Managing Australia's Pest Animals: A Guide to Strategic Planning and Effective Management

By Mike Braysher

Pest animals are but one of many factors that influence the desired outcome from managing natural resource based systems, whether for production or conservation purposes. Others include diseases, weeds, financial resources, weather and fire management. To be effective, an integrated and systematic approach is required, and the principles and strategic approach outlined in this book can also be used to plan and manage the damage due to other factors.

Managing Australia's Pest Animals includes case studies of successful and unsuccessful pest management strategies and covers a range of topics, including the history of pest management, current best practice principles, and guidelines for planning and applying strategic pest management approaches to effectively reduce pest damage. This book is the first clear and comprehensive guide to best practice pest management in Australia and will benefit students and trainers of pest managers, landholders, people involved in natural resource management, and industry and government pest management staff.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING
• Release date: Feb 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781486304455

Book preview

Managing Australia’s

Pest Animals

A GUIDE TO STRATEGIC PLANNING AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT

MIKE BRAYSHER

© Mike Braysher 2017

All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Contact CSIRO Publishing for all permission requests.

The moral rights of the author(s) have been asserted.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Braysher, Mike, author.

Managing Australia’s pest animals : a guide to strategic planning and effective management / Mike Braysher.

9781486304431 (paperback)

9781486304448 (epdf)

9781486304455 (epub)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Vertebrate pests – Control – Australia.

Feral animals – Control – Australia.

Agricultural pests – Control – Australia.

632.60994

Published by

CSIRO Publishing

Locked Bag 10

Clayton South VIC 3169

Australia

Telephone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Website: www.publish.csiro.au

Front cover (clockwise from top left): wild dogs (Oliver Orgill); pest management planning workshop (Peter Bird); koalas in a defoliated tree on Kangaroo Island (Desley Whisson); camels running over sand dune (Robert Sleep, DEWNR SA).

Back cover (left to right): fox (Jason Wishart); red-eared slider turtle (Laurent Lebois, CC BY 2.0).

Set in 11/13.5 Minion & Helvetica Neue

Edited by Joy Window (Living Language)

Cover design by Andrew Weatherill

Typeset by Thomson Digital

Index by Bruce Gillespie

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Foreword

Pest management is a mix of science and art, and there are few people who have acquired the wisdom to present a comprehensive overview of how to achieve this wisdom from scratch. Mike Braysher is a font of wisdom about pest management because he has read widely in the ecological literature, carried out pest management in the field, and interacted with the people who suffer from pests that are out of control. The art of pest management indeed needs a rare mix of skills, and fortunately in Australia many good ecologists have helped to develop these skills. But there is as yet no clear overview that one can give to a young person who wishes guidance to help learn these skills for industry or government jobs in controlling pests. Without this we continue to reinvent the wheel as time passes and wisdom acquired over the years is lost. This book recovers this mixture of art and science to help bridge the gap between the theoretical education we deliver in the universities and the practical knowledge needed to be effective in pest management.

Science proceeds by trial and error, and the key is to use the accumulated wisdom to reduce the number of errors in the future. One of the many strengths of this book is the examples of success and failure in pest management in Australia. We learn by doing, and the great difficulty of incorporating ecological theory into real world management of pests is that ecological theory is too simplified to give clear guidance for management situations in which humans are key players. Pests are culturally defined, and pests in one country may be valued species in another, so that solutions are typically local rather than global. Conservation biology suffers from the same problems as pest management, and one global message from this book is that social science and ecological science must work together to solve pest problems.

My hope is that this book and its encapsulation of our current management wisdom will help to produce a new generation of practical pest managers who operate with the principles explained here. Understanding what management actions will work and those that will not work will also provide feedback to more theoretical ecologists who are trying to develop a realistic theory of population and community dynamics. Solving practical problems is refreshing for the soul, and this book moves us in a structured direction to achieving better pest management.

Charles J. Krebs

Thinker in Residence

Institute for Applied Ecology

University of Canberra

May 2016

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Preface

Additional resources and reading

Chapter 1 Fundamentals of vertebrate pest management

Summary

What is a pest?

What makes a successful pest?

Where did pests come from?

New approach to pest management

The current operating environment

Best practice

Learning outcomes for Chapter 1

Exercises

Further reading

Chapter 2 The principles of pest management

Summary

The principles

Learning outcomes for Chapter 2

Exercises

Further reading

Chapter 3 The strategic approach

Summary

Being strategic

Defining the problem

Learning outcomes for Chapter 3

Exercises

Further reading

Chapter 4 Engaging with communities and stakeholders

Summary

Who are the stakeholders in pest management?

Consultation versus engagement

Why is stakeholder engagement necessary?

Why is effective stakeholder engagement important?

Principles of stakeholder engagement

Community compliance with legislation

Case studies in community engagement

Further reading

Learning outcomes for Chapter 4

Exercises

Chapter 5 Planning for successful pest management

Summary

Setting visions, goals and objectives

Management options

Management techniques

Reality check: choosing the right technique

Further reading

Learning outcomes for Chapter 5

Exercises

Chapter 6 Minimising risk and uncertainty

Summary

Pest management systems are complex

Assessing the pest status of non-native animals

Invasion pathways – imports and escapes

Adaptive management

Underpinning assumptions

Cost–benefit analysis

Further reading

Learning outcomes for Chapter 6

Exercises

Chapter 7 Experimental management, monitoring and evaluation

Summary

Why monitor and evaluate?

Damage reduction targets

Stopping rules

Sampling

Data collection and organisation

Data sheets

Data analysis

Communication of the results

An introduction to experimental design

Further reading

Learning outcomes for Chapter 7

Exercises

Chapter 8 Implementing pest management

Summary

Approaches for implementing pest management

Which area should be treated first?

The key components for effective implementation of a pest program

Applying for funds

Further reading

Learning outcomes for Chapter 8

Exercises

Appendix. Case studies

Definitions and key concepts

References

Index

Acknowledgements

Many individuals have helped me formulate the ideas and approach set out in this book. Two people influenced my initial ideas about how best to manage pests (Geoff Norton and Roger Pech), but there were many others over the following years. These include in alphabetical order Peter Fleming, Quentin Hart, Nina Jenkins and Glen Saunders. I thank Tony Buckmaster and Annette Brown for discussions and ideas for the book and the guidance and support of Briana Melideo and Lauren Webb of CSIRO Publishing. David Keightley prepared most of the diagrams and provided sound editorial advice as well as undertaking the unenviable task of formatting.

The ideas were developed, tested and refined through numerous formal workshops and informal meetings and discussions with many groups and individuals, including farmers, employees of government pest agencies and researchers that I have worked with over many years. In effect they were the guinea pigs.

I especially acknowledge and thank Alice Kenney, who provided much of the material for the chapter on monitoring and evaluation, a topic that is difficult to explain logically and clearly and in a way that is practicable and of use to managers. I also thank the anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments.

The case studies based on actual programs add much to the book and I thank those involved in the programs for making their information available and for helping to refine them. They are Quentin Hart and Ben Kaethner for the camel stakeholder example, Rob Hunt for the Brindabella Wee Jasper Wild Dog and Fox Program and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service South Coast Shorebird Recovery Program coordinators and associated staff.

The University of Canberra kindly made some funds available to help prepare the book and the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, especially its comprehensive PestSmart website, provided much of the material that the book refers to. I recommend the website to those searching for current information about pests and how to manage them.

Preface

Whether you are a student in a pest management training course in an environmental management undergraduate degree program, a professional pest operator, a natural resource manager or a wildlife biologist, this clear and comprehensive book provides up-to-date information on pest animal management in Australia. It covers a range of topics, including the history of pest management, current principles underpinning best practice pest animal management, and guidelines for planning and applying strategic pest management approaches to effectively reduce pest damage. The book is consistent with, and has been written to support, the recently revised Vocational Education and Training (VET) Conservation and Land Management qualifications for managing pests. To see the new training qualifications, search for AHC qualifications on the website .

The primary focus of the book is on how best to plan and manage pest animals to achieve the desired environmental, economic or social results. However, pest animals are but one of many factors that influence the desired outcome from managing natural resource based systems, whether for production or conservation purposes. Others include diseases, weeds, financial resources, weather and fire management. To be effective, an integrated and systematic approach is required. Consequently, it is suggested that the principles and strategic approach outlined in this book can also be used to plan and manage the damage due to other factors such as weeds, insects and diseases. Indeed, the new VET qualifications for training pest managers, which include the principles and strategic approach presented in this book, cover both pest animals and weeds. The approach to planning and management is similar for pest animals and weeds, although the biology of the target pest and their management techniques vary significantly. Examples of the way the principles and strategic approach can be used to manage the damage due to weeds are provided in the book.

Pest management encompasses a wide range of activities undertaken to reduce the damage or other negative impacts caused by, or related to, the presence and behaviour of pest animals. It is considered a sub-discipline or component of wildlife management, and an important part of natural resource management. Natural resource management involves taking care of natural resources such as land, soils, water, vegetation, wildlife and biological systems, with a focus on how management actions affect the quality of life of present and future generations. Our social, economic and environmental well-being depends on the sustainable management of natural resources. Pest management also draws on disciplines such as economics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, ecology, geography and the social sciences (including communications and behavioural psychology).

This book does not provide information on the scientific study of invasive animal species. For information on the biology of major pest animals in Australia and their impacts on the environment, economy and people, as well as the various control techniques available for pest management, please refer to the PestSmart resources at <http://www.pestsmart.org.au> or other material where indicated.

Additional resources and reading

Additional pest management resources suitable for use throughout Australia are available online at PestSmart at <http://www.pestsmart.org.au>. Developed by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre and its partner organisations, its resources include PestSmart Toolkit publications. Each toolkit is made up of a set of factsheets and case studies, and some include glovebox guides, technical reports and video clips. The toolkits are colour-coded for easy referencing. All PestSmart publications are freely available online at .

Animal welfare guidelines

• Model Codes of Practice for the Humane Control of Pest Animals in Australia: <http://www.pestsmart.org.au/animal-welfare>.

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the control of pest animals in Australia: see the relevant SOP for each pest species at <http://www.pestsmart.org.au>.

Books, reports and articles

These books, reports and articles are out of print, but are available through the PestSmart website: <http://www.pestsmart.org.au>.

Braysher M, Saunders G (2003) PESTPLAN: a guide to setting priorities and developing a management plan for pest animals. Natural Heritage Trust, Canberra. <http://www.pestsmart.org.au/pestplan-a-guide-to-setting-priorities-and-developing-a-management-plan-for-pest-animals>.

Braysher M, Saunders G (2003) PESTPLAN toolkit: a guide to setting priorities and developing a management plan for pest animals. Natural Heritage Trust, Canberra. <http://www.pestsmart.org.au/pestplan-toolkit-a-guide-to-setting-priorities-and-developing-a-management-plan-for-pest-animals>.

Brown A, Braysher M (2014) Updated national training qualifications for vertebrate pest managers in Australia. In: Proceedings 26th Vertebrate Pest Conference. Hawaii. (Eds R Timm, J O’Brien) pp. 430–436. .

The then Bureau of Rural Sciences published several books on pests and their management. They are downloadable from the PestSmart website.

Managing Vertebrate Pests series, Bureau of Rural Sciences. Titles include: Principles and Strategies, Feral Horses, Rabbits, Foxes, Feral Pigs, Feral Goats, Carp, Rodents, Birds and Wild Dogs.

Mitchell B, Balogh S (2007) Monitoring Techniques for Vertebrate Pests. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange. There are techniques for most pests including rabbits, foxes, feral pigs and feral goats. The relevant techniques can be found by selecting the pest species. .

Olsen P (1998) Australia’s Pest Animals: New Solutions to Old Problems. Bureau of Resource Sciences, Canberra, and Kangaroo Press, East Roseville. .

Case studies

Case studies based on actual pest programs are featured throughout this book and in the online PestSmart toolkits (<http://www.pestsmart.org.au>). However, where possible, it is recommended that trainers develop local examples of pest management projects or relevant case studies for training or workshop presentation purposes.

Further reading and learning outcomes

Further reading on the issues covered in each chapter, as well as a list of learning outcomes and exercises to test understanding, are presented at the end of each chapter.

1

Fundamentals of vertebrate pest management

Summary

This chapter explains why pests are so successful, briefly sets out the history of pests in Australia, and gives examples of the various types of pests. It then explains the new approach to pest management and the current environment under which pest management needs to be planned and implemented. This approach is explained in the Australian Pest Animal Strategy, and further refined in the relevant state and territory pest management strategies. The final section outlines the elements of best practice pest management, which are explained in greater detail in the subsequent chapters.

What is a pest?

Around 650 species of terrestrial vertebrate animals have been brought to Australia since European settlement, but not all became pests. These animals have been introduced for a variety of reasons and can be described in many different ways. There is no universal definition of a pest and many people use different terms interchangeably, which can sometimes cause confusion. However, the term ‘pest’ is commonly used to describe any animal (including native animals) that has a negative impact on, or causes damage to, a valued resource, such as the environment, agriculture, industry, people or communities. It is important to note that the pest status of an animal can change with time, between areas, or according to the perception of the person assessing the animal. What might be one person’s pest is another’s valued resource. This dilemma will be examined in subsequent chapters. This is the main reason that pest management is complex: the difficulty in identifying and being able to reconcile the varying and often conflicting attitudes towards potential pests, and if or how they should be managed.

It is important to note that not all pests are non-native animals. Over-abundant native animals and translocated native animals can also be pests. These include some of the larger kangaroo species and parrots that have benefited from changes to the landscape due to land clearing and the provision of crops and additional water sources. Even some iconic native species such as koalas may be pests. In the 1920s, 18 koalas were translocated from French Island in Victoria to Kangaroo Island in South Australia (Robinson et al. 1989). Their numbers have increased to such an extent that they have severely degraded manna gum communities and threatened the survival of several native plants and animal communities (Masters et al. 2004).

The term ‘pest’ is used to describe vertebrate pest animals throughout this book.

Though they are native animals, koalas are considered a pest on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, as they cause serious damage to native vegetation. These two koalas are in a tree completely stripped of foliage. Source: Desley Whisson.

Other terms used to describe pests

Feral. A feral animal is a non-native animal that has escaped from captivity and established a self-sustaining population independent of humans. For example, cats, goats, pigs and ringneck parrots can all be described as feral. In Australia, about 92 species have self-sustaining populations in the wild (that is, these animals can survive without any human assistance, and there are enough animals to breed and disperse). Technically, foxes and rabbits are not considered ‘feral’ because these two species were deliberately released to establish wild populations. However, the word ‘feral’ is generally applied to any non-native animal that causes serious damage to human interests.

Exotic, introduced and non-indigenous. An exotic animal is one that lives outside of its natural range or distribution. It may be an animal that has been introduced to Australia or New Zealand from another country, or it may be an animal that has been translocated (moved) within Australia or New Zealand to a location where it does not normally occur. For example, kookaburras have been introduced to south-west Western Australia. Other species such as goldfish and cane toads have originated from another country and been deliberately released in Australia.

The majority of Australia’s pest animals are exotic species. For this reason, many exotic species are usually refused entry into the country because they present an unacceptably high risk of becoming a pest if they were to escape from captivity or be deliberately released, or they have the potential to introduce or spread disease.

The Invasive Plant and Animals Committee (IPAC) is a Commonwealth, state and territory sub-committee of the National Biosecurity Committee that replaced the former Vertebrate Pests Committee (VPC) and the Australian Weeds Committee. The committee provides policy and technical advice to the National Biosecurity Committee on national weed, vertebrate pest and freshwater invertebrate pest issues. The IPAC has assessed and categorised the threats posed by non-indigenous vertebrate mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles held in Australia under state and territory legislation. This list is used as a reference by these jurisdictions in controlling the entry, movement and keeping of exotic vertebrate species.

The Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage also considers this list in assessing applications to import exotic vertebrate species into Australian (VPC 2007).

Invasive species. Invasive species are organisms (plant or animal) that successfully establish themselves in, and then overcome, otherwise intact, pre-existing native ecosystems. Invasive species have usually been transported to these locations by humans. They can be native as well as non-native.

What makes a successful pest?

The success of pests in Australia is due to a combination of biological and environmental factors. Australia’s pest animals thrive in a range of available habitats, including arid deserts and tropical rainforests. Also they are free from most diseases and have relatively few predators (see Box 1.1).

Box 1.1: Why is the fox a successful pest?

The fox’s ability to adapt to a variety of conditions has made it one of the most successful pest species in Australia. European red foxes were introduced into southern Victoria in 1871 for recreational hunting. They rapidly colonised the area and spread out across the country, with a distribution that closely followed the spread of a main food source and another successful pest species, the rabbit. By 1893, foxes were reported in New South Wales; in 1901, South Australia; in 1907, Queensland; and in 1912, in Western Australia. Today, the fox is one of the most widely dispersed pest animals in Australia.

Foxes have several biological characteristics that make them a successful pest in Australian conditions. A female fox’s life span is reasonably long and she can reproduce