Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01082:reg:1:p16
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01082
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 1 (pt 16/30)
Character Range: 56685–59842

are also 16 State Game Reserves in which hunting is permitted (GMA, 2014). The degree to which quail hunting is impacting upon plains-wanderer survival is largely unknown; however hunting has the potential to have adverse impacts upon the species due to both incidental shooting and interactions between birds and dogs.
    * Climate change is likely to impact upon plains-wanderer survival in the future. Within an Australian context predicted future weather conditions may include more frequent and severe bushfires, longer heatwaves, reduced rainfall in southern and eastern areas of Australia and an increase in the extremity and frequency of intense rainfall events causing local flooding (State of the Environment Committee, 2011). A key strategy to mitigate this threat will be to build resilience into the grasslands upon which plains-wanderers rely by reducing annual weeds and increasing native, perennial grasses and herbs, particularly those that persist and provide resources during extreme conditions.

    5 Populations under particular pressure
The actions described in this recovery plan are designed to provide ongoing protection for the plains-wanderer throughout the species' range.
The plains-wanderer is thought to occur in a single widely-dispersed population, rather than in multiple populations (Garnett & Crowley, 2000), but the evidence for this is not strong. The plains-wanderer was formerly much more common and widespread (Bennett, 1983; Blakers et al., 1984; D'Ombrain, 1926; Llewellyn, 1975), but its distribution and population size have declined markedly due to the loss and degradation of sparse, lowland native grasslands, which are its preferred habitat (Baker-Gabb, 2002b; Baker-Gabb et al., 1990; Bennett, 1983). Ongoing declines in population size and habitat availability present significant challenges for the recovery of the plains-wanderer and exert strong pressures on the species' survival in the wild. Given these challenges all populations and locations of plains-wanderers 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 plains-wanderers 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 plains-wanderers' range to maximise survival and reproductive success, and provide refugia during periods of extreme environmental fluctuation.

The strategies to achieve the plans' objectives are:

    * Develop and implement a robust, targeted conservation breeding strategy for the plains-wanderer.
    * Facilitate management of grazing regimes, and improve knowledge of appropriate burning regimes, to maintain suitable habitat for the plains-wanderer.
    * Enhance protection, improve the quality and increase the extent of habitat suitable for the plains-wanderer.
    * Identify the key factors that have contributed to the significant recent declines in the numbers of plains-wanderers and develop mitigation measures to address these threats.
    * Improve understanding