-synchronous flowering may prevent pollination in some taxa (G. Walker, FOBCCR, pers. comm.). These may be important factors when considering species with critically low population numbers in the wild.

The role of fire in the ecology of the various Spider-orchid species is not known, but is likely to be an important factor, at least for some species which have exhibited strong flowering responses in the years following fire (eg. Caladenia fragrantissima sens. lat.).  Fire is an integral part of the physical environment of most vegetation types in southern

Australia (Gill in press), and is required to maintain plant diversity (Wark 1996).  Vegetation response to fire is not directly known, but may be a combination of one or more factors initiated by fire.	Fire removes surrounding vegetation, increasing light levels and temperature at ground level, and possibly increasing moisture levels with reduced plant competition for moisture (Purdie 1977).	Soil ecology changes and mycorrhizal fungal symbionts become more prevalent.   There is also a reduction or removal of the allelopathic inhibition by the surrounding vegetation (Gill et al. 1981). Seedling establishment may be critically dependent on fires.

The response of some Caladenia species to hot summer fires can be quite spectacular, with profuse flowering of C. australis at Anglesea, C. fragrantissima ssp. fragrantissima near Portland and C. insularis on French Island observed after hot summer fires.  Timing of fire is important, with the best time for orchids during late summer or early autumn, after seed dispersal but prior to new shoot growth. Fuel reduction burning of state forests in spring and autumn is considered to be a threatening process for many orchid species. The variation in seasonal climatic conditions, most notably rainfall and temperature also influences flowering. Flowering is often aborted when periods of sustained hot, dry weather follow flower opening (J. Todd, unpubl. data).

3	Conservation Status

Table 4 summarises the current conservation status of the recovery species under various national and international listings. Entries under the Commonwealth Endangered Species Act 1992, the ANZECC Endangered Flora Network list and the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants (Walter and Gillet 1998) are listed at January 2000. Entries under ROTAP are as reported by Briggs and Leigh (1996). In addition, assessments of conservation status were made for four taxa (C. amoena, C. audasii, C. hastata and C. robinsonii) as a part of their recovery planning. All four taxa were considered to be critically endangered using the 1994 IUCN Red List Criteria (Backhouse et al. 1999a,
1999b, Berwick et al. 1999 and Hill et al. 1999).

The recommended conservation status (Table 4) is based on verification of species distribution and abundance information gathered during the preparation of the current plan and represents the most up-to-date conservation assessment available for these taxa. This assessment was made prior to the announcement of new conservation reserves under the Victorian Environment Conservation Council Box-Ironbark study (ECC, in prep.) and the West Victoria Regional Forest Agreement process. Further refinements will be made as more information is collected on population sizes and distribution (see Recovery Action 1.1) and as reserve design is finalised for the two regions referred to above.

Table 4: Conservation status of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia.

Species name	ROTAP 1995	ESP	ANZECC 1999	IUCN 1997 (Walter & Gillet 1998)	Conservation Status - recommended	
Caladenia amoena D.L. Jones	2E	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia audasii R.S. Rogers	2ECi	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia formosa G.W. Carr	3VCi	V	V	V	V	
Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis G.W.
Carr	3EC-	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia hastata (Nicholls) Rupp	2ECi	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia lowanensis G.W. Carr	2EC-t	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia robinsonii G.W. Carr	2E	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia rosella G.W. Carr	2E	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia tensa G.W. Carr	2EC-	E	E	E	V	
Caladenia thysanochila G.W. Carr	2ECit	E	E	E	E	
Caladenia versicolor G.W. Carr	3VCi	V	V	V	E	
Caladenia xanthochila D. & C. Beardsell	2E	E	E	E	E	

Recovery Plan for twelve threatened Spider-orchid Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia 2000-2004 – NRE, Victoria

V: vulnerable
E: endangered
ROTAP code 2: range < 100km ROTAP code 3: range > 100km ROTAP code C: reserved
ROTAP code -: reserved population size not accurately known
ROTAP code i: < 1000 plants are known to occur within a conservation reserve
ROTAP code t: total known population reserved

4	Decline and Threats

4.1	Decline

Most of the threatened Caladenia taxa covered in this plan have been described in the last ten years, the exceptions being C. audasii, C. hastata and C. rosella. For the recently described taxa, most have been split from larger complexes and hence little information is known of their former range, whether their range has declined and if so, the rate of decline. For some taxa, information on their current distributions is also lacking.

Inferences have been drawn in Table 2 about the past distributions of all taxa based on historic records, current distributions, extant population sizes and current habitat preferences. This information has been combined with pre-
1750 Ecological Vegetation Class mapping where available (VicRFASC 1999, ECC in prep.) to estimate the former range of each taxon and hence the magnitude and rate of decline since European settlement. It is important to note that such inferences may be subject to large margins of error. This is particularly so for taxa that currently have small numbers of populations occupying a very narrow range. Such species are presumed to be occupying preferred habitat but in reality, they may be occupying habitat at the edge of their original range. Their survival at certain sites may be more attributable to disturbance history rather than any preference for a particular ecological niche.

For some taxa (eg. Caladenia thysanochila), it is likely that they once occupied a very restricted habitat and range while for other taxa (eg. Caladenia formosa), the species may have once been present over thousands of square kilometres. This information is important for assessing threats to known populations, when developing actions to counter-balance these threats and when looking at broader remedial actions such as plant re-introductions and trans- locations.

Table 2 lists the past and present distribution of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia and by inference a measure of the extent of decline since European settlement. Figures 1-12 show past and present records of the twelve threatened taxa within Victoria.

4.2	Threats

The Caladenia taxa are listed as threatened for varied reasons. Most of the taxa have small distributions, restricted habitats and a large proportion of their total population occurs at one or a few locations. Most taxa (C. amoena, C. audasii, C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. hastata, C. lowanensis, C. robinsonii, C. rosella, C. thysanochila, and C. versicolor, C. xanthochila) also have small total populations.

The single biggest issue for the decline of most of the taxa is habitat destruction. Five of the taxa (C. formosa, C. lowanensis, C. tensa, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila) occupy broad riverine plains habitats (of northern Victoria and western Victoria/south east South Australia) on reasonably fertile soils that have been cleared over large parts of their range  for  agricultural production. Extant  populations tend  to  occupy  fragmented forests  and  woodlands within agricultural landscapes and it is this fragmentation and the associated site degradation arising from it, that may now represent the greatest threat to the long-term conservation of these species. Habitat of C. amoena, C. audasii and C. rosella has been severely reduced and altered by historic mining activities and more recent urban development. For the remaining taxa (C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. hastata, C. robinsonii and C. thysanochila), habitat destruction has been caused by the urban and industrial development of their near-coastal habitat. These taxa now occupy areas close to and within urban development and the subsequent impacts associated with this and the management constraints placed on these sites are the largest threats to extant populations of these taxa.

Populations of the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa are currently under threat from a variety of sources of varying magnitude and concern (Table 5). The risk posed to extant populations by these threats may vary depending on geographical, environmental, biological and sociological factors. Threats may be acting singularly or in series to present a risk to populations. In addition to current threats, there are also potential threats that may place populations at risk at some time in the future if and when they occur.

Table 5 lists current and potential threats to the threatened Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia.

14

Table 5: Current and potential threats and their risk to twelve threatened Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia.

Species name	Current threats/perceived risk	Potential threats/perceived risk	
	Weed invasion	Grazing	Inappropriate fire regimes	Site disturbance	Reservation status	Illegal collection	Timber harvesting	Other disturbance	Stochastic event/accidental damage	
Caladenia amoena	Medium –
current management is proving successful against annual weeds	Medium –
rabbit and kangaroo grazing and predation by slugs and snails – presently being managed by
fencing/caging	Low – low fuel
levels and infrequent fires	High – soil
disturbance from kangaroos and rabbits; also disturbance by walkers and mountain bike riders	Unreserved – Occurs on unreserved public land managed by PV as part of Plenty Gorge Parklands	Medium – no evidence but plants are close to urban
development	Low – private land site may be subject to cutting for fire wood	Medium – increasing soil disturbance with increasing kangaroo numbers	High – one population is unprotected on private land and at risk of unsympathetic future landholders; total plant
numbers are low	
Caladenia audasii	Medium/High –
depending on site. Kingower site is heavily invaded by
exotic herbs (eg. Freesia, annual grasses). Garden escapees from
rubbish dumping is a growing problem at Deep Lead	High – rabbits
and kangaroos although all plants are protected	Low –
generally low fuel loads and infrequent fires. Habitat
adapted to low fire frequency	High – all sites occur in areas heavily utilised by visitors. One population (Kingower) is in a cemetery subject to maintenance works, gold fossicking and raking	Reserved - One Tree Hill Regional Park at Bendigo	High – past evidence at Deep Lead	Low – one population (Deep Lead) occurs within State Forest (proposed Special
Protection Zone)	Medium – High
– depending on future visitation; gold prospecting	High – critically low population numbers leave this species very susceptible to extinction from stochastic events	
Caladenia formosa	Low   –    mostly
annual   species at low levels	Low	–
generally low numbers	of kangaroos and rabbits	High   –   Fuel
reduction burning	in autumn	Medium   –   low
level	 timber harvesting (Nov- April);	  some rabbit	burrow ripping; recreation	(eg. horse riding, trail bikes)	 mostly restricted		   to tracks	Reserved in South
Australia	–		Mt Monster CP, Mt Scott	 CP		(<10 plants?); believed unreserved			 in Victoria -  may be reserved in small Bushland Reserve and	Grampians NP	Low	– infrequently visited area	Medium	– occurs in state forest used for timber
production (generally occupies habitat with	“non- preferred” timber species		– proposed
Special
Protection Zone)	Medium  –  may be	increasing soil  disturbance with    increasing kangaroo/rabbit numbers	or recreational
users	Low	–	total population > 1000 plants with disjunct populations over a wide range	

Species name	Current threats/perceived risk	Potential threats/perceived risk	
	Weed invasion	Grazing	Inappropriate fire regimes	Site disturbance	Reservation status	Illegal collection	Timber harvesting	Other disturbance	Stochastic event/accidental damage	
Caladenia   fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	Medium	–
largest	threat from Coast Tea- tree,	Coast Wattle		and Maritime Pine	Presumed
Low – grazing pressures largely unknown	High – Burning
in autumn and winter	Low   –   largely
inaccessible coastal
heathland areas;
track slashing	Unreserved	–
Wonthaggi Heathland “Reserve”		is proposed	as	 a nature
conservation reserve	Medium	– no evidence but	plant no’s are low and close to urban areas	Nil	Medium		– slashing  of  fire breaks	may cause	 soil disturbance;  the presence	    of Cinnamon Fungus    should be monitored	High	–	total population < 100 plants known from only a few sites – plant		numbers have		 declined dramatically		in recent years	
Caladenia hastata	High	–	large
threat	from introduced
shrubs		(eg. Boneseed) and invasive native shrubs		(eg. Coast Tea-tree, Coast	 Wattle) (Carr	et	  al.
1992)	Medium	–
some
evidence	of past	grazing by rabbits – most	  plants are presently caged	High – Recent
burning		in autumn	and winter may be adversely affecting populations	High – small site that is frequently visited;	altered site	hydrology; fluoride emissions    from smelter	Reserved – Point Danger	Coastal Reserve;
Discovery	Bay
Coastal Park	High – no evidence but well known site	with easy access	Nil	Low-Medium	–
close to dirt road
–	increasing traffic		could deposit	 large amounts of dust on   habitat;   the presence		of Cinnamon Fungus    should be monitored	High	–	small population in a restricted area	
Caladenia lowanensis	High	–	large
threat		    from Perennial Veldt Grass	and	a range of other, mostly		annual species	High  –  rabbit
and	wallaby grazing	   on public		land and	  sheep grazing	   on private land	Low/medium –
known	sites have not been burnt for many years – habitat is most likely adapted to low fire frequency although
further
research	 is needed	to determine appropriate
fire regime.	High	–	soil disturbance from rabbits; disturbance
along	and adjoining vehicle tracks and close to cemetery and rubbish tip	Reserved – Kiata Flora	Reserve; Glenlee		Flora Reserve;	    ?West Wail		Flora Reserve	Medium		– no evidence but	 well known	  site and	easy access	Low – some illegal firewood collection	Low–High		– depending	on control of rabbits	High	–	total population < 200 plants known from only three sites	

Recovery Plan for twelve threatened Spider-orchid Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia 2000-2004 – NRE, Victoria

Species name	Current threats/perceived risk	Potential threats/perceived risk	
	Weed invasion	Grazing	Inappropriate fire regimes	Site disturbance	Reservation status	Illegal collection	Timber harvesting	Other disturbance	Stochastic event/accidental damage	
Caladenia robinsonii	High	–	large
threat	from introduced
shrubs		(eg. Boneseed) and invasive native shrubs		(eg. Coast Tea-tree, Coast	 Wattle) (Carr	et	  al.
1992) – control program in place	Low-Medium –
some	rabbit grazing	High – burning
in autumn and winter	High  –  area  is
close   to   urban development
and  used  as  a children’s “adventure”
area;	weed control
measures have resulted	in changes to site conditions	Unreserved		  – Betty Clift Reserve is  owned  by  the Mornington Peninsula	Shire Council and zoned Public Conservation  and Resource;		No conservation agreement		  in place	Medium	 – no  evidence but	highly visible populations close		to walking tracks	Low	Medium-High   –
large-scale
weed	control activities	   have the  potential  to alter habitat and impact		  on populations; Cinnamon Fungus		has been recorded in nearby areas	High	–	small population occupying  a  very restricted area	
Caladenia rosella	Medium – threat
from		mostly annual grasses and	herbs		– presently being managed		at most sites	Medium	–
rabbit  grazing and	 tubers often  dug  up by	White- winged Choughs	– many	 plants are	caged; One
population	is fenced.	Low   –   semi-
urban	areas with		very infrequent fires	Low-Medium    – most   sites   are not  well  known but	are sometimes heavily visited in spring	Reserved  –   One Tree Hill Bushland Reserve; 3 private properties protected  by  TFN Conservation Covenants	Medium	– no evidence but	some sites	    are well known	Nil	Low	Medium – small populations (with a number	of colonies)
occupying restricted habitat	
Caladenia tensa	Low  –   High  –
dependent	on site – introduced perennial
grasses	(eg. Perennial   Veldt Grass) pose the largest threat to known populations.	Medium	–
High  –  rabbit and/or kangaroo grazing	at most sites	May	vary
depending  on area	Low  –   High  –
dependent		 on site				– populations	 at West   Wail   are under		threat from	use	 of recreational vehicles		 in reserve	Reserved	 in Victoria –  Kiata FR, Lt Desert NP (numerous plants); Reserved in South Australia – Cape Gantheaume CP, Billiat	CP,	Mt Boothby CP	Low   –    no evidence	Low	Low–High			– depending		on site – rabbits are a major issue at Kiata;	illegal firewood collection		 at West Wail	Low – many plants distributed over a broad range	

17

Species name	Current threats/perceived risk	Potential threats/perceived risk	
	Weed invasion	Grazing	Inappropriate fire regimes	Site disturbance	Reservation status	Illegal collection	Timber harvesting	Other disturbance	Stochastic event/accidental damage	
Caladenia thysanochila	High    –    major
threat	from perennial
grasses		(eg. Sweet	 Vernal Grass, Yorkshire Fog	Grass, Brown-top Bent)	Medium	–
rabbits present in area but fencing	is controlling this at present	High   –   area
has	suffered from long-term absence		of fire,   low   fire intensity	and inappropriate timing	Medium – Site is fenced    but    is highly		visible and	close	to urban development	Unreserved  –  Mt Eliza		Regional Park is owned by the	Mornington Peninsula	Shire Council and zoned Public Conservation  and Resource;		No conservation agreement		  in place	High	–
extremely
low numbers of	plants make them vulnerable to collection – rarity		of taxon makes it a desirable
‘collector’s item’	Nil	Medium			– Control			    of introduced grasses		may lead	to		 soil erosion		and/or further		  weed invasion of other species	High – Only two plants have ever been  observed  at a single site and these have not flowered	for several years	
Caladenia versicolor	Low –  very few
weed	 species occur	in	the known habitat	Medium	–
some   grazing by wallabies/kang aroos	and maybe rabbits	Low  –  habitat
is  adapted  to low	fire frequencies and  area  has not been burnt for some time	Low/Medium	–
uncontrolled access;   vehicle and	walking tracks	Unreserved	–
Lake	Fyans	is uncommitted
crown land that is currently subject to a	Native	Title Claim	Low	Medium – area has been used for timber harvesting		in	the past	(proposed Special	Protection Zone)	Low – High – depending	on future land use and reservation	Medium – total population < 1000 plants		and confined	to		a narrow range at a single site	
Caladenia xanthochila	High    –    major
threat	from annual grasses and herbs	High – grazing
by rabbits and maybe kangaroos	Low – High –
depending on site
(Inglewood
has		been unburnt		    for some time and the vegetation has	closed over)	High    –    some
past dumping of green waste and soil disturbance from rabbits and site works	Unreserved – one site (Murtoa) is private land, the other   (Inglewood) is state forest	Medium		– Murtoa is a well known site	with easy access	Medium – Inglewood site is within state forest	used	for timber harvesting	High – Murtoa site	may	be subject	 to disturbance from recreational
users	High	–	total population < 120 plants		in	 two disjunct
populations	

5	Existing Conservation Measures

5.1	Reservation

Representation of  the  Caladenia  taxa  in  conservation reserves  varies  from  well  represented to  not  reserved. Examples include C. lowanensis and C. tensa which, have a very high proportion of their total population represented within conservation reserves while C. formosa is reserved in South Australia but believed to be unreserved in Victoria. C.  fragrantissima ssp.  orientalis, C.  xanthochila and  C.  versicolor are  unreserved across their  range. Table 6 summarises the representation of the threatened Caladenia taxa in southeast Australia.

Taxa  are  considered reserved if  they  are  contained within reserves established with  a  primary aim  of  nature conservation as defined by the former Victorian Land Conservation Council.   Reserves which qualify under this definition include Reference Areas, National and State Parks, Flora Reserves, Flora and Fauna Reserves, Wildlife Reserves, Wildlife Management Cooperative Areas, Streamside Reserves, Bushland Reserves and Education Areas. In addition, Conservation Parks in South Australia are also included as reserved areas.

Taxa within local government reserves are also considered reserved if the particular reserve has a primary aim of nature conservation and there is a current agreement between local and state governments referring to conservation and management of threatened Caladenia. Taxa occurring on private land protected by a conservation covenant (Victoria) or heritage agreement (South Australia) are also considered reserved. This is in line with current thinking about  biodiversity  conservation that  suggests  a  range  of  tenures  and  protection  mechanisms are  required  to adequately address reservation objectives across bioregions (Bedward et al. 1992, Pressey et al. 1995).

Table 6: Representation of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in conservation reserves in Victoria and South Australia.

Species name	Reserved	Unreserved	% plants reserved	
	Sites	Plants	Sites	Plants		
Caladenia amoena	0	0	2	45	0	
Caladenia audasii	1	3	2	2	60	
Caladenia formosa	?3	?<10	?<10	1000’s	<0.01	
Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis	0	0	4	<100	0	
Caladenia hastata	2	20	0	0	100	
Caladenia lowanensis	?3	230	1	10	96	
Caladenia robinsonii	0	0	1 (?2)	20	0	
Caladenia rosella	2	110	2	10	92	
Caladenia tensa	?>10	many	?	?	ca. 75	
Caladenia thysanochila	0	0	1	2	0	
Caladenia versicolor	0	0	?4	>200	0	
Caladenia xanthochila	0	0	2	117	0	

Caladenia  fragrantissima ssp.  orientalis  is  considered unreserved despite  occupying the  Wonthaggi Heathland Reserve, Wonthaggi managed by Parks Victoria. Wonthaggi Heathland Reserve was proposed as a nature conservation reserve under the proposed Melbourne Land Conservation Council recommendations (LCC 1993) however reservation under the Victorian Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 is yet to proceed. C. amoena is also considered  unreserved  despite  occurring  on  public  land  managed  by  Parks  Victoria  as  part  of  Plenty  Gorge Parklands. This area is unreserved public land, which is part of a former road easement.

Caladenia robinsonii and C. thysanochila both occur in reserves owned and managed by the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. These areas are zoned Public Conservation and Resource but are not protected by any formal management or conservation agreement and therefore both taxa are considered unreserved.

Under the West Victoria Regional Forest Agreement, the presence of several of these taxa in state forest is likely to be recognised by the creation of Special Protection Zones, which will be managed for conservation and where timber harvesting will be excluded. These areas have no legislative protection but they are incorporated into the forest planning process and this is likely to be reinforced in the upcoming Forest Management Plan for Portland and Horsham Forest Management Areas (J. Cook, NRE Forests, pers. comm.). Taxa likely to be included under this

zoning include C. formosa and C. versicolor. The final configuration of forest management zones was yet to be finalised at the time of writing of this plan.

5.2	On-ground works

Rabbit-proof guards have protected a significant proportion of the total population of C. lowanensis at Kiata Flora Reserve. These were erected by the Gerang Landcare Group (Friends of Kiata Flora Reserve) in conjunction with a PhD research project being undertaken at the site, which is investigating the population biology and cultivation of C. lowanensis (J. Anthony, University of Melbourne, in prep.). Plants were hand-pollinated in 1998. The landcare group has also undertaken removal of woody weeds in the reserve, repaired an existing internal fence and removed hard rubbish from the area. They have also been involved in a joint exercise with Parks Victoria to control rabbits in the reserve through warren identification and fumigation. Populations of C. tensa within the Kiata Flora Reserve have also benefited from some of these activities. The Friends group has received funding from Parks Victoria to construct a rabbit-proof boundary fence around the reserve and this is expected to be completed by mid-2000.

Seed was collected from C. xanthochila plants at Murtoa in spring 1999 and sent to Kings Park Botanic Gardens (KPBG) in Perth, Western Australia for cryostorage. Some of this seed originated from plants that had been hand pollinated earlier that year. This seed will remain at KPBG until such a time as propagation from seed techniques have been perfected for other Caladenia species. Negotiations have commenced with the land owners to protect and manage the site.

Management of Mount Eliza Regional Park, the only known site for C. thysanochila has been actively promoted and closely monitored by a local environment group for several years. Mornington Peninsula Shire liaises with the group and NRE with respect to the management of the reserve. One plant was hand-pollinated in 1990 and set seed. Unfortunately, the capsule opened unexpectedly and dispersed its seed before any could be saved for ex-situ conservation. An area surrounding the two known plants was fenced in 1992. Areas within the fence were slashed in April 1993 and burnt in April 1994 and April 1997 to stimulate flowering of the orchid but no flowering has been observed. On-going experimental trials using fire are being conducted in the area to determine the most effective means of grassy weed control.

Monitoring transects were established in spring 1999 for five taxa (C. formosa, C. lowanensis, C. tensa, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila). Data were collected on species abundance and distribution, flowering, rates of pollination and fruit production. Additional information on habitat preferences and identified threats were also collected. C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis was not monitored during 1999 due to a poor flowering response at previously known sites, while C. thysanochila failed to flower at its one known locality.

Various on-ground works have been undertaken for those taxa already subject to recovery planning. Actions have included site and plant protection through fencing and/or caging of plants, predator control, monitoring and hand- pollinating plants, seed collection and weed control. Table 7 provides a summary of on-ground works undertaken for all taxa across all known populations.

Table 7:  On-ground works at  sites  containing populations of  threatened Caladenia taxa in  Victoria and South
Australia.

Species name	Population	On-ground works	Start date	
Caladenia amoena	Plenty Gorge Parklands	Fencing, weed  control, micro-site management, hand-
pollination	1996- on-going	
Caladenia amoena	Wattle Glen	Caging,  weed  control,  micro-site  management,  hand-
pollination, capsule collection	1995 – on-going	
Caladenia audasii	Deep Lead	Monitoring	1997 – on-going	
Caladenia audasii	Bendigo	Caging, hand-pollination, capsule collection	1997 – on-going	
Caladenia audasii	Kingower	Caging	1997 – on-going	
Caladenia formosa	Meereek	Monitoring	1999	
Caladenia hastata	Point Danger	Monitoring,   caging,   weed   control,   hand-pollination,
capsule collection, endophyte collection	1980 – on-going	
Caladenia hastata	Discovery Bay	Monitoring, caging, hand-pollination, capsule collection	1980 – on-going	
Caladenia lowanensis	Kiata	Caging, hand-pollination, capsule collection, monitoring	1998 – on-going	
Caladenia lowanensis	Glenlee	Caging	1999	
Caladenia robinsonii	Rosebud	Weed    control,    fire    management,   hand-pollination,
capsule collection, fungus hygiene, monitoring	1993 – on-going	
Caladenia rosella	Cottlesbridge	Caging,   micro-site   management,   hand   pollination,
capsule collection	Late  1980’s –  on-
going	
Caladenia rosella	One Tree Hill	Fencing, caging, weed control, micro-site management,
hand pollination	1992 – on-going	
Caladenia tensa	Kiata	Caging, monitoring	1998	
Caladenia tensa	West Wail	Hand-pollination, seed collection, fencing	1994 - 1998	
Caladenia thysanochila	Mount Eliza	Fencing,   fire   management,   hand-pollination,   weed
control	1992 – on-going	
Caladenia versicolor	Lake Fyans	Monitoring	1999	
Caladenia xanthochila	Murtoa	Hand-pollination, monitoring	1999	

6	Strategy for Recovery

This recovery plan will run for a term of five years from the time of implementation. The strategy for conservation of threatened Caladenia taxa will include three approaches: specific management actions for key populations; broader identification, protection and habitat management actions for all taxa across their range; and ex-situ cultivation and conservation of endangered taxa with critically low wild populations. A need to better understand the biology and ecology of all taxa is also an inherent part of the recovery process. Key populations for each taxon are identified in Table 8. Their selection is based on population size, habitat condition, representation of environmental range within the  taxon,  understanding of  the  threats  posed  to  the  population  and  practicality  of  management.  These  key populations are selected irrespective of their land tenure or reservation status. It may be necessary to revise the list of key  populations as  new  data  become  available, as  the  status  of  threatening processes changes  or  is  better understood and as negotiations with land managers progress.

Table 8: Key populations for the conservation of twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and South Australia.

Species name	Population	State	Land tenure	Land manager/ management agency	
Caladenia amoena	Plenty Gorge Park	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia amoena	Wattle Glen	V	Private	Landholder	
Caladenia audasii	Deep Lead	V	Public	NRE
Forests/Parks
Victoria	
Caladenia audasii	Kingower	V	Public	Committee	of
Management	
Caladenia audasii	Bendigo, One Tree Hill	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia formosa	Longbottom’s Track, Meereek State Forest	V	Public	NRE Forests	
Caladenia formosa	Shilcock’s Road, Beear State Forest	V	Public	NRE Forests	
Caladenia formosa	Mt Monster CP, Keith	SA	Public	EH	
Caladenia formosa	Mt Scott CP, Kingston	SA	Public	EH	
Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis	Wonthaggi Heathland Reserve	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis	Cape Paterson Township*	V	Private	Various	private
land owners	
Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis	Tarwin Lower-Waratah Rd, Walkerville	V	Public	South  Gippsland
Shire	
Caladenia hastata	Point Danger, Portland	V	Public/
Private	NRE/Portland
Aluminium	
Caladenia hastata	Discovery Bay, Portland	V	Public	Parks
Victoria/NRE	
Caladenia lowanensis	Kiata Flora Reserve, Kiata	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia lowanensis	Glenlee Flora and Fauna Reserve, Glenlee	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia lowanensis	Private land, Kiata	V	Private	Land owner	
Caladenia robinsonii	Betty Clift Conservation Reserve, Rosebud	V	Public	Mornington
Peninsula Shire	
Caladenia rosella	Cottles Bridge	V	Private	various	
Caladenia rosella	One Tree Hill, Christmas Hills	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia tensa	Kiata Flora Reserve, Kiata	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia tensa	West Wail Flora and Fauna Reserve, West Wail	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia tensa	Barabool Flora and Fauna Reserve, Murtoa	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia tensa	Red Gum Walk, Lt. Desert National Park	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia tensa	Broken Bucket Campsite, Big Desert National Park	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia tensa	Camp Ground, Red Gum Track, Lt Desert National
Park	V	Public	Parks Victoria	
Caladenia thysanochila	Mt Eliza Regional Park, Mt Eliza	V	Public	Mornington
Peninsula Shire	
Caladenia versicolor	Lake Fyans Reserve, Pomonal	V	Public	NRE	Forests;
Wimmera-Mallee
Water	
Caladenia xanthochila	Murtoa Golf Club	V	Private	Committee	of
Management	
Caladenia xanthochila	Spring Creek Track, Glenalbyn	V	Public	NRE Forests	
* Known from various private land allotments within the Cape Paterson township. It is presumed that this population will become extinct as allotments are sold and properties are developed for housing.

Management of key populations will aim to mitigate threatening processes relevant to each site and thereby secure the populations from extinction. The major threats requiring attention include accidental destruction, weed invasion, inappropriate fire regimes and grazing by introduced and possibly native herbivores. A range of in situ conservation measures will be necessary to mitigate these threats including weed control, fire management, fencing, rabbit control and research on key aspects of  fire ecology, native herbivore numbers, pollination ecology and plant biology. Monitoring of selected sites will be necessary to gather life history information and to evaluate the success of particular management actions. In addition to the above, ex situ conservation measures will be required for key populations under threat of extinction either at present or in the future. Such measures may include hand pollination, seed  collection  and  storage,  mychorrizal  fungi  collection,  identification  and  research,  seed  germination,  plant cultivation and transplantation into suitable areas.

Broader protection measures applicable to all populations include legal protection of sites and habitat retention, management of fire regimes and liaison with land managers including private landholders. In addition, searches of known and potential habitat should continue to better define taxa distribution and abundance. Additional protective measures should be implemented for non-key populations whenever opportunities arise, except where this precludes similar actions being implemented for key populations listed for priority action in Table 8 or future updated key population lists.

7	Community Involvement

Community involvement will continue to be encouraged for all threatened Caladenia taxa populations. This will include maintaining and upgrading links with community groups where they already exist for particular taxa and fostering the involvement of local communities in the conservation of all taxa. Table 9 lists examples of community participation and the types of activities undertaken for all threatened Caladenia taxa.

Damage to orchid populations by visitors and illegal collection has occurred in Victoria and for this reason community involvement will be restricted to groups having demonstrated ability and commitment to in situ orchid conservation. Private landholders will be encouraged to protect and manage populations of threatened Caladenia taxa where these occur on private land.

Table 9. Community involvement and representative activities for twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and
South Australia.

Species name	Community Group	Location	Activities	
Caladenia amoena	None			
Caladenia audasii	Stawell   Field   Naturalists
Club;	Bendigo	Field
Naturalists Club	Deep	Lead,
Kingower, One
Tree Hill	Plant censusing, protection.	
Caladenia formosa	None			
Caladenia	fragrantissima	ssp.
orientalis	Friends	of	Wonthaggi
Heathlands	Wonthaggi	Plant searches, plant censusing.	
Caladenia hastata	Point  Danger  Committee
of Management	Portland	Pollination, seed collection and cultivation	
Caladenia lowanensis	Gerang  Landcare  Group
(Friends   of   Kiata   Flora
Reserve)	Kiata, Glenlee	Weed  control,  rabbit  control,  searching,  plant
censusing, plant pollination, seed collection, and site security.	
Caladenia robinsonii	Southern	Peninsula
Indigenous	Flora	and Fauna	 Association (Friends of Betty Clift Conservation Reserve)	Rosebud	Plant censusing, pollinating, weed control, habitat
management, searching and seed collection	
Caladenia rosella	Dunmoochin	Landcare
Group	Cottles Bridge	Plant protection and general habitat management	
Caladenia tensa	Gerang  Landcare  Group
(Friends   of   Kiata   Flora
Reserve)	Kiata	Weed control, rabbit control, searching and site
security.	
Caladenia thysanochila	Friends	of	Mt	Eliza
Regional Park	Mt Eliza	Weed control, fire management.	
Caladenia versicolor	Stawell   Field   Naturalists
Club	Stawell	Plant censusing.	

Caladenia xanthochila	Bendigo  Field  Naturalists
Club	Inglewood	Searching, plant censusing.	
Caladenia xanthochila	Murtoa	Golf	Club
Committee	of
Management	Murtoa	Site protection, weed control and rabbit control.	

8	Recovery Objectives

The overall goal of Recovery is to minimise the probability of extinction of the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in the wild and to increase the probability of each population of each taxon becoming self-sustaining in the long term.

Within the life span of this Recovery Plan (2000-2004 inclusive), the specific objectives of recovery for the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa are to:

1.	Ensure that all existing populations are adequately protected;

2.	Increase the numbers of plants in the wild;

3.	Establish a genetically representative ex-situ collection of endangered taxa in cultivation;

4.	Increase the number of populations in the wild; and

5.	Raise public awareness and foster community involvement.

9	Recovery Criteria

The criteria for assessing the achievement of these objectives are the:

1.	Determination or update of conservation status for all taxa for inclusion on state and national threatened species lists;

2.	Establishment of a protected area network within the range of threatened Caladenia taxa incorporating a range of public land and private land protection mechanisms and management agreements involving a range of public land management agencies, statutory authorities and private landholders;

3.	A measurable decrease in the number and magnitude of identified threats to populations;

4.	An increase in the abundance of vulnerable taxa to twice current numbers;

5.	A measurable increase in the reproductive output and recruitment of endangered Caladenia taxa and an increase in abundance to at least 5x current numbers;

6.	Identification of key components of the biology and ecology of threatened Caladenia taxa;

7.	Development of successful propagation techniques and successful establishment of an ex situ collection of endangered taxa consisting of 100 plants of each taxon to be held in cultivation;

8.	Establishment of at least one additional population of each endangered taxon in a secure reserve in the wild; and

9.	Increased community involvement in pivotal aspects of criteria above.

10  Recovery Actions

1.	Determine the conservation status of the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and South Australia.

2.	Protect identified threatened Caladenia habitat.

3.	Protect populations from high-risk threatening processes.

4.	Develop and implement fine-scale in-situ site management practices.

5.	Measure population trends and responses against recovery actions.

6.	Investigate the biology and ecology of threatened Caladenia taxa.

7.	Establish an ex-situ collection of threatened Caladenia taxa with rapidly declining or critically low populations in the wild.

8.	Establish new populations of endangered Caladenia taxa in the wild.

9.	Develop a public education/community extension program.

10. Manage Recovery Plan implementation.

Table 10. Summary of proposed recovery actions as they apply to various threatened Caladenia taxa of Victoria and
South Australia (see Actions 1 – 10 below for further description).

	Recovery Actions	
Species name	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	
Caladenia amoena		r	r	r	r	r	r	r		r	
Caladenia audasii		r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	
Caladenia formosa	r	r	r	r	r	r	r		r	r	
Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r		r	
Caladenia hastata	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	
Caladenia lowanensis	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	
Caladenia robinsonii	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r		r	
Caladenia rosella		r	r	r	r	r	r	r		r	
Caladenia tensa	r	r	r		r	r	r		r	r	
Caladenia thysanochila	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r		r	
Caladenia versicolor	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	
Caladenia xanthochila	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	r	

Action 1	Determine the  conservation status of  the  twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in  southeast
Australia

There is a reasonable understanding of the habitat requirements and current and former ranges for some the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in southeast Australia, particularly where recent and historic population locality records exist (Backhouse et al. 1999a, 1999b, Berwick et al. 1999, Hill et al. 1999, C. Beardsell, unpubl. data). For other taxa, typically those recently described ones, there is a poor understanding of former and current ranges and a corresponding lack of current population data.

Accurate base line data is required in order to identify the current conservation status of various taxa, for identifying key populations and prioritising recovery actions. A more accurate determination of current population numbers will also aid in assessing the success of recovery actions in the future.

1.1	Identify and verify populations

Numbers of plants within known populations and the locations of additional populations of certain taxa need to be accurately determined. Some interim censusing and verification of populations has already been undertaken as part of the preparation of this recovery plan but further work is required. Examples include widespread and locally abundant species such as C. formosa and C. tensa, whose distribution extends to South Australia, and species lacking current population data  across their  range such as  C.  versicolor (see  Table 2).  Following population censusing,	the reservation status of threatened Caladenia taxa and their populations will be determined.

A  cooperative strategy  between  Victorian  and  South  Australian state  government departments, orchid  groups, naturalist groups, landholders and the general public will be adopted in the first two years of the recovery plan to collect this important base line information. This action will be closely linked and will be reliant upon Action 9.1 – Prepare education material and undertake community extension. An expert contractor will be required to assist field staff and volunteer groups with taxonomically difficult or confusing taxa such as C. formosa, C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. lowanensis and C. versicolor. In some cases, detailed taxonomic assessment may be required.

Activities, which are best conducted in spring, will include censuses of known populations (part of Action 5.1 – Annual censusing of populations), identifying suitable habitat, searching for and censuses of additional populations and data collation and storage. Data on population numbers will be stored in a centralised database such as VrotPop, Victoria’s rare or threatened plant database managed by NRE.

Funds are required in the first two years of recovery to cover the salary and associated travel/field costs of a Victorian- based project officer who will be responsible for coordinating and conducting searches and censusing of nine taxa

across Victoria and South Australia. The project officer will also be responsible for collating and entering data on a central database and preparing conservation status assessments of each taxon for inclusion on national and state lists. Funds are also required in the first two years to contract an orchid taxonomist to assist with identification and verification of taxonomically difficult taxa and to appoint contractors to undertake survey and censusing work on an as needs basis. Regional naturalist groups and other volunteers will make in kind contributions and state government departments will manage the work and provide support staff in regional areas to assist with searches and censusing.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 1.1			
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility			
NRE – PFF/ SW, EH	
NRE –PFF/ PP, PV, FOWH	
NRE – PFF/ SW, PFNC	
NRE –PFF/ NW, PV, FOKFR	
NRE – PFF/ PP, PV, FOBCCR		
NRE – PFF/ NW, EH, PV	
NRE – PFF/ PP, FOMERP	
NRE – PFF/ NW, BFNC, SFNC	
NRE – PFF/ NW, BFNC, COM	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$20,170	$18,670	$0	$0	$0	$38,840	

Action 2	Protect identified threatened Caladenia habitat

Populations of many threatened Caladenia taxa remain unprotected by state, regional or local government legislation and/or planning mechanisms. A number of taxa are unreserved across their range and are in urgent need of appropriate protection.

ssp. orientalis

2.1	Identify key populations for protection

From the data collected in Action 1.1, key populations of threatened Caladenia taxa will be determined as priorities for recovery. Key populations will  be  based on  population size, habitat condition, representation of  biological and environmental variation within the taxon and the practicality of management.

EH

EH

Requisite information will be collected during, but in addition to activities undertaken in Action 1.1. Funds are required in the second year to cover the salary of a Victorian-based project officer who will be responsible for coordinating and undertaking the collection and storage of key population assessment information across Victoria and South Australia. Travel costs are covered by Action 1.1.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 2.1	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE - PFF	
NRE - PFF	
NRE – PFF,	
NRE –PFF	
NRE - PFF	
NRE –PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE - PFF	
NRE – PFF’	
NRE - PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$750	$0	$0	$0	$750	

2.2	Protect key public land populations

Key populations on public land identified in Action 2.1 will be protected under relevant state legislation. All Victorian populations are already protected under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 but many need further protection through more adequate reservation. Examples of Victorian legislation that may be invoked include the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 and the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. South Australian populations are listed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. This is also the primary legislation for including areas within the state reserve system. Other acts that may be utilised include the proclamation of Conservation Reserves under the Crown Lands Act 1929, Native Forests Reserves under the Forestry Act 1950 and various forms of protection and responsibility under the Local Government Act 1934.

Additional public land populations not protected under the above mechanisms will be incorporated into relevant public land planning frameworks and managed under service agreements or Public Authority Management Agreements (under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988). Identified areas will be protected from potentially threatening processes such as timber harvesting, domestic stock grazing and various recreational activities through appropriate conservation zoning and management guidelines put in place that deal with issues such as site protection, pest plant and animal control and fire management. Identified habitat within commercial forest areas in Victoria will be protected within Special Protection Zones, which remain in perpetuity as long as conservation values are maintained.

PP

NW

SW, EH

PP

SW, COM

PP, Shire

PP, Shire

PP, Shire

NW

NW

Funds are required to in the second year of recovery to cover the salary and travel costs of a Victorian-based project officer to collate available information, prepare briefings and/or background information, and make recommendations to  the  relevant  state  reserve  planning  and  land  management agencies.  The  Victorian  Department  of  Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) and the South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage (EH) will be responsible for initiating subsequent protection mechanisms for populations on public land in years 2 and 3 of recovery.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 2.2	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE-PFF/	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE –PFF/	
NRE – PFF/		
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/		
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$4,790	$3,750	$0	$0	$8,540	

2.3	Protect key private land populations

Key populations on private land identified in Action 2.1 will be protected under various private land management agreements. These agreements will be developed in consultation with the relevant landholders and will be designed to meet landholder and threatened Caladenia taxa recovery planning objectives. Voluntary, binding nature conservation agreements are available in Victoria under the Victorian Conservation Trust Act 1972, the Conservation Forests and Lands Act 1987 and the Wildlife Act 1975 while landholders can enter into binding Heritage Agreements in South Australia under the Heritage Act 1978.

Consultation and negotiation with private landholders will be the responsibility of state departments and other relevant statutory authorities. Various incentive packages will be offered to landholders based on their preparedness to enter into long-term management agreements such as those already identified. Such incentives may include fencing, local government rate relief, water rate relief and the provision of habitat management advice and management plans to private landholders. The range of incentives available will be negotiated by the relevant state department and statutory or local government authorities and will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis.

Funds are required to in the second year of recovery to cover the salary and travel costs of a Victorian-based project officer to collate available information, prepare background information, and make recommendations in various reports to the relevant authorities on key private land sites for protection. The cost of incentives offered to landholders

will be borne by the relevant agencies in years 2-4 of recovery. Fencing labour costs will be provided in kind by the landholder.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 2.3	
X		
X	
X	
X	
X		
X				
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/ PP, TFN		
NRE – PFF/ NW	
NRE – PFF/ PP, Shire	
NRE- PFF/ NW, PA	
NRE – PFF/ NW, TFN		
NRE – PFF/ PP, TFN				
NRE – PFF/ NW, TFN	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$14,690	$11,650	$0	$0	$26,340	

Action 3	Protect populations from high-risk threatening processes

Protection of populations from high-risk threatening processes will require a combination of broad-scale habitat management practices and finer-scale plant protection strategies. Wherever possible, the strategies adopted should aim to complement any other nature conservation objectives where these have been clearly defined as part of a current park or site management plan (Carr et al. 1993, Gordes and Gordes 1994, NRE 1996, Parks Victoria 1998).

3.1	Control high-priority weed species

Weed invasions represent a high risk threatening process to a number of different taxa (see Table 5) while weeds are a potential threat to all populations of all taxa. Generally, the risk posed by weeds is related to the size of the threatened Caladenia population, the number of sites at which the taxon is known and the biology, life form and population size of the weed species present. Caladenia taxa known from very few sites with low total population numbers are generally at higher risk of extinction from weed invasions. Examples include C. audasii, C. hastata, C. lowanensis, C. robinsonii, C. rosella, C. thysanochila and C. xanthochila.

In some cases, weed control will be achieved by adopting broad-scale habitat management approaches such as the periodic use of fire. In other cases, target species will need to be controlled using more direct methods. The use of standard weed control measures such as herbicide application and hand-pulling will need to be assessed against their potential impact on Caladenia populations and in some cases, alternative techniques may need to be developed. Weed identification and control plans will be prepared for each key population in the second year of recovery.

ssp. orientalis

Funds are required in the first two years of recovery to cover the salary of a project officer to assist land managers with preparing weed control strategies for sites containing threatened Caladenia taxa. Weed species distribution and abundance data will be collected as part of Action 1.1 and travel and field expenses will also be covered under this action. Additional weed data already held on the Victorian Flora Information System will be made available as part of NRE contribution to the project. Funds are also sought in the first year of recovery to engage an expert weed-control contractor to develop protocols for land managers wishing to control weeds in highly sensitive areas containing threatened orchid taxa. The cost of weed control will be borne by the relevant land managers in years two to five inclusive. In some cases, volunteer labour through the use of Friends Groups will be used to undertake weed control (see Table 9).

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 3.1	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE-PFF/ PP, PV, land owners	
NRE-PFF/ NW, PV, COM	
NRE – PFF/ SW/Forests, EH	
NRE – PFF/ PP, PV	
NRE – PFF/ SW, PV	
NRE – PFF/ NW, PV, land owner	
NRE – PFF/ PP, Shire	
NRE – PFF/ PP, PV, land owners	
NRE – PFF/ NW, PV, EH	
NRE – PFF/ PP, Shire	
NRE – PFF/ NW/Forests	
NRE – PFF/ NW/Forests, Land owner	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$22,060	$16,200	$14,700	$14,700	$14,700	$83,360	

3.2	Control animal pests and predators and investigate grazing impacts

There are a number of animal pests and predators that pose a risk to the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria and South Australia. Impacts include grazing by introduced and native herbivores, digging up of tubers by introduced Blackbird and the native White-winged Chough and predation of shoots and flowers by slugs, snails and other invertebrates.

Grazing by introduced and in some cases, native herbivores, has been identified as a high-risk threatening process for a number of threatened Caladenia taxa (see Table 5). In particular, those taxa that occupy grassy or herb-rich habitat and which also have a low total number of plants consisting of a few populations within a restricted range. Examples include C. amoena, C. audasii, C. lowanensis, C. rosella, C. thysanochila and C. xanthochila. Plant protection, using caging or fencing, has already been undertaken for a number of these taxa (see Table 9). For other taxa occupying habitat with heathy understoreys or with larger populations over a wider range, grazing represents a lesser threat to populations.

It is proposed that numbers of hares/rabbits and kangaroos/wallabies at various sites will be estimated using spotlight counts and dung pellet transects respectively (D. Morgan, University of Melbourne, pers. comm.). The results of these studies will help determine the risk posed by grazing at these sites and the methods required to control grazing impacts.

The threat posed by bird species and invertebrate species will need to be assessed on a site by site basis and control measures undertaken accordingly. Insect exclusion using cages and insecticide has been shown to greatly increase seed production and plant survival in rare plant species populations in the United States (Bevill et al. 1999) and similar techniques may need to be adopted for endangered Caladenia populations as part of the current recovery program. Techniques  used  for  endangered  orchid  species  elsewhere  in  Victoria  include  caging  and  baiting  and  these techniques will be adopted where necessary

For all sites containing threatened Caladenia taxa, there is a need to develop environmentally sensitive methods of pest animal control that minimise soil and site disturbance and control only target species. Both fine-scale and broad- scale techniques will need to be developed. This will be the responsibility of the state departments working in conjunction with the relevant land managers who will be responsible for on-ground pest animal control.

Funds are required in the first year of recovery for the supply and construction of urgent rabbit-proof fencing of C. xanthochila populations on private land at Murtoa and public land at Inglewood. Parks Victoria will control rabbits and fence smaller reserve areas containing threatened Caladenia taxa (eg. Kiata Flora Reserve, Glenlee Flora and Fauna Reserve).

PV, land

NW, PV,

SW/Forests,

PP, PV

SW, PV

NW, PV,

PP, Shire

PP, land

NW, PV, EH

PP, Shire

NW/ Forests

NW, Land

Other areas within state forest will be fenced if required. Land managers will be responsible for undertaking pest animal control. State government departments will cover the costs of labour to conduct herbivore surveys and construct fences and regional staff time to assist with the development of pest animal management plans.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 3.2	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE-PFF,

owner	
NRE-PFF/

COM	
NRE – PFF/

EH	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

land owner	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

owner	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

owner	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$4,960	$3,250	$2,250	$2,250	$2,250	$14,960	

3.3	Recover populations by fire and further investigate fire ecology

The inappropriate use of fire poses a risk to all threatened Caladenia taxa in southeast Australia. The preferred fire regimes for most taxa are poorly known but there is evidence that the population biology of some species may be heavily influenced by fire frequencies, season of burning, time since fire and fire intensity (Backhouse and Jeanes
1995).

Existing imposed fire regimes pose a high risk to several threatened Caladenia taxa at various sites (see Table 5). Examples include C. formosa, C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. hastata, C. robinsonii and C. thysanochila where the timing of past burns and in some cases, low fire frequency is placing populations at risk. Fire management plans will need to be prepared and implemented for these taxa. To assist with the preparation of these plans, a series of experimental fire  regimes  will  be  adopted for  some  taxa  (eg.  C.  fragrantissima ssp.  orientalis, C.  hastata, C. lowanensis/tensa, C. robinsonii, C. xanthochila) and vital attribute data (sensu. Noble and Slatyer 1980, Tolhurst
1999) will be collected on the responses of threatened Caladenia taxa and a range of other plant taxa to these fire regimes. From this information, predictive models of species responses and successional patterns will be developed and appropriate fire regimes implemented (NRE 1999). Where possible, additional biotic and abiotic fire data will also be collected in accordance with guidelines for ecological burning (NRE 1999). Examples include site fire histories from the Victorian Integrated Fire Information System (Gordon Friend, NRE, pers. comm.), forest fuel loads, climatic data and fire intensity. The responses of threatened Caladenia taxa to unplanned wildfire will also be recorded where populations are affected. All data will be stored in the Victorian Vital Attributes Database held at the University of Melbourne and later included in the Victorian Integrated Fire Information System (K. Tolhurst, University of Melbourne, pers. comm.).

Funds are required in the first three years of recovery to cover the salary and associated travel/field costs (eg. vehicle hire, travel allowance, marker pegs) of a project officer to collect and collate vital attribute data on threatened Caladenia taxa and a range of other plant taxa following planned and unplanned fire events. Funds will also be required in years 4 and 5 to prepare fire management plans for key populations of all fire-dependent taxa. State department staff and volunteers will be trained in vital attribute data collection and they will be responsible for longer- term monitoring and data entry of burn sites. This information will be used to devise long-term fire regimes for these and related taxa in various habitats throughout southeast Australia.

NRE will be responsible for negotiating planned burns with the relevant land management agencies and/or land owners while burns will be implemented and conducted by NRE with the assistance of PV and the Country Fire Authority. NRE and PV will cover the salaries of regional staff used to assist with the collection of vital attribute data and conducting burns.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 3.3			
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X		
X	

Responsibility			
NRE – PFF/ SW/Forests	
NRE – PFF/ PP, PV	
NRE – PFF/ SW, PV	
NRE – PFF/ NW, PV	
NRE – PFF/ PP, Shire		
NRE – PFF/ NW, PV	
NRE – PFF/ PP, Shire		
NRE – PFF/ NW/ Forests	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$5,470	$5,470	$4,000	$9,250	$9,250	$33,440	

3.4	Control the spread of Cinnamon Fungus

Cinnamon Fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) generally poses a larger threat to sites containing a large proportion of heathland plant species and hence threat management will largely involve protecting sensitive and vulnerable heath and heathy woodland habitat from the effects of Cinnamon Fungus. Examples of such habitat include sites containing C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. hastata, C. robinsonii and C. tensa. The threat posed by Cinnamon Fungus to the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa is not well understood but there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that some Caladenia species may be sensitive to the fungus (Geoff Carr, pers. comm.).

At present, Cinnamon Fungus is not known to be present at any sites containing threatened Caladenia populations although hygiene measures have been implemented at the Betty Clift Conservation Reserve, Rosebud (C. robinsonii site) in an attempt to prevent its introduction to the reserve from nearby areas where it is known to occur (Backhouse et al. 1999).

Vulnerable habitat will need to be monitored annually to identify the presence of Cinnamon Fungus. Plant and soil material will need to be collected and analysed from sites suspected of containing Cinnamon Fungus. Infected sites will need to be quarantined and treated accordingly. Monitoring of sites for Cinnamon Fungus (and collection of plant material and/or soil samples) will be conducted during annual censusing of key populations (Action 5.1). Treatment and quarantine of infected areas will be the responsibility of the appropriate land manager.

PP, PV

SW, PV

PP, Shire

NW, PV

Funds will be sought for the life of the recovery plan to cover the cost of analysis of plant and/or soil material from sites suspected of Cinnamon Fungus infection on an as needs basis.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 3.4				
X	
X		
X		
X				

Responsibility				
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/		
NRE – PFF/		
NRE – PFF/				

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$350	$350	$350	$350	$350	$1,750	

Action 4	Develop and initiate fine-scale site management practices

Endangered Caladenia taxa with critically low total population numbers will require urgent fine-scale management to ensure the survival of wild populations. Many suitable techniques have been successfully trialed for some endangered taxa (eg. C. amoena, C. audasii, C. hastata and C. rosella) and will be adapted and developed to suit other endangered taxa through an experimental approach.

4.1	Hand pollinate plants

Flowering and seed set are influenced by a number of factors and cannot be reliably predicted from year to year. Irregular flowering in orchid populations has been widely observed and information collected to date implies that poor flowering years tend to occur alternately, or following periods of dry weather (Hutchings 1987, Kindlemann and Balounova 1999, Light and MacConaill 1994). However, observations also suggest that climatic factors may not affect all taxa equally and that some taxa may be advantaged by abnormal weather patterns. In addition, it has also been observed that rates of natural pollination may be low in some Caladenia species (Peakall and Beattie 1996, J.Todd unpubl. data). Consequently, natural seed set and recruitment may be non-existent in some years and this represents a very serious threat to taxa with critically low population numbers.

To maximise seed production and hence the potential for recruitment during critical years, hand pollination of plants will  occasionally  be  necessary,  particularly  within  small  populations.  This  will  be  determined  for  the  various endangered taxa in spring during censusing. Pollen will be manually transferred between flowers on separate plants and records kept of cross-pollination.

PP, PV

NW, PV,

SW, EH

PP, PV,

SW, PV,

NW, PV,

PP, Shire,

PV

PP, Shire,

NW, BFNC

Funds are required in the first two years of recovery to cover the salary and associated field costs of a project officer to carry out the work and to provide training to state department staff and volunteers who will be responsible for on- going hand pollination of plants. Travel costs will be covered by Action 5.1. Additional funds will also be required during the life of the recovery plan to contract a botanist to undertake the work on an as needs basis and in the first year of recovery to engage a suitably qualified and experienced contractor to develop threatened Caladenia hand- pollination guidelines and protocols as a reference for land managers and volunteers. State government agencies will cover the costs of salaries of regional staff responsible for on-going hand-pollination.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 4.1	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X		
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

BFNC, SFNC	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

FOWH	
NRE – PFF/

Volunteers	
NRE – PFF/

FOKR	
NRE – PFF/

FOBC	
NRE – PFF,		
NRE – PFF/

FOMERP		
NRE – PFF/	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$4,810	$3,010	$4,130	$4,130	$4,130	$20,210	

4.2	Harvest and store seed

Caladenia taxa produce capsules containing tens of thousands of microscopic seeds. Low levels of recruitment in the face of such high seed production suggests germination rates are low and/or plants fail to progress beyond protocorm or seedling stages. Information collected to date indicates that a high proportion of Caladenia seed may be predated by invertebrates and soil biota, presumably during summer (F. Coates, Parks Victoria, unpubl. data).

A percentage of the seed bearing capsules from each population of endangered Caladenia taxon will be harvested annually in late spring and re-released back onto the collection site (in the vicinity of existing plants) in late summer- early autumn. The number of capsules harvested will depend upon total capsule numbers and will be assessed on an annual basis when population monitoring occurs. Additional capsules will be collected for cryogenic storage and ex situ cultivation (see Action 7).

Seed will be dried and stored at RBG, UMILFR, SHSA or other suitable facilities over summer until required for use. This action will be the responsibility of state department staff and/or volunteers, however funds are required for the life of the recovery plan to engage a contractor to undertake the work on an as needs basis and to pay for the cost of cryogenic storage consumables.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 4.2	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/ PP,

UMILFR	
NRE – PFF/ NW, SFNC, UMILFR	
NRE – PFF/ SW,

UMILFR	
NRE – PFF/ PP,

FOWH	
NRE – PFF/ SW,	
NRE – PFF/ NW,	
NRE – PFF/ PP,

FOBCCR	
NRE – PFF,		
NRE – PFF/ PP,

FOMERP	
NRE – PFF/ NW,	
NRE – PFF/ NW,

COM	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$5,400	$6,600	$6,600	$6,600	$6,600	$31,800	

PV, RBG,

PV, RBG, BFNC,

EH, SHSA,

RBG, UMILFR,

PA

UMILFR, FOKR

RBG, UMILFR,

4.3	Manage microhabitat

UMILFR, RBG

RBG, UMILFR,

UMILFR, RBG

RBG, UMILFR,

Recent trials indicate that good seedling germination of endangered Caladenia taxa can be achieved by microhabitat management (C. Beardsell, unpubl. data, A. Govanstone and A. Pritchard, unpubl. data.). A number of techniques for C. amoena, C. audasii, C. hastata and C. rosella have been developed that will be trialed with other endangered taxa as part of this recovery plan.

Examples include careful hand weeding, seedbed establishment and scattering of leaf litter around plants and the watering of plants during extended dry spring periods. Sites will be visited at least three times a year. The techniques adopted will be decided on a case-by-case basis and further techniques will be developed and implemented through an experimental approach.

Funds are required in the first three years of recovery cover the salary of a project officer to carry out the work and to train state department staff and volunteers who will be responsible for on-going microhabitat management. Travels costs  will  be  covered by  Action 5.1.  Initially work  will  focus  on  endangered taxa  (C.  amoena, C.  audasii, C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. hastata, C. lowanensis, C. robinsonii, C. rosella, C. thysanochila and C. xanthochila) and  vulnerable taxa  where  populations are  critically low  (C.  formosa at  Beear (Victoria) and  Mt  Scott  (South Australia)). Funding will also be required for the life of the recovery plan to contract expert botanists to undertake microhabitat management on an as needs basis. Funds are also sought in the second year of recovery to engage a suitably qualified and experienced contractor to develop microhabitat management guidelines and protocols as a reference for land managers and volunteers. NRE-PFF will coordinate the action and liaise with all relevant land managers as required.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 4.3	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X		
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

BFNC, SFNC	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

FOWH	
NRE – PFF/

COM	
NRE – PFF/

FOKR	
NRE – PFF/

FOBCCR	
NRE – PFF		
NRE – PFF/

FOMERP		
NRE – PFF/ SFNC	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$6,420	$8,220	$6,850	$6,850	$6,850	$35,190	

PP, PV

NW, PV,

SW, PA,

NW, PV,

PP, Shire,

PP, Shire,

Action 5	Measure population trends and responses against recovery actions

NW, BFNC,

In line with the theory and practice of adaptive or experimental management (Hopkins and Saunders 1987), the results of recovery actions will need to be assessed against recovery goals to determine whether objectives are being achieved. Recovery criteria have been established to assess the success of recovery actions. A critical part of this process will be the collection of annual censusing data by which longer-term population trends can be predicted and fine-tuning of recovery actions can be made if required.

SW, EH

PP, PV,

5.1	Conduct annual censusing

Detailed population data going back several years is available for a few endangered taxa (eg. C. amoena – Beardsell and French, unpubl. data, C. audasii – NRE, unpubl. data, C. hastata – Hill and Pritchard, unpubl. data, C. rosella – Beardsell, unupub. data) while other endangered and vulnerable taxa have varying degrees of censusing data available. Monitoring transects were established in 1999 for key populations of several taxa including C. formosa, C. tensa, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila. C. lowanensis has been intensively censused over 1998 and 1999 at Kiata as part of a PhD research project and this is likely to continue into 2000 and perhaps beyond (J. Anthony, University of Melbourne, in prep.).

Information collected at all sites includes demographic and life history data recorded on a regular basis to record the timing of life history stages, leaf, stem and flower dimensions, population fecundity and the effect of predation and climatic events. In addition, general habitat information and associated plant species have also been recorded for different populations of various taxa.

The seasonality of flowering times, variation in flowering between years and the observed dormancy of many orchid taxa dictates that longer-term monitoring beyond the life of this recovery plan will be required before population trends for any taxon can be easily determined. It is anticipated that monitoring will need to be conducted by a suitably trained project  officer  in  the  first  three  years  of  recovery  while  state  department staff  and  trained  volunteers will  be encouraged to collect annual censusing data following this. Due to seasonal constraints, some censusing may need to be conducted annually under contract by expert botanists on an as needs basis.

Censusing will be conducted four times a year for most taxa depending on seasonal variations. Leaf emergence will be recorded in early autumn, leaf dimensions measured in late winter and during the flowering period and flower and capsule numbers and dimensions recorded in early and late spring respectively. Comparisons of life history states between years and transitions between states within and between years (Hutchings 1987) will be interpreted from these data.

Funds are required in the first three years of recovery to cover the salary and associated field/travel costs (eg. vehicle hire, travel allowance, pegs, marking tape, permanent-ink marking pens, film, consumables) of a project officer to collect and collate annual censusing data from key populations. Part of the travel costs will be covered by Action 1.1. The project officer will also provide training to state department staff, land management agency staff and volunteers who will be responsible for longer-term censusing. Funds are also sought for years 1–5 of recovery for contracting a botanist to undertake some of the tasks on an as needs basis.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 5.1	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

BFNC, SFNC	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

FOWH	
NRE – PFF/

COM	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

FOBCCR	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE _ PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

FOMERP	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

COM	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$33,360	$36,810	$36,810	$22,850	$22,850	$152,680	

PP

NW, PV,

SW, EH

PP, PV,

SW, PV,

NW, FOKR

PP,

PP

NW

PP,

Action 6	Investigate the biology and ecology of threatened Caladenia taxa.

NW, SFNC

NW, BFNC,

Very little is known of the biology and ecology of most of the threatened Caladenia taxa of southeast Australia, and for many endangered taxa, low population numbers in the wild present little opportunity to implement any meaningful research on these taxa. However, for a number of the more ‘common’ taxa, there is an opportunity to investigate their biology and ecology and to better understand their life histories.

Much of the focus of this work will be on the conservation of plants in the wild but some aspects will also be important for ex situ conservation measures (see Action 7) and for establishing new populations in the wild (see Action 8). Actions 6.1 – 6.3 below relate specifically to the ‘unknowns’ associated with the population biology and reproduction of the twelve threatened Caladenia taxa. Life history data will be collected as part of Action 5.1 while mycorrhizal investigations are included under Action 7.1.

The major focus will be on taxa with populations of greater than 100 plants (C. formosa, C. rosella, C. tensa, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila) but other taxa with smaller populations will be researched as opportunities arise. Some population and reproduction research is already being conducted on C. lowanensis and this information will be incorporated into the recovery plan for this species where appropriate.

6.1	Identify the pollinator and determine natural pollination levels

Natural pollination levels and the identity of the pollinator will be determined to assist in recovery management of wild populations and as an aid in establishing new populations of some taxa (eg. C. xanthochila). The project will have important management implications, such as determining the number of flowers in a group required to attract the pollinator and effect pollination, the synchronicity between pollinator appearance and flower opening/receptivity, the visitation/pollination rates by the pollinator and the habitat requirements of the pollinator.

The work will be managed under contract to NRE and will require expert input from pollination researchers and wasp taxonomists to enable identification of the pollinator(s) associated with the each taxon. The techniques adopted will be based on similar work undertaken elsewhere in Australia (Bower 1996). Funds are required in years 2 and 3 to enable the appointment of a specialist contractor to conduct wasp-baiting trials in the field and to provide training to departmental staff and volunteers on assessing pollination rates and pollinator capture techniques. Funds are also required in years 2 and 3 to contract the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Northern Territory (PIF) to undertake the taxonomic work. Laboratory facilities and consumables will be provided in kind by PIF.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 6.1			
X	
X		
X			
X		
X	
X	

Responsibility			
NRE – PFF/ SW, PIF	
NRE – PFF/ PP, PIF, FOWH		
NRE – PFF/ NW, PIF, FOKR			
NRE _ PFF/ NW, PIF, FOKR		
NRE – PFF/ NW, PIF	
NRE – PFF/ NW, PIF, COM	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$8,500	$8,500	$0	$0	$17,000	

6.2	Determine genetic relationships of disjunct populations.

Many threatened Caladenia taxa are known from a small number of disjunct populations that may be many hundreds of kilometres apart. Determining the genetic differences or similarities between and within these populations will be important when trying to determine the former ranges and magnitude of decline of these taxa, when cultivating ex situ collections of plants for re-introduction and when implementing re-introduction plans (see Action 8.2). Some genetic research may also help resolve some of taxonomic uncertainties surrounding a number of closely related taxa.

Several widespread taxa with disjunct populations will be targeted for genetic analysis including C. formosa, C. rosella, C. tensa, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila. The work will be undertaken by a specialist geneticist based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne under contract to  NRE. The genetic analysis will use the ALFP technique (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism). This technique has been used successfully for the analysis of genetic diversity in a number of rare species. The contractor will provide laboratory facilities, equipment and research- management salaries in kind.

SW, EH, RBG

ssp. orientalis

PP/NW, RBG

NW, EH, RBG,

NW, EH, RBG

NW, RBG,

Funds are required in years 2 and 3 of recovery to contract an expert geneticist to undertake the work and to cover the cost of consumables (eg. chemicals). Costs are based on the analysis of up to 6 populations and 15 plants per population. Plant material will be collected by the project officer, regional staff, land management agency staff, volunteers and contractors as part of annual censusing (see Action 5.1) and forwarded to the geneticist for analysis.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 6.2			
X					
X	
X		
X	
X	

Responsibility			
NRE – PFF/					
NRE – PFF/	
NRE _ PFF/

FOKR		
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

COM	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$26,215	$26,215	$0	$0	$52,430	

6.3	Investigate germination and seedling establishment.

Rates of seed germination will be assessed under a range of conditions and factors affecting seedling establishment will be investigated to determine preferred methodologies for establishment of different threatened taxa. Propagation techniques will be further investigated as part of Action 7.2.

This work will be important in developing actions designed to optimise recruitment of existing populations and establishing new  populations  of  endangered taxa.  Target  taxa  will  initially  include  C.  amoena,  C.  audasii,  C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis, C. hastata, C. lowanensis, C. robinsonii, C. rosella, C. thysanochila, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila.

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

UMILFR, ,

The work will be conducted by contractors and coordinated by NRE. Funds are sought in years 2 and 3 to enable the appointment of the University of Melbourne, Institute of Land and Food Resources to undertake the project and to cover the costs of laboratory consumables. Laboratory facilities will be provided in kind by the contractor as will project supervision in conjunction with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and RBG. Capsules/seeds will be collected by the project officer, state department regional staff, land management agency staff, volunteers and contractors as part of Action 4.2 – Harvest and store seed.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 6.3	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT	
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT		
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT	
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT	
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT	
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT	
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT		
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT	
NRE – PFF,

RBG, RMIT	
NRE – PFF,

RBG RMIT	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$11,500	$11,500	$0	$0	$23,000	

Action 7	Establish ex-situ collections of threatened Caladenia taxa with rapidly declining or critically low populations in the wild.

Populations of endangered Caladenia taxa need to be established and maintained in cultivation as insurance against catastrophe and further loss in the wild, and to provide plants for introduction to additional habitat or reintroduction to known or assumed former habitat. A number of spider-orchid taxa have been successfully propagated and cultivated in the past (eg. Carr 1988; D. Tonkinson, NRE, pers. comm.) and techniques are now available that ensure a reasonable level of confidence with respect to ex-situ cultivation of threatened taxa (K. Dixon, KPBG, pers. comm.).

Caladenia species can be successfully grown from seed and maintained in cultivation, although this is not an easy task, requiring specialist equipment and expertise.

A current collaborative project between RBG, RMIT, UMILFR and NRE to look at strategies for increasing population sizes of threatened Caladenia in Victoria, is focussing on developing techniques to improve survival of deflasked Caladenia seedlings. The PhD research project is also conducting seed viability trials and attempting to isolate various mycorrhizal fungi (Ruth Raleigh, University of Melbourne, in prep.). The results of this research will be used for developing ex-situ populations of various threatened Caladenia taxa for re-introduction to the wild.

Some commercial nurseries and private growers have an excellent record in keeping Caladenia species in cultivation. NRE is overseeing the operation of the Native Orchid Growers Network (NOGN) to bring together horticultural expertise amongst the orchid growing community to assist in the cultivation of threatened orchids for recovery programs.  The involvement of NOGN in the recovery effort for various threatened Caladenia taxa will be instrumental in achieving this objective.

7.1	Isolate and culture mycorrhizal fungi

Techniques are being developed by a number of different institutions for isolating and culturing mycorrhizal fungi species associated with Caladenia taxa. Kings Park Botanic Garden, Perth has been able to successfully culture the mycorrhizal fungus associated with Caladenia hastata while research has been undertaken at the University of Melbourne and Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne to isolate and culture the fungi associated with a number of threatened and non-threatened Caladenia taxa. Work on isolating and culturing mycorrhizal fungi associated with all threatened Caladenia taxa will continue as part of the current recovery plan.

The project will provide information to assist with management of field populations, reintroductions and will enhance propagation and cultivation outcomes. The work will require specialist expertise in mycology, particularly the identification and  culture  of  fungi  in  the  laboratory.  The  University  of  Melbourne, Institute  of  Land  and  Food Resources, Burnley will undertake the work for all taxa. Portland Aluminium and Kings Park Botanic Gardens, Perth will continue their fungal involvement with C. hastata.

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

KPBG, PA, RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

UMILFR , RBG,

Funding is required for years 2 and 3 of recovery inclusive to enable the purchase of laboratory consumables and to pay for a contractor to collect, culture, store and supply fungal replicates. Laboratory facilities will be donated in kind by UMILFR as part of their contribution to the recovery of threatened Caladenia taxa as will staff time for project supervision (see Action 7.2). The project will be managed under contract to NRE, which will also provide staff to assist with the collection of collars or root tips and/or the laying of fungal baits in the field as required. Senior research staff from the University of Melbourne, the National Herbarium of Victoria and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology will provide project supervision in kind.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 7.1	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/ PP,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ NW,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ SW,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ NW,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ SW,

RMIT	
NRE – PFF/ NW,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ PP,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ PP,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ NW,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ PP,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ NW,

RMIT, EH	
NRE – PFF/ NW,

RMIT, EH	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$1,000	$13,500	$12,500	$0	$0	$27,000	

7.2 Develop in vitro propagating techniques and establish seedlings in cultivation

While Caladenia seed can be collected and germinated, techniques for deflasking seedlings and establishing in pots for growing-on prior to reintroduction to the wild have proved problematic in the past. Tuberisation techniques currently being developed by KPBG and RBG are expected to greatly improve propagation success rates for various threatened Caladenia taxa (K. Dixon, KPBG, pers. comm., R. Cross, RBG, pers. comm.) and these techniques will be adapted for the recovery plan.

Seedlings will be grown on to mature plants for additional seed production, genetic management and for introduction to the wild using the fungal isolates derived from Action 7.1. At least 100 plants of each endangered taxon will be produced and then distributed to State and National Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra and other NOGN member growers to minimise the loss of all cultivated plants through a single catastrophe. Target taxa will initially  include  the  endangered taxa,  C.  amoena,  C.  audasii,  C.  fragrantissima ssp.  orientalis, C.  hastata,  C. lowanensis, C. robinsonii, C. rosella, C. thysanochila, C. versicolor and C. xanthochila.

The University of Melbourne, Institute of Land and Food Resources will be contracted to undertake work on nine endangered Caladenia taxa. Portland Aluminium and KPBG will maintain their involvement with propagating and cultivating C. hastata and information sharing between the groups will be encouraged and facilitated by NRE.

Funding is required in years 2, 3 and 4 of recovery to contract the University of Melbourne to carry out the work. Growth chambers and glasshouse space will be donated in kind by UMILFR as part of their contribution to the threatened Caladenia recovery plan as will staff project supervision time. NRE will coordinate the project.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 7.2	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF, UMILFR	
NRE – PFF, UMILFR		
NRE – PFF, UMILFR	
NRE – SW, KPBG, PA	
NRE – PFF, UMILFR	
NRE – PFF, UMILFR	
NRE – PFF, UMILFR		
NRE – PFF, UMILFR	
NRE – PFF, UMILFR	
NRE – PFF, UMILFR	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$9,000	$9,000	$9,000	$0	$27,000	

NOGN

NOGN

NOGN

7.3	Maintain a database on cultivated plants

NOGN.

NOGN.

NOGN.

NOGN.

NOGN.

NOGN.

NOGN.

A central database of threatened orchids in cultivation has been established by NOGN. The purpose of the database is to maintain all records of cultivated plants, including seed source, locations, numbers and movements of plants, growing conditions and other information to keep track of plants amongst growers participating in the recovery program.  Individual growers will maintain their own records to contribute to the central database. The information will be available to other organisations or agencies contributing to objectives and actions in this Recovery Plan and the conservation of threatened orchids in southeast Australia.  NOGN will be responsible for maintaining the database. NRE will provide project coordination.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 7.3	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF,	
NRE – PFF,		
NRE – PFF,	
NRE – PFF,	
NRE – PFF,	
NRE – PFF,	
NRE – PFF,		
NRE – PFF,	
NRE – PFF,	
NRE – PFF,	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$0	$1,200	$1,200	$1,200	$3,600	

Action 8	Establish new populations of endangered Caladenia taxa in the wild

For many endangered Caladenia taxa known from single or very few populations, the risk of extinction in the wild from lack of population vigour or from a stochastic disturbance event remains very high. This is particularly so for taxa that are unreserved. In order to reduce this risk it will be necessary to establish new populations at other sites.

Techniques are currently being developed at KPBG that are expected to greatly improve the probabilities of success of plant transfer into new areas (K. Dixon, KPBG, pers. comm.). It is intended that these techniques will be further

developed as part of the current recovery plan. The aim of recovery will be to develop at least one additional self- maintaining population of each endangered Caladenia taxon in at least one protected reserve area.

8.1	Assess habitat preferences and select introduction sites

There are good quality habitat data available for several taxa but more detailed habitat information will be collected for other taxa from present and known former sites to define habitat preferences for each taxon. Data to be collected will include associated species, vegetation structure, geology and soils, rainfall and disturbance history.

The selection of suitable sites for introduction will need to consider a range of variables including site size, habitat, threats, management, land tenure and security. Where applicable, a range of introduction sites will be selected across the former range of the taxon to enable maintenance of regional genetic diversity pending the results of Action 6.2. 1:
100 000 Ecological Vegetation Class mapping (NRE in prep.) exists for the majority of sites containing populations of the twelve threatened Caladenia in Victoria as does floristic vegetation mapping of South east South Australia (Croft et al. 1999). These sources will be used to identify potential habitat and re-introduction sites.

Funds are required in years 2 and 3 of recovery to cover the salary and associated field/travel costs (eg. vehicle hire, travel allowance, consumables) of a project officer to collect and collate key data for the selection of introduction sites for each endangered Caladenia taxon. Land management agencies will cover the cost of staff involved with the selection of appropriate sites within reserves while state departmental staff will assist with the collection and collation of regional datasets such as disturbance histories.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 8.1	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV		
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV, EH	
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV		
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV, EH	
NRE – PFF, PV, EH	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$5,590	$5,590	$0	$0	$11,180	

8.2	Prepare reintroduction plans and establish plants at sites

A reintroduction plan will be prepared for each endangered Caladenia taxon, detailing any preparation of cultivated plants prior to reintroduction, methods of reintroduction (including using seed, tubers, seedlings or mature plants), timing, numbers of plants, experimental design, permanent marking grids and photo-points, monitoring techniques and frequency and other information as required.

Plants will be introduced to re-introduction sites following the guidelines set out in the reintroduction plans. The action requires the successful integration of horticultural and ecological experience, and will be undertaken by a specialist contractor, under contract to NRE. The contractor will be required to fully consult with all relevant land management agencies (eg. Parks Victoria) and interest groups.

Funding will be sought for years 4 and 5 of recovery to cover the costs of appointing a contractor to prepare reintroduction plans for all endangered taxa and to oversee the establishment of new populations, including site protection works such as weed control, pest animal control and/or fencing. Some funding will also be required in years
2 and 3 to implement re-introduction of taxa that are ahead of this general schedule (eg. C. amoena). Relevant land management agencies and regional threatened Caladenia community groups will be involved in the site preparation, planting, future monitoring and management of sites as detailed in the introduction plans.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 8.2	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	
X	
X		
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV, EH		
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV, EH	
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV		
NRE – PFF, PV	
NRE – PFF, PV, EH	
NRE – PFF, PV, EH	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total

Total	$0	$9,000	$9,000	$10,290	$10,290	$38,580

Action 9	Develop a public education/community extension program

By necessity, the recovery of threatened Caladenia taxa in southeast Australia in the short-term will rely heavily on input from expert botanists, ecologists and horticulturists. However, the responsibility for long-term survival of these taxa will ultimately rest with members of the community. Failure to educate the public about orchid conservation or a lack of public enthusiasm for orchid conservation will almost certainly result in the extinction of a number of currently threatened taxa.

Conversely, involving the community in key stages of the recovery process will dramatically increase the chances of survival of these taxa in the wild. A number of community groups are already involved with the recovery of threatened Caladenia taxa in Victoria (see Table 9) but greater awareness in the wider community will need to be fostered through the production and delivery of threatened orchid public education and community extension programs that focus on threatened Caladenia taxa.

9.1	Prepare educational material and undertake community extension

A range of promotional and educational material on threatened Caladenia taxa will be made available for public consumption. These materials will include printed information such as colour pamphlets, posters and information sheets and electronic information on state department web pages. These media will be used to provide information on rare  and  threatened  orchids  of  southeast  Australia,  with  a  focus  on  threatened  Caladenia  species.  Colour photographs, distribution maps and key identification features will be included.

Individuals will be encouraged to report sightings of threatened Caladenia taxa to local state agency personnel for verification. Information on where to access further information or how to make contact with interest groups and regional recovery teams (see Action 10.1) will also be provided. Educational material will also be used as part of on- going community extension work conducted by state government departments and to generate regional media interest as a way of promoting orchid conservation and raising public awareness in regional areas. Public education and community extension projects will endeavour to build on existing activities already being conducted in regional areas by other organisations.

It is intended to run a pilot program in southeast South Australia/southwest Victoria in the first three years of recovery. This will involve a number of organisations including field naturalists clubs, Catchment Management Authorities, Trust for Nature (Victoria), orchid groups, NRE and EH and will build on an existing landowner/community threatened orchid network project being conducted in southeast South Australia and managed by EH. The success of this pilot program will determine whether similar projects are attempted in the other regions in subsequent years of recovery.

Funds are sought in the first three years of recovery to cover the salary and associated field costs (eg. vehicle hire, travel allowance, consumables) of a regionally-based (eg. Hamilton) project officer to coordinate and undertake the threatened orchid education program in south west Victoria and south east South Australia. Funds are also sought in years 1 and 2 of recovery to cover the cost of designing and producing a range of promotional and educational materials  including  a  colour  poster  and  pocket  identification guide  of  threatened orchids  of  south  east  South Australia/south west Victoria. If considered successful, further funding will be sought in subsequent years for other areas of southeast Australia.

NRE or the Glenelg-Hopkins CMA will provide office space and computer/telecommunications facilities for the regional project officer and both NRE/EH will cover the cost of developing electronic information on department web pages and implementing on-going community extension programs.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 9.1		
X	
x		
X	
X			
X		
X	
X	

Responsibility		
NRE – PFF, local groups
– see above	
NRE – PFF, local groups
– see above		
NRE – PFF, local groups
– see above	
NRE – PFF, local groups
– see above			
NRE – PFF, local groups
– see above		
NRE – PFF, local groups
– see above	
NRE – PFF, local groups
– see above	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$42,100	$42,100	$0	$0	$0	$84,200	

Action 10	Manage Recovery Plan implementation

Recovery of most of the threatened Caladenia taxa of southeast Australia will likely be a complex, difficult operation involving a high degree of uncertainty. Many different disciplines will be required for effective implementation of the Recovery Plan. Recovery program planning and management needs to be addressed to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the recovery program, through communication and coordination amongst all participants. This will be particularly important when dealing with such a large number of taxa spread over a wide geographic range and across state boundaries.

10.1	Expand the Threatened Orchid Recovery Team (TORT)

NRE formed the Threatened Orchid Recovery Team in 1999 to oversee orchid recovery in Victoria. This group is made up of various NRE representatives, botanists, orchid taxonomists, horticulturists and land management agency representatives, each with an active role in threatened orchid conservation and management in Victoria.

The TORT will be expanded to include representatives of EH, NSW NPWS and other regional organisations involved with the recovery of threatened orchids in southeast Australia. The Recovery Team will coordinate and maintain day to day operational implementation of the Recovery Plan, and develop targets and performance measures for actions under the Plan. Interstate consultation and site visits will be required in the first year of implementation, followed by one consultative Recovery Team meeting and one telephone conference meeting in subsequent years. Government agencies will be responsible for covering their own costs of participation in the recovery team.

Funding will be sought in years 1-5 of recovery to cover the cost of travel for community representatives attending
Threatened Orchid Recovery Team meetings.

C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 10.1	
X	
X	
x	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
The Threatened Orchid Recovery Team will have a rotating chair and will include representatives of a number of stakeholder groups.	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$4,810	$2,900	$2,900	$2,900	$2,900	$16,410	

10.2	Establish a regional recovery team for each taxon

Regional threatened Caladenia recovery teams will be established for each taxon. These teams will be facilitated by NRE/EH  and  include  representatives  of  land  management  agencies,  private  landholders,  local  government, catchment management authorities, field naturalists clubs, NOGN, ANOS and other interested parties.

Teams already in existence for particular taxa will continue to be encouraged and supported by involvement in key recovery actions as set out in this plan. These groups will also be encouraged to take on the recovery of additional taxa that may occur in their geographic area. New groups will be established by approaches through existing regional natural history clubs and associations and through contact with the public via Action 9.1. Regional recovery teams may be responsible for one taxon in a particular area, one taxon across its range or a number of taxa within a particular area. The aim of recovery will be to ensure that each taxon has a regional recovery team that has delegated custodial and on-ground action responsibilities.

Links between regional recovery teams will be conducted through the Threatened Orchid Recovery Team (TORT – see Action 10.1) managed by NRE. These links will enable more efficient flow of information between and within groups and key regional recovery team members will be invited to join TORT. Recovery team members will be trained in the various aspects of threatened Caladenia conservation and recovery.

NW, PV, BFNC,

SW, EH

SW, PV, PA,

NW, PV,

NW, PV, EH,

NW, SFNC

NW, BFNC,

Funds are required in years 1-5 of recovery to cover travel costs of community group members attending key recovery actions and regional recovery team meetings. Community group members will provide their labour ‘in kind’ as their contribution to threatened Caladenia recovery. NRE will facilitate the establishment of new groups in Victoria and South Australia with the assistance of EH.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 10.2	
X	
X	
x	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF/ PP, PV	
NRE – PFF/

SFNC	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/ PP, PV	
NRE – PFF/

WGAC	
NRE – PFF/

UMILFR, FOKR	
NRE – PFF/ PP, Shire, FOBCCR	
NRE – PFF/ PP	
NRE – PFF/

FOKR	
NRE – PFF/ PP, Shire, FOMERP	
NRE – PFF/	
NRE – PFF/

COM	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$6,140	$6,140	$6,140	$6,140	$6,140	$30,700	

10.3	Prepare and review the Victorian FFG Action Statements for various threatened Caladenia taxa

An Action Statement under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 exists for C. audasii while a number of draft action statements are in preparation for some other taxa (C. amoena, C. hastata, C. robinsonii, C. rosella and C. thysanochila). The remaining six taxa have no first draft Action Statement prepared.

Information and actions under the national recovery plan will be collated for inclusion in a generic Action Statement for threatened Victorian Caladenia taxa. This Action Statement will be an abbreviated version of the Recovery Plan and will fill a need for public information on the various taxa and recovery actions.  The costs of preparing and publishing the Action Statement will be met by NRE.

	
C. amoena	
C. audasii	
C. formosa	
C. fragrantissima
ssp. orientalis	
C. hastata	
C. lowanensis	
C. robinsonii	
C. rosella	
C. tensa	
C. thysanochila	
C. versicolor	
C. xanthochila	

Action 10.3	
X	
X	
x	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	
X	

Responsibility	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	
NRE – PFF	

Source	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total	
Total	$0	$0	$5,000	$0	$0	$5,000	

11  Bibliography

Backhouse, G., Bramwells, H., Musker, R., Walker, G. and Lester, K. (1999a). Draft Recovery Plan for the Frankston Spider-orchid, Caladenia robinsonii G.W. Carr, 1999-2003. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

Backhouse, G.N., Beardsell, C., Tonkinson, D. and French, G. (1999b). Draft Recovery Plan for the Charming Spider-orchid, Caladenia amoena (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) 1998-2002. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.
Backhouse, G.N. and Jeanes, J.A. (1995).  The Orchids of Victoria. The Meigunyah Press, Melbourne. Beardsell, C.M. and Muir, A.M. (1992). A recovery plan for Rosella Spider-orchid (Caladenia rosella G.W. Carr).
Unpublished report to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Canberra.

Bedward, M., Pressey, R.L. and Keith, D. (1992). A new approach for selecting fully representative networks: addressing efficiency, reserve design and land suitability with an iterative analysis. Biological Conservation 62: 115-125.

Berwick, S., Moorrees, A. and Backhouse, G. (1999). Draft Recovery Plan for Audas’ Spider-orchid Caladenia audasii (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) 1998-2002. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

Bevill, R.L., Louda, S.M. and Stanforth, L.M. (1999). Protection from natural enemies in managing rare plant species. Conservation Biology 13(6): 1323-1331.

Bower, C.C. (1996). Determination of the pollinators of sexually deceptive orchids in the subtribe Caladeniinae.
Unpublished report to the Australian Orchid Foundation, NSW.

Briggs, J.D and Leigh, J.H. (1995).	Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. 1995 Revised edition. CSIRO Publications, Melbourne.

Carr, G.W. (1988). Portland Aluminium Smelter Environmental Design Report No. 4: Mellblom’s Spider-orchid
Conservation. Part A: Status and Conservation. Kinhill Planners, Melbourne.

Carr, G.W. (1991).  New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from southeast Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1, Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Carr, G.W. (1999). Mellblom’s Spider-orchid. Nature Australia 26(4): 18-19.

Carr,  G.W.,  Temby,  I.D.,  Muir,  A.M.  and  McMahon,  A.R.G.  (1993).  Flora,  fauna  and  management  of Dunmoochin Conservation Area, Shire of Eltham, Victoria. Unpublished report to the Victorian Conservation Trust, Melbourne. Ecology Australia P/L, Melbourne.

Carr, G.W., Yugovic, J.V. and Robinson, K.E. (1992). Environmental weed invasions in Victoria. Conservation and   management   implications.   Department   of   Conservation  and  Environment  and  Ecological Horticulture P/L, Melbourne.

Clements, M.A. (1989). Catalogue of Australian Orchidaceae. Aust. Orch. Res. 1: 1-160.

Clements, M.A. (1993). The status of recently named orchids from southeast Australia. Muelleria 8(1): 69-72. Commonwealth of Australia (1992). Endangered Species Protection Act.
Commonwealth of Australia (1999). An interim bioregionalisation of Australia. Environment Australia, Canberra.

Commonwealth of Australia (2000). West Victoria Regional Forest Agreement Consultation Paper. Prepared by the Joint Commonwealth/Victorian RFA Steering Committee, Barton ACT.

Croft, T., Carruthers, S., Possingham, H. and Inns, B. (1999). Biodiversity Plan for the South East of South
Australia. Department of Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, South Australia.
ECC (in prep.). ECC Box Ironbark Investigation Draft Report. Environment Conservation Council, Melbourne. Gill, A.M., Groves, R.H. and Noble, I.R. (1981). Fire and the Australian biota. Australian Academy of Science,
Canberra.

Gill, A.M. (in press). Biodiversity and Bushfires: An Australia-wide perspective on plant-species changes after fire. Environment Australia, Canberra.

Gordes, C and Gordes, F. (1994). Save the Bush Management Plan for Frankston Spider-orchid (Caladenia robinsonii) and Widdop Reserve, Frankston. Unpublished report to the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

Harden, G.J. (1993). Flora of New South Wales. Volume 4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.

Hill, J., Carr, G., Pritchard, A., Govanstone, A. and Backhouse, G. (1999).Draft Recovery Plan for Mellblom’s Spider-orchid Caladenia hastata (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) 1998-2002. Portland Aluminium and Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

Hopkins, A.J.M. and Saunders, D.A. (1987). Ecological studies as the basis for management. In: Nature Conservation: The role of remnants of native vegetation. (eds. D.A. Saunders, G.W. Arnold, A.A. Burbidge and A.J.M. Hopkins) pp. 15-28. Surrey Beatty and Sons, Chipping Norton, NSW.

Hutchings,  M.J.  (1987).  The  population  biology  of  the  early  spider  orchid,  Ophyris  sphegodes  Mill.  I.  A
demographic study from 1975 to 1984. Journal of Ecology 75: 711-727.
Jessop, J.P. and Toelken, H.R. (1986). Flora of South Australia. Part IV Alismataceae – Orchidaceae. 4th
Edition. South Australian Government Printer, Adelaide. Jones, D.L. (1988). Native Orchids of Australia. Reed, Melbourne.
Jones, D.L. (1991). New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae. Australian Orchid Research 2: 1-207. Jones, D.L. (1994). New species of Orchidaceae from southeast Australia. Muelleria 8(2): 177-92. Jones, D.L. (1999). Eight new species of Caladenia from Eastern Australia. The Orchadian 13(1): 5-24.
Kindlemann, P. and Balounova, Z. (1999). Flowering regimes of terrestrial orchids: unpredictability or regularity?
Journal of Vegetation Science 10: 269-273.

LCC (1993). Melbourne Area, District 2 Review. Proposed Recommendations. Land Conservation Council, Melbourne.

Light, M.H.S. and MacConaill, M. (1994). Climate correlations with patterns of appearance of Epipactis helleborine  (L.)  Crantz.  Eurorchis  92.  Proceedings  of  the  International  Symposium  on  European Orchids (eds. P. Brederoo and D.W. Kapteyn den Boumeester). Stichting Uitgeverij Koninkliijke Nederlandse Natuuhistorische Vereniging in cooperation with the Stichting Europese orchideen van de KNNV. Utecht/Haalem, February 1994.

Noble, I.R. and Slatyer, R.O. (1980). The use of vital attributes to predict successional changes in plant communities subject to recurrent disturbances. Vegetatio 43: 5-21.

NRE (1996). Little Desert National Park Management Plan. National Parks Service. Department of Natural
Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

NRE (1999). Interim guidelines and procedures for ecological burning on public land in Victoria. Fire Ecology
Working Group. Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Parks Victoria, Melbourne.

NRE  (in  prep.).  A  typology  of  vegetation  in  Victoria:  Towards  a  census  of  Victorian  plant  communities.
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

Parks Victoria (1996). Discovery Bay Parks Draft Management Plan. Parks Victoria, Melbourne.

Peakall, R. and Beattie, A.J. (1996). Ecological and genetic consequences of pollination by sexual deception in the orchid Caladenia tentaculata. Evolution 50(6): 2207-2220.

Pressey, R.L., Ferrier, S., Hutchinson, C.D., Siverston, D.P. and Manion, G. (1995). Planning for negotiation: using an interactive geographic information system to explore alternative protected area networks. In: Nature Conservation 4: the role of networks. D.A. Saunders, J.L. Craig and E.M. Matiske (eds.). Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, NSW.

Purdie, R.W. (1977). Early stages in regeneration after burning in dry sclerophyll vegetation. 1: Regeneration of understorey of vegetative means. Aust. J. Botany. 25(1): 21-34.

Tolhurst, K.G. (1999). Towards the implementation of ecologically based fire regimes in the Grampians National Park. In: Management of Fire for the Conservation of Biodiversity – Workshop Proceedings. G.R. Friend, M. Leonard, A. Maclean and I. Sieler (eds.). pp 30-38. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

VicRFASC (1999). West Victoria Comprehensive Regional Assessment. Volume 2. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra and the Victorian Regional Forest Agreement Steering Committee, Melbourne.

Walsh, N.G. and Entwisle, T.J. (1994).  Flora of Victoria Vol 2. Inkata, Melbourne.

Walter, K.S. and Gillet, H.J. (eds.) (1998). 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Warcup, J.H. (1981). The mycorrhizal relationships of Australian orchids. New Phytology 87: 371-381.

Wark, M.C. (1996). Regeneration of heath and heathy woodland in the north-eastern Otway Ranges three to ten years after wildfire of February 1983. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 108(2): 121-142.

12  Glossary

bioregion	Biogeographic regions that capture the patterns of ecological characteristics in the landscape
box	Group of eucalypts with persistent, short-fibred, tessellated bark community	Vegetation – an assemblage of plant species or life-forms that occur
commonly together in the wild

dicot	Dicotyledon – group of plants that produce two seed leaves when they germinate (does not include orchids, lilies, grasses, sedges and rushes) – see monocot

Ecological Vegetation Class	A vegetation classification unit based on similarities in plant life-form, environmental conditions, reproductive biology and landform – widely used in Victoria as part of the Regional Forest Agreement process

ex-situ	Refers to activities conducted in a laboratory, glasshouse or other “non- natural” area - see in-situ

herb	A plant with fleshy (not woody) stems – applied usually to dicots (non- grasses, rushes, sedges)

heathland	Dense, often low-growing, shrubby vegetation dominated by tough, wiry- stemmed, small-leaved (often prickly) plants

heathy woodland	Woodland dominated by trees with usually short, crooked and/or spreading trunks and a groundcover of mostly heathland plants

herbivore	A grass (herb) eating animal

in-situ	Refers to activities undertaken in the wild - see ex-situ

ironbark	Type of eucalypt with persistent, deeply fissured bark

monocot	Monocotyledon – Group of plants that produce one seed leaf when they germinate (includes orchids) – see dicot

mycorrhiza	A root modified by its association with a symbiotic fungus; or the relationship between the root and the fungus

pseudocopulation	The mechanism employed when a flower mimics a female insect in order to be pollinated by the male insect attempting copulation with the flower

taxon	(pl. taxa) Term used to describe any taxonomic group (eg. species, sub- species, variety etc.)

tuber	Thickened underground storage organ

13  Implementation Schedule

Task   Description	Priorit y

Feasibility   Responsi bility

Cost estimate

Conservation status

%	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total

1.1	Verify/identify populations	1	100%	NRE	$20,170	$18,670	$0	$0	$0	$38,840
2	Protect habitat

2.1	Determine key populations

2	100%	NRE	$0	$750	$0	$0	$0	$750

2.2	Reserve public land	2	80%	NRE	$0	$4,790	$3,750	$0	$0	$8,540
2.3	Protect private land	2	25%	NRE	$0	$14,690	$11,650	$0	$0	$26,340
3	Protect populations
3.1	Control weeds	1	80%	NRE	$22,060	$16,200	$14,700	$14,700	$14,700	$83,360
3.2	Control pest animals	1	80%	NRE	$4,960	$3,250	$2,250	$2,250	$2,250	$14,960
3.3	Fire management	1	75%	NRE	$5,470	$5,470	$4,000	$9,250	$9,250	$33,440
3.4	Cinnamon Fungus control	2	90%	NRE	$350	$350	$350	$350	$350	$1,750
4	Fine-scale management
4.1	Hand pollinate	1	100%	NRE	$4,810	$3,010	$4,130	$4,130	$4,130	$20,210
4.2	Harvest and store seed	1	100%	NRE	$5,400	$6,600	$6,600	$6,600	$6,600	$31,800
4.3	Manage microhabitat	2	75%	NRE	$6,420	$8,220	$6,850	$6,850	$6,850	$35,190
5	Population monitoring
5.1	Annual censusing	1	100%	NRE	$33,360	$36,810	$36,810	$22,850	$22,850	$152,680
6	Biology, ecology
6.1	Pollination	3	70%	NRE	$0	$8,500	$8,500	$0	$0	$17,000
6.2	Genetics	2	70%	NRE	$0	$26,215	$26,215	$0	$0	$52,430
6.3	Germination	3	50%	NRE	$0	$11,500	$11,500	$0	$0	$23,000
7	Cultivation
7.1	Mycorrhizal Fungus	2	75%	NRE	$1,000	$13,500	$12,500	$0	$0	$27,000

7.2	Propagation and cultivation

2	75%	NRE	$0	$9,000	$9,000	$9,000	$0	$27,000

7.3	Database	3	100%	NOGN	$0	$0	$1,200	$1,200	$1,200	$3,600
8	Reintroduction
8.1	Select sites	2	80%	NRE	$0	$5,590	$5,590	$0	$0	$11,180
8.2	Introduction plan	2	100%	NRE	$0	$9,000	$9,000	$10,290	$10,290	$38,580
9	Education
9.1	Community education	3	90%	NRE	$42,100	$42,100	$0	$0	$0	$84,200
10	Recovery management
10.1    TORT	2	90%	NRE	$4,810	$2,900	$2,900	$2,900	$2,900	$16,410
10.2    Regional recovery teams	2	90%	NRE	$6,140	$6,140	$6,140	$6,140	$6,140	$30,700
10.3    Action Statements	3	100%	NRE	$0	$0	$5,000	$0	$0	$5,000

Grand
Totals

$157,050    $257,505    $188,635	$96,510	$87,510	$787,210

Appendix 1

Relationship between Specific Objectives, Progress Criteria and Actions for the recovery of twelve threatened
Caladenia taxa of Victoria and South Australia.

Specific Objectives (short-term)		Progress Criteria	Actions	
Ensure that all existing populations are protected	→	A.  Determination of the conservation status of taxa in the wild	1.1	Verify and identify populations	
	→	B.  Establishment of Protected
Area Network	2.1
2.2
2.3	Determine key populations
Reserve key public land populations
Protect key private land sites	
Increase  the  numbers  of  plants  of each taxon in the wild	→	C.  Decrease in threats to populations	3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4	Control weeds Control animal pests Fire management
Control Cinnamon Fungus	

Establish	endangered	taxa	in cultivation	
→

→

→	
D.   Increase in abundance of each population

E.	Identification of key components of biology and ecology

F. Development of successful propagation techniques and establishment of plants in cultivation	
4.1
4.2
4.3
5.1

6.1
6.2
6.3

7.1
7.2
7.3	
Hand pollinate
Harvest and store seed Manage microhabitat Conduct annual censusing

Pollinator, pollination
Genetics
Seed germination, seedling establishment

Isolate and culture mycorrhizal fungus
Establish seedlings
Maintain database	

Increase the number of populations in the wild

Raise  public  awareness  and  foster community involvement

All of the above	
→

→

→	
G.		Establishment of at least one population	of	each endangered taxon in a secure area in the wild

H.	Increased	community involvement in pivotal aspects of recovery

A-H Manage recovery program	
8.1
8.2

9.1

10.1
10.2
10.3	
Select introduction sites
Prepare re-introduction plans and establish plants

Education, extension

Regional recovery teams
Expand TORT Action Statement	

Appendix 2:  Summary of recovery actions for twelve threatened Caladenia taxa of
Victoria and South Australia

Charming Spider-orchid Caladenia amoena
Conservation status:	Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Plenty, Wattle Glen - north east of Melbourne – Victorian Midlands Bioregion
Current abundance:	Approximately 45 plants in the wild
Habitat:	Box-Ironbark Forest; Grassy Dry Forest (sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Unreserved
Management:	Parks Victoria, private landowner
Recovery objectives:	Protection  and  fine-scale  management  of  populations  and  ex  situ  cultivation/re- introduction of plants
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Control of annual and perennial exotic grasses at Plenty
• 	Fencing of populations at Plenty to control grazing
• 	Caging of plants at Wattle Glen to control pests and predators
• 	Control of visitor access to Plenty site
• 	Hand pollination of plants at both sites
• 	Collection and storage of capsules (seed) at KPBG, Perth, WA
• 	Fine-scale habitat management at both sites – leaf litter scattering etc.
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Production of information brochure
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and survey potential habitat in the Plenty Valley for other populations
2.2	Reserve populations on public land at Plenty under appropriate state legislation
2.3	Protect populations on private land at Wattle Glen through appropriate land management agreements
3.1	Control high-priority weed species at known sites (eg. Perennial Veldt-grass, annual grasses)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators through fencing and/or caging of populations or habitat
4.1	Hand pollinate plants annually
4.2	Harvest and store seed annually
4.3	Manage micro-habitat using litter scattering and seed-bed preparation techniques
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels of both populations
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation and maintain a number of plants ex situ
7.3	Maintain a database of cultivated plants
8.1	Select introduction sites in the Plenty Valley
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and introduce plants to at least one reserved site in the Plenty Valley
10.2   Support and maintain Charming Spider-orchid Recovery Team made up of NRE – PFF, NRE – PP, PV, private landholders and one expert botanist
10.3   Prepare and review the Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. amoena
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, PP; Parks Victoria
Bibliography:
Backhouse, G.N., Beardsell, C., Tonkinson, D. and French, G. (1999). Draft Recovery Plan for the Charming Spider-orchid Caladenia amoena (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) 1998-2002. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Audas’ Spider-orchid Caladenia audasii

Conservation status:	Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Bendigo, Deep Lead & Kingower – Victorian Midlands Bioregion
Current abundance:	Five plants in the wild
Habitat:	Box-Ironbark Forest; Grassy Dry Forest (sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Reserved at Bendigo (One Tree Hill Regional Park)
Management:	Parks Victoria, Kingower Cemetery Committee of Management, NRE - Forests
Recovery objectives:	Protection  and  fine-scale  management  of  populations  and  ex  situ  cultivation/re- introduction of plants
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Caging of plants at Bendigo and Kingower
• 	Weed control at Bendigo and Kingower
• 	Hand pollination of plants at all sites
• 	Collection and storage of capsules (seed) at KPBG, Perth, WA
• 	Fine-scale habitat management at all sites – leaf litter scattering, summer watering etc.
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Survey of likely habitat in all areas
• 	Establishment of regional recovery team
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Further identify and survey potential habitat in the Victorian Midlands Bioregion for other populations
2.1	Reserve populations on public land at Kingower (PAMA) and Stawell (Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978
3.1	Control high-priority weed species at all sites (eg. annual grasses, Freesia sp.)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at Bendigo through re-designed caging of populations
4.1	Hand pollinate plants annually
4.2	Harvest seed from cross-pollinated plants and store seed annually
4.3	Manage micro-habitat using litter scattering and seed-bed preparation techniques
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator (low probability – see Implementation Schedule)
6.2	Determine genetic relationship of three populations
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation and maintain a number of plants ex situ
7.3	Maintain a database of cultivated plants
8.1	Select introduction sites dependent on findings from 6.2 above.
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and introduce plants to at least one reserved site in the Victorian Midlands
9.1	Prepare education material and undertake community extension
10.2   Maintain and support the Audas’ Spider-orchid Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – NW, NRE – SW, PV
10.3   Review the Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. audasii
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, NW, Forests; Parks Victoria; C. audasii
Recovery Team; Bendigo Field Naturalists Club; Stawell Field Naturalists Club
Bibliography:
Berwick, S., Moorrees, A. and Backhouse, G. (1999). Draft Recovery Plan for Audas’ Spider-orchid Caladenia audasii (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) 1998-2002. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.
Venn,  D.R.  (1992).  Action  Statement  No.  24  –  Audas’  Spider-orchid Caladenia  audasii.  Department  of
Conservation and Environment, Melbourne.

Elegant Spider-orchid Caladenia formosa
Conservation status:	Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	SW Victoria/SE South Australia – Naracoorte Plain Bioregion
Current abundance:	1000’s of plants in Victoria; <100 plants in South Australia
Habitat:	Damp  Sands  Herb-rich  Woodland;  Shallow  Sand  Woodland,  Plains  Sedgy
Woodland (sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Unreserved in Victoria (proposed for protection within Special Protection Zones under the West Victorian RFA – Commonwealth of Australia 2000); Reserved in South Australia at Mt Monster and Mt Scott CP’s
Management:	NRE – Forests (Meereek, Beear State Forests), EH
Recovery objectives:	Reservation, protection and broad-scale habitat management
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Preliminary surveys of potential habitat in Victoria
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify  and  survey  potential  habitat  in  the  Naracoorte  Plain  Bioregion  for  new  populations  and accurately determine plant numbers within known populations
2.1	Identify key populations in Victoria and South Australia
2.3	Protect populations on public land in south west Victoria through appropriate legislation or planning mechanisms
2.4	Protect identified populations on private land in Victoria and South Australia through appropriate land management agreements
3.1	Identify high-priority weed species for control at all sites and control through use of broad-scale habitat management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at all sites and investigate grazing impacts by macropods and rabbits at sites south of Edenhope
3.3	Collect Vital Attribute Data following planned fires to determine appropriate fire regimes for C. formosa
habitat and prepare a fire management plan for key populations
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
6.2	Determine genetic relationship of Victorian and South Australian populations
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
9.1	Prepare education material and undertake community extension
10.1   Establish a regional C. formosa recovery team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – SW, NRE - Forests, EH, Hamilton & Casterton Field Naturalists Clubs
10.2   Prepare Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. formosa
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department  of  Natural  Resources  and  Environment, Victoria  –  PFF,  NW,  SW,  Forests;  Parks  Victoria; Department of Environment and Heritage, South Australia
Bibliography:
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Eastern Spider-orchid Caladenia fragrantissima ssp. orientalis

Conservation status:	Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Wonthaggi (SE Victoria) – South East Coastal Plain Bioregion
Current abundance:	<100 plants in the wild
Habitat:	Coastal Heathland; Heathy Woodland (sensu NRE, in prep.) Reservation status:	Unreserved (occurs on unreserved crown land at Wonthaggi) Management:	Parks Victoria, Shire of South Gippsland, private land holders
Recovery objectives:	Reservation, protection, broad-scale habitat management and  fine-scale habitat management if required
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Population identification
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and survey potential habitat in the South East Coastal Plain Bioregion for new populations and accurately determine plant numbers within known populations
2.1	Identify key populations
2.3	Reserve populations on public land at Wonthaggi (under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 ) and
Walkerville (PAMA under Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988)
2.4	Protect populations on private land at Cape Paterson under appropriate land management agreements
3.1	Control  high-priority  weed  species  at  all  sites  through  use  of  broad-scale  habitat  management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species (eg. Coast Tea-tree, Coast Wattle, Maritime Pine)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at all sites and investigate grazing impacts by macropods and rabbits at Wonthaggi after fire
3.3	Collect  Vital  Attribute  Data  following  planned  fires  to  determine  appropriate  fire  regimes  for  C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis habitat and prepare a fire management plan for key populations
3.4	Monitor sites for the presence of Cinnamon Fungus
4.1	Hand-pollinate plants where necessary
4.2	Harvest and store seeds
5.2	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation
7.3	Maintain a database on cultivated plants
8.1	Assess potential habitat and select introduction sites
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and establish C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis in at least one reserve
10.2   Establish a regional C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – PP, PV, FOWH
10.3   Prepare Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. fragrantissima ssp. orientalis
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, PP; Parks Victoria; Friends of
Wonthaggi Heathlands
Bibliography:
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Mellblom’s Spider-orchid Caladenia hastata

Conservation status:	Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	SW Victoria, near Portland – Naracoorte Plain Bioregion
Current abundance:	20 plants in the wild
Habitat:	Heathy  Woodland; Damp  Heathy  Woodland; Damp  Heathland (sensu  NRE,  in prep.)
Reservation status:	Reserved (Point Danger Coastal Reserve; Discovery Bay Coastal Reserve) Management:	Parks Victoria, Point Danger Coastal Reserve Committee of Management Recovery objectives:	Site and plant protection, broad-scale and fine-scale habitat management Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Population monitoring at both sites
• 	Habitat monitoring at Point Danger
• 	Caging of plants at both sites
• 	Biomass removal/weed control using mechanical techniques and fire
• 	Hand-pollination of plants
• 	Conduction of seed establishment trials at both sites
• 	Description of habitat (in part)
• 	Searching of potential habitat for new populations
• 	Ecological burning of suitable habitat to promote flowering of C. hastata
• 	Search of burn sites for plants
• 	Identification of the mycorrhizal fungal associate
• 	Establishment of a regional recovery team
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and further survey potential habitat in the Naracoorte Plain Bioregion for other populations
3.1	Control  high-priority  weed  species  at  all  sites  through  use  of  broad-scale  habitat  management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species (eg. Boneseed, Coast Wattle)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at all sites using cages
3.3	Collect Vital Attribute Data following planned fires to determine appropriate fire regimes for C.hastata
habitat and prepare a fire management plan for Point Danger
3.4	Monitor sites for the presence of Cinnamon Fungus
4.1	Hand-pollinate plants
4.2	Harvest and store seeds
4.3	Implement fine-scale microhabitat management such as scattering leaf litter, seed-bed preparation, maintenance of open space around plants, watering during dry spring periods and scattering of seeds near parent plants in late summer
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation
7.3	Maintain a database on cultivated plants
8.1	Assess habitat and select introduction sites
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and establish at least one population of C. hastata in the wild
9.1	Prepare educational material and undertake community extension
10.2   Maintain and support the Mellblom’s Spider-orchid Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – SW, PV, PA and one expert botanist
10.3   Review Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. hastata
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, SW; Portland Aluminium; Parks
Victoria; Point Danger Coastal Reserve Committee of Management; C. hastata Recovery Team
Bibliography:
Hill, J., Carr, G., Pritchard, A., Govanstone, A. and Backhouse, G. (1999). Draft Recovery Plan for Mellblom’s Spider-orchid Caladenia hastata (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) 1998-2002. Portland Aluminium and Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.
Carr, G.W. (1980). Alcoa Portland Aluminium Smelter Environmental Design Report No. 4: Mellblom’s Spider- orchid Conservation. Part A: Status and conservation. Kinhill Planners, Melbourne.

Carr, G.W. (1988). Portland Aluminium Smelter Environmental Design Report No. 4: Mellblom’s Spider-orchid
Conservation. Parts B and C: Programme 1980 – mid 1988. Kinhill Planners, Melbourne.

Wimmera Spider-orchid Caladenia lowanensis

Conservation status:	Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Kiata & Glenlee, Western Victoria – Murray Darling Depression Bioregion
Current abundance:	240 plants at three sites
Habitat:	Cypress-pine/Box Woodland
Reservation status:	Reserved at Kiata Flora Reserve and Glenlee Flora and Fauna Reserve
Management:	Parks Victoria, private land holder
Recovery objectives:	Protection of plants and broad-scale habitat management (fine-scale management where necessary)
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Hand pollination
• 	Capsule (seed) collection
• 	Preliminary surveys of potential habitat
• 	Rabbit control
• 	Woody weed control
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and survey potential habitat in the Murray Darling Depression Bioregion for new populations and accurately determine plant numbers within known populations
2.1	Identify key populations in Victoria and South Australia (if present)
2.3	Protect identified populations on private land through appropriate land management agreements
3.1	Control  high-priority  weed  species  at  all  sites  through  use  of  broad-scale  habitat  management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species (eg. Perennial Veldt Grass, annual grasses)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at Kiata Flora Reserve and Glenlee Flora and Fauna Reserve through rabbit-proof fencing and the use of targeted control of pest species (eg. rabbits)
3.3	Collect Vital Attribute Data following planned fires to determine appropriate fire regimes for C. lowanensis habitat and prepare a fire management plan for key populations
3.4	Prevent disturbance and damage to populations by controlling access to and within Kiata Flora Reserve and Glenlee Flora and Fauna Reserve by appropriate fencing and track closures
4.1	Hand pollinate plants where populations reach critically low numbers
4.2	Harvest and store seed
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the associated mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation
7.3	Maintain a database of C. lowanensis plants in cultivation
8.1	Assess habitat preferences and select introduction sites
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and establish one additional reserved population of C. lowanensis in the wild
9.1	Prepare education material and undertake community extension
10.2   Establish a regional C. lowanensis Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – SW, PV, Friends of
Kiata Flora Reserve, University of Melbourne
10.3   Prepare Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. lowanensis
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of  Natural  Resources and  Environment, Victoria  –  PFF,  NW;  Parks  Victoria;  Gerang
Landcare Group (Friends of Kiata Flora Reserve)
Bibliography:
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Frankston Spider-orchid Caladenia robinsonii

Conservation status:	Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Rosebud, south east of Melbourne – South East Coastal Plain Bioregion
Current abundance:	Approximately 20 plants in the wild
Habitat:	Heathy Woodland, Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland, Heathy Herb-rich Woodland
(sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Unreserved (occurs on land owned and managed by Mornington Peninsula Shire
Council)
Management:	Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
Recovery objectives:	Protection and fine-scale management of populations and ex situ cultivation/re- introduction of plants
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Establishment of permanent orchid-monitoring plot
• 	Fencing of reserve and construction of pedestrian walking paths
• 	Construction of a visitor foot bath and scrub to help reduce the risk of Cinnamon Fungus introduction
• 	Burning of the eastern half of the reserve
• 	Woody and herbaceous weed control
• 	Hand pollination of plants
• 	Collection and storage of capsules (seed) at KPBG, Perth, WA
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Production of a draft Public Authority Management Agreement
• 	Identification and searching of potential habitat both near the current population and known former habitat near Frankston
• 	Establishment of the C. robinsonii Recovery Team
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and further survey potential C. robinsonii habitat on the Mornington Peninsula
2.3	Reserve populations on public land at Rosebud through a Public Authority Management Agreement
(under Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988)
3.1	Control high-priority weed species through broad-scale habitat management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species (eg. Coast Tea-tree, Coast Wattle, Mirror Bush, Perennial Veldt Grass)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators through caging of plants and targeted pest animal control
3.3	Collect Vital Attribute Data to help determine appropriate burning regimes for Betty Clift Reserve and prepare a fire management plan for the area
3.4	Monitor the reserve for the presence of Cinnamon Fungus and implement a quarantine strategy if necessary
4.1	Hand pollinate plants annually
4.2	Harvest and store seed annually
4.3	Manage micro-habitat using litter scattering and seed-bed establishment techniques
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation and maintain a number of plants ex situ
7.3	Maintain a database of cultivated plants
8.1	Assess habitat and select introduction sites
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and establish a new population in at least one reserved site on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay
10.2   Maintain and support the Frankston Spider-orchid Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – PP, MPSC, SPIFFA, FOBCCR
10.3   Prepare and review the Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. robinsonii
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, PP; Parks Victoria; Mornington Peninsula Shire Council; Southern Peninsula Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association; Friends of Betty Clift Conservation Reserve
Bibliography:

Backhouse, G.N., Bramwells, H., Musker, R., Walker, G. and Lester, K. (1999). Draft Recovery Plan for the Frankston Spider-orchid Caladenia robinsonii (Orchidaceae: Caladeniinae) 1999-2003. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Rosella Spider-orchid Caladenia rosella

Conservation status:	Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Cottles Bridge, Research and Christmas Hills, north east of Melbourne and Deep
Lead near Stawell (unconfirmed for several years) – Victorian Midlands Bioregion
Current abundance:	Approximately 130 plants in the wild in four populations Habitat:	Box-Ironbark Forest; Grassy Dry Forest (sensu NRE, in prep.) Reservation status:	Reserved (One Tree Hill BR, covenanted properties)
Recovery objectives:	Protection and fine-scale management of populations and ex situ cultivation/re- introduction of plants
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Control of annual and perennial introduced herbs
• 	Caging of plants at Cottlesbridge to control pests and predators
• 	Hand pollination of plants
• 	Collection and storage of capsules (seed) at KPBG, Perth, WA
• 	Fine-scale habitat management – leaf litter scattering etc.
• 	Population monitoring
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and survey potential habitat for other populations (eg. Deep Lead)
3.1	Control high-priority weed species
3.2	Control animal pests and predators through caging of populations or habitat
4.1	Hand pollinate plants annually
4.2	Harvest and store seed annually
4.3	Manage micro-habitat using litter scattering techniques
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.2	Determine genetic relationship between Cottlesbridge and Deep Lead populations (if latter able to be located)
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation and maintain a number of plants ex situ
7.3	Maintain a database of cultivated plants
8.1	Select introduction sites
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and introduce plants to at least one reserved site in northeast Melbourne
9.2	Establish a regional guardian group made up of NRE – PFF, NRE – PP, TFN, private landholders and one expert botanist
10.2   Prepare and review the Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. rosella
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, PP; Parks Victoria; Trust for Nature
(Victoria); The Dunmoochin Foundation
Bibliography:
Beardsell,  C.M.  and  Muir,  A.M.  (1992).  A  recovery  plan  for  Rosella  Spider-orchid  (Caladenia  rosella).
Unpublished report to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Canberra. Department of
Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Rigid Spider-orchid Caladenia tensa

Conservation status:	Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	SW Victoria/SE South Australia – Murray Darling Depression Bioregion
Current abundance:	1000’s of plants in Victoria; 1000’s of plants in South Australia
Habitat:	Pine/Box Woodland; Sand Mallee; Heathy Woodland (sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Reserved in Victoria (Lt Desert NP, Kiata FR, West Wail FR); Reserved in South
Australia (Cape Gantheaume CP, Billiat CP, Mt Boothby CP)
Management:	Parks Victoria, EH
Recovery objectives:	Taxon distribution/abundance estimates and broad-scale habitat management
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Preliminary surveys of potential habitat in Victoria
• 	Hand pollinating of plants at West Wail in 1994
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and survey potential habitat in the Murray Darling Depression Bioregion for new populations and accurately determine plant numbers within known populations
2.1	Identify key populations in Victoria and South Australia
3.1	Control  high-priority  weed  species  at  key  population  sites  through  use  of  broad-scale  habitat management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species (eg. Perennial Veldt Grass)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at key populations sites using suitably designed fences or targeted pest animal control techniques
3.3	Collect Vital Attribute Data following planned fires to determine appropriate fire regimes for C. tensa habitat and prepare a fire management plan for key populations. Ensure that protection of key populations forms an integral part of park management plans
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
6.2	Determine genetic relationship of Victorian and South Australian populations
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
9.1	Prepare education material and undertake community extension
10.2   Establish a regional Caladenia tensa Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – SW, PV, EH, Friends of Kiata Flora Reserve
10.3   Prepare Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. tensa
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, NW; Parks Victoria; Department of
Environment and Heritage, South Australia
Bibliography:
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Fringed Spider-orchid Caladenia thysanochila

Conservation status:	Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Mount Eliza, south east of Melbourne – South East Coastal Plain Bioregion
Current abundance:	No plants observed in wild since 1996
Habitat:	Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland (sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Unreserved (occurs on land owned and managed by Mornington Peninsula Shire
Council)
Management:	Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
Recovery objectives:	Protection  and  fine-scale  management of  population and  ex  situ  cultivation/re- introduction of plants
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Fencing of site (botanical reference area)
• 	Burning of the botanical reference area
• 	Woody and herbaceous weed control
• 	Hand pollination of plants
• 	Population monitoring
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and further survey potential Caladenia thysanochila habitat on the Mornington Peninsula
2.3	Reserve populations on public land at Mount Eliza through a Public Authority Management Agreement
(under Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988)
3.1	Control high-priority weed species through broad-scale habitat management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species (eg. Sweet Vernal Grass, Yorkshire Fog Grass, Brown-top Bent, Flatweed)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators through caging of plants and targeted pest animal control
3.3	Collect Vital Attribute Data to help determine appropriate burning regimes for Botanical Reference Area within Mount Eliza Regional Park and prepare a fire management plan for the site
4.1	Hand pollinate plants (if they appear)
4.2	Harvest and store seed
4.3	Manage micro-habitat using litter scattering and seed-bed establishment techniques and orchid-sensitive herbaceous weed control techniques
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation and maintain a number of plants ex situ
7.3	Maintain a database of cultivated plants
8.1	Assess habitat and select introduction sites
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and introduce plants to at least one reserved site on the Mornington
Peninsula
10.2   Establish a Caladenia thysanochila Recovery Team (if plants are located) consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – PP, MPSC, FOMERP and one expert botanist
10.3   Prepare and review the Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. thysanochila
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, PP; Mornington Peninsula Shire Council; Friends of Mount Eliza Regional Park
Bibliography:
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Candy Spider-orchid Caladenia versicolor

Conservation status:	Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	SW  Victoria near  Stawell/SE South  Australia –  Naracoorte Plain and  Victorian
Midlands Bioregions
Current abundance:	Several hundred of plants in Victoria; Status of taxon in South Australia is unknown
Habitat:	Plains Sedgy Woodland (sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Unreserved in Victoria (proposed for protection within Special Protection Zones under the West Victorian RFA – Commonwealth of Australia 2000)
Management:	NRE – Forests, Wimmera Mallee Water
Recovery objectives:	Reservation, protection and broad-scale habitat management
Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Preliminary surveys of potential habitat in Victoria
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and survey potential habitat in the Victorian Midlands and Naracoorte Plain Bioregions for new populations and accurately determine plant numbers within known populations
2.1	Identify key populations in Victoria and South Australia
2.2	Reserve populations on public land at Lake Fyans (under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978)
pending the current Native Title Claim over the area.
3.1	Assess  and  control  high-priority  weed  species  at  all  sites  through  use  of  broad-scale  habitat management techniques and targeted control
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at all sites and investigate grazing impacts by macropods and rabbits at Lake Fyans using suitably designed animal exclosures
3.4	Prevent  disturbance  and  damage  to  populations  by  controlling  access  to  public  land  sites  and rationalising vehicle tracks at Lake Fyans Reserve
4.2	Harvest and store seed
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
6.2	Determine genetic relationship of Victorian and South Australian populations (if located)
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation and maintain a number of plants ex situ
7.3	Maintain a database of C. versicolor plants in cultivation
8.1	Assess habitat preferences and select one introduction site
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and establish at least one additional reserved population in the wild
9.1	Prepare education material and undertake community extension
10.2   Establish a regional Caladenia versicolor Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – SW, NRE – Forests, Wimmera Mallee Water, Stawell Field Naturalists Club
10.3   Prepare Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. formosa
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria – PFF, NW, Forests; Wimmera Mallee Water;  Parks  Victoria;  Department  of  Environment  and  Heritage,  South  Australia;  Stawell  Field Naturalists Club
Bibliography:
Carr, G.W. (1991). New taxa in Caladenia R. Br., Chiloglottis R. Br. and Gastrodia R. Br. (Orchidaceae) from south eastern Australia. Miscellaneous Paper No. 1. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.

Yellow-lip Spider-orchid Caladenia xanthochila

Conservation status:	Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Current distribution:	Western Victoria near Murtoa and central Victoria near Kingower/SE South Australia
– Murray Darling Depression Bioregion
Current abundance:	120 plants in Victoria; Status of taxon in South Australia is unknown
Habitat:	Shallow Sand Woodland, Alluvial Terraces Herb-rich Woodland (sensu NRE, in prep.)
Reservation status:	Unreserved in Victoria
Management:	Murtoa Golf Club Committee of Management, NRE - Forests Recovery objectives:	Reservation, protection and broad and fine-scale habitat management Recovery actions undertaken:
• 	Population monitoring
• 	Preliminary surveys of potential habitat in Victoria
• 	2 x collars collected in 1994 for fungal isolation
Recovery actions required:
1.1	Identify and survey potential habitat in the Murray Darling Depression Bioregion for new populations and accurately determine plant numbers within known populations
2.1	Identify key populations in Victoria and South Australia
2.2	Reserve populations on public land in southeast Victoria under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978
2.3	Adequately protect populations on private land through appropriate land management agreements
3.1	Control  high-priority  weed  species  at  all  sites  through  use  of  broad-scale  habitat  management techniques and targeted control of high-risk species (eg. annual grasses, indigenous shrubs)
3.2	Control animal pests and predators at all sites using suitably designed animal exclosures and targeted pest animal control techniques
3.3	Collect Vital Attribute Data from habitat containing C. xanthochila populations to determine appropriate fire regimes and from this develop a fire management strategy for key populations
4.1	Hand pollinate plants when necessary
4.2	Harvest and store seed
5.1	Conduct annual censusing of populations
6.1	Identify pollinator and determine natural pollination levels
6.2	Determine genetic relationship of Victorian and South Australian populations (if latter is able to be located)
6.3	Investigate seed viability, germination and seedling establishment
7.1	Isolate and culture the mycorrhizal fungus
7.2	Establish seedlings in cultivation and maintain a number of plants ex situ
7.3	Maintain a database of C. xanthochila plants in cultivation
8.1	Assess habitat preferences and select one introduction site
8.2	Prepare an introduction plan and establish one additional reserved population in the wild
9.1	Prepare education material and undertake community extension
10.2   Establish a regional C. xanthochila Recovery Team consisting of NRE – PFF, NRE – SW, NRE – Forests, Murtoa Golf Club COM, Bendigo Field Naturalists Club
10.3   Prepare Victorian FFG Action Statement for C. xanthochila
Responsible agencies/organisations:
Department of  Natural Resources and  Environment, Victoria –  PFF,  NW,  Forests; Department of Environment and Heritage, South Australia; Murtoa Golf Club Committee of Management; Bendigo Field Naturalists Club
Bibliography:
Beardsell, D. and Beardsell, C. (1992). A rare new Caladenia species from central Victoria, and its relationship with other recently described taxa in south eastern Australia. Australian Systematic Botany, 5: 513-519.