Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00635:reg:1:p12
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00635
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 1 (pt 12/23)
Character Range: 35254–38248

2008), which may effectively reduce habitat availability for regent honeyeaters. The noisy miner is common in fragmented and degraded habitat due to its preference for open areas adjoining eucalypt woodland, and may occupy areas up to 300 m from a forest edge. In areas occupied by noisy miners, the abundance and species richness of other bird species are about half that recorded at nearby areas unoccupied by noisy miners (Piper & Catterall 2003; Clarke & Oldland 2007; Maron et al., 2013; Thomson et al., 2015). Noisy miners are now listed as a Key Threatening Process under the EPBC Act, as well as in Victoria and New South Wales under the respective state legislation, and their impact on regent honeyeaters was one of the factors in those determinations.
Honeybees may also compete with regent honeyeaters for nectar (Menkhorst 1993), although the significance of this for the regent honeyeater is unknown and requires further investigation. Competition from feral honeybees (Apis mellifera) is listed as a 'Threatening Process' for nectivorous species in NSW and Victoria.

5 Populations under particular pressure
The actions described in this recovery plan are designed to provide ongoing protection for the regent honeyeater throughout its range.
It is thought that the regent honeyeater comprises a single population, with some exchange of individuals between regularly used areas (Garnett et al., 2011). Recent genetic analysis further supports this (Kvistad et al., 2015).  The regent honeyeater was formerly more common and widespread, but its distribution and population size have declined markedly due to the loss and degradation of its preferred woodland habitat (Franklin et al., 1989; Regent Honeyeater Recovery Team, unpublished data). Ongoing declines in population size and habitat availability present significant challenges for the recovery of the regent honeyeater and exert strong pressures on survival of the species in the wild. Given these challenges, all areas where regent honeyeaters are known or are likely to occur require protective measures.

6 Objectives and strategies
The objectives of this recovery plan are to:
    * Reverse the long-term population trend of decline and increase the numbers of regent honeyeaters to a level where there is a viable, wild breeding population, even in poor breeding years; and to
    * Enhance the condition of habitat across the regent honeyeater range to maximise survival and reproductive success, and provide refugia during periods of extreme environmental fluctuation.

The strategies to achieve the plans' objectives are:
    * Improve the extent and quality of regent honeyeater habitat.
    * Bolster the wild population with captive-bred birds until the wild population becomes self-sustaining.
    * Increase understanding of the size, structure, trajectory and viability of the wild population.
    * Maintain and increase community awareness, understanding and involvement in the recovery program.

7 Actions