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Asset
Key Locations
Current Status
Key Values
Key Threats
Street Trees &
Regulated Trees
Across the Region Protected in
Development Plans
with Tree Protection
Zones
Habitat
Amenity
Air Quality
Shade
Stabilise soils
Heat waves
Water Supply
Removal or clearing
Encroachment from
Development
Mapping of floristic remnant vegetation in the Study Area (DENR Native Vegetation (Floristic)) shows 5
key locations of remnant vegetation; samphire shrubland at Mutton Cove and by the Range, Magazine
Creek and Barker Inlet Wetlands, spinifex grassland by the Semaphore foreshore, coastal shrubland at
Tennyson and West Beach and Eucalyptus woodland at Folland Park.
Many of these examples represent the last remnants of these vegetation communities in the entire
metropolitan area; Tennyson Dune Reserve contains the most significant area of remnant dune
vegetation along Adelaide’s metropolitan coastline (Cordingley and Petherick, 2006) and Folland Park
contains the last remaining
Eucalyptus porosa
woodland in pre-European condition in the Region.
Many of the threats to remnant vegetation may be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, in
particular erosion from storm surge and rain events and weed invasion. Threats to Mutton Cove include
the expanding distribution of mangroves which will impact on the biodiversity value in terms of diversity
and habitat as well as cultural heritage values and sites.
Nationally Threatened species (
EPBC Act 1999
) that are known to occur in the region include saltmarsh
plants (Bead Samphire,
Tecticornea flabelliformis;
Cushion Centrolepis,
Centrolepis cephaloformis)
and
several birds (White-bellied Sea Eagle,
Haliaeetus leucogaster
; Little Egret,
Egretta garzetta;
and
Slender-billed Thornbill,
Acanthiza iredalei rosinae
). Many of these species are associated with coastal
areas which may be threatened by climate change impacts, in particular sea level rise and storm surge.
Patawalonga Creek has a small remnant Swamp Paperbark (
Melaleuca halmaturorum
) low woodland
near the airport. This area is on the Significant Tree Register, however it is not included in the DEWNR
floristic vegetation mapping. The area supports State protected species including Black Cotton-bush
(
Maireana decalvans
) and regionally significant species such as ‘Near Threatened’ Creeping Brookweed
(
Samolus repens
) and ‘Least Concern’, Nankeen Night Heron (
Nycticorax caledonicus
)
and Painted
Burrowing Frog (
Neobatrachus pictus
)
.
Threats to biodiversity values in the region include:
x
Fragmentation over time due to pressures from development and the decrease in open space
24
.
x
Pest plants, animals and pathogens (including Phytopthora);
x
Foxes, rabbits, cats, dogs, black and brown rats, honey bees and wasps.
x
10 major weeds, edge effects of open space, air temperature at perimeter.
x
Marine weed species (as above).
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This includes private and public open space that is subject to land division, change of use or redevelopment and infrastructure
projects.
